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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 27, 2025

Securities Act File No. 333-207814

Investment Company Act File No. 811-23112

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-1A

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [X]  
  Pre-Effective Amendment No. [  ]  
  Post-Effective Amendment No. 64 [X]  
     
  and/or  
     
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [X]  
  Amendment No. 65    

 

(Check appropriate box or boxes.)

 

JANUS DETROIT STREET TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

 

Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: 303-333-3863

 

Cara Owen

151 Detroit Street

Denver, Colorado 80206-4805

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

With Copies to:

Eric S. Purple

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP

2000 K Street, N.W., Suite 700
Washington, D.C. 20006

 

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

 

It is proposed that this filing will become effective: (check appropriate box)
  [  ] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
  [X] On February 28, 2025 at 12:01am Mountain Time pursuant to paragraph (b)
  [  ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
  [  ] on _________pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
  [  ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
  [  ] on _________ 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.

 

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

JSML

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

JSMD

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Prospectus

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

This Prospectus describes two portfolios (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) of Janus Detroit Street Trust (the “Trust”). Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Funds.

 

Shares of the Funds are not individually redeemable and the owners of Fund shares may purchase or redeem shares from a Fund in Creation Units only, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Prospectus. The purchase and sale price of individual Fund shares trading on an exchange may be below, at or above the most recently calculated net asset value for Fund shares (sometimes referred to as the “NAV”).

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Fund Summary

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

2

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

9

Additional Information about the Funds

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

15

Risks of the Funds

16

Information regarding the underlying indices

19

Management of the Funds

 

Investment adviser

21

Management expenses

21

Portfolio management

22

Other Information

24

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

25

Shareholder’s Guide

 

Pricing of fund shares

27

Distribution and servicing fees

28

Payments to financial intermediaries by the Adviser or its affiliates

28

Purchasing and selling shares

29

Excessive trading

31

Shareholder communications

32

Financial Highlights

33

 

1 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

 

JSML Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF Shares

Russell 3000TM Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Russell 2000TM Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Ticker: JSML

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF seeks investment results that correspond generally, before fees and expenses, to the performance of its underlying index, the Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha Index (the “Underlying Index”).

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.30%

Other Expenses

0.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.30%

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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

 

 

  $ 31     $ 97     $ 169     $ 381  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 91% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund pursues its investment objective by normally investing at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in the securities that comprise the Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha Index (“Underlying Index”).

 

The Underlying Index is composed of common stocks of small-sized companies that are included in the Solactive Small Cap Index, a universe of 2,000 small-sized capitalization stocks. The Solactive Small Cap Index uses the total public market value, or “free-float,” capitalization of a stock to determine whether to include such stock in the Solactive Small Cap Index. The Underlying Index is designed to select small-sized capitalization stocks that are poised for “smart growth” by evaluating each company’s performance in three critical areas: growth, profitability, and capital efficiency. Using a proprietary quantitative methodology, such stocks are scored based on fundamental measures of their growth, profitability, and capital efficiency, and the top 10% of such eligible stocks scoring the highest become the constituents of the Underlying Index. To arrive at the top 10%, for each security in the stated universe, the quantitative methodology assigns a score in each of 10 different

 

2 | Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

fundamental factors, relative to other eligible securities. The fundamental factors include measures that the Adviser believes are tied to a stock’s outperformance relative to other small cap stocks, and indicate a company’s performance with respect to growth (such as the revenue growth rate over 2-, 5- and 8- year periods), profitability (such as margin expansion, profit margin and earnings per share over time) and capital efficiency (such as returns on invested capital). The scores for each stock within a factor are then added together across the 10 factors, with equal weighting, to arrive at an overall score for each stock. The stocks with the highest 10% of scores are then weighted within the Underlying Index according to their market capitalization. Finally, the stocks are sector-weighted to reflect the sector allocation weight of Janus Henderson Venture Fund, based on its most recent publicly available holdings. A stock may not represent more than 3% of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index seeks risk adjusted outperformance relative to a market capitalization weighted universe of small-sized capitalization growth stocks. Market capitalizations within the Underlying Index will vary, but as of October 31, 2024, they ranged from approximately $64 million to $6.83 billion. The Underlying Index is rebalanced on a quarterly basis based on the methodology described above.

 

The Fund uses a “passive,” index-based approach in seeking performance that corresponds to the performance of the Underlying Index. The Fund generally will use a replication methodology, meaning it will invest in the securities composing the Underlying Index in proportion to the weightings in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a sampling methodology under various circumstances in which it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the securities in the Underlying Index.

 

The Adviser expects that over time, if the Fund has sufficient assets, the correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the Underlying Index will be 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation.

 

The Fund may also invest in investments that are not included in the Underlying Index, but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Such investments include stocks, shares of other investment companies, cash and cash equivalents, including affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds (or unregistered cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds).

 

To the extent the Underlying Index concentrates (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the Underlying Index. As of October 31, 2024, the Underlying Index did not concentrate in a particular industry or group of industries. For more recent information, see the Fund’s daily portfolio holdings posted on the exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) portion of the Janus Henderson website.

 

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions on a short-term or long-term basis, in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination.

 

The Underlying Index is compiled and administered by Janus Henderson Indices LLC (“JH Indices” or the “Index Provider”). JH Indices is affiliated with the Fund and the Adviser.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns will vary, and you could lose money. The Fund is designed for long-term investors interested in an index-based portfolio of equity investments, including common stocks. Common stocks tend to be more volatile than many other investment choices. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. The Underlying Index focuses on the small-sized capitalization sector of the stock market, and therefore at times the Fund may underperform the overall stock market. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

Equity Investing Risk. The Fund’s investment in the securities composing the Underlying Index involves risks of investing in a portfolio of equity securities, such as market fluctuations, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in stock prices.

 

3 | Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

Small-Sized Companies Risk. The Fund’s investments in securities issued by small-sized companies, which can include smaller, start-up companies offering emerging products or services, may involve greater risks than are customarily associated with larger, more established companies. For example, they may also suffer more significant losses as a result of their narrow product lines, limited operating history, greater exposure to competitive threats, limited financial resources, limited trading markets, and the potential lack of management depth. Securities issued by small-sized companies tend to be more volatile and somewhat more speculative than securities issued by larger or more established companies and may underperform as compared to the securities of larger or more established companies. These holding are also subject to wider price fluctuations and tend to be less liquid that stock of larger or more established companies, which could have a significant adverse effect on the Fund’s returns, especially as market conditions change.

 

Growth Securities Risk. Securities of companies perceived to be “growth” companies may be more volatile than other stocks and may involve special risks. If the perception of a company’s growth potential, based on the quantitative methodology applied in constructing the Underlying Index, is not realized, the securities purchased may not perform as expected, reducing the Fund’s returns. In addition, because different types of stocks tend to shift in and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions, “growth” stocks may perform differently from the market as a whole and other types of securities.

 

Investment Style Risk. Returns from small-sized capitalization stocks may trail returns from the overall stock market. Small-cap stocks may go through cycles of doing better or worse than other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These cycles may continue for extended periods of time.

 

Industry and Sector Risk. The Fund’s assets will generally be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent that the Fund’s Underlying Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries. The Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting similar business or businesses within the same economic sector. Companies in the same industry or economic sector may be similarly affected by negative economic or market events, making the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments than funds that invest more broadly. As the Fund’s portfolio becomes more concentrated, the Fund is less able to spread risk and potentially reduce the risk of loss and volatility.

 

Healthcare Sector Risk. Companies in the healthcare sector may be adversely affected by extensive government regulation restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products, services and facilities, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, costs associated with obtaining and protecting patents, product liability and other claims, changes in technologies and other market developments.

 

Industrials Sector Risk. The industrials sector is comprised of companies who produce capital goods used in construction and manufacturing, such as companies that make and sell machinery, equipment and supplies that are used to produce other goods. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation and spending, import controls, and worldwide competition. In addition, companies may be adversely affected by environmental damages, product liability claims and exchange rates, and may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction.

 

Early Close/Trading Halt Risk. An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

 

Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match or achieve a high degree of correlation with the return of the Underlying Index. To the extent the Fund utilizes a sampling approach, it may experience tracking error to a greater extent than if the Fund sought to replicate the Underlying Index. In addition, the Fund may hold fewer than the total number of securities in the Underlying Index. Further, the Fund may hold securities or other investments not included in the Underlying Index but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Such investments may not perform as expected.

 

Index Provider Risk. The Fund seeks to achieve returns that generally correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Underlying Index, as published by the Index Provider. There is no assurance that the Index Provider will compile the Underlying Index accurately, or that the Underlying Index will be determined, composed or calculated accurately. While the Index Provider gives descriptions of what the Underlying Index is designed to achieve, the Index Provider generally does not provide any warranty or accept any liability in relation to the quality, accuracy or completeness

 

4 | Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

of data in such index, and it generally does not guarantee that the Underlying Index will be in line with its methodology. The Index Provider may unilaterally take certain actions that materially change the operation or expected composition of the Underlying Index (including altering the frequency of index rebalances). Additionally, errors made by the Index Provider with respect to the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data within the Underlying Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time, if at all. Therefore, gains, losses or costs associated with Index Provider errors or operational discretion will generally be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.

 

Methodology and Model Risk. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser can offer assurances that tracking the Underlying Index will maximize returns or minimize risk, or be appropriate for every investor seeking a particular risk profile. Underlying Index risks include, but are not limited to, the risk that the factors used to determine the components of the Underlying Index, as applied by the Index Provider in accordance with the Underlying Index methodology, might not select securities that individually, or in the aggregate, outperform the broader small-sized capitalization universe. In addition, the Underlying Index was designed based on historically relevant fundamental factors and may not provide risk-adjusted outperformance in the future.

 

Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and therefore the Fund might not sell shares of a security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is removed from the Underlying Index or the selling of shares is otherwise required upon a rebalancing of the Underlying Index.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs which may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In addition, higher portfolio turnover may result in the acceleration of capital gains and the recognition of greater levels of short-term capital gains, which are taxed at ordinary federal income tax rates when distributed to shareholders.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV.

 

Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of NAV and Market Price Risk. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to NAV. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants (“APs”) and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s NAV. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which

 

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may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV and to face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s performance has varied over time. The bar chart depicts the change in performance from year to year during the periods indicated. The table compares the Fund’s average annual returns for the periods indicated to a broad-based securities market index, the index the Fund seeks to track, as well as to one or more supplemental indices that have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. All figures assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses.

 

The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at janushenderson.com/performance or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

Annual Total Returns (calendar year-end)

 

 

 

Best Quarter:

2nd Quarter 2020

34.62%

Worst Quarter:

1st Quarter 2020

-26.88%

 

 

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Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended 12/31/24)

 

 

1 Year

5 Years

Since
Inception
2/23/2016

 

     

Return Before Taxes

12.40%

7.65%

12.23%

Return After Taxes on Distributions

11.94%

7.46%

12.05%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(1)

7.43%

5.98%

10.09%

Russell 3000TM Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

23.81%

13.86%

15.09%

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

12.67%

7.96%

12.56%

Russell 2000TM Growth Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

15.15%

6.86%

11.15%

 

(1)

If the Fund incurs a loss, which generates a tax benefit, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may exceed the Fund’s other return figures.

(2)

Index performance shown in the table is the total return, which assumes reinvestment of any dividends and distributions during the time periods shown.

 

After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Benjamin Wang, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in February 2016. Zoey Zhu, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which she has co-managed since May 2024.

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount and/or all cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, you may pay more than NAV (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than NAV (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

7 | Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

8 | Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

 

JSMD Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF Shares

Russell 3000TM Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Russell 2000TM Growth Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Ticker: JSMD

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF seeks investment results that correspond generally, before fees and expenses, to the performance of its underlying index, the Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha Index (the “Underlying Index”).

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.30%

Other Expenses

0.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.30%

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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

 

 

  $ 31     $ 97     $ 169     $ 381  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 102% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund pursues its investment objective by normally investing at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in the securities that comprise the Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha Index (“Underlying Index”).

 

The Underlying Index is composed of common stocks of small- and medium-sized companies that are included in the Solactive Small/Mid Cap Index, a universe of 2,500 small- and medium-sized capitalization stocks. The Solactive Small/Mid Cap Index uses the total public market value, or “free-float,” capitalization of a stock to determine whether to include such stock in the Solactive Small/Mid Cap Index. The Underlying Index is designed to select small- and medium-sized capitalization stocks that are poised for “smart growth” by evaluating each company’s performance in three critical areas: growth, profitability, and capital efficiency. Using a proprietary quantitative methodology, such stocks are scored based on fundamental measures of their growth, profitability, and capital efficiency, and the top 10% of such eligible stocks scoring the highest become the constituents of the Underlying Index. To arrive at the top 10%, for each security in the stated universe,

 

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the quantitative methodology assigns a score in each of 10 different fundamental factors, relative to other eligible securities. The fundamental factors include measures that the Adviser believes are tied to a stock’s outperformance relative to other small/mid cap stocks, and indicate a company’s performance with respect to growth (such as the revenue growth rate over 2-, 5-, and 8- year periods), profitability (such as margin expansion, profit margin and earnings per share over time) and capital efficiency (such as returns on invested capital). The scores for each stock within a factor are then added together across the 10 factors, with equal weighting, to arrive at an overall score for each stock. The stocks with the highest 10% of scores are then weighted within the Underlying Index according to their market capitalization. Finally, the stocks are sector-weighted to reflect the sector allocation weight of Janus Henderson Triton Fund, based on its most recent publicly available holdings. A stock may not represent more than 3% of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index seeks risk adjusted outperformance relative to a market capitalization weighted universe of small- and medium-sized capitalization growth stocks. Market capitalizations within the Underlying Index will vary, but as of October 31, 2024, they ranged from approximately $64 million to $44.34 billion. The Underlying Index is rebalanced on a quarterly basis based on the methodology described above.

 

The Fund uses a “passive,” index-based approach in seeking performance that corresponds to the performance of the Underlying Index. The Fund generally will use a replication methodology, meaning it will invest in the securities composing the Underlying Index in proportion to the weightings in the Underlying Index. However, the Fund may utilize a sampling methodology under various circumstances in which it may not be possible or practicable to purchase all of the securities in the Underlying Index. The Adviser expects that over time, if the Fund has sufficient assets, the correlation between the Fund’s performance, before fees and expenses, and that of the Underlying Index will be 95% or better. A figure of 100% would indicate perfect correlation.

 

The Fund may also invest in investments that are not included in the Underlying Index, but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Such investments include stocks, shares of other investment companies, cash and cash equivalents, including affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds (or unregistered cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds).

 

To the extent the Underlying Index concentrates (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the Underlying Index. As of October 31, 2024, the Underlying Index did not concentrate in a particular industry or group of industries. For more recent information, see the Fund’s daily portfolio holdings posted on the exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) portion of the Janus Henderson website.

 

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions on a short-term or long-term basis, in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination.

 

The Underlying Index is compiled and administered by Janus Henderson Indices LLC (“JH Indices” or the “Index Provider”). JH Indices is affiliated with the Fund and the Adviser.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns will vary, and you could lose money. The Fund is designed for long-term investors interested in an index-based portfolio of equity investments, including common stocks. Common stocks tend to be more volatile than many other investment choices. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. The Underlying Index focuses on the small-sized capitalization sector of the stock market, and therefore at times the Fund may underperform the overall stock market. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

Equity Investing Risk. The Fund’s investment in the securities composing the Underlying Index involves risks of investing in a portfolio of equity securities, such as market fluctuations, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in stock prices.

 

10 | Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

Small- and Mid-Sized Companies Risk. The Fund’s investments in securities issued by small- and mid-sized companies, which can include smaller, start-up companies offering emerging products or services, may involve greater risks than are customarily associated with larger, more established companies. For example, they may also suffer more significant losses as a result of their narrow product lines, limited operating history, greater exposure to competitive threats, limited financial resources, limited trading markets, and the potential lack of management depth. Securities issued by small- and mid-sized companies tend to be more volatile and somewhat more speculative than securities issued by larger or more established companies and may underperform as compared to the securities of larger or more established companies. These holding are also subject to wider price fluctuations and tend to be less liquid than stocks that stock of larger or more established companies, which could have a significant adverse effect on the Fund’s returns, especially as market conditions change.

 

Growth Securities Risk. Securities of companies perceived to be “growth” companies may be more volatile than other stocks and may involve special risks. If the perception of a company’s growth potential, based on the quantitative methodology applied in constructing the Underlying Index, is not realized, the securities purchased may not perform as expected, reducing the Fund’s returns. In addition, because different types of stocks tend to shift in and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions, “growth” stocks may perform differently from the market as a whole and other types of securities.

 

Investment Style Risk. Returns from small-sized capitalization stocks may trail returns from the overall stock market. Small-cap stocks may go through cycles of doing better or worse than other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These cycles may continue for extended periods of time.

 

Industry and Sector Risk. The Fund’s assets will generally be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent that the Fund’s Underlying Index concentrates in a particular industry or group of industries. The Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting similar business or businesses within the same economic sector. Companies in the same industry or economic sector may be similarly affected by negative economic or market events, making the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments than funds that invest more broadly. As the Fund’s portfolio becomes more concentrated, the Fund is less able to spread risk and potentially reduce the risk of loss and volatility.

 

Healthcare Sector Risk. Companies in the healthcare sector may be adversely affected by extensive government regulation restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products, services and facilities, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, a limited number of products, industry innovation, costs associated with obtaining and protecting patents, product liability and other claims, changes in technologies and other market developments.

 

Industrials Sector Risk. The industrials sector is comprised of companies who produce capital goods used in construction and manufacturing, such as companies that make and sell machinery, equipment and supplies that are used to produce other goods. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by changes in government regulation and spending, import controls, and worldwide competition. In addition, companies may be adversely affected by environmental damages, product liability claims and exchange rates, and may face product obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction.

 

Early Close/Trading Halt Risk. An exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities, or the ability to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may result in the Fund being unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments. In such circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.

 

Index Tracking Risk. The Fund’s return may not match or achieve a high degree of correlation with the return of the Underlying Index. To the extent the Fund utilizes a sampling approach, it may experience tracking error to a greater extent than if the Fund sought to replicate the Underlying Index. In addition, the Fund may hold fewer than the total number of securities in the Underlying Index. Further, the Fund may hold securities or other investments not included in the Underlying Index but which the Adviser believes will help the Fund track the Underlying Index. Such investments may not perform as expected.

 

Index Provider Risk. The Fund seeks to achieve returns that generally correspond, before fees and expenses, to the performance of the Underlying Index, as published by the Index Provider. There is no assurance that the Index Provider will compile the Underlying Index accurately, or that the Underlying Index will be determined, composed or calculated accurately. While the Index Provider gives descriptions of what the Underlying Index is designed to achieve, the Index Provider generally does not provide any warranty or accept any liability in relation to the quality, accuracy or completeness

 

11 | Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

of data in such index, and it generally does not guarantee that the Underlying Index will be in line with its methodology. The Index Provider may unilaterally take certain actions that materially change the operation or expected composition of the Underlying Index (including altering the frequency of index rebalances). Additionally, errors made by the Index Provider with respect to the quality, accuracy and completeness of the data within the Underlying Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the Index Provider for a period of time, if at all. Therefore, gains, losses or costs associated with Index Provider errors or operational discretion will generally be borne by the Fund and its shareholders.

 

Methodology and Model Risk. Neither the Fund nor the Adviser can offer assurances that tracking the Underlying Index will maximize returns or minimize risk, or be appropriate for every investor seeking a particular risk profile. Underlying Index risks include, but are not limited to, the risk that the factors used to determine the components of the Underlying Index, as applied by the Index Provider in accordance with the Underlying Index methodology, might not select securities that individually, or in the aggregate, outperform the broader small- and medium-sized capitalization universe. In addition, the Underlying Index was designed based on historically relevant fundamental factors and may not provide risk-adjusted outperformance in the future.

 

Passive Investment Risk. The Fund is not actively managed and therefore the Fund might not sell shares of a security due to current or projected underperformance of a security, industry or sector, unless that security is removed from the Underlying Index or the selling of shares is otherwise required upon a rebalancing of the Underlying Index.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (the ‘‘Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV.

 

Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of NAV and Market Price Risk. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to NAV. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants (“APs”) and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s NAV. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

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Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV and to face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s performance has varied over time. The bar chart depicts the change in performance from year to year during the periods indicated. The table compares the Fund’s average annual returns for the periods indicated to a broad-based securities market index, the index the Fund seeks to track, as well as to one or more supplemental indices that have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. All figures assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses.

 

The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at janushenderson.com/performance or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

Annual Total Returns (calendar year-end)

 

 

 

Best Quarter:

2nd Quarter 2020

34.59%

Worst Quarter:

1st Quarter 2020

-25.89%

 

Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended 12/31/24)

 

 

1 Year

5 Years

Since
Inception
2/23/2016

 

     

Return Before Taxes

15.13%

9.85%

13.83%

Return After Taxes on Distributions

14.86%

9.72%

13.71%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(1)

9.05%

7.79%

11.53%

Russell 3000TM Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

23.81%

13.86%

15.09%

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

15.47%

10.18%

14.23%

Russell 2500TM Growth Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

13.90%

8.08%

12.29%

 

(1)

If the Fund incurs a loss, which generates a tax benefit, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may exceed the Fund’s other return figures.

 

13 | Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

(2)

Index performance shown in the table is the total return, which assumes reinvestment of any dividends and distributions during the time periods shown.

 

After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Benjamin Wang, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in February 2016. Zoey Zhu, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which she has co-managed since May 2024.

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount and/or all cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, you may pay more than NAV (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than NAV (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

14 | Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

Additional Information about the Funds

 

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

 

The Funds’ Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) may change each Fund’s investment objective or non-fundamental principal investment strategies without a shareholder vote. A Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days or as soon as reasonably practicable before making any such change it considers material. In addition, a Fund will provide shareholders with at least 60 days’ notice prior to changing the 80% investment policy. If there is a material change to a Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that a Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

On each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, each Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV per share. A description of each Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Information about the premiums and discounts at which each Fund’s shares have traded is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Unless otherwise stated, the following additional investment strategies and general policies apply to each Fund and provide further information including, but not limited to, the types of securities the Fund may invest in when implementing its investment objective. Some of these strategies and policies may be part of a principal strategy. Other strategies and policies may be utilized to a lesser extent as a complement to each Fund’s principal strategy. Except for each Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this Prospectus and/or the SAI normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if a Fund exceeds a limit, other than illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities and may continue to purchase such securities in order to track each Underlying Index.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

Each Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of each Fund, which will be indirectly paid by each Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in a Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Adviser will earn fees both from such Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. Each Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

REITs and Real Estate-Related Securities

Each Fund may invest in equity securities of real estate-related companies to the extent such securities are included in their respective Underlying Index. These securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, and other equity securities, including, but not limited to, mortgage-backed securities, real estate-backed securities, securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and similar REIT-like entities (such as real estate operation companies (“REOCs”)). A REIT is an entity that invests in real estate-related projects, such as properties, mortgage loans, and construction loans. REITs are often categorized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. An equity REIT, the most common type of REIT, invests primarily in the fee ownership of land and buildings. An equity REIT derives its income primarily from rental income but may also realize capital gains or losses by selling real estate properties in its portfolio that have appreciated or depreciated in value. A mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development, or long-term loans. A mortgage REIT generally derives its income from interest payments on the credit it has extended. A hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of equity REITs and mortgage REITs, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate.

 

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Similar to REITs, REOCs are publicly-traded real estate companies that typically engage in the development, management or financing of real estate, such as homebuilders, hotel management companies, land developers and brokers. REOCs, however, have not elected (or are not eligible) to be taxed as a REIT. The reasons for not making such an election include the (i) availability of tax-loss carryforwards, (ii) operation in non-REIT-qualifying lines of business, and (iii) ability to retain earnings. Instead, REOCs are generally structured as “C” corporations under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and, as a result, are not required to distribute any portion of their income. In this regard, although REOCs do not receive the same favorable tax treatment that is accorded to REITs, REOCs are typically subject to fewer restrictions than REITs, including the ability to retain and/or reinvest funds from operations and more flexibility in terms of the real estate investments they can make.

 

Securities Lending

A Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination. When a Fund lends its securities, it receives collateral (including cash collateral), at least equal to the value of securities loaned. A Fund may earn income by investing this collateral in one or more affiliated or non-affiliated cash management vehicles or in time deposits. It is also possible that, due to a decline in the value of a cash management vehicle in which collateral is invested, a Fund may lose money. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If a Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to a Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and a Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns. The Adviser intends to manage a portion of the cash collateral in an affiliated cash management vehicle and will receive an investment advisory fee for managing such assets.

 

Non-Index Investments

A Fund may invest in investments that are not included in their respective Underlying Index, but which the Adviser believes will help each Fund track its Underlying Index. Such investments include common stocks, shares of other investment companies, and cash and cash equivalents, including affiliated and non-affiliated money market funds (including unregistered cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds). There may be instances where a stock is removed from an Underlying Index but the Adviser may elect to hold it for tax-related purposes, or where a Fund receives non-Underlying Index stocks in a corporate action and does not sell the stocks until the next rebalance date. The Adviser may also choose to hold non-Underlying Index stocks due to an optimization methodology to more efficiently track an Underlying Index. Use of an optimization methodology would entail the use of a program or model designed to identify securities that are not included in an Underlying Index, but would be expected to behave similarly to securities that are in the Underlying Index.

 

Risks of the Funds

 

The value of your investment will vary over time, sometimes significantly, and you may lose money by investing in the Funds. The following information is intended to help you better understand some of the risks of investing in the Funds, including those risks that are summarized in the Fund Summary sections. This information also includes descriptions of other risks a Fund may be subject to as a result of additional investment strategies and general policies that may apply to the Fund. The impact of the following risks on a Fund may vary depending on the Fund’s investments. The greater a Fund’s investment in a particular security, the greater the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with that security. Before investing in a Fund, you should consider carefully the risks that you assume when investing in the Fund.

 

Affiliated Index Provider Risk. JH Indices, the index provider for each Fund, is an affiliated person of the Adviser, which poses the appearance of a conflict of interest. For example, a potential conflict could arise between an affiliated person of the Adviser and the Funds if that entity attempted to use information regarding changes and composition of an Underlying Index to the detriment of the Funds. Additionally, potential conflicts could arise with respect to the personal trading activity of personnel of the affiliated person who may have access to, or knowledge of, pending changes to an Underlying Index’s composition methodology or the constituent securities in an Underlying Index prior to the time that information is publicly disseminated. If shared, such knowledge could facilitate “front-running” (which describes an instance in which other persons trade ahead of a Fund). Although the Adviser and JH Indices have taken steps designed to ensure that these potential

 

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conflicts are mitigated (e.g., via the adoption of policies and procedures that are designed to minimize potential conflicts of interest and the implementation of informational barriers designed to minimize the potential for the misuse of information about an Underlying Index), there can be no assurance that such measures will be successful.

 

Affiliated Underlying Fund Risk. The Adviser may invest in certain affiliated ETFs as investments for each Fund. The Adviser will generally receive fees for managing such funds, in addition to the fees paid to the Adviser by each Fund. The payment of such fees by affiliated funds creates a conflict of interest when selecting affiliated funds for investment in a Fund. The Adviser, however, is a fiduciary to each Fund and its shareholders and is legally obligated to act in its best interest when selecting affiliated funds. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of such Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated ETFs with respect to such Fund’s investment in such ETF, less certain operating expenses.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. Each Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies, which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. ETFs are traded on a national securities exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium or discount to its NAV. When the Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. As a result, the cost of investing in the Funds may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. ETFs also involve the risk that an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained. Similarly, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to purchase or sell an ETF at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities.

 

The ETFs in which a Fund invests are subject to specific risks, depending on the investment strategy of the ETF. In turn, a Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with direct exposure to the securities or commodities held by the ETF. Because a Fund may invest in a broad range of ETFs, such risks may include, but are not limited to, leverage risk, foreign exposure risk, and commodity-linked investments risk.

 

Index Tracking Risk. Tracking error refers to the risk that the Adviser may not be able to cause the Funds’ performance to match or correlate to that of an Underlying Index, either on a daily or aggregate basis. There are a number of factors that may contribute to a Fund’s tracking error, such as Fund expenses, imperfect correlation between a Fund’s investments and those of the Underlying Index, rounding of share prices, the timing or magnitude of changes to the composition of the Underlying Index, regulatory policies, and a high portfolio turnover rate. A Fund incurs operating expenses not applicable to its Underlying Index and incurs costs associated with buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Underlying Index. In addition, mathematical compounding may prevent the Funds from correlating with the monthly, quarterly, annual, or other period performance of their Underlying Indexes. Tracking error may cause a Fund’s performance to be less than expected.

 

Inflation Risk. Inflation creates uncertainty over the future real value of an investment (the value after adjusting for inflation). The real value of certain assets or real income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of a Fund’s assets and distributions may decline. This risk is more prevalent with respect to debt securities held by a Fund. Inflation rates may change frequently and drastically as a result of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy. Moreover, a Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation, which may result in losses to Fund shareholders or adversely affect the real value of shareholders’ investment in a Fund. Fund shareholders’ expectation of future inflation can also impact the current value of a Fund’s portfolio, resulting in lower asset values and potential losses. This risk may be elevated compared to historical market conditions because of recent monetary policy measures and the current interest rate environment.

 

Market Risk. The value of a Fund’s portfolio may decrease if the value of one or more issuers in the Fund’s portfolio decreases. Further, regardless of how well individual companies or securities perform, the value of a Fund’s portfolio could also decrease if there are deteriorating economic or market conditions, including, but not limited to, a general decline in prices on the stock markets, a general decline in real estate markets, a decline in commodities prices, or if the market favors different types of securities than the types of securities in which a Fund invests. If the value of a Fund’s portfolio decreases, the Fund’s NAV will also decrease, which means if you sell your shares in the Fund you may lose money. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole.

 

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The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, financial institution failures, and economic recessions could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions and/or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the global economies and financial markets.

 

Armed Conflict Risk. Recent such examples include conflict, loss of life, and a disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent and duration of each conflict, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in each region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect, including significant negative impacts on the United States and broader global economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities.

 

Operational Risk. An investment in each Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in key personnel, technology and/or service providers, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect each Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, process fund orders, execute portfolio trades, or perform other essential tasks in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on each Fund. Implementation of business continuity plans by each Fund, the Adviser or third-party service providers in response to disruptive events such as natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may increase these operational risks to the Fund. While each Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third-party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Passive Investment Risk. The Funds are not actively managed. Therefore, unless a specific security is removed from an Underlying Index, or the selling of shares of that security is otherwise required upon a rebalancing of such Underlying Index pursuant to its Underlying Index methodology, a Fund generally would not sell a security because the security’s issuer was in financial trouble. If a specific security is removed from an Underlying Index, a Fund may be forced to sell such security at an inopportune time or for a price other than the security’s current market value. An investment in a Fund involves risks similar to those of investing in equity securities traded on an exchange, such as market fluctuations caused by such factors as economic and political developments, changes in interest rates and perceived trends in security prices. It is anticipated that the value of Fund shares will decline, more or less, in correspondence with any decline in value of its Underlying Index.

 

An Underlying Index may not contain the appropriate mix of securities for any particular point in the business cycle of the overall economy, particular economic sectors, or narrow industries within which the commercial activities of the companies composing the portfolio securities holdings of a Fund are conducted, and the timing of movements from one type of security to another in seeking to replicate its Underlying Index could have a negative effect on a Fund. Unlike with an actively managed fund, the Adviser does not use techniques or defensive strategies designed to lessen the effects of market volatility or to reduce the impact of periods of market decline. This means that, based on market and economic conditions, a Fund’s performance could be lower than other types of mutual funds that may actively shift their portfolio assets to take advantage of market opportunities or to lessen the impact of market declines.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover also may have a negative effect on each Fund’s performance.

 

REIT Risk. To the extent that a Fund holds REITs and REIT-like entities, it may be subject to the additional risks associated with REITs and REIT-like investments. REITs and REIT-like entities are subject to heavy cash flow dependency to allow them to make distributions to their shareholders. The prices of equity REITs are affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, changes in capital markets and interest rates, management skill in running a REIT, and the creditworthiness of the REIT. The prices of mortgage REITs are affected by the quality of any credit they extend, the creditworthiness of the mortgages they hold, as well as by the value of the property that secures the mortgages. In addition, mortgage REITs (similar to direct investments in mortgage-backed securities) are subject to prepayment risk. Equity REITs and mortgage REITs are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and self-liquidation. There is also the risk that borrowers under mortgages held by a REIT or lessees of a property that a REIT owns may be unable to meet their obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may incur substantial costs associated with

 

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protecting its investments. While equity REITs and mortgage REITs may provide exposure to a large number of properties, such properties may be concentrated in a particular industry, region, or housing type, making such investments more vulnerable to unfavorable developments to economic or market events. Certain “special purpose” REITs in which a Fund may invest focus their assets in specific real property sectors, such as hotels, shopping malls, nursing homes, or warehouses, and are therefore subject to the specific risks associated with adverse developments in these sectors. Each Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear their proportionate share of the REIT’s expenses, in addition to their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses. The value of investments in REOCs will generally be affected by the same factors that adversely affect REIT investments; however, REOCs may also be adversely affected by income streams derived from businesses other than real estate ownership.

 

Additionally, a REIT that fails to comply with federal tax requirements affecting REITs may be subject to federal income taxation, or the federal tax requirement that a REIT distribute substantially all of its net income to its shareholders may result in a REIT having insufficient capital for future expenditures. REITs are also subject to certain provisions under federal tax law and the failure of a company to qualify as a REIT could have adverse consequences for a Fund, including significantly reducing the return to the Fund on its investment in such company.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. The net asset value of each Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of each Fund’s securities holdings. However, each Fund’s shares trade on a national securities exchange at prices above or below their most recent net asset value. The “market price” for a share of each Fund fluctuates continuously throughout the national securities exchange’s trading day and is based on supply and demand for each Fund’s shares. The market price of each Fund’s shares may not track each Fund’s net asset value, which is only calculated at the end of each business day.

 

A potential investor in each Fund will likely also incur the cost of the “spread” (the difference between the bid price and the ask price for a share of a Fund). The spread varies over time for a share of a Fund. This cost is generally smaller for a fund with significant daily trading volumes and larger for funds with smaller daily trading volumes.

 

Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market price of each Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in each Fund’s shares trading at a substantial discount to its net asset value. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of each Fund’s securities holdings. Flash crashes may also cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in Fund shares, which may result in a further increase in the variance between market prices of a Fund’s shares and their net asset value. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell Fund shares during a flash crash.

 

Information regarding the underlying indices

 

The Underlying Index for Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF is composed of common stocks of small-sized companies that are included in the Solactive Small Cap Index, a universe of 2,000 small-sized capitalization stocks. The Solactive Small Cap Index uses the total public market value, or “free-float,” capitalization of a stock to determine whether to include such stock in the Solactive Small Cap Index. The Underlying Index is designed to select small-sized capitalization stocks that are poised for “smart growth” by evaluating each company’s performance in three critical areas: growth, profitability, and capital efficiency. Using a proprietary quantitative methodology, such stocks are scored based on fundamental measures of their growth, profitability, and capital efficiency, and the top 10% of such eligible stocks scoring the highest become the constituents of the Underlying Index. To arrive at the top 10%, for each security in the stated universe, the quantitative methodology assigns a score in each of 10 different factors, relative to other eligible securities. The fundamental factors include measures that the Adviser believes are tied to a stock’s outperformance relative to other small cap stocks, and indicate a company’s performance with respect to growth (such as the revenue growth rate over 2-, 5-, and 8- year periods), profitability (such as margin expansion, profit margin and earnings per share over time) and capital efficiency (such as returns on invested capital). Each stock in the eligible universe will receive a point total equal to the decile rank of the stock for a given factor. For example, if a stock is in the top decile for a given factor, it will receive 10 points for that factor. If the stock is in the lowest decile, it will receive 1 point. For each factor, a threshold is established, and to the extent a stock’s score within a factor meets or exceeds the threshold, it will receive additional points. A high threshold means that exceeding that threshold is relatively difficult for a stock to achieve, and as a result will receive more bonus points than if the threshold were lower. For detailed information on how stocks are scored, see the Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha Index Methodology document, available at the Index Provider’s website.

 

The Underlying Index for Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF is composed of common stocks of small- and medium-sized companies that are included in the Solactive Small/Mid Cap Index, a universe of 2,500 small-and medium-sized capitalization stocks. The Solactive Small/Mid Cap Index uses the total public market value, or “free-float,”

 

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capitalization of a stock to determine whether to include such stock in the Solactive Small/Mid Cap Index. The Underlying Index is designed to select small- and medium-sized capitalization stocks that are poised for “smart growth” by evaluating each company’s performance in three critical areas: growth, profitability, and capital efficiency. Using a proprietary quantitative methodology, such stocks are scored based on fundamental measures of their growth, profitability, and capital efficiency, and the top 10% of such eligible stocks scoring the highest become the constituents of the Underlying Index. To arrive at the top 10%, for each security in the stated universe, the quantitative methodology assigns a score in each of 10 different factors, relative to other eligible securities. The fundamental factors include measures that the Adviser believes are tied to a stock’s outperformance relative to other small/mid cap stocks, and indicate a company’s performance with respect to growth (such as the revenue growth rate over 2-, 5-, and 8-year periods), profitability (such as margin expansion, profit margin and earnings per share over time) and capital efficiency (such as returns on invested capital). Each stock in the eligible universe will receive a point total equal to the decile rank of the stock for a given factor. For example, if a stock is in the top decile for a given factor, it will receive 10 points for that factor. If the stock is in the lowest decile, it will receive 1 point. For each factor, a threshold is established, and to the extent a stock’s score within a factor meets or exceeds the threshold, it will receive additional points. A high threshold means that exceeding that threshold is relatively difficult for a stock to achieve, and as a result will receive more bonus points than if the threshold were lower. For detailed information on how stocks are scored, see the Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha Index Methodology document, available at the Index Provider’s website.

 

The scores for each stock within a factor are then added together across the 10 factors, with equal weighting, to arrive at an overall score for each stock. These stocks with the highest 10% of scores are then weighted within each Underlying Index, respectively, according to their market capitalization. Finally, the stocks are sector-weighted to reflect the sector allocation weight of Janus Henderson Venture Fund, for Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF, and Janus Henderson Triton Fund, for Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF, based on their most recent publicly available holdings. A stock may not represent more than 3% of an Underlying Index. Each Underlying Index seeks risk adjusted outperformance relative to a market capitalization weighted universe of small-and medium-sized capitalization growth stocks. Market capitalizations within each Underlying Index will vary, but as of October 31, 2024, they ranged from approximately $64 million to $6.83 billion for the Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha Index, and approximately $64 million to $44.34 billion for the Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha Index. From time to time, and often as the result of specific corporate actions, the Solactive Small Cap Index and Solactive Small/Mid Cap Index (and as a result each Underlying Index) may temporarily include companies that are either smaller or larger than are typically considered to be either small- and/or mid-sized capitalization. Each Underlying Index is rebalanced on a quarterly basis based on the methodology described above.

 

The Underlying Indices are compiled and administered by JH Indices, an affiliate of each Fund and the Adviser.

 

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Management of the Funds

 

 

Investment adviser

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, is the investment adviser to each Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds’ investment portfolios and furnishes continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Funds’ investments. The Adviser also provides certain administration and other services and is responsible for other business affairs of each Fund.

 

The Adviser (together with its predecessors and affiliates) has served as investment adviser to Janus Henderson mutual funds since 1970 and currently serves as investment adviser to all of the Janus Henderson funds, the Janus Henderson exchange-traded funds, acts as subadviser for a number of private-label mutual funds, and provides separate account advisory services for institutional accounts and other unregistered products.

 

The Trust and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of each Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”)) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and, as appropriate, reallocate a Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that a Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight by the Trustees, would have the responsibility to oversee such subadviser(s) to a Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser(s) for a Fund. In the event that the Adviser hires a subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of each Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for each Fund.

 

Management expenses

 

Each Fund uses a unitary fee structure, under which each Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to each Fund, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services. The Adviser’s fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Funds’ expenses. However, each Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee which may vary and affect the total level of expenses paid by shareholders, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest and dividends, taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

Each Fund’s Management Fee is calculated daily and paid monthly. Each Fund’s advisory agreement details the Management Fee and other expenses that each Fund must pay.

 

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The following table reflects each Fund’s contractual Management Fee rate (expressed as an annual rate), as well as the actual compensation rate paid to the Adviser after any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. The rates shown are fixed rates based on each Fund’s daily net assets.

 

Fund Name

Daily
Net Assets of
the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Actual Compensation
Rate Paid to Adviser
(%) (for the fiscal
year ended October
31, 2024)

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.30

0.30

 

Next $500 Million

0.25

 
 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.30

0.30

 

Next $500 Million

0.25

 
 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Trustees’ approval of each Fund’s investment advisory agreement is included in each Fund’s semiannual financial statements (for the period ending April 30) located in Form N-CSR. You can request each Fund’s annual or semiannual financial statements, free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This information is also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Expense Limitation

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of each Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of Fund assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

Portfolio management

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF and Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

Co-Portfolio Managers Benjamin Wang and Zoey Zhu jointly are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds, with no limitation on the authority of one co-portfolio manager in relation to the other.

 

Benjamin Wang, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF and Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF, which he has co-managed since their inceptions in February 2016. He is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. Mr. Wang holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Engineering in Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Master of Science degree in Financial Engineering from Columbia University. Mr. Wang holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Zoey Zhu, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF and Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth ETF, which she has co-managed since May 2024. She is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. She joined the Adviser in 2018. Ms. Zhu holds a Bachelor of Computing degree from National University of Singapore and a Master of Science Degree in Computational Finance from Carnegie Mellon University. Ms. Zhu holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Information about portfolio management’s compensation structure and other accounts managed, as well as the aggregate range of their individual ownership in the Fund(s), is included in the Funds’ SAI.

 

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Conflicts of Interest

The Adviser manages other funds and numerous other accounts, which may include separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds. Side-by-side management of multiple accounts, including the management of a cash collateral pool for securities lending and investing the Janus Henderson funds’ cash, may give rise to conflicts of interest among those accounts, and may create potential risks, such as the risk that investment activity in one account may adversely affect another account. For example, short sale activity in an account could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more other accounts (and vice versa). Side-by-side management may raise additional potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.

 

In addition, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of a Fund for their own accounts, or may purchase shares of a Fund for the benefit of their clients, including other Janus Henderson funds. Increasing each Fund’s assets may enhance the Fund’s profile with financial intermediaries and platforms, investment flexibility and trading volume. The Adviser and its affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to dispose of at any time some or all of the shares of a Fund acquired for their own accounts or for the benefit of their clients. A large sale of Fund shares by the Adviser or its affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of each Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility or trading volume. The Adviser considers the effect of redemptions on each Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to dispose of its shares of the Fund.

 

The Adviser believes it has appropriately designed and implemented policies and procedures to mitigate these and other potential conflicts of interest. A further discussion of potential conflicts of interest and policies and procedures intended to mitigate them is contained in the Funds’ SAI.

 

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Other Information

 

 

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUNDS

 

Creation Units for the Funds are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org, or 1-800-289-9999.

 

INDEX PROVIDER

 

JH Indices is the Index Provider for each Underlying Index. The Adviser has entered into a license agreement with JH Indices to use each Underlying Index. JH Indices are affiliated with each Fund and the Adviser. This affiliation may create potential conflicts for JH Indices as it may have an interest in the performance of each Fund, which could motivate it to alter the index methodologies for each Underlying Index. JH Indices has adopted procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to mitigate these and other potential conflicts.

 

Disclaimers

JH Indices is the licensor of certain trademarks, service marks, and trade names.

 

Neither JH Indices nor any of its affiliates make any representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Funds or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Funds particularly or the ability of an Underlying Index to track general market performance. Each Underlying Index is determined, composed, and calculated by JH Indices without regard to the Adviser or the Funds. JH Indices has no obligation to take the needs of the Adviser or the owners of the Funds into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating each Underlying Index. JH Indices is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Funds to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the Funds are to be converted into cash.

 

ALTHOUGH JH INDICES SHALL OBTAIN INFORMATION FOR INCLUSION IN OR FOR USE IN THE CALCULATION OF EACH UNDERLYING INDEX FROM SOURCES WHICH IT CONSIDERS RELIABLE, IT DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE QUALITY, ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF EACH UNDERLYING INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS OF ANY KIND RELATED TO EACH UNDERLYING INDEX OR DATA. JH INDICES MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE ADVISER, OWNERS OF THE FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF EACH UNDERLYING INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN IN CONNECTION WITH THE RIGHTS LICENSED TO THE ADVISER FOR ANY OTHER USE. JH INDICES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO EACH UNDERLYING INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL IT HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

 

The Adviser does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of either Underlying Index or any data included therein, and the Adviser shall have no liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein. The Adviser makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Funds, owners of the shares of the Funds or any other person or entity from the use of each Underlying Index or any data included therein. The Adviser makes no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to either Underlying Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Adviser have any liability for any special, punitive, direct, indirect or consequential damages (including lost profits) arising out of matters relating to the use of either Underlying Index even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

 

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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

To avoid taxation of each Fund, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), requires each Fund to distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income and any net capital gains realized on its investments at least annually.

 

Distribution Schedule

Dividends from net investment income are generally declared and distributed to shareholders quarterly. Distributions of net capital gains are declared and distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to improve Underlying Index tracking or to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. The date you receive your distribution may vary depending on how your intermediary processes trades. Dividend payments are made through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from each Fund. Please consult your financial intermediary for details.

 

How Distributions Affect each Fund’s NAV

Distributions are paid to shareholders as of the record date of a distribution of each Fund, regardless of how long the shares have been held. Undistributed income and net capital gains are included in each Fund’s daily NAV. A Fund’s NAV drops by the amount of the distribution, net of any subsequent market fluctuations. For example, assume that on December 31, a Fund declared a dividend in the amount of $0.25 per share. If a Fund’s NAV was $10.00 on December 30, the Fund’s NAV on December 31 would be $9.75, barring market fluctuations. You should be aware that distributions from a taxable fund do not increase the value of your investment and may create income tax obligations.

 

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of a Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

TAXES

 

As with any investment, you should consider the tax consequences of investing in each Fund. The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences of investing in a Fund. The discussion does not apply to qualified tax-advantaged accounts or other non-taxable entities, nor is it a complete analysis of the federal income tax implications of investing in a Fund. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect that an investment in a Fund may have on your particular tax situation, including the federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of your investment.

 

Taxes on Distributions

Distributions by a Fund are subject to federal income tax, regardless of whether the distribution is made in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, and realized net short-term capital gains), other than qualified dividend income, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of qualified dividend income are taxed to individuals and other noncorporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received from REITs, certain foreign corporations, and income received “in lieu of” dividends in a securities lending transaction generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares. Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income includes dividends paid by a Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares. A Fund’s net investment income and capital gains are distributed to (and may be taxable to) those persons who are shareholders of the Fund at the record date of such payments. Although a Fund’s total net income and net realized gain are the results of its operations, the per share amount distributed or taxable to shareholders is affected by the number of Fund

 

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shares outstanding at the record date. Distributions declared to shareholders of record in October, November, or December, and paid on or before January 31 of the succeeding year will be treated for federal income tax purposes as if received by shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared. Generally, account tax information will be made available to shareholders on or before February 15 of each year. Information regarding distributions may also be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).

 

Each Fund may derive “excess inclusion income” from certain equity interests in mortgage pooling vehicles either directly or through an investment in a U.S. REIT. Please see the Funds’ SAI for a discussion of the risks and special tax consequences to shareholders in the event a Fund realizes excess inclusion income in excess of certain threshold amounts.

 

Under 2017 legislation commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, “qualified REIT dividends” (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income) are treated as eligible for a 20% deduction by noncorporate taxpayers. Each Fund may choose to pass through the special character of “qualified REIT dividends” to its shareholders, provided the Fund and the shareholder meet certain holding period requirements.

 

Taxes on Sales

Any time you sell the shares of a Fund in a taxable account, it is considered a taxable event. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price, you may have a gain or loss on the transaction. The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares for more than one year and if not held for such period, as a short-term capital gain or loss. Any tax liabilities generated by your transactions are your responsibility.

 

U.S. federal income tax withholding may be required on all distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number, fail to make certain required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is applied.

 

For shares purchased and sold from a taxable account, your financial intermediary will report cost basis information to you and to the IRS. Your financial intermediary will permit shareholders to elect their preferred cost basis method. In the absence of an election, your cost basis method will be your financial intermediary’s default method, which is often the average cost method. Please consult your tax adviser to determine the appropriate cost basis method for your particular tax situation and to learn more about how the cost basis reporting laws apply to you and your investments.

 

Taxation of the Funds

Dividends, interest, and some capital gains received by a Fund on foreign securities may be subject to foreign tax withholding or other foreign taxes.

 

Certain fund transactions may involve futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, and may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, can potentially affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders, and utilization of capital loss carryforwards. A Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and use certain investment strategies where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these tax provisions, if possible.

 

Each Fund does not expect to pay any federal income or excise taxes because it intends to meet certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, including the distribution each year of substantially all its net investment income and net capital gains. It is important for each Fund to meet these requirements so that any earnings on your investment will not be subject to federal income tax twice. If a Fund invests in a partnership, however, it may be subject to state tax liabilities.

 

If a Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

 

For additional information, see the “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status” section of the SAI.

 

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Shareholder’s Guide

 

 

Each Fund issues or redeems its shares at NAV per share only in Creation Units. Shares of each Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and trade on the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and offered price in the secondary market on each purchase and sale transaction. Fund shares are traded on the Exchange under the trading symbol JSML for Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF and JSMD for Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.

 

APs may acquire Fund shares directly from each Fund, and APs may tender their Fund shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share, only in Creation Units and in accordance with the procedures described in the Funds’ SAI.

 

Pricing of fund shares

 

The per share NAV of each Fund is computed by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. Each Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the close of the trading session of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time) each day that the NYSE is open (“Business Day”). However, the NAV may still be calculated if trading on the NYSE is restricted, provided there is sufficient pricing information available for a Fund to value its securities, or as permitted by the SEC. Foreign securities held by a Fund, as applicable, may be traded on days and at times when the NYSE is closed and the NAV is therefore not calculated. Accordingly, the value of a Fund’s holdings may change on days that are not Business Days in the United States and on which you will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.

 

Securities held by each Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (“Valuation Procedures”). To the extent available, equity securities (including shares of ETFs) are generally valued at readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. Most fixed-income securities are typically valued using an evaluated bid price supplied by an Adviser-approved pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term instruments maturing within 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. If a market quotation or evaluated price for a security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable, or if an event that is expected to affect the value of the security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, a fair value of the security will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Such events include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a non-significant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a non-valued security and a restricted or non-public security. This type of fair valuation may be more commonly used with foreign equity securities, but it may also be used with, among other things, thinly-traded domestic securities or fixed-income securities. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position. For valuation purposes, if applicable, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities, and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are generally translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates. The methodologies employed when fair valuing securities may change from time to time. Because fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, it is possible that the fair value determination for a security may be different than the value that could be realized when selling that security.

 

The value of the securities of mutual funds held by each Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such mutual funds, and the prospectuses for such mutual funds explain the circumstances under which they use fair valuation and the effects of using fair valuation. The value of the securities of any cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds held by each Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such funds.

 

All purchases, sales, or other account activity must be processed through your financial intermediary or plan sponsor.

 

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Distribution and servicing fees

 

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Servicing Plan for shares of each Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”). The Plan permits compensation in connection with the distribution and marketing of Fund shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services. The Plan permits each Fund to pay the Distributor, or its designee, a fee for the sale and distribution and/or shareholder servicing of the shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the shares of each Fund (“12b-1 fee”). However, payment of a 12b-1 fee has not been authorized at this time.

 

Under the terms of the Plan, the Trust is authorized to make payments to the Distributor or its designee for remittance to retirement plan service providers, broker-dealers, bank trust departments, financial advisors, and other financial intermediaries, as compensation for distribution and/or shareholder services performed by such entities for their customers who are investors in each Fund.

 

The 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so and the imposition of or increase in the 12b-1 fee is first approved by each Fund’s shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of each Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized and payments are made, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

Payments to financial intermediaries by the Adviser or its affiliates

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. The amount of compensation paid by the Adviser varies from intermediary to intermediary. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Funds’ SAI.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds not offered in this Prospectus, the Adviser or its affiliates pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for certain of these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or

 

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its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-mutual fund investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Funds. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

Purchasing and selling shares

 

Shares of each Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. However, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market will develop or be maintained, or that each Fund shares listing will continue or remain unchanged. Each Fund does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. Buying or selling each Fund’s shares involves certain costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of each Fund through a financial intermediary, you may incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your financial intermediary. Due to these brokerage costs, if any, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment returns. In addition, you may also incur the cost of the spread (the difference between the bid price and the ask price). The commission may be a significant cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares.

 

Shares of each Fund may be acquired through the Distributor or redeemed directly with the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of the Funds’ SAI. Once created, shares of each Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

A Business Day with respect to each Fund is each day the Exchange is open. Orders from APs to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day. On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, each Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, to minimize brokerage and other related trading costs associated with securities that cannot be readily transferred in-kind, each Fund may establish early trade cut-off times for APs to submit orders for Creation Units, in accordance with the 1940 Act. See the Funds’ SAI for more information.

 

29 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

In compliance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), your financial intermediary is required to verify certain information on your account application as part of its Anti-Money Laundering Program. You will be required to provide your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address to assist in verifying your identity. You may also be asked to provide additional documents that may help to establish your identity. Until verification of your identity is made, your financial intermediary may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, your financial intermediary may close an account if it is unable to verify your identity. Please contact your financial intermediary if you need additional assistance when completing your application or additional information about your financial intermediary’s Anti-Money Laundering Program.

 

In an effort to ensure compliance with this law, the Adviser’s Anti-Money Laundering Program (the “Program”) provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by each Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirements and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an unsold allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

Book Entry

Shares of each Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The DTC or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of each Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.

 

Investors owning shares of each Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Funds. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other exchange-traded securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.

 

Share Prices

The trading prices of each Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV per share and are affected by market forces such as supply and demand, economic conditions, and other factors. Information regarding the intra-day NAV of each Fund is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day by the national securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares are primarily listed or by market data vendors or other information providers. The intra-day NAV calculations are estimates of the value of each Fund’s NAV per Fund share based on the current market value of the securities and/or cash included in the Fund’s intra-day NAV basket. The intra-day NAV does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities and instruments held by each Fund at a particular point in time.

 

30 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Additionally, when current pricing is not available for certain portfolio securities (including foreign securities and certain debt securities), the intra-day indicative value may not accurately reflect the current market value of each Fund’s shares or the best possible valuation of the current portfolio. For example, the intra-day NAV is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities’ local market and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market’s close. Therefore, the intra-day NAV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV, which is computed only once a day. The intra-day NAV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the portfolio securities and instruments included in each Fund’s intra-day NAV basket. Each Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the intra-day NAV and makes no representation or warranty as to its accuracy. An inaccuracy in the intra-day NAV could result from various factors, including the difficulty of pricing portfolio instruments on an intra-day basis.

 

Premiums and Discounts

There may be differences between the daily market prices on secondary markets for shares of each Fund and the Fund’s NAV. NAV is the price per share at which a Fund issues and redeems shares. See “Pricing of Fund Shares” above. The price used to calculate market returns (“Market Price”) of a Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the national securities exchange on which shares of the Fund are primarily listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. A Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its NAV. The NAV of a Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of a Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its NAV, as well as market supply and demand for shares of the Fund.

 

Premiums or discounts are the differences (expressed as a percentage) between the NAV and the Market Price of a Fund on a given day, generally at the time the NAV is calculated. A premium is the amount that a Fund is trading above the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount is the amount that a Fund is trading below the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount or premium could be significant. Information regarding a Fund’s premium/discount to NAV for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that calendar year end (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Investments by Other Investment Companies

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for purposes of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Under the 1940 Act, purchases or acquisitions by a Fund of shares issued by registered investment companies (including other ETFs) and business development companies (“BDCs”) and the purchase or acquisition of Fund shares by registered investment companies, BDCs, and investment vehicles relying on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except where an exemption is available, including as provided in Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and (G) and Rule 12d1-4 thereunder. Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies and BDCs to invest in Fund shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company or BDC first enter into a written agreement with the Trust regarding the terms of the investment, among other conditions.

 

Excessive trading

 

Unlike traditional mutual funds, the frequent trading of Fund shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management, increase a Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains by the Fund, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders. The vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market. Because these trades do not involve a Fund, they do not harm the Fund or its shareholders. APs are authorized to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with each Fund in Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions that are effected using securities (i.e., in-kind) do not cause any of the harmful effects to the issuing fund (as previously noted). However, Creation Unit transactions effected using cash can potentially subject the Fund and its shareholders to those harmful effects. As a result, each Fund requires APs to pay transaction fees to cover brokerage and certain related costs when purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. Those fees are designed to protect each Fund and its shareholders from the dilutive costs associated with frequent creation and redemption activity. For these

 

31 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

reasons, the Trustees of each Fund have determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market timing of Fund shares. However, each Fund’s policies and procedures regarding frequent purchases and redemptions may be modified by the Trustees at any time.

 

Fund website & availability of portfolio holdings information

 

Each Business Day, each Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided by its custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. In addition, on each Business Day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, each Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV. A complete schedule of each Fund’s portfolio holdings is also available semiannually and annually in Form N-CSR and, after the first and third fiscal quarters, in Form N-PORT. Information reported in Form N-CSR and in Form N-PORT will be made publicly available within 70 and 60 days, respectively, after the end of each fiscal quarter. Each Fund’s Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

For additional information on these disclosures and the availability of portfolio holdings information, please refer to the Funds’ SAI.

 

Shareholder communications

 

Statements and Reports

Your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for sending you periodic statements of all transactions, along with trade confirmations and tax reporting, as required by applicable law. In addition, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is also responsible for providing annual and semiannual reports. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor to obtain these reports.

 

You may also obtain copies of each Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, SAI and other information, such as each Fund’s financial statements (when available), free upon request by calling Janus Henderson at 1-800-668-0434 or you can access and download these documents at the Funds’ website: janushenderson.com/info.

 

Each Fund’s fiscal year ends October 31st.

 

Lost (Unclaimed/Abandoned) Accounts

It is important to maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned as undeliverable. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is required to attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is unable to locate the shareholder, then the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is legally obligated to deem the property “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently escheat (or transfer) unclaimed property (including shares of a fund) to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. Further, your account may be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently transferred to your state of residence if no activity (as defined by that state) occurs within your account during the time frame specified in your state’s unclaimed property laws. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Interest or income is not earned on redemption or distribution check(s) sent to you during the time the check(s) remained uncashed.

 

32 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Funds’ financial performance for each fiscal period shown. Items “Net asset value, beginning of period” through “Net asset value, end of period” reflect financial results for a single Fund share. The information for the fiscal periods shown has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Funds’ financial statements, is included in the Funds’ Form N-CSR and incorporated by reference into the SAI.

 

The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Funds (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

 

For a share outstanding during each year or period ended October 31

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

   

2021

   

2020

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 48.07     $ 47.37     $ 67.08     $ 48.06     $ 43.10  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

                                       

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.31       0.25       0.28       0.32       0.10  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    16.19       0.80 (2)      (19.79 )     19.03       4.97  

Total from Investment Operations

    16.50       1.05 (2)      (19.51 )     19.35       5.07  

Less Dividends and Distributions:

                                       

Dividends (from net investment income)

    (0.29 )     (0.35 )     (0.20 )     (0.33 )     (0.11 )

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.29 )     (0.35 )     (0.20 )     (0.33 )     (0.11 )

 

                                       

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 64.28     $ 48.07     $ 47.37     $ 67.08     $ 48.06  

 

                                       

Total Return

    34.38 %     2.21 %     (29.11 )%     40.30 %     11.79 %

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 234,753     $ 138,291     $ 75,884     $ 147,706     $ 52,958  

Ratios to Average Net Assets

                                       

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.30 %     0.30 %     0.30 %     0.30 %     0.32 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    0.51 %     0.48 %     0.52 %     0.48 %     0.23 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate(3)

    91 %     105 %     107 %     135 %     78 %

 

(1)

Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(2)

The amount shown does not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses in the Fund’s securities for the year or period due to the timing of sales and repurchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s securities.

(3)

Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

 

 

 

33 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

 

For a share outstanding during each year or period ended October 31

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

   

2021

   

2020

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 54.91     $ 52.92     $ 67.73     $ 52.35     $ 44.11  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

                                       

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.26       0.30       0.21       0.21       0.11  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    17.04       1.97 (2)      (14.83 )     15.38       8.26  

Total from Investment Operations

    17.30       2.27 (2)      (14.62 )     15.59       8.37  

Less Dividends and Distributions:

                                       

Dividends (from net investment income)

    (0.26 )     (0.28 )     (0.19 )     (0.21 )     (0.13 )

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.26 )     (0.28 )     (0.19 )     (0.21 )     (0.13 )

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 71.95     $ 54.91     $ 52.92     $ 67.73     $ 52.35  

Total Return

    31.54 %     4.27 %     (21.60 )%     29.81 %     19.01 %

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 383,298     $ 245,834     $ 172,098     $ 201,635     $ 115,268  

Ratios to Average Net Assets

                                       

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.30 %     0.30 %     0.30 %     0.30 %     0.32 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    0.39 %     0.51 %     0.36 %     0.33 %     0.23 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate(3)

    102 %     91 %     89 %     102 %     83 %

 

(1) Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(2) The amount shown does not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses in the Fund’s securities for the year or period due to the timing of sales and repurchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s securities.

(3) Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

 

 

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You can make inquiries and request other information, including a Statement of Additional Information, annual report, semiannual report, or Fund financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. The Funds’ Statement of Additional Information, most recent annual and semiannual reports, and Fund financial statements are also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info. Additional information about the Funds’ investments is available in the Funds’ annual and semiannual reports and in Form N-CSR. In the Funds’ annual reports, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Funds’ performance during its last fiscal period. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Funds’ annual and semiannual financial statements. Other information is also available from financial intermediaries that sell shares of each Fund.

 

The Statement of Additional Information provides detailed information about the Funds and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 

janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act File No. is 811-23112.

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

JAAA

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

JBBB

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Prospectus

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

This Prospectus describes two portfolios (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”) of Janus Detroit Street Trust (the “Trust”). Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Funds.

 

Shares of the Funds are not individually redeemable and the owners of Fund shares may purchase or redeem shares from a Fund in Creation Units only, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Prospectus. The purchase and sale price of individual Fund shares trading on an exchange may be below, at or above the most recently calculated net asset value for Fund shares (sometimes referred to as the “NAV”).

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Fund Summary

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

2

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

10

Additional Information about the Funds

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

19

Risks of the Funds

24

Management of the Funds

 

Investment adviser

33

Management expenses

33

Portfolio Management

34

Other Information

36

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

37

Shareholder’s Guide

 

Pricing of fund shares

39

Distribution and servicing fees

40

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

40

Purchasing and Selling Shares

41

Excessive trading

43

Shareholder communications

44

Financial Highlights

45

 

1 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

 

JAAA Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF Shares

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

J.P. Morgan CLOIE AAA Total Return Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

Ticker: JAAA

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF seeks capital preservation and current income by seeking to deliver floating-rate exposure to high quality AAA-rated collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”).

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.20%

Other Expenses

0.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.20%

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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

 
    $ 20     $ 64     $ 113     $ 255  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 51% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund pursues its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 90% of its net assets (plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in CLOs of any maturity that are rated AAA (or equivalent by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”)) at the time of purchase, or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. For purposes of the Fund’s investment policies, CLOs are floating- or fixed-rate debt securities issued in different tranches, with varying degrees of risk, by a trust or other special purpose vehicle and backed by an underlying portfolio consisting primarily of below investment grade corporate loans. Such loans may include domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, which may individually be rated below investment grade or the equivalent if unrated. The underlying loans are selected by a CLO’s manager. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to maintain a minimum of 80% of its portfolio in AAA-rated CLOs. After purchase, a CLO may have its rating reduced below the minimum rating required by the Fund for purchase. In such cases, the Fund will

 

2 | Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

 

consider whether to continue to hold the CLO. The Fund may temporarily deviate from the 80% policy while deploying new capital as the result of cash creation or redemption activity, or during unusual market conditions, or highly unusual market conditions such as a downgrade in the rating of one or more CLOs.

 

The Fund may invest its remaining assets in other high-quality CLOs with a minimum rating of A- at the time of purchase or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. No CLO, at the time of purchase by the Fund, will have a rating that is below A- (or equivalent by an NRSRO). An NRSRO is a credit rating agency that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that issues credit ratings that the SEC permits other financial firms to use for certain regulatory purposes.

 

The Fund will only invest in CLOs with a minimum initial total offering size of $250 million and minimum initial senior AAA tranche size of $100 million.

 

The Fund will invest primarily in CLOs that are U.S. dollar denominated. However, the Fund may from time to time invest up to 30% of its net assets in CLOs that are denominated in foreign currencies. To the extent the Fund invests in non-U.S. dollar denominated securities, it will seek to hedge its exposure to foreign currency to U.S. dollars, as described more fully below.

 

The Fund may purchase CLOs both in the primary and secondary markets.

 

The Fund will not invest more than 5% of its portfolio in any single CLO, and will not invest more than 15% of its portfolio in CLOs managed by a single CLO manager.

 

The Fund will limit its investment in fixed-rate CLOs to a maximum of 10% of its net assets.

 

The Fund may invest in derivatives only to hedge or offset risks associated with the Fund’s existing portfolio of CLOs. Derivatives are instruments that have a value derived from, or directly linked to, an underlying asset, such as fixed-income securities, interest rates, currencies, or market indices. The Fund’s use of derivatives will be limited to (i) currency forward contracts or futures contracts to hedge any foreign currency exposure back to the U.S. dollar, and (ii) interest rate swaps or interest rate futures to hedge exposure in fixed-rate CLOs to a floating-rate, in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective. Accordingly, the Fund’s use of derivatives associated with currency hedging will be limited by its maximum exposure of up to 30% of its net assets in CLOs that are denominated in foreign currencies. Derivatives will not be used for any other purposes.

 

The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in cash or other short-term instruments, such as money market instruments or money market funds, while deploying new capital, for liquidity management purposes, managing redemptions, or for defensive purposes, including navigating unusual market conditions.

 

The Fund is “actively-managed” and does not seek to replicate the composition or performance of any particular index. Accordingly, portfolio management has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective. Portfolio management applies a “bottom up” approach to selecting investments to purchase and sell. This means that portfolio management looks at securities one at a time to determine if a security is an attractive investment opportunity and if it is consistent with the Fund’s investment policies.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns and yields will vary, and you could lose money. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

CLO Risk. The risks of investing in CLOs include both the economic risks of the underlying loans combined with the risks associated with the CLO structure governing the priority of payments. The degree of such risk will generally correspond to the specific tranche in which the Fund is invested. The Fund intends to invest primarily in AAA-rated tranches; however, this rating does not constitute a guarantee, may be downgraded, and in stressed market environments it is possible that even senior CLO tranches could experience losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and significant losses experienced by subordinated/equity tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as negative market sentiment with respect to CLO securities as an asset class. The Fund’s portfolio management may not be able to accurately predict how specific CLOs or the portfolio of underlying loans for such CLOs will react to changes or stresses in the market, including changes in interest rates. The most common risks associated with investing in CLOs are liquidity risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, prepayment risk, and the risk of default of the underlying asset, among others.

 

3 | Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

 

Debt Securities Risk. Variable-and floating-rate debt obligations (including CLOs and the portfolio of loans underlying the CLOs), as well as fixed-income debt instruments are subject to the following risks.

 

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk refers to the possibility that the Fund may not be able to sell or buy a security or close out an investment contract at a favorable price or time. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. Infrequent trading of securities also may lead to an increase in their price volatility. CLOs, and their underlying loan obligations, are typically not registered for sale to the public and therefore are subject to certain restrictions on transfer and sale, potentially making them less liquid than other types of securities. Additionally, when the Fund purchases a newly issued CLO directly from the issuer (rather than from the secondary market), there often may be a delayed settlement period, during which time the liquidity of the CLO may be further reduced. During periods of limited liquidity and higher price volatility, the Fund’s ability to acquire or dispose of CLOs at a price and time the Fund deems advantageous may be impaired. CLOs are generally considered to be long-term investments and there is no guarantee that an active secondary market will exist or be maintained for any given CLO.

 

Interest Rate Risk. As interest rates decrease, issuers of the underlying loan obligations may refinance any floating rate loans, which will result in a reduction in the principal value of the CLO’s portfolio and require the CLO to reinvest cash at an inopportune time. Conversely, as interest rates rise, borrowers with floating rate loans may experience difficulty in making payments, resulting in delinquencies and defaults, which will result in a reduction in cash flow to the CLO and the CLO investors, including the Fund. An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed-income securities held by the Fund to decline. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to inflationary trends and the effect of government fiscal and monetary policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives.

 

Floating Rate Obligations Risk. Securities with floating or variable interest rates can be less sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. A decline in interest rates may result in a reduction of income received from floating rate securities held by the Fund and may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s shares. Generally, floating rate securities carry lower yields than fixed notes of the same maturity. The interest rate for a floating rate note resets or adjusts periodically by reference to a benchmark interest rate. The impact of interest rate changes on floating rate investments is typically mitigated by the periodic interest rate reset of the investments. Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. Benchmark interest rates, such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), may not accurately track market interest rates.

 

Prepayment Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by the Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity. CLOs are typically structured such that, after a specified period of time, the majority investor in the equity tranche can call (i.e., redeem) the securities issued by the CLO in full. The Fund may not be able to accurately predict when or which of its CLO investments may be called, resulting in the Fund having to reinvest the proceeds in unfavorable circumstances, which in turn could cause in a decline in the Fund’s income.

 

Extension Risk. During periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations potentially including the portfolio of loans underlying a CLO will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income and potentially in the value of the Fund’s investments.

 

Income Risk. The Fund’s income may decline if interest rates fall. This decline in income can occur because most of the CLO debt instruments held by the Fund will have floating or variable interest rates.

 

Credit Risk. Debt issuers and other counterparties may not honor their obligations or may have their debt downgraded by ratings agencies. Ratings provided by NRSROs represent their opinions of the claims-paying ability of the entities rated by them. Such ratings are general and are not absolute standards of quality. For CLOs, the primary source of credit risk is the ability of the underlying portfolio of loans to generate sufficient cash flow to pay investors on a full and timely basis when principal and/or interest payments are due. Default in payment on the underlying loans will result in less cash flow from the underlying portfolio and, in turn, less funds available to pay investors in the CLO.

 

Covenant Lite Loans Risk. Certain of the underlying loans in which a CLO may invest may be issued or offered as “covenant lite” loans, which have few or no financial maintenance covenants that would require a borrower to maintain certain financial metrics. A CLO may be delayed in enforcing its interests in covenant lite loans, which may result in losses.

 

4 | Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

 

Valuation Risk. Valuation Risk is the risk that one or more of the debt securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer or security. The tiered structure of certain CLOs may subject them to price volatility and enhanced liquidity and valuation risk in times of market stress.

 

Privately-Issued Securities Risk. CLOs are generally privately-issued securities, and are normally purchased pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Privately-issued securities typically may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers, in a privately negotiated transaction, to a limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met for an exemption from registration. Because there may be relatively few potential purchasers for such securities, especially under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, the Fund may find it more difficult to sell such securities when it may be advisable to do so or it may be able to sell such securities only at prices lower than if such securities were more widely held and traded. At times, it also may be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing the Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”) due to the absence of an active trading market. There can be no assurance that a privately-issued security previously deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund, and its value may decline as a result.

 

CLO Manager Risk. CLOs are managed by investment advisers independent of the Adviser. CLO managers are responsible for selecting, managing and replacing the underlying bank loans within a CLO. CLO managers may have limited operating histories, may be subject to conflicts of interests, including managing the assets of other clients or other investment vehicles, or receiving fees that incentivize maximizing the yield, and indirectly the risk, of a CLO. Adverse developments with respect to a CLO manager, such as personnel and resource constraints, regulatory issues or other developments that may impact the ability and/or performance of the CLO manager, may adversely impact the performance of the CLO securities in which the Fund invests.

 

Foreign Exposure Risk. The Fund may have exposure to foreign markets as a result of its investments in foreign securities and securities denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, its returns and NAV may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates or political or economic conditions in a particular country. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. It may not be possible for the Fund to repatriate capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, a market swing in one or more countries or regions where the Fund has invested a significant amount of its assets may have a greater effect on the Fund’s performance than it would in a more geographically diversified portfolio. To the extent the Fund invests in foreign debt securities, such investments are sensitive to changes in interest rates. The Fund’s investments may be denominated in foreign currencies and therefore, changes in the value of a country’s currency compared to the U.S. dollar may affect the value of the Fund’s investments.

 

Currency Risk. As long as the Fund holds a foreign security, its value will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When the Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency. Although the Fund will seek to hedge any exposure to foreign currency back to U.S. dollars, there is no guarantee such hedging strategies will be effective or have the desired result.

 

Investment Focus Risk. Because the Fund invests primarily in CLOs it is susceptible to an increased risk of loss due to adverse occurrences in the CLO market, generally, and in the various markets impacting the portfolios of loans underling these CLOs. The Fund’s CLO investment focus may cause the Fund to perform differently than the overall financial market and the Fund’s performance may be more volatile than if the Fund’s investments were more diversified across financial instruments and or markets.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic, and other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions,

 

5 | Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

 

social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

Newly Issued Securities Risk. The credit obligations in which the Fund invests may include newly issued securities, or “new issues,” such as initial debt offerings. New issues may have a magnified impact on the performance of the Fund during periods in which it has a small asset base. The impact of new issues on the Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce the Fund’s returns. New issues may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing, particularly as the Fund’s asset base grows. Certain new issues, such as initial debt offerings, may be volatile in price due to the absence of a prior trading market, limited quantities available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The Fund may hold new issues for a short period of time. This may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as transaction costs. In addition, new issues can experience an immediate drop in value after issuance if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.

 

Extended Settlement Risk. Newly issued CLOs purchased in the primary market typically experience delayed or extended settlement periods. In the period following such a purchase and prior to settlement these CLOs may be considered less liquid than similar CLOs available in the secondary market. In such circumstances the Fund bears a risk of loss if the value of the CLO declines before the settlement date or if the Fund is required to sell the CLO prior to settlement. There is also the risk that the security will not be issued or that the counterparty will not meet its obligation, resulting in a loss of the investment opportunity.

 

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as swaps, forwards, and futures, involve risks in addition to the risks of the underlying referenced securities or asset. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty will default on its payment obligations. Derivatives used for hedging purposes may reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by portfolio management or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Accordingly, the Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Cash Transaction Risk. The Fund intends to effect Creation Unit transactions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities, because of the nature of the Fund’s investments. Cash purchases may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges or delays in investing the cash that it would otherwise not incur if a purchase was made on an in-kind basis. Because the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds and thereby may recognize a capital gain on such sales, Creation Unit redemption on a cash basis may be less tax-efficient for the Fund compared to an in-kind redemption. In addition, Creation Unit redemptions for cash may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges it would not otherwise incur with an in-kind redemption, to the extent such fees or charges are not offset by the redemption transaction fee paid by Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, the Fund’s use of cash transactions may result in wider bid-ask spreads in Fund shares trading in the secondary market as compared to exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that transact exclusively on an in-kind basis.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV.

 

Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of NAV and Market Price Risk. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of

 

6 | Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

 

trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to NAV. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s NAV. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV and to face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s performance has varied over time. The bar chart depicts the change in performance from year to year during the periods indicated. The table compares the Fund’s average annual returns for the periods indicated to a broad-based securities market index, as well as to one or more supplemental indices that have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. All figures assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses.

 

The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at janushenderson.com/performance or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

Annual Total Returns (calendar year-end)

 

 

 

Best Quarter:

3rd Quarter 2023

2.55%

Worst Quarter:

2nd Quarter 2022

-1.75%

 

9-30-2023

6-30-2022

7 | Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

 

Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended 12/31/24)

 

 

1 Year

Since
Inception
(10/16/2020)

 

   

Return Before Taxes

7.41%

4.38%

Return After Taxes on Distributions

4.67%

2.70%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(1)

4.34%

2.62%

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

1.25%

-1.93%

J.P. Morgan CLOIE AAA Total Return Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

7.06%

4.50%

 

(1)

If the Fund incurs a loss, which generates a tax benefit, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may exceed the Fund’s other return figures.

(2)

Index performance shown in the table is the total return, which assumes reinvestment of any dividends and distributions during the time periods shown.

 

After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Nick Childs, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in October 2020. John Kerschner, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in October 2020. Jessica Shill is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which she has co-managed since January 2023.

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund is an actively-managed ETF. Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount and/or all cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, you may pay more than NAV (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than NAV (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

8 | Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

9 | Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

 

 

 

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

Ticker: JBBB

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF seeks capital preservation and current income by seeking to deliver floating-rate exposure to collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) generally rated between and inclusive of BBB+ and B-.

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.47%

Other Expenses

0.00%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(1)

0.02%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.49%

Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement(2)

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement(2)

0.48%

 

(1)

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in other investment companies. To the extent that the Fund invests in Acquired Funds, the Fund’s “Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses” may not correlate to the “Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets” presented in the “Financial Highlights” table because that ratio includes only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, not the indirect costs of investing in Acquired Funds.

(2)

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) with respect to the Fund’s investment in such affiliated ETF, less certain operating expenses. The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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 are equal to the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement for the first year and the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses thereafter. 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

 
    $ 49     $ 156     $ 273     $ 615  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 90% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

10 | Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund pursues its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in CLOs of any maturity that are rated between and inclusive of BBB+ and B- (or equivalent by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”)) at the time of purchase, or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. However, as part of such investment, the Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in CLOs rated below investment grade (BB+ or lower) at the time of purchase by the Fund, or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. Additionally, no CLO, at the time of purchase by the Fund, will have a rating that is below B- (or equivalent by an NRSRO) or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. For purposes of the Fund’s investment policies, CLOs are floating rate debt securities issued in different tranches, with varying degrees of risk, by a trust or other special purpose vehicle and backed by an underlying portfolio consisting primarily of below investment grade corporate loans. Such loans may include domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, which may individually be rated below investment grade or the equivalent if unrated. The underlying loans are selected by a CLO’s manager.

 

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets: i) directly in CLOs with a rating above BBB+ at the time of purchase by the Fund, or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser; or ii) in affiliated exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), including the Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF, which provide exposure to CLOs rated above BBB+. After purchase, a CLO may have its rating reduced below the minimum rating required by the Fund for purchase. In such cases, the Fund will consider whether to continue to hold the CLO. The Fund may temporarily deviate from the 80% policy while deploying new capital as the result of cash creation or redemption activity, or during unusual market conditions, or highly unusual market conditions such as a downgrade in the rating of one or more CLOs. An NRSRO is a credit rating agency that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that issues credit ratings that the SEC permits other financial firms to use for certain regulatory purposes.

 

The Fund will only invest in CLOs with a minimum initial total offering size of $250 million.

 

The Fund will invest primarily in CLOs that are U.S. dollar denominated. However, the Fund may from time to time invest up to 30% of its net assets in CLOs that are denominated in foreign currencies. To the extent the Fund invests in non-U.S. dollar denominated securities, it will seek to hedge its exposure to foreign currency to U.S. dollars, as described more fully below.

 

The Fund may purchase CLOs both in the primary and secondary markets.

 

The Fund will not invest more than 5% of its portfolio in any single CLO, and will not invest more than 15% of its portfolio in CLOs managed by a single CLO manager.

 

The Fund may invest in derivatives only to mitigate (hedge) risks associated with the Fund’s existing portfolio of CLOs. Derivatives are instruments that have a value derived from, or directly linked to, an underlying asset, such as fixed-income securities, interest rates, currencies, or market indices. The Fund’s use of derivatives will be limited to currency forward contracts or futures contracts to hedge any foreign currency exposure back to the U.S. dollar. Derivatives will not be used for any other purposes.

 

The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in cash or other short-term instruments, such as money market instruments or money market funds, while deploying new capital, for liquidity management purposes, managing redemptions, or for defensive purposes, including navigating unusual market conditions.

 

The Fund is “actively-managed” and does not seek to replicate the composition or performance of any particular index. Accordingly, portfolio management has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective. Portfolio management applies a “bottom up” approach to selecting investments to purchase and sell. This means that portfolio management looks at securities one at a time to determine if a security is an attractive investment opportunity and if it is consistent with the Fund’s investment policies.

 

11 | Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns and yields will vary, and you could lose money. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

CLO Risk. The risks of investing in CLOs include both the economic risks of the underlying loans combined with the risks associated with the CLO structure governing the priority of payments. The degree of such risk will generally correspond to the specific tranche in which the Fund is invested. The Fund intends to invest primarily in BBB-rated tranches; however, this rating does not constitute a guarantee, may be downgraded, and in stressed market environments it is possible that these CLO tranches could experience losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and the significant losses experienced by subordinated/equity tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as negative market sentiment with respect to CLO securities as an asset class. The Fund’s portfolio management may not be able to accurately predict how specific CLOs or the portfolio of underlying loans for such CLOs will react to changes or stresses in the market, including changes in interest rates. The most common risks associated with investing in CLOs are liquidity risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, prepayment risk, and the risk of default of the underlying asset, among others.

 

Mezzanine CLO Risk. The Fund intends to invest primarily in BBB rated CLO tranches. Such securities are often subordinate to higher-rated tranches in terms of payment priority. Subordinated CLO tranches are subject to higher credit risk and liquidity risk relative to more senior CLO tranches. To the extent a CLO or its underlying loans experience default or are having difficulty making principal and/or interest payments, such subordinate CLO tranches will be more likely to experience adverse impacts, and such impacts will be more severe, relative to more senior and/or higher-rated CLO securities, which in turn will adversely affect the performance of the Fund.

 

Debt Securities Risk. Variable-and floating-rate debt obligations (including CLOs and the portfolio of loans underlying the CLOs), as well as fixed-income debt instruments are subject to the following risks.

 

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk refers to the possibility that the Fund may not be able to sell or buy a security or close out an investment contract at a favorable price or time. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. CLO securities in which the Fund invests may have limited liquidity in various market conditions, and in such instances will likely be less liquid than more senior or higher-rated CLOs. The CLO market, which has grown in recent years, remains smaller relative to other fixed-income instrument markets. Historic liquidity measures of CLOs may or may not be predictive of the liquidity of CLOs in the future. During adverse market conditions, there may be instances in which the market for trading CLOs becomes thin, or in extreme circumstances, particularly with respect to subordinate or lower-rated CLO tranches, may cease to exist during such period. In such circumstances, the price of the Fund’s CLO securities, and in turn Fund’s performance would be adversely impacted.

 

CLOs, and their underlying loan obligations, are typically not registered for sale to the public and therefore are subject to certain restrictions on transfer and sale, potentially making them less liquid than other types of securities.

 

Additionally, when the Fund purchases a newly issued CLO directly from the issuer (rather than from the secondary market), there often may be a delayed settlement period, during which time, the liquidity of the CLO may be further reduced. During periods of limited liquidity and higher price volatility, the Fund’s ability to acquire or dispose of CLOs at a price and time the Fund deems advantageous may be impaired. CLOs are generally considered to be long-term investments and there is no guarantee that an active secondary market will exist or be maintained for any given CLO.

 

Credit Risk. Debt issuers and other counterparties may not honor their obligations or may have their debt downgraded by ratings agencies. Ratings provided by NRSROs represent their opinions of the claims-paying ability of the entities rated by them. Such ratings are general and are not absolute standards of quality. For CLOs, the primary source of credit risk is the ability of the underlying portfolio of loans to generate sufficient cash flow to pay investors on a full and timely basis when principal and/or interest payments are due. Default in payment on the underlying loans will result in less cash flow from the underlying portfolio and, in turn, less funds available to pay investors in the CLO.

 

Interest Rate Risk. As interest rates decrease, issuers of the underlying loan obligations may refinance any floating rate loans, which will result in a reduction in the principal value of the CLO’s portfolio and require the CLO to reinvest cash at an inopportune time. Conversely, as interest rates rise, borrowers with floating rate loans may experience difficulty in making payments, resulting in delinquencies and defaults, which will result in a reduction in cash flow to the CLO and the

 

12 | Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

 

CLO investors, including the Fund. An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed-income securities held by the Fund to decline. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to inflationary trends and the effect of government fiscal and monetary policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives.

 

Floating Rate Obligations Risk. Securities with floating or variable interest rates can be less sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. A decline in interest rates may result in a reduction of income received from floating rate securities held by the Fund and may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s shares. Generally, floating rate securities carry lower yields than fixed notes of the same maturity. The interest rate for a floating rate note resets or adjusts periodically by reference to a benchmark interest rate. The impact of interest rate changes on floating rate investments is typically mitigated by the periodic interest rate reset of the investments. Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. Benchmark interest rates, such as the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), may not accurately track market interest rates.

 

Prepayment Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by the Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity. CLOs are typically structured such that, after a specified period of time, the majority investor in the equity tranche can call (i.e., redeem) the securities issued by the CLO in full. The Fund may not be able to accurately predict when or which of its CLO investments may be called, resulting in the Fund having to reinvest the proceeds in unfavorable circumstances, which in turn could cause in a decline in the Fund’s income.

 

Extension Risk. During periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations potentially including the portfolio of loans underlying a CLO will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income and potentially in the value of the Fund’s investments.

 

Income Risk. The Fund’s income may decline if interest rates fall. This decline in income can occur because most of the CLO debt instruments held by the Fund will have floating or variable interest rates.

 

Valuation Risk. Valuation Risk is the risk that one or more of the debt securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer or security. The tiered structure of certain CLOs may subject them to price volatility and enhanced liquidity and valuation risk in times of market stress.

 

Privately-Issued Securities Risk. CLOs are generally privately-issued securities, and are normally purchased pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Privately-issued securities typically may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers, in a privately negotiated transaction, to a limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met for an exemption from registration. Because there may be relatively few potential purchasers for such securities, especially under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, the Fund may find it more difficult to sell such securities when it may be advisable to do so or it may be able to sell such securities only at prices lower than if such securities were more widely held and traded. At times, it also may be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing the Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”) due to the absence of an active trading market. There can be no assurance that a privately-issued security previously deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund, and its value may decline as a result.

 

Covenant Lite Loans Risk. Certain of the underlying loans in which a CLO may invest may be issued or offered as “covenant lite” loans, which have few or no financial maintenance covenants that would require a borrower to maintain certain financial metrics. A CLO may be delayed in enforcing its interests in covenant lite loans, which may result in losses.

 

Below Investment Grade CLO Risk. The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in CLO securities rated below investment grade. Debt securities rated below investment grade (including CLOs) are also referred to as high yield or “junk.” Such securities may be more sensitive than investment grade CLO securities to economic changes, political changes, industry or sector-specific changes, or adverse developments specific to the underlying loans of a CLO, which may adversely affect the value of the below investment grade CLO security. Below investment grade CLO securities are those rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Fitch, Inc., and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or are unrated CLOs of similar quality. The value of lower quality CLO securities is generally more dependent on credit

 

13 | Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

 

risk than investment grade CLO securities. Issuers of the below investment grade loans that underlie a CLO may not be as strong financially as those issuers with higher credit ratings and are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the issuer. In addition, the below investment grade CLO market is considered to be speculative in nature and can experience sudden and sharp price swings.

 

CLO Manager Risk. CLOs are managed by investment advisers independent of the Adviser. CLO managers are responsible for selecting, managing and replacing the underlying bank loans within a CLO. CLO managers may have limited operating histories, may be subject to conflicts of interests, including managing the assets of other clients or other investment vehicles, or receiving fees that incentivize maximizing the yield, and indirectly the risk, of a CLO. Adverse developments with respect to a CLO manager, such as personnel and resource constraints, regulatory issues or other developments that may impact the ability and/or performance of the CLO manager, may adversely impact the performance of the CLO securities in which the Fund invests.

 

Foreign Exposure Risk. The Fund may have exposure to foreign markets as a result of its investments in foreign securities and securities denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, its returns and NAV may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates or political or economic conditions in a particular country. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. It may not be possible for the Fund to repatriate capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, a market swing in one or more countries or regions where the Fund has invested a significant amount of its assets may have a greater effect on the Fund’s performance than it would in a more geographically diversified portfolio. To the extent the Fund invests in foreign debt securities, such investments are sensitive to changes in interest rates. The Fund’s investments may be denominated in foreign currencies and therefore, changes in the value of a country’s currency compared to the U.S. dollar may affect the value of the Fund’s investments.

 

Currency Risk. As long as the Fund holds a foreign security, its value will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When the Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency. Although the Fund will seek to hedge any exposure to foreign currency back to U.S. dollars, there is no guarantee such hedging strategies will be effective or have the desired result.

 

Investment Focus Risk. Because the Fund invests primarily in CLOs it is susceptible to an increased risk of loss due to adverse occurrences in the CLO market, generally, and in the various markets impacting the portfolios of loans underling these CLOs. The Fund’s CLO investment focus may cause the Fund to perform differently than the overall financial market and the Fund’s performance may be more volatile than if the Fund’s investments were more diversified across financial instruments and or markets.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic, and other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

Newly Issued Securities Risk. The credit obligations in which the Fund invests may include newly issued securities, or “new issues,” such as initial debt offerings. New issues may have a magnified impact on the performance of the Fund during periods in which it has a small asset base. The impact of new issues on the Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce the Fund’s returns. New issues may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing, particularly as the Fund’s asset base grows. Certain new issues, such as initial debt offerings, may be volatile in price due to the absence of a prior trading market, limited quantities available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The Fund may hold new issues for a short period of time. This may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as transaction costs. In addition, new issues can experience an immediate drop in value after issuance if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.

 

14 | Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

 

Extended Settlement Risk. Newly issued CLOs purchased in the primary market typically experience delayed or extended settlement periods. In the period following such a purchase and prior to settlement these CLOs may be considered less liquid than similar CLOs available in the secondary market. In such circumstances the Fund bears a risk of loss if the value of the CLO declines before the settlement date or if the Fund is required to sell the CLO prior to settlement. There is also the risk that the security will not be issued or that the counterparty will not meet its obligation, resulting in a loss of the investment opportunity.

 

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives, such as forwards and futures involve risks in addition to the risks of the underlying referenced securities or asset. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty will default on its payment obligations. Derivatives used for hedging purposes may reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by portfolio management or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge.

 

Affiliated Underlying Fund Risk. The Adviser may invest in certain affiliated ETFs as investments for the Fund. The Adviser will generally receive fees for managing such funds, in addition to the fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund. The payment of such fees by affiliated funds creates a conflict of interest when selecting affiliated funds for investment in the Fund. The Adviser, however, is a fiduciary to the Fund and its shareholders and is legally obligated to act in its best interest when selecting affiliated funds. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated ETFs with respect to the Fund’s investment in such ETF, less certain operating expenses.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Accordingly, the Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Cash Transaction Risk. The Fund intends to effect Creation Unit transactions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities, because of the nature of the Fund’s investments. Cash purchases may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges or delays in investing the cash that it would otherwise not incur if a purchase was made on an in-kind basis. Because the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds and thereby may recognize a capital gain on such sales, Creation Unit redemption on a cash basis may be less tax-efficient for the Fund compared to an in-kind redemption. In addition, Creation Unit redemptions for cash may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges it would not otherwise incur with an in-kind redemption, to the extent such fees or charges are not offset by the redemption transaction fee paid by Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, the Fund’s use of cash transactions may result in wider bid-ask spreads in Fund shares trading in the secondary market as compared to ETFs that transact exclusively on an in-kind basis.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV.

 

Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of NAV and Market Price Risk. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to NAV. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause APs and other market makers

 

15 | Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

 

to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s NAV. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV and the face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s performance has varied over time. The bar chart depicts the change in performance from year to year during the periods indicated. The table compares the Fund’s average annual returns for the periods indicated to a broad-based securities market index, as well as to one or more supplemental indices that have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. All figures assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses.

 

The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at janushenderson.com/performance or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

Annual Total Returns (calendar year-end)

 

 

 

Best Quarter:

3rd Quarter 2023

5.86%

Worst Quarter:

1st Quarter 2023

1.92%

 

9-30-2023

03-31-2023

16 | Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

 

Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended 12/31/24)

 

 

1 Year

Since
Inception
(01/11/2022)

 

   

Return Before Taxes

11.04%

6.69%

Return After Taxes on Distributions

7.61%

3.67%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(1)

6.45%

3.75%

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

1.25%

-1.95%

J.P. Morgan CLO BBB Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

11.79%

8.51%

 

(1)

If the Fund incurs a loss, which generates a tax benefit, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may exceed the Fund’s other return figures.

(2)

Index performance shown in the table is the total return, which assumes reinvestment of any dividends and distributions during the time periods shown.

 

After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Nick Childs, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in January 2022. John Kerschner, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in January 2022. Jessica Shill is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which she has co-managed since January 2023.

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund is an actively-managed ETF. Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted primarily in exchange for all cash, but may be conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, you may pay more than NAV (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than NAV (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

17 | Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

18 | Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

 

Additional Information about the Funds

 

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

 

The Funds are actively managed ETFs and, thus, do not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. Accordingly, portfolio management has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Funds’ portfolios in accordance with each Fund’s investment objective. Portfolio management applies a “bottom up” approach to selecting investments to purchase and sell. This means that portfolio management looks at securities one at a time to determine if a security is an attractive investment opportunity and if it is consistent with a Fund’s investment policies. Portfolio management’s analysis with respect to security selection includes due diligence of CLO managers to discern each manager’s investment process, credit sector analysis, risk appetite, approach to risk management, and corporate governance. Additional factors, such as the CLO manager’s tenure and track record in the CLO market, issuance record and secondary market trading frequency, assist in portfolio management’s analysis of both quality and liquidity. Under normal circumstances, a Fund will generally sell or dispose of its portfolio investments to take advantage of mispricing in the secondary market or when, in the opinion of the Adviser, the initial investment thesis changes with respect to a particular security or CLO manager, including as the result of changing market conditions. Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF is designed for investors who seek exposure to an actively managed portfolio consisting of primarily AAA-rated CLOs and Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF is designed for investors who seek exposure to an actively managed portfolio consisting of primarily BBB-rated CLOs.

 

The Funds’ Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) may change each Fund’s investment objective or non-fundamental principal investment strategies without a shareholder vote. A Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days or as soon as reasonably practicable before making any such change it considers material, including but not limited to a material change in Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF’s policy to invest at least 90% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in CLOs of any maturity that are rated AAA (or equivalent by an NRSRO) at the time of purchase and Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF’s policy to invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in CLOs of any maturity that are rated between and inclusive of BBB+ and B- (or equivalent by an NRSRO) at the time of purchase, or, if unrated, are determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. If there is a material change to a Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that a Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF’s primary listing exchange is NYSE Arca, Inc. and Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF’s primary listing exchange is Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (together, the “Exchanges”). On each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchanges, each Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV per share. A description of each Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Information about the premiums and discounts at which each Fund’s shares have traded is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Unless otherwise stated, the following additional investment strategies and general policies apply to each Fund and provide further information including, but not limited to, the types of securities the Fund may invest in when implementing its investment objective. Some of these strategies and policies may be part of a principal strategy. Other strategies and policies may be utilized to a lesser extent as a complement to each Fund’s principal strategy. Except for each Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this Prospectus and/or the SAI normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if a Fund exceeds a limit, other than illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

Each Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). For temporary liquidity and cash management purposes, the Funds may invest in other ETFs that provide exposure to related securities.

 

Asset-Backed Securities

CLOs are a type of asset-backed security. Payments on asset-backed securities include both interest and a partial payment of principal. The value of investments in asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, factors concerning the interests in and structure of the issuer or originator of the receivables, the creditworthiness of the entities

 

19 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements, and/or the market’s assessment of the quality of the underlying assets. Generally, the originating bank or credit provider is neither the obligor nor the guarantor of the security, and interest and principal payments ultimately depend upon payment of the underlying loans by the individuals. The Funds could incur a loss if the underlying loans are not paid. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment. Prepayment risk is the risk that during periods of falling interest rates, certain fixed-income securities with higher interest rates, such as mortgage- and asset-backed securities, may be prepaid by their issuers thereby reducing the amount of interest payments. The impact of prepayments on the value of asset-backed securities may be difficult to predict and may result in greater volatility. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of asset-backed securities, making them more volatile and sensitive to changing interest rates.

 

Cash Position

The Funds may not always stay fully invested. When portfolio management believes that market conditions are unfavorable for investing, or when portfolio management is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund’s cash or similar investments may increase. When a Fund’s investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested. To the extent a Fund invests its uninvested cash through a sweep program (meaning its uninvested cash is pooled with uninvested cash of other funds and invested in certain securities such as repurchase agreements), it is subject to the risks of the account or fund into which it is investing, including liquidity issues that may delay the Fund from accessing its cash.

 

In addition, a Fund may temporarily increase its cash position under certain unusual circumstances, such as to protect its assets or maintain liquidity in certain circumstances to meet unusually large redemptions. A Fund’s cash position may also increase temporarily due to unusually large cash inflows. Under unusual circumstances such as these, a Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or similar investments. In this case, a Fund may take positions that are inconsistent with its investment policies. As a result, a Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Collateralized Loan Obligations

A CLO is a type of structured credit, which is a sector of the fixed income market that also includes asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. Typically organized as a trust or other special purpose vehicle, a CLO issues debt and equity interests and uses the proceeds from this issuance to acquire a portfolio of bank loans made primarily to businesses that are rated below investment grade. The underlying loans in which a CLO may invest may be issued or offered as “covenant lite” loans, which have few or no financial maintenance covenants. The underlying loans are generally senior-secured/first-priority loans; however, the CLO may also include an allowance for second-lien and/or unsecured debt. Additionally, the underlying loans may include domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, some of which may individually be below investment grade or the equivalent if unrated. The portfolio of underlying loans is actively managed by the CLO manager for a fixed period of time (“reinvestment period”). During the reinvestment period, the CLO manager may buy and sell individual loans to create trading gains or mitigate loses. The CLO portfolio will generally be required to adhere to certain diversification rules established by the CLO issuer to mitigate against the risk of concentrated defaults within a given industry or sector. After a specified period of time, the majority owner of equity interests in the CLO may seek to call the CLO’s outstanding debt or refinance its position. If not called or refinanced, when the reinvestment period ends, the CLO uses cash flows from the underlying loans to pay down the outstanding debt tranches and wind up the CLO’s operations.

 

Interests in the CLOs are divided into two or more separate debt and equity tranches, each with a different credit rating and risk/return profile based upon its priority of claim on the cash flows produced by the underlying loan pool. Tranches are categorized as senior, mezzanine and subordinated/equity, according to their degree of credit risk. If there are defaults or the CLO’s collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches take precedence over those to subordinated/equity tranches. The riskiest portion is the “Equity” tranche, which bears the bulk of defaults from the loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Senior and mezzanine tranches are typically rated, with the former receiving ratings of A to AAA/Aaa and the latter receiving ratings of B to BBB/Baa. The ratings reflect both the credit quality of underlying collateral as well as how much protection a given tranche is afforded by tranches that are subordinate to it. Normally, CLOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. CLOs are typically floating-rate debt instruments; however, in some cases, certain CLOs may pay a fixed-rate.

 

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For the purposes of implementing each Fund’s investment strategy, CLOs do not include: Collateralized Debt Obligations (“CDOs”), Collateralized Bond Obligations (“CBOs”) Commercial Real Estate CLOs (“CRE CLOs”), collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), or other forms of asset-backed securities.

 

Credit Quality

For Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF, under normal circumstances, at least 90% of the portfolio will be invested in CLOs rated AAA (or equivalent by an NRSRO), or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser at the time of purchase. No CLO, at the time of purchase by the Fund, will have a rating that is below A- (or equivalent by an NRSRO), or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. After purchase, a CLO may have its rating reduced below the minimum rating required by the Fund for purchases. In such cases, the Fund will consider whether to continue to hold the CLO; however, under normal market conditions, the Fund will seek to maintain at least 80% of its net assets in the AAA rated CLOs.

 

When calculating the quality assigned to securities that receive different ratings from two or more agencies (“split-rated securities”), the security will receive: (i) the middle rating from the three reporting agencies if three agencies provide a rating for the security or (ii) the lowest rating if only two agencies provide a rating for the security.

 

In unforeseen or unusual circumstances, there may not be sufficient AAA rated CLOs available in the market or that portfolio management deems appropriate for investment to permit the Fund to maintain 80% of its net assets in AAA rated CLOs. In such circumstances, the Fund will endeavor to maintain the highest possible percentage of its net assets in the highest quality CLOs available at that time.

 

For Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the portfolio will be invested in CLOs rated between and inclusive of BBB+ and B- (or equivalent by a NRSRO), or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser at the time of purchase. However, as part of such investment, the Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in CLOs rated below investment grade (BB+ or lower) at the time of purchase by the Fund, or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. Additionally, no CLO, at the time of purchase by the Fund, will have a rating that is below B- (or equivalent by an NRSRO) or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets: i) directly in CLOs with a rating above BBB+ at the time of purchase by the Fund, or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser; or ii) in affiliated ETFs, including the Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF, which provide exposure to CLOs rated above BBB+. After purchase, a CLO may have its rating reduced below the minimum rating required by the Fund for purchases. In such cases, the Fund will consider whether to continue to hold the CLO. The Fund may temporarily deviate from the 80% policy while deploying new capital as the result of cash creation or redemption activity, or during unusual market conditions, or highly unusual market conditions such as a downgrade in the rating of one or more CLOs.

 

When calculating the quality assigned to securities that receive different ratings from two or more agencies (“split-rated securities”), the security will receive: (i) the middle rating from the three reporting agencies if three agencies provide a rating for the security or (ii) the lowest rating if only two agencies provide a rating for the security.

 

In unforeseen or unusual circumstances, there may not be sufficient B- to BBB+ rated CLOs available in the market or that portfolio management deems appropriate for investment to permit the Fund to maintain 80% of its net assets in B- to BBB+ rated CLOs. In such circumstances, the Fund will endeavor to maintain the highest possible percentage of its net assets in CLOs rated BBB, or of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser, available at that time.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

Each Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of each Fund, which will be indirectly paid by each Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in each Funds may be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Adviser will earn fees both from the Funds and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Funds invested in the underlying ETF. Each Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

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Floating Rate Obligations

The Funds’ CLO investments (and the underlying loan investments of these CLOs) will typically have floating rates of interest which, under certain limited circumstances, may have varying principal amounts. Floating rate securities pay interest at rates that are adjusted periodically according to a specified formula, usually with reference to some interest rate index or market interest rate (the “underlying index”). The floating interest rate tends to decrease the security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. These types of securities are relatively long-term instruments that often carry demand features permitting the holder to demand payment of principal at any time or at specified intervals prior to maturity.

 

Foreign Securities

The Funds may invest in foreign securities. Portfolio management seeks investments that meet the selection criteria, regardless of where an issuer or company is located. Foreign securities are generally selected on a security-by-security basis without regard to any predetermined allocation among countries or geographic regions. However, certain factors, such as expected levels of inflation, government policies influencing business conditions, the outlook for currency relationships, and prospects for economic growth among countries, regions, or geographic areas, may warrant greater consideration in selecting foreign securities. The Funds may at times have significant foreign exposure, including exposure to emerging markets.

 

Forward Contracts

Forward contracts are contracts to purchase or sell a specified amount of a financial instrument for an agreed upon price at a specified time. Forward contracts are not currently exchange-traded and are typically negotiated on an individual basis. A Fund may only enter into forward currency contracts to hedge against declines in the value of securities denominated in, or whose value is tied to, a currency other than the U.S. dollar or to reduce the impact of currency appreciation on purchases of such securities.

 

Illiquid Investments

A Fund will not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An illiquid investment is any investment that a Fund 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 investment.

 

Interest Rate Futures Contracts

Interest rate futures contracts are typically exchange-traded and are typically used to obtain interest rate exposure in order to manage duration and hedge interest rate risk. Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF may only utilize interest rate futures contracts as a means to “hedge” its exposure to CLOs paying a fixed, rather than floating, interest rate. An interest rate futures contract is a bilateral agreement where one party agrees to accept and the other party agrees to make delivery of a specified security, as called for in the agreement at a specified date and at an agreed upon price. Generally, Treasury interest rate futures contracts are closed out or rolled over prior to their expiration date.

 

Interest Rate Swap Agreements

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF may only utilize interest rate swap agreements as a means to “hedge” its exposure to CLOs paying a fixed, rather than floating, interest rate. Interest rate swaps involve the exchange by two parties of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments). Interest rate swaps are generally entered into on a net basis. Interest rate swaps are centrally cleared and do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets, or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate swaps is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make.

 

Leverage

The Funds do not intend to use leverage for investment purposes. Leverage occurs when a Fund increases its assets available for investment using when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment transactions, or other similar transactions. In addition, other investment techniques, such as certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect.

 

Pass Through Securities

Pass-through securities (such as mortgage- and asset-backed securities) are debt securities that normally give the issuer an option to pay cash at a coupon payment date or give the holder of the security a similar bond with the same coupon rate and a face value equal to the amount of the coupon payment that would have been made. In the pass-through structure, principal and interest payments on the underlying securities (less servicing fees) are passed through to shareholders on a pro rata basis.

 

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These securities involve prepayment risk. In that case, the Funds may have to reinvest the proceeds from the securities at a lower rate. Potential market gains on a security subject to prepayment risk may be more limited than potential market gains on a comparable security that is not subject to prepayment risk.

 

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio turnover rates are generally not a factor in making buy and sell decisions. Changes may be made to a Fund’s portfolio, consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, when portfolio management believes such changes are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. Short-term transactions may result from the purchase of a security in anticipation of relatively short-term gains, liquidity needs, securities having reached a price or yield objective, changes in interest rates or the credit standing of an issuer, or by reason of economic or other developments not foreseen at the time of the initial investment decision. A Fund may also sell one security and simultaneously purchase the same or a comparable security to take advantage of short-term differentials in bond yields or securities prices. Portfolio turnover is affected by market conditions, changes in the size of a Fund (including due to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units), the nature of a Fund’s investments, and the investment style of portfolio management.

 

Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover also may have a negative effect on a Fund’s performance. The “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus shows the Funds’ historical turnover rates.

 

Securities Lending

A Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination. When a Fund lends its securities, it receives collateral (including cash collateral), at least equal to the value of securities loaned. A Fund may earn income by investing this collateral in one or more affiliated or non-affiliated cash management vehicles or in time deposits. It is also possible that, due to a decline in the value of a cash management vehicle in which collateral is invested, a Fund may lose money. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If a Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to a Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and a Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns. The Adviser intends to manage a portion of the cash collateral in an affiliated cash management vehicle and will receive an investment advisory fee for managing such assets.

 

U.S. Government Securities

The Funds may invest in U.S. Government securities. U.S. Government securities include those issued directly by the U.S. Treasury, including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (also known as TIPS), and those issued or guaranteed by various U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities. Some government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Other government securities are backed only by the rights of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. Others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the obligations. Certain other government securities are supported only by the credit of the issuer. For securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, a Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the securities for repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. Such securities may involve increased risk of loss of principal and interest compared to government debt securities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.

 

Because of the rising U.S. Government debt burden, it is possible that the U.S. Government may not be able to meet its financial obligations or that securities issued or backed by the U.S. Government may experience credit downgrades. Such a credit event may adversely affect the financial markets.

 

Other Types of Investments

Unless otherwise stated within its specific investment policies, the Funds may also invest in other types of U.S. dollar denominated securities and use other investment strategies. These securities and strategies are not intended to be principal investment strategies of a Fund. If successful, they may benefit a Fund by earning a return on the Fund’s assets or reducing risk; however, they may not achieve the Fund’s investment objective.

 

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Risks of the Funds

 

The value of your investment will vary over time, sometimes significantly, and you may lose money by investing in the Funds. The following information is intended to help you better understand some of the risks of investing in the Funds, including those risks that are summarized in the Fund Summary sections. This information also includes descriptions of other risks a Fund may be subject to as a result of additional investment strategies and general policies that may apply to the Fund. The impact of the following risks on a Fund may vary depending on the Fund’s investments. The greater a Fund’s investment in a particular security, the greater the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with that security. Before investing in a Fund, you should consider carefully the risks that you assume when investing in the Fund.

 

Affiliated Underlying Fund Risk. The Adviser may invest in certain affiliated ETFs as investments for each Fund. The Adviser will generally receive fees for managing such funds, in addition to the fees paid to the Adviser by each Fund. The payment of such fees by affiliated funds creates a conflict of interest when selecting affiliated funds for investment in a Fund. The Adviser, however, is a fiduciary to each Fund and its shareholders and is legally obligated to act in its best interest when selecting affiliated funds. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of such Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated ETFs with respect to such Fund’s investment in such ETF, less certain operating expenses.

 

Below Investment Grade CLO Risk. Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF may invest up to 15% of its net assets in CLO securities rated below investment grade. Debt securities rated below investment grade (including CLOs) are also referred to as high yield or “junk.” Such securities may be more sensitive than investment grade CLO securities to economic changes, political changes, industry or sector-specific changes, or adverse developments specific to the underlying loans of a CLO, which may adversely affect the value of the below investment grade CLO security. Below investment grade CLO securities are those rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Fitch, Inc., and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or are unrated CLOs of similar quality. The value of lower quality CLO securities is generally more dependent on credit risk than investment grade CLO securities. Issuers of the below investment grade loans that underlie a CLO may not be as strong financially as those issuers with higher credit ratings and are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the issuer. In addition, the below investment grade CLO market is considered to be speculative in nature and can experience sudden and sharp price swings. The secondary market on which high-yield securities are traded is less liquid than the market for investment grade securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of the security. Additionally, it may be more difficult to value the securities because valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a larger role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available.

 

CLO Manager Risk. CLOs are managed by investment advisers independent of the Adviser. CLO managers are responsible for selecting, managing and replacing the underlying bank loans within a CLO. CLO managers may have limited operating histories, may be subject to conflicts of interests, including managing the assets of other clients or other investment vehicles, or receiving fees that incentivize maximizing the yield, and indirectly the risk, of a CLO. Adverse developments with respect to a CLO manager, such as personnel and resource constraints, regulatory issues or other developments that may impact the ability and/or performance of the CLO manager, may adversely impact the performance of the CLO securities in which a Fund invests.

 

CLO Risk. The risks of investing in a CLO can be generally summarized as a combination of economic risks of the underlying loans and the risks associated with the CLO structure governing the priority of payments. The degree of such risk will generally correspond to the specific tranche in which a Fund is invested. The Funds intends to invest primarily in AAA-rated tranches and BBB-rated tranches, respectively; however, these ratings do not constitute a guarantee and in stressed market environments it is possible that these CLO tranches could experience losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and significant losses experienced by subordinated/equity tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as negative market sentiment with respect to CLO securities as an asset class. The Funds’ portfolio management may not be able to accurately predict how specific CLOs or the portfolio of underlying loans for such CLOs will react to changes or stresses in the market, including changes in interest rates. The most common risks associated with investing in CLOs are interest rate risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, prepayment risk, and the risk of default of the underlying asset, among others.

 

Mezzanine CLO Risk. Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF intends to invest primarily in BBB-rated CLO tranches of CLOs. Such securities are often subordinate to higher-rated tranches in terms of payment priority. Subordinated CLO tranches are

 

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subject to higher credit risk and liquidity risk relative to more senior CLO tranches. To the extent a CLO or its underlying loans experience default or are having difficulty making principal and/or interest payments, such subordinate CLO tranches will be more likely to experience adverse impacts, and such impacts will be more severe, relative to more senior and/or higher-rated CLO securities, which in turn will adversely affect the performance of the Fund. In many cases, pursuant to the terms of the CLO governance documents, no payment of interest of principal can be made to a holders of subordinated CLO tranches until the interest or principal payments have been made in full to holders of senior CLO tranches.

 

Counterparty Risk. Fund transactions involving a counterparty are subject to the risk that the counterparty or a third party will not fulfill its obligation to a Fund (“counterparty risk”). Counterparty risk may arise because of the counterparty’s financial condition (i.e., financial difficulties, bankruptcy, or insolvency), market activities and developments, or other reasons, whether foreseen or not. A counterparty’s inability to fulfill its obligation may result in significant financial loss to a Fund. A Fund may be unable to recover its investment from the counterparty or may obtain a limited recovery, and/or recovery may be delayed. A Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk to the extent it participates in lending its securities to third parties and/or cash sweep arrangements whereby the Fund’s cash balance is invested in one or more types of cash management vehicles or in time deposits. In addition, a Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk through its investments in certain securities, including, but not limited to, repurchase agreements, debt securities, and derivatives (including various types of forwards, swaps, futures, and options). Each Fund intends to enter into financial transactions with counterparties that the Adviser believes to be creditworthy at the time of the transaction. There is always the risk that the Adviser’s analysis of a counterparty’s creditworthiness is incorrect or may change due to market conditions. To the extent that a Fund focuses its transactions with a limited number of counterparties, it will have greater exposure to the risks associated with one or more counterparties.

 

Credit Quality Risk. Through a Fund’s investments in fixed-income securities, a Fund is subject to the risks associated with the credit quality of the issuers of those fixed-income securities. Credit quality measures the likelihood that the issuer or borrower will meet its obligations on a bond. One of the fundamental risks is credit risk, which is the risk that an issuer will be unable to make principal and interest payments when due, or default on its obligations. Higher credit risk may negatively impact a Fund’s returns and yield.

 

Many fixed-income securities, including most CLOs, receive credit ratings from services such as Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Fitch, Inc., and Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. These services assign ratings to securities by assessing the likelihood of issuer default. The lower a bond issue is rated by an agency, the more credit risk it is considered to represent. Lower rated instruments and securities generally pay interest at a higher rate to compensate for the associated greater risk. Interest rates can fluctuate in response to economic or market conditions, which can result in a fluctuation in the price of a security and impact a Fund’s return and yield. If a security has not received a rating, a Fund must rely upon the Adviser’s credit assessment, which if incorrect can also impact the Fund’s returns and yield.

 

Debt Securities Risk. Variable-and floating-rate debt obligations (including CLOs and the portfolio of loans underlying the CLOs), as well as fixed-income debt instruments are subject to the following risks.

 

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk refers to the possibility that a Fund may not be able to sell or buy a security or close out an investment contract at a favorable price or time. Consequently, a Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on a Fund’s performance. Infrequent trading of securities also may lead to an increase in their price volatility. CLO securities in which a Fund invests may have limited liquidity in various market conditions, and in such instances will be less liquid than more senior or higher-rated CLOs. As a result, prices of CLO securities may experience significant and rapid decline when a substantial number of holders (or a few holders of a significantly large “block” of the securities) decide to sell. The CLO market, which has grown in recent years, remains smaller relative to other fixed-income instrument markets. Historic liquidity measures of CLOs may or may not be predictive of the liquidity of CLOs in the future. During adverse market conditions, there may be instances in which the market for trading CLOs becomes thin, or in extreme circumstances, particularly with respect to subordinate or lower-rated CLO tranches, may cease to exist during such period. In such circumstances, the price of a Fund’s CLO securities, and in turn the Fund’s performance would be adversely impacted. CLOs, and their underlying loan obligations, are typically not registered for sale to the public therefore are subject to certain restrictions on transfer and sale, potentially making them less liquid than other types of securities. Additionally, when a Fund purchases a newly issued CLO directly from the issuer (rather than from the secondary market), there often may be a delayed settlement period, during which time, the liquidity of the CLO may be further reduced. During periods of limited liquidity and higher price volatility, a Fund’s ability to acquire or dispose of CLOs at a price and time a Fund deems advantageous may be impaired. CLOs are generally considered to be long-term investments and there is no

 

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guarantee that an active secondary market will exist or be maintained for any given CLO.

 

Interest Rate Risk. As interest rates decrease, issuers of the underlying loan obligations may refinance any floating rate loans, which will result in a reduction in the principal value of the CLO’s portfolio and required the CLO to reinvest cash at inopportune time. Conversely, as interest rates rise, borrowers with floating rate loans may experience difficulty in making payments, resulting and delinquencies and defaults, which will result in a reduction in cash flow to the CLO and the CLO investors. An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed-income securities held by a Fund to decline. A Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to inflationary trends and the effect of government fiscal policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives.

 

Floating Rate Obligations Risk. Securities with floating or variable interest rates can be less sensitive to interest rate changes than securities with fixed interest rates, but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. A decline in interest rates may result in a reduction of income received from floating rate securities held by a Fund and may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s shares. Generally, floating rate securities carry lower yields than fixed notes of the same maturity. The interest rate for a floating rate note resets or adjusts periodically by reference to a benchmark interest rate. The impact of interest rate changes on floating rate investments is typically mitigated by the periodic interest rate reset of the investments. Securities with longer durations tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes, usually making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. Benchmark interest rates, such as SOFR, may not accurately track market interest rates.

 

Credit Risk. Debt issuers and other counterparties may not honor their obligations or may have their debt downgraded by an NRSRO. For CLOs, the primary source of credit risk is the ability of the underlying portfolio of loans to generate sufficient cash flow to pay investors on a full and timely basis when principal and/or interest payments are due. Default in payment on the underlying loans will result in less cash flow from the underlying portfolio and, in turn, less funds available to pay investors in the CLO.

 

Prepayment Risk. During periods of falling interest rates, an issuer of a callable bond held by a Fund may “call” or repay the security before its stated maturity. CLOs are typically structured such that, after a specified period of time, the majority investor in the equity tranche can call (i.e., redeem) the securities issued by the CLO in full. A Fund may not be able to accurately predict when or which of its CLO investments may be called, resulting in a Fund having to reinvest the proceeds in unfavorable circumstances, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income.

 

Extension Risk. During periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations potentially including the portfolio of loans underlying a CLO will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated and the value of those securities may fall sharply, resulting in a decline in a Fund’s income and potentially in the value of the Fund’s investments.

 

Income Risk. A Fund’s income may decline if interest rates fall. This decline in income can occur because most of the CLO debt instruments held by a Fund will have floating or variable interest rates.

 

Valuation Risk. Valuation Risk is the risk that one or more of the debt securities in which a Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer or security. The tiered structure of certain CLOs may subject them to price volatility and enhanced liquidity requirements and valuation risk in times of market stress.

 

Privately-Issued Securities Risk. CLOs are generally privately-issued securities, and are normally purchased pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S under the Securities Act. Privately-issued securities typically may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers, in a privately negotiated transaction, to a limited number of purchasers, or in limited quantities after they have been held for a specified period of time and other conditions are met for an exemption from registration. Because there may be relatively few potential purchasers for such securities, especially under adverse market or economic conditions or in the event of adverse changes in the financial condition of the issuer, a Fund may find it more difficult to sell such securities when it may be advisable to do so or it may be able to sell such securities only at prices lower than if such securities were more widely held and traded. At times, it also may be more difficult to determine the fair value of such securities for purposes of computing a Fund’s NAV due to the absence of an active trading market. There can be no assurance that a privately-issued security previously deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund, and its value may decline as a result.

 

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Covenant Lite Loans Risk. Certain of the underlying loans in which a CLO may invest may be issued or offered as “covenant lite” loans, which have few or no financial maintenance covenants that would require a borrower to maintain certain financial metrics. Because covenant lite loans contain few or no financial maintenance covenants, they may not include terms that permit the lender of the loan to monitor the borrower’s financial performance and, if certain criteria are breached, declare a default, which would allow the lender to restructure the loan or take other action intended to help mitigate losses. As a result, a CLO could experience relatively greater difficulty or delays in enforcing its rights on its holdings of covenant lite loans than its holdings of loans or securities with financial maintenance covenants, which may result in losses, especially during a downturn in the credit cycle.

 

Derivatives Risks. Derivatives can be volatile and involve similar risks to those of the underlying referenced securities or assets. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost, and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause a Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by a Fund.

 

The Funds may use forward foreign currency contracts and/or futures contracts to “hedge” or protect its portfolio from adverse movements in foreign currency exposure. Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF may use interest rate swap agreements and/or interest rate futures to “hedge” exposure to fixed-rate CLOs to a floating interest rate. There is no guarantee that portfolio management’s use of derivative investments will benefit the Fund. The Funds’ performance could be worse than if the Funds had not used such instruments. Use of such investments may instead increase risk to the Funds, rather than reduce risk. Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF uses derivatives only for currency and interest rate hedging purposes, while Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF uses derivatives only for currency hedging purposes. Derivatives can be complex instruments and may involve analysis that differs from that required for other investment types used by the Fund. If the value of a derivative does not correlate well with the particular market or other asset class to which the derivative is intended to provide exposure, the derivative may not produce the anticipated result. Derivatives can also reduce the opportunity for gain or result in losses by offsetting positive returns in other investments. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty will default on its payment obligations. If the counterparty to a derivative transaction defaults, a Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive.

 

Currency Futures Risk. Currency futures are similar to forward foreign currency exchange contracts, and pose similar risks, except that futures contracts are standardized, exchange-traded contracts while forward foreign currency exchange contracts are traded in the over-the-counter market. The use of currency futures contracts may substantially change a Fund’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to a Fund if currencies do not perform as anticipated. Currency markets generally are not as regulated as securities markets. In addition, currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time, and can reduce returns. Currency futures may also involve leverage risk.

 

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contract Risk. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts (“forward currency contracts”) involve the risk that unanticipated changes in currency prices may negatively impact a Fund’s performance. Moreover, there may be an imperfect correlation between a Fund’s portfolio holdings of securities quoted or denominated in a particular currency and any forward currency contracts entered into by the Fund, which will expose the Fund to risk of foreign exchange loss. The trading markets for forward currency contracts offer less protection against defaults than trading in currency instruments on an exchange. Because a forward currency contract is not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse, default on the contract could result in losses to a Fund and may force the Fund to cover its purchase or sale commitments, if any, at the current market price. In addition, forward currency contract markets can experience periods of illiquidity, which could prevent a Fund from divesting of a forward currency contract at the optimal time and may adversely affect a Fund’s returns and NAV.

 

Interest Rate Futures Risk. Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF’s investments in interest rate futures entail the risk that a Fund’s portfolio management’s prediction of the direction of interest rates is wrong, and the Fund could incur a loss. In addition, due to the possibility of price distortions in the interest rate futures market, a correct forecast of general interest rate trends by portfolio management may not result in the successful use of interest rate futures.

 

Interest Rate Swaps Risk. Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF use of interest rate swaps involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. Interest rate swaps may result in potential losses if interest rates do not move as expected or if the counterparties are unable to satisfy their obligations.

 

Treasury Futures Contracts Risk. While transactions in Treasury futures contracts may reduce certain risks, unanticipated changes in interest rates or securities prices may result in a poorer overall performance for a Fund than if it had not entered

 

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into any Treasury futures contracts. To the extent Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF uses Treasury futures contracts, it is exposed to additional volatility and potential losses resulting from leverage. Losses (or gains) involving Treasury futures contracts can sometimes be substantial – in part because a relatively small price movement in a Treasury futures contract may result in an immediate and substantial loss (or gain) for a Fund.

 

European Investments Risk. Exposure to investments in European countries may expose a Fund to the economic and political risks associated with Europe in general and the specific European countries in which it invests. The economies and markets of European countries are often closely connected and interdependent, and events in one European country can have an adverse impact on other European countries. A Fund may be exposed to investments in securities of issuers that are domiciled in, have significant operations in, or that are listed on at least one securities exchange within member states of the European Union (the “EU”). A number of countries within the EU are also members of the Economic and Monetary Union (the “EMU”) (together, with the EU, the “eurozone”) and have adopted the euro as their currency. Eurozone membership requires member states to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Changes in import or export tariffs, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro and other currencies of certain EU countries which are not in the eurozone , the default or threat of default by an EU member state on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an EU member state may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of other EU member states and major trading partners outside Europe.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. Each Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies, which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. ETFs are traded on a national securities exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium or discount to its NAV. When a Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. As a result, the cost of investing in the Funds may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Funds’ adviser will earn fees both from the Funds and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Funds invested in the underlying ETF. ETFs also involve the risk that an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained. Similarly, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, a Fund may not be able to purchase or sell an ETF at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities. Each Fund is subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

The ETFs in which a Fund invests are subject to specific risks, depending on the investment strategy of the ETF. In turn, a Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with direct exposure to the securities or commodities held by the ETF. Because a Fund may invest in a broad range of ETFs, such risks may include, but are not limited to, leverage risk, foreign exposure risk, and commodity-linked investments risk. To the extent a Fund invests in fixed-income ETFs, it will be indirectly exposed to the same risks described under “Fixed-Income Securities Risk.”

 

Fixed Income Securities Risk. Typically, the values of fixed-income securities change inversely with prevailing interest rates. Therefore, a fundamental risk of fixed-income securities is interest rate risk, which is the risk that the value of such securities will generally decline as prevailing interest rates rise, which may cause a Fund’s NAV to likewise decrease. How specific fixed-income securities may react to changes in interest rates will depend on the specific characteristics of each security. For example, while securities with longer maturities and durations tend to produce higher yields, they also tend to be more sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates and are therefore more volatile than shorter-term securities and are subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates. However, calculations of maturity and duration may be based on estimates and may not reliably predict a security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In addition, different interest rate measures (such as short- and long- term interest rates and U.S. and non-U.S. interest rates), or interest rates on different types of securities or securities of different issuers, may not necessarily change in the same amount or in the same direction. Investments in fixed-income securities with very low or negative interest rates may diminish a Fund’s yield and performance.

 

Fixed-income securities are also subject to credit risk, which is the risk that the credit strength of an issuer of a fixed-income security will weaken and/or that the issuer will be unable to make timely principal and interest payments and that the security may go into default. In addition, there is prepayment risk, which is the risk that during periods of falling interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off quicker than originally anticipated, which may cause a Fund to reinvest its

 

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assets in securities with lower yields, resulting in a decline in the Funds’ income or return potential. Fixed-income securities may also be subject to valuation risk and liquidity risk. Valuation risk is the risk that one or more of the fixed-income securities in which a Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer of the security. Liquidity risk is the risk that fixed-income securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that portfolio management would like or at the price portfolio management believes the security is currently worth. Consequently, a Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk. To the extent a Fund invests in fixed-income securities in a particular industry or economic sector, its share values may fluctuate in response to events affecting that industry or sector. Securities underlying mortgage- and asset-backed securities, which may include subprime mortgages, also may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk. To the extent that a Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income securities, the Fund may be more substantially exposed to these risks than a fund that does not invest in such derivatives. The market for certain fixed-income securities may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Similarly, the amount of assets deemed illiquid remaining within a Fund may also increase, making it more difficult to meet shareholder redemptions and further adversely affecting the value of the Fund.

 

Floating Rate Obligations Risk. A Fund may invest in floating rate obligations with interest rates that reset regularly, maintaining a fixed spread over a stated reference rate. The interest rates on floating rate obligations typically reset quarterly, although rates on some obligations may adjust at other intervals. Unexpected changes in the interest rates on floating rate obligations could result in lower income to a Fund. In addition, the secondary market on which floating rate obligations are traded may be less liquid than the market for investment grade securities or other types of income-producing securities, which may have an adverse impact on their market price. There is also a potential that there is no active market to trade floating rate obligations, that there may be restrictions on their transfer, or that the issuer may default. As a result, a Fund may be unable to sell floating rate obligations at the desired time or may be able to sell only at a price less than fair market value. In addition, if movements in interest rates are incorrectly anticipated, a Fund could lose money, or its NAV could decline by the use of inverse floaters.

 

Foreign Exposure Risk. The Funds may invest in foreign debt securities either directly (e.g., in a CLO domiciled in a foreign country and/or denominated in a foreign currency) or indirectly (e.g., the portfolio of loans underlying a CLO are issued to foreign investors and/or in foreign currency) in foreign markets. Additional risks may be present with respect to investments in securities of issuers or companies that are economically tied to different countries throughout the world. An issuer is deemed to be economically tied to a country or countries if one or more of the following tests are met: (i) the issuer is organized in, or its primary business office or principal trading market of its equity is located in, the country; (ii) a majority of the issuer’s revenues are derived from one or more countries; or (iii) a majority of the issuer’s assets are located in one or more countries. Investments in foreign securities, including securities of foreign and emerging market governments, may involve greater risks than investing in domestic securities because a Fund’s performance may depend on factors other than the performance of a particular company. These factors include:

 

Currency Risk. As long as a Fund holds a foreign security or invests directly in foreign currencies, the value of the security will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When a Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

Foreign Market Risk. Foreign securities markets, particularly those of emerging market countries, may be less liquid and more volatile than domestic markets. These securities markets may trade a small number of securities, may have a limited number of issuers and a high proportion of shares, or may be held by a relatively small number of persons or institutions. Local securities markets may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of substantial holdings difficult or impossible at times. It is also possible that certain markets may require payment for securities before delivery, and delays may be encountered in settling securities transactions. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. It may not be possible for a Fund to repatriate capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, securities of issuers located in or economically tied to countries with emerging markets may have limited marketability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements which could also have a negative effect on a

 

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Fund. Such factors may hinder a Fund’s ability to buy and sell emerging market securities in a timely manner, affecting a Fund’s investment strategies and potentially affecting the value of a Fund.

 

Geographic Concentration Risk. To the extent that a Fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in a single country or region, the economic, political, social, regulatory, or other developments or conditions within such country or region will generally have a greater effect on the Fund than they would on a more geographically diversified fund, which may result in greater losses and volatility. Adverse developments in certain regions could also adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated and could have a negative impact on a Fund’s performance.

 

Political and Economic Risk. Foreign investments may be subject to increased political and economic risks, including the imposition of economic and other sanctions. Sanctions imposed by the United States government on other countries or persons or issuers operating in such countries could restrict a Fund’s ability to buy affected securities or force a Fund to dispose of any affected securities it has previously purchased at an inopportune time. As a result, a Fund may experience a greater risk of loss with respect to securities impacted by such sanctions.

 

Political and economic risks may be heightened in emerging markets, which may have relatively unstable governments, immature economic structures, national policies restricting investments by foreigners, social instability, and different and/or developing legal systems. In some countries, there is the risk that the government may take over the assets or operations of a company or that the government may impose withholding and other taxes or limits on the removal of a Fund’s assets from that country. In addition, the economies of emerging markets may be predominantly based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates.

 

Regulatory Risk. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets. As a result, foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices applicable to domestic issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers.

 

Transaction Costs Risk. Costs of buying, selling, and holding foreign securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, may be higher than those involved in domestic transactions.

 

Inflation Risk. Inflation creates uncertainty over the future real value of an investment (the value after adjusting for inflation). The real value of certain assets or real income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of a Fund’s assets and distributions may decline. This risk is more prevalent with respect to debt securities held by a Fund. Inflation rates may change frequently and drastically as a result of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy. Moreover, a Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation, which may result in losses to Fund shareholders or adversely affect the real value of shareholders’ investment in a Fund. Fund shareholders’ expectation of future inflation can also impact the current value of a Fund’s portfolio, resulting in lower asset values and potential losses. This risk may be elevated compared to historical market conditions because of recent monetary policy measures and the current interest rate environment.

 

Interest Rate Risk. Generally, a fixed-income security will increase in value when prevailing interest rates fall and decrease in value when prevailing interest rates rise. Longer-term securities are generally more sensitive to interest rate changes than shorter-term securities, but they generally offer higher yields to compensate investors for the associated risks. High-yield bond prices and floating rate debt security prices are generally less directly responsive to interest rate changes than investment grade issues or comparable fixed rate securities, and may not always follow this pattern. Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF may use futures and interest rate swaps to manage interest rate risk. An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed-income securities held by a Fund to decline. A Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to inflationary trends and the effect of government fiscal and monetary policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives. Variable and floating rate securities may increase or decrease in value in response to changes in interest rates, although generally to a lesser degree than fixed-income securities.

 

Market Risk. The value of a Fund’s portfolio may decrease if the value of one or more issuers in the Fund’s portfolio decreases. Further, regardless of how well individual companies or securities perform, the value of a Fund’s portfolio could also decrease if there are deteriorating economic or market conditions, including, but not limited to, a general decline in prices on the stock markets, a general decline in real estate markets, a decline in commodities prices, or if the market favors

 

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different types of securities than the types of securities in which a Fund invests. If the value of a Fund’s portfolio decreases, the Fund’s NAV will also decrease, which means if you sell your shares in the Fund you may lose money. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole.

 

The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, financial institution failures, and economic recessions could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions and/or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the global economies and financial markets.

 

Armed Conflict Risk. Recent such examples include conflict, loss of life, and a disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent and duration of each conflict, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in each region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect, including significant negative impacts on the United States and broader global economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities.

 

Money Market Fund Investment Risk. A Fund may have cash balances that have not been invested in portfolio securities, which may be used to purchase shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds, or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds, as part of a cash sweep program. By investing in a money market fund, a Fund will be exposed to the investment risks of the money market fund in direct proportion to such investment. The money market fund may not achieve its investment objective and a Fund may lose money. To the extent a Fund transacts in instruments such as derivatives, such Fund may hold investments, which may be significant, in money market fund shares to cover its obligations resulting from such Fund’s investments in derivatives. An investment in a money market fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by any bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. There can be no assurance that a money market fund will maintain a $1.00 per share NAV at all times. Factors that could adversely affect the value of a money market fund’s shares include, among other things, a sharp rise in interest rates, an illiquid market for the securities held by the money market fund, a high volume of redemption activity in a fund’s shares, and a credit event or credit rating downgrade affecting one or more of the issuers of securities held by the money market fund. In addition, the failure of even an unrelated money market fund to maintain a stable NAV could create a widespread risk of increased redemption pressures on all money market funds, potentially jeopardizing the stability of their NAVs. Certain money market funds have in the past failed to maintain stable NAVs, and there can be no assurance that such failures and resulting redemption pressures will not impact money market funds in the future.

 

Rules adopted by the SEC require, among other things, certain money market funds to cause transactions in shares of these funds to be effected using a fund’s NAV per share calculated out to the fourth decimal point (e.g., $1.0000 instead of $1.00). “Government Money Market Funds” and “Retail Money Market Funds” as defined in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, as amended, are not subject to the floating NAV requirements, as described above. In addition, certain money market funds may impose a discretionary fee (up to 2%) upon sale of shares because of market conditions or other factors if a fund’s board or a delegate believes such fee is in the best interest of the fund.

 

Recently adopted amendments to Rule 2a-7 also require certain money market funds, excluding Government Money Market Funds and Retail Money Market Funds, to impose mandatory liquidity fees when a fund experiences net redemptions that exceed 5% of its net assets, unless the fund’s liquidity costs are de minimis (i.e., less than 1 basis point).

 

There can be no assurance that a Fund’s investments in money market funds are not adversely affected by reforms to money market regulation that may be adopted by the SEC or other regulatory authorities.

 

In addition to the fees and expenses that a Fund directly bears, a Fund indirectly bears the fees and expenses of any money market fund in which it invests.

 

Newly Issued Securities Risk. The credit obligations in which a Fund invests may include newly issued securities, or “new issues,” such as initial debt offerings. New issues may have a magnified impact on the performance of a Fund during periods in which it has a small asset base. The impact of new issues on a Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce the Fund’s returns. New issues may not be consistently available to a Fund for investing, particularly as the Fund’s asset base grows. Certain new issues, such as initial debt offerings, may be volatile in price due to the absence of a prior trading market, limited quantities available for trading and limited information about the issuer. A

 

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Fund may hold new issues for a short period of time. This may increase a Fund’s portfolio turnover and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, new issues can experience an immediate drop in value after issuance if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.

 

Operational Risk. An investment in each Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in key personnel, technology and/or service providers, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect each Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, process fund orders, execute portfolio trades or perform other essential tasks in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on each Fund. Implementation of business continuity plans by each Fund, the Adviser or third-party service providers in response to disruptive events such as cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may increase these operational risks to the Fund. While each Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third-party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Funds are actively managed investment portfolios and are therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies and research process employed for the Funds may fail to achieve its investment objective or produce the intended results. Although the Funds seek to provide long-term positive returns, market conditions or implementation of the Funds’ investment process may result in losses, and a Fund may not meet its investment objective. As such, there can be no assurance of positive “absolute” return. A Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities Risk. Investments in private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements could decrease a Fund’s liquidity profile or prevent a Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities, and a Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other securities exempt from certain registration requirements.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. The net asset value of each Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of each Fund’s securities holdings. However, each Fund’s shares trade on a national securities exchange at prices above or below their most recent net asset value. The “market price” for a share of each Fund fluctuates continuously throughout the national securities exchange’s trading day and is based on supply and demand for each Fund’s shares. The market price of each Fund’s shares may not track each Fund’s net asset value, which is only calculated at the end of each business day.

 

A potential investor in each Fund will likely also incur the cost of the “spread” (the difference between the bid price and the ask price for a share of a Fund). The spread varies over time for a share of a Fund. This cost is generally smaller for a fund with significant daily trading volumes and larger for funds with smaller daily trading volumes.

 

Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market price of each Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in each Fund’s shares trading at a substantial discount to its net asset value. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of each Fund’s securities holdings. Flash crashes may also cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in Fund shares, which may result in a further increase in the variance between market prices of a Fund’s shares and their net asset value. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell Fund shares during a flash crash.

 

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Management of the Funds

 

 

Investment adviser

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, is the investment adviser to each Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds’ investment portfolios and furnishes continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Funds’ investments. The Adviser also provides certain administration and other services and is responsible for other business affairs of each Fund.

 

The Adviser (together with its predecessors and affiliates) has served as investment adviser to Janus Henderson mutual funds since 1970 and currently serves as investment adviser to all of the Janus Henderson funds, the Janus Henderson exchange-traded funds, acts as subadviser for a number of private-label mutual funds, and provides separate account advisory services for institutional accounts and other unregistered products.

 

The Trust and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of each Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and, as appropriate, reallocate a Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that a Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight by the Trustees, would have the responsibility to oversee such subadviser(s) to a Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for a Fund. In the event that the Adviser hires a subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of each Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for each Fund.

 

Management expenses

 

Each Fund uses a unitary fee structure, under which each Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to each Fund, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services. The Adviser’s fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Funds’ expenses. However, each Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee which may vary and affect the total level of expenses paid by shareholders, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest and dividends (including those relating to short positions (if any)), taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

Each Fund’s Management Fee is calculated daily and paid monthly. Each Fund’s advisory agreement details the Management Fee and other expenses that each Fund must pay.

 

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The following table reflects each Fund’s contractual Management Fee rate (expressed as an annual rate), as well as the actual compensation rate paid to the Adviser after any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. The rates shown are fixed rates based on each Fund’s daily net assets.

 

Fund Name

Daily
Net Assets of
the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Actual Compensation
Rate Paid to Adviser
(%) (for
the fiscal year ended
October 31, 2024)

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

$0 - $1 Billion

0.25

0.20

 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

 

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

$0 - $500 Million

0.49

0.47

 

Over $500 Million

0.45

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Trustees’ approval of each Fund’s investment advisory agreement is included in each Fund’s semiannual financial statements (for the period ending April 30) located in Form N-CSR. You can request each Fund’s annual or semiannual financial statements, free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This information is also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Expense Limitation

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse the management fee payable by the Fund listed below in an amount equal to the amount, if any, that the Fund’s total annual fund operating expenses (excluding distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest, dividends, taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business) exceed the annual rate shown below. The Adviser has agreed to continue the waiver at least until February 28, 2026.

 

Fund Name

Expense Limit Percentage (%)

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

0.20

 

The Adviser has also contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of each Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of Fund assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs.

 

The fee waiver agreements may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

Portfolio Management

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF and Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

 

Co-Portfolio Managers Nick Childs, John Kerschner, and Jessica Shill jointly are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds, with no limitation on the authority of one co-portfolio manager in relation to the others.

 

Nick Childs, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF and Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF, which he has co-managed since their inceptions in October 2020 and January 2022, respectively. Mr. Childs is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2017, he was a portfolio manager at Proprietary Capital, LLC from 2012 to 2016, where he managed alternative fixed income strategies specializing in mortgage-backed securities, and absolute return investing. Mr. Childs holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Denver. Mr. Childs holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

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John Kerschner, CFA, is Head of U.S. Securitized Products of Janus Henderson Investors. He is Co-Portfolio Manager Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF and Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF, which he has co-managed since their inceptions in October 2020 and January 2022, respectively. Mr. Kerschner is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. He joined the Adviser in December 2010. Mr. Kerschner holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) in Biology from Yale University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, where he was designated a Fuqua Scholar. Mr. Kerschner holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Jessica Shill is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF and Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF, which she has co-managed since January 2023. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2019, she was an analyst for the Wells Fargo Investment Portfolio. Ms. Shill holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) in Economics from Bryn Mawr College.

 

Information about portfolio management’s compensation structure and other accounts managed, as well as the aggregate range of their individual ownership in the Fund(s), is included in the Funds’ SAI.

 

Conflicts of Interest

The Adviser manages other funds and numerous other accounts, which may include separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds. Side-by-side management of multiple accounts, including the management of a cash collateral pool for securities lending and investing the Janus Henderson funds’ cash, may give rise to conflicts of interest among those accounts, and may create potential risks, such as the risk that investment activity in one account may adversely affect another account. For example, short sale activity in an account could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more other accounts (and vice versa). Side-by-side management may raise additional potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.

 

In addition, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of a Fund for their own accounts, or may purchase shares of a Fund for the benefit of their clients, including other Janus Henderson funds. Increasing each Fund’s assets may enhance the Fund’s profile with financial intermediaries and platforms, investment flexibility and trading volume. The Adviser and its affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to dispose of at any time some or all of the shares of a Fund acquired for their own accounts or for the benefit of their clients. A large sale of Fund shares by the Adviser or its affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of each Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility or trading volume. The Adviser considers the effect of redemptions on each Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to dispose of its shares of the Fund.

 

The Adviser believes it has appropriately designed and implemented policies and procedures to mitigate these and other potential conflicts of interest. A further discussion of potential conflicts of interest and policies and procedures intended to mitigate them is contained in the Funds’ SAI.

 

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Other Information

 

 

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUNDS

 

Creation Units for the Funds are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org, or 1-800-289-9999.

 

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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

To avoid taxation of each Fund, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), requires each Fund to distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income and any net capital gains realized on its investments at least annually.

 

Distribution Schedule

Dividends from net investment income are generally declared and distributed to shareholders monthly. Distributions of net capital gains are declared and distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. The date you receive your distribution may vary depending on how your intermediary processes trades. Dividend payments are made through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from each Fund. Please consult your financial intermediary for details.

 

How Distributions Affect each Fund’s NAV

Distributions are paid to shareholders as of the record date of a distribution of each Fund, regardless of how long the shares have been held. Undistributed income and net capital gains are included in each Fund’s daily NAV. A Fund’s NAV drops by the amount of the distribution, net of any subsequent market fluctuations. For example, assume that on December 31, a Fund declared a dividend in the amount of $0.25 per share. If a Fund’s NAV was $10.00 on December 30, the Fund’s NAV on December 31 would be $9.75, barring market fluctuations. You should be aware that distributions from a taxable fund do not increase the value of your investment and may create income tax obligations.

 

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of a Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

TAXES

 

As with any investment, you should consider the tax consequences of investing in each Fund. The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences of investing in a Fund. The discussion does not apply to qualified tax-advantaged accounts or other non-taxable entities, nor is it a complete analysis of the federal income tax implications of investing in a Fund. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect that an investment in a Fund may have on your particular tax situation, including the federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of your investment.

 

Taxes on Distributions

Distributions by each Fund are subject to federal income tax, regardless of whether the distribution is made in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, and realized net short- term capital gains), other than qualified dividend income, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of qualified dividend income are taxed to individuals and other noncorporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Because the income of a Fund is primarily derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid by a Fund is anticipated to be qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares. Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income includes dividends paid by each Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares. Each Fund’s net investment income and capital gains are distributed to (and may be taxable to) those persons who are shareholders of the Fund at the record date of such payments. Although each Fund’s total net income and net realized gain are the results of its operations, the per share amount distributed or taxable to shareholders is affected by the number of Fund

 

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shares outstanding at the record date. Distributions declared to shareholders of record in October, November, or December and paid on or before January 31 of the succeeding year will be treated for federal income tax purposes as if received by shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared. Generally, account tax information will be made available to shareholders on or before February 15 of each year. Information regarding distributions may also be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).

 

Taxes on Sales

Any time you sell the shares of a Fund in a taxable account, it is considered a taxable event. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price, you may have a gain or loss on the transaction. The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares for more than one year and if not held for such period, as a short-term capital gain or loss. Any tax liabilities generated by your transactions are your responsibility.

 

U.S. federal income tax withholding may be required on all distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number, fail to make certain required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is applied.

 

For shares purchased and sold from a taxable account, your financial intermediary will report cost basis information to you and to the IRS. Your financial intermediary will permit shareholders to elect their preferred cost basis method. In the absence of an election, your cost basis method will be your financial intermediary’s default method, which is often the average cost method. Please consult your tax adviser to determine the appropriate cost basis method for your particular tax situation and to learn more about how the cost basis reporting laws apply to you and your investments.

 

Taxation of the Funds

Dividends, interest, and some capital gains received by a Fund on foreign securities may be subject to foreign tax withholding or other foreign taxes.

 

Certain fund transactions may involve futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, and may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, can potentially affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders, and utilization of capital loss carryforwards. A Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and use certain investment strategies where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these tax provisions, if possible.

 

Each Fund does not expect to pay any federal income or excise taxes because it intends to meet certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, including the distribution each year of substantially all its net investment income and net capital gains. It is important for each Fund to meet these requirements so that any earnings on your investment will not be subject to federal income tax twice. If a Fund invests in a partnership, however, it may be subject to state tax liabilities.

 

If a Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

 

For additional information, see the “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status” section of the SAI.

 

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Shareholder’s Guide

 

 

Each Fund issues or redeems its shares at NAV per share only in Creation Units. Shares of each Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and trade on the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and offered price in the secondary market on each purchase and sale transaction. Fund shares are traded on NYSE Arca, Inc. under the trading symbol JAAA for Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF and Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. under the trading symbol JBBB for Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.

 

APs may acquire Fund shares directly from each Fund, and APs may tender their Fund shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share, only in Creation Units and in accordance with the procedures described in the Funds’ SAI.

 

Pricing of fund shares

 

The per share NAV of each Fund is computed by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. Each Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the close of the trading session of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time) each day that the NYSE is open (“Business Day”). However, the NAV may still be calculated if trading on the NYSE is restricted, provided there is sufficient pricing information available for a Fund to value its securities, or as permitted by the SEC. Foreign securities held by a Fund, as applicable, may be traded on days and at times when the NYSE is closed and the NAV is therefore not calculated. Accordingly, the value of a Fund’s holdings may change on days that are not Business Days in the United States and on which you will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.

 

Securities held by each Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (“Valuation Procedures”). To the extent available, equity securities (including shares of ETFs) are generally valued at readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. Most fixed-income securities are typically valued using an evaluated bid price supplied by an Adviser-approved pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term instruments maturing within 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. If a market quotation or evaluated price for a security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable, or if an event that is expected to affect the value of the security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, a fair value of the security will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Such events include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a non-significant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a non-valued security and a restricted or non-public security. This type of fair valuation may be more commonly used with foreign equity securities, but it may also be used with, among other things, thinly-traded domestic securities or fixed-income securities. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position. For valuation purposes, if applicable, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities, and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are generally translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates. The methodologies employed when fair valuing securities may change from time to time. Because fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, it is possible that the fair value determination for a security may be different than the value that could be realized when selling that security.

 

The value of the securities of mutual funds held by each Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such mutual funds, and the prospectuses for such mutual funds explain the circumstances under which they use fair valuation and the effects of using fair valuation. The value of the securities of any cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds held by each Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such funds.

 

All purchases, sales, or other account activity must be processed through your financial intermediary or plan sponsor.

 

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Distribution and servicing fees

 

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Servicing Plan for shares of each Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”). The Plan permits compensation in connection with the distribution and marketing of Fund shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services. The Plan permits each Fund to pay the Distributor, or its designee, a fee for the sale and distribution and/or shareholder servicing of the shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the shares of each Fund (“12b-1 fee”). However, payment of a 12b-1 fee has not been authorized at this time.

 

Under the terms of the Plan, the Trust is authorized to make payments to the Distributor or its designee for remittance to retirement plan service providers, broker-dealers, bank trust departments, financial advisors, and other financial intermediaries, as compensation for distribution and/or shareholder services performed by such entities for their customers who are investors in each Fund.

 

The 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of each Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized and payments are made, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. The amount of compensation paid by the Adviser varies from intermediary to intermediary. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Funds’ SAI.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds not offered in this Prospectus, the Adviser or its affiliates pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for certain of these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the

 

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Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-mutual fund investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Funds. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

Purchasing and Selling Shares

 

Shares of each Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. However, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market will develop or be maintained, or that each Fund shares listing will continue or remain unchanged. Each Fund does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. Buying or selling each Fund’s shares involves certain costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of each Fund through a financial intermediary, you may incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your financial intermediary. Due to these brokerage costs, if any, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment returns. In addition, you may also incur the cost of the spread (the difference between the bid price and the ask price). The commission may be a significant cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares.

 

Shares of each Fund may be acquired through the Distributor or redeemed directly with the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of the Funds’ SAI. Once created, shares of each Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

The Exchanges are open for trading Monday through Friday and are closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

A Business Day with respect to each Fund is each day the Exchanges are open. Orders from APs to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day. On days when the Exchanges or the bond markets close earlier than normal (or on days when the bond markets are closed but the Exchanges are open), each Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, to minimize brokerage and other related trading costs associated with securities that cannot be readily transferred in-kind, each Fund may establish early trade cut-off times for APs to submit orders for Creation Units, in accordance with the 1940 Act. See the Funds’ SAI for more information.

 

In compliance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), your financial intermediary is required to verify certain information on your account application as part of its Anti-Money Laundering Program. You will be required to provide your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address to assist in verifying your identity. You may also be asked

 

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to provide additional documents that may help to establish your identity. Until verification of your identity is made, your financial intermediary may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, your financial intermediary may close an account if it is unable to verify your identity. Please contact your financial intermediary if you need additional assistance when completing your application or additional information about your financial intermediary’s Anti-Money Laundering Program.

 

In an effort to ensure compliance with this law, the Adviser’s Anti-Money Laundering Program (the “Program”) provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by each Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirements and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an unsold allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

Book Entry

Shares of each Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The DTC or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of each Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.

 

Investors owning shares of each Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Funds. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other exchange- traded securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.

 

Premiums and Discounts

There may be differences between the daily market prices on secondary markets for shares of each Fund and the Fund’s NAV. NAV is the price per share at which a Fund issues and redeems shares. See “Pricing of Fund Shares” above. The price used to calculate market returns (“Market Price”) of a Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the national securities exchange on which shares of the Fund are primarily listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. A Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its NAV. The NAV of a Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of a Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its NAV, as well as market supply and demand for shares of the Fund.

 

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Premiums or discounts are the differences (expressed as a percentage) between the NAV and the Market Price of a Fund on a given day, generally at the time the NAV is calculated. A premium is the amount that a Fund is trading above the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount is the amount that a Fund is trading below the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount or premium could be significant. Information regarding a Fund’s premium/discount to NAV for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that calendar year end (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Investments by Other Investment Companies

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for purposes of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Under the 1940 Act, purchases or acquisitions by a Fund of shares issued by registered investment companies (including other ETFs) and business development companies (“BDCs”) and the purchase or acquisition of Fund shares by registered investment companies, BDCs, and investment vehicles relying on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except where an exemption is available, including as provided in Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and (G) and Rule 12d1-4 thereunder. Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies and BDCs to invest in Fund shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company or BDC first enter into a written agreement with the Trust regarding the terms of the investment, among other conditions.

 

Excessive trading

 

Unlike traditional mutual funds, the frequent trading of Fund shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management, increase a Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains by the Fund, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders. The vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market. Because these trades do not involve a Fund, they do not harm the Fund or its shareholders. APs are authorized to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with each Fund in Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions that are effected using securities (i.e., in-kind) do not cause any of the harmful effects to the issuing fund (as previously noted). However, Creation Unit transactions effected using cash can potentially subject the Fund and its shareholders to those harmful effects. As a result, each Fund requires APs to pay transaction fees to cover brokerage and certain related costs when purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. Those fees are designed to protect each Fund and its shareholders from the dilutive costs associated with frequent creation and redemption activity. For these reasons, the Trustees of each Fund have determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market timing of Fund shares. However, each Fund’s policies and procedures regarding frequent purchases and redemptions may be modified by the Trustees at any time.

 

Fund website & availability of portfolio holdings information

 

Each Business Day, each Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided by its custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. In addition, on each Business Day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchanges, each Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV. A complete schedule of each Fund’s portfolio holdings is also available semiannually and annually in Form N-CSR and, after the first and third fiscal quarters, in Form N-PORT. Information reported in Form N-CSR and in Form N-PORT will be made publicly available within 70 and 60 days, respectively, after the end of each fiscal quarter. Each Fund’s Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

For additional information on these disclosures and the availability of portfolio holdings information, please refer to the Funds’ SAI.

 

43 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Shareholder communications

 

Statements and Reports

Your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for sending you periodic statements of all transactions, along with trade confirmations and tax reporting, as required by applicable law. In addition, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is also responsible for providing annual and semiannual reports. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor to obtain these reports.

 

You may also obtain copies of each Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, SAI and other information, such as each Fund’s financial statements (when available), free upon request by calling Janus Henderson at 1-800-668-0434 or you can access and download these documents at the Funds’ website: janushenderson.com/info.

 

Each Fund’s fiscal year ends October 31st.

 

Lost (Unclaimed/Abandoned) Accounts

It is important to maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned as undeliverable. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is required to attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is unable to locate the shareholder, then the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is legally obligated to deem the property “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently escheat (or transfer) unclaimed property (including shares of a fund) to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. Further, your account may be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently transferred to your state of residence if no activity (as defined by that state) occurs within your account during the time frame specified in your state’s unclaimed property laws. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Interest or income is not earned on redemption or distribution check(s) sent to you during the time the check(s) remained uncashed.

 

44 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

The financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand the Funds’ financial performance for each fiscal period shown. Items “Net asset value, beginning of period” through “Net asset value, end of period” reflect financial results for a single Fund share. The information for the fiscal periods shown has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Funds’ financial statements, is included in the Funds’ Form N-CSR and incorporated by reference into the SAI.

 

The total returns in the tables represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Funds (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions).

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

 

For a share outstanding during each year or period ended October 31

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

   

2021

   

2020(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 50.16     $ 48.82     $ 50.49     $ 49.79     $ 50.00  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

                                       

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    3.38       3.16       1.26       0.58       0.02  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    0.55       1.02       (2.00 )     0.69       (0.23 )

Total from Investment Operations

    3.93       4.18       (0.74 )     1.27       (0.21 )

Less Dividends and Distributions:

                                       

Dividends (from net investment income)

    (3.26 )     (2.84 )     (0.93 )     (0.57 )      

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (3.26 )     (2.84 )     (0.93 )     (0.57 )      

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 50.83     $ 50.16     $ 48.82     $ 50.49     $ 49.79  

Total Return*

    8.09 %     8.81 %     (1.48 )%(3)     2.55 %     (0.42 )%

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 13,965,631     $ 4,472,073     $ 1,662,371     $ 260,002     $ 119,486  

Ratios to Average Net Assets**

                                       

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.20 %     0.22 %     0.24 %     0.25 %     0.25 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    6.68 %     6.37 %     2.54 %     1.16 %     1.29 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate(4)

    51 %     47 %     55 %     42 %     0 %(5)

 

* Total return not annualized for periods of less than one full year.

** Annualized for periods of less than one full year.

(1) Period from October 16, 2020 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2020.

(2) Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(3) The return includes adjustments in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles required at period end date.

(4) Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

(5) Amount is less than 0.5%.

 

 

45 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

 

   

 

   

 

 

For a share outstanding during each year or period ended October 31

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 46.76     $ 43.67     $ 50.00  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

                       

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    3.99       3.88       1.80  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    2.32       2.90       (6.71 )

Total from Investment Operations

    6.31       6.78       (4.91 )

Less Dividends and Distributions:

                       

Dividends (from net investment income)

    (3.81 )     (3.69 )     (1.42 )

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (3.81 )     (3.69 )     (1.42 )

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 49.26     $ 46.76     $ 43.67  

Total Return*

    13.99 %     16.05 %     (9.96 )%(3)

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 1,125,618     $ 133,267     $ 78,610  

Ratios to Average Net Assets**

                       

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.47 %     0.49 %     0.49 %

Ratio of Net Expenses (After Waivers and Expense Offsets)

    0.47 %     0.48 %     0.48 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    8.19 %     8.44 %     4.75 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate(4)

    90 %     53 %     25 %

 

* Total return not annualized for periods of less than one full year.

** Annualized for periods of less than one full year.

(1) Period from January 11, 2022 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2022.

(2) Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(3) The return includes adjustments in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles required at period end date.

(4) Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

 

 

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You can make inquiries and request other information, including a Statement of Additional Information, annual report, semiannual report, or Fund financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. The Funds’ Statement of Additional Information, most recent annual and semiannual reports, and Fund financial statements are also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info. Additional information about the Funds’ investments is available in the Funds’ annual and semiannual reports and in Form N-CSR. In the Funds’ annual reports, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Funds’ performance during its last fiscal period. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Funds’ annual and semiannual financial statements. Other information is also available from financial intermediaries that sell shares of each Fund.

 

The Statement of Additional Information provides detailed information about the Funds and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 

janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act File No. is 811-23112.

 

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

(formerly Janus Henderson Sustainable Corporate Bond ETF)

JLQD

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Prospectus

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

This Prospectus describes Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF (the “Fund”), a portfolio of Janus Detroit Street Trust (the “Trust”). Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and the owners of Fund shares may purchase or redeem shares from the Fund in Creation Units only, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Prospectus. The purchase and sale price of individual Fund shares trading on an exchange may be below, at or above the most recently calculated net asset value for Fund shares (sometimes referred to as the “NAV”).

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Fund Summary

 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

2

Additional Information about the Fund

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

9

Risks of the Fund

15

Management of the Fund

 

Investment adviser

23

Management expenses

23

Portfolio management

24

Other Information

26

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

27

Shareholder’s Guide

 

Pricing of fund shares

29

Distribution and servicing fees

30

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

30

Purchasing and selling shares

31

Excessive trading

33

Shareholder communications

34

Financial Highlights

35

 

1 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

 

JLQD Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF Shares

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

(formerly Janus Henderson Sustainable Corporate Bond ETF)

 

Ticker: JLQD

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF seeks total return consisting of income and capital appreciation.

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.35%

Other Expenses

0.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.35%

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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

 

 

  $ 36     $ 113     $ 197     $ 443  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 200% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund pursues its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in U.S. dollar denominated corporate bonds and commercial paper of various maturities. Under normal circumstances, no more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets will be invested in securities rated below investment grade (sometimes referred to as “junk” bonds); however, such bonds will have a minimum rating of B- by a Nationally Recognized Statistical Ratings Organization (“NRSRO”) or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser.

 

The Fund will invest principally in investment grade bonds. An investment grade corporate bond is a company-issued bond rated Baa3/BBB- or higher by a NRSRO or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. An NRSRO is a credit rating agency that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that issues credit ratings that the SEC permits other financial firms to use for certain regulatory purposes. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in other domestic or foreign debt securities, including U.S. Treasuries, bank loans, and cash and cash alternatives.

 

2 | Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

 

The Fund may concentrate its portfolio investments in any one industry or group of industries under certain circumstances. Generally, the Fund will not invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in the securities of companies conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of the Fund’s performance benchmark at the time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in that industry. As of October 31, 2024, the Fund did not concentrate in a particular industry or group of industries. The Fund’s performance benchmark index is the Bloomberg U.S. Corporate Bond Index. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will seek to maintain an average portfolio duration of plus or minus 3 years as compared to the Bloomberg U.S. Corporate Bond Index. Duration is a measurement of price sensitivity to interest rate changes. For example, the price of a bond portfolio with an average duration of five years would be expected to fall approximately 5% if interest rates rose by one percentage point. As of October 31, 2024, the duration of the Bloomberg U.S. Corporate Bond Index was 7.24 years.

 

Portfolio management’s investment process is research-driven, incorporating “top-down” and “bottom-up” factors to identify and manage exposure to risks across sectors, industries, and individual investments. Portfolio management evaluates expected risk-adjusted returns on a portfolio and position level by analyzing fundamentals, valuations, and market technical indicators. This research encompasses both traditional fundamental analysis and data driven quantitative models and signals from such models.

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will generally sell or dispose of portfolio investments when, in the opinion of the Adviser, they no longer present attractive investment opportunity (e.g., they have reached their expected value, or where better relative value exists elsewhere, or as the result of changing market conditions). Decisions with respect to the timing of such dispositions shall be made by the Fund’s portfolio management taking into account the best interests of Fund shareholders.

 

The Fund may use derivatives, including, but not limited to, swaps (including interest-rate swaps, total rate of returns swaps and credit default swaps), swaptions, options, futures, and options on futures, which may be used for risk, duration and yield-curve management, or to enhance expected returns. Derivatives are instruments that have a value derived from, or directly linked to, an underlying asset, such as fixed-income securities, interest rates, currencies, or market indices.

 

The Fund may enter into reverse-repurchase agreements and use the proceeds to invest in securities consistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies. The Fund may also invest in securities that have contractual restrictions that prohibit or limit their public resale, which may include Rule 144A securities.

 

The Fund may invest its uninvested cash in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds (or private funds operating as money market funds) and/or affiliated or unaffiliated exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”).

 

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns and yields will vary, and you could lose money. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Corporate Bond Risk. The investment return of corporate bonds reflects interest earned on the security and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of a corporate bond may be affected by changes in interest rates, the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation’s performance and perceptions of the corporation in the marketplace. The market value of a corporate bond generally may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates. The market value of intermediate and longer-term corporate bonds is generally more sensitive to changes in interest rates than is the market value of shorter-term corporate bonds. Corporate bonds are also subject to the credit risk of the issuer, as the issuer of corporate bonds may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument.

 

Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities are generally subject to the following risks:

 

Interest rate risk, which is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Changing interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility.

 

Credit risk, which is the risk that the credit strength of an issuer of a fixed-income security will weaken and/or that the issuer will be unable to make timely principal and interest payments and that the security may go into default.

 

3 | Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

 

Prepayment risk, which is the risk that, during periods of falling interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off quicker than originally anticipated, which may cause the Fund to reinvest its assets in securities with lower yields, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential.

 

Valuation risk, which is the risk that one or more of the fixed-income securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer or the security.

 

Extension risk, which is the risk that, during periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated, and as a result, the value of those obligations may fall.

 

Liquidity risk, which is the risk that fixed-income securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that portfolio management would like or at the price portfolio management believes the security is currently worth. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced).

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic, and other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

High-Yield Bond Risk. High-yield bonds (also known as “junk” bonds) are considered speculative and may be more sensitive than other types of bonds to economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the entity that issued the bond, which may adversely affect their value.

 

Rule 144A Securities and Other Exempt Securities Risk. Investments in securities issued under Regulation S and Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements, could have the effect of decreasing the Fund’s liquidity profile or preventing the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Accordingly, the Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives can be volatile and involve risks in addition to the risks of the underlying referenced securities or asset. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty to the derivative transaction will default on its payment obligations. Derivatives used for hedging purposes may reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by portfolio management or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge.

 

Foreign Exposure Risk. Foreign securities, including emerging markets, can be more volatile than the U.S. market. As a result, the Fund’s returns and NAV may be affected to a large degree by political or economic conditions in a particular country. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. It may not be possible for the Fund to repatriate capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, a market swing in one or more countries or regions where the Fund has invested a significant amount of its assets may have a greater effect on the Fund’s performance than it would in a more geographically diversified portfolio. The Fund’s investments in foreign debt securities, particularly those of issuers located in emerging market countries, tend to have greater exposure to liquidity risk and may be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than

 

4 | Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

 

domestic securities. Additionally, investments in securities of foreign governments involve the risk that a foreign government may not be willing or able to pay interest or repay principal when due. The Fund’s investments in emerging market countries, if any, may involve risks greater than, or in addition to, the risks of investing in more developed countries.

 

Industry and Sector Risk. The Fund will not invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in the securities of companies within the same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of the Fund’s benchmark at the time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in that industry. The Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting similar business or businesses within the same economic sector. Companies in the same industry or economic sector may be similarly affected by negative economic or market events, making the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments than funds that invest more broadly. As the Fund’s portfolio becomes more concentrated, the Fund is less able to spread risk and potentially reduce the risk of loss and volatility.

 

Financial Services Sector Risk. To the extent the Fund invests its assets in the financial services sector, the Fund will have exposure to the risks inherent to the financial services sector. Financial services companies may be adversely affected by changes in regulatory framework or interest rates that may negatively affect financial services businesses; exposure of a financial institution to a nondiversified or concentrated loan portfolio; exposure to financial leverage and/or investments or agreements that, under certain circumstances, may lead to losses; and the risk that a market shock or other unexpected market, economic, political, regulatory, or other event might lead to a sudden decline in the values of most or all financial services companies.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreement Risk. Reverse repurchase agreements are transactions in which the Fund sells a security and simultaneously commits to repurchase that security from the buyer, such as a bank or broker-dealer, at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon future date. The repurchase price consists of the sale price plus an incremental amount reflecting the interest cost to the Fund on the proceeds it has received from the initial sale. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the value of securities that the Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. Additionally, such transactions are only advantageous if the interest cost to the Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of obtaining the cash otherwise. Interest costs on the proceeds received in a reverse repurchase agreement may exceed the return received on the investments made by the Fund with those proceeds, resulting in reduced returns to shareholders. When the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it is subject to the risk that the buyer (counterparty) may default on its obligations to the Fund. In the event of such a default, the Fund may experience delays, costs, and losses, all of which may reduce returns to shareholders. Investing reverse repurchase proceeds may also have a leveraging effect on the Fund’s holdings. The Fund’s use of leverage can magnify the effect of any gains or losses, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. There is no assurance that any leveraging strategy used by the Fund will be successful.

 

Leverage Risk. Leverage can magnify the effect of any gains or losses, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. Certain commodity-linked derivatives may subject the Fund to leveraged market exposure to commodities. In addition, the Fund’s assets that are used as collateral to secure short sale transactions may decrease in value while the short positions are outstanding, which may force the Fund to use its other assets to increase collateral. There is no assurance that a leveraging strategy will be successful.

 

Smaller Sized Fund Risk. Because the Fund has a small asset base, large inflows and outflows may have a disproportionate impact, negative or positive, on the Fund’s performance, which may be more volatile than that of a larger fund. If a smaller fund were to fail to attract sufficient assets to achieve or maintain economies of scale, performance may be negatively impacted, and any resulting liquidation could create negative transaction costs for the Fund and tax consequences for investors.

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs which may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In addition, higher portfolio turnover may result in the acceleration of capital gains and the recognition of greater levels of short-term capital gains, which are taxed at ordinary federal income tax rates when distributed to shareholders. The Fund’s relative value trading may result in increased portfolio turnover.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral.

 

5 | Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

 

Cash Transaction Risk. The Fund intends to effect Creation Unit transactions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities, because of the nature of the Fund’s investments. Cash purchases may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges or delays in investing the cash that it would otherwise not incur if a purchase was made on an in-kind basis. Because the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds and thereby may recognize a capital gain on such sales, Creation Unit redemption on a cash basis may be less tax-efficient for the Fund compared to an in-kind redemption. In addition, Creation Unit redemptions for cash may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges it would not otherwise incur with an in-kind redemption, to the extent such fees or charges are not offset by the redemption transaction fee paid by Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, the Fund’s use of cash transactions may result in wider bid-ask spreads in Fund shares trading in the secondary market as compared to ETFs that transact exclusively on an in-kind basis.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV. Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of NAV and Market Price Risk. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to NAV. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s NAV. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV and to face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

6 | Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s performance has varied over time. The bar chart depicts the change in performance from year to year during the periods indicated. The table compares the Fund’s average annual returns for the periods indicated to a broad-based securities market index, as well as to one or more supplemental indices that have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. All figures assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses. Effective May 13, 2024, the Fund changed its investment strategy. Performance prior to May 13, 2024, reflects the Fund’s former strategy; its performance may have differed if the Fund’s current strategy had been in place.

 

The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at janushenderson.com/performance or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

Annual Total Returns (calendar year-end)

 

 

 

Best Quarter:

4th Quarter 2023

9.13%

Worst Quarter:

1st Quarter 2022

-7.85%

 

Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended 12/31/24)

 

 

1 Year

Since
Inception
(09/09/21)

     

Return Before Taxes

3.14%

-2.04%

Return After Taxes on Distributions

0.95%

-3.57%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(1)

1.85%

-2.19%

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

1.25%

-2.40%

Bloomberg U.S. Corporate Bond Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

2.13%

-2.23%

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Bloomberg U.S. Corporate Bond Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

(1)

If the Fund incurs a loss, which generates a tax benefit, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may exceed the Fund’s other return figures.

(2)

Index performance shown in the table is the total return, which assumes reinvestment of any dividends and distributions during the time periods shown.

 

After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Michael Keough is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2021. Brad Smith is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2021.

 

7 | Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund is an actively-managed ETF. Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted primarily in exchange for all cash, but may be conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, you may pay more than NAV (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than NAV (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

8 | Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

 

Additional Information about the Fund

 

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

 

The Fund is an actively managed ETF and, thus, does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. Accordingly, portfolio management has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective.

 

The Fund’s Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) may change the Fund’s investment objective or non-fundamental principal investment strategies without a shareholder vote. The Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days or as soon as reasonably practicable before making any such change it considers material. If there is a material change to the Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

On each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV per share. A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Information about the premiums and discounts at which the Fund’s shares have traded is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Unless otherwise stated, the following additional investment strategies and general policies apply to the Fund and provide further information including, but not limited to, the types of securities the Fund may invest in when implementing its investment objective. Some of these strategies and policies may be part of a principal strategy. Other strategies and policies may be utilized to a lesser extent as a complement to the Fund’s principal strategy. Except for the Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this Prospectus and/or the SAI normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if the Fund exceeds a limit, other than illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). For temporary liquidity and cash management purposes, the Fund may invest in other ETFs that provide exposure to related securities.

 

Security Selection

Portfolio management’s investment process for the Fund is research-driven, incorporating “top-down” and “bottom-up” factors to identify and manage exposure to risks across sectors, industries, and individual investments. Portfolio management evaluates expected risk-adjusted returns on a portfolio and position level by analyzing fundamentals, valuations, and market technical indicators. This research encompasses both traditional fundamental analysis and data driven quantitative models and signals from such models.

 

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will generally sell or dispose of their portfolio investments when, in the opinion of the Adviser, they no longer present attractive investment opportunity (e.g., they have reached their expected value, or where better relative value exists elsewhere, or as the result of changing market conditions). Decisions with respect to the timing of such dispositions shall be made by the Fund’s portfolio management taking into account the best interests of Fund shareholders.

 

Asset-Backed Securities

The Fund may invest in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities are collateralized by pools of obligations or assets. Most asset-backed securities involve pools of consumer or commercial debts with maturities less than ten years. However, almost any type of asset may be used to create an asset-backed security. Asset-backed securities may take the form of commercial paper, notes, or pass-through certificates and may be structured as floaters, inverse floaters, interest-only and principal-only obligations. Similar to mortgage-backed securities, payments on asset-backed securities include both interest and a partial payment of principal. The value of the Fund’s investments in asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, factors concerning the interests in and structure of the issuer or originator of the receivables, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity

 

9 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

enhancements, and/or the market’s assessment of the quality of the underlying assets. Generally, the originating bank or credit provider is neither the obligor nor the guarantor of the security, and interest and principal payments ultimately depend upon payment of the underlying loans by individuals. The Fund could incur a loss if the underlying loans are not paid. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment. Prepayment risk is the risk that during periods of falling interest rates, certain fixed-income securities with higher interest rates, such as mortgage- and asset-backed securities, may be prepaid by their issuers thereby reducing the amount of interest payments. The impact of prepayments on the value of asset-backed securities may be difficult to predict and may result in greater volatility. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of asset-backed securities, making them more volatile and sensitive to changing interest rates. The Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets in asset-backed securities.

 

Cash Position

The Fund may not always stay fully invested. When portfolio management believes that market conditions are unfavorable for investing, or when portfolio management is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund’s cash or similar investments may increase. When the Fund’s investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested. To the extent the Fund invests its uninvested cash through a sweep program (meaning its uninvested cash is pooled with uninvested cash of other funds and invested in certain securities such as repurchase agreements), it is subject to the risks of the account or fund into which it is investing, including liquidity issues that may delay the Fund from accessing its cash.

 

In addition, the Fund may temporarily increase its cash position under certain unusual circumstances, such as to protect its assets or maintain liquidity in certain circumstances to meet unusually large redemptions. The Fund’s cash position may also increase temporarily due to unusually large cash inflows. Under unusual circumstances such as these, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or similar investments. In this case, the Fund may take positions that are inconsistent with its investment policies. As a result, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Credit Risk Transfer Securities

The Fund may invest in credit risk transfer securities (“CRTs”). CRTs are unguaranteed and unsecured debt securities that are commonly issued by a government sponsored entity. CRTs are not directly linked to or backed by the underlying mortgage loans, so investors have no direct recourse to the underlying mortgage loans. In addition, some or all of the mortgage default risk associated with the underlying mortgage loans is transferred to the noteholder. Therefore, the Fund could lose all or part of its investments in CRTs securities in the event of a default by the underlying mortgages.

 

Corporate Bonds

Corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by corporations, institutions and other business entities. Typically, the debt is issued for the purpose of borrowing money, often to help the corporation develop a new product or service, to expand into a new market, or to buy another company. Bondholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders as to both income and assets of the corporation for the principal and interest due them and may have a prior claim over other creditors if liens or mortgages are involved. Interest on corporate bonds may be fixed or floating, or the bonds may be zero coupons. Interest on corporate bonds is typically paid semi-annually and is fully taxable to the bondholder.

 

Corporate bonds are subject to interest rate risk. The market value of a corporate bond generally may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates and may also be affected by the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation’s performance and perceptions of the corporation in the marketplace. Corporate bonds usually yield more than government or agency bonds due to the presence of credit risk. Corporate bonds are also subject to credit risk. As with other types of bonds, the issuer promises to repay the principal on a specific date and to make interest payments in the meantime. The amount of interest offered depends both on market conditions and on the financial health of the corporation issuing the bonds; a company whose credit rating is not strong will have to offer a higher interest rate to obtain buyers for its bonds. There is a risk that the issuers of corporate bonds may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. The market value of a corporate bond may also be affected by factors directly related to the issuer, such as investors’ perceptions of the creditworthiness of the issuer, the issuer’s financial performance, perceptions of the issuer in the market place, performance of management of the issuer, the issuer’s capital structure and use of financial leverage and demand for the issuer’s goods and services. Corporate bonds of below investment grade quality are often high risk and have speculative characteristics and may be particularly susceptible to adverse issuer-specific developments.

 

10 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Emerging Markets

Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in securities of issuers or companies from or with exposure to one or more “developing countries” or “emerging market countries.” Such countries include, but are not limited to, countries included in the MSCI Emerging Markets IndexSM. The Fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in emerging market securities.

 

ESG Integration

As part of its investment process, portfolio management considers environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) risks and opportunities (“ESG Factors”) that it believes are financially material, alongside other fundamental investment factors. Examples of potential financially material ESG Factors may include corporate governance, political governance, executive pay, board structure and diversity, business ethics, corporate reporting, company culture, human capital management and diversity, community relations, human rights, exposure to climate change, biodiversity, and deforestation. Portfolio management focuses on the ESG Factors it considers most likely to have a material impact on the long-term financial performance of the issuer, which includes identifying ESG Factors attributable to a particular region, sector, industry, or issuer. To facilitate its assessment of ESG Factors, portfolio management uses issuer reports, third-party data and internally-generated analyses and may engage directly with issuers. ESG Factors are one of many considerations in the investment decision-making process, may not be determinative in deciding to include or exclude an investment from the portfolio, and may not be considered for every investment decision. Portfolio management may assess the relevance of ESG Factors to its fundamental research process differently across issuers, sectors, regions, and asset classes.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of the Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Floating Rate Obligations

The Fund may invest in securities with floating rates of interest which, under certain limited circumstances, may have varying principal amounts. Floating rate securities pay interest at rates that are adjusted periodically according to a specified formula, usually with reference to some interest rate index or market interest rate (the “underlying index”). The floating interest rate tends to decrease the security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. These types of securities are relatively long-term instruments that often carry demand features permitting the holder to demand payment of principal at any time or at specified intervals prior to maturity. Inverse floating rate securities (“Inverse Floaters”) are debt instruments whose interest bears an inverse relationship to the interest rate on another security. A rise in the reference rate of an inverse floater will cause a drop in the interest rate paid by the inverse floater, while a drop in the reference rate of the inverse floater will cause an increase in the interest rate paid on the inverse floater. Inverse Floaters may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation with similar credit quality. Similar to variable and floating rate obligations, effective use of inverse floaters requires skills different from those needed to select most portfolio securities.

 

Foreign Securities

Foreign securities are generally selected on a security-by-security basis without regard to any predetermined allocation among countries or geographic regions. However, certain factors, such as expected levels of inflation, government policies influencing business conditions, the outlook for currency relationships, and prospects for economic growth among countries, regions, or geographic areas, may warrant greater consideration in selecting foreign securities. The Fund may invest a maximum of 10% in emerging market securities and a maximum of 5% in non-U.S. dollar denominated securities.

 

11 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

High-Yield Bonds

Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in bonds that are rated below investment grade (also known as “junk” bonds), such as BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“Standard & Poor’s”) and Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”), or Ba1 or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or is an unrated bond of similar quality. The Fund may also invest in unrated bonds of foreign and domestic issuers. The Fund may invest up to a maximum of 15% of its net assets in high yield securities, with a minimum rating of B-.

 

Illiquid Investments

The Fund will not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund 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 investment.

 

Interest Rate Futures Contracts

Interest rate futures contracts, including futures contracts on U.S. Treasuries, Eurodollars and other futures contracts that provide interest rate exposure, are typically exchange-traded, are typically used to obtain interest rate exposure in order to manage duration and hedge interest rate risk. An interest rate futures contract is a bilateral agreement where one party agrees to accept and the other party agrees to make delivery of a specified security, as called for in the agreement at a specified date and at an agreed upon price. Generally, Treasury interest rate futures contracts are closed out or rolled over prior to their expiration date.

 

Loans

The Fund may invest in bank loans. Bank loans are obligations of companies or other entities entered into in connection with recapitalizations, acquisitions, and refinancings. The Fund’s investments in bank loans are generally acquired as a participation interest in, or assignment of, loans originated by a lender or other financial institution. These investments may include institutionally-traded floating and fixed-rate debt securities.

 

Options on Futures Contracts

An option on a futures contract gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a futures contract at a specified price on or before a specified date. Futures contracts and options on futures are standardized and traded on designated exchanges.

 

Options on Securities Indices

The Fund may purchase and write put and call options on securities indices. A put option on an index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the underlying index is less than the exercise price of the option. A call option on an index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the underlying index is greater than the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option, expressed in dollars multiplied by a specified number. Thus, unlike options on individual securities, all settlements are in cash, and gain or loss depends on price movements in the particular market represented by the index generally, rather than the price movements in individual securities. The premium paid to the writer is consideration for undertaking the obligations under the option contract.

 

Options on Swap Contracts

The Fund may enter into options on swap agreements, commonly referred to as “swaptions.” A swaption is a contract that gives a purchaser the right, but not the obligation, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel, or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. Swaptions can be used for a variety of purposes, including to manage the Fund’s overall exposure to changes in interest rates and credit quality; as an efficient means of adjusting the Fund’s exposure to certain markets; in an effort to enhance income or total return or protect the value of portfolio securities; to serve as a cash management tool; and to adjust portfolio duration or credit risk.

 

Pass-Through Securities

Pass-through securities (such as mortgage- and asset-backed securities) are debt securities that normally give the issuer an option to pay cash at a coupon payment date or give the holder of the security a similar bond with the same coupon rate and a face value equal to the amount of the coupon payment that would have been made. In the pass-through structure, principal and interest payments on the underlying securities (less servicing fees) are passed through to shareholders on a pro rata basis.

 

12 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

These securities involve prepayment risk. In that case, the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds from the securities at a lower rate. Potential market gains on a security subject to prepayment risk may be more limited than potential market gains on a comparable security that is not subject to prepayment risk.

 

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio turnover rates are generally not a factor in making buy and sell decisions. Changes may be made to the Fund’s portfolio, consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, when portfolio management believes such changes are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. Short-term transactions may result from the purchase of a security in anticipation of relatively short-term gains, liquidity needs, securities having reached a price or yield objective, changes in interest rates or the credit standing of an issuer, or by reason of economic or other developments not foreseen at the time of the initial investment decision. The Fund may also sell one security and simultaneously purchase the same or a comparable security to take advantage of short-term differentials in bond yields or securities prices. Portfolio turnover is affected by market conditions, changes in the size of the Fund (including due to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units), the nature of the Fund’s investments, and the investment style of portfolio management.

 

Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover also may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. The “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus shows the Fund’s historical turnover rates.

 

Preferred Stock

A preferred stock (or preferred security) represents an ownership interest in a company, but pays dividends at a specific rate and has priority over common stock in payment of dividends and liquidation claims. Preferred stock dividends are generally cumulative, noncumulative, or participating. “Cumulative” dividend provisions require all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends can be paid to the issuer’s common stock. “Participating” preferred stock may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. Like debt securities, the value of a preferred stock often fluctuates more in response to changes in interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer, rather than in response to changes in the issuer’s profitability and business prospects. Preferred stock is subject to similar risks as common stock and debt securities.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities

Private placements are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. These securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may include securities issued through private offerings without registration with the SEC pursuant to Regulation S or Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Offerings of Regulation S securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Although Regulation S and Rule 144A securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the amounts received from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund.

 

Securities Lending

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination. When the Fund lends its securities, it receives collateral (including cash collateral), at least equal to the value of securities loaned. The Fund may earn income by investing this collateral in one or more affiliated or non-affiliated cash management vehicles or in time deposits. It is also possible that, due to a decline in the value of a cash management vehicle in which collateral is invested, the Fund may lose money. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns. The Adviser intends to manage a portion of the cash collateral in an affiliated cash management vehicle and will receive an investment advisory fee for managing such assets.

 

13 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Short Positions

The Fund may invest in short positions using interest rate futures, swaps, forward contracts, options and also through the short sale of portfolio securities, including ETFs. A short sale is generally a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own or have the right to acquire (or that it owns but does not wish to deliver) in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline. To complete the transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund is then obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing the security at the market price at the time of replacement. A short sale is subject to the risk that if the price of the security sold short increases in value, the Fund will incur a loss because it will have to replace the security sold short by purchasing it at a higher price. In addition, the Fund may not always be able to close out a short position at a particular time or at an acceptable price. A lender may request, or market conditions may dictate, that the securities sold short be returned to the lender on short notice, and the Fund may have to buy the securities sold short at an unfavorable price. If this occurs at a time that other short sellers of the same security also want to close out their positions, it is more likely that the Fund will have to cover its short sale at an unfavorable price and potentially reduce or eliminate any gain, or cause a loss, as a result of the short sale. Because there is no upper limit to the price a borrowed security may reach prior to closing a short position, the Fund’s losses are potentially unlimited in a short sale transaction. The Fund’s gains and losses will also be decreased or increased, as the case may be, by the amount of any dividends, interest, or expenses, including transaction costs and borrowing fees, the Fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale. Such payments may result in the Fund having higher expenses than a fund that does not engage in short sales and may negatively affect the Fund’s performance.

 

The Fund may enter into a derivatives transaction to obtain short investment exposure to an underlying reference asset. If the value of the underlying reference asset on which the Fund has obtained a short investment exposure increases, the Fund will incur a loss. This potential loss is theoretically unlimited. A short exposure through a derivative also exposes the Fund to credit risk, counterparty risk, and leverage risk.

 

Swap Agreements

The Fund may utilize swap agreements such as credit default, interest rate, and total return swaps, as a means to hedge its portfolio against adverse movements in securities prices, the rate of inflation, or interest rates. Swap agreements are two-party contracts to exchange one set of cash flows for another. Swap agreements entail the risk that a party will default on its payment obligations to the Fund. If the other party to a swap defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. If the Fund utilizes a swap at the wrong time or judges market conditions incorrectly, the swap may result in a loss to the Fund and reduce the Fund’s total return.

 

Index Credit Default Swaps. The Fund may invest in index credit default swaps (“CDX”). A CDX is a swap on an index of credit default swaps. CDXs allow an investor to manage credit risk or take a position on a basket of credit entities (such as credit default swaps or a commercial mortgage-backed index) in a more efficient manner than transacting in a single-name credit default swap. If a credit event occurs in one of the underlying companies, the protection is paid out via the delivery of the defaulted bond by the buyer of protection in return for a payment of notional value of the defaulted bond by the seller of protection or it may be settled through a cash settlement between the two parties. The underlying company is then removed from the index. New series of CDXs are issued on a regular basis.

 

Commercial mortgage-backed securities index swaps (“CMBX”) are a type of index credit default swap that are made up of tranches of commercial mortgage-backed securities rather than credit default swaps. CMBX involve a pay-as-you go settlement process designed to capture non-default events that affect the cash flow to the underlying mortgage-backed securities tranche.

 

Interest Rate Swaps. The Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, which involve the exchange by two parties of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments). Interest rate swaps are generally entered into on a net basis. Interest rate swaps do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets, or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate swaps is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make.

 

Single-Name Credit Default Swaps. The Fund may invest in single-name credit default swaps (“CDS”) to buy or sell credit protection to hedge its credit exposure, gain issuer exposure without owning the underlying security, or increase the Fund’s total return. CDS are a specific kind of counterparty agreement that allow the transfer of third party credit risk from one party to the other. One party in the swap is a lender and faces credit risk from a third party, and the counterparty in the CDS agrees to insure this risk in exchange for regular periodic payments.

 

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U.S. Government Securities

The Fund may invest in U.S. Government securities. U.S. Government securities include those issued directly by the U.S. Treasury, including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (also known as TIPS), and those issued or guaranteed by various U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities. Some government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Other government securities are backed only by the rights of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. Others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the obligations. Certain other government securities are supported only by the credit of the issuer. For securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the securities for repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. Such securities may involve increased risk of loss of principal and interest compared to government debt securities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.

 

Because of the rising U.S. Government debt burden, it is possible that the U.S. Government may not be able to meet its financial obligations or that securities issued or backed by the U.S. Government may experience credit downgrades. Such a credit event may adversely affect the financial markets.

 

Risks of the Fund

 

The value of your investment will vary over time, sometimes significantly, and you may lose money by investing in the Fund. The following information is intended to help you better understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund, including those risks that are summarized in the Fund Summary section. This information also includes descriptions of other risks the Fund may be subject to as a result of additional investment strategies and general policies that may apply to the Fund. The impact of the following risks on the Fund may vary depending on the Fund’s investments. The greater the Fund’s investment in a particular security, the greater the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with that security. Before investing in the Fund, you should consider carefully the risks that you assume when investing in the Fund.

 

Affiliated Underlying Fund Risk. The Adviser may invest in certain affiliated ETFs as investments for the Fund. The Adviser will generally receive fees for managing such funds, in addition to the fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund. The payment of such fees by affiliated funds creates a conflict of interest when selecting affiliated funds for investment in the Fund. The Adviser, however, is a fiduciary to the Fund and its shareholders and is legally obligated to act in its best interest when selecting affiliated funds. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated ETFs with respect to the Fund’s investment in such ETF, less certain operating expenses.

 

Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, underperformance of the underlying assets, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment, and extension risk in an increasing rate environment.

 

Concentration Risk. The Fund will not invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in the securities of companies within the same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of the Fund’s performance benchmark at the time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in that industry. To the extent the Fund invests a substantial portion of its assets in an industry or group of industries, market or economic factors impacting that industry or group of industries could have significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. Companies in the same or similar industries may share common characteristics and are more likely to react similarly to industry-specific market or economic developments. Additionally, the Fund’s performance may be more volatile when its investments are less diversified across industries.

 

Counterparty Risk. Fund transactions involving a counterparty are subject to the risk that the counterparty or a third party will not fulfill its obligation to the Fund (“counterparty risk”). Counterparty risk may arise because of the counterparty’s financial condition (i.e., financial difficulties, bankruptcy, or insolvency), market activities and developments, or other reasons, whether foreseen or not. A counterparty’s inability to fulfill its obligation may result in significant financial loss to the Fund. The Fund may be unable to recover its investment from the counterparty or may obtain a limited recovery, and/or recovery may be delayed. The Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk to the extent it participates in lending its securities to third parties and/or cash sweep arrangements whereby the Fund’s cash balance is invested in one or more types of cash management vehicles or in time deposits. In addition, the Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk through its investments

 

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in certain securities, including, but not limited to, repurchase agreements, debt securities, and derivatives (including various types of forwards, swaps, futures, and options). The Fund intends to enter into financial transactions with counterparties that the Adviser believes to be creditworthy at the time of the transaction. There is always the risk that the Adviser’s analysis of a counterparty’s creditworthiness is incorrect or may change due to market conditions. To the extent that the Fund focuses its transactions with a limited number of counterparties, it will have greater exposure to the risks associated with one or more counterparties.

 

Credit Quality Risk. The Fund is subject to the risks associated with the credit quality of the issuers of fixed-income securities. Credit quality measures the likelihood that the issuer or borrower will meet its obligations on a bond. One of the fundamental risks is credit risk, which is the risk that an issuer will be unable to make principal and interest payments when due, or default on its obligations. Higher credit risk may negatively impact the Fund’s returns and yield.

 

Many fixed-income securities receive credit ratings from services such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s. These services assign ratings to securities by assessing the likelihood of issuer default. The lower a bond issue is rated by an agency, the more credit risk it is considered to represent. Lower rated instruments and securities generally pay interest at a higher rate to compensate for the associated greater risk. Interest rates can fluctuate in response to economic or market conditions, which can result in a fluctuation in the price of a security and impact the Fund’s return and yield. If a security has not received a rating, the Fund must rely upon the Adviser’s credit assessment, which if incorrect can also impact the Fund’s returns and yield.

 

Credit Risk Transfer Securities Risk. Credit risk transfer securities (“CRT”) securities are unguaranteed and unsecured fixed or floating rate general obligations that are commonly issued by government sponsored enterprises. CRTs are not directly linked to or backed by the underlying mortgage loans so investors such as the Fund have no direct recourse to the underlying mortgage loans in the event of a default. The risks associated with CRTs are different from the risks associated with investments in mortgage-backed securities issued by government sponsored enterprises or private issuers because some or all of the mortgage default or credit risk associated with the underlying mortgage loans is transferred to investors. Additional risks associated with investments in CRTs may include credit, prepayment, extension, interest rate, and market risk.

 

Derivatives Risks. Derivatives can be volatile and involve similar risks to those as the underlying referenced securities or assets. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost, and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund.

 

Derivatives can be complex instruments and may involve analysis that differs from that required for other investment types used by the Fund. If the value of a derivative does not correlate well with the particular market or other asset class to which the derivative is intended to provide exposure, the derivative may not produce the anticipated result. Derivatives can also reduce the opportunity for gain or result in losses by offsetting positive returns in other investments. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty will default on its payment obligations. If the counterparty to a derivative transaction defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. To the extent the Fund enters into short derivative positions, the Fund may be exposed to risks similar to those associated with short sales.

 

Index Credit Default Swaps Risk. If the Fund holds a long position in a CDX, the Fund would indirectly bear its proportionate share of any expenses paid by a CDX. By investing in CDXs, the Fund could be exposed to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, and credit risk of the issuers of the underlying loan obligations and of the CDX markets. If there is a default by the CDX counterparty, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. CDXs also bear the risk that the Fund will not be able to meet its obligation to the counterparty.

 

Interest Rate Swaps Risk. The Fund’s use of interest rate swaps involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. Interest rate swaps may result in potential losses if interest rates do not move as expected or if the counterparties are unable to satisfy their obligations.

 

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Single-Name Credit Default Swaps Risk. When the Fund buys a single-name CDS, the Fund will receive a return on its investment only in the event of a credit event, such as default by the issuer of the underlying obligation (as opposed to a credit downgrade or other indication of financial difficulty). If a single-name CDS transaction is particularly large, or if the relevant market is illiquid, it may not be possible for the Fund to initiate a single-name CDS transaction or to liquidate its position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a single-name CDS in the event of the default or bankruptcy of the counterparty. The risks associated with cleared single-name CDS may be lower than that for uncleared single-name CDS because for cleared single-name CDS, the counterparty is a clearinghouse (to the extent such a trading market is available). However, there can be no assurance that a clearinghouse or its members will satisfy their obligations to the Fund. Unlike CDXs, single-name CDS do not have the benefit of diversification across many issuers.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in securities of issuers or companies from or with exposure to one or more “developing countries” or “emerging market countries.” Such countries include, but are not limited to, countries included in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. To the extent that the Fund invests a significant amount of its assets in one or more of these countries, its returns and NAV may be affected to a large degree by events and economic conditions in such countries. The risks of foreign investing are heightened when investing in emerging markets, which may result in the price of investments in emerging markets experiencing sudden and sharp price swings. In many developing markets, there is less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in more developed markets. There is a risk in developing countries that a current or future economic or political crisis could lead to price controls, forced mergers of companies, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, imposition or enforcement of foreign ownership limits, seizure, nationalization, sanctions or imposition of restrictions by various governmental entities on investment and trading, or creation of government monopolies, any of which may have a detrimental effect on the Fund’s investments.

 

The securities markets of many of these emerging market countries may also be smaller, less liquid, and subject to greater price volatility than those in the United States. In the event of a default on any investments in foreign debt obligations, it may be more difficult for the Fund to obtain or to enforce a judgment against the issuers of such securities. In addition, the Fund’s investments may be denominated in foreign currencies and therefore, changes in the value of a country’s currency compared to the U.S. dollar may affect the value of the Fund’s investments. To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in the securities of emerging markets issuers in or companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance. The Fund may be subject to emerging markets risk to the extent that it invests in securities of issuers or companies which are not considered to be from emerging markets, but which have customers, products, or transactions associated with emerging markets.

 

ESG Integration Risk. There is a risk that considering ESG Factors as part of the Fund’s investment process may fail to produce the intended results or that the Fund may perform differently from funds that have a similar investment style but do not formally incorporate such considerations in their strategy. While portfolio management believes that the consideration of financially material ESG Factors has the potential to provide better risk-adjusted returns, ESG Factors may not be considered for every investment decision and there is no guarantee that the consideration of ESG Factors will result in better performance. In addition, information related to ESG Factors provided by issuers and third parties, upon which portfolio management may utilize, continues to develop, and may be incomplete, inaccurate, use different methodologies or be applied differently across issuers and industries. Further, the U.S. regulatory landscape regarding the use of ESG Factors in investing is still developing and future rules and regulations may require the Fund to modify or alter its investment process and/or how it discloses its consideration of ESG Factors.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies, which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. ETFs are traded on a national securities exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium or discount to its NAV. When the Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. ETFs also involve the risk that an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained. Similarly, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to purchase or sell an ETF at the most optimal time, which

 

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could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities.

 

The ETFs in which the Fund invests are subject to specific risks, depending on the investment strategy of the ETF. In turn, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with direct exposure to the securities or commodities held by the ETF. Because the Fund may invest in a broad range of ETFs, such risks may include, but are not limited to, leverage risk, foreign exposure risk, and commodity-linked investments risk. To the extent the Fund invests in fixed-income ETFs, it will be indirectly exposed to the same risks described under “Fixed-Income Securities Risk.”

 

Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Typically, the values of fixed-income securities change inversely with prevailing interest rates. Therefore, a fundamental risk of fixed-income securities is interest rate risk, which is the risk that the value of such securities will generally decline as prevailing interest rates rise, which may cause the Fund’s NAV to likewise decrease. How specific fixed-income securities may react to changes in interest rates will depend on the specific characteristics of each security. For example, while securities with longer maturities and durations tend to produce higher yields, they also tend to be more sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates and are therefore more volatile than shorter-term securities and are subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates. However, calculations of maturity and duration may be based on estimates and may not reliably predict a security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In addition, different interest rate measures (such as short- and long-term interest rates and U.S. and non-U.S. interest rates), or interest rates on different types of securities or securities of different issuers, may not necessarily change in the same amount or in the same direction. Investments in fixed-income securities with very low or negative interest rates may diminish the Fund’s yield and performance.

 

Fixed-income securities are also subject to credit risk, which is the risk that the credit strength of an issuer of a fixed-income security will weaken and/or that the issuer will be unable to make timely principal and interest payments and that the security may go into default. In addition, there is prepayment risk, which is the risk that during periods of falling interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off quicker than originally anticipated, which may cause the Fund to reinvest its assets in securities with lower yields, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential. Fixed-income securities may also be subject to valuation risk and liquidity risk. Valuation risk is the risk that one or more of the fixed-income securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer of the security. Liquidity risk is the risk that fixed-income securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that portfolio management would like or at the price portfolio management believes the security is currently worth. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk. To the extent the Fund invests in fixed-income securities in a particular industry or economic sector, its share values may fluctuate in response to events affecting that industry or sector. Securities underlying mortgage- and asset-backed securities, which may include subprime mortgages, also may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk. To the extent that the Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income securities, the Fund may be more substantially exposed to these risks than a fund that does not invest in such derivatives. The market for certain fixed-income securities may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Similarly, the amount of assets deemed illiquid remaining within the Fund may also increase, making it more difficult to meet shareholder redemptions and further adversely affecting the value of the Fund.

 

Floating Rate Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest in floating rate obligations with interest rates that reset regularly, maintaining a fixed spread over a stated reference rate. The interest rates on floating rate obligations typically reset quarterly, although rates on some obligations may adjust at other intervals. Unexpected changes in the interest rates on floating rate obligations could result in lower income to the Fund. In addition, the secondary market on which floating rate obligations are traded may be less liquid than the market for investment grade securities or other types of income-producing securities, which may have an adverse impact on their market price. There is also a potential that there is no active market to trade floating rate obligations, that there may be restrictions on their transfer, or that the issuer may default. As a result, the Fund may be unable to sell floating rate obligations at the desired time or may be able to sell only at a price less than fair market value. In addition, if movements in interest rates are incorrectly anticipated, the Fund could lose money, or its NAV could decline by the use of Inverse Floaters.

 

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Foreign Exposure Risk. The Fund may have exposure to foreign markets as a result of their investments in foreign securities, including investments in emerging markets, which can be more volatile than the U.S. markets. As a result, its returns and NAV may be affected to a large degree by political or economic conditions in a particular country. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. It may not be possible for the Fund to repatriate capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, a market swing in one or more countries or regions where the Fund has invested a significant amount of its assets may have a greater effect on the Fund’s performance than it would in a more geographically diversified portfolio. The Fund’s investments in emerging market countries, if any, may involve risks greater than, or in addition to, the risks of investing in more developed countries.

 

High-Yield Bond Risk. High-yield bonds (or “junk” bonds) are bonds rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s or are unrated bonds of similar quality. The value of lower quality bonds generally is more dependent on credit risk than investment grade bonds. Issuers of high-yield bonds may not be as strong financially as those issuing bonds with higher credit ratings and are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the issuer. In addition, the junk bond market can experience sudden and sharp price swings.

 

The secondary market on which high-yield securities are traded is less liquid than the market for investment grade securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of the security. Additionally, it may be more difficult to value the securities because valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a larger role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available.

 

Inflation Risk. Inflation creates uncertainty over the future real value of an investment (the value after adjusting for inflation). The real value of certain assets or real income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions may decline. This risk is more prevalent with respect to debt securities held by the Fund. Inflation rates may change frequently and drastically as a result of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy. Moreover, the Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation, which may result in losses to Fund shareholders or adversely affect the real value of shareholders’ investment in the Fund. Fund shareholders’ expectation of future inflation can also impact the current value of the Fund’s portfolio, resulting in lower asset values and potential losses. This risk may be elevated compared to historical market conditions because of recent monetary policy measures and the current interest rate environment.

 

Interest Rate Risk. Generally, a fixed-income security will increase in value when prevailing interest rates fall and decrease in value when prevailing interest rates rise. Longer-term securities are generally more sensitive to interest rate changes than shorter-term securities, but they generally offer higher yields to compensate investors for the associated risks. High-yield bond prices and floating rate debt security prices are generally less directly responsive to interest rate changes than investment grade issues or comparable fixed rate securities, and may not always follow this pattern. An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed-income securities held by the Fund to decline. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to inflationary trends and the effect of government fiscal and monetary policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives. Variable and floating rate securities may increase or decrease in value in response to changes in interest rates, although generally to a lesser degree than fixed-income securities.

 

Leverage Risk. Engaging in transactions using leverage or those having a leveraging effect subjects the Fund to certain risks. These risks may be heightened if the Fund invests all, or a significant portion of its assets in futures, forwards, swaps, and other types of derivatives. Leverage can magnify the effect of any gains or losses, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. Through the use of leverage, the Fund’s total investment exposure could exceed the value of its portfolio securities and its investment performance could be dependent on securities not directly owned by the Fund. In addition, the Fund’s assets that are used as collateral to secure short sale transactions may decrease in value while the short positions are outstanding, which may force the Fund to use its other, additional assets to meet its collateral requirements.

 

Liquidity Risk. The Fund may invest in securities or instruments that do not trade actively or in large volumes, and may make investments that are less liquid than other investments. Also, the Fund may make investments that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. Investments that are illiquid or that trade in lower volumes may be more difficult to value. When there is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at the desired time or price, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell the security or instrument at all. Investments in foreign securities, particularly those of issuers located in emerging market countries, tend to have greater exposure to liquidity risk than domestic securities. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be

 

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affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced). An inability to sell one or more portfolio positions can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Liquidity risk may be increased to the extent that the Fund invests in other securities exempt from certain registration requirements that are deemed to be illiquid investments.

 

Loan Risk. The Fund may invest in bank loans. Bank loans are obligations of companies or other entities entered into in connection with recapitalizations, acquisitions, and refinancings. The Fund’s investments in bank loans are generally acquired as a participation interest in, or assignment of, loans originated by a lender or other financial institution. These investments may include institutionally-traded floating and fixed-rate debt securities. The bank loans underlying these securities often involve borrowers with low credit ratings whose financial conditions are troubled or uncertain, including companies that are highly leveraged or in bankruptcy proceedings. Participation interests and assignments involve credit, interest rate, and liquidity risk. Some participation interests and assignments may not be considered “securities,” and purchasers, such as an underlying fund, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws. Additionally, because the Adviser, in the course of investing the Fund’s assets in loans, may have access to material non-public information regarding the borrower, the ability of an underlying fund to purchase or sell publicly-traded securities of such borrowers may be restricted.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease if the value of one or more issuers in the Fund’s portfolio decreases. Further, regardless of how well individual companies or securities perform, the value of the Fund’s portfolio could also decrease if there are deteriorating economic or market conditions, including, but not limited to, a general decline in prices on the stock markets, a general decline in real estate markets, a decline in commodities prices, or if the market favors different types of securities than the types of securities in which the Fund invests. If the value of the Fund’s portfolio decreases, the Fund’s NAV will also decrease, which means if you sell your shares in the Fund you may lose money. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole.

 

The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, financial institution failures, and economic recessions could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions and/or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the global economies and financial markets.

 

Armed Conflict Risk. Recent such examples include conflict, loss of life, and a disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent and duration of each conflict, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in each region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect, including significant negative impacts on the United States and broader global economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities.

 

Money Market Fund Investment Risk. The Fund may have cash balances that have not been invested in portfolio securities, which may be used to purchase shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds, or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds, as part of a cash sweep program. By investing in a money market fund, the Fund will be exposed to the investment risks of the money market fund in direct proportion to such investment. The money market fund may not achieve its investment objective and the Fund may lose money. To the extent the Fund transacts in instruments such as derivatives, the Fund may hold investments, which may be significant, in money market fund shares to cover its obligations resulting from the Fund’s investments in derivatives. An investment in a money market fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by any bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. There can be no assurance that a money market fund will maintain a $1.00 per share NAV at all times. Factors that could adversely affect the value of a money market fund’s shares include, among other things, a sharp rise in interest rates, an illiquid market for the securities held by the money market fund, a high volume of redemption activity in a fund’s shares, and a credit event or credit rating downgrade affecting one or more of the issuers of securities held by the money market fund. In addition, the failure of even an unrelated money market fund to maintain a stable NAV could create a widespread risk of increased redemption pressures on all money market funds, potentially jeopardizing the stability of their NAVs. Certain money market funds have in the past failed to maintain stable NAVs, and there can be no assurance that such failures and resulting redemption pressures will not impact money market funds in the future.

 

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Rules adopted by the SEC require, among other things, certain money market funds to cause transactions in shares of these funds to be effected using a fund’s NAV per share calculated out to the fourth decimal point (e.g., $1.0000 instead of $1.00). “Government Money Market Funds” and “Retail Money Market Funds” as defined in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, as amended, are not subject to the floating NAV requirements, as described above. In addition, certain money market funds may impose a discretionary fee (up to 2%) upon sale of shares because of market conditions or other factors if a fund’s board or a delegate believes such fee is in the best interest of the fund.

 

Recently adopted amendments to Rule 2a-7 also require certain money market funds, excluding Government Money Market Funds and Retail Money Market Funds, to impose mandatory liquidity fees when a fund experiences net redemptions that exceed 5% of its net assets, unless the fund’s liquidity costs are de minimis (i.e., less than 1 basis point).

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investments in money market funds are not adversely affected by reforms to money market regulation that may be adopted by the SEC or other regulatory authorities.

 

In addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund directly bears, the Fund indirectly bears the fees and expenses of any money market fund in which it invests.

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage-backed securities are classified generally as either commercial mortgage-backed securities or residential mortgage-backed securities, each of which is subject to certain specific risks. Mortgage-backed securities tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than other types of debt securities. Investments in mortgage-backed securities are subject to both extension risk and prepayment risk. These risks may reduce the Fund’s returns. In addition, investments in mortgage-backed securities, including those comprised of subprime mortgages, may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than various other types of fixed-income securities.

 

Newly Issued Securities Risk. The credit obligations in which the Fund invests may include newly issued securities, or “new issues,” such as initial debt offerings. New issues may have a magnified impact on the performance of the Fund during periods in which it has a small asset base. The impact of new issues on the Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce the Fund’s returns. New issues may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing, particularly as the Fund’s asset base grows. Certain new issues, such as initial debt offerings, may be volatile in price due to the absence of a prior trading market, limited quantities available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The Fund may hold new issues for a short period of time. This may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, new issues can experience an immediate drop in value after issuance if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.

 

Operational Risk. An investment in the Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in key personnel, technology and/or service providers, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, process fund orders, execute portfolio trades or perform other essential tasks in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. Implementation of business continuity plans by the Fund, the Adviser or third-party service providers in response to disruptive events such as cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may increase these operational risks to the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third-party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies and research process employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Although the Fund seeks to provide long-term positive returns, market conditions or implementation of the Fund’s investment process may result in losses, and the Fund may not meet its investment objective. As such, there can be no assurance of positive “absolute” return. The Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities Risk. Investments in private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements could decrease the Fund’s liquidity profile or prevent the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and

 

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may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities, and the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other securities exempt from certain registration requirements.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreement Risk. Reverse repurchase agreements are transactions in which the Fund sells a security and simultaneously commits to repurchase that security from the buyer, such as a bank or broker-dealer, at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon future date. The repurchase price consists of the sale price plus an incremental amount reflecting the interest cost to the Fund on the proceeds it has received from the initial sale. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the value of securities that the Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. Additionally, such transactions are only advantageous if the interest cost to the Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of obtaining the cash otherwise. Interest costs on the proceeds received in a reverse repurchase agreement may exceed the return received on the investments made by the Fund with those proceeds, resulting in reduced returns to shareholders. When the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it is subject to the risk that the buyer (counterparty) may default on its obligations to the Fund. In the event of such a default, the Fund may experience delays, costs, and losses, all of which may reduce returns to shareholders. Investing reverse repurchase proceeds may also have a leveraging effect on the Fund’s portfolio. The Fund’s use of leverage can magnify the effect of any gains or losses, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. There is no assurance that any leveraging strategy used by the Fund will be successful.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. The net asset value of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. However, the Fund’s shares trade on a national securities exchange at prices above or below their most recent net asset value. The “market price” for a share of the Fund fluctuates continuously throughout the national securities exchange’s trading day and is based on supply and demand for the Fund’s shares. The market price of the Fund’s shares may not track the Fund’s net asset value, which is only calculated at the end of each business day.

 

A potential investor in the Fund will likely also incur the cost of the “spread” (the difference between the bid price and the ask price for a share of the Fund). The spread varies over time for a share of the Fund. This cost is generally smaller for a fund with significant daily trading volumes and larger for funds with smaller daily trading volumes.

 

Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market price of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in the Fund’s shares trading at a substantial discount to its net asset value. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the Fund’s securities holdings. Flash crashes may also cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in Fund shares, which may result in a further increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and their net asset value. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell Fund shares during a flash crash.

 

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Management of the Fund

 

 

Investment adviser

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, is the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio and furnishes continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Fund’s investments. The Adviser also provides certain administration and other services and is responsible for other business affairs of the Fund.

 

The Adviser (together with its predecessors and affiliates) has served as investment adviser to Janus Henderson mutual funds since 1970 and currently serves as investment adviser to all of the Janus Henderson funds, the Janus Henderson exchange-traded funds, acts as subadviser for a number of private-label mutual funds, and provides separate account advisory services for institutional accounts and other unregistered products.

 

The Trust and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and, as appropriate, reallocate the Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that the Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight by the Trustees, would have the responsibility to oversee such subadviser(s) to the Fund and recommend their hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for the Fund. In the event that the Adviser hires a subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for the Fund.

 

Management expenses

 

The Fund uses a unitary fee structure, under which the Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Fund, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services. The Adviser’s fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Fund’s expenses. However, the Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee which may vary and affect the total level of expenses paid by shareholders, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest and dividends (including those relating to short positions (if any)), taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

The Fund’s Management Fee is calculated daily and paid monthly. The Fund’s advisory agreement details the Management Fee and other expenses that the Fund must pay.

 

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The following table reflects the Fund’s contractual Management Fee rate (expressed as an annual rate), as well as the actual compensation rate paid to the Adviser after any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. The rates shown are fixed rates based on the Fund’s daily net assets.

 

Fund Name

Daily
Net Assets
of the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Actual Compensation
Rate Paid to Adviser
(%) (for the fiscal
year ended
October 31, 2024)

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

$0 - $500 Million

0.35

0.35

 

Over $500 Million

0.30

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Trustees’ approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement is included in the Fund’s semiannual financial statements (for the period ending April 30) located in Form N-CSR. You can request the Fund’s annual or semiannual financial statements, free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This information is also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Expense Limitation

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of Fund assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

Portfolio management

 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

 

Co-Portfolio Managers Michael Keough and Brad Smith are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, with no limitation on the authority of one co-portfolio manager in relation to the other.

 

Michael Keough is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2021. Mr. Keough is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. He joined the Adviser in January 2007 as a research analyst. Mr. Keough holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business/Management from the United States Air Force Academy.

 

Brad Smith is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2021. Mr. Smith is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. Prior to his appointment to portfolio manager in 2021, he was credit analyst and assistant portfolio manager at the Adviser, positions he held since 2010 and 2019, respectively. Mr. Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and international studies from the University of Richmond and a Master of Science degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics.

 

Information about portfolio management’s compensation structure and other accounts managed, as well as the aggregate range of their individual ownership in the Fund, is included in the SAI.

 

Conflicts of Interest

The Adviser manages other funds and numerous other accounts, which may include separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds. Side-by-side management of multiple accounts, including the management of a cash collateral pool for securities lending and investing the Janus Henderson funds’ cash, may give rise to conflicts of interest among those accounts, and may create potential risks, such as the risk that investment activity in one account may adversely

 

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affect another account. For example, short sale activity in an account could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more other accounts (and vice versa). Side-by-side management may raise additional potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.

 

In addition, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of the Fund for their own accounts, or may purchase shares of the Fund for the benefit of their clients, including other Janus Henderson funds. Increasing the Fund’s assets may enhance the Fund’s profile with financial intermediaries and platforms, investment flexibility and trading volume. The Adviser and its affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to dispose of at any time some or all of the shares of the Fund acquired for their own accounts or for the benefit of their clients. A large sale of Fund shares by the Adviser or its affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility or trading volume. The Adviser considers the effect of redemptions on the Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to dispose of its shares of the Fund.

 

The Adviser believes it has appropriately designed and implemented policies and procedures to mitigate these and other potential conflicts of interest. A further discussion of potential conflicts of interest and policies and procedures intended to mitigate them is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

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Other Information

 

 

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUND

 

Creation Units for the Fund are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org, or 1-800-289-9999.

 

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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

To avoid taxation of the Fund, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), requires the Fund to distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income and any net capital gains realized on its investments at least annually.

 

Distribution Schedule

Dividends from net investment income are generally declared and distributed to shareholders monthly. Distributions of net capital gains are declared and distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. The date you receive your distribution may vary depending on how your intermediary processes trades. Dividend payments are made through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from the Fund. Please consult your financial intermediary for details.

 

How Distributions Affect the Fund’s NAV

Distributions are paid to shareholders as of the record date of a distribution of the Fund, regardless of how long the shares have been held. Undistributed income and net capital gains are included in the Fund’s daily NAV. The Fund’s NAV drops by the amount of the distribution, net of any subsequent market fluctuations. For example, assume that on December 31, the Fund declared a dividend in the amount of $0.25 per share. If the Fund’s NAV was $10.00 on December 30, the Fund’s NAV on December 31 would be $9.75, barring market fluctuations. You should be aware that distributions from a taxable fund do not increase the value of your investment and may create income tax obligations.

 

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

TAXES

 

As with any investment, you should consider the tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The discussion does not apply to qualified tax-advantaged accounts or other non-taxable entities, nor is it a complete analysis of the federal income tax implications of investing in the Fund. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect that an investment in the Fund may have on your particular tax situation, including the federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of your investment.

 

Taxes on Distributions

Distributions by the Fund are subject to federal income tax, regardless of whether the distribution is made in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, and realized net short-term capital gains), other than qualified dividend income, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of qualified dividend income are taxed to individuals and other noncorporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Because the income of the Fund is primarily derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid by the Fund is anticipated to be qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares. Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income includes dividends paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares. The Fund’s net investment income and capital gains are distributed to (and may be taxable to) those persons who are shareholders of the Fund at the record date of such payments. Although the Fund’s total net income and net realized gain are the results of its operations, the per share amount distributed or taxable to shareholders is affected by the number of Fund

 

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shares outstanding at the record date. Distributions declared to shareholders of record in October, November, or December and paid on or before January 31 of the succeeding year will be treated for federal income tax purposes as if received by shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared. Generally, account tax information will be made available to shareholders on or before February 15 of each year. Information regarding distributions may also be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).

 

Taxes on Sales

Any time you sell the shares of the Fund in a taxable account, it is considered a taxable event. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price, you may have a gain or loss on the transaction. The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares for more than one year and if not held for such period, as a short-term capital gain or loss. Any tax liabilities generated by your transactions are your responsibility.

 

U.S. federal income tax withholding may be required on all distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number, fail to make certain required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is applied.

 

For shares purchased and sold from a taxable account, your financial intermediary will report cost basis information to you and to the IRS. Your financial intermediary will permit shareholders to elect their preferred cost basis method. In the absence of an election, your cost basis method will be your financial intermediary’s default method, which is often the average cost method. Please consult your tax adviser to determine the appropriate cost basis method for your particular tax situation and to learn more about how the cost basis reporting laws apply to you and your investments.

 

Taxation of the Fund

Dividends, interest, and some capital gains received by the Fund on foreign securities may be subject to foreign tax withholding or other foreign taxes.

 

Certain fund transactions may involve futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, and may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, can potentially affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders, and utilization of capital loss carryforwards. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and use certain investment strategies where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these tax provisions, if possible.

 

The Fund does not expect to pay any federal income or excise taxes because it intends to meet certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, including the distribution each year of substantially all its net investment income and net capital gains. It is important for the Fund to meet these requirements so that any earnings on your investment will not be subject to federal income tax twice. If the Fund invests in a partnership, however, it may be subject to state tax liabilities.

 

If the Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

 

For additional information, see the “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status” section of the SAI.

 

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Shareholder’s Guide

 

 

The Fund issues or redeems its shares at NAV per share only in Creation Units. Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and trade on the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and offered price in the secondary market on each purchase and sale transaction. Fund shares are traded on the Exchange under the trading symbol JLQD. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.

 

APs may acquire Fund shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their Fund shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share, only in Creation Units and in accordance with the procedures described in the Fund’s SAI.

 

Pricing of fund shares

 

The per share NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the close of the trading session of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time) each day that the NYSE is open (“Business Day”). However, the NAV may still be calculated if trading on the NYSE is restricted, provided there is sufficient pricing information available for the Fund to value its securities, or as permitted by the SEC. Foreign securities held by the Fund, as applicable, may be traded on days and at times when the NYSE is closed and the NAV is therefore not calculated. Accordingly, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days that are not Business Days in the United States and on which you will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.

 

Securities held by the Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (“Valuation Procedures”). To the extent available, equity securities (including shares of ETFs) are generally valued at readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. Most fixed-income securities are typically valued using an evaluated bid price supplied by an Adviser-approved pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term instruments maturing within 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. If a market quotation or evaluated price for a security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable, or if an event that is expected to affect the value of the security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, a fair value of the security will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Such events include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a non-significant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a non-valued security and a restricted or non-public security. This type of fair valuation may be more commonly used with foreign equity securities, but it may also be used with, among other things, thinly-traded domestic securities or fixed-income securities. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position. For valuation purposes, if applicable, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities, and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are generally translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates. The methodologies employed when fair valuing securities may change from time to time. Because fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, it is possible that the fair value determination for a security may be different than the value that could be realized when selling that security.

 

The value of the securities of mutual funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such mutual funds, and the prospectuses for such mutual funds explain the circumstances under which they use fair valuation and the effects of using fair valuation. The value of the securities of any cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such funds.

 

All purchases, sales, or other account activity must be processed through your financial intermediary or plan sponsor.

 

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Distribution and servicing fees

 

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Servicing Plan for shares of the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”). The Plan permits compensation in connection with the distribution and marketing of Fund shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services. The Plan permits the Fund to pay the Distributor, or its designee, a fee for the sale and distribution and/or shareholder servicing of the shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the shares of the Fund (“12b-1 fee”). However, payment of a 12b-1 fee has not been authorized at this time.

 

Under the terms of the Plan, the Trust is authorized to make payments to the Distributor or its designee for remittance to retirement plan service providers, broker-dealers, bank trust departments, financial advisors, and other financial intermediaries, as compensation for distribution and/or shareholder services performed by such entities for their customers who are investors in the Fund.

 

The 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized and payments are made, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. The amount of compensation paid by the Adviser varies from intermediary to intermediary. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds not offered in this Prospectus, the Adviser or its affiliates pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for certain of these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the

 

30 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-mutual fund investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

Purchasing and selling shares

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. However, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market will develop or be maintained, or that the Fund shares listing will continue or remain unchanged. The Fund does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. Buying or selling the Fund’s shares involves certain costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, you may incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your financial intermediary. Due to these brokerage costs, if any, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment returns. In addition, you may also incur the cost of the spread (the difference between the bid price and the ask price). The commission may be a significant cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares.

 

Shares of the Fund may be acquired through the Distributor or redeemed directly with the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of the Fund’s SAI. Once created, shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

A Business Day with respect to the Fund is each day the Exchange is open. Orders from APs to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day. On days when the Exchange or the bond market closes earlier than normal (or on days the bond market is closed but the Exchange is open), the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, to minimize brokerage and other related trading costs associated with securities that cannot be readily transferred in-kind, the Fund may establish early trade cut-off times for APs to submit orders for Creation Units, in accordance with the 1940 Act. See the Fund’s SAI for more information.

 

In compliance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), your financial intermediary is required to verify certain information on your account application as part of its Anti-Money Laundering Program. You will be required to provide your full name,

 

31 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address to assist in verifying your identity. You may also be asked to provide additional documents that may help to establish your identity. Until verification of your identity is made, your financial intermediary may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, your financial intermediary may close an account if it is unable to verify your identity. Please contact your financial intermediary if you need additional assistance when completing your application or additional information about your financial intermediary’s Anti-Money Laundering Program.

 

In an effort to ensure compliance with this law, the Adviser’s Anti-Money Laundering Program (the “Program”) provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirements and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an unsold allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

Book Entry

Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The DTC or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.

 

Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Fund. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other exchange-traded securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.

 

Share Prices

The trading prices of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV per share and are affected by market forces such as supply and demand, economic conditions, and other factors. Information regarding the intra-day NAV of the Fund is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day by the national securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares are primarily listed or by market data vendors or other information providers. The intra-day NAV calculations are estimates of the value of the Fund’s NAV per Fund share based on the current market value of the securities and/or cash included in the Fund’s intra-day NAV basket. The intra-day NAV does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities and instruments held by the Fund at a particular point in time. Additionally, when current pricing is not available for certain portfolio securities the intra-day indicative value may not accurately reflect the current market value of the Fund’s shares or the best possible valuation of the current portfolio. For example, the

 

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intra-day NAV is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities’ local market and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market’s close. Therefore, the intra-day NAV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV, which is computed only once a day. The intra-day NAV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the portfolio securities and instruments included in the Fund’s intra-day NAV basket. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the intra-day NAV and makes no representation or warranty as to its accuracy. An inaccuracy in the intra-day NAV could result from various factors, including the difficulty of pricing portfolio instruments on an intra-day basis.

 

Premiums and Discounts

There may be differences between the daily market prices on secondary markets for shares of the Fund and the Fund’s NAV. NAV is the price per share at which the Fund issues and redeems shares. See “Pricing of Fund Shares” above. The price used to calculate market returns (“Market Price”) of the Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the national securities exchange on which shares of the Fund are primarily listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. The Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its NAV. The NAV of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of the Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its NAV, as well as market supply and demand for shares of the Fund.

 

Premiums or discounts are the differences (expressed as a percentage) between the NAV and the Market Price of the Fund on a given day, generally at the time the NAV is calculated. A premium is the amount that the Fund is trading above the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount is the amount that the Fund is trading below the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount or premium could be significant. Information regarding the Fund’s premium/discount to NAV for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that calendar year end (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Investments by Other Investment Companies

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for purposes of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Under the 1940 Act, purchases or acquisitions by the Fund of shares issued by registered investment companies (including other ETFs) and business development companies (“BDCs”) and the purchase or acquisition of Fund shares by registered investment companies, BDCs, and investment vehicles relying on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except where an exemption is available, including as provided in Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and (G) and Rule 12d1-4 thereunder. Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies and BDCs to invest in Fund shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company or BDC first enter into a written agreement with the Trust regarding the terms of the investment, among other conditions.

 

Excessive trading

 

Unlike traditional mutual funds, the frequent trading of Fund shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains by the Fund, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders. The vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market. Because these trades do not involve the Fund, they do not harm the Fund or its shareholders. APs are authorized to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with the Fund in Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions that are effected using securities (i.e., in-kind) do not cause any of the harmful effects to the issuing fund (as previously noted). However, Creation Unit transactions effected using cash can potentially subject the Fund and its shareholders to those harmful effects. As a result, the Fund requires APs to pay transaction fees to cover brokerage and certain related costs when purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. Those fees are designed to protect the Fund and its shareholders from the dilutive costs associated with frequent creation and redemption activity. For these reasons, the Trustees of the Fund have determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market timing of Fund shares. However, the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding frequent purchases and redemptions may be modified by the Trustees at any time.

 

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Fund website & availability of portfolio holdings information

 

Each Business Day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided by its custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. In addition, on each Business Day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV. A complete schedule of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is also available semiannually and annually in Form N-CSR and, after the first and third fiscal quarters, in Form N-PORT. Information reported in Form N-CSR and in Form N-PORT will be made publicly available within 70 and 60 days, respectively, after the end of each fiscal quarter. The Fund’s Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

For additional information on these disclosures and the availability of portfolio holdings information, please refer to the Fund’s SAI.

 

Shareholder communications

 

Statements and Reports

Your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for sending you periodic statements of all transactions, along with trade confirmations and tax reporting, as required by applicable law. In addition, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is also responsible for providing annual and semiannual reports. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor to obtain these reports.

 

You may also obtain copies of the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, SAI and other information, such as the Fund’s financial statements (when available), free upon request by calling Janus Henderson at 1-800-668-0434 or you can access and download these documents at the Fund’s website: janushenderson.com/info.

 

The Fund’s fiscal year ends October 31st.

 

Lost (Unclaimed/Abandoned) Accounts

It is important to maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned as undeliverable. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is required to attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is unable to locate the shareholder, then the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is legally obligated to deem the property “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently escheat (or transfer) unclaimed property (including shares of a fund) to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. Further, your account may be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently transferred to your state of residence if no activity (as defined by that state) occurs within your account during the time frame specified in your state’s unclaimed property laws. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Interest or income is not earned on redemption or distribution check(s) sent to you during the time the check(s) remained uncashed.

 

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Financial Highlights

 

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for each fiscal period shown. Items “Net asset value, beginning of period” through “Net asset value, end of period” reflect financial results for a single Fund share. The information for the fiscal periods shown has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s Form N-CSR and incorporated by reference into the SAI.

 

The total returns 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).

 

 

 

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

 

For a share outstanding during each year or period ended October 31

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

   

2021(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 38.10     $ 39.05     $ 49.56     $ 50.00  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

                               

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    2.05       1.57       1.02       0.13  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    3.76       (0.99 )     (10.33 )     (0.57 )

Total from Investment Operations

    5.81       0.58       (9.31 )     (0.44 )

Less Dividends and Distributions:

                               

Dividends (from net investment income)

    (2.03 )     (1.53 )     (1.09 )      

Distributions (from capital gains)

                (0.11 )      

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (2.03 )     (1.53 )     (1.20 )      

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 41.88     $ 38.10     $ 39.05     $ 49.56  

Total Return*

    15.45 %     1.33 %     (19.08 )%     (0.88 )%

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 31,406     $ 28,579     $ 29,284     $ 49,561  

Ratios to Average Net Assets**

                               

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.35 %     0.35 %     0.35 %     0.35 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    4.95 %     3.88 %     2.28 %     1.81 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate(3)

    200 %     118 %     92 %     15 %

 

* Total return not annualized for periods of less than one full year.

** Annualized for periods of less than one full year.

(1) Period from September 8, 2021 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2021.

(2) Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(3) Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

 

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You can make inquiries and request other information, including a Statement of Additional Information, annual report, semiannual report, or Fund financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, most recent annual and semiannual reports, and Fund financial statements are also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info. Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, and in Form N-CSR. In the Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal period. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund’s annual and semiannual financial statements. Other information is also available from financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund.

 

The Statement of Additional Information provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 

janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act File No. is 811-23112.

 

 

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

JEMB

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Prospectus

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

This Prospectus describes Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF (the “Fund”), a portfolio of Janus Detroit Street Trust (the “Trust”). Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and the owners of Fund shares may purchase or redeem shares from the Fund in Creation Units only, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Prospectus. The purchase and sale price of individual Fund shares trading on an exchange may be below, at or above the most recently calculated net asset value for Fund shares (sometimes referred to as the “NAV”).

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Fund Summary

 

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

2

Additional Information about the Fund

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

9

Risks of the Fund

16

Management of the Fund

 

Investment adviser

26

Management expenses

26

Portfolio management

27

Other Information

29

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

30

Shareholder’s Guide

 

Pricing of fund shares

32

Distribution and servicing fees

33

Payments to financial intermediaries by the Adviser or its affiliates

33

Purchasing and selling shares

34

Excessive trading

36

Shareholder communications

37

Financial Highlights

38

 

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JEMB Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

Ticker: JEMB

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF seeks to provide a return, from a combination of income and capital growth over the long term.

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.52%

Other Expenses(1)

0.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.52%

 

(1)

Other Expenses are based on the estimated expenses that the Fund expects to incur during the current fiscal year.

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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

 

 

  $ 53     $ 167  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the period of commencement of operations on August 13, 2024 through October 31, 2024, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 11% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund pursues its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in emerging markets debt securities denominated in hard currencies. The Fund invests in government debt securities (“sovereign debt”), debt securities issued by or guaranteed by an entity affiliated with or backed by a sovereign government (“quasi-sovereign debt”), and debt securities issued by supranational institutions or local and regional authorities/agencies in emerging markets. The Fund may invest in debt securities of any rating, including high-yield bonds or unrated bonds deemed of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. The Fund may invest up to 30% of its net assets in corporate debt securities of issuers in emerging markets.

 

Hard currencies, including the U.S. dollar or Euro, are currencies in which investors have confidence and are typically currencies of economically advanced industrialized nations.

 

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The Fund invests in securities of issuers that are economically tied to emerging markets countries, including frontier markets countries. Emerging market countries consist of countries included in the International Monetary Fund (“IMF”) list of Emerging and Developing Economies.

 

Securities and instruments tied economically to an emerging market include: (i) securities of issuers that are organized under the laws of an emerging market country or that maintain their principal place of business in an emerging market country; (ii) securities that are traded principally in an emerging market country; (iii) securities of issuers that, during their most recent fiscal year, derived at least 50% of their revenues or profits from goods produced or sold, investments made, or services performed in an emerging market country or that have at least 50% of their assets in an emerging market country; or (iv) securities or other instruments that expose the Fund to the economic fortunes and risks of one or more emerging market countries.

 

Additionally, the Fund may invest its assets in derivatives. Derivative instruments have a value derived from, or directly linked to, an underlying asset, such as fixed-income securities, interest rates, or market indices. The Fund may invest in forward foreign currency exchange contracts (including non-deliverable forwards), exchange traded derivatives (such as interest rate futures and bond futures), options and over the counter swaps such as interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, credit default swaps on indices and total return swaps. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in total return swaps. The Fund may use derivatives with the aim of making investment gains in line with the Fund’s objective, or to manage the interest rate and credit risk of the Fund more efficiently. The Fund’s exposure to derivatives will vary. For purposes of meeting its 80% investment policy, the Fund may include derivatives that have characteristics similar to the securities in which the Fund may directly invest.

 

The Fund’s currency exposure is hedged to the United States dollar (“USD”), although the portfolio is also expected to be exposed (through investments or cash) to other hard currencies.

 

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in any combination of distressed securities (that is, securities rated at or lower than CCC-/Caa3 at the time of purchase), defaulted securities, or unrated securities that are determined by the Adviser to be either a distressed or defaulted security.

 

The Fund is “actively-managed” and does not seek to replicate the composition or performance of any particular index. Accordingly, the portfolio managers have discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective. The portfolio managers apply a “bottom up” approach to selecting investments to purchase and sell. This means that the portfolio managers look at securities one at a time to determine if a security is an attractive investment opportunity and if it is consistent with the Fund’s investment policies. The Fund will generally consider selling a position if, in portfolio management’s opinion, it reaches its total return target or targeted value, the investment thesis for owning the position changes, or to limit potential loses. Portfolio management will consider, among other factors, maturity, duration, sector, country, yield curve, and credit quality for investment and hedging purposes.

 

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions on a short-term or long-term basis, in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination.

 

The Fund is classified as nondiversified, which allows it to hold larger positions in securities, compared to a fund that is classified as diversified.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns and yields will vary, and you could lose money. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. Emerging market securities involve a number of risks, which may result from less government supervision and regulation of business and industry practices (including the potential lack of strict finance and accounting controls and standards), stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies. Information about emerging market companies, including financial information, may be less available or reliable and the Adviser’s ability to conduct due diligence with respect to such companies may be limited. Accordingly, these investments may be potentially more volatile in price and less liquid than investments in developed securities markets, resulting in greater risk to investors. There is a risk in developing countries that a current or future economic or political crisis could lead to price controls, forced mergers of companies, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, imposition or enforcement of foreign ownership limits, seizure, nationalization,

 

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sanctions or imposition of restrictions by various governmental entities on investment and trading, or creation of government monopolies, any of which may have a detrimental effect on the Fund’s investments. In addition, the taxation systems at the federal, regional, and local levels in developing or emerging market countries may be less transparent, inconsistently enforced, and subject to change. Emerging markets may be subject to a higher degree of corruption and fraud than developed markets, and financial institutions and transaction counterparties may have less financial sophistication, creditworthiness, and/or resources than participants in developed markets. In addition, the Fund’s investments may be denominated in foreign currencies and therefore, changes in the value of a foreign currency compared to the U.S. dollar may affect the value of the Fund’s investments. To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in the securities of emerging markets issuers in or companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance.

 

Frontier Markets Risk. Frontier markets are those emerging markets that are considered to be among the smallest, least mature and least liquid, and as a result, may be more likely to experience inflation, political turmoil and rapid changes in economic conditions than more developed and traditional emerging markets. Investments in frontier markets may be subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in more developed and traditional emerging markets. Frontier markets often have less uniformity in accounting and reporting requirements, unreliable securities valuations and greater risk associated with custody of securities. Economic, political, illiquidity and currency risks may be more pronounced with respect to investments in frontier markets than in emerging markets.

 

Sovereign and Quasi-Sovereign Debt Risk. Investments in non-U.S. government debt securities and debt securities issued by entities affiliated with or backed by non-U.S. governmental entities, especially the debt of certain emerging market countries, can involve a high degree of risk, including the risk that the entity that controls the repayment of the debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or to pay the interest on its debt in a timely manner. In times of economic uncertainty, the prices of these securities may be more volatile than those of corporate debt obligations or of other government debt obligations.

 

Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities are generally subject to the following risks:

 

Interest rate risk, which is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Changing interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility.

 

Credit risk, which is the risk that the credit strength of an issuer of a fixed-income security will weaken and/or that the issuer will be unable to make timely principal and interest payments and that the security may go into default.

 

Prepayment risk, which is the risk that, during periods of falling interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off quicker than originally anticipated, which may cause the Fund to reinvest its assets in securities with lower yields, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential.

 

Valuation risk, which is the risk that one or more of the fixed-income securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer or the security.

 

Extension risk, which is the risk that, during periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated, and as a result, the value of those obligations may fall.

 

Liquidity risk, which is the risk that fixed-income securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that portfolio management would like or at the price portfolio management believes the security is currently worth. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced).

 

Geographic Concentration Risk. To the extent the Fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in a single country or region, the economic, political, social, regulatory, or other developments or conditions within such country or region will generally have a greater effect on the Fund than they would on a more geographically diversified fund, which may result in greater losses and volatility. Adverse developments in certain regions could also adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated and could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance.

 

4 | Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

 

Risk of Investing in Africa and the Middle East. Many African and Middle Eastern countries have histories of dictatorships, political, and military unrest, and their markets should be considered extremely volatile even when compared with those of other emerging market countries. Many of these countries tend to have inadequate investor protections and less established custody, settlement, regulatory, auditing, and financial standards. In addition, certain of these countries are highly reliant on exporting oil so their economies can be negatively impacted by declines in commodity prices or declines in global economic activity.

 

Risk of Investing in Latin America. Many Latin American countries have histories of inflation, exorbitant interest rates, government overspending, political instability, and social and economic unrest. These countries are among the largest debtors of emerging markets countries and certain Latin American countries have previously imposed limitations on the ability of investors to repatriate investment income, capital, or the proceeds of the sale of securities.

 

High-Yield Bond Risk. High-yield bonds (also known as “junk” bonds) are considered speculative and may be more sensitive than other types of bonds to economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the entity that issued the bond, which may adversely affect their value. High-yield bonds are bonds rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Fitch, Inc., and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or are unrated bonds of similar credit quality. The value of lower quality bonds generally is more dependent on credit risk than investment grade bonds. Issuers of high-yield bonds may not be as strong financially as those issuing bonds with higher credit ratings and are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the issuer. In addition, the junk bond market can experience sudden and sharp price swings.

 

Distressed Securities Risk. Distressed securities are speculative and involve substantial risks in addition to the risks of investing in high-yield bonds. The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on the distressed securities and may incur costs to protect its investment. In addition, distressed securities involve the substantial risk that principal will not be repaid. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment. The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal of or interest on its portfolio holdings. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio holding, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Distressed securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale.

 

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives can be volatile and involve risks in addition to the risks of the underlying referenced securities or asset. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty to the derivative transaction will default on its payment obligations. Derivatives used for hedging purposes may reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by portfolio management or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge.

 

Total Return Swaps Risk. A total return swap is a contract in which one party agrees to make periodic payments to another party based on the change in market value of the assets underlying the contract, which may include a specified security, basket of securities, or securities indices during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or the total return from other underlying assets. Total return swap agreements may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or investing directly in such market. Total return swap agreements may effectively add leverage to a fund’s portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. The primary risks associated with total returns swaps are credit risks (if the counterparty fails to meet its obligations) and market risk (if there is no liquid market for the agreement or unfavorable changes occur to the underlying asset).

 

Corporate Bond Risk. The investment return of corporate bonds reflects interest earned on the security and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of a corporate bond may be affected by changes in interest rates, the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation’s performance and perceptions of the corporation in the marketplace. The market value of a corporate bond generally may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates. The market value of intermediate and longer-term corporate bonds is generally more sensitive to changes in interest rates than is the market value of shorter-term corporate bonds. Corporate bonds are also subject to the credit risk of the issuer, as the issuer of corporate bonds may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument.

 

5 | Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

 

Leverage Risk. The risk associated with certain types of leveraged investments or trading strategies pursuant to which relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of an investment. The Fund creates leverage by investing in instruments where the investment loss can exceed the original amount invested. The use of other investment techniques, such as short sales and certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect on the Fund.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic, and other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Accordingly, the Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Nondiversification Risk. The Fund is classified as nondiversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). This gives the Fund’s portfolio management more flexibility to hold larger positions in securities. As a result, an increase or decrease in the value of a single security held by the Fund may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and total return.

 

New/Smaller Sized Fund Risk. Because the Fund is relatively new, it has a limited operating history and a small asset base. The Fund’s performance may not represent how the Fund is expected to or may perform in the long term if and when it becomes larger. If a new or smaller fund were to fail to attract sufficient assets to achieve or maintain economies of scale, performance may be negatively impacted, and any resulting liquidation could create negative transaction costs for the fund and tax consequences for investors.

 

Large Shareholder Risk. To the extent a substantial percentage of the shares of the Fund are held by a small number of shareholders, including “fund of funds” or accounts over which the Adviser has investment discretion, the Fund is subject to the risk that these shareholders will purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares in large amounts rapidly or unexpectedly, including as a result of an asset allocation decision made by the Adviser. These transactions could adversely affect the ability of the Fund to conduct its investment process.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV.

 

Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of NAV and Market Price Risk. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to NAV. Such a decline may not

 

6 | Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

 

reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants (“APs”) and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s NAV. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV and to face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

Cash Transaction Risk. The Fund intends to effect Creation Unit transactions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities, because of the nature of the Fund’s investments. Cash purchases may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges or delays in investing the cash that it would otherwise not incur if a purchase was made on an in-kind basis. Because the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds and thereby may recognize a capital gain on such sales, Creation Unit redemption on a cash basis may be less tax-efficient for the Fund compared to an in-kind redemption. In addition, Creation Unit redemptions for cash may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges it would not otherwise incur with an in-kind redemption, to the extent such fees or charges are not offset by the redemption transaction fee paid by APs. In addition, the Fund’s use of cash transactions may result in wider bid-ask spreads in Fund shares trading in the secondary market as compared to exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that transact exclusively on an in-kind basis.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The Fund does not have a full calendar year of operations. When provided, the information is designed to offer some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns compare with a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Performance information for certain periods is included in the Fund’s annual and/or semiannual report and is available at janushenderson.com/info or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Thomas Haugaard is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in August 2024. Bent Lystbaek is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in August 2024. Jacob Ellinge Nielsen is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in August 2024. Sorin Pirau, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in August 2024.

 

7 | Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund is an actively-managed ETF. Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted primarily in exchange for all cash, but may be conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, you may pay more than NAV (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than NAV (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

8 | Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

 

Additional Information about the Fund

 

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

 

The Fund is an actively managed ETF and, thus, does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. Accordingly, portfolio management has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective.

 

The Fund’s Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) may change the Fund’s investment objective or non-fundamental principal investment strategies without a shareholder vote. The Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days or as soon as reasonably practicable before making any such change it considers material. If there is a material change to the Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

On each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV per share. A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Information about the premiums and discounts at which the Fund’s shares have traded is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Unless otherwise stated, the following additional investment strategies and general policies apply to the Fund and provide further information including, but not limited to, the types of securities the Fund may invest in when implementing its investment objective. Some of these strategies and policies may be part of a principal strategy. Other strategies and policies may be utilized to a lesser extent as a complement to the Fund’s principal strategy. Except for the Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this Prospectus and/or the SAI normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if the Fund exceeds a limit, other than illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. For temporary liquidity and cash management purposes, the Fund may invest in other ETFs that provide exposure to related securities.

 

Asset-Backed Securities

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in asset-backed securities and mortgage-backed securities. Asset-backed securities are collateralized by pools of obligations or assets. Almost any type of asset may be used to create an asset-backed security. The Fund will typically invest in asset-backed securities backed by pools of aircraft, auto, credit cards, equipment, litigation financing, marketplace lending, single family rental, and other equivalent forms of securities representing interests in pools backed by financial, physical, and/or intangible assets. Asset-backed securities may take the form of commercial paper, notes, or pass-through certificates and may be structured as floaters, inverse floaters, interest-only and principal-only obligations. Payments on asset-backed securities include both interest and a partial payment of principal. The value of the Fund’s investments in asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, factors concerning the interests in and structure of the issuer or originator of the receivables, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements, and/or the market’s assessment of the quality of the underlying assets. Generally, the originating bank or credit provider is neither the obligor nor the guarantor of the security, and interest and principal payments ultimately depend upon payment of the underlying loans by individuals. The Fund could incur a loss if the underlying loans are not paid. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment. Prepayment risk is the risk that during periods of falling interest rates, certain fixed-income securities with higher interest rates, such as mortgage- and asset-backed securities, may be prepaid by their issuers thereby reducing the amount of aggregate interest payments. The impact of prepayments on the value of asset-backed securities may be difficult to predict and may result in greater volatility. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of asset-backed securities, making them more volatile and sensitive to changing interest rates.

 

9 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Cash Position

The Fund may not always stay fully invested. When portfolio management believes that market conditions are unfavorable for investing, or when they are otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund’s cash or similar investments may increase. When the Fund’s investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested. To the extent the Fund invests its uninvested cash through a sweep program (meaning its uninvested cash is pooled with uninvested cash of other funds and invested in certain securities such as repurchase agreements), it is subject to the risks of the account or fund into which it is investing, including liquidity issues that may delay the Fund from accessing its cash.

 

In addition, the Fund may temporarily increase its cash position under certain unusual circumstances, such as to protect its assets or maintain liquidity in certain circumstances to meet unusually large redemptions. The Fund’s cash position may also increase temporarily due to unusually large cash inflows. Under unusual circumstances such as these, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or similar investments. In this case, the Fund may take positions that are inconsistent with its investment policies. As a result, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Collateralized Loan Obligations

A CLO is a type of structured credit, which is a sector of the fixed income market that also includes asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. Typically organized as a trust or other special purpose vehicle, a CLO issues debt and equity interests and uses the proceeds from this issuance to acquire a portfolio of bank loans made primarily to businesses that are rated below investment grade. The underlying loans in which a CLO may invest may be issued or offered as “covenant lite” loans, which have few or no financial maintenance covenants. The underlying loans are generally senior-secured/first-priority loans; however, the CLO may also include an allowance for second-lien and/or unsecured debt. Additionally, the underlying loans may include domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, some of which may individually be below investment grade or the equivalent if unrated. The portfolio of underlying loans is actively managed by the CLO manager for a fixed period of time (“reinvestment period”). During the reinvestment period, the CLO manager may buy and sell individual loans to create trading gains or mitigate loses. The CLO portfolio will generally be required to adhere to certain diversification rules established by the CLO issuer to mitigate against the risk of concentrated defaults within a given industry or sector. After a specified period of time, the majority owner of equity interests in the CLO may seek to call the CLO’s outstanding debt or refinance its position. If not called or refinanced, when the reinvestment period ends, the CLO uses cash flows from the underlying loans to pay down the outstanding debt tranches and wind up the CLO’s operations.

 

Interests in the CLOs are divided into two or more separate debt and equity tranches, each with a different credit rating and risk/return profile based upon its priority of claim on the cash flows produced by the underlying loan pool. Tranches are categorized as senior, mezzanine and subordinated/equity, according to their degree of credit risk. If there are defaults or the CLO’s collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches take precedence over those to subordinated/equity tranches. The riskiest portion is the “Equity” tranche, which bears the initial losses from defaults in the underlying loan pool which serves to insulate the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Senior and mezzanine tranches are typically rated, with the former receiving ratings of A to AAA/Aaa and the latter receiving ratings of B to BBB/Baa. The ratings reflect both the credit quality of underlying collateral as well as how much protection a given tranche is afforded by tranches that are subordinate to it. Normally, CLOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws.

 

Contingent Convertible Securities

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in contingent convertible bonds (“CoCos”). CoCos are a form of hybrid debt security issued primarily by non-U.S. issuers, which have loss absorption mechanisms built into their terms. CoCos have no stated maturity, have coupons that can be reduced or annulled if certain criteria are met, and are typically issued in the form of subordinated debt instruments. CoCos generally either convert into equity of the issuer or have their principal written down upon the occurrence of certain triggering events (“triggers”) linked to regulatory capital thresholds or regulatory actions relating to the issuer’s continued viability. In certain scenarios, investors in CoCos may suffer a loss of capital ahead of equity holders or when equity holders do not. There is no guarantee that the Fund will receive a return of principal on CoCos. Any indication that an automatic write-down or conversion event may occur can be expected to have an adverse effect on the market price of CoCos. CoCos are often rated below investment grade.

 

10 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Corporate Bonds

Corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by corporations, institutions and other business entities. Typically, the debt is issued for the purpose of borrowing money, often to help the corporation develop a new product or service, to expand into a new market, or to buy another company. Bondholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders as to both income and assets of the corporation for the principal and interest due to them and may have a prior claim over other creditors if liens or mortgages are involved. Interest on corporate bonds may be fixed or floating, or the bonds may be zero coupons. Interest on corporate bonds is typically paid semi-annually and is fully taxable to the bondholder. Corporate bonds are subject to interest rate risk. The market value of a corporate bond generally may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates and may also be affected by the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation’s performance and perceptions of the corporation in the marketplace. Corporate bonds usually yield more than government or agency bonds due to the presence of credit risk. Corporate bonds are also subject to credit risk. As with other types of bonds, the issuer promises to repay the principal on a specific date and to make interest payments in the meantime. The amount of interest offered depends both on market conditions and on the financial health of the corporation issuing the bonds; a company whose credit rating is not strong will have to offer a higher interest rate to obtain buyers for its bonds. There is a risk that the issuers of corporate bonds may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. The market value of a corporate bond may also be affected by factors directly related to the issuer, such as investors’ perceptions of the creditworthiness of the issuer, the issuer’s financial performance, perceptions of the issuer in the market place, performance of management of the issuer, the issuer’s capital structure and use of financial leverage and demand for the issuer’s goods and services. Corporate bonds of below investment grade quality are often high risk and have speculative characteristics and may be particularly susceptible to adverse issuer-specific developments.

 

Derivatives

The Fund may invest in derivatives, which are financial instruments whose value is derived from, or directly linked to, an underlying asset, instrument, currency, or index. The Fund may take long and short positions in derivatives. Derivatives can be used for hedging purposes or for non-hedging purposes, such as seeking to earn income and enhance return, to protect unrealized gains, or to avoid realizing losses. Such techniques may also be used to adjust currency exposure relative to a benchmark index, to gain exposure to the market pending investment of cash balances, or to meet liquidity needs.

 

Distressed Securities

The Fund may invest in securities that are the subject of bankruptcy proceedings or otherwise in default or in risk of being in default as to the repayment of principal and/or interest at the time of acquisition by the Fund or that are rated in the lower rating categories by one or more nationally recognized statistical rating organizations or, if unrated, are in the judgment of the Adviser of equivalent quality.

 

Emerging Markets

Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in securities of issuers or companies from or with exposure to one or more “developing countries” or “emerging market countries.” Such countries consist of countries included in the IMF list of Emerging and Developing Economies. Emerging market countries in which the Fund may invest include frontier market countries, the economies of which are less developed than other emerging market countries. Frontier market countries typically are located in the Asia-Pacific region, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Africa.

 

ESG Integration

As part of its investment process, portfolio management considers environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) risks and opportunities (“ESG Factors”) that it believes are financially material, alongside other fundamental investment factors. Examples of potential financially material ESG Factors may include corporate governance, political governance, executive pay, board structure and diversity, business ethics, corporate reporting, company culture, human capital management and diversity, community relations, human rights, exposure to climate change, biodiversity, and deforestation. Portfolio management focuses on the ESG Factors it considers most likely to have a material impact on the long-term financial performance of the issuer, which includes identifying ESG Factors attributable to a particular region, sector, industry, or issuer. To facilitate its assessment of ESG Factors, portfolio management uses issuer reports, third-party data and internally-generated analyses and may engage directly with issuers. ESG Factors are one of many considerations in the investment decision-making process, may not be determinative in deciding to include or exclude an investment from the portfolio, and may not be considered for every investment decision. Portfolio management may assess the relevance of ESG Factors to its fundamental research process differently across issuers, sectors, regions, and asset classes.

 

11 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of the Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Floating Rate Obligations

The Fund may invest in securities with floating rates of interest which, under certain limited circumstances, may have varying principal amounts. Floating rate securities pay interest at rates that are adjusted periodically according to a specified formula, usually with reference to some interest rate index or market interest rate (the “underlying index”). The floating interest rate tends to decrease the security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. These types of securities are relatively long-term instruments that often carry demand features permitting the holder to demand payment of principal at any time or at specified intervals prior to maturity. Inverse floating rate securities (“Inverse Floaters”) are debt instruments whose interest bears an inverse relationship to the interest rate on another security. A rise in the reference rate of an inverse floater will cause a drop in the interest rate paid by the inverse floater, while a drop in the reference rate of the inverse floater will cause an increase in the interest rate paid on the inverse floater. Inverse Floaters may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation with similar credit quality.

 

Foreign Securities

The Fund may invest in foreign securities and/or foreign currencies. Portfolio management seeks investments that meet the selection criteria, regardless of where an issuer or company is located. Foreign securities are generally selected on a security-by-security basis without regard to any predetermined allocation among countries or geographic regions. However, certain factors, such as expected levels of inflation, government policies influencing business conditions, the outlook for currency relationships, and prospects for economic growth among countries, regions, or geographic areas, may warrant greater consideration in selecting foreign securities. The Fund may at times have significant foreign exposure, including exposure to emerging markets.

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

The Fund may enter into forward currency contracts with stated contract values of up to the value of the Fund’s assets. A forward currency contract is an obligation to buy or sell an amount of a specified currency for an agreed price (which may be in U.S. dollars or a foreign currency). The Fund may invest in forward currency contracts for non-hedging purposes such as seeking to enhance return. The Fund will exchange foreign currencies for U.S. dollars and for other foreign currencies in the normal course of business and may buy and sell currencies through forward currency contracts in order to fix a price for securities it has agreed to buy or sell (“transaction hedge”). The Fund also may hedge some or all of its investments denominated in a foreign currency or exposed to foreign currency fluctuations against a decline in the value of that currency relative to the U.S. dollar by entering into forward currency contracts to sell an amount of that currency (or a proxy currency whose performance is expected to replicate or exceed the performance of that currency relative to the U.S. dollar) approximating the value of some or all of its portfolio securities denominated in or exposed to that currency (“position hedge”).

 

High-Yield Bonds

Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in bonds that are rated below investment grade (also known as “junk” bonds), such as BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“Standard & Poor’s”) and Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”), or Ba1 or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or is an unrated bond of similar quality. The Fund may also invest in unrated bonds of foreign and domestic issuers.

 

Illiquid Investments

The Fund will not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund 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 investment.

 

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Interest Rate Futures Contracts

Interest rate futures contracts, including futures contracts on U.S. Treasuries, Eurodollars, U.S.-, E.U.-, U.K.- and Japanese-government securities, and other futures contracts that provide interest rate exposure, are typically exchange-traded, are typically used to obtain interest rate exposure in order to manage duration and hedge interest rate risk. An interest rate futures contract is a bilateral agreement where one party agrees to accept and the other party agrees to make delivery of a specified security, as called for in the agreement at a specified date and at an agreed upon price. Generally, Treasury interest rate futures contracts are closed out or rolled over prior to their expiration date.

 

Leverage

The Fund may use leverage for investment purposes by entering into reverse repurchase agreements and using the cash made available from these transactions to make additional investments in fixed-income securities in accordance with the Fund’s principal strategies. In addition, other investment techniques, such as certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect.

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities

The Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in asset-backed securities and mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities represent an ownership interest in a pool of mortgage loans used to finance purchases of real estate. The mortgage loans that comprise a pool normally have similar interest rates (fixed or variable), maturities and other terms. Pools of mortgages financing residential home purchases are referred to as residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), while pools of mortgages financing commercial buildings, multi-family properties and other real estate are referred to as commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”). Mortgage-backed securities may be issued or guaranteed by a government, its agencies or instrumentalities (“agency mortgage-backed securities”), or may be issued or guaranteed by private entities such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions or mortgage bankers (“privately issued mortgage-backed securities”).

 

Unlike traditional debt instruments, payments on mortgage-backed securities include both interest and a partial payment of principal. Prepayment of the principal of underlying loans at a faster pace than expected is known as “prepayment risk” and may shorten the effective maturities of these securities. This may result in the Fund having to reinvest proceeds at a lower interest rate. Mortgage-backed securities tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than other types of debt securities. In addition to prepayment risk, investments in privately-issued mortgage-backed securities may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than other mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities are also subject to extension risk. Extension risk is the risk that borrowers may pay off their debt obligations more slowly in times of rising interest rates. The risks associated with CMBS reflect the risks of investing in the commercial real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans and are therefore different from the risks of other types of mortgage-backed securities.

 

Nondiversification

Diversification is a way to reduce risk by investing in a broad range of stocks or other securities. The Fund is classified as nondiversified. A fund that is classified as nondiversified has the ability to take larger positions in securities than a fund that is classified as diversified. This gives a fund which is classified as nondiversified more flexibility to focus its investments in companies that portfolio management has identified as the most attractive for the investment objective and strategy of the Fund. However, because the appreciation or depreciation of a single security may have a greater impact on the NAV of a fund which is classified as nondiversified, its share price can be expected to fluctuate more than a comparable fund which is classified as diversified. This fluctuation, if significant, may affect the performance of a fund.

 

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Options

Options are the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a specified amount of securities or other assets on or before a fixed date at a predetermined price. The Fund may purchase and write put and call options on securities, securities indices, and foreign currencies. The Fund may purchase or write such options individually or in combination.

 

Options on Futures Contracts. An option on a futures contract gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a futures contract at a specified price on or before a specified date. Futures contracts and options on futures are standardized and traded on designated exchanges. To the extent the Fund engages in futures contracts on foreign exchanges, such exchanges may not provide the same protection as U.S. exchanges.

 

Options on Securities and Indices. The Fund may purchase and write put and call options on securities and indices. A put option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security at any time during the option period. A call option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer of the option the obligation to sell, the underlying security at any time during the option period. The premium paid to the writer is the consideration for undertaking the obligations under the option contract. Put and call options on indices are similar to options on securities except that options on an index give the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the underlying index is greater than (or less than, in the case of puts) the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option, expressed in dollars multiplied by a specified number. Thus, unlike options on individual securities, all settlements are in cash, and gain or loss depends on price movements in the particular market represented by the index generally, rather than the price movements in individual securities. All options written on indices or securities must be “covered” as required by the 1940 Act, as amended.

 

Options on Swap Contracts. The Fund may enter into options on swap agreements, commonly referred to as “swaptions.” A swaption is a contract that gives a purchaser the right, but not the obligation, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel, or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. Swaptions can be used for a variety of purposes, including to manage the Fund’s overall exposure to changes in interest or foreign currency exchange rates and credit quality; as an efficient means of adjusting the Fund’s exposure to certain markets; in an effort to enhance income or total return or protect the value of portfolio securities; to serve as a cash management tool; and to adjust portfolio duration or credit risk.

 

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio turnover rates are generally not a factor in making buy and sell decisions. Changes may be made to the Fund’s portfolio, consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, when portfolio management believes such changes are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. Short-term transactions may result from the purchase of a security in anticipation of relatively short-term gains, liquidity needs, securities having reached a price or yield objective, changes in interest rates or the credit standing of an issuer, or by reason of economic or other developments not foreseen at the time of the initial investment decision. The Fund may also sell one security and simultaneously purchase the same or a comparable security to take advantage of short-term differentials in bond yields or securities prices. Portfolio turnover is affected by market conditions, changes in the size of the Fund (including due to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units), the nature of the Fund’s investments, and the investment style of portfolio management.

 

Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover also may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. The “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus shows the Fund’s historical turnover rates.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities

Private placements are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. These securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may include securities issued through private offerings without registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Regulation S or Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Offerings of Regulation S securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Although Regulation S and Rule 144A securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the amounts received from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund.

 

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Reverse Repurchase Agreements

Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of a security by the Fund to another party (generally a bank or dealer) in return for cash and an agreement by the Fund to buy the security back at a specified price and time. The Fund may use this technique to obtain cash for investment purposes, or for other temporary or emergency purposes.

 

Securities Lending

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination. When the Fund lends its securities, it receives collateral (including cash collateral), at least equal to the value of securities loaned. The Fund may earn income by investing this collateral in one or more affiliated or non-affiliated cash management vehicles or in time deposits. It is also possible that, due to a decline in the value of a cash management vehicle in which collateral is invested, the Fund may lose money. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. The investing of the cash collateral is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns. The Adviser intends to manage a portion of the cash collateral in an affiliated cash management vehicle and will receive an investment advisory fee for managing such assets.

 

Sovereign and Quasi-Sovereign Debt Obligations

The Fund may invest in sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt obligations. Sovereign debt includes securities issued or guaranteed by a foreign sovereign government. Quasi-sovereign debt includes securities issued or guaranteed by an entity affiliated with or backed by a sovereign government.

 

Swap Agreements

The Fund may utilize swap agreements such as credit default, interest rate, and total return swaps, as a means to hedge its portfolio against adverse movements in securities prices, the rate of inflation, or interest rates. Swap agreements are two-party contracts to exchange one set of cash flows for another. Swap agreements entail the risk that a party will default on its payment obligations to the Fund. If the other party to a swap defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. If the Fund utilizes a swap at the wrong time or judges market conditions incorrectly, the swap may result in a loss to the Fund and reduce the Fund’s total return.

 

Credit Default Swaps. The Fund may enter into credit default swaps. Credit default swaps are a specific kind of counterparty agreement that allows the transfer of third party credit risk from one party to the other. One party in the swap is a lender and faces credit risk from a third party, and the counterparty in the credit default swap agrees to insure this risk in exchange for regular periodic payments.

 

Index Credit Default Swaps. The Fund may invest in index credit default swaps (“CDX”). A CDX is a swap on an index of credit default swaps. CDXs allow an investor to manage credit risk or take a position on a basket of credit entities (such as credit default swaps or a commercial mortgage-backed index) in a more efficient manner than transacting in a single-name credit default swap. If a credit event occurs in one of the underlying companies, the protection is paid out via the delivery of the defaulted bond by the buyer in return for a payment of notional value of the defaulted bond by the seller of protection or it may be settled through a cash settlement between the two parties. The underlying company is then removed from the index. New series of CDXs are issued on a regular basis.

 

Interest Rate Swaps. The Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, which involve the exchange by two parties of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments). Interest rate swaps are generally entered into on a net basis. Interest rate swaps do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets, or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate swaps is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make.

 

Total Return Swaps. The Fund may enter into total return swaps, which involve the exchange by two parties in which one party makes payments based on a set rate, either fixed or variable, while the other party makes payments based on the return of an underlying asset, which includes both the income it generates and any capital gains over the payment period. A fixed-income total return swap may be written on many different kinds of underlying reference assets, and may include different indices for various kinds of debt securities.

 

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Risks of the Fund

 

The value of your investment will vary over time, sometimes significantly, and you may lose money by investing in the Fund. The following information is intended to help you better understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund, including those risks that are summarized in the Fund Summary section. This information also includes descriptions of other risks the Fund may be subject to as a result of additional investment strategies and general policies that may apply to the Fund. The impact of the following risks on the Fund may vary depending on the Fund’s investments. The greater the Fund’s investment in a particular security, the greater the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with that security. Before investing in the Fund, you should consider carefully the risks that you assume when investing in the Fund.

 

Affiliated Underlying Fund Risk. The Adviser may invest in certain affiliated ETFs as investments for the Fund. The Adviser will generally receive fees for managing such funds, in addition to the fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund. The payment of such fees by affiliated funds creates a conflict of interest when selecting affiliated funds for investment in the Fund. The Adviser, however, is a fiduciary to the Fund and its shareholders and is legally obligated to act in its best interest when selecting affiliated funds. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated ETFs with respect to the Fund’s investment in such ETF, less certain operating expenses.

 

Collateralized Loan Obligation Risk. The risks of investing in a CLO can be generally summarized as a combination of economic risks of the underlying loans and the risks associated with the CLO structure governing the priority of payments. The degree of such risk will generally correspond to the specific tranche in which the Fund is invested. Higher-rated CLO tranches (such as AAA-rated tranches) do not constitute a guarantee and in stressed market environments it is possible that these CLO tranches could experience losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and significant losses experienced by subordinated/equity tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as negative market sentiment with respect to CLO securities as an asset class. The Fund’s portfolio management may not be able to accurately predict how specific CLOs or the portfolio of underlying loans for such CLOs will react to changes or stresses in the market, including changes in interest rates. The most common risks associated with investing in CLOs are interest rate risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, prepayment risk, and the risk of defaults of the underlying assets, among others.

 

Contingent Convertible Securities Risk. Contingent convertible securities (“CoCos”) have unique equity conversion or principal write-down features that are tailored to the issuing banking institution and its regulatory requirements. CoCos may have fully discretionary coupons. This means coupons can potentially be cancelled at the banking institution’s discretion or at the request of the relevant regulatory authority in order to help the bank absorb losses. CoCos will, in the majority of circumstances, be issued in the form of subordinated debt instruments in order to provide the appropriate regulatory capital treatment prior to a conversion. In the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of an issuer prior to a conversion, the rights and claims of the holders of the CoCo against the issuer will generally rank junior to the claims of all holders of unsubordinated obligations of the issuer.

 

Corporate Bond Risk. The investment return of corporate bonds reflects interest earned on the security and changes in the market value of the security. The market value of a corporate bond may be affected by changes in interest rates, the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation’s performance and perceptions of the corporation in the marketplace. The market value of a corporate bond generally may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates. The market value of intermediate and longer-term corporate bonds is generally more sensitive to changes in interest rates than is the market value of shorter-term corporate bonds. Corporate bonds are also subject to the credit risk of the issuer, as the issuer of corporate bonds may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument.

 

Counterparty Risk. Fund transactions involving a counterparty are subject to the risk that the counterparty or a third party will not fulfill its obligation to the Fund (“counterparty risk”). Counterparty risk may arise because of the counterparty’s financial condition (i.e., financial difficulties, bankruptcy, or insolvency), market activities and developments, or other reasons, whether foreseen or not. A counterparty’s inability to fulfill its obligation may result in significant financial loss to the Fund. The Fund may be unable to recover its investment from the counterparty or may obtain a limited recovery, and/or recovery may be delayed. The Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk to the extent it participates in lending its securities to third parties and/ or cash sweep arrangements whereby the Fund’s cash balance is invested in one or more types of cash management vehicles or in time deposits. In addition, the Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk through its investments in certain securities, including, but not limited to, repurchase agreements, debt securities, and derivatives (including various types of forwards, swaps, futures, and options). The Fund intends to enter into financial transactions with counterparties that

 

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the Adviser believes to be creditworthy at the time of the transaction. There is always the risk that the Adviser’s analysis of a counterparty’s creditworthiness is incorrect or may change due to market conditions. To the extent that the Fund focuses its transactions with a limited number of counterparties, it will have greater exposure to the risks associated with one or more counterparties.

 

Credit Quality Risk. The Fund is subject to the risks associated with the credit quality of the issuers of fixed-income securities. Credit quality measures the likelihood that the issuer or borrower will meet its obligations on a bond. One of the fundamental risks is credit risk, which is the risk that an issuer will be unable to make principal and interest payments when due, or default on its obligations. Higher credit risk may negatively impact the Fund’s returns and yield.

 

Many fixed-income securities receive credit ratings from services such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s. These services assign ratings to securities by assessing the likelihood of issuer default. The lower a bond issue is rated by an agency, the more credit risk it is considered to represent. Lower rated instruments and securities generally pay interest at a higher rate to compensate for the associated greater risk. Interest rates can fluctuate in response to economic or market conditions, which can result in a fluctuation in the price of a security and impact the Fund’s return and yield. If a security has not received a rating, the Fund must rely upon the Adviser’s credit assessment, which if incorrect can also impact the Fund’s returns and yield. Please refer to the “Explanation of Rating Categories” section of the SAI for a description of bond rating categories.

 

Derivatives Risks. Derivatives can be volatile and involve similar risks to those as the underlying referenced securities or assets. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost, and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund.

 

The Fund may use futures and swap agreements (such as interest rate, credit default, and total return swaps), and other derivative instruments individually or in combination and there is no guarantee that the portfolio management’s use of derivative investments will benefit the Fund. The Fund’s performance could be worse than if the Fund had not used such instruments. Use of such investments may instead increase risk to the Fund, rather than reduce risk. Derivatives can be complex instruments and may involve analysis that differs from that required for other investment types used by the Fund. If the value of a derivative does not correlate well with the particular market or other asset class to which the derivative is intended to provide exposure, the derivative may not produce the anticipated result. Derivatives can also reduce the opportunity for gain or result in losses by offsetting positive returns in other investments. Derivatives also entail the risk that the counterparty will default on its payment obligations. If the counterparty to a derivative transaction defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. To the extent the Fund enters into short derivative positions, the Fund may be exposed to risks similar to those associated with short sales.

 

Credit Default Swaps Risk. A credit default swap enables an investor to buy or sell protection against a credit event with respect to an issuer, such as an issuer’s failure to make timely payments of interest or principal on its debt obligations, bankruptcy or restructuring. A credit default swap may be embedded within a structured note or other derivative instrument. Credit default swaps are subject to credit risk of the underlying issuer and to counterparty credit risk. If the counterparty fails to meet its obligations, the Fund may lose money. Credit default swaps are also subject to the risk that the Fund will not properly assess the risk of the underlying issuer. If the Fund is selling credit protection, there is a risk that a credit event will occur and that the Fund will have to pay the counterparty. If the Fund is buying credit protection, there is a risk that no credit event will occur and the Fund will receive no benefit for the premium paid.

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contract Risk. Forward foreign currency contracts (“forward currency contracts”) involve the risk that unanticipated changes in currency prices may negatively impact the Fund’s performance. Moreover, there may be an imperfect correlation between the Fund’s portfolio holdings of securities quoted or denominated in a particular currency and any forward currency contracts entered into by the Fund, which will expose the Fund to risk of foreign exchange loss. The trading markets for forward currency contracts offer less protection against defaults than trading in currency instruments on an exchange. Because a forward currency contract is not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse, a default on the contract could result in losses to the Fund and may force the Fund to cover its purchase or sale commitments, if any, at the current market price. In addition, forward currency contract markets can experience periods of illiquidity, which could prevent the Fund from divesting of a forward currency contract at the optimal time and may adversely affect the Fund’s returns and net asset value.

 

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Futures and Swaps Related to Interest Rate Risk. The Fund’s investments in interest rate futures, swaps, or futures on interest rate sensitive securities entail the risk that portfolio management’s prediction of the direction of interest rates is wrong, and the Fund could incur a loss. In addition, due to the possibility of price distortions in the interest rate futures or swaps markets, or an imperfect correlation between the underlying instrument and the interest rate portfolio management is seeking to hedge, a correct forecast of general interest rate trends by portfolio management may not result in the successful use of futures and swaps related to interest rates.

 

Index Credit Default Swaps Risk. If the Fund holds a long position in a CDX, the Fund would indirectly bear its proportionate share of any expenses paid by a CDX. By investing in a CDX, the Fund could be exposed to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, and credit risk of the issuers of the underlying loan obligations and of the CDX markets. If there is a default by the CDX counterparty, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. A CDX also bears the risk that the Fund will not be able to meet its obligation to the counterparty.

 

Options on Futures Contracts Risk. The amount of risk that the Fund assumes when it purchases an option on a futures contract is the premium paid for the option, plus related transaction costs. In order to profit from an option purchased, it may be necessary to exercise the option and to liquidate the underlying futures contract subject to the risks of the availability of a liquid offset market. The seller of an option on a futures contract is subject to the risks of commodity futures trading, including the requirement of initial and variation margin payments, as well as the additional risk that movements in the price of the option may not correlate with movements in the price underlying security, index, currency, or futures contracts.

 

Total Return Swaps Risk. A total return swap is a contract in which one party agrees to make periodic payments to another party based on the change in market value of the assets underlying the contract, which may include a specified security, basket of securities, or securities indices during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or the total return from other underlying assets. Total return swap agreements may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or investing directly in such market. Total return swap agreements may effectively add leverage to a fund’s portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. The primary risks associated with total returns swaps are credit risks (if the counterparty fails to meet its obligations) and market risk (if there is no liquid market for the agreement or unfavorable changes occur to the underlying asset).

 

Distressed Securities Risk. Distressed securities are speculative and involve substantial risks in addition to the risks of investing in junk bonds. The Fund will generally not receive interest payments on the distressed securities and may incur costs to protect its investment. In addition, distressed securities involve the substantial risk that principal will not be repaid. These securities may present a substantial risk of default or may be in default at the time of investment. The Fund may incur additional expenses to the extent it is required to seek recovery upon a default in the payment of principal of or interest on its portfolio holdings. In any reorganization or liquidation proceeding relating to a portfolio holding, the Fund may lose its entire investment or may be required to accept cash or securities with a value less than its original investment. Distressed securities and any securities received in an exchange for such securities may be subject to restrictions on resale.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. The Fund invests in securities of issuers or companies from or with exposure to one or more “developing countries” or “emerging market countries.” Such countries consist of countries included in the IMF list of Emerging and Developing Economies. The risks of foreign investing are heightened when investing in emerging markets, which may result in the price of investments in emerging markets experiencing sudden and sharp price swings. In many developing markets, there is less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in more developed markets, making these investments potentially more volatile in price and less liquid than investments in developed securities markets, resulting in greater risk to investors. There is a risk in developing countries that a current or future economic or political crisis could lead to price controls, forced mergers of companies, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, imposition or enforcement of foreign ownership limits, seizure, nationalization, sanctions or imposition of restrictions by various governmental entities on investment and trading, or creation of government monopolies, any of which may have a detrimental effect on the Fund’s investments.

 

The securities markets of many of these emerging market countries may also be smaller, less liquid, and subject to greater price volatility than those in the United States. In the event of a default on any investments in foreign debt obligations, it may be more difficult for the Fund to obtain or to enforce a judgment against the issuers of such securities. In addition, the Fund’s investments may be denominated in foreign currencies and therefore, changes in the value of a country’s currency compared to the U.S. dollar may affect the value of the Fund’s investments. To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion

 

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of its assets in the securities of emerging markets issuers in or companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance.

 

Emerging market countries in which the Fund may invest include frontier market countries, which generally have smaller economies and even less developed capital markets than traditional developing markets, and as a result, the risks of investing in developing market countries are magnified in frontier market countries. The magnification of risks are the result of: potential for extreme price volatility and illiquidity in frontier markets; government ownership or control of parts of private sector and of certain companies; trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by other countries; and the relatively new and unsettled securities laws in many frontier market countries.

 

ESG Integration Risk. There is a risk that considering ESG Factors as part of the Fund’s investment process may fail to produce the intended results or that the Fund may perform differently from funds that have a similar investment style but do not formally incorporate such considerations in their strategy. While portfolio management believes that the consideration of financially material ESG Factors has the potential to provide better risk-adjusted returns, ESG Factors may not be considered for every investment decision and there is no guarantee that the consideration of ESG Factors will result in better performance. In addition, information related to ESG Factors provided by issuers and third parties, upon which portfolio management may utilize, continues to develop, and may be incomplete, inaccurate, use different methodologies or be applied differently across issuers and industries. Further, the U.S. regulatory landscape regarding the use of ESG Factors in investing is still developing and future rules and regulations may require the Fund to modify or alter its investment process and/or how it discloses its consideration of ESG Factors.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies, which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. ETFs are traded on a national securities exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium or discount to its NAV. When the Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. ETFs also involve the risk that an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained. Similarly, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to purchase or sell an ETF at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities. The ETFs in which the Fund invests are subject to specific risks, depending on the investment strategy of the ETF. In turn, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with direct exposure to the ETFs’ holdings.

 

Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Typically, the values of fixed-income securities change inversely with prevailing interest rates. Therefore, a fundamental risk of fixed-income securities is interest rate risk, which is the risk that the value of such securities will generally decline as prevailing interest rates rise, which may cause the Fund’s NAV to likewise decrease. How specific fixed- income securities may react to changes in interest rates will depend on the specific characteristics of each security. For example, while securities with longer maturities and durations tend to produce higher yields, they also tend to be more sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates and are therefore more volatile than shorter-term securities and are subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates. However, calculations of maturity and duration may be based on estimates and may not reliably predict a security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In addition, different interest rate measures (such as short- and long-term interest rates and U.S. and non-U.S. interest rates), or interest rates on different types of securities or securities of different issuers, may not necessarily change in the same amount or in the same direction. Investments in fixed- income securities with very low or negative interest rates may diminish the Fund’s yield and performance.

 

Fixed-income securities are also subject to credit risk, which is the risk that the credit strength of an issuer of a fixed-income security will weaken and/or that the issuer will be unable to make timely principal and interest payments and that the security may go into default. In addition, there is prepayment risk, which is the risk that during periods of falling interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off quicker than originally anticipated, which may cause the Fund to reinvest its assets in securities with lower yields, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential. Fixed-income securities may also be subject to valuation risk and liquidity risk. Valuation risk is the risk that one or more of the fixed-income

 

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securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer of the security. Liquidity risk is the risk that fixed-income securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that portfolio management would like or at the price portfolio management believes the security is currently worth. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk. To the extent the Fund invests in fixed- income securities in a particular industry or economic sector, its share values may fluctuate in response to events affecting that industry or sector. Securities underlying mortgage- and asset-backed securities, which may include subprime mortgages, also may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk. To the extent that the Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income securities, the Fund may be more substantially exposed to these risks than a fund that does not invest in such derivatives. The market for certain fixed-income securities may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Similarly, the amount of assets deemed illiquid remaining within the Fund may also increase, making it more difficult to meet shareholder redemptions and further adversely affecting the value of the Fund.

 

Floating Rate Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest in floating rate obligations with interest rates that reset regularly, maintaining a fixed spread over a stated reference rate. The interest rates on floating rate obligations typically reset quarterly, although rates on some obligations may adjust at other intervals. Unexpected changes in the interest rates on floating rate obligations could result in lower income to the Fund. In addition, the secondary market on which floating rate obligations are traded may be less liquid than the market for investment grade securities or other types of income-producing securities, which may have an adverse impact on their market price. There is also a potential that there is no active market to trade floating rate obligations, that there may be restrictions on their transfer, or that the issuer may default. As a result, the Fund may be unable to sell floating rate obligations at the desired time or may be able to sell only at a price less than fair market value. In addition, if movements in interest rates are incorrectly anticipated, the Fund could lose money, or its NAV could decline by the use of Inverse Floaters.

 

Foreign Exposure Risk. Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in foreign debt or directly in foreign markets, including emerging markets. Additional risks may be present with respect to investments in securities of issuers or companies that are economically tied to different countries throughout the world. An issuer is deemed to be economically tied to a country or countries if one or more of the following tests are met: (i) the issuer is organized in, or its primary business office or principal trading market of its equity is located in, the country; (ii) a majority of the issuer’s revenues are derived from one or more countries; or (iii) a majority of the issuer’s assets are located in one or more countries. Investments in foreign securities, including securities of foreign and emerging market governments, may involve greater risks than investing in domestic securities because the Fund’s performance may depend on factors other than the performance of a particular company. These factors include:

 

Currency Risk. As long as the Fund holds a foreign security, its value will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When the Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

Foreign Market Risk. Foreign securities markets, particularly those of emerging market countries, may be less liquid and more volatile than domestic markets. These securities markets may trade a small number of securities, may have a limited number of issuers and a high proportion of shares, or may be held by a relatively small number of persons or institutions. Local securities markets may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of substantial holdings difficult or impossible at times. It is also possible that certain markets may require payment for securities before delivery, and delays may be encountered in settling securities transactions. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. It may not be possible for the Fund to repatriate capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, securities of issuers located in or economically tied to countries with emerging markets may have limited marketability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements which could also have a negative effect on the Fund. Such factors may hinder the Fund’s ability to buy and sell emerging market securities in a timely manner, affecting the Fund’s investment strategies and potentially affecting the value of the Fund.

 

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Geographic Concentration Risk. To the extent that the Fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in a single country or region, the economic, political, social, regulatory, or other developments or conditions within such country or region will generally have a greater effect on the Fund than they would on a more geographically diversified fund, which may result in greater losses and volatility. Adverse developments in certain regions could also adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated and could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance.

 

Political and Economic Risk. Foreign investments may be subject to increased political and economic risks, including the imposition of economic and other sanctions. Sanctions imposed by the U.S. Government on other countries or persons or issuers operating in such countries could restrict the Fund’s ability to buy affected securities or force the Fund to dispose of any affected securities it has previously purchased at an inopportune time. As a result, the Fund may experience a greater risk of loss with respect to securities impacted by such sanctions.

 

Political and economic risks may be heightened in emerging markets, which may have relatively unstable governments, immature economic structures, national policies restricting investments by foreigners, social instability, and different and/or developing legal systems. In some countries, there is the risk that the government may take over the assets or operations of a company or that the government may impose withholding and other taxes or limits on the removal of the Fund’s assets from that country. In addition, the economies of emerging markets may be predominantly based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates.

 

Regulatory Risk. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets. As a result, foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices applicable to domestic issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers.

 

Transaction Costs Risk. Costs of buying, selling, and holding foreign securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, may be higher than those involved in domestic transactions.

 

Frontier Markets Risk. Frontier markets are those emerging markets considered to be among the smallest, least mature and the securities of the issuers of which are the least liquid. Investments in frontier markets generally are subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets or traditional emerging markets. This is due to, among other things, smaller economies, less developed capital markets, greater market volatility, lower trading volume, political and economic instability, greater risk of a market shutdown, capital controls, delays or limits on repatriation of local currency, insolvency of local governments, and more governmental limitations on foreign investments than typically found in more developed markets. Frontier markets are even more prone to economic shocks associated with political and economic risks than are emerging markets generally. Many frontier market countries may be dependent on commodities, foreign trade or foreign aid. As a result, those risks traditionally associated with investments in emerging markets may be more pronounced with respect to investments in frontier market economies.

 

High-Yield Bond Risk. High-yield bonds (or “junk” bonds) are bonds rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s or are unrated bonds of similar quality. The value of lower quality bonds generally is more dependent on credit risk than investment grade bonds. Issuers of high-yield bonds may not be as strong financially as those issuing bonds with higher credit ratings and are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the issuer. In addition, the junk bond market can experience sudden and sharp price swings.

 

The secondary market on which high-yield securities are traded is less liquid than the market for investment grade securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of the security. Additionally, it may be more difficult to value the securities because valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a larger role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available.

 

Large Shareholder Risk. Certain shareholders, including other funds advised by the Adviser, may from time to time own a substantial amount of the Fund’s shares. In addition, a third party investor, the Adviser, an affiliate of the Adviser, an authorized participant, or another entity may invest in the Fund. A large shareholder may hold its investment solely to facilitate commencement of the Fund or to facilitate the Fund achieving a desired amount of assets under management and any such investment may be held for a limited period of time. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder would not redeem its investment.

 

A redemption by a large shareholder could have a negative impact on the Fund, including on the Fund’s liquidity. In addition, transactions by a large shareholder may have a negative effect on the market price of the the Fund’s shares.

 

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Leverage Risk. Some transactions may give rise to a form of economic leverage. These transactions may include, among others, derivatives, and may expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet the applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, as amended, and the rules thereunder. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage.

 

Liquidity Risk. The Fund may invest in securities or instruments that do not trade actively or in large volumes, and may make investments that are less liquid than other investments. Also, the Fund may make investments that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. Investments that are illiquid or that trade in lower volumes may be more difficult to value. When there is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at the desired time or price, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell the security or instrument at all. Investments in foreign securities, particularly those of issuers located in emerging market countries, tend to have greater exposure to liquidity risk than domestic securities. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced). An inability to sell one or more portfolio positions can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Liquidity risk may be increased to the extent that the Fund invests in other securities exempt from certain registration requirements that are deemed to be illiquid investments.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease if the value of one or more issuers in the Fund’s portfolio decreases. Further, regardless of how well individual companies or securities perform, the value of the Fund’s portfolio could also decrease if there are deteriorating economic or market conditions, including, but not limited to, a general decline in prices on the stock markets, a general decline in real estate markets, a decline in commodities prices, or if the market favors different types of securities than the types of securities in which the Fund invests. If the value of the Fund’s portfolio decreases, the Fund’s NAV will also decrease, which means if you sell your shares in the Fund you may lose money. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole.

 

The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, financial institution failures, and economic recessions could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions and/or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the global economies and financial markets.

 

Armed Conflict Risk. Recent such examples include conflict, loss of life, and a disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent and duration of each conflict, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in each region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect, including significant negative impacts on the United States and broader global economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities.

 

Money Market Fund Investment Risk. The Fund may have cash balances that have not been invested in portfolio securities, which may be used to purchase shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds, or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds, as part of a cash sweep program. By investing in a money market fund, the Fund will be exposed to the investment risks of the money market fund in direct proportion to such investment. The money market fund may not achieve its investment objective and the Fund may lose money. To the extent the Fund transacts in instruments such as derivatives, the Fund may hold investments, which may be significant, in money market fund shares to cover its obligations resulting from the Fund’s investments in derivatives. An investment in a money market fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by any bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. There can be no assurance that a money market fund will maintain a $1.00 per share NAV at all times. Factors that could adversely affect the value of a money market fund’s shares include, among other things, a sharp rise in interest rates, an illiquid market for the securities held by the money market fund, a high volume of redemption activity in a fund’s shares, and a credit event or credit rating downgrade affecting one or more of the issuers of securities held by the money market fund. In addition, the failure of even an unrelated money market fund to maintain a stable NAV could create

 

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a widespread risk of increased redemption pressures on all money market funds, potentially jeopardizing the stability of their NAVs. Certain money market funds have in the past failed to maintain stable NAVs, and there can be no assurance that such failures and resulting redemption pressures will not impact money market funds in the future.

 

Rules adopted by the SEC require, among other things, certain money market funds to cause transactions in shares of these funds to be effected using a fund’s NAV per share calculated out to the fourth decimal point (e.g., $1.0000 instead of $1.00). “Government Money Market Funds” and “Retail Money Market Funds” as defined in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, as amended, are not subject to the floating NAV requirements, as described above. In addition, certain money market funds may impose a discretionary fee (up to 2%) upon sale of shares because of market conditions or other factors if a fund’s board or delegate believes such fee is in the best interest of the fund.

 

Recently adopted amendments to Rule 2a-7 also require certain money market funds, excluding Government Money Market Funds and Retail Money Market Funds, to impose mandatory liquidity fees when a fund experiences net redemptions that exceed 5% of its net assets, unless the fund’s liquidity costs are de minimis (i.e., less than 1 basis point).

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investments in money market funds are not adversely affected by reforms to money market regulation that may be adopted by the SEC or other regulatory authorities.

 

In addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund directly bears, the Fund indirectly bears the fees and expenses of any money market fund in which it invests.

 

Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of, or reduce the rate of prepayments on, both commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) and residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates (“extension risk”). As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, the price of mortgage-backed securities may fall, causing the Fund to exhibit additional volatility. Mortgage-backed securities are also subject to prepayment risk. When interest rates decline, borrowers may pay off their mortgages sooner than expected. This can reduce the Fund’s returns because the Fund will have to reinvest that money at lower prevailing interest rates. Investments in certain mortgage-backed securities, including those comprised of subprime mortgages, may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than various other types of fixed-income securities. Additionally, although mortgage-backed securities are generally supported by some form of government or private guarantee and/or insurance, there is no assurance that guarantors or insurers will meet their obligations.

 

CMBS are subject to certain other risks. The market for CMBS developed more recently than that for RMBS and is relatively small in terms of outstanding principal amount of issues compared to the RMBS market. CMBS are also subject to risks associated with a lack of standardized terms, shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans, and payment of all or substantially all of the principal at maturity, rather than regular amortization of principal. Moreover, the type and use of a particular commercial property may add to the risk of CMBS investments. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to have an adverse impact on mortgage-backed securities secured by loans on commercial properties than on those secured by residential properties.

 

Similarly, the value of the Fund’s investments in asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, factors concerning the interests in and structure of the issuer or originator of the receivables, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements, and/or the market’s assessment of the quality of the underlying assets. Generally, the originating bank or credit provider is neither the obligor nor the guarantor of the security, and interest and principal payments ultimately depend upon payment of the underlying loans by individuals. The Fund could incur a loss if the underlying loans are not paid. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment. The impact of prepayments on the value of asset-backed securities may be difficult to predict and may result in greater volatility. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of asset- backed securities, making them more volatile and sensitive to changing interest rates.

 

Newly Issued Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in newly issued securities, or “new issues,” such as initial debt offerings. New issues may have a magnified impact on the performance of the Fund during periods in which it has a small asset base. The impact of new issues on the Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce the Fund’s returns. New issues may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing, particularly as the Fund’s asset base grows. Certain new issues, such as initial debt offerings, may be volatile in price due to the absence of a prior trading market, limited quantities available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The Fund may hold new

 

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issues for a short period of time. This may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, new issues can experience an immediate drop in value after issuance if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.

 

Nondiversification Risk. The Fund is classified as nondiversified under the 1940 Act, and therefore may hold a greater percentage of their assets in a smaller number of securities. As a result, an increase or decrease in the value of a single security held by the Fund may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and total return. Being nondiversified may also make the Fund more susceptible to financial, economic, political, or other developments that may impact a security. Although the Fund may satisfy the requirements for a diversified fund, the Fund’s nondiversified classification gives the Fund’s portfolio management more flexibility to hold larger positions in securities than a fund that is classified as diversified.

 

Operational Risk. An investment in the Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in key personnel, technology and/or service providers, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, process fund orders, execute portfolio trades or perform other essential tasks in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. Implementation of business continuity plans by the Fund, the Adviser or third-party service providers in response to disruptive events such as cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may increase these operational risks to the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third-party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Perpetual Bond Risk. Perpetual bonds offer a fixed return with no maturity date. Because they never mature, perpetual bonds can be more volatile than other types of bonds that have a maturity date and may have heightened sensitivity to changes in interest rates. If market interest rates rise significantly, the interest rate paid by a perpetual bond may be much lower than the prevailing interest rate. Perpetual bonds are also subject to credit risk with respect to the issuer.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies and research process employed for the Fund may fail to achieve its investment objective or produce the intended results. Although the Fund seeks to provide long-term positive returns, market conditions or implementation of the Fund’s investment process may result in losses, and the Fund may not meet its investment objective. As such, there can be no assurance of positive “absolute” return. The Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities Risk. Investments in private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements could decrease the Fund’s liquidity profile or prevent the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities, and the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other securities exempt from certain registration requirements.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreement Risk. Reverse repurchase agreements are transactions in which the Fund sells a security and simultaneously commits to repurchase that security from the buyer, such as a bank or broker-dealer, at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon future date. The repurchase price consists of the sale price plus an incremental amount reflecting the interest cost to the Fund on the proceeds it has received from the initial sale. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the value of securities that the Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. Additionally, such transactions are only advantageous if the interest cost to the Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of obtaining the cash otherwise. Interest costs on the proceeds received in a reverse repurchase agreement may exceed the return received on the investments made by the Fund with those proceeds, resulting in reduced returns to shareholders. When the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it is subject to the risk that the buyer (counterparty) may default on its obligations to the Fund. In the event of such a default, the Fund may experience delays, costs, and losses, all of which may reduce returns to shareholders. Investing reverse repurchase proceeds may also have a leveraging effect on the Fund’s portfolio. The Fund’s use of leverage can magnify the effect of any gains or losses, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. There is no assurance that any leveraging strategy used by the Fund will be successful.

 

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Secondary Market Trading Risk. The net asset value of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. However, the Fund’s shares trade on a national securities exchange at prices above or below their most recent net asset value. The “market price” for a share of the Fund fluctuates continuously throughout the national securities exchange’s trading day and is based on supply and demand for the Fund’s shares. The market price of the Fund’s shares may not track the Fund’s net asset value, which is only calculated at the end of each business day.

 

A potential investor in the Fund will likely also incur the cost of the “spread” (the difference between the bid price and the ask price for a share of the Fund). The spread varies over time for a share of the Fund. This cost is generally smaller for a fund with significant daily trading volumes and larger for funds with smaller daily trading volumes.

 

Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market price of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in the Fund’s shares trading at a substantial discount to its net asset value. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the Fund’s securities holdings. Flash crashes may also cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in Fund shares, which may result in a further increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and their net asset value. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell Fund shares during a flash crash.

 

Sovereign and Quasi-Sovereign Debt Risk. The Fund may invest in non-U.S. government debt securities (“sovereign debt”) and debt securities of entities affiliated with or backed by non-U.S. sovereign governmental entities (“quasi-sovereign debt”). Investments in sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt, especially the debt of certain emerging market countries, can involve a high degree of risk, including the risk that the entity that controls the repayment of the debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or to pay the interest on its debt in a timely manner. A sovereign or quasi-sovereign debtor’s willingness or ability to satisfy its debt obligation may be affected by various factors, including its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign currency reserves, the availability of foreign exchange when a payment is due, the relative size of its debt position in relation to its economy as a whole, the debtor’s policy toward international lenders, and local political constraints to which the entity may be subject. Sovereign and quasi-sovereign debtors may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies, and other entities. The failure of a debtor to implement economic reforms, achieve specified levels of economic performance, or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of third party commitments to lend funds to the debtor, which may further impair such debtor’s ability or willingness to timely service its debts. The Fund may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to entities, which may adversely affect the Fund’s holdings. In the event of default, there may be limited or no legal remedies for collecting sovereign and quasi-sovereign debt and there may be no bankruptcy proceedings through which the Fund may collect all or part of the debt that an entity has not repaid. In addition, to the extent the Fund invests in non-U.S. sovereign debt, it may be subject to currency risk. Quasi-sovereign debt obligations are typically less liquid and less standardized than sovereign debt obligations. In the past, certain emerging market countries have encountered difficulties in servicing their debt obligations, withheld payments of principal and interest and declared moratoria on the payment of principal and interest on their sovereign debts. Several countries in which the Fund may invest have defaulted on their sovereign debt obligations in the past or encountered downgrades of their sovereign debt obligations, and those countries (or other countries) may default or risk further downgrades in the future.

 

Unconstrained Sector Risk. The Fund may invest a substantial portion of its assets within one or more economic sectors or industries, which may change from time to time. When the Fund focuses its investments in a particular industry or sector, financial, economic, business, and other developments affecting issuers in that industry, market, or economic sector will have a greater effect on the Fund than if it had not focused its assets in that industry, market, or economic sector, which may increase the volatility of the Fund.

 

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Management of the Fund

 

 

Investment adviser

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, is the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio and furnishes continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Fund’s investments. The Adviser also provides certain administration and other services and is responsible for other business affairs of the Fund. The Adviser utilizes a personnel-sharing arrangement with its foreign (non-U.S.) affiliate, Janus Henderson Investors Denmark, filial af Janus Henderson Investors Europe S.A. (“JHI Denmark”) pursuant to which certain Janus Henderson employees, acting for JHI Denmark may also serve as “associated persons” of the Adviser. In this capacity, such Janus Henderson employees, acting for JHI Denmark are subject to the oversight and supervision of the Adviser and may provide portfolio management, research, and related services to the Fund on behalf of the Adviser.

 

The Adviser (together with its predecessors and affiliates) has served as investment adviser to Janus Henderson mutual funds since 1970 and currently serves as investment adviser to all of the Janus Henderson funds, the Janus Henderson exchange-traded funds, acts as subadviser for a number of private-label mutual funds, and provides separate account advisory services for institutional accounts and other unregistered products.

 

The Trust and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and, as appropriate, reallocate the Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that a Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight by the Trustees, would have the responsibility to oversee such subadviser(s) to the Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for the Fund. In the event that the Adviser hires a subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for the Fund.

 

Management expenses

 

The Fund uses a unitary fee structure, under which the Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Fund, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services. The Adviser’s fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Fund’s expenses. However, the Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee which may vary and affect the total level of expenses paid by shareholders, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest and dividends (including those relating to short positions (if any)), taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

The Fund’s Management Fee is calculated daily and paid monthly. The Fund’s advisory agreement details the Management Fee and other expenses that the Fund must pay.

 

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The following table reflects the Fund’s contractual Management Fee rate (expressed as an annual rate), as well as the actual compensation rate paid to the Adviser after any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. The rates shown are fixed rates based on the Fund’s daily net assets.

 

Fund Name

Daily
Net Assets
of the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Actual Compensation
Rate Paid to Adviser
(%) (for the fiscal
year ended
October 31, 2024)

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.52

0.52

 

Over $500 Million

0.48

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Trustees’ approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement is included in the Fund’s annual financial statements (for the period ending October 31, 2024) located in Form N-CSR. You can request the Fund’s annual or semiannual financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This information will also be made available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Expense Limitation

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of Fund assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

Portfolio management

 

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

 

Co-Portfolio Managers Thomas Haugaard, Bent Lystbaek, Jacob Ellinge Nielsen, and Sorin Pirau jointly are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, with no limitation on the authority of one co-portfolio manager in relation to the other.

 

Thomas Haugaard is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in August 2024. Mr. Nielsen is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. He joined the Adviser in 2022 as a portfolio manager. Prior to joining the Adviser, Mr. Haugaard was a senior portfolio manager at Danske Bank Asset Management (“DBAM”) from 2013 to 2022. He holds a BSc and MSc degree in economics from the University of Aarhus.

 

Bent Lystbaek is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in August 2024. Mr. Lystbaek is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. He joined the Adviser in 2022 as a portfolio manager. Prior to joining the Adviser, Mr. Lystbaek was a co-lead portfolio manager at DBAM, from 1998 to 2022. He holds an MSc degree in economics from the University of Copenhagen.

 

Jacob Ellinge Nielsen is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in August 2024. Mr. Nielsen is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. He joined the Adviser in 2022 as a portfolio manager. Prior to joining the Adviser, he was a co-lead portfolio manager at DBAM from 2013 to 2022. He holds a MSc degree in economics from the University of Copenhagen.

 

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Sorin Pirau, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in August 2024. Mr. Pirau is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. He joined the Adviser in 2022 as a portfolio manager. Prior to joining the Adviser, he was with DBAM from 2012 to 2022. Mr. Pirau holds a BSc degree in economic informatics from the Bucharest University of Economic Studies and an MSc in economics from the University of Copenhagen. He holds a Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Information about portfolio management’s compensation structure and other accounts managed, as well as the aggregate range of their individual ownership in the Fund, is included in the SAI.

 

Conflicts of Interest

The Adviser manages other funds and numerous other accounts, which may include separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds. Side-by-side management of multiple accounts, including the management of a cash collateral pool for securities lending and investing the Janus Henderson funds’ cash, may give rise to conflicts of interest among those accounts, and may create potential risks, such as the risk that investment activity in one account may adversely affect another account. For example, short sale activity in an account could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more other accounts (and vice versa). Side-by-side management may raise additional potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.

 

In addition, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of the Fund for their own accounts, or may purchase shares of the Fund for the benefit of their clients, including other Janus Henderson funds. Increasing the Fund’s assets may enhance the Fund’s profile with financial intermediaries and platforms, investment flexibility and trading volume. The Adviser and its affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to dispose of at any time some or all of the shares of the Fund acquired for their own accounts or for the benefit of their clients. A large sale of Fund shares by the Adviser or its affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility or trading volume. The Adviser considers the effect of redemptions on the Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to dispose of its shares of the Fund.

 

The Adviser believes it has appropriately designed and implemented policies and procedures to mitigate these and other potential conflicts of interest. A further discussion of potential conflicts of interest and policies and procedures intended to mitigate them is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

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Other Information

 

 

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUND

 

Creation Units for the Fund are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org, or 1-800-289-9999.

 

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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

To avoid taxation of the Fund, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), requires the Fund to distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income and any net capital gains realized on its investments at least annually.

 

Distribution Schedule

Dividends from net investment income are generally declared and distributed to shareholders monthly. Distributions of net capital gains are declared and distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. The date you receive your distribution may vary depending on how your intermediary processes trades. Dividend payments are made through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from the Fund. Please consult your financial intermediary for details.

 

How Distributions Affect the Fund’s NAV

Distributions are paid to shareholders as of the record date of a distribution of the Fund, regardless of how long the shares have been held. Undistributed income and net capital gains are included in the Fund’s daily NAV. The Fund’s NAV drops by the amount of the distribution, net of any subsequent market fluctuations. For example, assume that on December 31, the Fund declared a dividend in the amount of $0.25 per share. If the Fund’s NAV was $10.00 on December 30, the Fund’s NAV on December 31 would be $9.75, barring market fluctuations. You should be aware that distributions from a taxable fund do not increase the value of your investment and may create income tax obligations.

 

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

TAXES

 

As with any investment, you should consider the tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The discussion does not apply to qualified tax-advantaged accounts or other non-taxable entities, nor is it a complete analysis of the federal income tax implications of investing in the Fund. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect that an investment in the Fund may have on your particular tax situation, including the federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of your investment.

 

Taxes on Distributions

Distributions by the Fund are subject to federal income tax, regardless of whether the distribution is made in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, and realized net short-term capital gains), other than qualified dividend income, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of qualified dividend income are taxed to individuals and other noncorporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received from real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), certain foreign corporations, and income received “in lieu of” dividends in a securities lending transaction generally will not constitute qualified dividend income. Because the income of the Fund is primarily derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid by the Fund is anticipated to be qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxable as long- term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares. Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income includes dividends paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares. The Fund’s net investment income and capital gains are distributed to (and may be taxable to) those persons who are

 

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shareholders of the Fund at the record date of such payments. Although the Fund’s total net income and net realized gain are the results of its operations, the per share amount distributed or taxable to shareholders is affected by the number of Fund shares outstanding at the record date. Distributions declared to shareholders of record in October, November, or December and paid on or before January 31 of the succeeding year will be treated for federal income tax purposes as if received by shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared. Generally, account tax information will be made available to shareholders on or before February 15 of each year. Information regarding distributions may also be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). A portion of the Fund’s distribution received from REITs may be classified as a return of capital for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Fund is more likely to make distributions that are treated as returns of capital, and possibly in greater amounts, than a fund that does not invest in REITs.

 

Taxes on Sales

Any time you sell the shares of the Fund in a taxable account, it is considered a taxable event. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price, you may have a gain or loss on the transaction. The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares for more than one year and if not held for such period, as a short-term capital gain or loss. Any tax liabilities generated by your transactions are your responsibility.

 

U.S. federal income tax withholding may be required on all distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number, fail to make certain required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is applied.

 

For shares purchased and sold from a taxable account, your financial intermediary will report cost basis information to you and to the IRS. Your financial intermediary will permit shareholders to elect their preferred cost basis method. In the absence of an election, your cost basis method will be your financial intermediary’s default method, which is often the average cost method. Please consult your tax adviser to determine the appropriate cost basis method for your particular tax situation and to learn more about how the cost basis reporting laws apply to you and your investments.

 

Taxation of the Fund

Dividends, interest, and some capital gains received by the Fund on foreign securities may be subject to foreign tax withholding or other foreign taxes.

 

Certain fund transactions may involve futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, and may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, can potentially affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders, and utilization of capital loss carryforwards. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and use certain investment strategies where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these tax provisions, if possible.

 

The Fund does not expect to pay any federal income or excise taxes because it intends to meet certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, including the distribution each year of substantially all its net investment income and net capital gains. It is important for the Fund to meet these requirements so that any earnings on your investment will not be subject to federal income tax twice. If the Fund invests in a partnership, however, it may be subject to state tax liabilities.

 

If the Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

 

For additional information, see the “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status” section of the SAI.

 

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Shareholder’s Guide

 

 

The Fund issues or redeems its shares at NAV per share only in Creation Units. Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and trade on the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and offered price in the secondary market on each purchase and sale transaction. Fund shares are traded on the Exchange under the trading symbol JEMB. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.

 

APs may acquire Fund shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their Fund shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share, only in Creation Units and in accordance with the procedures described in the Fund’s SAI.

 

Pricing of fund shares

 

The per share NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the close of the trading session of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time) each day that the NYSE is open (“Business Day”). However, the NAV may still be calculated if trading on the NYSE is restricted, provided there is sufficient pricing information available for the Fund to value its securities, or as permitted by the SEC. Foreign securities held by the Fund, as applicable, may be traded on days and at times when the NYSE is closed and the NAV is therefore not calculated. Accordingly, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days that are not Business Days in the United States and on which you will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.

 

Securities held by the Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (“Valuation Procedures”). To the extent available, equity securities (including shares of ETFs) are generally valued at readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. Most fixed-income securities are typically valued using an evaluated bid price supplied by an Adviser-approved pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term instruments maturing within 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. If a market quotation or evaluated price for a security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable, or if an event that is expected to affect the value of the security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, a fair value of the security will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Such events include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a non-significant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a non-valued security and a restricted or non-public security. This type of fair valuation may be more commonly used with foreign equity securities, but it may also be used with, among other things, thinly-traded domestic securities or fixed-income securities. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position. For valuation purposes, if applicable, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities, and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are generally translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates. The methodologies employed when fair valuing securities may change from time to time. Because fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, it is possible that the fair value determination for a security may be different than the value that could be realized when selling that security.

 

The value of the securities of mutual funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such mutual funds, and the prospectuses for such mutual funds explain the circumstances under which they use fair valuation and the effects of using fair valuation. The value of the securities of any cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such funds.

 

All purchases, sales, or other account activity must be processed through your financial intermediary or plan sponsor.

 

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Distribution and servicing fees

 

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Servicing Plan for shares of the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”). The Plan permits compensation in connection with the distribution and marketing of Fund shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services. The Plan permits the Fund to pay the Distributor, or its designee, a fee for the sale and distribution and/or shareholder servicing of the shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the shares of the Fund (“12b-1 fee”). However, payment of a 12b-1 fee has not been authorized at this time.

 

Under the terms of the Plan, the Trust is authorized to make payments to the Distributor or its designee for remittance to retirement plan service providers, broker-dealers, bank trust departments, financial advisors, and other financial intermediaries, as compensation for distribution and/or shareholder services performed by such entities for their customers who are investors in the Fund.

 

The 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized and payments are made, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

Payments to financial intermediaries by the Adviser or its affiliates

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. The amount of compensation paid by the Adviser varies from intermediary to intermediary. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds not offered in this Prospectus, the Adviser or its affiliates pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for certain of these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the

 

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Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform- specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-mutual fund investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

Purchasing and selling shares

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. However, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market will develop or be maintained, or that the Fund shares listing will continue or remain unchanged. The Fund does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. Buying or selling the Fund’s shares involves certain costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, you may incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your financial intermediary. Due to these brokerage costs, if any, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment returns. In addition, you may also incur the cost of the spread (the difference between the bid price and the ask price). The commission may be a significant cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares.

 

Shares of the Fund may be acquired through the Distributor or redeemed directly with the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of the Fund’s SAI. Once created, shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

A Business Day with respect to the Fund is each day the Exchange is open. Orders from APs to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day. On days when the Exchange or the bond market closes earlier than normal (or on days the bond market is closed but the Exchange is open), the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, to minimize brokerage and other related trading costs associated with securities that cannot be readily transferred in-kind, the Fund may establish early trade cut-off times for APs to submit orders for Creation Units, in accordance with the 1940 Act. See the Fund’s SAI for more information.

 

In compliance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), your financial intermediary is required to verify certain information on your account application as part of its Anti-Money Laundering Program. You will be required to provide your full name,

 

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date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address to assist in verifying your identity. You may also be asked to provide additional documents that may help to establish your identity. Until verification of your identity is made, your financial intermediary may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, your financial intermediary may close an account if it is unable to verify your identity. Please contact your financial intermediary if you need additional assistance when completing your application or additional information about your financial intermediary’s Anti-Money Laundering Program.

 

In an effort to ensure compliance with this law, the Adviser’s Anti-Money Laundering Program (the “Program”) provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirements and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an unsold allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

Book Entry

Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The DTC or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.

 

Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Fund. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other exchange- traded securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.

 

Premiums and Discounts

There may be differences between the daily market prices on secondary markets for shares of the Fund and the Fund’s NAV. NAV is the price per share at which the Fund issues and redeems shares. See “Pricing of Fund Shares” above. The price used to calculate market returns (“Market Price”) of the Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the national securities exchange on which shares of the Fund are primarily listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. The Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its NAV. The NAV of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of the Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its NAV, as well as market supply and demand for shares of the Fund.

 

35 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Premiums or discounts are the differences (expressed as a percentage) between the NAV and the Market Price of the Fund on a given day, generally at the time the NAV is calculated. A premium is the amount that the Fund is trading above the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount is the amount that the Fund is trading below the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount or premium could be significant. Information regarding the Fund’s premium/discount to NAV for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that calendar year end (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) will be available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Investments by Other Investment Companies

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for purposes of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Under the 1940 Act, purchases or acquisitions by the Fund of shares issued by registered investment companies (including other ETFs) and business development companies (“BDCs”) and the purchase or acquisition of Fund shares by registered investment companies, BDCs, and investment vehicles relying on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except where an exemption is available, including as provided in Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and (G) and Rule 12d1-4 thereunder. Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies and BDCs to invest in Fund shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company or BDC first enter into a written agreement with the Trust regarding the terms of the investment, among other conditions.

 

Excessive trading

 

Unlike traditional mutual funds, the frequent trading of Fund shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains by the Fund, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders. The vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market. Because these trades do not involve the Fund, they do not harm the Fund or its shareholders. APs are authorized to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with the Fund in Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions that are effected using securities (i.e., in-kind) do not cause any of the harmful effects to the issuing fund (as previously noted). However, Creation Unit transactions effected using cash can potentially subject the Fund and its shareholders to those harmful effects. As a result, the Fund requires APs to pay transaction fees to cover brokerage and certain related costs when purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. Those fees are designed to protect the Fund and its shareholders from the dilutive costs associated with frequent creation and redemption activity. For these reasons, the Trustees of the Fund have determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market timing of Fund shares. However, the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding frequent purchases and redemptions may be modified by the Trustees at any time.

 

Fund website & availability of portfolio holdings information

 

Each Business Day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided by its custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. In addition, on each Business Day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV. A complete schedule of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is also available semiannually and annually in Form N-CSR and, after the first and third fiscal quarters, in Form N-PORT. Information reported in Form N-CSR and in Form N-PORT will be made publicly available within 70 and 60 days, respectively, after the end of each fiscal quarter. The Fund’s Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

For additional information on these disclosures and the availability of portfolio holdings information, please refer to the Fund’s SAI.

 

36 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Shareholder communications

 

Statements and Reports

Your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for sending you periodic statements of all transactions, along with trade confirmations and tax reporting, as required by applicable law. In addition, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is also responsible for providing annual and semiannual reports. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor to obtain these reports.

 

You may also obtain copies of the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, SAI and other information, such as the Fund’s financial statements (when available), free upon request by calling Janus Henderson at 1-800-668-0434 or you can access and download these documents at the Fund’s website: janushenderson.com/info.

 

The Fund’s fiscal year ends October 31st.

 

Lost (Unclaimed/Abandoned) Accounts

It is important to maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned as undeliverable. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is required to attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is unable to locate the shareholder, then the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is legally obligated to deem the property “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently escheat (or transfer) unclaimed property (including shares of a fund) to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. Further, your account may be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently transferred to your state of residence if no activity (as defined by that state) occurs within your account during the time frame specified in your state’s unclaimed property laws. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Interest or income is not earned on redemption or distribution check(s) sent to you during the time the check(s) remained uncashed.

 

37 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for each fiscal period shown. Items “Net asset value, beginning of period” through “Net asset value, end of period” reflect financial results for a single Fund share. The information for the fiscal period shown has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s Form N-CSR and incorporated by reference into the SAI.

 

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).

 

 

 

 

 

For a share outstanding during period ended October 31

 

2024(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 50.00  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

       

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    0.73  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    0.45 (3) 

Total from Investment Operations

    1.18 (3) 

Less Dividends and Distributions:

       

Dividends (from net investment income)

    (0.30 )

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.30 )

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 50.88  

Total Return*

    2.36 %(4)

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 223,892  

Ratios to Average Net Assets**

       

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.52 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    6.59 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate(5)

    11 %

 

*

Total return not annualized for periods of less than one full year.

**

Annualized for periods of less than one full year.

(1)

Period from August 13, 2024 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2024.

(2)

Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(3)

The amount shown does not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses in the Fund’s securities for the year or period due to the timing of sales and repurchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s securities.

(4)

The return includes adjustments in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles required at period end date.

(5)

Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

 

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You can make inquiries and request other information, including a Statement of Additional Information, annual report, semiannual report, or Fund financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, most recent annual and semiannual reports, and Fund financial statements (as they become available) are also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info. Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports and in Form N-CSR. In the Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal period. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund’s annual and semiannual financial statements. Other information is also available from financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund.

 

The Statement of Additional Information provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 

janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act File No. is 811-23112.

 

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

JMID

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Prospectus

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

This Prospectus describes Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF (the “Fund”), a portfolio of Janus Detroit Street Trust (the “Trust”). Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and the owners of Fund shares may purchase or redeem shares from the Fund in Creation Units only, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Prospectus. The purchase and sale price of individual Fund shares trading on an exchange may be below, at or above the most recently calculated net asset value for Fund shares (sometimes referred to as the “NAV”).

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Fund Summary

 

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

2

Additional Information about the Fund

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

6

Risks of the Fund

8

Management of the Fund

 

Investment adviser

12

Management expenses

12

Portfolio management

13

Other Information

15

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

16

Shareholder’s Guide

 

Pricing of fund shares

18

Distribution and servicing fees

19

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

19

Purchasing and selling shares

20

Excessive trading

22

Shareholder communications

22

Financial Highlights

24

 

1 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

 

JMID Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF Shares

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Ticker: JMID

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF seeks to provide long-term growth of capital.

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.30%

Other Expenses(1)

0.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.30%

 

(1)

Other Expenses are based on the estimated expenses that the Fund expects to incur during the current fiscal year.

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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

 

 

  $ 31     $ 97  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the period of commencement of operations on September 17, 2024 through October 31, 2024, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was approximately 0% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund will, under normal circumstances, invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of mid-capitalization (“mid cap”) companies selected for their growth potential. For purposes of the 80% policy, the Fund considers mid cap companies to be those whose market capitalization falls within the range of the Russell Midcap® Growth Index. The market capitalizations within the index will vary, but as of October 31, 2024, the market capitalization range of the Russell Midcap® Growth Index was between $546 million and $83.47 billion. The Fund is actively managed and may engage in active and frequent trading of its portfolio securities.

 

The Fund uses an active, systematic strategy designed to select mid-sized capitalization growth stocks using a proprietary quantitative methodology. The Fund seeks to generate alpha and maximize expected excess returns by utilizing a set of proprietary factors or signals based on fundamental research. Alpha is a measure of how much the Fund outperforms relative to its performance benchmark index. The Fund utilizes portfolio optimization techniques to manage risk by maintaining characteristics that are similar to those of the performance benchmark index and to evaluate security combinations and weightings in an effort to construct the portfolio given the Fund’s performance benchmark index and target risk objective.

 

2 | Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

The Fund may concentrate its portfolio investments in any one industry or group of industries under certain circumstances. Generally, the Fund will not invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in the securities of companies conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of the Fund’s benchmark index at the time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its total assets in that industry. The Fund’s benchmark index is the Russell Midcap® Growth Index.

 

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns and yields will vary, and you could lose money. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Equity Securities Risk. The values of the equity securities owned by the Fund may be more volatile and underperform other asset classes and the general securities markets.

 

Mid-Sized Companies Risk. Investments in securities issued by mid-sized companies may involve greater risks than are customarily associated with larger, more established companies. Securities issued by mid-sized companies tend to be more volatile than securities issued by larger or more established companies and may underperform as compared to the securities of larger or more established companies. These holdings are also subject to wider price fluctuations and tend to be less liquid than stocks of larger or more established companies, which could have a significant adverse effect on the Fund’s returns, especially as market conditions change.

 

Growth Securities Risk. Securities of companies perceived to be “growth” companies may be more volatile than other stocks and may involve special risks. If portfolio management’s perception of a company’s growth potential is not realized, the securities purchased may not perform as expected, reducing the Fund’s returns. In addition, because different types of stocks tend to shift in and out of favor depending on market and economic conditions, “growth” stocks may perform differently from other types of securities and the market as a whole.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic, and other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Accordingly, the Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Industry and Sector Risk. The Fund will not invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in the securities of companies within the same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of the Fund’s benchmark at the time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in that industry. The Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting similar business or businesses within the same economic sector. Companies in the same industry or economic sector may be similarly affected by negative economic or market events, making the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments than funds that invest more broadly. As the Fund’s portfolio becomes more concentrated, the Fund is less able to spread risk and potentially reduce the risk of loss and volatility.

 

Technology Sector Risk. In the technology sector, competitive pressures may have a significant effect on the performance of companies in which the Fund may invest. In addition, technology and technology-related companies often progress at an accelerated rate, and these companies may be subject to short product cycles and aggressive pricing, which may increase their volatility.

 

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Portfolio Turnover Risk. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs which may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In addition, higher portfolio turnover may result in the acceleration of capital gains and the recognition of greater levels of short-term capital gains, which are taxed at ordinary federal income tax rates when distributed to shareholders.

 

New/Smaller Sized Fund Risk. Because the Fund is relatively new, it has a limited operating history and a small asset base. The Fund’s performance may not represent how the Fund is expected to or may perform in the long term if and when it becomes larger. If the Fund were to fail to attract sufficient assets to achieve or maintain economies of scale, performance may be negatively impacted, and any resulting liquidation could create negative transaction costs for the fund and tax consequences for investors.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its net asset value.

 

Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of Net Asset Value and Market Price Risk. The net asset value of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s net asset value and supply and demand for shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s net asset value. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to net asset value. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants (“APs”) and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s net asset value. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s net asset value. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ net asset value is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ net asset value when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s net asset value may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to

 

4 | Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s net asset value and to face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The Fund does not have a full calendar year of operations. When provided, the information is designed to offer some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s average annual returns compare with a broad measure of market performance. Past performance does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Performance information for certain periods is included in the Fund’s annual and/or semiannual report and is available at janushenderson.com/info or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Benjamin Wang, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2024. Zoey Zhu, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which she has co-managed since inception in September 2024.

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund is an actively-managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”). Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at net asset value in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount and/or all cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s net asset value. As a result, you may pay more than net asset value (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than net asset value (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

5 | Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

Additional Information about the Fund

 

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

 

The Fund is an actively managed ETF and, thus, does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. Accordingly, portfolio management has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective.

 

The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in cash or other short-term instruments, such as money market instruments or money market funds, while deploying new capital, for liquidity management purposes, managing redemptions, or for defensive purposes, including navigating unusual market conditions.

 

The Fund’s Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) may change the Fund’s investment objective or non-fundamental principal investment strategies without a shareholder vote. The Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days or as soon as reasonably practicable before making any such change it considers material. If there is a material change to the Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

On each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the net asset value per share. A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Information about the premiums and discounts at which the Fund’s shares have traded is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Unless otherwise stated, the following additional investment strategies and general policies apply to the Fund and provide further information including, but not limited to, the types of securities the Fund may invest in when implementing its investment objective. Some of these strategies and policies may be part of a principal strategy. Other strategies and policies may be utilized to a lesser extent as a complement to the Fund’s principal strategy. Except for the Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this Prospectus and/or the SAI normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if the Fund exceeds a limit, other than illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). For temporary liquidity and cash management purposes, the Fund may invest in other ETFs that provide exposure to related securities.

 

Security Selection

The Fund uses an active, systematic strategy designed to select mid-sized capitalization growth stocks using a proprietary quantitative methodology. The Fund will generally consider selling stocks when, in the portfolio management’s opinion, the Fund’s portfolio drifts away from the efficient frontier. Efficient frontier analysis is a portfolio management approach where the Fund’s portfolio is weighted in an attempt to achieve the lowest possible level of risk for its level of return. The Fund will also consider selling a stock if a company’s market capitalization exceeds the top of the mid-size capitalization range. Decisions with respect to the timing of such dispositions shall be made by the Fund’s portfolio management taking into account the best interests of Fund shareholders.

 

Cash Position

The Fund may not always stay fully invested. When portfolio management believes that market conditions are unfavorable for investing, or when portfolio management is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund’s cash or similar investments may increase. When the Fund’s investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested. To the extent the Fund invests its uninvested cash through a sweep program (meaning its uninvested cash is pooled with uninvested cash of other funds and invested in certain securities such as repurchase agreements), it is subject to the risks of the account or fund into which it is investing, including liquidity issues that may delay the Fund from accessing its cash.

 

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In addition, the Fund may temporarily increase its cash position under certain unusual circumstances, such as to protect its assets or maintain liquidity in certain circumstances to meet unusually large redemptions. The Fund’s cash position may also increase temporarily due to unusually large cash inflows. Under unusual circumstances such as these, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or similar investments. In this case, the Fund may take positions that are inconsistent with its investment policies. As a result, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of the Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the net asset value of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Foreign Securities

Foreign securities are generally selected on a security-by-security basis without regard to any predetermined allocation among countries or geographic regions. However, certain factors, such as expected levels of inflation, government policies influencing business conditions, the outlook for currency relationships, and prospects for economic growth among countries, regions, or geographic areas, may warrant greater consideration in selecting foreign securities.

 

Illiquid Investments

The Fund will not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund 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 investment.

 

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio turnover rates are generally not a factor in making buy and sell decisions. Changes may be made to the Fund’s portfolio, consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, when portfolio management believes such changes are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. Short-term transactions may result from the purchase of a security in anticipation of relatively short-term gains, liquidity needs, securities having reached a price or yield objective, changes in interest rates or the credit standing of an issuer, or by reason of economic or other developments not foreseen at the time of the initial investment decision. The Fund may also sell one security and simultaneously purchase the same or a comparable security to take advantage of short-term differentials in bond yields or securities prices. Portfolio turnover is affected by market conditions, changes in the size of the Fund (including due to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units), the nature of the Fund’s investments, and the investment style of portfolio management.

 

Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover also may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. The “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus shows the Fund’s historical turnover rates.

 

REITs and Real Estate-Related Securities

The Fund may invest in equity securities of real estate-related companies. These securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, and other equity securities, including, but not limited to, mortgage-backed securities, real estate-backed securities, securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and similar REIT-like entities (such as real estate operation companies (“REOCs”)). A REIT is an entity that invests in real estate-related projects, such as properties, mortgage loans, and construction loans. REITs are often categorized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. An equity REIT, the most common type of REIT, invests primarily in the fee ownership of land and buildings. An equity REIT derives its income primarily from rental income but may also realize capital gains or losses by selling real estate properties in its portfolio that have appreciated or depreciated in value. A mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development, or long- term loans. A mortgage REIT generally derives its income from interest payments on the credit it has extended. A hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of equity REITs and mortgage REITs, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate.

 

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Similar to REITs, REOCs are publicly-traded real estate companies that typically engage in the development, management or financing of real estate, such as homebuilders, hotel management companies, land developers and brokers. REOCs, however, have not elected (or are not eligible) to be taxed as a REIT. The reasons for not making such an election include the (i) availability of tax-loss carryforwards, (ii) operation in non-REIT-qualifying lines of business, and (iii) ability to retain earnings. Instead, REOCs are generally structured as “C” corporations under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and, as a result, are not required to distribute any portion of their income. In this regard, although REOCs do not receive the same favorable tax treatment that is accorded to REITs, REOCs are typically subject to fewer restrictions than REITs, including the ability to retain and/or reinvest funds from operations and more flexibility in terms of the real estate investments they can make.

 

Securities Lending

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination. When the Fund lends its securities, it receives collateral (including cash collateral), at least equal to the value of securities loaned. The Fund may earn income by investing this collateral in one or more affiliated or non-affiliated cash management vehicles or in time deposits. It is also possible that, due to a decline in the value of a cash management vehicle in which collateral is invested, the Fund may lose money. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. The investing of the cash collateral is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns. The Adviser intends to manage a portion of the cash collateral in an affiliated cash management vehicle and will receive an investment advisory fee for managing such assets.

 

Other Types of Investments

Unless otherwise stated within its specific investment policies, the Fund may also invest in other types of U.S. dollar denominated securities and use other investment strategies. These securities and strategies are not intended to be principal investment strategies of the Fund. If successful, they may benefit the Fund by earning a return on the Fund’s assets or reducing risk; however, they may not achieve the Fund’s investment objective.

 

Risks of the Fund

 

The value of your investment will vary over time, sometimes significantly, and you may lose money by investing in the Fund. The following information is intended to help you better understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund, including those risks that are summarized in the Fund Summary section. This information also includes descriptions of other risks the Fund may be subject to as a result of additional investment strategies and general policies that may apply to the Fund. The impact of the following risks on the Fund may vary depending on the Fund’s investments. The greater the Fund’s investment in a particular security, the greater the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with that security. Before investing in the Fund, you should consider carefully the risks that you assume when investing in the Fund.

 

Affiliated Underlying Fund Risk. The Adviser may invest in certain affiliated ETFs as investments for the Fund. The Adviser will generally receive fees for managing such funds, in addition to the fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund. The payment of such fees by affiliated funds creates a conflict of interest when selecting affiliated funds for investment in the Fund. The Adviser, however, is a fiduciary to the Fund and its shareholders and is legally obligated to act in its best interest when selecting affiliated funds. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated ETFs with respect to the Fund’s investment in such ETF, less certain operating expenses.

 

Concentration Risk. The Fund will not invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in the securities of companies within the same industry, except that, to the extent that an industry represents 20% or more of the Fund’s performance benchmark at the time of investment, the Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in that industry. To the extent the Fund invests a substantial portion of its assets in an industry or group of industries, market or economic factors impacting that industry or group of industries could have significant effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. Companies in the same or similar industries may share common characteristics and are more likely to react similarly to industry-specific market or economic developments. Additionally, the Fund’s performance may be more volatile when its investments are less diversified across industries.

 

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Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies, which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. ETFs are traded on a national securities exchange at market prices that may vary from the net asset value of their underlying investments. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium or discount to its net asset value. When the Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. ETFs also involve the risk that an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained. Similarly, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to purchase or sell an ETF at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities.

 

The ETFs in which the Fund may invest are subject to specific risks, depending on the investment strategy of the ETF. In turn, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with direct exposure to the securities or commodities held by the ETF, if any.

 

Equity Securities Risk. The values of equity securities may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. They may also decline due to factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. Equity securities generally have greater price volatility than fixed-income securities. These risks are generally magnified in the case of equity investments in distressed companies.

 

Foreign Exposure Risk. The Fund may have exposure to foreign markets as a result of its investments in foreign securities, including investments in emerging markets, which can be more volatile than the U.S. markets. As a result, its returns and net asset value may be affected to a large degree by political or economic conditions in a particular country. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. It may not be possible for the Fund to repatriate capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, a market swing in one or more countries or regions where the Fund has invested a significant amount of its assets may have a greater effect on the Fund’s performance than it would in a more geographically diversified portfolio. The Fund’s investments in emerging market countries, if any, may involve risks greater than, or in addition to, the risks of investing in more developed countries.

 

Growth Securities Risk. Growth securities are those issued by companies whose earnings growth potential appears to be greater than the market in general and whose revenue growth is expected to continue for an extended period of time. Growth securities may trade at higher multiples of current earnings compared to value or other stocks, leading to inflated prices and thus potentially greater declines in market value. The prices of growth securities may be more volatile than those of other types of investments and can decline rapidly and significantly in reaction to negative news. Growth securities may underperform value securities and other types of assets as well as the overall stock market. Under certain market conditions, growth securities have performed better during the later stages of economic recovery, although there is no assurance that they will continue to do so. Growth securities typically do not pay a dividend, which can help cushion stock prices in market downturns and reduce potential losses. Growth securities may go in and out of favor over time, which could affect the performance of the Fund.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease if the value of one or more issuers in the Fund’s portfolio decreases. Further, regardless of how well individual companies or securities perform, the value of the Fund’s portfolio could also decrease if there are deteriorating economic or market conditions, including, but not limited to, a general decline in prices on the stock markets, a general decline in real estate markets, a decline in commodities prices, or if the market favors different types of securities than the types of securities in which the Fund invests. If the value of the Fund’s portfolio decreases, the Fund’s net asset value will also decrease, which means if you sell your shares in the Fund you may lose money. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole.

 

The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics

 

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and pandemics), terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, financial institution failures, and economic recessions could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions and/or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the global economies and financial markets.

 

 

Armed Conflict Risk. Recent such examples include conflict, loss of life, and a disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent and duration of each conflict, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in each region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect, including significant negative impacts on the United States and broader global economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities.

 

Mid-Sized Companies Risk. The Fund’s investments in securities issued by mid-sized companies, which can include smaller, start-up companies offering emerging products or services, may involve greater risks than are customarily associated with larger, more established companies. For example, they may suffer more significant losses as a result of their narrow product lines, limited operating history, greater exposure to competitive threats, limited financial resources, limited trading markets, and the potential lack of management depth. Securities issued by mid-sized companies tend to be more volatile and somewhat more speculative than securities issued by larger or more established companies and may underperform as compared to the securities of larger or more established companies. These holdings are also subject to wider price fluctuations and tend to be less liquid than stocks of larger or more established companies, which could have a significant adverse effect on the Fund’s returns, especially as market conditions change.

 

Returns from mid-sized capitalization stocks may trail returns from the overall stock market. Mid-cap stocks may go through cycles of doing better or worse than other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These cycles may continue for extended periods of time.

 

Operational Risk. An investment in the Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in key personnel, technology and/or service providers, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value, process fund orders, execute portfolio trades or perform other essential tasks in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. Implementation of business continuity plans by the Fund, the Adviser or third-party service providers in response to disruptive events such as cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may increase these operational risks to the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third-party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies and research process employed for the Fund may fail to achieve its investment objective or produce the intended results. Although the Fund seeks to provide long-term positive returns, market conditions or implementation of the Fund’s investment process may result in losses, and the Fund may not meet its investment objective. As such, there can be no assurance of positive “absolute” return. The Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Portfolio management uses certain proprietary models to implement the Fund’s investment strategy. These models may not be successful in identifying how the Fund’s security exposures should be adjusted in an effort to reduce the risk of loss while participating in the upside growth of capital markets. As a result, there is a risk that the Fund may underperform its performance benchmark if these models do not correctly identify indicators of risk and reward. Further, while the use of these models and subsequent portfolio reallocations are intended to benefit investors that invest in the Fund, these techniques could in certain cases have a detrimental effect on the Fund, including increasing portfolio turnover (and related transactions costs).

 

Portfolio Turnover Risk. Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover also may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance.

 

REIT and Real Estate-Related Securities Risk. To the extent that the Fund holds REITs and REIT-like entities, it may be subject to the additional risks associated with REITs and REIT-like investments. REITs and REIT-like entities are subject to heavy cash flow dependency to allow them to make distributions to their shareholders. The prices of equity REITs are

 

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affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, changes in capital markets and interest rates, management skill in running a REIT, and the creditworthiness of the REIT. The prices of mortgage REITs are affected by the quality of any credit they extend, the creditworthiness of the mortgages they hold, as well as by the value of the property that secures the mortgages. In addition, mortgage REITs (similar to direct investments in mortgage-backed securities) are subject to prepayment risk. Equity REITs and mortgage REITs are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and self-liquidation. There is also the risk that borrowers under mortgages held by a REIT or lessees of a property that a REIT owns may be unable to meet their obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments. While equity REITs and mortgage REITs may provide exposure to a large number of properties, such properties may be concentrated in a particular industry, region, or housing type, making such investments more vulnerable to unfavorable developments to economic or market events. Certain “special purpose” REITs in which the Fund may invest focus their assets in specific real property sectors, such as hotels, shopping malls, nursing homes, or warehouses, and are therefore subject to the specific risks associated with adverse developments in these sectors. The Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear their proportionate share of the REIT’s expenses, in addition to their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses. The value of investments in REOCs will generally be affected by the same factors that adversely affect REIT investments, however, REOCs may also be adversely affected by income streams derived from businesses other than real estate ownership.

 

Additionally, a REIT that fails to comply with federal tax requirements affecting REITs may be subject to federal income taxation, or the federal tax requirement that a REIT distribute substantially all of its net income to its shareholders may result in a REIT having insufficient capital for future expenditures. REITs are also subject to certain provisions under federal tax law and the failure of a company to qualify as a REIT could have adverse consequences for the Fund, including significantly reducing the return to the Fund on its investment in such company.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. The net asset value of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. However, the Fund’s shares trade on a national securities exchange at prices above or below their most recent net asset value. The “market price” for a share of the Fund fluctuates continuously throughout the national securities exchange’s trading day and is based on supply and demand for the Fund’s shares. The market price of the Fund’s shares may not track the Fund’s net asset value, which is only calculated at the end of each business day.

 

A potential investor in the Fund will likely also incur the cost of the “spread” (the difference between the bid price and the ask price for a share of the Fund). The spread varies over time for a share of the Fund. This cost is generally smaller for a fund with significant daily trading volumes and larger for funds with smaller daily trading volumes.

 

Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market price of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in the Fund’s shares trading at a substantial discount to its net asset value. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the Fund’s securities holdings. Flash crashes may also cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in Fund shares, which may result in a further increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and their net asset value. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell Fund shares during a flash crash.

 

Securities Lending Risk. There is the risk that when portfolio securities are lent, the securities may not be returned on a timely basis, and the Fund may experience delays and costs in recovering the security or gaining access to the collateral provided to the Fund to collateralize the loan. If the Fund is unable to recover a security on loan, the Fund may use the collateral to purchase replacement securities in the market. There is a risk that the value of the collateral could decrease below the cost of the replacement security by the time the replacement investment is made, resulting in a loss to the Fund.

 

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Management of the Fund

 

 

Investment adviser

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, is the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio and furnishes continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Fund’s investments. The Adviser also provides certain administration and other services and is responsible for other business affairs of the Fund.

 

The Adviser (together with its predecessors and affiliates) has served as investment adviser to Janus Henderson mutual funds since 1970 and currently serves as investment adviser to all of the Janus Henderson funds, the Janus Henderson exchange-traded funds, acts as subadviser for a number of private-label mutual funds, and provides separate account advisory services for institutional accounts and other unregistered products.

 

The Trust and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and, as appropriate, reallocate the Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that the Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight by the Trustees, would have the responsibility to oversee such subadviser(s) to the Fund and to recommend their hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for the Fund. In the event that the Adviser hires a subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for the Fund.

 

Management expenses

 

The Fund uses a unitary fee structure, under which the Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Fund, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services. The Adviser’s fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Fund’s expenses. However, the Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee which may vary and affect the total level of expenses paid by shareholders, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest and dividends (including those relating to short positions (if any)), taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

The Fund’s Management Fee is calculated daily and paid monthly. The Fund’s advisory agreement details the Management Fee and other expenses that the Fund must pay.

 

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The following table reflects the Fund’s contractual Management Fee rate (expressed as an annual rate), as well as the actual compensation rate paid to the Adviser after any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. The rates shown are fixed rates based on the Fund’s daily net assets.

 

Fund Name

Daily Net Assets
of the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Actual Compensation
Rate Paid to
Adviser (%) (for the
fiscal year ended
October 31, 2024)

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.30

0.30

 

Next $500 Million

0.25

 

 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Trustees’ approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement is included in the Fund’s annual financial statements (for the period ending October 31, 2024) located in Form N-CSR. You can request the Fund’s annual and semiannual financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This information will also be made available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Expense Limitation

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of Fund assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

Portfolio management

 

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

 

Co-Portfolio Managers Benjamin Wang and Zoey Zhu are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, with no limitation on the authority of one co-portfolio manager in relation to the other.

 

Benjamin Wang, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2024. He is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts since 2014. Mr. Wang holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Engineering in Computer Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Master of Science degree in Financial Engineering from Columbia University. Mr. Wang holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Zoey Zhu, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF, which she has co-managed since inception in September 2024. She is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. She joined the Adviser in 2018. Ms. Zhu holds a Bachelor of Computing degree from National University of Singapore and a Master of Science Degree in Computational Finance from Carnegie Mellon University. Ms. Zhu holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Information about portfolio management’s compensation structure and other accounts managed, as well as the aggregate range of their individual ownership in the Fund, is included in the SAI.

 

Conflicts of Interest

The Adviser manages other funds and numerous other accounts, which may include separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds. Side-by-side management of multiple accounts, including the management of a cash collateral pool for securities lending and investing the Janus Henderson funds’ cash, may give rise to conflicts of interest among those accounts, and may create potential risks, such as the risk that investment activity in one account may adversely

 

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affect another account. For example, short sale activity in an account could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more other accounts (and vice versa). Side-by-side management may raise additional potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.

 

In addition, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of the Fund for their own accounts, or may purchase shares of the Fund for the benefit of their clients, including other Janus Henderson funds. Increasing the Fund’s assets may enhance the Fund’s profile with financial intermediaries and platforms, investment flexibility and trading volume. The Adviser and its affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to dispose of at any time some or all of the shares of the Fund acquired for their own accounts or for the benefit of their clients. A large sale of Fund shares by the Adviser or its affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility or trading volume. The Adviser considers the effect of redemptions on the Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to dispose of its shares of the Fund.

 

The Adviser believes it has appropriately designed and implemented policies and procedures to mitigate these and other potential conflicts of interest. A further discussion of potential conflicts of interest and policies and procedures intended to mitigate them is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

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Other Information

 

 

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUND

 

Creation Units for the Fund are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org, or 1-800-289-9999.

 

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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

To avoid taxation of the Fund, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), requires the Fund to distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income and any net capital gains realized on its investments at least annually.

 

Distribution Schedule

Dividends from net investment income are generally declared and distributed to shareholders quarterly. Distributions of net capital gains are declared and distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. The date you receive your distribution may vary depending on how your intermediary processes trades. Dividend payments are made through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from the Fund. Please consult your financial intermediary for details.

 

How Distributions Affect the Fund’s NAV

Distributions are paid to shareholders as of the record date of a distribution of the Fund, regardless of how long the shares have been held. Undistributed income and net capital gains are included in the Fund’s daily NAV. The Fund’s NAV drops by the amount of the distribution, net of any subsequent market fluctuations. For example, assume that on December 31, the Fund declared a dividend in the amount of $0.25 per share. If the Fund’s NAV was $10.00 on December 30, the Fund’s NAV on December 31 would be $9.75, barring market fluctuations. You should be aware that distributions from a taxable fund do not increase the value of your investment and may create income tax obligations.

 

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

TAXES

 

As with any investment, you should consider the tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The discussion does not apply to qualified tax-advantaged accounts or other non-taxable entities, nor is it a complete analysis of the federal income tax implications of investing in the Fund. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect that an investment in the Fund may have on your particular tax situation, including the federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of your investment.

 

Taxes on Distributions

Distributions by the Fund are subject to federal income tax, regardless of whether the distribution is made in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, and realized net short-term capital gains), other than qualified dividend income, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of qualified dividend income are taxed to individuals and other noncorporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received from REITs, certain foreign corporations, and income received “in lieu of” dividends in a securities lending transaction generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares. Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income includes dividends paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares. The Fund’s net investment income and capital gains are distributed to (and may be taxable to) those persons who are shareholders of the Fund at the record date of such payments. Although the Fund’s total net income and net realized gain are the results of its operations, the per share amount distributed or taxable to shareholders is affected by the number of Fund shares outstanding at the record date. Distributions declared to shareholders of record in October, November, or December

 

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and paid on or before January 31 of the succeeding year will be treated for federal income tax purposes as if received by shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared. Generally, account tax information will be made available to shareholders on or before February 15 of each year. Information regarding distributions may also be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).

 

The Fund may derive “excess inclusion income” from certain equity interests in mortgage pooling vehicles either directly or through an investment in a U.S. REIT. Please see the Fund’s SAI for a discussion of the risks and special tax consequences to shareholders in the event the Fund realizes excess inclusion income in excess of certain threshold amounts.

 

Under 2017 legislation commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, “qualified REIT dividends” (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income) are treated as eligible for a 20% deduction by noncorporate taxpayers. The Fund may choose to pass through the special character of “qualified REIT dividends” to its shareholders, provided the Fund and the shareholder meet certain holding period requirements.

 

Taxes on Sales

Any time you sell the shares of the Fund in a taxable account, it is considered a taxable event. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price, you may have a gain or loss on the transaction. The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares for more than one year and if not held for such period, as a short-term capital gain or loss. Any tax liabilities generated by your transactions are your responsibility.

 

U.S. federal income tax withholding may be required on all distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number, fail to make certain required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is applied.

 

For shares purchased and sold from a taxable account, your financial intermediary will report cost basis information to you and to the IRS. Your financial intermediary will permit shareholders to elect their preferred cost basis method. In the absence of an election, your cost basis method will be your financial intermediary’s default method, which is often the average cost method. Please consult your tax adviser to determine the appropriate cost basis method for your particular tax situation and to learn more about how the cost basis reporting laws apply to you and your investments.

 

Taxation of the Fund

Dividends, interest, and some capital gains received by the Fund on foreign securities may be subject to foreign tax withholding or other foreign taxes.

 

Certain fund transactions may involve futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, and may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, can potentially affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders, and utilization of capital loss carryforwards. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and use certain investment strategies where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these tax provisions, if possible.

 

The Fund does not expect to pay any federal income or excise taxes because it intends to meet certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, including the distribution each year of substantially all its net investment income and net capital gains. It is important for the Fund to meet these requirements so that any earnings on your investment will not be subject to federal income tax twice. If the Fund invests in a partnership, however, it may be subject to state tax liabilities.

 

If the Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

 

For additional information, see the “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status” section of the SAI.

 

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Shareholder’s Guide

 

 

The Fund issues or redeems its shares at NAV per share only in Creation Units. Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and trade on the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you may incur brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and offered price in the secondary market on each purchase and sale transaction. Fund shares are traded on the Exchange under the trading symbol JMID. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.

 

APs may acquire Fund shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their Fund shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share, only in Creation Units and in accordance with the procedures described in the Fund’s SAI.

 

Pricing of fund shares

 

The per share NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the close of the trading session of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time) each day that the NYSE is open (“Business Day”). However, the NAV may still be calculated if trading on the NYSE is restricted, provided there is sufficient pricing information available for the Fund to value its securities, or as permitted by the SEC. Foreign securities held by the Fund, as applicable, may be traded on days and at times when the NYSE is closed and the NAV is therefore not calculated. Accordingly, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days that are not Business Days in the United States and on which you will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.

 

Securities held by the Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (“Valuation Procedures”). To the extent available, equity securities (including shares of ETFs) are generally valued at readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. Most fixed-income securities are typically valued using an evaluated bid price supplied by an Adviser-approved pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term instruments maturing within 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. If a market quotation or evaluated price for a security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable, or if an event that is expected to affect the value of the security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, a fair value of the security will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Such events include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a non-significant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a non-valued security and a restricted or non-public security. This type of fair valuation may be more commonly used with foreign equity securities, but it may also be used with, among other things, thinly-traded domestic securities or fixed-income securities. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position. For valuation purposes, if applicable, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities, and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are generally translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates. The methodologies employed when fair valuing securities may change from time to time. Because fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, it is possible that the fair value determination for a security may be different than the value that could be realized when selling that security.

 

The value of the securities of mutual funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such mutual funds, and the prospectuses for such mutual funds explain the circumstances under which they use fair valuation and the effects of using fair valuation. The value of the securities of any cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such funds.

 

All purchases, sales, or other account activity must be processed through your financial intermediary or plan sponsor.

 

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Distribution and servicing fees

 

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Servicing Plan for shares of the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”). The Plan permits compensation in connection with the distribution and marketing of Fund shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services. The Plan permits the Fund to pay the Distributor, or its designee, a fee for the sale and distribution and/or shareholder servicing of the shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the shares of the Fund (“12b-1 fee”). However, payment of a 12b-1 fee has not been authorized at this time.

 

Under the terms of the Plan, the Trust is authorized to make payments to the Distributor or its designee for remittance to retirement plan service providers, broker-dealers, bank trust departments, financial advisors, and other financial intermediaries, as compensation for distribution and/or shareholder services performed by such entities for their customers who are investors in the Fund.

 

The 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized and payments are made, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. The amount of compensation paid by the Adviser varies from intermediary to intermediary. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds not offered in this Prospectus, the Adviser or its affiliates pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for certain of these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the

 

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Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-mutual fund investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

Purchasing and selling shares

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. However, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market will develop or be maintained, or that the Fund shares listing will continue or remain unchanged. The Fund does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. Buying or selling the Fund’s shares involves certain costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, you may incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your financial intermediary. Due to these brokerage costs, if any, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment returns. In addition, you may also incur the cost of the spread (the difference between the bid price and the ask price). The commission may be a significant cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares.

 

Shares of the Fund may be acquired through the Distributor or redeemed directly with the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of the Fund’s SAI. Once created, shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

A Business Day with respect to the Fund is each day the Exchange is open. Orders from APs to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day. On days when the Exchange or the bond market closes earlier than normal (or on days the bond market is closed but the Exchange is open), the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, to minimize brokerage and other related trading costs associated with securities that cannot be readily transferred in-kind, the Fund may establish early trade cut-off times for APs to submit orders for Creation Units, in accordance with the 1940 Act. See the Fund’s SAI for more information.

 

In compliance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), your financial intermediary is required to verify certain information on your account application as part of its Anti-Money Laundering Program. You will be required to provide your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address to assist in verifying your identity. You may also be asked

 

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to provide additional documents that may help to establish your identity. Until verification of your identity is made, your financial intermediary may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, your financial intermediary may close an account if it is unable to verify your identity. Please contact your financial intermediary if you need additional assistance when completing your application or additional information about your financial intermediary’s Anti-Money Laundering Program.

 

In an effort to ensure compliance with this law, the Adviser’s Anti-Money Laundering Program (the “Program”) provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirements and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an unsold allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

Book Entry

Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The DTC or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.

 

Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Fund. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other exchange-traded securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.

 

Premiums and Discounts

There may be differences between the daily market prices on secondary markets for shares of the Fund and the Fund’s NAV. NAV is the price per share at which the Fund issues and redeems shares. See “Pricing of Fund Shares” above. The price used to calculate market returns (“Market Price”) of the Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the national securities exchange on which shares of the Fund are primarily listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. The Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its NAV. The NAV of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of the Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its NAV, as well as market supply and demand for shares of the Fund.

 

Premiums or discounts are the differences (expressed as a percentage) between the NAV and the Market Price of the Fund on a given day, generally at the time the NAV is calculated. A premium is the amount that the Fund is trading above the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount is the amount that the Fund is trading below the reported

 

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NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount or premium could be significant. Information regarding the Fund’s premium/discount to NAV for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that calendar year end (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) will be available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Investments by Other Investment Companies

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for purposes of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Under the 1940 Act, purchases or acquisitions by the Fund of shares issued by registered investment companies (including other ETFs) and business development companies (“BDCs”) and the purchase or acquisition of Fund shares by registered investment companies, BDCs, and investment vehicles relying on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except where an exemption is available, including as provided in Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and (G) and Rule 12d1-4 thereunder. Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies and BDCs to invest in Fund shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company or BDC first enter into a written agreement with the Trust regarding the terms of the investment, among other conditions.

 

Excessive trading

 

Unlike traditional mutual funds, the frequent trading of Fund shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains by the Fund, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders. The vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market. Because these trades do not involve the Fund, they do not harm the Fund or its shareholders. APs are authorized to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with the Fund in Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions that are effected using securities (i.e., in-kind) do not cause any of the harmful effects to the issuing fund (as previously noted). However, Creation Unit transactions effected using cash can potentially subject the Fund and its shareholders to those harmful effects. As a result, the Fund requires APs to pay transaction fees to cover brokerage and certain related costs when purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. Those fees are designed to protect the Fund and its shareholders from the dilutive costs associated with frequent creation and redemption activity. For these reasons, the Trustees of the Fund have determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market timing of Fund shares. However, the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding frequent purchases and redemptions may be modified by the Trustees at any time.

 

Fund website & availability of portfolio holdings information

 

Each Business Day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided by its custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. In addition, on each Business Day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV. A complete schedule of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is also available semiannually and annually in Form N-CSR and, after the first and third fiscal quarters, in Form N-PORT. Information reported in Form N-CSR and in Form N-PORT will be made publicly available within 70 and 60 days, respectively, after the end of each fiscal quarter. The Fund’s Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

For additional information on these disclosures and the availability of portfolio holdings information, please refer to the Fund’s SAI.

 

Shareholder communications

 

Statements and Reports

Your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for sending you periodic statements of all transactions, along with trade confirmations and tax reporting, as required by applicable law. In addition, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is also responsible for providing annual and semiannual reports. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor to obtain these reports.

 

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You may also obtain copies of the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, SAI and other information, such as the Fund’s financial statements (when available), free upon request by calling Janus Henderson at 1-800-668-0434 or you can access and download these documents at the Fund’s website: janushenderson.com/info.

 

The Fund’s fiscal year ends October 31st.

 

Lost (Unclaimed/Abandoned) Accounts

It is important to maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned as undeliverable. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is required to attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is unable to locate the shareholder, then the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is legally obligated to deem the property “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently escheat (or transfer) unclaimed property (including shares of a fund) to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. Further, your account may be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently transferred to your state of residence if no activity (as defined by that state) occurs within your account during the time frame specified in your state’s unclaimed property laws. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Interest or income is not earned on redemption or distribution check(s) sent to you during the time the check(s) remained uncashed.

 

 

23 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for each fiscal period shown. Items “Net asset value, beginning of period” through “Net asset value, end of period” reflect financial results for a single Fund share. The information for the fiscal period shown has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s Form N-CSR and incorporated by reference into the SAI.

 

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).

 

 

 

 

 

For a share outstanding during period ended October 31

 

2024(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 25.00  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

       

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    0.01  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    0.97  

Total from Investment Operations

    0.98  

Less Dividends and Distributions:

       

Total Dividends and Distributions

     

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 25.98  

Total Return*

    3.92 %

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 5,846  

Ratios to Average Net Assets**

       

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.30 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    0.17 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate(3)

    0 %(4)

 

*

Total return not annualized for periods of less than one full year.

**

Annualized for periods of less than one full year.

(1)

Period from September 17, 2024 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2024.

(2)

Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(3)

Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

(4)

Amount is less than 0.5%

 

24 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

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25 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

You can make inquiries and request other information, including a Statement of Additional Information, annual report, semiannual report, or Fund financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, most recent annual and semiannual reports (as they become available), and Fund financial statements are also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info. Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, and in Form N-CSR. In the Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal period. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund’s annual and semiannual financial statements (as they become available). Other information is also available from financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund.

 

The Statement of Additional Information provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 

janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act File No. is 811-23112.

 

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

JMBS

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Prospectus

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

This Prospectus describes Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (the “Fund”), a portfolio of Janus Detroit Street Trust (the “Trust”). Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and the owners of Fund shares may purchase or redeem shares from the Fund in Creation Units only, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Prospectus. The purchase and sale price of individual Fund shares trading on an exchange may be below, at or above the most recently calculated net asset value for Fund shares (sometimes referred to as the “NAV”).

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Fund Summary

 

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

2

Additional Information about the Fund

 

Additional Investment Strategies and General Portfolio Policies

9

Risks of the Fund

15

Management of the Fund

 

Investment adviser

24

Management expenses

24

Portfolio management

25

Other Information

27

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

28

Shareholder’s Guide

 

Pricing of fund shares

30

Distribution and servicing fees

31

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

31

Purchasing and selling shares

32

Excessive trading

34

Shareholder communications

35

Financial Highlights

36

 

1 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

 

JMBS Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF Shares

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index(2)(3) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Bloomberg U.S. Mortgage Backed Securities Index(3) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

Ticker: JMBS

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF seeks a high level of total return consisting of income and capital appreciation.

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.22%

Other Expenses

0.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.22%

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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

 
    $ 23     $ 71     $ 124     $ 280  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 57% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing mainly in mortgage-related instruments. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80%, and often times substantially all, of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in a portfolio of mortgage-related fixed income instruments of varying maturities. Mortgage-related fixed income instruments include residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”), collateralized mortgage obligations, stripped mortgage-backed securities, mortgage pass-through securities, credit risk transfer securities (“CRTs”), and other securities representing an interest in or secured by or related to mortgages, including asset-backed securities and securities issued by other exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that invest principally in MBS. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest predominantly in mortgage-related securities issued by the U.S. government and its agencies, such as the Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA” or “Ginnie Mae”), the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA” or “Fannie Mae”) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC” or “Freddie Mac”). The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its net assets in non-agency, or privately-issued, residential and commercial MBS, and other non-agency or privately issued mortgage-related and asset-backed securities. The Fund will typically enter into “to be announced” or “TBA” commitments when purchasing MBS, which allows the Fund to agree to pay for certain yet-to-be issued securities at a future

 

2 | Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

 

date and which may have a leveraging effect on the Fund. Similar to its use of leverage with respect to TBAs, the Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreement transactions and use the cash made available from these transactions to make additional investments in mortgage-related instruments or other fixed-income securities. In addition to its investments in mortgage-backed and mortgage-related securities, the Fund will from time to time also invest in certain other fixed-income securities and/or hold cash and cash-equivalents (such as U.S. treasuries). The Fund will invest primarily in securities rated investment grade (that is, securities rated Baa3/BBB- or higher, or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser). The Fund may also invest in lower-rated, higher-yielding securities, including securities rated below investment grade (sometimes referred to as “junk” bonds), when the Adviser believes that the increased risk of such lower rated securities is justified by the potential for increased return. The Fund invests only in U.S. dollar denominated securities. The Fund may invest its uninvested cash in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or unregistered cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds. The Fund also invests in securities that have contractual restrictions that prohibit or limit their resale, which may include Rule 144A securities.

 

As a general indication of the Fund’s targeted risk/return profile, the Fund’s portfolio management will seek to select mortgage-related instruments that can over time provide a return of 0.50% (net of fees) above the Bloomberg US MBS Index Total Return Value Unhedged USD (“Bloomberg US MBS Index” or the “Index”), while generally maintaining an investment return with substantial correlation to the Index. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve this targeted risk/return.

 

Additionally, the Fund may invest in derivatives, which are instruments that have a value derived from, or directly linked to, an underlying asset, such as fixed-income securities, interest rates, or market indices. In particular, the Fund may use swaps, futures, forward contracts and options. The Fund may use derivatives only to manage or hedge portfolio risk, including interest rate risk, or to manage duration. The Fund’s exposure to derivatives will vary. The Fund may also enter into short positions for hedging purposes.

 

The Fund is “actively managed” and does not seek to replicate the composition or performance of an index. In addition to considering economic factors such as the effect of interest rates on the Fund’s investments, portfolio management applies a “bottom up” approach in choosing investments. This means that portfolio management looks at securities one at a time to determine if a security is an attractive investment opportunity and if it is consistent with the Fund’s investment policies. Portfolio management additionally considers the expected risk-adjusted return on a particular investment and the Fund’s overall target risk allocations and volatility. Due to the nature of the securities in which the Fund invests, it may have relatively high portfolio turnover compared to other funds.

 

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns and yields will vary, and you could lose money. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage-backed securities are classified generally as either commercial mortgage-backed securities or residential mortgage-backed securities, each of which is subject to certain specific risks. Mortgage-backed securities may be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than other types of debt securities. Investments in mortgage-backed securities are subject to both extension risk and prepayment risk. These risks may reduce the Fund’s returns. In addition, investments in mortgage-backed securities, including those comprised of subprime mortgages, may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than various other types of fixed-income securities.

 

Privately Issued Mortgage-Related Securities Risk. Privately issued mortgage-related securities may not be subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk, or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose, and borrower characteristics. The risk of nonpayment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. “Subprime” loans are loans made to borrowers with lower

 

3 | Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

 

credit ratings and/or a shorter credit history, who are more likely to default on their loan obligations as compared to more credit-worthy borrowers. Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange. There may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

 

Credit Risk Transfer Securities Risk. CRTs are unguaranteed and unsecured fixed and floating rate general obligations that are commonly issued by a government sponsored enterprise. CRTs are not directly linked to or backed by the underlying mortgage loans, so investors such as the Fund have no direct recourse to the underlying mortgage loans in the event of a default. The risks associated with CRTs are different from the risks associated with investments in mortgage-backed securities issued by government sponsored enterprises or private issuers because some or all of the mortgage default or credit risk associated with the underlying mortgage loans is transferred to investors. Additional risks associated with investments in CRTs may include credit, prepayment, extension, interest rate, and market risk.

 

TBA Commitments Risk. The Fund will typically enter into “to be announced” or “TBA” commitments for mortgage-backed securities and, at times, the portion of the Fund’s portfolio allocated to TBA securities may be significant. Although TBA securities must meet industry-accepted “good delivery” standards, there can be no assurance that a security purchased on a forward commitment basis will ultimately be issued or delivered by the counterparty. If the counterparty to a transaction fails to deliver the securities, the Fund could suffer a loss. Because TBA commitments do not require the delivery of a specific security, the characteristics of a security delivered to the Fund may be less favorable than expected. There is a risk that the security that the Fund buys will lose value between the purchase and settlement dates. TBA purchase and sales commitments may significantly increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and are not included in the portfolio turnover rate calculation.

 

Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, underperformance of the underlying assets, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment, and extension risk in an increasing interest rate environment.

 

Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities are generally subject to the following risks:

 

Interest rate risk, which is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Changing interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility.

 

Credit risk, which is the risk that the credit strength of an issuer of a fixed-income security will weaken and/or that the issuer will be unable to make timely principal and interest payments and that the security may go into default.

 

Prepayment risk, which is the risk that, during periods of falling interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off quicker than originally anticipated, which may cause the Fund to reinvest its assets in securities with lower yields, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential.

 

Valuation risk, which is the risk that one or more of the fixed-income securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer or the security.

 

Extension risk, which is the risk that, during periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated, and as a result, the value of those obligations may fall.

 

Liquidity risk, which is the risk that fixed-income securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that portfolio management would like or at the price portfolio management believes the security is currently worth. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced).

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic, and

 

4 | Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

 

other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives can be volatile and involve risks in addition to the risks of the underlying referenced securities or asset. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty to the derivative transaction will default on its payment obligations. Derivatives used for hedging purposes may reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by portfolio management or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge.

 

High-Yield Bond Risk. High-yield bonds (also known as “junk” bonds) are considered speculative and may be more sensitive than other types of bonds to economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the entity that issued the bond, which may adversely affect their value.

 

Rule 144A Securities and Other Exempt Securities Risk. Investments in securities issued under Regulation S and Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements, could have the effect of decreasing the Fund’s liquidity profile or preventing the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available.

 

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. “Stripped MBS” have an elevated risk profile when compared to traditional MBS securities. Stripped MBS are usually structured with two classes, each receiving different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. In most cases, one class receives all of the interest (the interest-only or “IO” class), while the other class receives all of the principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). The IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying pool of mortgage assets. Conversely, the PO class securities tend to decline in value if prepayments are slower than anticipated. Changes to prevailing interest rates can also adversely impact the Fund’s investment in both the IO and PO classes. In addition, privately issued or guaranteed Stripped MBS are typically less liquid than Stripped MBS issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Accordingly, the Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Short Exposure Risk. The Fund may enter into a derivatives transaction to obtain short investment exposure to the underlying reference asset. If the value of the underlying reference asset on which the Fund has obtained a short investment exposure increases, the Fund will incur a loss. This potential loss is theoretically unlimited. A short exposure through a derivative also exposes the Fund to credit risk, counterparty risk, and leverage risk.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral.

 

Cash Transaction Risk. The Fund intends to effect Creation Unit transactions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities, because of the nature of the Fund’s investments. Cash purchases may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges or delays in investing the cash that it would otherwise not incur if a purchase was made on an in-kind basis. Because the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds and thereby may recognize a capital gain on such sales, Creation Unit redemption on a cash basis may be less tax-efficient for the Fund compared to an in-kind redemption. In addition, Creation Unit redemptions for cash may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges it would not otherwise incur with an in-kind redemption, to the extent such fees or

 

5 | Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

 

charges are not offset by the redemption transaction fee paid by Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, the Fund’s use of cash transactions may result in wider bid-ask spreads in Fund shares trading in the secondary market as compared to ETFs that transact exclusively on an in-kind basis.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreement Risk. Reverse repurchase agreements are transactions in which the Fund sells a security and simultaneously commits to repurchase that security from the buyer, such as a bank or broker-dealer, at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon future date. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the value of securities that the Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. Additionally, such transactions are only advantageous if the interest cost to the Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of obtaining the cash otherwise. Interest costs on the proceeds received in a reverse repurchase agreement may exceed the return received on the investments made by the Fund with those proceeds, resulting in reduced returns to shareholders. When the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it is subject to the risk that the buyer (counterparty) may default on its obligations to the Fund. In the event of such a default, the Fund may experience delays, costs, and losses, all of which may reduce returns to shareholders. Investing reverse repurchase agreement proceeds may also have a leveraging effect on the Fund’s holdings. The Fund’s use of leverage can magnify the effect of any gains or losses, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. There is no assurance that any leveraging strategy used by the Fund will be successful.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV.

 

Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of NAV and Market Price Risk. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to NAV. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s NAV. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to

 

6 | Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

 

proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV and to face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s performance has varied over time. The bar chart depicts the change in performance from year to year during the periods indicated. The table compares the Fund’s average annual returns for the periods indicated to a broad-based securities market index, as well as to one or more supplemental indices that have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. All figures assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses.

 

The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at janushenderson.com/performance or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

Annual Total Returns (calendar year-end)

 

 

 

Best Quarter:

4th Quarter 2023

7.72%

Worst Quarter:

3rd Quarter 2022

-5.43%

 

Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended 12/31/24)

 

 

1 Year

5 Years

Since
Inception
(9/12/18)

         

Return Before Taxes

1.68%

0.09%

1.42%

9/12/18

Return After Taxes on Distributions

-0.54%

-1.25%

0.05%

9/12/18

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(1)

0.98%

-0.48%

0.52%

9/12/18

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

1.25%

-0.33%

1.30%

9/12/18

Bloomberg U.S. Mortgage Backed Securities Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

1.20%

-0.74%

0.69%

9/12/18

 

(1)

If the Fund incurs a loss, which generates a tax benefit, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may exceed the Fund’s other return figures.

 

(2)

Index performance shown in the table is the total return, which assumes reinvestment of any dividends and distributions during the time periods shown.

 

After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.

 

7 | Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

 

MANAGEMENT

 

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Nick Childs, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2018. John Kerschner, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2018.

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund is an actively-managed ETF. Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount and/or all cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, you may pay more than NAV (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than NAV (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

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Additional Information about the Fund

 

 

Additional Investment Strategies and General Portfolio Policies

 

The Fund is an actively managed ETF and, thus, does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. Accordingly, portfolio management has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will generally sell or dispose of its portfolio investments when, in the opinion of the Adviser, they have reached their profit or price target, or as the result of changing market conditions. The Fund is designed for investors who seek exposure to an actively managed portfolio consisting primarily of mortgage-related fixed-income instruments.

 

The Fund’s Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) may change the Fund’s investment objective or non-fundamental principal investment strategies without a shareholder vote. The Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days or as soon as reasonably practicable before making any such change it considers material. If there is a material change to the Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

On each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV per share. A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Information about the premiums and discounts at which the Fund’s shares have traded is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Unless otherwise stated, the following additional investment strategies and general policies apply to the Fund and provide further information including, but not limited to, the types of securities the Fund may invest in when implementing its investment objective. Some of these strategies and policies may be part of a principal strategy. Other strategies and policies may be utilized to a lesser extent as a complement to the Fund’s principal strategy. Except for the Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this Prospectus and/or the SAI normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if the Fund exceeds a limit, other than illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). For temporary liquidity and cash management purposes, the Fund may invest in other ETFs that provide exposure to related securities.

 

Asset-Backed Securities

The Fund will typically invest in asset-backed securities backed by pools of home equity loans and other mortgage-related debt, credit cards and automobile loans. Asset-backed securities are collateralized by pools of obligations or assets. Most asset-backed securities involve pools of consumer or commercial debts with maturities less than ten years. However, almost any type of asset may be used to create an asset-backed security. Asset-backed securities may take the form of commercial paper, notes, or pass-through certificates and may be structured as floaters, inverse floaters, interest-only and principal-only obligations.

 

Similar to mortgage-backed securities, payments on asset-backed securities include both interest and a partial payment of principal. The value of the Fund’s investments in asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, factors concerning the interests in and structure of the issuer or originator of the receivables, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements, and/or the market’s assessment of the quality of the underlying assets. Generally, the originating bank or credit provider is neither the obligor nor the guarantor of the security, and interest and principal payments ultimately depend upon payment of the underlying loans by individuals. The Fund could incur a loss if the underlying loans are not paid. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment. Prepayment risk is the risk that during periods of falling interest rates, certain fixed-income securities with higher interest rates, such as mortgage- and asset-backed securities, may be prepaid by their issuers thereby reducing the amount of interest payments. The impact of

 

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prepayments on the value of asset-backed securities may be difficult to predict and may result in greater volatility. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of asset-backed securities, making them more volatile and sensitive to changing interest rates.

 

Cash Position

The Fund may not always stay fully invested. When portfolio management believes that market conditions are unfavorable for investing, or when portfolio management is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund’s investment in cash or similar investments may increase. When the Fund’s investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested. To the extent the Fund invests its uninvested cash through a sweep program (meaning its uninvested cash is pooled with uninvested cash of other funds and invested in certain securities such as repurchase agreements), it is subject to the risks of the account or fund into which it is investing, including liquidity issues that may delay the Fund from accessing its cash.

 

In addition, the Fund may temporarily increase its cash position under certain unusual circumstances, such as to protect its assets or maintain liquidity in certain circumstances to meet unusually large redemptions. The Fund’s cash position may also increase temporarily due to unusually large cash inflows. Under unusual circumstances such as these, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or similar investments. In this case, the Fund may take positions that are inconsistent with its investment policies. As a result, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Credit Risk Transfer Securities

The Fund may invest in credit risk transfer securities (“CRTs”). CRTs are unguaranteed and unsecured debt securities that are commonly issued by a government sponsored entity (“GSE”). The Fund may also invest in CRTs that are issued by private entities, such as banks or other financial institutions. CRTs issued by private entities are structured similarly to those issued by a GSE and are generally subject to the same types of risks, including mortgage, credit, prepayment, liquidity, and valuation risks.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of the Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Floating Rate Obligations

The Fund may invest in securities with floating rates of interest which, under certain limited circumstances, may have varying principal amounts. Floating rate securities pay interest at rates that are adjusted periodically according to a specified formula, usually with reference to some interest rate index or market interest rate (the “underlying index”). The floating interest rate tends to decrease the security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. These types of securities are relatively long-term instruments that often carry demand features permitting the holder to demand payment of principal at any time or at specified intervals prior to maturity. Inverse floating rate securities (“Inverse Floaters”) are debt instruments whose interest bears an inverse relationship to the interest rate on another security. A rise in the reference rate of an inverse floater will cause a drop in the interest rate paid by the inverse floater, while a drop in the reference rate of the inverse floater will cause an increase in the interest rate paid on the inverse floater. Inverse Floaters may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation with similar credit quality. Similar to floating rate obligations, effective use of inverse floaters requires skills different from those needed to select most portfolio securities.

 

High-Yield Bonds

Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in bonds that are rated below investment grade (also known as “junk” bonds), such as BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“Standard & Poor’s”) and Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”), or Ba1 or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or is an unrated bond of similar quality. The Fund may also invest in unrated bonds of foreign and domestic issuers.

 

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Illiquid Investments

The Fund will not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund 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 investment.

 

Interest Rate Futures Contracts

Interest rate futures contracts, including futures contracts on U.S. Treasuries, Eurodollars and other futures contracts that provide interest rate exposure, are typically exchange-traded, are typically used to obtain interest rate exposure in order to manage duration and hedge interest rate risk. An interest rate futures contract is a bilateral agreement where one party agrees to accept and the other party agrees to make delivery of a specified security, as called for in the agreement at a specified date and at an agreed upon price. Generally, Treasury interest rate futures contracts are closed out or rolled over prior to their expiration date.

 

Leverage

Leverage occurs when the Fund increases its assets available for investment using reverse repurchase agreements, when-issued, delayed delivery, forward commitment transactions, or other similar transactions. The Fund may use leverage for investment purposes by entering into reverse repurchase agreement transactions and using the cash made available from these transactions to make additional investments in fixed-income securities in accordance with the Fund’s principal strategies. In addition, other investment techniques, such as certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect.

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities

Mortgage-backed securities represent an ownership interest in a pool of mortgage loans used to finance purchases of real estate. The mortgage loans that comprise a pool normally have similar interest rates (fixed or variable), maturities and other terms. Pools of mortgages financing residential home purchases are referred to as residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), while pools of mortgages financing commercial buildings, multi-family properties and other real estate are referred to as commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”). Mortgage-backed securities may be issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (“agency mortgage-backed securities”), or may be issued or guaranteed by private entities such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions or mortgage bankers (“privately issued mortgage-backed securities”).

 

The Fund will primarily invest in fixed or variable rate agency mortgage-backed securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), or other governmental or government-related entities. Ginnie Mae’s guarantees are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, which means that the U.S. Government guarantees that the interest and principal will be paid when due. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.

 

Unlike traditional debt instruments, payments on mortgage-backed securities include both interest and a partial payment of principal. Prepayment of the principal of underlying loans at a faster pace than expected is known as “prepayment risk” and may shorten the effective maturities of these securities. This may result in the Fund having to reinvest proceeds at a lower interest rate. Mortgage-backed securities tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than other types of debt securities. In addition to prepayment risk, investments in privately-issued mortgage-backed securities may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than other mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities are also subject to extension risk. Extension risk is the risk that borrowers may pay off their debt obligations more slowly in times of rising interest rates. The risks associated with CMBS reflect the risks of investing in the commercial real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans and are therefore different from the risks of other types of mortgage-backed securities.

 

Mortgage Dollar Rolls

The Fund utilizes “mortgage dollar rolls,” which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements in certain respects. In a “mortgage dollar roll” transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security (such as a Ginnie Mae security) to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A “dollar roll” can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Successful use of mortgage dollar rolls depends on the Fund’s ability to

 

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predict interest rates and mortgage payments. Dollar roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price. The use of mortgage dollar rolls often results in higher portfolio turnover.

 

Options on Futures Contracts

An option on a futures contract gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a futures contract at a specified price on or before a specified date. Futures contracts and options on futures are standardized and traded on designated exchanges.

 

Options on Securities and Indices

The Fund may purchase and write put and call options on securities and indices. A put option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security during the option period. A call option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer of the option the obligation to sell, the underlying security at any time during the option period. The premium paid to the writer is the consideration for undertaking the obligations under the option contract.

 

A put option on an index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the underlying index is less than the exercise price of the option. A call option on an index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the underlying index is greater than the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option, expressed in dollars multiplied by a specified number. Thus, unlike options on individual securities, all settlements are in cash, and gain or loss depends on price movements in the particular market represented by the index generally, rather than the price movements in individual securities.

 

Options on Swap Contracts

The Fund may enter into options on swap agreements, commonly referred to as “swaptions.” A swaption is a contract that gives a purchaser the right, but not the obligation, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel, or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. Swaptions can be used for a variety of purposes, including to manage the Fund’s overall exposure to changes in interest or foreign currency exchange rates and credit quality; as an efficient means of adjusting the Fund’s exposure to certain markets; in an effort to enhance income or total return or protect the value of portfolio securities; to serve as a cash management tool; and to adjust portfolio duration or credit risk.

 

Pass Through Securities

Pass-through securities (such as mortgage-and asset-backed securities) are debt securities that normally give the issuer an option to pay cash at a coupon payment date or give the holder of the security a similar bond with the same coupon rate and a face value equal to the amount of the coupon payment that would have been made. In the pass-through structure, principal and interest payments on the underlying securities (less servicing fees) are passed through to shareholders on a pro rata basis. These securities involve prepayment risk. In that case, the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds from the securities at a lower rate. Potential market gains on a security subject to prepayment risk may be more limited than potential market gains on a comparable security that is not subject to prepayment risk.

 

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio turnover rates are generally not a factor in making buy and sell decisions. Changes may be made to the Fund’s portfolio, consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, when portfolio management believes such changes are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. Short-term transactions may result from the purchase of a security in anticipation of relatively short-term gains, liquidity needs, securities having reached a price or yield objective, changes in interest rates or the credit standing of an issuer, or by reason of economic or other developments not foreseen at the time of the initial investment decision. The Fund may also sell one security and simultaneously purchase the same or a comparable security to take advantage of short-term differentials in bond yields or securities prices. Portfolio turnover is affected by market conditions, changes in the size of the Fund (including due to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units), the nature of the Fund’s investments, and the investment style of portfolio management. Due to the nature of the securities in which it invests, the Fund may have relatively high portfolio turnover compared to other funds.

 

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Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover also may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. The “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus shows the Fund’s historical turnover rates.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities

Private placements are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. These securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may include securities issued through private offerings without registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Regulation S or Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Offerings of Regulation S securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Although Regulation S and Rule 144A securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the amounts received from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund.

 

REITs and Real Estate-Related Securities

The Fund may invest in equity and debt securities of real estate-related companies. These securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, and other securities, including, but not limited to, mortgage-backed securities, real estate-backed securities, securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and similar REIT-like entities (such as real estate operation companies (“REOCs”)). A REIT is an entity that invests in real estate-related projects, such as properties, mortgage loans, and construction loans. REITs are often categorized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. An equity REIT, the most common type of REIT, invests primarily in the fee ownership of land and buildings. An equity REIT derives its income primarily from rental income but may also realize capital gains or losses by selling real estate properties in its portfolio that have appreciated or depreciated in value. A mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development, or long-term loans. A mortgage REIT generally derives its income from interest payments on the credit it has extended. A hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of equity REITs and mortgage REITs, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate.

 

Similar to REITs, REOCs are publicly-traded real estate companies that typically engage in the development, management or financing of real estate, such as homebuilders, hotel management companies, land developers and brokers. REOCs, however, have not elected (or are not eligible) to be taxed as a REIT. The reasons for not making such an election include the (i) availability of tax-loss carry-forwards, (ii) operation in non-REIT-qualifying lines of business, and (iii) ability to retain earnings. Instead, REOCs are generally structured as “C” corporations under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and, as a result, are not required to distribute any portion of their income. In this regard, although REOCs do not receive the same favorable tax treatment that is accorded to REITs, REOCs are typically subject to fewer restrictions than REITs, including the ability to retain and/or reinvest funds from operations and more flexibility in terms of the real estate investments they can make.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of a security by the Fund to another party (generally a bank or dealer) in return for cash and an agreement by the Fund to buy the security back at a specified price and time. The Fund may use this technique to obtain cash for investment purposes, or for other temporary or emergency purposes.

 

Securities Lending

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination. When the Fund lends its securities, it receives collateral (including cash collateral), at least equal to the value of securities loaned. The Fund may earn income by investing this collateral in one or more affiliated or non-affiliated cash management vehicles or in time deposits. It is also possible that, due to a decline in the value of a cash management vehicle in which collateral is invested, the Fund may lose money. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its

 

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cash collateral. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns. The Adviser intends to manage a portion of the cash collateral in an affiliated cash management vehicle and will receive an investment advisory fee for managing such assets.

 

Short Positions

The Fund may invest in short positions for hedging purposes using interest rate futures, swaps, forward contracts, options and also through the short sale of portfolio securities, including ETFs. A short sale is generally a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own or have the right to acquire (or that it owns but does not wish to deliver) in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline. To complete the transaction, the Fund must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund is then obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing the security at the market price at the time of replacement. A short sale is subject to the risk that if the price of the security sold short increases in value, the Fund will incur a loss because it will have to replace the security sold short by purchasing it at a higher price. In addition, the Fund may not always be able to close out a short position at a particular time or at an acceptable price. A lender may request, or market conditions may dictate, that the securities sold short be returned to the lender on short notice, and the Fund may have to buy the securities sold short at an unfavorable price. If this occurs at a time that other short sellers of the same security also want to close out their positions, it is more likely that the Fund will have to cover its short sale at an unfavorable price and potentially reduce or eliminate any gain, or cause a loss, as a result of the short sale. Because there is no upper limit to the price a borrowed security may reach prior to closing a short position, the Fund’s losses are potentially unlimited in a short sale transaction. The Fund’s gains and losses will also be decreased or increased, as the case may be, by the amount of any dividends, interest, or expenses, including transaction costs and borrowing fees, the Fund may be required to pay in connection with a short sale. Such payments may result in the Fund having higher expenses than a fund that does not engage in short sales and may negatively affect the Fund’s performance.

 

The Fund may enter into a derivatives transaction to obtain short investment exposure to an underlying reference asset. If the value of the underlying reference asset on which the Fund has obtained a short investment exposure increases, the Fund will incur a loss. This potential loss is theoretically unlimited. A short exposure through a derivative also exposes the Fund to credit risk, counterparty risk, and leverage risk.

 

Swap Agreements

The Fund may utilize swap agreements such as credit default, interest rate, and total return swaps, as a means to hedge its portfolio against adverse movements in securities prices, the rate of inflation, or interest rates. Swap agreements are two-party contracts to exchange one set of cash flows for another. Swap agreements entail the risk that a party will default on its payment obligations to the Fund. If the other party to a swap defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. If the Fund utilizes a swap at the wrong time or judges market conditions incorrectly, the swap may result in a loss to the Fund and reduce the Fund’s total return.

 

Index Credit Default Swaps. The Fund may invest in index credit default swaps (“CDX”). A CDX is a swap on an index of credit default swaps. CDXs allow an investor to manage credit risk or take a position on a basket of credit entities (such as credit default swaps or a commercial mortgage-backed index) in a more efficient manner than transacting in a single-name credit default swap. If a credit event occurs in one of the underlying companies, the protection is paid out via the delivery of the defaulted bond by the buyer of protection in return for a payment of notional value of the defaulted bond by the seller of protection or it may be settled through a cash settlement between the two parties. The underlying company is then removed from the index. New series of CDXs are issued on a regular basis.

 

Commercial mortgage-backed securities index swaps (“CMBX”) are a type of index credit default swap that are made up of tranches of commercial mortgage-backed securities rather than credit default swaps. CMBX involve a pay-as-you go settlement process designed to capture non-default events that affect the cash flow to the underlying mortgage-backed securities tranche.

 

Interest Rate Swaps. The Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, which involve the exchange by two parties of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments). Interest rate swaps are generally entered into on a net basis. Interest rate swaps do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets, or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate swaps is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make.

 

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TBA Commitments

The Fund will typically enter into “to be announced” or “TBA” commitments. TBA commitments are forward agreements for the purchase or sale of securities, including mortgage-backed securities, for a fixed price, with payment and delivery on an agreed upon future settlement date. The specific securities to be delivered are not identified at the trade date. However, delivered securities must meet industry-accepted “good delivery” standards, which include specified terms, for issuer, rate, and mortgage terms. At the time the TBA commitment is made, the transaction is recorded and thereafter the value of such securities is reflected each day in determining the Fund’s NAV. Because the Fund is generally not required to pay for the security until the settlement date, if the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when TBA commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

 

U.S. Government Securities

The Fund may invest in U.S. Government securities. U.S. Government securities include those issued directly by the U.S. Treasury, including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (also known as TIPS), and those issued or guaranteed by various U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities. Some government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Other government securities are backed only by the rights of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. Others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the obligations. Certain other government securities are supported only by the credit of the issuer. For securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the securities for repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. Such securities may involve increased risk of loss of principal and interest compared to government debt securities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.

 

Because of the rising U.S. Government debt burden, it is possible that the U.S. Government may not be able to meet its financial obligations or that securities issued or backed by the U.S. Government may experience credit downgrades. Such a credit event may adversely affect the financial markets.

 

Risks of the Fund

 

The value of your investment will vary over time, sometimes significantly, and you may lose money by investing in the Fund. The following information is intended to help you better understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund, including those risks that are summarized in the Fund Summary section. This information also includes descriptions of other risks the Fund may be subject to as a result of additional investment strategies and general policies that may apply to the Fund. The impact of the following risks on the Fund may vary depending on the Fund’s investments. The greater the Fund’s investment in a particular security, the greater the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with that security. Before investing in the Fund, you should consider carefully the risks that you assume when investing in the Fund.

 

Affiliated Underlying Fund Risk. The Adviser may invest in certain affiliated ETFs as investments for the Fund. The Adviser will generally receive fees for managing such funds, in addition to the fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund. The payment of such fees by affiliated funds creates a conflict of interest when selecting affiliated funds for investment in the Fund. The Adviser, however, is a fiduciary to the Fund and its shareholders and is legally obligated to act in its best interest when selecting affiliated funds. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated ETFs with respect to the Fund’s investment in such ETF, less certain operating expenses.

 

Collateralized Mortgage Obligation Risk. Collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) are a type of mortgage-backed security. CMOs are created by dividing the principal and interest payments collected on a pool of mortgages into several revenue streams (tranches) with different priority rights to portions of the underlying mortgage payments. Certain CMO tranches may represent a right to receive interest only (“IOs”), principal only (“POs”) or an amount that remains after floating-rate tranches are paid (an inverse floater). These securities are frequently referred to as “mortgage derivatives” and may be extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates. Interest rates on inverse floaters, for example, vary inversely with a short-term floating rate (which may be reset periodically). Interest rates on inverse floaters will decrease when short-term rates increase, and will increase when short-term rates decrease. These securities have the effect of providing a degree of investment leverage. In response to changes in market interest rates or other market conditions, the value of an inverse floater may increase or decrease at a multiple of the increase or decrease in the value of the underlying securities. If the Fund invests in CMO tranches (including CMO tranches issued by government agencies) and interest rates move in a manner not anticipated by the Adviser, it is possible that the Fund could lose all or substantially all of its investment.

 

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Counterparty Risk. Fund transactions involving a counterparty are subject to the risk that the counterparty or a third party will not fulfill its obligation to the Fund (“counterparty risk”). Counterparty risk may arise because of the counterparty’s financial condition (i.e., financial difficulties, bankruptcy, or insolvency), market activities and developments, or other reasons, whether foreseen or not. A counterparty’s inability to fulfill its obligation may result in significant financial loss to the Fund. The Fund may be unable to recover its investment from the counterparty or may obtain a limited recovery, and/or recovery may be delayed. The Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk to the extent it participates in lending its securities to third parties and/or cash sweep arrangements whereby the Fund’s cash balance is invested in one or more types of cash management vehicles or in time deposits. In addition, the Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk through its investments in certain securities, including, but not limited to, repurchase agreements, debt securities, and derivatives (including various types of forwards, swaps, futures, and options). The Fund intends to enter into financial transactions with counterparties that the Adviser believes to be creditworthy at the time of the transaction. There is always the risk that the Adviser’s analysis of a counterparty’s creditworthiness is incorrect or may change due to market conditions. To the extent that the Fund focuses its transactions with a limited number of counterparties, it will have greater exposure to the risks associated with one or more counterparties.

 

Credit Quality Risk. The Fund is subject to the risks associated with the credit quality of the issuers of fixed-income securities. Credit quality measures the likelihood that the issuer or borrower will meet its obligations on a bond. One of the fundamental risks is credit risk, which is the risk that an issuer will be unable to make principal and interest payments when due, or default on its obligations. Higher credit risk may negatively impact the Fund’s returns and yield.

 

Many fixed-income securities receive credit ratings from services such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s. These services assign ratings to securities by assessing the likelihood of issuer default. The lower a bond issue is rated by an agency, the more credit risk it is considered to represent. Lower rated instruments and securities generally pay interest at a higher rate to compensate for the associated greater risk. Interest rates can fluctuate in response to economic or market conditions, which can result in a fluctuation in the price of a security and impact the Fund’s return and yield. If a security has not received a rating, the Fund must rely upon the Adviser’s credit assessment, which if incorrect can also impact the Fund’s returns and yield.

 

Credit Risk Transfer Securities Risk. CRT securities are unguaranteed and unsecured debt securities commonly issued by a government sponsored entity. CRTs are not directly linked to or backed by the underlying mortgage loans so investors such as the Fund have no recourse to the underlying mortgage loans. The risks associated with CRTs are different from the risks associated with investments in mortgage-backed securities issued by government sponsored entities or private issuers because some or all of the mortgage default or credit risk associated with the underlying mortgage loans is transferred to investors. Additional risks associated with investments in CRTs may include valuation risk, mortgage credit risk, liquidity risk, and prepayment risk.

 

Derivatives Risks. Derivatives can be volatile and involve similar risks to those as the underlying referenced securities or assets. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost, and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund.

 

The Fund may use futures, options, swap agreements (such as interest rate, credit default, and total return swaps), and other derivative instruments individually or in combination to “hedge” or protect its portfolio from adverse movements in securities prices and interest rates. There is no guarantee that portfolio management’s use of derivative investments will benefit the Fund. The Fund’s performance could be worse than if the Fund had not used such instruments. Use of such investments may instead increase risk to the Fund, rather than reduce risk. Derivatives can be complex instruments and may involve analysis that differs from that required for other investment types used by the Fund. If the value of a derivative does not correlate well with the particular market or other asset class to which the derivative is intended to provide exposure, the derivative may not produce the anticipated result. Derivatives can also reduce the opportunity for gain or result in losses by offsetting positive returns in other investments. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty will default on its payment obligations. If the counterparty to a derivative transaction defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. To the extent the Fund enters into short derivative positions, the Fund may be exposed to risks similar to those associated with short sales.

 

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Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contract Risk. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts (“forward currency contracts”) involve the risk that unanticipated changes in currency prices may negatively impact the Fund’s performance. Moreover, there may be an imperfect correlation between the Fund’s portfolio holdings of securities quoted or denominated in a particular currency and any forward currency contracts entered into by the Fund, which will expose the Fund to risk of foreign exchange loss. The trading markets for forward currency contracts offer less protection against defaults than trading in currency instruments on an exchange. Because a forward currency contract is not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse, a default on the contract could result in losses to the Fund and may force the Fund to cover its purchase or sale commitments, if any, at the current market price. In addition, forward currency contract markets can experience periods of illiquidity, which could prevent the Fund from divesting of a forward currency contract at the optimal time and may adversely affect the Fund’s returns and NAV.

 

Index Credit Default Swaps Risk. If the Fund holds a long position in a CDX, the Fund would indirectly bear its proportionate share of any expenses paid by a CDX. By investing in CDXs, the Fund could be exposed to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, and credit risk of the issuers of the underlying loan obligations and of the CDX markets. If there is a default by the CDX counterparty, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. CDXs also bear the risk that the Fund will not be able to meet its obligation to the counterparty.

 

Interest Rate Futures Risk. The Fund’s investments in interest rate futures entail the risk that the Fund’s portfolio management’s prediction of the direction of interest rates is wrong, and the Fund could incur a loss. In addition, due to the possibility of price distortions in the interest rate futures market, a correct forecast of general interest rate trends by portfolio management may not result in the successful use of interest rate futures.

 

Interest Rate Swaps Risk. The Fund’s use of interest rate swaps involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. Interest rate swaps may result in potential losses if interest rates do not move as expected or if the counterparties are unable to satisfy their obligations.

 

Options on Futures Contracts Risk. The amount of risk that the Fund assumes when it purchases an option on a futures contract is the premium paid for the option, plus related transaction costs. In order to profit from an option purchased, it may be necessary to exercise the option and to liquidate the underlying futures contract subject to the risks of the availability of a liquid offset market. The seller of an option on a futures contract is subject to the risks of commodity futures trading, including the requirement of initial and variation margin payments, as well as the additional risk that movements in the price of the option may not correlate with movements in the price underlying security, index, currency, or futures contracts.

 

Options on Securities Indices Risk. Options on indices may, depending on circumstances, involve greater risk than options on securities. Because index options are settled in cash, when the Fund writes a call on an index it may not be able to provide in advance for its potential settlement obligations by acquiring and holding the underlying securities. If the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to covered options it has written, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying securities or dispose of assets held in a segregated account until the options expire or are exercised. Similarly, if the Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options it has purchased, it will have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit and will incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of underlying securities.

 

Options on Swap Contracts Risk. Because the use of options on swap contracts, or “swaptions,” generally does not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal, the risk of loss with respect to swaptions generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. There is also a risk of a default by the other party to a swaption, in which case the Fund may not receive the net amount of payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. Entering into a swaption contract involves, to varying degrees, the elements of credit, market, and interest rate risk, associated with both option contracts and swap contracts.

 

Treasury Futures Contracts Risk. While transactions in Treasury futures contracts may reduce certain risks, unanticipated changes in interest rates or securities prices may result in a poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not entered into any Treasury futures contracts. To the extent the Fund uses Treasury futures contracts, it is exposed to additional volatility and potential losses resulting from leverage. Losses (or gains) involving Treasury futures contracts can sometimes be substantial – in part because a relatively small price movement in a Treasury futures contract may result in an immediate and substantial loss (or gain) for the Fund.

 

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Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies, which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. ETFs are traded on a national securities exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium or discount to its NAV. When the Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. ETFs also involve the risk that an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained. Similarly, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to purchase or sell an ETF at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities.

 

The ETFs in which the Fund invests are subject to specific risks, depending on the investment strategy of the ETF. In turn, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with direct exposure to the securities or commodities held by the ETF. Because the Fund may invest in a broad range of ETFs, such risks may include, but are not limited to, leverage risk, foreign exposure risk, and commodity-linked investments risk. To the extent the Fund invests in fixed-income ETFs, it will be indirectly exposed to the same risks described under “Fixed-Income Securities Risk.”

 

Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Typically, the values of fixed-income securities change inversely with prevailing interest rates. Therefore, a fundamental risk of fixed-income securities is interest rate risk, which is the risk that the value of such securities will generally decline as prevailing interest rates rise, which may cause the Fund’s NAV to likewise decrease. How specific fixed-income securities may react to changes in interest rates will depend on the specific characteristics of each security. For example, while securities with longer maturities and durations tend to produce higher yields, they also tend to be more sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates and are therefore more volatile than shorter-term securities and are subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates. However, calculations of maturity and duration may be based on estimates and may not reliably predict a security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In addition, different interest rate measures (such as short- and long-term interest rates and U.S. and non-U.S. interest rates), or interest rates on different types of securities or securities of different issuers, may not necessarily change in the same amount or in the same direction. Investments in fixed-income securities with very low or negative interest rates may diminish the Fund’s yield and performance.

 

Fixed-income securities are also subject to credit risk, which is the risk that the credit strength of an issuer of a fixed-income security will weaken and/or that the issuer will be unable to make timely principal and interest payments and that the security may go into default. In addition, there is prepayment risk, which is the risk that during periods of falling interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off quicker than originally anticipated, which may cause the Fund to reinvest its assets in securities with lower yields, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential. Fixed-income securities may also be subject to valuation risk and liquidity risk. Valuation risk is the risk that one or more of the fixed-income securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer of the security. Liquidity risk is the risk that fixed-income securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that portfolio management would like or at the price portfolio management believes the security is currently worth. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk. To the extent the Fund invests in fixed-income securities in a particular industry or economic sector, its share values may fluctuate in response to events affecting that industry or sector. Securities underlying mortgage- and asset-backed securities, which may include subprime mortgages, also may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk. To the extent that the Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income securities, the Fund may be more substantially exposed to these risks than a fund that does not invest in such derivatives. The market for certain fixed-income securities may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Similarly, the amount of assets deemed illiquid remaining within the Fund may also increase, making it more difficult to meet shareholder redemptions and further adversely affecting the value of the Fund.

 

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Floating Rate Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest in floating rate obligations with interest rates that reset regularly, maintaining a fixed spread over a stated reference rate. The interest rates on floating rate obligations typically reset quarterly, although rates on some obligations may adjust at other intervals. Unexpected changes in the interest rates on floating rate obligations could result in lower income to the Fund. In addition, the secondary market on which floating rate obligations are traded may be less liquid than the market for investment grade securities or other types of income-producing securities, which may have an adverse impact on their market price. There is also a potential that there is no active market to trade floating rate obligations, that there may be restrictions on their transfer, or that the issuer may default. As a result, the Fund may be unable to sell floating rate obligations at the desired time or may be able to sell only at a price less than fair market value. In addition, if movements in interest rates are incorrectly anticipated, the Fund could lose money, or its NAV could decline by the use of Inverse Floaters.

 

High-Yield Bond Risk. High-yield bonds (or “junk” bonds) are bonds rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s or are unrated bonds of similar quality. The value of lower quality bonds generally is more dependent on credit risk than investment grade bonds. Issuers of high-yield bonds may not be as strong financially as those issuing bonds with higher credit ratings and are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the issuer. In addition, the junk bond market can experience sudden and sharp price swings.

 

The secondary market on which high-yield securities are traded is less liquid than the market for investment grade securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of the security. Additionally, it may be more difficult to value the securities because valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a larger role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available.

 

Inflation Risk. Inflation creates uncertainty over the future real value of an investment (the value after adjusting for inflation). The real value of certain assets or real income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions may decline. This risk is more prevalent with respect to debt securities held by the Fund. Inflation rates may change frequently and drastically as a result of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy. Moreover, the Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation, which may result in losses to Fund shareholders or adversely affect the real value of shareholders’ investment in the Fund. Fund shareholders’ expectation of future inflation can also impact the current value of the Fund’s portfolio, resulting in lower asset values and potential losses. This risk may be elevated compared to historical market conditions because of recent monetary policy measures and the current interest rate environment.

 

Interest Rate Risk. Generally, a fixed-income security will increase in value when prevailing interest rates fall and decrease in value when prevailing interest rates rise. Longer-term securities are generally more sensitive to interest rate changes than shorter-term securities, but they generally offer higher yields to compensate investors for the associated risks. High-yield bond prices and floating rate debt security prices are generally less directly responsive to interest rate changes than investment grade issues or comparable fixed rate securities, and may not always follow this pattern. An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed-income securities held by a Fund to decline. A Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to inflationary trends and the effect of government fiscal and monetary policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives. Variable and floating rate securities may increase or decrease in value in response to changes in interest rates, although generally to a lesser degree than fixed-income securities.

 

Leverage Risk. Engaging in transactions using leverage or those having a leveraging effect subjects the Fund to certain risks. These risks may be heightened if the Fund invests all, or a significant portion of its assets in futures, forwards, swaps, and other types of derivatives. Leverage can magnify the effect of any gains or losses, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. Through the use of leverage, the Fund’s total investment exposure could exceed the value of its portfolio securities and its investment performance could be dependent on securities not directly owned by the Fund. In addition, the Fund’s assets that are used as collateral to secure short sale transactions may decrease in value while the short positions are outstanding, which may force the Fund to use its other, additional assets to meet its collateral requirements.

 

Liquidity Risk. The Fund may invest in securities or instruments that do not trade actively or in large volumes, and may make investments that are less liquid than other investments. Also, the Fund may make investments that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. Investments that are illiquid or that trade in lower volumes may be more difficult to value. When there is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at the desired time or price, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell the security or instrument at all. Investments in foreign securities, particularly those of issuers located in emerging market countries, tend to have greater

 

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exposure to liquidity risk than domestic securities. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced). An inability to sell one or more portfolio positions can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Liquidity risk may be increased to the extent that the Fund invests in other securities exempt from certain registration requirements that are deemed to be illiquid investments.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease if the value of one or more issuers in the Fund’s portfolio decreases. Further, regardless of how well individual companies or securities perform, the value of the Fund’s portfolio could also decrease if there are deteriorating economic or market conditions, including, but not limited to, a decline in commodities prices, or if the market favors different types of securities than the types of securities in which the Fund invests. If the value of the Fund’s portfolio decreases, the Fund’s NAV will also decrease, which means if you sell your shares in the Fund you may lose money. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, financial institution failures, and economic recessions could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions and/or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the global economies and financial markets.

 

Armed Conflict Risk. Recent such examples include conflict, loss of life, and a disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent and duration of each conflict, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in each region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect, including significant negative impacts on the United States and broader global economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities.

 

Money Market Fund Investment Risk. The Fund may have cash balances that have not been invested in portfolio securities, which may be used to purchase shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds, or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds, as part of a cash sweep program. By investing in a money market fund, the Fund will be exposed to the investment risks of the money market fund in direct proportion to such investment. The money market fund may not achieve its investment objective and the Fund may lose money. To the extent the Fund transacts in instruments such as derivatives, the Fund may hold investments, which may be significant, in money market fund shares to cover its obligations resulting from the Fund’s investments in derivatives. An investment in a money market fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by any bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. There can be no assurance that a money market fund will maintain a $1.00 per share NAV at all times. Factors that could adversely affect the value of a money market fund’s shares include, among other things, a sharp rise in interest rates, an illiquid market for the securities held by the money market fund, a high volume of redemption activity in a fund’s shares, and a credit event or credit rating downgrade affecting one or more of the issuers of securities held by the money market fund. In addition, the failure of even an unrelated money market fund to maintain a stable NAV could create a widespread risk of increased redemption pressures on all money market funds, potentially jeopardizing the stability of their NAVs. Certain money market funds have in the past failed to maintain stable NAVs, and there can be no assurance that such failures and resulting redemption pressures will not impact money market funds in the future.

 

Rules adopted by the SEC require, among other things, certain money market funds to cause transactions in shares of these funds to be effected using a fund’s NAV per share calculated out to the fourth decimal point (e.g., $1.0000 instead of $1.00). “Government Money Market Funds” and “Retail Money Market Funds” as defined in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act are not subject to the floating NAV requirements, as described above. In addition, certain money market funds may impose a discretionary fee (up to 2%) upon sale of shares because of market conditions or other factors if a fund’s board or a delegate believes such fee is in the best interest of the fund.

 

Recently adopted amendments to Rule 2a-7 also require certain money market funds, excluding Government Money Market Funds and Retail Money Market Funds, to impose mandatory liquidity fees when a fund experiences net redemptions that exceed 5% of its net assets, unless the fund’s liquidity costs are de minimis (i.e., less than 1 basis point).

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investments in money market funds are not adversely affected by reforms to money market regulation that may be adopted by the SEC or other regulatory authorities.

 

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In addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund directly bears, the Fund indirectly bears the fees and expenses of any money market fund in which it invests.

 

Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of, or reduce the rate of prepayments on, both commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) and residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates (“extension risk”). As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, the price of mortgage-backed securities may fall, causing the Fund to exhibit additional volatility. Mortgage-backed securities are also subject to prepayment risk. When interest rates decline, borrowers may pay off their mortgages sooner than expected. This can reduce the Fund’s returns because the Fund will have to reinvest that money at lower prevailing interest rates. Investments in certain mortgage-backed securities, including those comprised of subprime mortgages, may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than various other types of fixed-income securities. Additionally, although mortgage-backed securities are generally supported by some form of government or private guarantee and/or insurance, there is no assurance that guarantors or insurers will meet their obligations.

 

CMBS are subject to certain other risks. The market for CMBS developed more recently than that for RMBS and is relatively small in terms of outstanding principal amount of issues compared to the RMBS market. CMBS are also subject to risks associated with a lack of standardized terms, shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans, and payment of all or substantially all of the principal at maturity, rather than regular amortization of principal. Moreover, the type and use of a particular commercial property may add to the risk of CMBS investments. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to have an adverse impact on mortgage-backed securities secured by loans on commercial properties than on those secured by residential properties.

 

Similarly, the value of the Fund’s investments in asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, factors concerning the interests in and structure of the issuer or originator of the receivables, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements, and/or the market’s assessment of the quality of the underlying assets. Generally, the originating bank or credit provider is neither the obligor nor the guarantor of the security, and interest and principal payments ultimately depend upon payment of the underlying loans by individuals. The Fund could incur a loss if the underlying loans are not paid. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment. The impact of prepayments on the value of asset-backed securities may be difficult to predict and may result in greater volatility. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of asset-backed securities, making them more volatile and sensitive to changing interest rates.

 

Newly Issued Securities Risk. The credit obligations in which the Fund invests may include newly issued securities, or “new issues,” such as initial debt offerings. New issues may have a magnified impact on the performance of the Fund during periods in which it has a small asset base. The impact of new issues on the Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce the Fund’s returns. New issues may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing, particularly as the Fund’s asset base grows. Certain new issues, such as initial debt offerings, may be volatile in price due to the absence of a prior trading market, limited quantities available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The Fund may hold new issues for a short period of time. This may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, new issues can experience an immediate drop in value after issuance if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.

 

Operational Risk. An investment in the Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in key personnel, technology and/or service providers, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, process fund orders, execute portfolio trades or perform other essential tasks in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. Implementation of business continuity plans by the Fund, the Adviser or third-party service providers in response to disruptive events such as cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may increase these operational risks to the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third-party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

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Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies and research process employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Although the Fund seeks to provide long-term positive returns, market conditions or implementation of the Fund’s investment process may result in losses, and the Fund may not meet its investment objective. As such, there can be no assurance of positive “absolute” return. The Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities Risk. Investments in private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements could decrease the Fund’s liquidity profile or prevent the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities, and the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other securities exempt from certain registration requirements.

 

REIT Risk. To the extent that the Fund holds REITs and REIT-like entities, it may be subject to the additional risks associated with REITs and REIT-like investments. REITs and REIT-like entities are subject to heavy cash flow dependency to allow them to make distributions to their shareholders. The prices of equity REITs are affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, changes in capital markets and interest rates, management skill in running a REIT, and the creditworthiness of the REIT. The prices of mortgage REITs are affected by the quality of any credit they extend, the creditworthiness of the mortgages they hold, as well as by the value of the property that secures the mortgages. In addition, mortgage REITs (similar to direct investments in mortgage-backed securities) are subject to prepayment risk. Equity REITs and mortgage REITs are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and self-liquidation. There is also the risk that borrowers under mortgages held by a REIT or lessees of a property that a REIT owns may be unable to meet their obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments. While equity REITs and mortgage REITs may provide exposure to a large number of properties, such properties may be concentrated in a particular industry, region, or housing type, making such investments more vulnerable to unfavorable developments to economic or market events. Certain “special purpose” REITs in which the Fund may invest focus their assets in specific real property sectors, such as hotels, shopping malls, nursing homes, or warehouses, and are therefore subject to the specific risks associated with adverse developments in these sectors. The Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear their proportionate share of the REIT’s expenses, in addition to their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses. The value of investments in REOCs will generally be affected by the same factors that adversely affect REIT investments; however, REOCs may also be adversely affected by income streams derived from businesses other than real estate ownership.

 

Additionally, a REIT that fails to comply with federal tax requirements affecting REITs may be subject to federal income taxation, or the federal tax requirement that a REIT distribute substantially all of its net income to its shareholders may result in a REIT having insufficient capital for future expenditures. REITs are also subject to certain provisions under federal tax law and the failure of a company to qualify as a REIT could have adverse consequences for the Fund, including significantly reducing the return to the Fund on its investment in such company.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreement Risk. Reverse repurchase agreements are transactions in which the Fund sells a security and simultaneously commits to repurchase that security from the buyer, such as a bank or broker-dealer, at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon future date. The repurchase price consists of the sale price plus an incremental amount reflecting the interest cost to the Fund on the proceeds it has received from the initial sale. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the value of securities that the Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. Additionally, such transactions are only advantageous if the interest cost to the Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of obtaining the cash otherwise. Interest costs on the proceeds received in a reverse repurchase agreement may exceed the return received on the investments made by the Fund with those proceeds, resulting in reduced returns to shareholders. When the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it is subject to the risk that the buyer (counterparty) may default on its obligations to the Fund. In the event of such a default, the Fund may experience delays, costs, and losses, all of which may reduce returns to shareholders. Investing reverse repurchase proceeds may also have a leveraging effect on the Fund’s portfolio. The Fund’s use of leverage can magnify the effect of any gains or losses, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. There is no assurance that any leveraging strategy used by the Fund will be successful.

 

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Secondary Market Trading Risk. The net asset value of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. However, the Fund’s shares trade on a national securities exchange at prices above or below their most recent net asset value. The “market price” for a share of the Fund fluctuates continuously throughout the national securities exchange’s trading day and is based on supply and demand for the Fund’s shares. The market price of the Fund’s shares may not track the Fund’s net asset value, which is only calculated at the end of each business day.

 

A potential investor in the Fund will likely also incur the cost of the “spread” (the difference between the bid price and the ask price for a share of the Fund). The spread varies over time for a share of the Fund. This cost is generally smaller for a fund with significant daily trading volumes and larger for funds with smaller daily trading volumes.

 

Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market price of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in the Fund’s shares trading at a substantial discount to its net asset value. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the Fund’s securities holdings. Flash crashes may also cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in Fund shares, which may result in a further increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and their net asset value. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell Fund shares during a flash crash.

 

Structured Note Risk. Structured notes are derivative debt instruments, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator (for example, a currency, security, commodity or index thereof). The terms of the instrument may be “structured” by the purchaser and the borrower issuing the note. The terms of structured notes may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity, which may result in a loss of invested capital. Structured notes may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the unrelated indicator may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured note at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the unrelated indicator. Therefore, the value of such notes may be very volatile. Structured notes may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the unrelated indicator. Structured notes also may be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities.

 

TBA Commitments Risk. The Fund will typically enter into “to be announced” or “TBA” commitments for mortgage-backed securities and, at times, the portion of the Fund’s portfolio allocated to TBA securities may be significant. Although TBA securities must meet industry-accepted “good delivery” standards, there can be no assurance that a security purchased on a forward commitment basis will ultimately be issued or delivered by the counterparty. During the settlement period, the Fund will still bear the risk of any decline in the value of the security to be delivered. Because TBA commitments do not require the purchase and sale of identical securities, the characteristics of the security delivered to the Fund may be less favorable than the security delivered to the dealer. If the counterparty to a transaction fails to deliver the securities, the Fund could suffer a loss. At the time of its acquisition, a TBA security may be valued at less than the purchase price. When the Fund sells a TBA security prior to settlement, it does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. The Fund is generally not required to pay for the TBA security until the settlement date and, as a result, if the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when TBA commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

 

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Management of the Fund

 

 

Investment adviser

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, is the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio and furnishes continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Fund’s investments. The Adviser also provides certain administration and other services and is responsible for other business affairs of the Fund.

 

The Adviser (together with its predecessors and affiliates) has served as investment adviser to Janus Henderson mutual funds since 1970 and currently serves as investment adviser to all of the Janus Henderson funds, the Janus Henderson exchange-traded funds, acts as subadviser for a number of private-label mutual funds, and provides separate account advisory services for institutional accounts and other unregistered products.

 

The Trust and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and, as appropriate, reallocate the Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that the Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight by the Trustees, would have the responsibility to oversee such subadviser(s) to the Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for the Fund. In the event that the Adviser hires a subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for the Fund.

 

Management expenses

 

The Fund uses a unitary fee structure, under which the Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Fund, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services. The Adviser’s fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Fund’s expenses. However, the Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee which may vary and affect the total level of expenses paid by shareholders, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest and dividends (including those relating to short positions (if any)), taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

The Fund’s Management Fee is calculated daily and paid monthly. The Fund’s advisory agreement details the Management Fee and other expenses that the Fund must pay.

 

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The following table reflects the Fund’s contractual Management Fee rate (expressed as an annual rate), as well as the actual compensation rate paid to the Adviser after any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. The rates shown are fixed rates based on the Fund’s daily net assets.

 

Fund Name

Daily Net Assets
of the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee
(%) (annual rate)

Actual
Compensation
Rate Paid to
Adviser (%)
(for the fiscal
year ended
October 31, 2024)

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.30

0.22

 

Next $500 Million

0.25

 

 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Trustees’ approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement is included in the Fund’s semiannual financial statements (for the period ending April 30) located in Form N-CSR. You can request the Fund’s annual or semiannual financial statements, free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This information is also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Expense Limitation

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse the management fee payable by the Fund in an amount equal to the amount, if any, that the Fund’s total annual fund operating expenses (excluding distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest, dividends, taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business) exceed the annual rate shown below. The Adviser has agreed to continue the waiver at least until February 28, 2026.

 

Fund Name

Expense Limit Percentage (%)

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

0.22

 

The Adviser has also contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of Fund assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs.

 

The fee waiver agreements may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

Portfolio management

 

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

 

Co-Portfolio Managers Nick Childs and John Kerschner jointly are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, with no limitation on the authority of one co-portfolio manager in relation to the other.

 

Nick Childs, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2018. Mr. Childs is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2017, he was a portfolio manager at Proprietary Capital, LLC from 2012 to 2016, where he managed alternative fixed income strategies specializing in mortgage-backed securities and, absolute return investing. Mr. Childs holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Denver. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

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John Kerschner, CFA, is Head of U.S. Securitized Products of Janus Henderson Investors. He is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2018. Mr. Kerschner is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. He joined the Adviser in December 2010. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) in Biology from Yale University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, where he was designated a Fuqua Scholar. Mr. Kerschner holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Information about portfolio management’s compensation structure and other accounts managed, as well as the aggregate range of their individual ownership in the Fund, is included in the SAI.

 

Conflicts of Interest

The Adviser manages other funds and numerous other accounts, which may include separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds. Side-by-side management of multiple accounts, including the management of a cash collateral pool for securities lending and investing the Janus Henderson funds’ cash, may give rise to conflicts of interest among those accounts, and may create potential risks, such as the risk that investment activity in one account may adversely affect another account. For example, short sale activity in an account could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more other accounts (and vice versa). Side-by-side management may raise additional potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.

 

In addition, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of the Fund for their own accounts, or may purchase shares of the Fund for the benefit of their clients, including other Janus Henderson funds. Increasing the Fund’s assets may enhance the Fund’s profile with financial intermediaries and platforms, investment flexibility and trading volume. The Adviser and its affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to dispose of at any time some or all of the shares of the Fund acquired for their own accounts or for the benefit of their clients. A large sale of Fund shares by the Adviser or its affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility or trading volume. The Adviser considers the effect of redemptions on the Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to dispose of its shares of the Fund.

 

The Adviser believes it has appropriately designed and implemented policies and procedures to mitigate these and other potential conflicts of interest. A further discussion of potential conflicts of interest and policies and procedures intended to mitigate them is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

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Other Information

 

 

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUND

 

Creation Units for the Fund are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org, or 1-800-289-9999.

 

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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

To avoid taxation of the Fund, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), requires the Fund to distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income and any net capital gains realized on its investments at least annually.

 

Distribution Schedule

Dividends from net investment income are generally declared and distributed to shareholders monthly. Distributions of net capital gains are declared and distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. The date you receive your distribution may vary depending on how your intermediary processes trades. Dividend payments are made through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from the Fund. Please consult your financial intermediary for details.

 

How Distributions Affect the Fund’s NAV

Distributions are paid to shareholders as of the record date of a distribution of the Fund, regardless of how long the shares have been held. Undistributed income and net capital gains are included in the Fund’s daily NAV. The Fund’s NAV drops by the amount of the distribution, net of any subsequent market fluctuations. For example, assume that on December 31, the Fund declared a dividend in the amount of $0.25 per share. If the Fund’s NAV was $10.00 on December 30, the Fund’s NAV on December 31 would be $9.75, barring market fluctuations. You should be aware that distributions from a taxable fund do not increase the value of your investment and may create income tax obligations.

 

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

TAXES

 

As with any investment, you should consider the tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The discussion does not apply to qualified tax-advantaged accounts or other non-taxable entities, nor is it a complete analysis of the federal income tax implications of investing in the Fund. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect that an investment in the Fund may have on your particular tax situation, including the federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of your investment.

 

Taxes on Distributions

Distributions by the Fund are subject to federal income tax, regardless of whether the distribution is made in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, and realized net short-term capital gains), other than qualified dividend income, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of qualified dividend income are taxed to individuals and other noncorporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Because the income of the Fund is primarily derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid by the Fund is anticipated to be qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares. Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income includes dividends paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares. The Fund’s net investment income and capital gains are distributed to (and may be taxable to) those persons who are shareholders of the Fund at the record date of such payments. Although the Fund’s total net income and net realized gain are the results of its operations, the per share amount distributed or taxable to shareholders is affected by the number of Fund

 

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shares outstanding at the record date. Distributions declared to shareholders of record in October, November, or December and paid on or before January 31 of the succeeding year will be treated for federal income tax purposes as if received by shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared. Generally, account tax information will be made available to shareholders on or before February 15 of each year. Information regarding distributions may also be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).

 

Taxes on Sales

Any time you sell the shares of the Fund in a taxable account, it is considered a taxable event. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price, you may have a gain or loss on the transaction. The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares for more than one year and if not held for such period, as a short-term capital gain or loss. Any tax liabilities generated by your transactions are your responsibility.

 

U.S. federal income tax withholding may be required on all distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number, fail to make certain required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is applied.

 

For shares purchased and sold from a taxable account, your financial intermediary will report cost basis information to you and to the IRS. Your financial intermediary will permit shareholders to elect their preferred cost basis method. In the absence of an election, your cost basis method will be your financial intermediary’s default method, which is often the average cost method. Please consult your tax adviser to determine the appropriate cost basis method for your particular tax situation and to learn more about how the cost basis reporting laws apply to you and your investments.

 

Taxation of the Fund

Dividends, interest, and some capital gains received by the Fund on foreign securities may be subject to foreign tax withholding or other foreign taxes.

 

Certain fund transactions may involve futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, and may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, can potentially affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders, and utilization of capital loss carryforwards. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and use certain investment strategies where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these tax provisions, if possible.

 

The Fund does not expect to pay any federal income or excise taxes because it intends to meet certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, including the distribution each year of substantially all its net investment income and net capital gains. It is important for the Fund to meet these requirements so that any earnings on your investment will not be subject to federal income tax twice. If the Fund invests in a partnership, however, it may be subject to state tax liabilities.

 

If the Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

 

For additional information, see the “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status” section of the SAI.

 

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Shareholder’s Guide

 

 

The Fund issues or redeems its shares at NAV per share only in Creation Units. Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and trade on the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and offered price in the secondary market on each purchase and sale transaction. Fund shares are traded on the Exchange under the trading symbol JMBS. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.

 

APs may acquire Fund shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their Fund shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share, only in Creation Units and in accordance with the procedures described in the Fund’s SAI.

 

Pricing of fund shares

 

The per share NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the close of the trading session of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time) each day that the NYSE is open (“Business Day”). However, the NAV may still be calculated if trading on the NYSE is restricted, provided there is sufficient pricing information available for the Fund to value its securities, or as permitted by the SEC. Foreign securities held by the Fund, as applicable, may be traded on days and at times when the NYSE is closed and the NAV is therefore not calculated. Accordingly, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days that are not Business Days in the United States and on which you will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.

 

Securities held by the Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (“Valuation Procedures”). To the extent available, equity securities (including shares of ETFs) are generally valued at readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. Most fixed-income securities are typically valued using an evaluated bid price supplied by an Adviser-approved pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term instruments maturing within 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. If a market quotation or evaluated price for a security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable, or if an event that is expected to affect the value of the security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, a fair value of the security will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Such events include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a non-significant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a non-valued security and a restricted or non-public security. This type of fair valuation may be more commonly used with foreign equity securities, but it may also be used with, among other things, thinly-traded domestic securities or fixed-income securities. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position. For valuation purposes, if applicable, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities, and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are generally translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates. The methodologies employed when fair valuing securities may change from time to time. Because fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, it is possible that the fair value determination for a security may be different than the value that could be realized when selling that security.

 

The value of the securities of mutual funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such mutual funds, and the prospectuses for such mutual funds explain the circumstances under which they use fair valuation and the effects of using fair valuation. The value of the securities of any cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such funds.

 

All purchases, sales, or other account activity must be processed through your financial intermediary or plan sponsor.

 

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Distribution and servicing fees

 

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Servicing Plan for shares of the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”). The Plan permits compensation in connection with the distribution and marketing of Fund shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services. The Plan permits the Fund to pay the Distributor, or its designee, a fee for the sale and distribution and/or shareholder servicing of the shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the shares of the Fund (“12b-1 fee”). However, payment of a 12b-1 fee has not been authorized at this time.

 

Under the terms of the Plan, the Trust is authorized to make payments to the Distributor or its designee for remittance to retirement plan service providers, broker-dealers, bank trust departments, financial advisors, and other financial intermediaries, as compensation for distribution and/or shareholder services performed by such entities for their customers who are investors in the Fund.

 

The 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized and payments are made, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. The amount of compensation paid by the Adviser varies from intermediary to intermediary. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds not offered in this Prospectus, the Adviser or its affiliates pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for certain of these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the

 

31 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-mutual fund investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

Purchasing and selling shares

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. However, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market will develop or be maintained, or that the Fund shares listing will continue or remain unchanged. The Fund does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. Buying or selling the Fund’s shares involves certain costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, you may incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your financial intermediary. Due to these brokerage costs, if any, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment returns. In addition, you may also incur the cost of the spread (the difference between the bid price and the ask price). The commission may be a significant cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares.

 

Shares of the Fund may be acquired through the Distributor or redeemed directly with the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of the Fund’s SAI. Once created, shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

A Business Day with respect to the Fund is each day the Exchange is open. Orders from APs to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day. On days when the Exchange or the bond market closes earlier than normal (or on days the bond market is closed but the Exchange is open), the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, to minimize brokerage and other related trading costs associated with securities that cannot be readily transferred in-kind, the Fund may establish early trade cut-off times for APs to submit orders for Creation Units, in accordance with the 1940 Act. See the Fund’s SAI for more information.

 

In compliance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), your financial intermediary is required to verify certain information on your account application as part of its Anti-Money Laundering Program. You will be required to provide your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address to assist in verifying your identity. You may also be asked

 

32 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

to provide additional documents that may help to establish your identity. Until verification of your identity is made, your financial intermediary may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, your financial intermediary may close an account if it is unable to verify your identity. Please contact your financial intermediary if you need additional assistance when completing your application or additional information about your financial intermediary’s Anti-Money Laundering Program.

 

In an effort to ensure compliance with this law, the Adviser’s Anti-Money Laundering Program (the “Program”) provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirements and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an unsold allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

Book Entry

Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The DTC or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.

 

Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Fund. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other exchange-traded securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.

 

Share Prices

The trading prices of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV per share and are affected by market forces such as supply and demand, economic conditions, and other factors. Information regarding the intra-day NAV of the Fund is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day by the national securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares are primarily listed or by market data vendors or other information providers. The intra-day NAV calculations are estimates of the value of the Fund’s NAV per Fund share based on the current market value of the securities and/or cash included in the Fund’s intra-day NAV basket, using market data converted into U.S. dollars at the current currency rates. The intra-day NAV does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities and instruments held by the Fund at particular point in time. Additionally, when current pricing is not available for certain portfolio securities (including foreign securities and certain debt securities), the intra-day indicative value may not accurately reflect the current market value of the Fund’s shares or the best possible valuation of the current portfolio. For example, the

 

33 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

intra-day NAV is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities’ local market and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market’s close. Therefore, the intra-day NAV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV, which is computed only once a day. The intra-day NAV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the portfolio securities and instruments included in the Fund’s intra-day NAV basket. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the intra-day NAV and makes no representation or warranty as to its accuracy. An inaccuracy in the intra-day NAV could result from various factors, including the difficulty of pricing portfolio instruments on an intra-day basis.

 

Premiums and Discounts

There may be differences between the daily market prices on secondary markets for shares of the Fund and the Fund’s NAV. NAV is the price per share at which the Fund issues and redeems shares. See “Pricing of Fund Shares” above. The price used to calculate market returns (“Market Price”) of the Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the national securities exchange on which shares of the Fund are primarily listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. The Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its NAV. The NAV of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of the Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its NAV, as well as market supply and demand for shares of the Fund.

 

Premiums or discounts are the differences (expressed as a percentage) between the NAV and the Market Price of the Fund on a given day, generally at the time the NAV is calculated. A premium is the amount that the Fund is trading above the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount is the amount that the Fund is trading below the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount or premium could be significant. Information regarding the Fund’s premium/discount to NAV for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that calendar year end (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Investments by Other Investment Companies

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for purposes of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Under the 1940 Act, purchases or acquisitions by the Fund of shares issued by registered investment companies (including other ETFs) and business development companies (“BDCs”) and the purchase or acquisition of Fund shares by registered investment companies, BDCs, and investment vehicles relying on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except where an exemption is available, including as provided in Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and (G) and Rule 12d1-4 thereunder. Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies and BDCs to invest in Fund shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company or BDC first enter into a written agreement with the Trust regarding the terms of the investment, among other conditions.

 

Excessive trading

 

Unlike traditional mutual funds, the frequent trading of Fund shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains by the Fund, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders. The vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market. Because these trades do not involve the Fund, they do not harm the Fund or its shareholders. APs are authorized to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with the Fund in Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions that are effected using securities (i.e., in-kind) do not cause any of the harmful effects to the issuing fund (as previously noted). However, Creation Unit transactions effected using cash can potentially subject the Fund and its shareholders to those harmful effects. As a result, the Fund requires APs to pay transaction fees to cover brokerage and certain related costs when purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. Those fees are designed to protect the Fund and its shareholders from the dilutive costs associated with frequent creation and redemption activity. For these reasons, the Trustees of the Fund have determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market timing of Fund shares. However, the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding frequent purchases and redemptions may be modified by the Trustees at any time.

 

34 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Fund website & availability of portfolio holdings information

 

Each Business Day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided by its custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. In addition, on each Business Day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV. A complete schedule of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is also available semiannually and annually in Form N-CSR and, after the first and third fiscal quarters, in Form N-PORT. Information reported in Form N-CSR and in Form N-PORT will be made publicly available within 70 and 60 days, respectively, after the end of each fiscal quarter. The Fund’s Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

For additional information on these disclosures and the availability of portfolio holdings information, please refer to the Fund’s SAI.

 

Shareholder communications

 

Statements and Reports

Your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for sending you periodic statements of all transactions, along with trade confirmations and tax reporting, as required by applicable law. In addition, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for providing annual and semiannual reports. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor to obtain these reports.

 

You may also obtain copies of the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, SAI and other information, such as the Fund’s financial statements (when available), free upon request by calling Janus Henderson at 1-800-668-0434 or you can access and download these documents at the Fund’s website: janushenderson.com/info.

 

The Fund’s fiscal year ends October 31st.

 

Lost (Unclaimed/Abandoned) Accounts

It is important to maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned as undeliverable. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is required to attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is unable to locate the shareholder, then the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is legally obligated to deem the property “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently escheat (or transfer) unclaimed property (including shares of a fund) to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. Further, your account may be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently transferred to your state of residence if no activity (as defined by that state) occurs within your account during the time frame specified in your state’s unclaimed property laws. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Interest or income is not earned on redemption or distribution check(s) sent to you during the time the check(s) remained uncashed.

 

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Financial Highlights

 

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for each fiscal period shown. Items “Net asset value, beginning of period” through “Net asset value, end of period” reflect financial results for a single Fund share. The information for the fiscal periods shown has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s Form N-CSR and incorporated by reference into the SAI.

 

The total returns 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).

 

 

For a share outstanding during each year or period ended October 31

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

   

2021

   

2020

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 42.17     $ 44.25     $ 52.94     $ 53.58     $ 52.62  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

                                       

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    2.42       2.18       0.92       0.66       1.22  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    2.68       (2.33 )     (8.73 )     (0.19 )     1.51  

Total from Investment Operations

    5.10       (0.15 )     (7.81 )     0.47       2.73  

Less Dividends and Distributions:

                                       

Dividends (from net investment income)

    (2.30 )     (1.93 )     (0.88 )     (1.00 )     (1.77 )

Distributions (from capital gains)

                      (0.11 )      

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (2.30 )     (1.93 )     (0.88 )     (1.11 )     (1.77 )

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 44.97     $ 42.17     $ 44.25     $ 52.94     $ 53.58  

Total Return

    12.23 %     (0.57 )%     (14.89 )%     0.88 %     5.30 %(2)

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 4,699,114     $ 2,006,118     $ 776,603     $ 848,374     $ 578,645  

Ratios to Average Net Assets

                                       

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.22 %     0.26 %     0.28 %     0.28 %     0.32 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    5.37 %     4.83 %     1.86 %     1.24 %     2.31 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate(3)(4)

    57 %     48 %     143 %     162 %     300 %

 

(1) Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(2) The return includes adjustments in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles required at period end date.

(3) Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

(4) Portfolio Turnover Rate excludes TBA (to be announced) purchase and sales commitments.

 

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You can make inquiries and request other information, including a Statement of Additional Information, annual report, semiannual report, or Fund financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, most recent annual and semiannual reports, and Fund financial statements are also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info. Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports and in Form N-CSR. In the Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal period. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund’s annual and semiannual financial statements. Other information is also available from financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund.

 

The Statement of Additional Information provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 

janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act File No. is 811-23112.

 

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

JSI

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Prospectus

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

This Prospectus describes Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF (the “Fund”), a portfolio of Janus Detroit Street Trust (the “Trust”). Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and the owners of Fund shares may purchase or redeem shares from the Fund in Creation Units only, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Prospectus. The purchase and sale price of individual Fund shares trading on an exchange may be below, at or above the most recently calculated net asset value for Fund shares (sometimes referred to as the “NAV”).

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Fund Summary

 

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

2

Additional Information about the Fund

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

10

Risks of the Fund

16

Management of the Fund

 

Investment adviser

24

Management expenses

24

Portfolio management

25

Other Information

27

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

28

Shareholder’s Guide

 

Pricing of fund shares

30

Distribution and servicing fees

31

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

31

Purchasing and selling shares

32

Excessive trading

34

Shareholder communications

35

Financial Highlights

36

 

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JSI Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF Shares

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

ICE BofA US ABS & CMBS Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

Ticker: JSI

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF seeks current income with a focus on preservation of capital.

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.49%

Other Expenses

0.00%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(1)

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.50%

Fee Waiver(2)

0.01%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver(2)

0.49%

 

(1)

“Acquired Fund” refers to any underlying fund (including, but not limited to, exchange-traded funds) in which the Fund invests or has invested during the period. Acquired fund fees and expenses are indirect expenses the Fund incurs as a result of investing in shares of an underlying fund. The Fund’s “Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses” may not correlate to the “Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets” presented in the Financial Highlights table because that ratio includes only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, not the indirect costs of investing in Acquired Funds.

(2)

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) with respect to the Fund’s investment in such affiliated ETF, less certain operating expenses. The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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 are equal to the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver for the first year and the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses thereafter. 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

 

 

  $ 50     $ 159     $ 279     $ 627  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the period of commencement of operations on November 8, 2023 through October 31, 2024, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 94% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund pursues its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in securitized securities. Securitized securities are debt securities that entitle their holders to payments that depend primarily on the assets underlying the securities, and include, but are not limited to,

 

2 | Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

 

asset-backed securities (“ABS”), collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), agency and non-agency mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”), and collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”). ABS include, but are not limited to, private and multi-class structures, pass-through certificates, and other instruments secured by financial, physical, and/or intangible assets. MBS include, but are not limited to, commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) and credit risk transfer securities (“CRTs”) issued by government sponsored entities or private issuers. The Fund will typically enter into “to be announced” or “TBA” commitments when purchasing MBS, which allows the Fund to agree to pay for certain yet-to-be issued securities at a future date and which may have a leveraging effect on the Fund. The Fund may enter into mortgage dollar rolls which allow the Fund to sell securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contract with the same counterparty to repurchase similar securities on a specified future date.

 

In addition to its investments in securitized securities, the Fund may from time to time also invest in certain other fixed-income securities and/or hold cash and cash-equivalents (such as U.S. Treasuries).

 

The Fund may invest in securities of any maturity or duration and the securities may have fixed, floating, or variable interest rates.

 

The Fund will normally invest a substantial portion of its assets in securities rated investment grade (that is, securities rated Baa3/BBB- or higher, or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser). The Fund may not invest more than 40% of its net assets in securities rated below investment grade (that is, securities rated lower than Baa3/BBB-, or if unrated, determined to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser) at the time of purchase by the Fund. The Fund invests only in U.S. dollar denominated securities. The Fund may invest its uninvested cash in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or unregistered cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds. The Fund may invest in securities that have contractual restrictions that prohibit or limit their resale (these are known as “restricted securities”), which may include Rule 144A securities.

 

The Fund may invest in derivatives. Derivative instruments have a value derived from, or directly linked to, an underlying asset, such as fixed-income securities, interest rates, or market indices. In particular, the Fund may use swaps, including interest rate, total return and credit-default swaps, and interest rate or bond futures. The Fund may use derivatives to manage or hedge portfolio risk, including interest rate and/or credit risks. The Fund’s exposure to derivatives will vary.

 

The Fund is “actively-managed” and does not seek to replicate the composition or performance of any particular index. Accordingly, the portfolio managers have discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective. The portfolio managers apply a “bottom up” approach to selecting investments to purchase and sell.

 

This means that the portfolio managers look at securities one at a time to determine if a security is an attractive investment opportunity and if it is consistent with the Fund’s investment policies.

 

The Fund is classified as nondiversified, which allows it to hold larger positions in securities, compared to a fund that is classified as diversified.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns and yields will vary, and you could lose money. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Asset-Backed Securities Risk. ABS may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, underperformance of the underlying assets, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment, and extension risk in an increasing interest rate environment.

 

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. CMBS are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government and are subject to risk of default on the underlying mortgages, particularly during periods of economic downturn. CMBS issued by non-government entities may offer higher yields than those issued by government entities, but also may be subject to greater volatility than government issues. CMBS are subject to a greater degree of prepayment and extension risk than many other forms of fixed-income securities and therefore react differently to changes in interest rates than other bonds, and the prices of CMBS may reflect adverse economic and market conditions.

 

3 | Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. MBS are classified generally as either commercial mortgage-backed securities or residential mortgage-backed securities, each of which is subject to certain specific risks. MBS may be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than other types of debt securities. Investments in MBS are subject to both extension risk and prepayment risk. These risks may reduce the Fund’s returns. In addition, investments in MBS, including those comprised of subprime mortgages, may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than various other types of fixed-income securities.

 

Privately Issued Mortgage-Related Securities Risk. Privately issued mortgage-related securities may not be subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk, or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose, and borrower characteristics. The risk of nonpayment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. “Subprime” loans are loans made to borrowers with lower credit ratings and/or a shorter credit history, who are more likely to default on their loan obligations as compared to more credit-worthy borrowers. Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange. There may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

 

Collateralized Mortgage Obligation Risk. CMOs are a type of mortgage-backed security. CMOs are created by dividing the principal and interest payments collected on a pool of mortgages into several revenue streams (tranches) with different priority rights to portions of the underlying mortgage payments. Certain CMO tranches may represent a right to receive interest only (“IOs”), principal only (“POs”) or an amount that remains after floating-rate tranches are paid (an inverse floater). These securities are frequently referred to as “mortgage derivatives” and may be extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates. Interest rates on inverse floaters, for example, vary inversely with a short-term floating rate (which may be reset periodically). Interest rates on inverse floaters will decrease when short-term rates increase, and will increase when short-term rates decrease. These securities have the effect of providing a degree of investment leverage. In response to changes in market interest rates or other market conditions, the value of an inverse floater may increase or decrease at a multiple of the increase or decrease in the value of the underlying securities. If the Fund invests in CMO tranches (including CMO tranches issued by government agencies) and interest rates move in a manner not anticipated by the Adviser, it is possible that the Fund could lose all or substantially all of its investment.

 

Credit Risk Transfer Securities Risk. CRTs are unguaranteed and unsecured debt securities that are commonly issued by a government sponsored entity. CRTs are not directly linked to or backed by the underlying mortgage loans, so investors such as the Fund have no direct recourse to the underlying mortgage loans in the event of a default. The risks associated with CRTs are different from the risks associated with investments in MBS issued by government sponsored entities or private issuers because some or all of the mortgage default or credit risk associated with the underlying mortgage loans is transferred to investors. Additional risks associated with investments in CRTs may include valuation risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, and prepayment risk.

 

TBA Commitments Risk. The Fund will typically enter into “to be announced” or “TBA” commitments for MBS and, at times, the portion of the Fund’s portfolio allocated to TBA securities may be significant. Although TBA securities must meet industry-accepted “good delivery” standards, there can be no assurance that a security purchased on a forward commitment basis will ultimately be issued or delivered by the counterparty. During the settlement period, the Fund will still bear the risk of any decline in the value of the security to be delivered. Because TBA commitments do not require the purchase and sale of identical securities, the characteristics of the security delivered to the Fund may be less favorable than the security delivered to the dealer. If the counterparty to a transaction fails to deliver the securities, the Fund could suffer a loss. At the time of its acquisition, a TBA security may be valued at less than the purchase price. When the Fund sells a TBA security prior to settlement, it does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. The Fund is generally not required to pay for the TBA security until the settlement date and, as a result, if the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when TBA commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

 

4 | Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

 

CLO Risk. The risks of investing in CLOs include both the economic risks of the underlying loans combined with the risks associated with the CLO structure governing the priority of payments. The degree of such risk will generally correspond to the specific tranche in which the Fund is invested. CLO rated tranches (such as AAA rated tranches) do not constitute a guarantee, may be downgraded, and in stressed market environments it is possible that even senior CLO tranches could experience losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and the significant losses experienced by subordinated/equity tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as negative market sentiment with respect to CLO securities as an asset class. The Fund’s portfolio management may not be able to accurately predict how specific CLOs or the portfolio of underlying loans for such CLOs will react to changes or stresses in the market, including changes in interest rates. The most common risks associated with investing in CLOs are liquidity risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, prepayment risk, and the risk of default of the underlying asset, among others.

 

CLO Manager Risk. CLOs are managed by investment advisers independent of the Adviser. CLO managers are responsible for selecting, managing and replacing the underlying bank loans within a CLO. CLO managers may have limited operating histories, may be subject to conflicts of interests, including managing the assets of other clients or other investment vehicles, or receiving fees that incentivize maximizing the yield, and indirectly the risk, of a CLO. Adverse developments with respect to a CLO manager, such as personnel and resource constraints, regulatory issues or other developments that may impact the ability and/or performance of the CLO manager, may adversely impact the performance of the CLO securities in which the Fund invests.

 

Mortgage Dollar Rolls Risk. Mortgage dollar roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of those securities. Since the counterparty in the transaction is required to deliver a similar, but not identical, security to the Fund, the security the Fund is required to buy under the mortgage dollar roll may be worth less than an identical security. These transactions involve the risk that portfolio management may not correctly predict mortgage prepayments and interest rates, which may diminish the Fund’s performance. In addition, mortgage dollar roll transactions may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate, which can increase the Fund’s expenses and decrease returns.

 

High-Yield Bond Risk. High-yield bonds (also known as “junk” bonds) are considered speculative and may be more sensitive than other types of bonds to economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the entity that issued the bond, which may adversely affect their value. High-yield bonds are bonds rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, Fitch, Inc., and Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or are unrated bonds of similar quality. The value of lower quality bonds generally is more dependent on credit risk than investment grade bonds. Issuers of high-yield bonds may not be as strong financially as those issuing bonds with higher credit ratings and are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the issuer. In addition, the junk bond market can experience sudden and sharp price swings.

 

Agency Securities Risk. Certain debt securities issued or guaranteed by agencies of the U.S. Government are guaranteed as to the payment of principal and interest by the relevant entity but have not been backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Instead, they have been supported only by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the agency’s obligations. An event affecting the guaranteeing entity could adversely affect the payment of principal or interest or both on the security and, therefore, these types of securities should be considered to be riskier than U.S. Government securities.

 

Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities are generally subject to the following risks:

 

Interest rate risk, which is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Changing interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility.

 

Credit risk, which is the risk that the credit strength of an issuer of a fixed-income security will weaken and/or that the issuer will be unable to make timely principal and interest payments and that the security may go into default.

 

Prepayment risk, which is the risk that, during periods of falling interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off quicker than originally anticipated, which may cause the Fund to reinvest its assets in securities with lower yields, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential.

 

5 | Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

 

Valuation risk, which is the risk that one or more of the fixed-income securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer or the security.

 

Extension risk, which is the risk that, during periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated, and as a result, the value of those obligations may fall.

 

Liquidity risk, which is the risk that fixed-income securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that portfolio management would like or at the price portfolio management believes the security is currently worth. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced).

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic, and other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war,, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives can be volatile and involve risks in addition to the risks of the underlying referenced securities or asset. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty to the derivative transaction will default on its payment obligations. Derivatives used for hedging purposes may reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by portfolio management or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge.

 

Rule 144A Securities and Other Exempt Securities Risk. Investments in securities issued under Regulation S and Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements, could have the effect of decreasing the Fund’s liquidity profile or preventing the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Accordingly, the Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Leverage Risk. The risk associated with certain types of leveraged investments or trading strategies pursuant to which relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of an investment. The Fund creates leverage by investing in instruments where the investment loss can exceed the original amount invested. The use of other investment techniques, such as short sales and certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect on the Fund.

 

Nondiversification Risk. The Fund is classified as nondiversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). This gives the Fund’s portfolio management more flexibility to hold larger positions in securities. As a result, an increase or decrease in the value of a single security held by the Fund may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and total return.

 

New/Smaller Sized Fund Risk. Because the Fund is relatively new, it has a limited operating history and a small asset base. The Fund’s performance may not represent how the Fund is expected to or may perform in the long term if and when it becomes larger. If a new or smaller fund were to fail to attract sufficient assets to achieve or maintain economies of scale, performance may be negatively impacted, and any resulting liquidation could create negative transaction costs for the fund and tax consequences for investors.

 

6 | Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

 

Cash Transaction Risk. The Fund intends to effect Creation Unit transactions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities, because of the nature of the Fund’s investments. Cash purchases may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges or delays in investing the cash that it would otherwise not incur if a purchase was made on an in-kind basis. Because the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds and thereby may recognize a capital gain on such sales, Creation Unit redemption on a cash basis may be less tax-efficient for the Fund compared to an in-kind redemption. In addition, Creation Unit redemptions for cash may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges it would not otherwise incur with an in-kind redemption, to the extent such fees or charges are not offset by the redemption transaction fee paid by Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, the Fund’s use of cash transactions may result in wider bid-ask spreads in Fund shares trading in the secondary market as compared to ETFs that transact exclusively on an in-kind basis.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV.

 

Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of NAV and Market Price Risk. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to NAV. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s NAV. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV and to face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

7 | Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s performance has varied over time. The bar chart depicts the change in performance from year to year during the periods indicated. The table compares the Fund’s average annual returns for the periods indicated to a broad-based securities market index, as well as to one or more supplemental indices that have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. All figures assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses.

 

The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at janushenderson.com/performance or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

Annual Total Returns (calendar year-end)

 

 

 

Best Quarter:

3rd Quarter 2024

3.92%

Worst Quarter:

4th Quarter 2024

0.25%

 

Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended 12/31/24)

 

 

1 Year

Since
Inception
(11/08/23)

     

Return Before Taxes

7.40%

9.56%

Return After Taxes on Distributions

4.66%

6.79%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(1)

4.34%

6.11%

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

1.25%

6.10%

ICE BofA US ABS & CMBS Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

5.96%

7.94%

 

(1)

If the Fund incurs a loss, which generates a tax benefit, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may exceed the Fund’s other return figures.

(2)

Index performance shown in the table is the total return, which assumes reinvestment of any dividends and distributions during the time periods shown.

 

After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Nick Childs, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in November 2023. John Kerschner, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in November 2023.

 

8 | Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund is an actively-managed ETF. Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted primarily in exchange for all cash, but may be conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, you may pay more than NAV (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than NAV (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

9 | Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

 

Additional Information about the Fund

 

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

 

The Fund is an actively managed ETF and, thus, does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. Accordingly, portfolio management has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will generally sell or dispose of its portfolio investments when, in the opinion of the Adviser, they have reached their profit or price target, or as the result of changing market conditions. The Fund is designed for investors who seek exposure to an actively managed portfolio consisting primarily of securitized fixed-income instruments.

 

The Fund’s Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) may change the Fund’s investment objective or non-fundamental principal investment strategies without a shareholder vote. The Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days or as soon as reasonably practicable before making any such change it considers material. If there is a material change to the Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

On each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV per share. A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Information about the premiums and discounts at which the Fund’s shares have traded is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Unless otherwise stated, the following additional investment strategies and general policies apply to the Fund and provide further information including, but not limited to, the types of securities the Fund may invest in when implementing its investment objective. Some of these strategies and policies may be part of a principal strategy. Other strategies and policies may be utilized to a lesser extent as a complement to the Fund’s principal strategy. Except for the Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this Prospectus and/or the SAI normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if the Fund exceeds a limit, other than illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. For temporary liquidity and cash management purposes, the Fund may invest in other ETFs that provide exposure to related securities.

 

Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities are collateralized by pools of obligations or assets. Almost any type of asset may be used to create an asset-backed security. The Fund will typically invest in asset-backed securities backed by pools of aircraft, auto, credit cards, equipment, litigation financing, marketplace lending, single family rental, and other equivalent forms of securities representing interests in pools backed by financial, physical, and/or intangible assets. Asset-backed securities may take the form of commercial paper, notes, or pass-through certificates and may be structured as floaters, inverse floaters, interest-only and principal-only obligations. Payments on asset-backed securities include both interest and a partial payment of principal. The value of the Fund’s investments in asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, factors concerning the interests in and structure of the issuer or originator of the receivables, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements, and/or the market’s assessment of the quality of the underlying assets. Generally, the originating bank or credit provider is neither the obligor nor the guarantor of the security, and interest and principal payments ultimately depend upon payment of the underlying loans by individuals. The Fund could incur a loss if the underlying loans are not paid. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment. Prepayment risk is the risk that during periods of falling interest rates, certain fixed-income securities with higher interest rates, such as mortgage- and asset-backed securities, may be prepaid by their issuers thereby reducing the amount of interest payments. The impact of prepayments on the value of asset-backed securities may be difficult to predict and may result in greater volatility. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of asset-backed securities, making them more volatile and sensitive to changing interest rates.

 

10 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Cash Position

The Fund may not always stay fully invested. When portfolio management believes that market conditions are unfavorable for investing, or when they are otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund’s cash or similar investments may increase. When the Fund’s investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested. To the extent the Fund invests its uninvested cash through a sweep program (meaning its uninvested cash is pooled with uninvested cash of other funds and invested in certain securities such as repurchase agreements), it is subject to the risks of the account or fund into which it is investing, including liquidity issues that may delay the Fund from accessing its cash.

 

In addition, the Fund may temporarily increase its cash position under certain unusual circumstances, such as to protect its assets or maintain liquidity in certain circumstances to meet unusually large redemptions. The Fund’s cash position may also increase temporarily due to unusually large cash inflows. Under unusual circumstances such as these, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or similar investments. In this case, the Fund may take positions that are inconsistent with its investment policies. As a result, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Collateralized Loan Obligations

A CLO is a type of structured credit, which is a sector of the fixed income market that also includes asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. Typically organized as a trust or other special purpose vehicle, a CLO issues debt and equity interests and uses the proceeds from this issuance to acquire a portfolio of bank loans made primarily to businesses that are rated below investment grade. The underlying loans in which a CLO may invest may be issued or offered as “covenant lite” loans, which have few or no financial maintenance covenants. The underlying loans are generally senior-secured/first-priority loans; however, the CLO may also include an allowance for second-lien and/or unsecured debt. Additionally, the underlying loans may include domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, some of which may individually be below investment grade or the equivalent if unrated. The portfolio of underlying loans is actively managed by the CLO manager for a fixed period of time (“reinvestment period”). During the reinvestment period, the CLO manager may buy and sell individual loans to create trading gains or mitigate loses. The CLO portfolio will generally be required to adhere to certain diversification rules established by the CLO issuer to mitigate against the risk of concentrated defaults within a given industry or sector. After a specified period of time, the majority owner of equity interests in the CLO may seek to call the CLO’s outstanding debt or refinance its position. If not called or refinanced, when the reinvestment period ends, the CLO uses cash flows from the underlying loans to pay down the outstanding debt tranches and wind up the CLO’s operations.

 

Interests in the CLOs are divided into two or more separate debt and equity tranches, each with a different credit rating and risk/return profile based upon its priority of claim on the cash flows produced by the underlying loan pool. Tranches are categorized as senior, mezzanine and subordinated/equity, according to their degree of credit risk. If there are defaults or the CLO’s collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches take precedence over those to subordinated/equity tranches. The riskiest portion is the “Equity” tranche, which bears the bulk of defaults from the loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Senior and mezzanine tranches are typically rated, with the former receiving ratings of A to AAA/Aaa and the latter receiving ratings of B to BBB/Baa. The ratings reflect both the credit quality of underlying collateral as well as how much protection a given tranche is afforded by tranches that are subordinate to it. Normally, CLOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws.

 

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations

The Fund may invest in CMOs. A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Fannie Mae, and their income streams.

 

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as “tranches,” with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as “sequential pay” CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

 

11 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Credit Risk Transfer Securities

The Fund may invest in credit risk transfer securities (“CRTs”). CRTs are unguaranteed and unsecured debt securities that are commonly issued by a government sponsored entity (“GSE”). The Fund may also invest in CRTs that are issued by private entities, such as banks or other financial institutions. CRTs issued by private entities are structured similarly to those issued by a GSE and are generally subject to the same types of risks, including mortgage, credit, prepayment, liquidity, and valuation risks.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of the Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Floating Rate Obligations

The Fund may invest in securities with floating rates of interest which, under certain limited circumstances, may have varying principal amounts. Floating rate securities pay interest at rates that are adjusted periodically according to a specified formula, usually with reference to some interest rate index or market interest rate (the “underlying index”). The floating interest rate tends to decrease the security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. These types of securities are relatively long-term instruments that often carry demand features permitting the holder to demand payment of principal at any time or at specified intervals prior to maturity. Inverse floating rate securities (“Inverse Floaters”) are debt instruments whose interest bears an inverse relationship to the interest rate on another security. A rise in the reference rate of an inverse floater will cause a drop in the interest rate paid by the inverse floater, while a drop in the reference rate of the inverse floater will cause an increase in the interest rate paid on the inverse floater. Inverse Floaters may exhibit greater price volatility than a fixed rate obligation with similar credit quality.

 

High-Yield Bonds

Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in bonds that are rated below investment grade (also known as “junk” bonds), such as BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“Standard & Poor’s”) and Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”), or Ba1 or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or is an unrated bond of similar quality. The Fund may also invest in unrated bonds of domestic issuers.

 

Illiquid Investments

The Fund will not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund 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 investment.

 

Interest Rate Futures Contracts

Interest rate futures contracts, including futures contracts on U.S. Treasuries, Eurodollars and other futures contracts that provide interest rate exposure, are typically exchange-traded, are typically used to obtain interest rate exposure in order to manage duration and hedge interest rate risk. An interest rate futures contract is a bilateral agreement where one party agrees to accept and the other party agrees to make delivery of a specified security, as called for in the agreement at a specified date and at an agreed upon price. Generally, Treasury interest rate futures contracts are closed out or rolled over prior to their expiration date.

 

Leverage

The Fund may use leverage for investment purposes by entering into TBA commitments, mortgage dollar rolls, and/or reverse repurchase agreement transactions and using the cash made available from these transactions to make additional investments in fixed-income securities in accordance with the Fund’s principal strategies. In addition, other investment techniques, such as certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect.

 

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Mortgage-Backed Securities

Mortgage-backed securities represent an ownership interest in a pool of mortgage loans used to finance purchases of real estate. The mortgage loans that comprise a pool normally have similar interest rates (fixed or variable), maturities and other terms. Pools of mortgages financing residential home purchases are referred to as residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), while pools of mortgages financing commercial buildings, multi-family properties and other real estate are referred to as commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”). Mortgage-backed securities may be issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities (“agency mortgage-backed securities”), or may be issued or guaranteed by private entities such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions or mortgage bankers (“privately issued mortgage-backed securities”).

 

Unlike traditional debt instruments, payments on mortgage-backed securities include both interest and a partial payment of principal. Prepayment of the principal of underlying loans at a faster pace than expected is known as “prepayment risk” and may shorten the effective maturities of these securities. This may result in the Fund having to reinvest proceeds at a lower interest rate. Mortgage-backed securities tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than other types of debt securities. In addition to prepayment risk, investments in privately-issued mortgage-backed securities may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than other mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities are also subject to extension risk. Extension risk is the risk that borrowers may pay off their debt obligations more slowly in times of rising interest rates. The risks associated with CMBS reflect the risks of investing in the commercial real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans and are therefore different from the risks of other types of mortgage-backed securities.

 

Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities. The Fund will invest in fixed or variable rate agency mortgage-backed securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), or other governmental or government-related entities. Ginnie Mae’s guarantees are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, which means that the U.S. Government guarantees that the interest and principal will be paid when due. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.

 

Non-Agency Mortgage-Backed Securities. The Fund may invest in non-agency mortgage-backed securities, which are mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by private issuers.

 

Mortgage Dollar Rolls

The Fund utilizes “mortgage dollar rolls,” which are similar to reverse repurchase agreements in certain respects. In a mortgage dollar roll transaction, the Fund sells a mortgage-related security (such as a Ginnie Mae security) to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A “dollar roll” can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which the Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Successful use of mortgage dollar rolls depends on the Fund’s ability to predict interest rates and mortgage payments. Dollar roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities the Fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price. The use of mortgage dollar rolls often results in higher portfolio turnover.

 

Nondiversification

Diversification is a way to reduce risk by investing in a broad range of stocks or other securities. The Fund is classified as nondiversified. A fund that is classified as nondiversified has the ability to take larger positions in securities than a fund that is classified as diversified. This gives a fund which is classified as nondiversified more flexibility to focus its investments in companies that portfolio management has identified as the most attractive for the investment objective and strategy of the Fund. However, because the appreciation or depreciation of a single security may have a greater impact on the NAV of a fund which is classified as nondiversified, its share price can be expected to fluctuate more than a comparable fund which is classified as diversified. This fluctuation, if significant, may affect the performance of a fund.

 

Pass-Through Securities

Pass-through securities (such as mortgage-and asset-backed securities) are debt securities that normally give the issuer an option to pay cash at a coupon payment date or give the holder of the security a similar bond with the same coupon rate and a face value equal to the amount of the coupon payment that would have been made. In the pass-through structure, principal and interest payments on the underlying securities (less servicing fees) are passed through to shareholders on a pro rata basis.

 

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These securities involve prepayment risk. In that case, the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds from the securities at a lower rate. Potential market gains on a security subject to prepayment risk may be more limited than potential market gains on a comparable security that is not subject to prepayment risk.

 

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio turnover rates are generally not a factor in making buy and sell decisions. Changes may be made to the Fund’s portfolio, consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, when portfolio management believes such changes are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. Short-term transactions may result from the purchase of a security in anticipation of relatively short-term gains, liquidity needs, securities having reached a price or yield objective, changes in interest rates or the credit standing of an issuer, or by reason of economic or other developments not foreseen at the time of the initial investment decision. The Fund may also sell one security and simultaneously purchase the same or a comparable security to take advantage of short-term differentials in bond yields or securities prices. Portfolio turnover is affected by market conditions, changes in the size of the Fund (including due to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units), the nature of the Fund’s investments, and the investment style of portfolio management. Due to the nature of the securities in which it invests, the Fund may have relatively high portfolio turnover compared to other funds.

 

Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover also may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. The “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus shows the Fund’s historical turnover rates.

 

Preferred Stock

A preferred stock represents an ownership interest in a company, but pays dividends at a specific rate and has priority over common stock in payment of dividends and liquidation claims. Like debt securities, the value of a preferred stock often fluctuates more in response to changes in interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer, rather than in response to changes in the issuer’s profitability and business prospects. Preferred stock is subject to similar risks as common stock and debt securities.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities

Private placements are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. These securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may include securities issued through private offerings without registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Regulation S or Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Offerings of Regulation S securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Although Regulation S and Rule 144A securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the amounts received from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund.

 

REITs and Real Estate-Related Securities

The Fund may invest in equity and debt securities of real estate-related companies. Such companies may include those in the real estate industry or real estate-related industries. These securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, and other securities, including, but not limited to, mortgage-backed securities, real estate-backed securities, securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and similar REIT-like entities (such as real estate operation companies (“REOCs”)). A REIT is an entity that invests in real estate-related projects, such as properties, mortgage loans, and construction loans. REITs are often categorized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. An equity REIT, the most common type of REIT, invests primarily in the fee ownership of land and buildings. An equity REIT derives its income primarily from rental income but may also realize capital gains or losses by selling real estate properties in its portfolio that have appreciated or depreciated in value. A mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development, or long-term loans. A mortgage REIT generally derives its income from interest payments on the credit it has extended. A hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of equity REITs and mortgage REITs, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate.

 

Similar to REITs, REOCs are publicly-traded real estate companies that typically engage in the development, management or financing of real estate, such as homebuilders, hotel management companies, land developers and brokers. REOCs, however, have not elected (or are not eligible) to be taxed as a REIT. The reasons for not making such an election include the (i) availability of tax-loss carry-forwards, (ii) operation in non-REIT-qualifying lines of business, and (iii) ability to retain earnings. Instead, REOCs are generally structured as “C” corporations under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,

 

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and, as a result, are not required to distribute any portion of their income. In this regard, although REOCs do not receive the same favorable tax treatment that is accorded to REITs, REOCs are typically subject to fewer restrictions than REITs, including the ability to retain and/or reinvest funds from operations and more flexibility in terms of the real estate investments they can make.

 

Securities Lending

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination. When the Fund lends its securities, it receives collateral (including cash collateral), at least equal to the value of securities loaned. The Fund may earn income by investing this collateral in one or more affiliated or non-affiliated cash management vehicles or in time deposits. It is also possible that, due to a decline in the value of a cash management vehicle in which collateral is invested, the Fund may lose money. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns. The Adviser intends to manage a portion of the cash collateral in an affiliated cash management vehicle and will receive an investment advisory fee for managing such assets.

 

Swap Agreements

The Fund may utilize swap agreements such as credit default, interest rate, and total return swaps, as a means to hedge its portfolio against adverse movements in securities prices, the rate of inflation, or interest rates. Swap agreements are two-party contracts to exchange one set of cash flows for another. Swap agreements entail the risk that a party will default on its payment obligations to the Fund. If the other party to a swap defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. If the Fund utilizes a swap at the wrong time or judges market conditions incorrectly, the swap may result in a loss to the Fund and reduce the Fund’s total return.

 

Index Credit Default Swaps. The Fund may invest in index credit default swaps (“CDX”). A CDX is a swap on an index of credit default swaps. CDXs allow an investor to manage credit risk or take a position on a basket of credit entities (such as credit default swaps or a commercial mortgage-backed index) in a more efficient manner than transacting in a single-name credit default swap. If a credit event occurs in one of the underlying companies, the protection is paid out via the delivery of the defaulted bond by the buyer of protection in return for a payment of notional value of the defaulted bond by the seller of protection or it may be settled through a cash settlement between the two parties. The underlying company is then removed from the index. New series of CDXs are issued on a regular basis.

 

Commercial mortgage-backed securities index swaps (“CMBX”) are a type of index credit default swap that are made up of tranches of commercial mortgage-backed securities rather than credit default swaps. CMBX involve a pay-as-you go settlement process designed to capture non-default events that affect the cash flow to the underlying mortgage-backed securities tranche.

 

Interest Rate Swaps. The Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, which involve the exchange by two parties of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments). Interest rate swaps are generally entered into on a net basis. Interest rate swaps do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets, or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate swaps is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make.

 

Total Return Swaps. The Fund may enter into total return swaps, which involve the exchange by two parties in which one party makes payments based on a set rate, either fixed or variable, while the other party makes payments based on the return of an underlying asset, which includes both the income it generates and any capital gains over the payment period. A fixed-income total return swap may be written on many different kinds of underlying reference assets, and may include different indices for various kinds of debt securities (e.g., U.S. investment grade bonds, high-yield bonds, or emerging market bonds).

 

TBA Commitments

The Fund will typically enter into “to be announced” or “TBA” commitments. TBA commitments are forward agreements for the purchase or sale of securities, including mortgage-backed securities, for a fixed price, with payment and delivery on an agreed upon future settlement date. The specific securities to be delivered are not identified at the trade date. However,

 

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delivered securities must meet industry-accepted “good delivery” standards, which include specified terms, for issuer, rate, and mortgage terms. At the time the TBA commitment is made, the transaction is recorded and thereafter the value of such securities is reflected each day in determining the Fund’s NAV. Because the Fund is generally not required to pay for the security until the settlement date, if the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when TBA commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

 

U.S. Government Securities

The Fund may invest in U.S. Government securities. U.S. Government securities include those issued directly by the U.S. Treasury, including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (also known as TIPS), and those issued or guaranteed by various U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities. Some government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Other government securities are backed only by the rights of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. Others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the obligations. Certain other government securities are supported only by the credit of the issuer. For securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the securities for repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. Such securities may involve increased risk of loss of principal and interest compared to government debt securities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.

 

Because of the rising U.S. Government debt burden, it is possible that the U.S. Government may not be able to meet its financial obligations or that securities issued or backed by the U.S. Government may experience credit downgrades. Such a credit event may adversely affect the financial markets.

 

Risks of the Fund

 

The value of your investment will vary over time, sometimes significantly, and you may lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund invests mainly in mortgage-related instruments. The following information is intended to help you better understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund, including those risks that are summarized in the Fund Summary section. This information also includes descriptions of other risks the Fund may be subject to as a result of additional investment strategies and general policies that may apply to the Fund. The impact of the following risks on the Fund may vary depending on the Fund’s investments. The greater the Fund’s investment in a particular security, the greater the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with that security. Before investing in the Fund, you should consider carefully the risks that you assume when investing in the Fund.

 

Affiliated Underlying Fund Risk. The Adviser may invest in certain affiliated ETFs as investments for the Fund. The Adviser will generally receive fees for managing such funds, in addition to the fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund. The payment of such fees by affiliated funds creates a conflict of interest when selecting affiliated funds for investment in the Fund. The Adviser, however, is a fiduciary to the Fund and its shareholders and is legally obligated to act in its best interest when selecting affiliated funds. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated ETFs with respect to the Fund’s investment in such ETF, less certain operating expenses.

 

Collateralized Loan Obligation Risk. The risks of investing in a Collateralized Loan Obligation (“CLO”) can be generally summarized as a combination of economic risks of the underlying loans and the risks associated with the CLO structure governing the priority of payments. The degree of such risk will generally correspond to the specific tranche in which the Fund is invested. Higher-rated CLO tranches (such as AAA-rated tranches) do not constitute a guarantee and in stressed market environments it is possible that these CLO tranches could experience losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and significant losses experienced by subordinated/equity tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as negative market sentiment with respect to CLO securities as an asset class. The Fund’s portfolio management may not be able to accurately predict how specific CLOs or the portfolio of underlying loans for such CLOs will react to changes or stresses in the market, including changes in interest rates. The most common risks associated with investing in CLOs are interest rate risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, prepayment risk, and the risk of default of the underlying asset, among others.

 

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Mezzanine CLO Risk. The Fund may invest in BBB or lower rated CLO tranches of CLOs. Such securities are often subordinate to higher-rated tranches in terms of payment priority. Subordinated CLO tranches are subject to higher credit risk and liquidity risk relative to more senior CLO tranches. To the extent a CLO or its underlying loans experience default or are having difficulty making principal and/or interest payments, such subordinate CLO tranches will be more likely to experience adverse impacts, and such impacts will be more severe, relative to more senior and/or higher-rated CLO securities, which in turn will adversely affect the performance of the Fund. In many cases, pursuant to the terms of the CLO governance documents, no payment of interest of principal can be made to a holders of subordinated CLO tranches until the interest or principal payments have been made in full to holders of senior CLO tranches.

 

Collateralized Mortgage Obligation Risk. Collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) are a type of mortgage-backed security. CMOs are created by dividing the principal and interest payments collected on a pool of mortgages into several revenue streams (tranches) with different priority rights to portions of the underlying mortgage payments. Certain CMO tranches may represent a right to receive interest only (“IOs”), principal only (“POs”) or an amount that remains after floating-rate tranches are paid (an inverse floater). These securities are frequently referred to as “mortgage derivatives” and may be extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates. Interest rates on inverse floaters, for example, vary inversely with a short-term floating rate (which may be reset periodically). Interest rates on inverse floaters will decrease when short-term rates increase, and will increase when short-term rates decrease. These securities have the effect of providing a degree of investment leverage. In response to changes in market interest rates or other market conditions, the value of an inverse floater may increase or decrease at a multiple of the increase or decrease in the value of the underlying securities. If the Fund invests in CMO tranches (including CMO tranches issued by government agencies) and interest rates move in a manner not anticipated by the Adviser, it is possible that the Fund could lose all or substantially all of its investment.

 

Counterparty Risk. Fund transactions involving a counterparty are subject to the risk that the counterparty or a third party will not fulfill its obligation to the Fund (“counterparty risk”). Counterparty risk may arise because of the counterparty’s financial condition (i.e., financial difficulties, bankruptcy, or insolvency), market activities and developments, or other reasons, whether foreseen or not. A counterparty’s inability to fulfill its obligation may result in significant financial loss to the Fund. The Fund may be unable to recover its investment from the counterparty or may obtain a limited recovery, and/or recovery may be delayed. The Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk to the extent it participates in lending its securities to third parties and/or cash sweep arrangements whereby the Fund’s cash balance is invested in one or more types of cash management vehicles or in time deposits. In addition, the Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk through its investments in certain securities, including, but not limited to, repurchase agreements, debt securities, and derivatives (including various types of forwards, swaps, futures, and options). The Fund intends to enter into financial transactions with counterparties that the Adviser believes to be creditworthy at the time of the transaction. There is always the risk that the Adviser’s analysis of a counterparty’s creditworthiness is incorrect or may change due to market conditions. To the extent that the Fund focuses its transactions with a limited number of counterparties, it will have greater exposure to the risks associated with one or more counterparties.

 

Credit Quality Risk. The Fund is subject to the risks associated with the credit quality of the issuers of fixed-income securities. Credit quality measures the likelihood that the issuer or borrower will meet its obligations on a bond. One of the fundamental risks is credit risk, which is the risk that an issuer will be unable to make principal and interest payments when due, or default on its obligations. Higher credit risk may negatively impact the Fund’s returns and yield.

 

Many fixed-income securities receive credit ratings from services such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s. These services assign ratings to securities by assessing the likelihood of issuer default. The lower a bond issue is rated by an agency, the more credit risk it is considered to represent. Lower rated instruments and securities generally pay interest at a higher rate to compensate for the associated greater risk. Interest rates can fluctuate in response to economic or market conditions, which can result in a fluctuation in the price of a security and impact the Fund’s return and yield. If a security has not received a rating, the Fund must rely upon the Adviser’s credit assessment, which if incorrect can also impact the Fund’s returns and yield. Please refer to the “Explanation of Rating Categories” section of the SAI for a description of bond rating categories.

 

Credit Risk Transfer Securities Risk. CRT securities are unguaranteed and unsecured debt securities commonly issued by a government sponsored entity. CRTs are not directly linked to or backed by the underlying mortgage loans so investors such as the Fund have no recourse to the underlying mortgage loans. The risks associated with CRTs are different from the risks associated with investments in mortgage-backed securities issued by government sponsored entities or private issuers because some or all of the mortgage default or credit risk associated with the underlying mortgage loans is transferred to investors. Additional risks associated with investments in CRTs may include valuation risk, mortgage credit risk, liquidity risk, and prepayment risk.

 

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Derivatives Risks. Derivatives can be volatile and involve similar risks to those as the underlying referenced securities or assets. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost, and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund.

 

The Fund may use futures and swap agreements (such as interest rate, credit default, and total return swaps), and other derivative instruments individually or in combination to “hedge” or protect its portfolio from adverse movements in securities prices and interest rates. There is no guarantee that the portfolio management’s use of derivative investments will benefit the Fund. The Fund’s performance could be worse than if the Fund had not used such instruments. Use of such investments may instead increase risk to the Fund, rather than reduce risk. Derivatives can be complex instruments and may involve analysis that differs from that required for other investment types used by the Fund. If the value of a derivative does not correlate well with the particular market or other asset class to which the derivative is intended to provide exposure, the derivative may not produce the anticipated result. Derivatives can also reduce the opportunity for gain or result in losses by offsetting positive returns in other investments. Derivatives also entail the risk that the counterparty will default on its payment obligations. If the counterparty to a derivative transaction defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. To the extent the Fund enters into short derivative positions, the Fund may be exposed to risks similar to those associated with short sales.

 

Futures and Swaps Related to Interest Rate Risk. The Fund’s investments in interest rate futures, swaps, or futures on interest rate sensitive securities entail the risk that portfolio management’s prediction of the direction of interest rates is wrong, and the Fund could incur a loss. In addition, due to the possibility of price distortions in the interest rate futures or swaps markets, or an imperfect correlation between the underlying instrument and the interest rate portfolio management is seeking to hedge, a correct forecast of general interest rate trends by portfolio management may not result in the successful use of futures and swaps related to interest rates.

 

Index Credit Default Swaps Risk. If the Fund holds a long position in a CDX, the Fund would indirectly bear its proportionate share of any expenses paid by a CDX. By investing in a CDX, the Fund could be exposed to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, and credit risk of the issuers of the underlying loan obligations and of the CDX markets. If there is a default by the CDX counterparty, the Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction. A CDX also bears the risk that the Fund will not be able to meet its obligation to the counterparty.

 

Total Return Swaps Risk. A total return swap is a contract in which one party agrees to make periodic payments to another party based on the change in market value of the assets underlying the contract, which may include a specified security, basket of securities, or securities indices during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or the total return from other underlying assets. Total return swap agreements may be used to obtain exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or investing directly in such market. Total return swap agreements may effectively add leverage to a fund’s portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. The primary risks associated with total returns swaps are credit risks (if the counterparty fails to meet its obligations) and market risk (if there is no liquid market for the agreement or unfavorable changes occur to the underlying asset).

 

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies, which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. ETFs are traded on a national securities exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium or discount to its NAV. When the Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. ETFs also involve the risk that an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained. Similarly, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to purchase or sell an ETF at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities. The ETFs in which the Fund invests are subject to specific risks, depending on the investment strategy of the ETF. In turn, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with direct exposure to the ETFs’ holdings.

 

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Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Typically, the values of fixed-income securities change inversely with prevailing interest rates. Therefore, a fundamental risk of fixed-income securities is interest rate risk, which is the risk that the value of such securities will generally decline as prevailing interest rates rise, which may cause the Fund’s NAV to likewise decrease. How specific fixed-income securities may react to changes in interest rates will depend on the specific characteristics of each security. For example, while securities with longer maturities and durations tend to produce higher yields, they also tend to be more sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates and are therefore more volatile than shorter-term securities and are subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates. However, calculations of maturity and duration may be based on estimates and may not reliably predict a security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In addition, different interest rate measures (such as short- and long-term interest rates and U.S. and non-U.S. interest rates), or interest rates on different types of securities or securities of different issuers, may not necessarily change in the same amount or in the same direction. Investments in fixed-income securities with very low or negative interest rates may diminish the Fund’s yield and performance.

 

Fixed-income securities are also subject to credit risk, which is the risk that the credit strength of an issuer of a fixed-income security will weaken and/or that the issuer will be unable to make timely principal and interest payments and that the security may go into default. In addition, there is prepayment risk, which is the risk that during periods of falling interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off quicker than originally anticipated, which may cause the Fund to reinvest its assets in securities with lower yields, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential. Fixed-income securities may also be subject to valuation risk and liquidity risk. Valuation risk is the risk that one or more of the fixed-income securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer of the security. Liquidity risk is the risk that fixed-income securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that portfolio management would like or at the price portfolio management believes the security is currently worth. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk. To the extent the Fund invests in fixed-income securities in a particular industry or economic sector, its share values may fluctuate in response to events affecting that industry or sector. Securities underlying mortgage- and asset-backed securities, which may include subprime mortgages, also may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk. To the extent that the Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income securities, the Fund may be more substantially exposed to these risks than a fund that does not invest in such derivatives. The market for certain fixed-income securities may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Similarly, the amount of assets deemed illiquid remaining within the Fund may also increase, making it more difficult to meet shareholder redemptions and further adversely affecting the value of the Fund.

 

Floating Rate Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest in floating rate obligations with interest rates that reset regularly, maintaining a fixed spread over a stated reference rate. The interest rates on floating rate obligations typically reset quarterly, although rates on some obligations may adjust at other intervals. Unexpected changes in the interest rates on floating rate obligations could result in lower income to the Fund. In addition, the secondary market on which floating rate obligations are traded may be less liquid than the market for investment grade securities or other types of income-producing securities, which may have an adverse impact on their market price. There is also a potential that there is no active market to trade floating rate obligations, that there may be restrictions on their transfer, or that the issuer may default. As a result, the Fund may be unable to sell floating rate obligations at the desired time or may be able to sell only at a price less than fair market value. In addition, if movements in interest rates are incorrectly anticipated, the Fund could lose money, or its NAV could decline by the use of Inverse Floaters.

 

High-Yield Bond Risk. High-yield bonds (or “junk” bonds) are bonds rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s or are unrated bonds of similar quality. The value of lower quality bonds generally is more dependent on credit risk than investment grade bonds. Issuers of high-yield bonds may not be as strong financially as those issuing bonds with higher credit ratings and are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the issuer. In addition, the junk bond market can experience sudden and sharp price swings.

 

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The secondary market on which high-yield securities are traded is less liquid than the market for investment grade securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of the security. Additionally, it may be more difficult to value the securities because valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a larger role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available.

 

Please refer to the “Explanation of Rating Categories” in Appendix A of the SAI for a description of bond rating categories.

 

Impairment of Collateral Risk. The value of collateral, if any, securing a floating rate loan can decline, and may be insufficient to meet the borrower’s obligations or difficult to liquidate. Further, certain floating rate loans may not be fully collateralized and may decline in value.

 

Inflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of certain assets or real income from investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of a Fund’s assets and distributions may decline. This risk is more prevalent with respect to debt securities held by a fund, as applicable. This risk may be elevated in a low interest rate environment.

 

Interest Rate Risk. Generally, a fixed-income security will increase in value when prevailing interest rates fall and decrease in value when prevailing interest rates rise. Longer-term securities are generally more sensitive to interest rate changes than shorter-term securities, but they generally offer higher yields to compensate investors for the associated risks. High-yield bond prices and floating rate debt security prices are generally less directly responsive to interest rate changes than investment grade issues or comparable fixed rate securities, and may not always follow this pattern. An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed-income securities held by the Fund to decline. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to inflationary trends and the effect of government fiscal and monetary policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives. The Fund may manage interest rate risk by varying the average-weighted effective maturity of the portfolio to reflect an analysis of interest rate trends and other factors. The Fund may also use futures, swaps, options, and other derivatives to manage interest rate risk.

 

Leverage Risk. Engaging in transactions using leverage or those having a leveraging effect subjects the Fund to certain risks. These risks may be heightened if the Fund invests all, or a significant portion of its assets in futures, forwards, swaps, and other types of derivatives. Leverage can magnify the effect of any gains or losses, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. Through the use of leverage, the Fund’s total investment exposure could exceed the value of its portfolio securities and its investment performance could be dependent on securities not directly owned by the Fund. In addition, the Fund’s assets that are used as collateral to secure short sale transactions may decrease in value while the short positions are outstanding, which may force the Fund to use its other, additional assets to meet its collateral requirements.

 

Liquidity Risk. The Fund may invest in securities or instruments that do not trade actively or in large volumes, and may make investments that are less liquid than other investments. Also, the Fund may make investments that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. Investments that are illiquid or that trade in lower volumes may be more difficult to value. When there is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at the desired time or price, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell the security or instrument at all. Investments in foreign securities, particularly those of issuers located in emerging market countries, tend to have greater exposure to liquidity risk than domestic securities. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced). An inability to sell one or more portfolio positions can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Liquidity risk may be increased to the extent that the Fund invests in restricted securities that are deemed to be illiquid investments.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease if the value of one or more issuers in the Fund’s portfolio decreases. Further, regardless of how well individual companies or securities perform, the value of the Fund’s portfolio could also decrease if there are deteriorating economic or market conditions, including, but not limited to, a general decline in prices on the stock markets, a general decline in real estate markets, a decline in commodities prices, or if the market favors different types of securities than the types of securities in which the Fund invests. If the value of the Fund’s portfolio decreases, the Fund’s NAV will also decrease, which means if you sell your shares in the Fund you may lose money. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, war,

 

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conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, financial institution failures, and economic recessions could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions and/or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the global economies and financial markets.

 

Armed Conflict Risk. Recent such examples include conflict, loss of life, and a disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent and duration of each conflict, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in each region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect, including significant negative impacts on the United States and broader global economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities.

 

Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of, or reduce the rate of prepayments on, both commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) and residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates (“extension risk”). As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, the price of mortgage-backed securities may fall, causing the Fund to exhibit additional volatility. Mortgage-backed securities are also subject to prepayment risk. When interest rates decline, borrowers may pay off their mortgages sooner than expected. This can reduce the Fund’s returns because the Fund will have to reinvest that money at lower prevailing interest rates. Investments in certain mortgage-backed securities, including those comprised of subprime mortgages, may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than various other types of fixed-income securities. Additionally, although mortgage-backed securities are generally supported by some form of government or private guarantee and/or insurance, there is no assurance that guarantors or insurers will meet their obligations.

 

CMBS are subject to certain other risks. The market for CMBS developed more recently than that for RMBS and is relatively small in terms of outstanding principal amount of issues compared to the RMBS market. CMBS are also subject to risks associated with a lack of standardized terms, shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans, and payment of all or substantially all of the principal at maturity, rather than regular amortization of principal. Moreover, the type and use of a particular commercial property may add to the risk of CMBS investments. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to have an adverse impact on mortgage-backed securities secured by loans on commercial properties than on those secured by residential properties.

 

Similarly, the value of the Fund’s investments in asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, factors concerning the interests in and structure of the issuer or originator of the receivables, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements, and/or the market’s assessment of the quality of the underlying assets. Generally, the originating bank or credit provider is neither the obligor nor the guarantor of the security, and interest and principal payments ultimately depend upon payment of the underlying loans by individuals. The Fund could incur a loss if the underlying loans are not paid. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment. The impact of prepayments on the value of asset-backed securities may be difficult to predict and may result in greater volatility. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of asset-backed securities, making them more volatile and sensitive to changing interest rates.

 

Mortgage Dollar Roll Risk. Mortgage dollar roll transactions simulate an investment in mortgage-backed securities and have the potential to enhance the Fund’s returns and reduce its administrative burdens, compared with holding mortgage-backed securities directly. Mortgage dollar roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the repurchase price of those securities. Since the counterparty in the transaction is required to deliver a similar, but not identical, security to the Fund, the security the Fund is required to buy under the mortgage dollar roll may be worth less than an identical security. These transactions involve the risk that portfolio management may not correctly predict mortgage prepayments and interest rates, which may diminish the Fund’s performance. In addition, investment in mortgage dollar rolls may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate, which can increase the Fund’s expenses and decrease returns. Furthermore, there is no assurance that the Fund’s use of cash it receives from a mortgage dollar roll will provide a return that exceeds borrowing costs.

 

Newly Issued Securities Risk. The credit obligations in which the Fund invests may include newly issued securities, or “new issues,” such as initial debt offerings. New issues may have a magnified impact on the performance of the Fund during periods in which it has a small asset base. The impact of new issues on the Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce the Fund’s returns. New issues may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing, particularly as the Fund’s asset base grows. Certain new issues, such as initial debt offerings, may be volatile in price due to the absence of a prior trading market, limited quantities available for trading and limited information about the

 

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issuer. The Fund may hold new issues for a short period of time. This may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, new issues can experience an immediate drop in value after issuance if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.

 

Nondiversification Risk. The Fund is classified as nondiversified under the 1940 Act, and therefore may hold a greater percentage of their assets in a smaller number of securities. As a result, an increase or decrease in the value of a single security held by the Fund may have a greater impact on the Fund’s NAV and total return. Being nondiversified may also make the Fund more susceptible to financial, economic, political, or other developments that may impact a security. Although the Fund may satisfy the requirements for a diversified fund, the Fund’s nondiversified classification gives the Fund’s portfolio management more flexibility to hold larger positions in securities than a fund that is classified as diversified.

 

Operational Risk. An investment in the Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in key personnel, technology and/or service providers, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, process fund orders, execute portfolio trades or perform other essential tasks in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. Implementation of business continuity plans by the Fund, the Adviser or third-party service providers in response to disruptive events such as cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may increase these operational risks to the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third-party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies and research process employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Although the Fund seeks to provide long-term positive returns, market conditions or implementation of the Fund’s investment process may result in losses, and the Fund may not meet its investment objective. As such, there can be no assurance of positive “absolute” return. The Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Preferred Stock Risk. To the extent that the Fund holds preferred stock, it may be subject to the additional risks associated with preferred stock. Preferred stock generally has a preference as to dividends and liquidation over an issuer’s common stock but ranks junior to debt securities in an issuer’s capital structure. Unlike interest payments on debt securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer’s board of directors. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions. Because preferred stocks generally pay dividends only after the issuing company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt, the value of preferred stocks generally is more sensitive than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities Risk. Investments in private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements could decrease the Fund’s liquidity profile or prevent the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities, and the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other securities exempt from certain registration requirements.

 

REIT Risk. To the extent the Fund holds REITs and REIT-like entities, it may be subject to the additional risks associated with REIT and REIT-like investments. REITs and REIT-like entities are subject to heavy cash flow dependency to allow them to make distributions to their shareholders. The prices of equity REITs are affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, changes in capital markets and interest rates, management skill in running a REIT, and the creditworthiness of the REIT. The prices of mortgage REITs are affected by the quality of any credit they extend, the creditworthiness of the mortgages they hold, as well as by the value of the property that secures the mortgages. In addition, mortgage REITs (similar to direct investments in mortgage-backed securities) are subject to prepayment risk. Equity REITs and mortgage REITs are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and self-liquidation. There is also the risk that borrowers under mortgages held by a REIT or lessees of a property that a REIT owns may be unable to meet their obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments. While equity REITs and mortgage REITs may provide exposure to a large number of properties, such properties may be concentrated in a particular industry, region, or housing type, making such investments

 

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more vulnerable to unfavorable developments to economic or market events. Certain “special purpose” REITs in which the Fund may invest focus their assets in specific real property sectors, such as hotels, shopping malls, nursing homes, or warehouses, and are therefore subject to the specific risks associated with adverse developments in these sectors. The Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear their proportionate share of the REIT’s expenses, in addition to their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses. The value of investments in REOCs will generally be affected by the same factors that adversely affect REIT investments; however, REOCs may also be adversely affected by income streams derived from businesses other than real estate ownership.

 

Additionally, a REIT that fails to comply with federal tax requirements affecting REITs may be subject to federal income taxation, or the federal tax requirement that a REIT distribute substantially all of its net income to its shareholders may result in a REIT having insufficient capital for future expenditures. REITs are also subject to certain provisions under federal tax law and the failure of a company to qualify as a REIT could have adverse consequences for the Fund, including significantly reducing the return to the Fund on its investment in such company.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. The net asset value of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. However, the Fund’s shares trade on a national securities exchange at prices above or below their most recent net asset value. The “market price” for a share of the Fund fluctuates continuously throughout the national securities exchange’s trading day and is based on supply and demand for the Fund’s shares. The market price of the Fund’s shares may not track the Fund’s net asset value, which is only calculated at the end of each business day.

 

A potential investor in the Fund will likely also incur the cost of the “spread” (the difference between the bid price and the ask price for a share of the Fund). The spread varies over time for a share of the Fund. This cost is generally smaller for a fund with significant daily trading volumes and larger for funds with smaller daily trading volumes.

 

Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market price of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in the Fund’s shares trading at a substantial discount to its net asset value. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the Fund’s securities holdings. Flash crashes may also cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in Fund shares, which may result in a further increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and their net asset value. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell Fund shares during a flash crash.

 

TBA Commitments Risk. The Fund will typically enter into “to be announced” or “TBA” commitments for mortgage-backed securities and, at times, the portion of the Fund’s portfolio allocated to TBA securities may be significant. Although TBA securities must meet industry-accepted “good delivery” standards, there can be no assurance that a security purchased on a forward commitment basis will ultimately be issued or delivered by the counterparty. During the settlement period, the Fund will still bear the risk of any decline in the value of the security to be delivered. Because TBA commitments do not require the purchase and sale of identical securities, the characteristics of the security delivered to the Fund may be less favorable than the security delivered to the dealer. If the counterparty to a transaction fails to deliver the securities, the Fund could suffer a loss. At the time of its acquisition, a TBA security may be valued at less than the purchase price. When the Fund sells a TBA security prior to settlement, it does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. The Fund is generally not required to pay for the TBA security until the settlement date and, as a result, if the Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when TBA commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

 

U.S. Government Securities Risk. Because of the rising U.S. Government debt burden, it is possible that the U.S. Government may not be able to meet its financial obligations or that securities issued or backed by the U.S. Government may experience credit downgrades. Such a credit event may adversely affect the financial markets. Certain U.S. Government securities are not guaranteed or backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. For these securities, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the securities for repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. Such securities may involve increased risk of loss of principal and interest compared to government debt securities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.

 

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Management of the Fund

 

 

Investment adviser

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, is the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio and furnishes continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Fund’s investments. The Adviser also provides certain administration and other services and is responsible for other business affairs of the Fund.

 

The Adviser (together with its predecessors and affiliates) has served as investment adviser to Janus Henderson mutual funds since 1970 and currently serves as investment adviser to all of the Janus Henderson funds, the Janus Henderson exchange-traded funds, acts as subadviser for a number of private-label mutual funds, and provides separate account advisory services for institutional accounts and other unregistered products.

 

The Trust and the Adviser has received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and, as appropriate, reallocate the Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that the Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight by the Trustees, would have the responsibility to oversee such subadviser(s) to the Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of subadvisers for the Fund. In the event that the Adviser hires a subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for the Fund.

 

Management expenses

 

The Fund uses a unitary fee structure, under which the Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Fund, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services. The Adviser’s fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Fund’s expenses. However, the Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee which may vary and affect the total level of expenses paid by shareholders, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest and dividends (including those relating to short positions (if any)), taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

The Fund’s Management Fee is calculated daily and paid monthly. The Fund’s advisory agreement details the Management Fee and other expenses that the Fund must pay.

 

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The following table reflects the Fund’s contractual Management Fee rate (expressed as an annual rate), as well as the actual compensation rate paid to the Adviser after any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. The rates shown are fixed rates based on the Fund’s daily net assets.

 

Fund Name

Daily
Net Assets
of the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Actual Compensation
Rate Paid to Adviser (%)
(for the fiscal year ended
October 31, 2024)

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

$0-$1 Billion

0.49

0.48

 

Next $2 Billion

0.46

 
 

Over $3 Billion

0.43

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Trustees’ approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement is included in the Fund’s semiannual financial statements (for the period ending April 30) located in Form N-CSR. You can request the Fund’s annual or semiannual financial statements, free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This information is also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Expense Limitation

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of Fund assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

Portfolio management

 

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

 

Co-Portfolio Managers Nick Childs and John Kerschner jointly are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, with no limitation on the authority of one co-portfolio manager in relation to the other.

 

Nick Childs, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in November 2023. Mr. Childs is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. Prior to joining the Adviser in 2017, he was a portfolio manager at Proprietary Capital, LLC from 2012 to 2016, where he managed alternative fixed income strategies specializing in mortgage-backed securities and, absolute return investing. Mr. Childs holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Denver. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

John Kerschner, CFA, is Head of U.S. Securitized Products of Janus Henderson Investors. He is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in November 2023. Mr. Kerschner is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. He joined the Adviser in December 2010. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (cum laude) in Biology from Yale University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, where he was designated a Fuqua Scholar. Mr. Kerschner holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Information about portfolio management’s compensation structure and other accounts managed, as well as the aggregate range of their individual ownership in the Fund, is included in the SAI.

 

Conflicts of Interest

The Adviser manages other funds and numerous other accounts, which may include separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds. Side-by-side management of multiple accounts, including the management of a cash collateral pool for securities lending and investing the Janus Henderson funds’ cash, may give rise to conflicts of interest

 

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among those accounts, and may create potential risks, such as the risk that investment activity in one account may adversely affect another account. For example, short sale activity in an account could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more other accounts (and vice versa). Side-by-side management may raise additional potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.

 

In addition, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of the Fund for their own accounts, or may purchase shares of the Fund for the benefit of their clients, including other Janus Henderson funds. Increasing the Fund’s assets may enhance the Fund’s profile with financial intermediaries and platforms, investment flexibility and trading volume. The Adviser and its affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to dispose of at any time some or all of the shares of the Fund acquired for their own accounts or for the benefit of their clients. A large sale of Fund shares by the Adviser or its affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility or trading volume. The Adviser considers the effect of redemptions on the Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to dispose of its shares of the Fund.

 

The Adviser believes it has appropriately designed and implemented policies and procedures to mitigate these and other potential conflicts of interest. A further discussion of potential conflicts of interest and policies and procedures intended to mitigate them is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

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Other Information

 

 

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUND

 

Creation Units for the Fund are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org, or 1-800-289-9999.

 

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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

To avoid taxation of the Fund, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), requires the Fund to distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income and any net capital gains realized on its investments at least annually.

 

Distribution Schedule

Dividends from net investment income are generally declared and distributed to shareholders monthly. Distributions of net capital gains are declared and distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. The date you receive your distribution may vary depending on how your intermediary processes trades. Dividend payments are made through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from the Fund. Please consult your financial intermediary for details.

 

How Distributions Affect the Fund’s NAV

Distributions are paid to shareholders as of the record date of a distribution of the Fund, regardless of how long the shares have been held. Undistributed income and net capital gains are included in the Fund’s daily NAV. The Fund’s NAV drops by the amount of the distribution, net of any subsequent market fluctuations. For example, assume that on December 31, the Fund declared a dividend in the amount of $0.25 per share. If the Fund’s NAV was $10.00 on December 30, the Fund’s NAV on December 31 would be $9.75, barring market fluctuations. You should be aware that distributions from a taxable fund do not increase the value of your investment and may create income tax obligations.

 

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

TAXES

 

As with any investment, you should consider the tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The discussion does not apply to qualified tax-advantaged accounts or other non-taxable entities, nor is it a complete analysis of the federal income tax implications of investing in the Fund. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect that an investment in the Fund may have on your particular tax situation, including the federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of your investment.

 

Taxes on Distributions

Distributions by the Fund are subject to federal income tax, regardless of whether the distribution is made in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, and realized net short-term capital gains), other than qualified dividend income, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of qualified dividend income are taxed to individuals and other noncorporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received from REITs, certain foreign corporations, and income received “in lieu of” dividends in a securities lending transaction generally will not constitute qualified dividend income. Because the income of the Fund is primarily derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid by the Fund is anticipated to be qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares. Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income includes dividends paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares. The Fund’s net investment income and capital gains are distributed to (and may be taxable to) those persons who are

 

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shareholders of the Fund at the record date of such payments. Although the Fund’s total net income and net realized gain are the results of its operations, the per share amount distributed or taxable to shareholders is affected by the number of Fund shares outstanding at the record date. Distributions declared to shareholders of record in October, November, or December and paid on or before January 31 of the succeeding year will be treated for federal income tax purposes as if received by shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared. Generally, account tax information will be made available to shareholders on or before February 15 of each year. Information regarding distributions may also be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). A portion of the Fund’s distribution received from REITs may be classified as a return of capital for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Fund is more likely to make distributions that are treated as returns of capital, and possibly in greater amounts, than a fund that does not invest in REITs.

 

Taxes on Sales

Any time you sell the shares of the Fund in a taxable account, it is considered a taxable event. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price, you may have a gain or loss on the transaction. The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares for more than one year and if not held for such period, as a short-term capital gain or loss. Any tax liabilities generated by your transactions are your responsibility.

 

U.S. federal income tax withholding may be required on all distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number, fail to make certain required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is applied.

 

For shares purchased and sold from a taxable account, your financial intermediary will report cost basis information to you and to the IRS. Your financial intermediary will permit shareholders to elect their preferred cost basis method. In the absence of an election, your cost basis method will be your financial intermediary’s default method, which is often the average cost method. Please consult your tax adviser to determine the appropriate cost basis method for your particular tax situation and to learn more about how the cost basis reporting laws apply to you and your investments.

 

Taxation of the Fund

Dividends, interest, and some capital gains received by the Fund on foreign securities may be subject to foreign tax withholding or other foreign taxes.

 

Certain fund transactions may involve futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, and may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, can potentially affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders, and utilization of capital loss carryforwards. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and use certain investment strategies where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these tax provisions, if possible.

 

The Fund does not expect to pay any federal income or excise taxes because it intends to meet certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, including the distribution each year of substantially all its net investment income and net capital gains. It is important for the Fund to meet these requirements so that any earnings on your investment will not be subject to federal income tax twice. If the Fund invests in a partnership, however, it may be subject to state tax liabilities.

 

If the Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

 

For additional information, see the “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status” section of the SAI.

 

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Shareholder’s Guide

 

 

The Fund issues or redeems its shares at NAV per share only in Creation Units. Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and trade on the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and offered price in the secondary market on each purchase and sale transaction. Fund shares are traded on the Exchange under the trading symbol JSI. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.

 

APs may acquire Fund shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their Fund shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share, only in Creation Units and in accordance with the procedures described in the Fund’s SAI.

 

Pricing of fund shares

 

The per share NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the close of the trading session of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time) each day that the NYSE is open (“Business Day”). However, the NAV may still be calculated if trading on the NYSE is restricted, provided there is sufficient pricing information available for the Fund to value its securities, or as permitted by the SEC. Foreign securities held by the Fund, as applicable, may be traded on days and at times when the NYSE is closed and the NAV is therefore not calculated. Accordingly, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days that are not Business Days in the United States and on which you will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.

 

Securities held by the Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (“Valuation Procedures”). To the extent available, equity securities (including shares of ETFs) are generally valued at readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. Most fixed-income securities are typically valued using an evaluated bid price supplied by an Adviser-approved pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term instruments maturing within 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. If a market quotation or evaluated price for a security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable, or if an event that is expected to affect the value of the security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, a fair value of the security will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Such events include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a non-significant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a non-valued security and a restricted or non-public security. This type of fair valuation may be more commonly used with foreign equity securities, but it may also be used with, among other things, thinly-traded domestic securities or fixed-income securities. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position. For valuation purposes, if applicable, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities, and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are generally translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates. The methodologies employed when fair valuing securities may change from time to time. Because fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, it is possible that the fair value determination for a security may be different than the value that could be realized when selling that security.

 

The value of the securities of mutual funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such mutual funds, and the prospectuses for such mutual funds explain the circumstances under which they use fair valuation and the effects of using fair valuation. The value of the securities of any cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such funds.

 

All purchases, sales, or other account activity must be processed through your financial intermediary or plan sponsor.

 

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Distribution and servicing fees

 

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Servicing Plan for shares of the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”). The Plan permits compensation in connection with the distribution and marketing of Fund shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services. The Plan permits the Fund to pay the Distributor, or its designee, a fee for the sale and distribution and/or shareholder servicing of the shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the shares of the Fund (“12b-1 fee”). However, payment of a 12b-1 fee has not been authorized at this time.

 

Under the terms of the Plan, the Trust is authorized to make payments to the Distributor or its designee for remittance to retirement plan service providers, broker-dealers, bank trust departments, financial advisors, and other financial intermediaries, as compensation for distribution and/or shareholder services performed by such entities for their customers who are investors in the Fund.

 

The 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized and payments are made, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. The amount of compensation paid by the Adviser varies from intermediary to intermediary. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds not offered in this Prospectus, the Adviser or its affiliates pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for certain of these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the

 

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Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-mutual fund investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

Purchasing and selling shares

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. However, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market will develop or be maintained, or that the Fund shares listing will continue or remain unchanged. The Fund does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. Buying or selling the Fund’s shares involves certain costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, you may incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your financial intermediary. Due to these brokerage costs, if any, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment returns. In addition, you may also incur the cost of the spread (the difference between the bid price and the ask price). The commission may be a significant cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares.

 

Shares of the Fund may be acquired through the Distributor or redeemed directly with the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of the Fund’s SAI. Once created, shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

A Business Day with respect to the Fund is each day the Exchange is open. Orders from APs to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day. On days when the Exchange or the bond market closes earlier than normal (or on days the bond market is closed but the Exchange is open), the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, to minimize brokerage and other related trading costs associated with securities that cannot be readily transferred in-kind, the Fund may establish early trade cut-off times for APs to submit orders for Creation Units, in accordance with the 1940 Act. See the Fund’s SAI for more information.

 

In compliance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), your financial intermediary is required to verify certain information on your account application as part of its Anti-Money Laundering Program. You will be required to provide your full name,

 

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date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address to assist in verifying your identity. You may also be asked to provide additional documents that may help to establish your identity. Until verification of your identity is made, your financial intermediary may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, your financial intermediary may close an account if it is unable to verify your identity. Please contact your financial intermediary if you need additional assistance when completing your application or additional information about your financial intermediary’s Anti-Money Laundering Program.

 

In an effort to ensure compliance with this law, the Adviser’s Anti-Money Laundering Program (the “Program”) provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirements and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an unsold allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

Book Entry

Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The DTC or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.

 

Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Fund. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other exchange-traded securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.

 

Premiums and Discounts

There may be differences between the daily market prices on secondary markets for shares of the Fund and the Fund’s NAV. NAV is the price per share at which the Fund issues and redeems shares. See “Pricing of Fund Shares” above. The price used to calculate market returns (“Market Price”) of the Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the national securities exchange on which shares of the Fund are primarily listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. The Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its NAV. The NAV of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of the Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its NAV, as well as market supply and demand for shares of the Fund.

 

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Premiums or discounts are the differences (expressed as a percentage) between the NAV and the Market Price of the Fund on a given day, generally at the time the NAV is calculated. A premium is the amount that the Fund is trading above the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount is the amount that the Fund is trading below the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount or premium could be significant. Information regarding the Fund’s premium/discount to NAV for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that calendar year end (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Investments by Other Investment Companies

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for purposes of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Under the 1940 Act, purchases or acquisitions by the Fund of shares issued by registered investment companies (including other ETFs) and business development companies (“BDCs”) and the purchase or acquisition of Fund shares by registered investment companies, BDCs, and investment vehicles relying on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except where an exemption is available, including as provided in Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and (G) and Rule 12d1-4 thereunder. Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies and BDCs to invest in Fund shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company or BDC first enter into a written agreement with the Trust regarding the terms of the investment, among other conditions.

 

Excessive trading

 

Unlike traditional mutual funds, the frequent trading of Fund shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains by the Fund, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders. The vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market. Because these trades do not involve the Fund, they do not harm the Fund or its shareholders. APs are authorized to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with the Fund in Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions that are effected using securities (i.e., in-kind) do not cause any of the harmful effects to the issuing fund (as previously noted). However, Creation Unit transactions effected using cash can potentially subject the Fund and its shareholders to those harmful effects. As a result, the Fund requires APs to pay transaction fees to cover brokerage and certain related costs when purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. Those fees are designed to protect the Fund and its shareholders from the dilutive costs associated with frequent creation and redemption activity. For these reasons, the Trustees of the Fund have determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market timing of Fund shares. However, the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding frequent purchases and redemptions may be modified by the Trustees at any time.

 

Fund website & availability of portfolio holdings information

 

Each Business Day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided by its custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. In addition, on each Business Day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV. A complete schedule of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is also available semiannually and annually in Form N-CSR and, after the first and third fiscal quarters, in Form N-PORT. Information reported in Form N-CSR and in Form N-PORT will be made publicly available within 70 and 60 days, respectively, after the end of each fiscal quarter. The Fund’s Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

For additional information on these disclosures and the availability of portfolio holdings information, please refer to the Fund’s SAI.

 

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Shareholder communications

 

Statements and Reports

Your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for sending you periodic statements of all transactions, along with trade confirmations and tax reporting, as required by applicable law. In addition, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for providing annual and semiannual reports. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor to obtain these reports.

 

You may also obtain copies of the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, SAI and other information, such as the Fund’s financial statements (when available), free upon request by calling Janus Henderson at 1-800-668-0434 or you can access and download these documents at the Fund’s website: janushenderson.com/info.

 

The Fund’s fiscal year ends October 31st.

 

Lost (Unclaimed/Abandoned) Accounts

It is important to maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned as undeliverable. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is required to attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is unable to locate the shareholder, then the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is legally obligated to deem the property “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently escheat (or transfer) unclaimed property (including shares of a fund) to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. Further, your account may be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently transferred to your state of residence if no activity (as defined by that state) occurs within your account during the time frame specified in your state’s unclaimed property laws. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Interest or income is not earned on redemption or distribution check(s) sent to you during the time the check(s) remained uncashed.

 

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Financial Highlights

 

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for each fiscal period shown. Items “Net asset value, beginning of period” through “Net asset value, end of period” reflect financial results for a single Fund share. The information for the fiscal period shown has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s Form N-CSR and incorporated by reference into the SAI.

 

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).

 

 

 

 

 

For a share outstanding during period ended October 31

 

2024(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 50.00  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

       

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    3.37  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    1.36  

Total from Investment Operations

    4.73  

Less Dividends and Distributions:

       

Dividends (from net investment income)

    (2.73 )

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (2.73 )

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 52.00  

Total Return*

    9.65 %

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 384,791  

Ratios to Average Net Assets**

       

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.49 %

Ratio of Net Expenses (After Waivers and Expense Offsets)

    0.48 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    6.63 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate(3)(4)

    94 %

 

*

Total return not annualized for periods of less than one full year.

**

Annualized for periods of less than one full year.

(1)

Period from November 8, 2023 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2024.

(2)

Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(3)

Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

(4)

Portfolio Turnover Rate excludes TBA (to be announced) purchase and sales commitments.

 

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37 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

You can make inquiries and request other information, including a Statement of Additional Information, annual report, semiannual report, or Fund financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, most recent annual and semiannual reports, and Fund financial statements are also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info. Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports and in Form N-CSR. In the Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal period. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund’s annual and semiannual financial statements. Other information is also available from financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund.

 

The Statement of Additional Information provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 

janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act File No. is 811-23112.

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

VNLA

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Prospectus

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

This Prospectus describes Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF (the “Fund”), a portfolio of Janus Detroit Street Trust (the “Trust”). Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and the owners of Fund shares may purchase or redeem shares from the Fund in Creation Units only, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Prospectus. The purchase and sale price of individual Fund shares trading on an exchange may be below, at or above the most recently calculated net asset value for Fund shares (sometimes referred to as the “NAV”).

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Fund Summary

 

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

2

Additional Information about the Fund

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

9

Risks of the Fund

13

Management of the Fund

 

Investment adviser

23

Management expenses

23

Portfolio Management

24

Other Information

26

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

27

Shareholder’s Guide

 

Pricing of fund shares

29

Distribution and servicing fees

30

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

30

Purchasing and selling shares

31

Excessive trading

33

Shareholder communications

34

Financial Highlights

35

 

1 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

 

VNLA Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF Shares

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

FTSE 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

Ticker: VNLA

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF seeks to provide a steady income stream with capital preservation across various market cycles. The Fund seeks to consistently outperform the FTSE 3-Month US Treasury Bill Index by a moderate amount through various market cycles while at the same time providing low volatility.

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.23%

Other Expenses

0.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.23%

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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

 
    $ 24     $ 74     $ 130     $ 293  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 68% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund pursues its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in a portfolio of fixed income instruments of varying maturities. The Fund seeks value across sectors and geographies using a wide range of instruments to capitalize on investment opportunities to maximize current income while at the same time providing low volatility. The Fund seeks to take advantage of market mispricings and dislocations caused by structural inefficiencies in the fixed income market. For example, many fixed income indices are more heavily focused on the U.S. or other larger regions globally, and may underrepresent smaller countries or regions that offer appealing risk-adjusted return prospects. Similarly, many fixed income indices are heavily influenced by one or more of the largest components of the index, and may underrepresent smaller issuers that offer appealing return prospects. The types of fixed income instruments in which the Fund may invest include bonds, debt securities, and other similar instruments issued by various U.S. and foreign public- or private-sector entities. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in asset-backed securities that are rated investment grade or of similar quality as determined by the Adviser. From time to time, the Fund may invest up to 5% of its assets in asset-backed securities that are rated below investment grade, so long as such instruments, together with other asset-

 

2 | Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

 

backed securities held by the Fund, do not exceed 20% of the Fund’s net assets. The Fund may also invest in cash or cash equivalents such as commercial paper, repurchase agreements, and other short-term fixed-income securities. The Fund may invest its uninvested cash in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds. The Fund may also invest in securities that have contractual restrictions that prohibit or limit their public resale, which may include Rule 144A securities.

 

Under normal circumstances, the average portfolio duration of the Fund generally will be within 0-2 years of the FTSE 3-Month US Treasury Bill Index. The Fund primarily invests in investment grade debt securities, rated Baa or higher by Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or equivalently rated by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“Standard & Poor’s”) or Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”), or, if unrated, determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. The Fund may invest in high-yield bonds, commercial paper, mortgage-backed securities, and floating rate securities that are rated below investment grade (commonly known as “high-yield debt” or “junk” bonds), but generally intends to invest 15% or less of its net assets in such securities.

 

The Fund may invest up to 70% of its assets in foreign securities. Within the Fund’s exposure to foreign securities, it may invest in emerging markets, but will normally limit emerging markets investments to 15% of its net assets, measured at the time of purchase. The Fund will normally limit its foreign currency exchange exposure to 15% of its total assets. The Fund may limit its foreign currency exchange exposure by hedging through the use of forward contracts, cross-currency swaps, and options.

 

The Fund may use futures, options and swaps in connection with its principal strategies in certain market conditions for various investment purposes, such as to manage or hedge portfolio risk, enhance return, or manage duration.

 

The Fund is “actively managed” and does not seek to replicate the performance of an index.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns and yields will vary, and you could lose money. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Fixed-income securities are generally subject to the following risks:

 

Interest rate risk, which is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall and decrease as interest rates rise. Changing interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility.

 

Credit risk, which is the risk that the credit strength of an issuer of a fixed-income security will weaken and/or that the issuer will be unable to make timely principal and interest payments and that the security may go into default.

 

Prepayment risk, which is the risk that, during periods of falling interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off quicker than originally anticipated, which may cause the Fund to reinvest its assets in securities with lower yields, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential.

 

Valuation risk, which is the risk that one or more of the fixed-income securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer or the security.

 

Extension risk, which is the risk that, during periods of rising interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off substantially slower than originally anticipated, and as a result, the value of those obligations may fall.

 

Liquidity risk, which is the risk that fixed-income securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that portfolio management would like or at the price portfolio management believes the security is currently worth. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give up an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced).

 

Sovereign Debt Risk. The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign government debt securities (“sovereign debt”). Investments in U.S. sovereign debt are considered relatively low risk. However, investments in foreign sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk, including the risk that the governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be

 

3 | Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

 

willing or able to repay the principal and/or to pay the interest on its sovereign debt in a timely manner. A sovereign debtor’s willingness or ability to satisfy its debt obligation may be affected by various factors including, but not limited to, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign currency reserves, the availability of foreign exchange when a payment is due, and the relative size of its debt position in relation to its economy as a whole. In the event of default, there may be limited or no legal remedies for collecting sovereign debt and there may be no bankruptcy proceedings through which the Fund may collect all or part of the sovereign debt that a governmental entity has not repaid. In addition, to the extent the Fund invests in foreign sovereign debt it may be subject to currency risk.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic, and other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

Geographic Concentration Risk. To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a particular country or geographic region, the Fund will generally have more exposure to certain risks due to possible political, economic, social, or regulatory events in that country or region. Adverse developments in certain regions could also adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated and could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance.

 

 

Australia Risk. The Fund’s investment in Australian issuers may subject the Fund to loss in the event of adverse tax, political, economic, regulatory, and other developments that affect Australia and its fixed-income markets, including fluctuations of Australian currency versus the U.S. dollar. Also, Australia is economically sensitive to environmental events and is located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural disasters, such as drought and flooding.

 

Industry and Sector Risk. Although the Fund does not concentrate its investments in specific industries, it may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting similar business or businesses within the same economic sector. Companies in the same industry or economic sector may be similarly affected by negative economic or market events, making the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments than funds that invest more broadly. As the Fund’s portfolio becomes more concentrated, the Fund is less able to spread risk and potentially reduce the risk of loss and volatility.

 

 

Financial Services Sector Risk. To the extent the Fund invests its assets in the financial services sector, the Fund will have exposure to the risks inherent to the financial services sector. Financial services companies may be adversely affected by changes in regulatory framework or interest rates that may negatively affect financial services businesses; exposure of a financial institution to a nondiversified or concentrated loan portfolio; exposure to financial leverage and/or investments or agreements that, under certain circumstances, may lead to losses; and the risk that a market shock or other unexpected market, economic, political, regulatory, or other event might lead to a sudden decline in the values of most or all financial services companies.

 

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives can be volatile and involve risks in addition to the risks of the underlying referenced securities or asset. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty to the derivative transaction will default on its payment obligations. Derivatives used for hedging purposes may reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by portfolio management or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge.

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage-backed securities are classified generally as either commercial mortgage-backed securities or residential mortgage-backed securities, each of which is subject to certain specific risks. Mortgage-backed securities tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than other types of debt securities. These risks may reduce the Fund’s returns. In addition, investments in mortgage-backed securities, including those comprised of subprime mortgages, may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than various other types of fixed-income securities.

 

4 | Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

 

Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, underperformance of the underlying assets, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment, and extension risk in an increasing interest rate environment.

 

Rule 144A Securities and Other Exempt Securities Risk. Investments in securities issued under Regulation S and Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements, could have the effect of decreasing the Fund’s liquidity profile or preventing the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available.

 

Foreign Exposure Risk. Foreign markets, including emerging markets, can be more volatile than the U.S. market. As a result, the Fund’s returns and NAV may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates or political or economic conditions in a particular country. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. It may not be possible for the Fund to repatriate capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, a market swing in one or more countries or regions where the Fund has invested a significant amount of its assets may have a greater effect on the Fund’s performance than it would in a more geographically diversified portfolio. To the extent the Fund invests in foreign debt securities, such investments are sensitive to changes in interest rates. Additionally, investments in securities of foreign governments involve the risk that a foreign government may not be willing or able to pay interest or repay principal when due. The Fund’s investments may be denominated in foreign currencies and therefore, changes in the value of a country’s currency compared to the U.S. dollar may affect the value of the Fund’s investments. The Fund’s investments in emerging market countries, if any, may involve risks greater than, or in addition to, the risks of investing in more developed countries.

 

Floating Rate Obligations Risk. The Fund may invest in floating rate obligations with interest rates that reset regularly, maintaining a fixed spread over a stated reference rate. The interest rates on floating rate obligations typically reset quarterly, although rates on some obligations may adjust at other intervals. Unexpected changes in the interest rates on floating rate obligations could result in lower income to the Fund. In addition, the secondary market on which floating rate obligations are traded may be less liquid than the market for investment grade securities or other types of income-producing securities, which may have an adverse impact on their market price. There is also a potential that there is no active market to trade floating rate obligations, that there may be restrictions on their transfer, or that the issuer may default. As a result, the Fund may be unable to sell floating rate obligations at the desired time or may be able to sell only at a price less than fair market value.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Accordingly, the Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Currency Risk. As long as the Fund holds a foreign security, its value will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When the Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

High-Yield Bond Risk. High-yield bonds (also known as “junk” bonds) are considered speculative and may be more sensitive than other types of bonds to economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the entity that issued the bond, which may adversely affect their value.

 

Cash Transaction Risk. The Fund intends to effect Creation Unit transactions primarily for cash, rather than in-kind securities, because of the nature of the Fund’s investments. Cash purchases may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges or delays in investing the cash that it would otherwise not incur if a purchase was made on an in-kind basis. Because the Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds and thereby may recognize a capital gain on such sales, Creation Unit redemption on a cash basis may be less tax-efficient for the Fund compared to an in-kind redemption. In addition, Creation Unit redemptions for cash may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges it would not otherwise incur with an in-kind redemption, to the extent such fees

 

5 | Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

 

or charges are not offset by the redemption transaction fee paid by Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, the Fund’s use of cash transactions may result in wider bid-ask spreads in Fund shares trading in the secondary market as compared to exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) that transact exclusively on an in-kind basis.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV.

 

Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of NAV and Market Price Risk. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to NAV. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s NAV. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV and to face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

Not a Money Market Fund. The Fund is not a money market fund and is not subject to the rules that govern the quality, maturity, liquidity and other features of securities that money market funds may purchase. Under normal circumstances, the Fund’s investments may be more susceptible to credit risk, interest rate risk, valuation risk and other risks compared to a money market fund. The Fund does not seek to maintain a stable NAV of $1.00 per share.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

6 | Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s performance has varied over time. The bar chart depicts the change in performance from year to year during the periods indicated. The table compares the Fund’s average annual returns for the periods indicated to a broad-based securities market index, as well as to one or more supplemental indices that have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. All figures assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses.

 

The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at janushenderson.com/performance or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

Annual Total Returns (calendar year-end)

 

 

 

Best Quarter:

2nd Quarter 2020

6/30/2020 

2.47%

Worst Quarter:

1st Quarter 2022 3/31/2022

-0.88%

 

Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended 12/31/24)

 

 

1 Year

5 Years

Since
Inception
(11/16/2016)

 

 

 

 

Return Before Taxes

6.34%

2.99%

2.82%

Return After Taxes on Distributions

4.71%

1.75%

1.62%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(1)

3.73%

1.75%

1.64%

Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

1.25%

-0.33%

1.21%

FTSE 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

5.45%

2.54%

2.18%

 

(1)

If the Fund incurs a loss, which generates a tax benefit, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may exceed the Fund’s other return figures.

 

(2)

Index performance shown in the table is the total return, which assumes reinvestment of any dividends and distributions during the time periods shown.

 

After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Addison Maier is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since March 2024. Daniel Siluk is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in November 2016.

 

7 | Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund is an actively-managed ETF. Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount and/or all cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, you may pay more than NAV (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than NAV (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

8 | Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

 

Additional Information about the Fund

 

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

 

The Fund is an actively managed ETF and, thus, does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. Accordingly, portfolio management has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will generally sell or dispose of its portfolio investments when, in the opinion of the Adviser, they have reached their profit or price target, or as the result of changing market conditions. The Fund is designed for investors who seek exposure to an actively managed portfolio of fixed-income instruments.

 

The Fund’s Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) may change the Fund’s investment objective or non-fundamental principal investment strategies without a shareholder vote. The Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days or as soon as reasonably practicable before making any such change it considers material. If there is a material change to the Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

On each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV per share. A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Information about the premiums and discounts at which the Fund’s shares have traded is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Unless otherwise stated, the following additional investment strategies and general policies apply to the Fund and provide further information including, but not limited to, the types of securities the Fund may invest in when implementing its investment objective. Some of these strategies and policies may be part of a principal strategy. Other strategies and policies may be utilized to a lesser extent as a complement to the Fund’s principal strategy. Except for the Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this Prospectus and/or the SAI normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if the Fund exceeds a limit, other than illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). For temporary liquidity and cash management purposes, the Fund may invest in other ETFs that provide exposure to related securities.

 

Cash Position

The Fund may not always stay fully invested. When portfolio management believes that market conditions are unfavorable for investing, or when portfolio management is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund’s cash or similar investments may increase. When the Fund’s investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested. To the extent the Fund invests its uninvested cash through a sweep program (meaning its uninvested cash is pooled with uninvested cash of other funds and invested in certain securities such as repurchase agreements), it is subject to the risks of the account or fund into which it is investing, including liquidity issues that may delay the Fund from accessing its cash.

 

In addition, the Fund may temporarily increase its cash position under certain unusual circumstances, such as to protect its assets or maintain liquidity in certain circumstances to meet unusually large redemptions. The Fund’s cash position may also increase temporarily due to unusually large cash inflows. Under unusual circumstances such as these, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or similar investments. In this case, the Fund may take positions that are inconsistent with its investment policies. As a result, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Cross-Currency Swaps

The Fund may enter into cross-currency swaps or basis swaps. A cross-currency swap involves the exchange of payments denominated in one currency for payments denominated in another. Payments are based on a notional principal amount, the value of which is fixed in exchange rate terms at the swap’s inception.

 

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Emerging Markets

The Fund will normally limit its investments in securities of issuers or companies from or with exposure to one or more “developing countries” or “emerging market countries” to 15% of its net assets. Emerging market countries are generally countries included in the MSCI Emerging Markets IndexSM, or otherwise excluded from the MSCI World IndexSM.

 

ESG Integration

As part of its investment process, portfolio management considers environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) risks and opportunities (“ESG Factors”) that it believes are financially material, alongside other fundamental investment factors. Examples of potential financially material ESG Factors may include corporate governance, political governance, executive pay, board structure and diversity, business ethics, corporate reporting, company culture, human capital management and diversity, community relations, human rights, exposure to climate change, biodiversity, and deforestation. Portfolio management focuses on the ESG Factors it considers most likely to have a material impact on the long-term financial performance of the issuer, which includes identifying ESG Factors attributable to a particular region, sector, industry, or issuer. To facilitate its assessment of ESG Factors, portfolio management uses issuer reports, third-party data and internally-generated analyses and may engage directly with issuers. ESG Factors are one of many considerations in the investment decision-making process, may not be determinative in deciding to include or exclude an investment from the portfolio, and may not be considered for every investment decision. Portfolio management may assess the relevance of ESG Factors to its fundamental research process differently across issuers, sectors, regions, and asset classes.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of the Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Foreign Securities

The Fund may invest in foreign securities and securities denominated in foreign currencies. Portfolio management seeks investments that meet the selection criteria, regardless of where an issuer or company is located. Foreign securities are generally selected on a security-by-security basis without regard to any predetermined allocation among countries or geographic regions. However, certain factors, such as expected levels of inflation, government policies influencing business conditions, the outlook for currency relationships, and prospects for economic growth among countries, regions, or geographic areas, may warrant greater consideration in selecting foreign securities. The Fund may at times have significant foreign exposure, including exposure to emerging markets.

 

High-Yield Bonds

Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in bonds that are rated below investment grade (also known as “junk” bonds), such as BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (“Standard & Poor’s”) and Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”), or Ba1 or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”), or is an unrated bond of similar quality. The Fund may also invest in unrated bonds of foreign and domestic issuers.

 

Illiquid Investments

The Fund will not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund 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 investment.

 

Inflation-Linked Securities

The Fund may invest in inflation-indexed bonds, including municipal inflation-indexed bonds and corporate inflation-indexed bonds, or in derivatives that are linked to these securities. Inflation-linked bonds are fixed-income securities that have a principal value that is periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. If an index measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will typically be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Because of their inflation adjustment

 

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feature, inflation-linked bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds. In addition, inflation-linked bonds also normally decline in price when real interest rates rise. In the event of deflation, when prices decline over time, the principal and income of inflation-linked bonds would likely decline, resulting in losses to the Fund.

 

In the case of Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, also known as TIPS, repayment of original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury. For inflation-linked bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the inflation-linked bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal. Other non-U.S. sovereign governments also issue inflation-linked securities (sometimes referred to as “linkers”) that are tied to their own local consumer price indices. Inflation-linked bonds may also be issued by, or related to, sovereign governments of other developed countries, emerging market countries, or companies or other entities not affiliated with governments.

 

Leverage

Leverage occurs when the Fund increases its assets available for investment using reverse repurchase agreements, when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment transactions, or other similar transactions. The Fund may use leverage for investment purposes by entering into reverse repurchase agreement transactions and using the cash made available from these transactions to make additional investments in fixed-income securities in accordance with the Fund’s principal strategies. In addition, other investment techniques, such as certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect. The use of leverage is not a principal investment strategy of the Fund.

 

Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities

The Fund may purchase fixed or variable rate commercial or residential mortgage-backed securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), or other governmental or government-related entities. Ginnie Mae’s guarantees are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, which means that the U.S. Government guarantees that the interest and principal will be paid when due. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.

 

The Fund may invest up to 20% in asset-backed securities that are rated investment grade or of similar quality as determined by the Adviser. From time to time, the Fund may invest up to 5% in asset-backed securities that are rated below investment grade, so long as such investments, together with other asset-backed securities, do not exceed 20% of the Fund’s net assets. Asset-backed securities may be backed by various consumer obligations, including automobile loans, equipment leases, credit card receivables, or other collateral. In the event the underlying loans are not paid, the securities’ issuer could be forced to sell the assets and recognize losses on such assets, which could impact the Fund’s yield and your return.

 

Unlike traditional debt instruments, payments on mortgage- and asset-backed securities include both interest and a partial payment of principal. Prepayment of the principal of underlying loans at a faster pace than expected is known as “prepayment risk” and may shorten the effective maturities of these securities. This may result in the Fund having to reinvest proceeds at a lower interest rate. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than other types of debt securities. In addition to prepayment risk, investments in privately-issued mortgage-backed securities may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than other mortgage- and asset-backed securities. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are also subject to extension risk. Extension risk is the risk that borrowers may pay off their debt obligations more slowly in times of rising interest rates. The risks associated with commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) reflect the risks of investing in the commercial real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans and are therefore different from the risks of other types of mortgage-backed securities.

 

Options on Futures Contracts

An option on a futures contract gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell a futures contract at a specified price on or before a specified date. Futures contracts and options on futures are standardized and traded on designated exchanges.

 

Options on Securities and Indices

The Fund may purchase and write put and call options on securities and indices. A put option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security during the option period. A call option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer of the option the obligation to sell, the underlying security at any time during the option period. The premium paid to the writer is the consideration for undertaking the obligations under the option contract.

 

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A put option on an index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the underlying index is less than the exercise price of the option. A call option on an index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing level of the underlying index is greater than the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option, expressed in dollars multiplied by a specified number. Thus, unlike options on individual securities, all settlements are in cash, and gain or loss depends on price movements in the particular market represented by the index generally, rather than the price movements in individual securities.

 

Options on Swap Contracts

The Fund may enter into options on swap agreements, commonly referred to as “swaptions.” A swaption is a contract that gives a purchaser the right, but not the obligation, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel, or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. Swaptions can be used for a variety of purposes, including to manage the Fund’s overall exposure to changes in interest or foreign currency exchange rates and credit quality; as an efficient means of adjusting the Fund’s exposure to certain markets; in an effort to enhance income or total return or protect the value of portfolio securities; to serve as a cash management tool; and to adjust portfolio duration or credit risk.

 

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio turnover rates are generally not a factor in making buy and sell decisions. Changes may be made to the Fund’s portfolio, consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, when portfolio management believes such changes are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. Short-term transactions may result from the purchase of a security in anticipation of relatively short-term gains, liquidity needs, securities having reached a price or yield objective, changes in interest rates or the credit standing of an issuer, or by reason of economic or other developments not foreseen at the time of the initial investment decision. The Fund may also sell one security and simultaneously purchase the same or a comparable security to take advantage of short-term differentials in bond yields or securities prices. Portfolio turnover is affected by market conditions, changes in the size of the Fund (including due to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units), the nature of the Fund’s investments, and the investment style of portfolio management. Due to the nature of the securities in which it invests, the Fund may have relatively high portfolio turnover compared to other funds.

 

Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover also may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. The “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus shows the Fund’s historical turnover rates.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities

Private placements are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. These securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may include securities issued through private offerings without registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Regulation S or Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Offerings of Regulation S securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Although Regulation S and Rule 144A securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the amounts received from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of a security by the Fund to another party (generally a bank or dealer) in return for cash and an agreement by the Fund to buy the security back at a specified price and time. The Fund may use this technique to obtain cash for investment purposes, or for other temporary or emergency purposes.

 

Sovereign Bond Futures Contracts

Sovereign bond futures contracts provide for the delivery upon maturity of one sovereign bond among a basket of eligible-to-deliver sovereign bonds.

 

Swap Agreements

The Fund may utilize swap agreements such as credit default swaps, interest rate and currency swaps as a means to gain exposure to certain companies or countries, and/or to “hedge” or protect its portfolio from adverse movements in securities prices, the rate of inflation, or interest rates. Swap agreements are two-party contracts to exchange one set of cash flows for

 

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another. Swap agreements entail the risk that a party will default on its payment obligations to the Fund. If the other party to a swap defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. If the Fund utilizes a swap at the wrong time or judges market conditions incorrectly, the swap may result in a loss to the Fund and reduce the Fund’s total return.

 

Index Credit Default Swaps. The Fund may invest in index credit default swaps (“CDX”). A CDX is a swap on an index of credit default swaps. CDXs allow an investor to manage credit risk or take a position on a basket of credit entities (such as credit default swaps or a commercial mortgage-backed index) in a more efficient manner than transacting in a single-name credit default swap. If a credit event occurs in one of the underlying companies, the protection is paid out via the delivery of the defaulted bond by the buyer of protection in return for a payment of notional value of the defaulted bond by the seller of protection or it may be settled through a cash settlement between the two parties. The underlying company is then removed from the index. New series of CDXs are issued on a regular basis.

 

Commercial mortgage-backed securities index swaps (“CMBX”) are a type of index credit default swap that are made up of tranches of commercial mortgage-backed securities rather than credit default swaps. CMBX involve a pay-as-you go settlement process designed to capture non-default events that affect the cash flow to the underlying mortgage-backed securities tranche.

 

Interest Rate Swaps. The Fund may invest in interest rate swaps, which involve the exchange by two parties of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed rate payments). Interest rate swaps are generally entered into on a net basis. Interest rate swaps do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets, or principal. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to interest rate swaps is limited to the net amount of interest payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make.

 

Single-Name Credit Default Swaps. The Fund may invest in single-name credit default swaps (“CDS”) to buy or sell credit protection to hedge its credit exposure, gain issuer exposure without owning the underlying security, or increase the Fund’s total return. CDS are a specific kind of counterparty agreement that allow the transfer of third party credit risk from one party to the other. One party in the swap is a lender and faces credit risk from a third party, and the counterparty in the CDS agrees to insure this risk in exchange for regular periodic payments.

 

Treasury Futures Contracts

Treasury futures contracts, which are exchange-traded, are typically used to obtain interest rate exposure in order to manage duration. A Treasury futures contract is a bilateral agreement where one party agrees to accept and the other party agrees to make delivery of a U.S. Treasury security, as called for in the agreement at a specified date and at an agreed upon price. Generally, Treasury futures contracts are closed out or rolled over prior to their expiration date.

 

U.S. Government Securities

The Fund may invest in U.S. Government securities. U.S. Government securities include those issued directly by the U.S. Treasury, including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (also known as TIPS), and those issued or guaranteed by various U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities. Some government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Other government securities are backed only by the rights of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. Others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the obligations. Certain other government securities are supported only by the credit of the issuer. For securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the securities for repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. Such securities may involve increased risk of loss of principal and interest compared to government debt securities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.

 

Because of the rising U.S. Government debt burden, it is possible that the U.S. Government may not be able to meet its financial obligations or that securities issued or backed by the U.S. Government may experience credit downgrades. Such a credit event may adversely affect the financial markets.

 

Risks of the Fund

 

The value of your investment will vary over time, sometimes significantly, and you may lose money by investing in the Fund. The following information is intended to help you better understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund, including those risks that are summarized in the Fund Summary section. This information also includes descriptions of other risks the

 

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Fund may be subject to as a result of additional investment strategies and general policies that may apply to the Fund. The impact of the following risks on the Fund may vary depending on the Fund’s investments. The greater the Fund’s investment in a particular security, the greater the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with that security. Before investing in the Fund, you should consider carefully the risks that you assume when investing in the Fund.

 

Affiliated Underlying Fund Risk. The Adviser may invest in certain affiliated ETFs as investments for the Fund. The Adviser will generally receive fees for managing such funds, in addition to the fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund. The payment of such fees by affiliated funds creates a conflict of interest when selecting affiliated funds for investment in the Fund. The Adviser, however, is a fiduciary to the Fund and its shareholders and is legally obligated to act in its best interest when selecting affiliated funds. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated ETFs with respect to the Fund’s investment in such ETF, less certain operating expenses.

 

Counterparty Risk. Fund transactions involving a counterparty are subject to the risk that the counterparty or a third party will not fulfill its obligation to the Fund (“counterparty risk”). Counterparty risk may arise because of the counterparty’s financial condition (i.e., financial difficulties, bankruptcy, or insolvency), market activities and developments, or other reasons, whether foreseen or not. A counterparty’s inability to fulfill its obligation may result in significant financial loss to the Fund. The Fund may be unable to recover its investment from the counterparty or may obtain a limited recovery, and/or recovery may be delayed. The Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk to the extent it participates in lending its securities to third parties and/or cash sweep arrangements whereby the Fund’s cash balance is invested in one or more types of cash management vehicles or in time deposits. In addition, the Fund may be exposed to counterparty risk through its investments in certain securities, including, but not limited to, repurchase agreements, debt securities, and derivatives (including various types of forwards, swaps, futures, and options). The Fund intends to enter into financial transactions with counterparties that the Adviser believes to be creditworthy at the time of the transaction. There is always the risk that the Adviser’s analysis of a counterparty’s creditworthiness is incorrect or may change due to market conditions. To the extent that the Fund focuses its transactions with a limited number of counterparties, it will have greater exposure to the risks associated with one or more counterparties.

 

Credit Quality Risk. The Fund is subject to the risks associated with the credit quality of the issuers of fixed-income securities. Credit quality measures the likelihood that the issuer or borrower will meet its obligations on a bond. One of the fundamental risks is credit risk, which is the risk that an issuer will be unable to make principal and interest payments when due, or default on its obligations. Higher credit risk may negatively impact the Fund’s returns and yield.

 

Many fixed-income securities receive credit ratings from services such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s. These services assign ratings to securities by assessing the likelihood of issuer default. The lower a bond issue is rated by an agency, the more credit risk it is considered to represent. Lower rated instruments and securities generally pay interest at a higher rate to compensate for the associated greater risk. Interest rates can fluctuate in response to economic or market conditions, which can result in a fluctuation in the price of a security and impact the Fund’s return and yield. If a security has not received a rating, the Fund must rely upon the Adviser’s credit assessment, which if incorrect can also impact the Fund’s returns and yield.

 

Derivatives Risks. Derivatives can be volatile and involve similar risks to those as the underlying referenced securities or assets. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost, and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund.

 

The Fund may use futures, options, swap agreements (such as interest rate, credit default, and currency), and other derivative instruments individually or in combination to “hedge” or protect its portfolio from adverse movements in securities prices and interest rates. The Fund may also use a variety of currency hedging techniques, including the use of forward currency contracts, to manage currency risk. There is no guarantee that portfolio management’s use of derivative investments will benefit the Fund. The Fund’s performance could be worse than if the Fund had not used such instruments. Use of such investments may instead increase risk to the Fund, rather than reduce risk. Derivatives can be complex instruments and may involve analysis that differs from that required for other investment types used by the Fund. If the value of a derivative does not correlate well with the particular market or other asset class to which the derivative is intended to provide exposure, the derivative may not produce the anticipated result. Derivatives can also reduce the opportunity for gain or result in losses by offsetting positive returns in other investments. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty will default on its payment

 

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obligations. If the counterparty to a derivative transaction defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. To the extent the Fund enters into short derivative positions, the Fund may be exposed to risks similar to those associated with short sales.

 

Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contract Risk. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts (“forward currency contracts”) involve the risk that unanticipated changes in currency prices may negatively impact the Fund’s performance. Moreover, there may be an imperfect correlation between the Fund’s portfolio holdings of securities quoted or denominated in a particular currency and any forward currency contracts entered into by the Fund, which will expose the Fund to risk of foreign exchange loss. The trading markets for forward currency contracts offer less protection against defaults than trading in currency instruments on an exchange. Because a forward currency contract is not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse, a default on the contract could result in losses to the Fund and may force the Fund to cover its purchase or sale commitments, if any, at the current market price. In addition, forward currency contract markets can experience periods of illiquidity, which could prevent the Fund from divesting of a forward currency contract at the optimal time and may adversely affect the Fund’s returns and NAV.

 

Options on Futures Contracts Risk. The amount of risk that the Fund assumes when it purchases an option on a futures contract is the premium paid for the option, plus related transaction costs. In order to profit from an option purchased, it may be necessary to exercise the option and to liquidate the underlying futures contract subject to the risks of the availability of a liquid offset market. The seller of an option on a futures contract is subject to the risks of commodity futures trading, including the requirement of initial and variation margin payments, as well as the additional risk that movements in the price of the option may not correlate with movements in the price underlying security, index, currency, or futures contracts.

 

Options on Securities Risk. Options on securities may be subject to greater fluctuations in value than an investment in the underlying securities. If the Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to covered options it has written, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying securities or dispose of assets held in a segregated account until the options expire or are exercised. Similarly, if the Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options it has purchased, it will have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit and will incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of underlying securities.

 

Options on Swap Contracts Risk. Because the use of options on swap contracts, or “swaptions,” generally does not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets or principal, the risk of loss with respect to swaptions generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. There is also a risk of a default by the other party to a swaption, in which case the Fund may not receive the net amount of payments that it contractually is entitled to receive. Entering into a swaption contract involves, to varying degrees, the elements of credit, market, and interest rate risk, associated with both option contracts and swap contracts.

 

Sovereign Bond Futures Contracts Risk. Interest rate movements directly affect the price of the sovereign bond futures contracts held by the Fund. If a sovereign bond futures contract is denominated in a foreign currency, the Fund will be exposed to exchange rate risk. In addition, the price, yield, and modified duration of each eligible-to-deliver sovereign bond under the relevant sovereign bond futures contract may change unpredictably, affecting the value of the sovereign bond futures contract.

 

Treasury Futures Contracts Risk. While transactions in Treasury futures contracts may reduce certain risks, unanticipated changes in interest rates or securities prices may result in a poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not entered into any Treasury futures contracts. To the extent the Fund uses Treasury futures contracts, it is exposed to additional volatility and potential losses resulting from leverage. Losses (or gains) involving Treasury futures contracts can sometimes be substantial – in part because a relatively small price movement in a Treasury futures contract may result in an immediate and substantial loss (or gain) for the Fund.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. The Fund may invest in securities of issuers or companies from or with exposure to one or more “developing countries” or “emerging market countries.” Emerging market countries are generally countries included in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, or otherwise excluded from the MSCI World Index. To the extent that the Fund invests a significant amount of its assets in one or more of these countries, its returns and NAV may be affected to a large degree by events and economic conditions in such countries. The risks of foreign investing are heightened when investing in emerging markets, which may result in the price of investments in emerging markets experiencing sudden and sharp price swings. In many developing markets, there is less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed

 

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companies than in more developed markets, making these investments potentially more volatile in price and less liquid than investments in developed securities markets, resulting in greater risk to investors. There is a risk in developing countries that a current or future economic or political crisis could lead to price controls, forced mergers of companies, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, imposition or enforcement of foreign ownership limits, seizure, nationalization, sanctions or imposition of restrictions by various governmental entities on investment and trading, or creation of government monopolies, any of which may have a detrimental effect on the Fund’s investments.

 

The securities markets of many of these emerging market countries may also be smaller, less liquid, and subject to greater price volatility than those in the United States. In the event of a default on any investments in foreign debt obligations, it may be more difficult for the Fund to obtain or to enforce a judgment against the issuers of such securities. In addition, the Fund’s investments may be denominated in foreign currencies and therefore, changes in the value of a country’s currency compared to the U.S. dollar may affect the value of the Fund’s investments. To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in the securities of issuers in or companies of a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance. The Fund may be subject to emerging markets risk to the extent that it invests in securities of issuers or companies which are not considered to be from emerging markets, but which have customers, products, or transactions associated with emerging markets.

 

ESG Integration Risk. There is a risk that considering ESG Factors as part of the Fund’s investment process may fail to produce the intended results or that the Fund may perform differently from funds that have a similar investment style but do not formally incorporate such considerations in their strategy. While portfolio management believes that the consideration of financially material ESG Factors has the potential to provide better risk-adjusted returns, ESG Factors may not be considered for every investment decision and there is no guarantee that the consideration of ESG Factors will result in better performance. In addition, information related to ESG Factors provided by issuers and third parties, upon which portfolio management may utilize, continues to develop, and may be incomplete, inaccurate, use different methodologies or be applied differently across issuers and industries. Further, the U.S. regulatory landscape regarding the use of ESG Factors in investing is still developing and future rules and regulations may require the Fund to modify or alter its investment process and/or how it discloses its consideration of ESG Factors.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies, which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. ETFs are traded on a national securities exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium or discount to its NAV. When the Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. ETFs also involve the risk that an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained. Similarly, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to purchase or sell an ETF at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities.

 

The ETFs in which the Fund invests are subject to specific risks, depending on the investment strategy of the ETF. In turn, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with direct exposure to the securities or commodities held by the ETF. Because the Fund may invest in a broad range of ETFs, such risks may include, but are not limited to, leverage risk, foreign exposure risk, and commodity-linked investments risk. To the extent the Fund invests in fixed-income ETFs, it will be indirectly exposed to the same risks described under “Fixed-Income Securities Risk.”

 

Fixed-Income Securities Risk. Typically, the values of fixed-income securities change inversely with prevailing interest rates. Therefore, a fundamental risk of fixed-income securities is interest rate risk, which is the risk that the value of such securities will generally decline as prevailing interest rates rise, which may cause the Fund’s NAV to likewise decrease. How specific fixed-income securities may react to changes in interest rates will depend on the specific characteristics of each security. For example, while securities with longer maturities and durations tend to produce higher yields, they also tend to be more sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates and are therefore more volatile than shorter-term securities and are subject to greater market fluctuations as a result of changes in interest rates. However, calculations of maturity and duration may be based on estimates and may not reliably predict a security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In addition, different interest rate measures (such as short- and long-term interest rates and U.S. and non-U.S. interest rates), or interest rates on

 

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different types of securities or securities of different issuers, may not necessarily change in the same amount or in the same direction. Investments in fixed-income securities with very low or negative interest rates may diminish the Fund’s yield and performance.

 

Fixed-income securities are also subject to credit risk, which is the risk that the credit strength of an issuer of a fixed-income security will weaken and/or that the issuer will be unable to make timely principal and interest payments and that the security may go into default. In addition, there is prepayment risk, which is the risk that during periods of falling interest rates, certain debt obligations may be paid off quicker than originally anticipated, which may cause the Fund to reinvest its assets in securities with lower yields, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income or return potential. Fixed-income securities may also be subject to valuation risk and liquidity risk. Valuation risk is the risk that one or more of the fixed-income securities in which the Fund invests are priced differently than the value realized upon such security’s sale. In times of market instability, valuation may be more difficult. Valuation may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s financial strength, the market’s perception of such strength, or in the credit rating of the issuer of the security. Liquidity risk is the risk that fixed-income securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that portfolio management would like or at the price portfolio management believes the security is currently worth. Consequently, the Fund may have to accept a lower price to sell a security, sell other securities to raise cash, or give an investment opportunity, any of which could have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk. To the extent the Fund invests in fixed-income securities in a particular industry or economic sector, its share values may fluctuate in response to events affecting that industry or sector. Securities underlying mortgage- and asset-backed securities, which may include subprime mortgages, also may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk. To the extent that the Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income securities, the Fund may be more substantially exposed to these risks than a fund that does not invest in such derivatives. The market for certain fixed-income securities may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions independent of any specific adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Similarly, the amount of assets deemed illiquid remaining within the Fund may also increase, making it more difficult to meet shareholder redemptions and further adversely affecting the value of the Fund.

 

Foreign Exposure Risks. The Fund may invest in foreign debt securities either indirectly (e.g., depositary receipts, depositary shares, and passive foreign investment companies) or directly in foreign markets, including emerging markets. Additional risks may be present with respect to investments in securities of issuers or companies that are economically tied to different countries throughout the world. An issuer is deemed to be economically tied to a country or countries if one or more of the following tests are met: (i) the issuer is organized in, or its primary business office or principal trading market of its equity is located in, the country; (ii) a majority of the issuer’s revenues are derived from one or more countries; or (iii) a majority of the issuer’s assets are located in one or more countries. Investments in foreign securities, including securities of foreign and emerging market governments, may involve greater risks than investing in domestic securities because the Fund’s performance may depend on factors other than the performance of a particular company. These factors include:

 

Currency Risk. As long as the Fund holds a foreign security or invests directly in foreign currencies, the value of the security will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When the Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

Foreign Market Risk. Foreign securities markets, particularly those of emerging market countries, may be less liquid and more volatile than domestic markets. These securities markets may trade a small number of securities, may have a limited number of issuers and a high proportion of shares, or may be held by a relatively small number of persons or institutions. Local securities markets may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of substantial holdings difficult or impossible at times. It is also possible that certain markets may require payment for securities before delivery, and delays may be encountered in settling securities transactions. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. It may not be possible for the Fund to repatriate capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, securities of issuers located in or economically tied to countries with emerging markets may have limited marketability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements which could also have a negative effect on the Fund. Such factors may hinder the Fund’s ability to buy and sell emerging market securities in a timely manner, affecting the Fund’s investment strategies and potentially affecting the value of the Fund.

 

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Geographic Concentration Risk. To the extent that the Fund invests a substantial portion of its assets in issuers located in a single country or region, the economic, political, social, regulatory, or other developments or conditions within such country or region will generally have a greater effect on the Fund than they would on a more geographically diversified fund, which may result in greater losses and volatility. Adverse developments in certain regions could also adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated and could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance.

 

Political and Economic Risk. Foreign investments may be subject to increased political and economic risks, including the imposition of economic and other sanctions. Sanctions imposed by the United States government on other countries or persons or issuers operating in such countries could restrict the Fund’s ability to buy affected securities or force the Fund to dispose of any affected securities it has previously purchased at an inopportune time. As a result, the Fund may experience a greater risk of loss with respect to securities impacted by such sanctions.

 

Political and economic risks may be heightened in emerging markets, which may have relatively unstable governments, immature economic structures, national policies restricting investments by foreigners, social instability, and different and/or developing legal systems. In some countries, there is the risk that the government may take over the assets or operations of a company or that the government may impose withholding and other taxes or limits on the removal of the Fund’s assets from that country. In addition, the economies of emerging markets may be predominantly based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates.

 

Regulatory Risk. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets. As a result, foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices applicable to domestic issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers.

 

Transaction Costs Risk. Costs of buying, selling, and holding foreign securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, may be higher than those involved in domestic transactions.

 

High-Yield Bond Risk. High-yield bonds (or “junk” bonds) are bonds rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch, and Moody’s or are unrated bonds of similar quality. The value of lower quality bonds generally is more dependent on credit risk than investment grade bonds. Issuers of high-yield bonds may not be as strong financially as those issuing bonds with higher credit ratings and are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes, or adverse developments specific to the issuer. In addition, the junk bond market can experience sudden and sharp price swings.

 

The secondary market on which high-yield securities are traded is less liquid than the market for investment grade securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of the security. Additionally, it may be more difficult to value the securities because valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a larger role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available.

 

Inflation Risk. Inflation creates uncertainty over the future real value of an investment (the value after adjusting for inflation). The real value of certain assets or real income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions may decline. This risk is more prevalent with respect to debt securities held by the Fund. Inflation rates may change frequently and drastically as a result of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy. Moreover, the Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation, which may result in losses to Fund shareholders or adversely affect the real value of shareholders’ investment in the Fund. Fund shareholders’ expectation of future inflation can also impact the current value of the Fund’s portfolio, resulting in lower asset values and potential losses. This risk may be elevated compared to historical market conditions because of recent monetary policy measures and the current interest rate environment.

 

Inflation-Related Investments Risk. Unlike traditional fixed income securities, the principal and interest payments of inflation-linked investments are adjusted periodically based on the inflation rate. Therefore, inflation-linked securities are subject to inflation risk. The price of an inflation-linked investment generally decreases when real interest rates rise and increases when real interest rates fall. As a result, the value of the Fund’s inflation-linked investments may be vulnerable to changes in expectations of inflation or interest rates and there is no guarantee that the Fund’s use of these instruments will be successful.

 

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Interest Rate Risk. Generally, a fixed-income security will increase in value when prevailing interest rates fall and decrease in value when prevailing interest rates rise. Longer-term securities are generally more sensitive to interest rate changes than shorter-term securities, but they generally offer higher yields to compensate investors for the associated risks. High-yield bond prices and floating rate debt security prices are generally less directly responsive to interest rate changes than investment grade issues or comparable fixed rate securities, and may not always follow this pattern. An increase in interest rates may cause the value of fixed-income securities held by a Fund to decline. A Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates due to inflationary trends and the effect of government fiscal and monetary policy initiatives and resulting market reaction to those initiatives. Variable and floating rate securities may increase or decrease in value in response to changes in interest rates, although generally to a lesser degree than fixed-income securities.

 

Leverage Risk. Engaging in transactions using leverage or those having a leveraging effect subjects the Fund to certain risks. These risks may be heightened if the Fund invests all, or a significant portion of its assets in futures, forwards, swaps, and other types of derivatives. Leverage can magnify the effect of any gains or losses, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. Through the use of leverage, the Fund’s total investment exposure could exceed the value of its portfolio securities and its investment performance could be dependent on securities not directly owned by the Fund. In addition, the Fund’s assets that are used as collateral to secure short sale transactions may decrease in value while the short positions are outstanding, which may force the Fund to use its other, additional assets to meet its collateral requirements.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease if the value of one or more issuers in the Fund’s portfolio decreases. Further, regardless of how well individual companies or securities perform, the value of the Fund’s portfolio could also decrease if there are deteriorating economic or market conditions, including, but not limited to, a general decline in prices on the stock markets, a general decline in real estate markets, a decline in commodities prices, or if the market favors different types of securities than the types of securities in which the Fund invests. If the value of the Fund’s portfolio decreases, the Fund’s NAV will also decrease, which means if you sell your shares in the Fund you may lose money. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, financial institution failures, and economic recessions could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions and/or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the global economies and financial markets.

 

Armed Conflict Risk. Recent such examples include conflict, loss of life, and a disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent and duration of each conflict, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in each region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect, including significant negative impacts on the United States and broader global economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities.

 

Money Market Fund Investment Risk. The Fund may have cash balances that have not been invested in portfolio securities, which may be used to purchase shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds, or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds, as part of a cash sweep program. By investing in a money market fund, the Fund will be exposed to the investment risks of the money market fund in direct proportion to such investment. The money market fund may not achieve its investment objective and the Fund may lose money. To the extent the Fund transacts in instruments such as derivatives, the Fund may hold investments, which may be significant, in money market fund shares to cover its obligations resulting from the Fund’s investments in derivatives. An investment in a money market fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by any bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. There can be no assurance that a money market fund will maintain a $1.00 per share NAV at all times. Factors that could adversely affect the value of a money market fund’s shares include, among other things, a sharp rise in interest rates, an illiquid market for the securities held by the money market fund, a high volume of redemption activity in a fund’s shares, and a credit event or credit rating downgrade affecting one or more of the issuers of securities held by the money market fund. In addition, the failure of even an unrelated money market fund to maintain a stable NAV could create a widespread risk of increased redemption pressures on all money market funds, potentially jeopardizing the stability of their NAVs. Certain money market funds have in the past failed to maintain stable NAVs, and there can be no assurance that such failures and resulting redemption pressures will not impact money market funds in the future.

 

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Rules adopted by the SEC require, among other things, certain money market funds to cause transactions in shares of these funds to be effected using a fund’s NAV per share calculated out to the fourth decimal point (e.g., $1.0000 instead of $1.00). “Government Money Market Funds” and “Retail Money Market Funds” as defined in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, as amended, are not subject to the floating NAV requirements, as described above. In addition, certain money market funds may impose a discretionary fee (up to 2%) upon sale of shares because of market conditions or other factors if a fund’s board or a delegate believes such fee is in the best interest of the fund.

 

Recently adopted amendments to Rule 2a-7 also require certain money market funds, excluding Government Money Market Funds and Retail Money Market Funds, to impose mandatory liquidity fees when a fund experiences net redemptions that exceed 5% of its net assets, unless the fund’s liquidity costs are de minimis (i.e., less than 1 basis point).

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investments in money market funds are not adversely affected by reforms to money market regulation that may be adopted by the SEC or other regulatory authorities.

 

In addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund directly bears, the Fund indirectly bears the fees and expenses of any money market fund in which it invests.

 

Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of, or reduce the rate of prepayments on, both CMBS and residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”), making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates (“extension risk”). As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, the price of mortgage-backed securities may fall, causing the Fund to exhibit additional volatility. Mortgage-backed securities are also subject to prepayment risk. When interest rates decline, borrowers may pay off their mortgages sooner than expected. This can reduce the Fund’s returns because the Fund will have to reinvest that money at lower prevailing interest rates. Investments in certain mortgage-backed securities, including those comprised of subprime mortgages, may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, and liquidity risk than various other types of fixed-income securities. Additionally, although mortgage-backed securities are generally supported by some form of government or private guarantee and/or insurance, there is no assurance that guarantors or insurers will meet their obligations.

 

CMBS are subject to certain other risks. The market for CMBS developed more recently than that for RMBS and is relatively small in terms of outstanding principal amount of issues compared to the RMBS market. CMBS are also subject to risks associated with a lack of standardized terms, shorter maturities than residential mortgage loans, and payment of all or substantially all of the principal at maturity, rather than regular amortization of principal. Moreover, the type and use of a particular commercial property may add to the risk of CMBS investments. Adverse changes in economic conditions and circumstances are more likely to have an adverse impact on mortgage-backed securities secured by loans on commercial properties than on those secured by residential properties.

 

Similarly, the value of the Fund’s investments in asset-backed securities may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates, factors concerning the interests in and structure of the issuer or originator of the receivables, the creditworthiness of the entities that provide any supporting letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit or liquidity enhancements, and/or the market’s assessment of the quality of the underlying assets. Generally, the originating bank or credit provider is neither the obligor nor the guarantor of the security, and interest and principal payments ultimately depend upon payment of the underlying loans by individuals. The Fund could incur a loss if the underlying loans are not paid. In addition, most asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk in a declining interest rate environment. The impact of prepayments on the value of asset-backed securities may be difficult to predict and may result in greater volatility. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of asset-backed securities, making them more volatile and sensitive to changing interest rates.

 

Newly Issued Securities Risk. The credit obligations in which the Fund invests may include newly issued securities, or “new issues,” such as initial debt offerings. New issues may have a magnified impact on the performance of the Fund during periods in which it has a small asset base. The impact of new issues on the Fund’s performance likely will decrease as the Fund’s asset size increases, which could reduce the Fund’s returns. New issues may not be consistently available to the Fund for investing, particularly as the Fund’s asset base grows. Certain new issues, such as initial debt offerings, may be volatile in price due to the absence of a prior trading market, limited quantities available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The Fund may hold new issues for a short period of time. This may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, new issues can experience an immediate drop in value after issuance if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.

 

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Operational Risk. An investment in the Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in key personnel, technology and/or service providers, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, process fund orders, execute portfolio trades or perform other essential tasks in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. Implementation of business continuity plans by the Fund, the Adviser or third-party service providers in response to disruptive events such as cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may increase these operational risks to the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third-party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies and research process employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Although the Fund seeks to provide long-term positive returns, market conditions or implementation of the Fund’s investment process may result in losses, and the Fund may not meet its investment objective. As such, there can be no assurance of positive “absolute” return. The Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities Risk. Investments in private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements could decrease the Fund’s liquidity profile or prevent the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities, and the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other securities exempt from certain registration requirements.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreement Risk. Reverse repurchase agreements are transactions in which the Fund sells a security and simultaneously commits to repurchase that security from the buyer, such as a bank or broker-dealer, at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon future date. The repurchase price consists of the sale price plus an incremental amount reflecting the interest cost to the Fund on the proceeds it has received from the initial sale. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the value of securities that the Fund is obligated to repurchase under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. Additionally, such transactions are only advantageous if the interest cost to the Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of obtaining the cash otherwise. Interest costs on the proceeds received in a reverse repurchase agreement may exceed the return received on the investments made by the Fund with those proceeds, resulting in reduced returns to shareholders. When the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it is subject to the risk that the buyer (counterparty) may default on its obligations to the Fund. In the event of such a default, the Fund may experience delays, costs, and losses, all of which may reduce returns to shareholders. Investing reverse repurchase proceeds may also have a leveraging effect on the Fund’s portfolio. The Fund’s use of leverage can magnify the effect of any gains or losses, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged. There is no assurance that any leveraging strategy used by the Fund will be successful.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. The net asset value of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. However, the Fund’s shares trade on a national securities exchange at prices above or below their most recent net asset value. The “market price” for a share of the Fund fluctuates continuously throughout the national securities exchange’s trading day and is based on supply and demand for the Fund’s shares. The market price of the Fund’s shares may not track the Fund’s net asset value, which is only calculated at the end of each business day.

 

A potential investor in the Fund will likely also incur the cost of the “spread” (the difference between the bid price and the ask price for a share of the Fund). The spread varies over time for a share of the Fund. This cost is generally smaller for a fund with significant daily trading volumes and larger for funds with smaller daily trading volumes.

 

Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market price of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in the Fund’s shares trading at a substantial discount to its net asset value. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the Fund’s securities holdings. Flash crashes may also cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in Fund shares, which may result in a further increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and their net asset value. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell Fund shares during a flash crash.

 

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Settlement Risk. Markets in different countries have different clearance and settlement procedures. Delays in settlement may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, and potentially subject the Fund to penalties for its failure to deliver to subsequent purchasers of securities whose delivery to the Fund was delayed. Delays in the settlement of securities purchased by the Fund may limit the ability of the Fund to sell those securities at times and prices it considers desirable, and may subject the Fund to losses and costs due to its own inability to settle with subsequent purchasers of the securities from it. The Fund may be required to borrow monies it had otherwise expected to receive in connection with the settlement of securities.

 

Sovereign Debt Risk. The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign government debt securities. Some investments in sovereign debt, such as U.S. sovereign debt, are considered low risk. However, investments in foreign sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk, including the risk that the governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be willing or able to repay the principal and/or to pay the interest on its sovereign debt in a timely manner. A sovereign debtor’s willingness or ability to satisfy its debt obligation may be affected by various factors, including its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign currency reserves, the availability of foreign exchange when a payment is due, the relative size of its debt position in relation to its economy as a whole, the sovereign debtor’s policy toward international lenders, and local political constraints to which the governmental entity may be subject. Sovereign debtors may also be dependent on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies, and other entities. The failure of a sovereign debtor to implement economic reforms, achieve specified levels of economic performance, or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of third party commitments to lend funds to the sovereign debtor, which may further impair such debtor’s ability or willingness to timely service its debts. The Fund may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such sovereign debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities, which may adversely affect the Fund’s holdings. In the event of default, there may be limited or no legal remedies for collecting sovereign debt and there may be no bankruptcy proceedings through which the Fund may collect all or part of the sovereign debt that a governmental entity has not repaid. In addition, to the extent the Fund invests in foreign sovereign debt, it may be subject to currency risk.

 

Structured Note Risk. Structured notes are derivative debt instruments, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator (for example, a currency, security, commodity or index thereof). The terms of the instrument may be “structured” by the purchaser and the borrower issuing the note. The terms of structured notes may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity, which may result in a loss of invested capital. Structured notes may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the unrelated indicator may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the structured note at maturity may be calculated as a specified multiple of the change in the value of the unrelated indicator. Therefore, the value of such notes may be very volatile. Structured notes may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the unrelated indicator. Structured notes also may be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities.

 

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Management of the Fund

 

 

Investment adviser

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, is the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio and furnishes continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Fund’s investments. The Adviser also provides certain administration and other services and is responsible for other business affairs of the Fund.

 

The Adviser (together with its predecessors and affiliates) has served as investment adviser to Janus Henderson mutual funds since 1970 and currently serves as investment adviser to all of the Janus Henderson funds, the Janus Henderson exchange-traded funds, acts as subadviser for a number of private-label mutual funds, and provides separate account advisory services for institutional accounts and other unregistered products.

 

The Trust and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and, as appropriate, reallocate the Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that a Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight by the Trustees, would have the responsibility to oversee such subadviser(s) to the Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for the Fund. In the event that the Adviser hires a subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for the Fund.

 

Management expenses

 

The Fund uses a unitary fee structure, under which the Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Fund, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services. The Adviser’s fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Fund’s expenses. However, the Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee which may vary and affect the total level of expenses paid by shareholders, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest, dividends, taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

The Fund’s Management Fee is calculated daily and paid monthly. The Fund’s advisory agreement details the Management Fee and other expenses that the Fund must pay.

 

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The following table reflects the Fund’s contractual Management Fee rate (expressed as an annual rate), as well as the actual compensation rate paid to the Adviser after any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. The rates shown are fixed rates based on the Fund’s daily net assets.

 

Fund Name

Daily
Net Assets of
the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Actual Compensation
Rate Paid to Adviser
(%) (for the fiscal
year ended
October 31, 2024)

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.30

0.23

 

Next $500 Million

0.25

 
 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Trustees’ approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement is included in the Fund’s semiannual financial statements (for the period ending April 30) located in Form N-CSR. You can request the Fund’s annual or semiannual financial statements, free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This information is also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Expense Limitation

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse the management fee payable by the Fund in an amount equal to the amount, if any, that the Fund’s total annual fund operating expenses (excluding distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest, dividends, taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business) exceed the annual rate shown below. The Adviser has agreed to continue the waiver for at least until February 28, 2026.

 

Fund Name

Expense Limit Percentage (%)

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

0.23

 

The Adviser has also contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of Fund assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs.

 

The fee waiver agreements may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

Portfolio Management

 

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

 

Co-Portfolio Managers Addison Maier and Daniel Siluk jointly are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, with no limitation on the authority of one co-portfolio manager in relation to the other.

 

Addison Maier is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF, which he has co-managed since March 2024. Mr. Maier is also a Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. He joined the Adviser as a credit analyst in 2011, and has served as an associate portfolio manager since 2021. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Finance, from the University of Colorado, and a Master of Business Administration degree with honors from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business.

 

Daniel Siluk is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF, which he has managed since inception in November 2016. Mr. Siluk is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. Mr. Siluk joined the Adviser in 2015. Mr. Siluk holds a Bachelor of Applied Finance degree from Macquarie University.

 

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Information about portfolio management’s compensation structure and other accounts managed, as well as the aggregate range of their individual ownership in the Fund, is included in the SAI.

 

Conflicts of Interest

The Adviser manages other funds and numerous other accounts, which may include separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds. Side-by-side management of multiple accounts, including the management of a cash collateral pool for securities lending and investing the Janus Henderson funds’ cash, may give rise to conflicts of interest among those accounts, and may create potential risks, such as the risk that investment activity in one account may adversely affect another account. For example, short sale activity in an account could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more other accounts (and vice versa). Side-by-side management may raise additional potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.

 

In addition, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of the Fund for their own accounts, or may purchase shares of the Fund for the benefit of their clients, including other Janus Henderson funds. Increasing the Fund’s assets may enhance the Fund’s profile with financial intermediaries and platforms, investment flexibility and trading volume. The Adviser and its affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to dispose of at any time some or all of the shares of the Fund acquired for their own accounts or for the benefit of their clients. A large sale of Fund shares by the Adviser or its affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility or trading volume. The Adviser considers the effect of redemptions on the Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to dispose of its shares of the Fund.

 

The Adviser believes it has appropriately designed and implemented policies and procedures to mitigate these and other potential conflicts of interest. A further discussion of potential conflicts of interest and policies and procedures intended to mitigate them is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

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Other Information

 

 

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUND

 

Creation Units for the Fund are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org, or 1-800-289-9999.

 

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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

To avoid taxation of the Fund, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), requires the Fund to distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income and any net capital gains realized on its investments at least annually.

 

Distribution Schedule

Dividends from net investment income are generally declared and distributed to shareholders monthly. Distributions of net capital gains are declared and distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. The date you receive your distribution may vary depending on how your intermediary processes trades. Dividend payments are made through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from the Fund. Please consult your financial intermediary for details.

 

How Distributions Affect the Fund’s NAV

Distributions are paid to shareholders as of the record date of a distribution of the Fund, regardless of how long the shares have been held. Undistributed income and net capital gains are included in the Fund’s daily NAV. The Fund’s NAV drops by the amount of the distribution, net of any subsequent market fluctuations. For example, assume that on December 31, the Fund declared a dividend in the amount of $0.25 per share. If the Fund’s NAV was $10.00 on December 30, the Fund’s NAV on December 31 would be $9.75, barring market fluctuations. You should be aware that distributions from a taxable fund do not increase the value of your investment and may create income tax obligations.

 

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

TAXES

 

As with any investment, you should consider the tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The discussion does not apply to qualified tax-advantaged accounts or other non-taxable entities, nor is it a complete analysis of the federal income tax implications of investing in the Fund. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect that an investment in the Fund may have on your particular tax situation, including the federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of your investment.

 

Taxes on Distributions

Distributions by the Fund are subject to federal income tax, regardless of whether the distribution is made in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, and realized net short-term capital gains), other than qualified dividend income, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of qualified dividend income are taxed to individuals and other noncorporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Because the income of the Fund is primarily derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid by the Fund is anticipated to be qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares. Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income includes dividends paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares. The Fund’s net investment income and capital gains are distributed to (and may be taxable to) those persons who are shareholders of the Fund at the record date of such payments. Although the Fund’s total net income and net realized gain are the results of its operations, the per share amount distributed or taxable to shareholders is affected by the number of Fund

 

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shares outstanding at the record date. Distributions declared to shareholders of record in October, November, or December and paid on or before January 31 of the succeeding year will be treated for federal income tax purposes as if received by shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared. Generally, account tax information will be made available to shareholders on or before February 15 of each year. Information regarding distributions may also be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).

 

Taxes on Sales

Any time you sell the shares of the Fund in a taxable account, it is considered a taxable event. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price, you may have a gain or loss on the transaction. The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares for more than one year and if not held for such period, as a short-term capital gain or loss. Any tax liabilities generated by your transactions are your responsibility.

 

U.S. federal income tax withholding may be required on all distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number, fail to make certain required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is applied.

 

For shares purchased and sold from a taxable account, your financial intermediary will report cost basis information to you and to the IRS. Your financial intermediary will permit shareholders to elect their preferred cost basis method. In the absence of an election, your cost basis method will be your financial intermediary’s default method, which is often the average cost method. Please consult your tax adviser to determine the appropriate cost basis method for your particular tax situation and to learn more about how the cost basis reporting laws apply to you and your investments.

 

Taxation of the Fund

Dividends, interest, and some capital gains received by the Fund on foreign securities may be subject to foreign tax withholding or other foreign taxes.

 

Certain fund transactions may involve futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, and may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, can potentially affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders, and utilization of capital loss carryforwards. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and use certain investment strategies where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these tax provisions, if possible.

 

The Fund does not expect to pay any federal income or excise taxes because it intends to meet certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, including the distribution each year of substantially all its net investment income and net capital gains. It is important for the Fund to meet these requirements so that any earnings on your investment will not be subject to federal income tax twice. If the Fund invests in a partnership, however, it may be subject to state tax liabilities.

 

If the Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

 

For additional information, see the “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status” section of the SAI.

 

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Shareholder’s Guide

 

 

The Fund issues or redeems its shares at NAV per share only in Creation Units. Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and trade on the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and offered price in the secondary market on each purchase and sale transaction. Fund shares are traded on the Exchange under the trading symbol VNLA. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.

 

APs may acquire Fund shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their Fund shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share, only in Creation Units and in accordance with the procedures described in the Fund’s SAI.

 

Pricing of fund shares

 

The per share NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the close of the trading session of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time) each day that the NYSE is open (“Business Day”). However, the NAV may still be calculated if trading on the NYSE is restricted, provided there is sufficient pricing information available for the Fund to value its securities, or as permitted by the SEC. Foreign securities held by the Fund, as applicable, may be traded on days and at times when the NYSE is closed and the NAV is therefore not calculated. Accordingly, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days that are not Business Days in the United States and on which you will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.

 

Securities held by the Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (“Valuation Procedures”). To the extent available, equity securities (including shares of ETFs) are generally valued at readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. Most fixed-income securities are typically valued using an evaluated bid price supplied by an Adviser-approved pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term instruments maturing within 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. If a market quotation or evaluated price for a security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable, or if an event that is expected to affect the value of the security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, a fair value of the security will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Such events include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a non-significant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a non-valued security and a restricted or non-public security. This type of fair valuation may be more commonly used with foreign equity securities, but it may also be used with, among other things, thinly-traded domestic securities or fixed-income securities. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position. For valuation purposes, if applicable, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities, and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are generally translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates. The methodologies employed when fair valuing securities may change from time to time. Because fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, it is possible that the fair value determination for a security may be different than the value that could be realized when selling that security.

 

The value of the securities of mutual funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such mutual funds, and the prospectuses for such mutual funds explain the circumstances under which they use fair valuation and the effects of using fair valuation. The value of the securities of any cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such funds.

 

All purchases, sales, or other account activity must be processed through your financial intermediary or plan sponsor.

 

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Distribution and servicing fees

 

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Servicing Plan for shares of the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”). The Plan permits compensation in connection with the distribution and marketing of Fund shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services. The Plan permits the Fund to pay the Distributor, or its designee, a fee for the sale and distribution and/or shareholder servicing of the shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the shares of the Fund (“12b-1 fee”). However, payment of a 12b-1 fee has not been authorized at this time.

 

Under the terms of the Plan, the Trust is authorized to make payments to the Distributor or its designee for remittance to retirement plan service providers, broker-dealers, bank trust departments, financial advisors, and other financial intermediaries, as compensation for distribution and/or shareholder services performed by such entities for their customers who are investors in the Fund.

 

The 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized and payments are made, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. The amount of compensation paid by the Adviser varies from intermediary to intermediary. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds not offered in this Prospectus, the Adviser or its affiliates pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for certain of these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide

 

30 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

the Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers. The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-mutual fund investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

Purchasing and selling shares

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. However, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market will develop or be maintained, or that the Fund shares listing will continue or remain unchanged. The Fund does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. Buying or selling the Fund’s shares involves certain costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, you may incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your financial intermediary. Due to these brokerage costs, if any, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment returns. In addition, you may also incur the cost of the spread (the difference between the bid price and the ask price). The commission may be a significant cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares.

 

Shares of the Fund may be acquired through the Distributor or redeemed directly with the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of the Fund’s SAI. Once created, shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

A Business Day with respect to the Fund is each day the Exchange is open. Orders from APs to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day. On days when the Exchange or the bond market closes earlier than normal (or on days the bond market is closed but the Exchange is open), the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, to minimize brokerage and other related trading costs associated with securities that cannot be readily transferred in-kind, the Fund may establish early trade cut-off times for APs to submit orders for Creation Units, in accordance with the 1940 Act. See the Fund’s SAI for more information.

 

In compliance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), your financial intermediary is required to verify certain information on your account application as part of its Anti-Money Laundering Program. You will be required to provide your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address to assist in verifying your identity. You may also be asked to provide additional documents that may

 

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help to establish your identity. Until verification of your identity is made, your financial intermediary may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, your financial intermediary may close an account if it is unable to verify your identity. Please contact your financial intermediary if you need additional assistance when completing your application or additional information about your financial intermediary’s Anti-Money Laundering Program.

 

In an effort to ensure compliance with this law, the Adviser’s Anti-Money Laundering Program (the “Program”) provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirements and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an unsold allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

Book Entry

Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The DTC or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.

 

Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Fund. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other exchange-traded securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.

 

Share Prices

The trading prices of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV per share and are affected by market forces such as supply and demand, economic conditions, and other factors. Information regarding the intra-day NAV of the Fund is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day by the national securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares are primarily listed or by market data vendors or other information providers. The intra-day NAV calculations are estimates of the value of the Fund’s NAV per Fund share based on the current market value of the securities and/or cash included in the Fund’s intra-day NAV basket, using market data converted into U.S. dollars at the current currency rates. The intra-day NAV does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities and instruments held by the Fund at particular point in time. Additionally, when current pricing is not available for certain portfolio securities (including foreign securities and certain debt securities), the intra-day indicative value may not accurately reflect the current market value of the Fund’s shares or the best possible valuation of the current portfolio. For example, the intra-day NAV is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities’ local market and may not reflect events that occur

 

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subsequent to the local market’s close. Therefore, the intra-day NAV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV, which is computed only once a day. The intra-day NAV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the portfolio securities and instruments included in the Fund’s intra-day NAV basket. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the intra-day NAV and makes no representation or warranty as to its accuracy. An inaccuracy in the intra-day NAV could result from various factors, including the difficulty of pricing portfolio instruments on an intra-day basis.

 

Premiums and Discounts

There may be differences between the daily market prices on secondary markets for shares of the Fund and the Fund’s NAV. NAV is the price per share at which the Fund issues and redeems shares. See “Pricing of Fund Shares” above. The price used to calculate market returns (“Market Price”) of the Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the national securities exchange on which shares of the Fund are primarily listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. The Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its NAV. The NAV of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of the Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its NAV, as well as market supply and demand for share of the Fund.

 

Premiums or discounts are the differences (expressed as a percentage) between the NAV and the Market Price of the Fund on a given day, generally at the time the NAV is calculated. A premium is the amount that the Fund is trading above the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount is the amount that the Fund is trading below the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount or premium could be significant. Information regarding the Fund’s premium/discount to NAV for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that calendar year end (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Investments by Other Investment Companies

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for purposes of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Under the 1940 Act, purchases or acquisitions by the Fund of shares issued by registered investment companies (including other ETFs) and business development companies (“BDCs”) and the purchase or acquisition of Fund shares by registered investment companies, BDCs, and investment vehicles relying on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except where an exemption is available, including as provided in Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and (G) and Rule 12d1-4 thereunder. Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies and BDCs to invest in Fund shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company or BDC first enter into a written agreement with the Trust regarding the terms of the investment, among other conditions.

 

Excessive trading

 

Unlike traditional mutual funds, the frequent trading of Fund shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains by the Fund, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders. The vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market. Because these trades do not involve the Fund, they do not harm the Fund or its shareholders. APs are authorized to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with the Fund in Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions that are effected using securities (i.e., in-kind) do not cause any of the harmful effects to the issuing fund (as previously noted). However, Creation Unit transactions effected using cash can potentially subject the Fund and its shareholders to those harmful effects. As a result, the Fund requires APs to pay transaction fees to cover brokerage and certain related costs when purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. Those fees are designed to protect the Fund and its shareholders from the dilutive costs associated with frequent creation and redemption activity. For these reasons, the Trustees of the Fund have determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market timing of Fund shares. However, the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding frequent purchases and redemptions may be modified by the Trustees at any time.

 

33 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Fund website & availability of portfolio holdings information

 

Each Business Day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided by its custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. In addition, on each Business Day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV. A complete schedule of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is also available semiannually and annually in Form N-CSR and, after the first and third fiscal quarters, in Form N-PORT. Information reported in Form N-CSR and in Form N-PORT will be made publicly available within 70 and 60 days, respectively, after the end of each fiscal quarter. The Fund’s Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

For additional information on these disclosures and the availability of portfolio holdings information, please refer to the Fund’s SAI.

 

Shareholder communications

 

Statements and Reports

Your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for sending you periodic statements of all transactions, along with trade confirmations and tax reporting, as required by applicable law. In addition, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for providing annual and semiannual reports. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor to obtain these reports.

 

You may also obtain copies of the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, SAI and other information, such as the Fund’s financial statements (when available), free upon request by calling Janus Henderson at 1-800-668-0434 or you can access and download these documents at the Fund’s website: janushenderson.com/info.

 

The Fund’s fiscal year ends October 31st.

 

Lost (Unclaimed/Abandoned) Accounts

It is important to maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned as undeliverable. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is required to attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is unable to locate the shareholder, then the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is legally obligated to deem the property “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently escheat (or transfer) unclaimed property (including shares of a fund) to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. Further, your account may be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently transferred to your state of residence if no activity (as defined by that state) occurs within your account during the time frame specified in your state’s unclaimed property laws. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Interest or income is not earned on redemption or distribution check(s) sent to you during the time the check(s) remained uncashed.

 

34 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for each fiscal period shown. Items “Net asset value, beginning of period” through “Net asset value, end of period” reflect financial results for a single Fund share. The information for the fiscal periods shown has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s N-CSR and incorporated by reference into the SAI.

 

The total returns 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).

 

 

 

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

 

For a share outstanding during each year or period ended October 31

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

   

2021

   

2020

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 47.98     $ 48.47     $ 50.00     $ 50.40     $ 49.89  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

                                       

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    2.41       1.80       0.69       0.49       0.77  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    0.99       0.65       (1.27 )     (0.41 )     0.70  

Total from Investment Operations

    3.40       2.45       (0.58 )     0.08       1.47  

Less Dividends and Distributions:

                                       

Dividends (from net investment income)

    (1.75 )     (2.94 )     (0.95 )     (0.48 )     (0.96 )

Return of Capital

    (0.58 )                        

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (2.33 )     (2.94 )     (0.95 )     (0.48 )     (0.96 )

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 49.05     $ 47.98     $ 48.47     $ 50.00     $ 50.40  

Total Return

    7.26 %     5.24 %     (1.18 )%     0.15 %     2.99 %

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 2,263,864     $ 2,372,785     $ 2,539,796     $ 2,777,501     $ 2,726,526  

Ratios to Average Net Assets

                                       

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.23 %     0.23 %     0.23 %     0.23 %     0.26 %

Ratio of Net Expenses (After Waivers and Expense Offsets)

    0.23 %     0.23 %     0.23 %     0.23 %     0.26 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    4.96 %     3.77 %     1.41 %     0.98 %     1.54 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate(2)

    68 %     53 %     46 %     74 %     14 %

 

(1)

Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(2)

Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

 

 

 

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You can make inquiries and request other information, including a Statement of Additional Information, annual report, semiannual report, or Fund financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, most recent annual and semiannual reports, and Fund financial statements are also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info. Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports and in Form N-CSR. In the Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal period. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund’s annual and semiannual financial statements. Other information is also available from financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund.

 

The Statement of Additional Information provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 

janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act File No. is 811-23112.

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

JRE

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Prospectus

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

This Prospectus describes Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF (the “Fund”), a portfolio of Janus Detroit Street Trust (the “Trust”). Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and the owners of Fund shares may purchase or redeem shares from the Fund in Creation Units only, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Prospectus. The purchase and sale price of individual Fund shares trading on an exchange may be below, at or above the most recently calculated net asset value for Fund shares (sometimes referred to as the “NAV”).

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Fund Summary

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

2

Additional Information about the Fund

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

8

Risks of the Fund

11

Management of the Fund

 

Investment adviser

18

Management expenses

18

Portfolio Management

19

Other Information

21

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

22

Shareholder’s Guide

 

Pricing of fund shares

24

Distribution and servicing fees

25

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

25

Purchasing and selling shares

26

Excessive trading

28

Shareholder communications

29

Financial Highlights

30

 

1 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

 

JRE Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF Shares

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

 

Ticker: JRE

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF seeks total return through a combination of capital appreciation and current income.

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.65%

Other Expenses

0.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.65%

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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

 
    $ 66     $ 208     $ 362     $ 810  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 102% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund pursues its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of U.S. real estate-related companies. Such companies may include those in the real estate industry or real estate-related industries. These securities will be listed on a national securities exchange and may include common stocks, preferred stocks, and other equity securities, including, but not limited to, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and REIT-like entities (such as real estate operating companies (“REOCs”)). However, the Fund will not invest directly in real estate. The Fund may invest in shares of companies through initial public offerings. The Fund may invest in companies of any capitalization.

 

The Fund is classified as nondiversified, which allows it to hold larger positions in companies, compared to a fund that is classified as diversified. As a fundamental policy, the Fund will concentrate 25% or more of its net assets in securities of issuers in real estate and real estate-related industries.

 

2 | Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

 

 

For purposes of the Fund’s principal investment strategies, companies in real estate-related industries are U.S. companies at the time of investment (i) that derive at least 50% of their revenue from ownership, construction, extraction, financing, management, operation, sales or development of real estate; (ii) that have at least 50% of their book value (balance sheet) in real estate assets; or (iii) where the market value of real estate holdings is greater than 50% of enterprise value.

 

A REIT is an entity dedicated to owning, and usually operating, income-producing real estate, or to financing real estate. REITs pool investors’ funds for investment primarily in income-producing real estate or real estate-related loans or interests. Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, a REIT is not taxed on income it distributes to its shareholders if it complies with several requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets and income, and a requirement that it generally distributes to its shareholders at least 90% of its taxable income (other than net capital gains) for each taxable year. A REOC is a publicly traded corporation that is engaged in real estate businesses, but that has not taken (or is not eligible for) the REIT tax election and therefore does not have a requirement to distribute any of its taxable income.

 

The Fund may also invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities of Canadian issuers. The Fund may use derivatives, including currency forwards and futures contracts, only for the purposes of currency hedging associated with potential investments in Canadian securities.

 

The Fund is “actively managed” and does not seek to replicate the composition or performance of an index. In choosing investments for the Fund, portfolio management applies a “bottom up” approach that utilizes portfolio management’s knowledge of issuers, including of such factors as a company’s balance sheet, valuation, strength of management, and risk-adjusted returns. As part of its investment process, portfolio management considers environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) risks and opportunities (“ESG Factors”) that it believes are financially material, alongside other fundamental investment factors. Examples of potential financially material ESG Factors include corporate governance, company culture, exposure to climate change, and human capital management. To assess ESG Factors, portfolio management uses issuer reports, third-party data, and internally-generated analyses and may engage directly with issuers. ESG Factors are one of many considerations in the investment decision-making process and may not be determinative in deciding to include or exclude an investment from the portfolio.

 

To identify the universe of investible securities for the Fund, portfolio management also applies negative screens, which incorporate third-party inputs, to seek to avoid investing in (i) REITs that are involved in the operation of prison facilities and (ii) issuers that are United Nations Global Compact violators. At portfolio management’s discretion, the Fund will engage with companies regarding the adoption, or commitment to adopt, emission reduction targets. Portfolio management will generally consider selling a stock if they believe that its future prospects have been accurately reflected in the market price, if the company no longer meets the social or environmental criteria noted above, or if their original investment thesis has changed.

 

The Fund may invest its uninvested cash in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds (or private funds operating as money market funds) and/or affiliated or unaffiliated exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”).

 

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions on in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns will vary, and you could lose money. The Fund is designed for long-term investors interested in equity investments focused in the real estate industry and real estate-related industries, including common stocks. Common stocks tend to be more volatile than many other investment choices. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Industry and Sector Risk. The Fund invests a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting similar business, or business within the same economic sector. Companies in the same industry or economic sector may be similarly affected by economic or market events, making the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments than funds that invest more broadly. As the Fund’s portfolio becomes more concentrated, the Fund is less able to spread risk and potentially reduce the risk of loss and volatility. In addition, the Fund may be overweight or underweight in certain industries or sectors relative to its performance benchmark index, which may cause the Fund’s performance to be more or less sensitive to developments affecting those sectors.

 

3 | Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

 

 

 

Real Estate Sector Risk. Investments in securities of these companies are subject to the risks associated with fluctuations in the value of the underlying properties; defaults by borrowers or tenants; market saturation; changes in general and local economic conditions; decreases in market rates for rents; changes in the availability, cost, and terms of mortgage funds; increased competition, property taxes, capital expenditures, or operating expenses; and other economic, political, or regulatory occurrences, including the impact of changes in environmental laws. In addition, a REIT could fail to qualify for tax-free pass-through of its income under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or fail to maintain its exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), which could produce adverse economic consequences for the REIT and its investors, including the Fund. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income. The real estate sector is particularly sensitive to economic downturns and changes to interest rates. The ability to trade companies operating in real estate development and operations in the secondary market can be more limited compared to other equity investments, and certain REITs and REIT-like entities have relatively small market capitalizations, which can increase the volatility of the market price for their securities.

 

Nondiversification Risk. The Fund is classified as nondiversified under the 1940 Act, as amended. This gives the Fund’s portfolio management more flexibility to hold larger positions in securities. As a result, an increase or decrease in the value of a single security held by the Fund may have a greater impact on the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) and total return.

 

Issuer Concentration Risk. The Fund’s portfolio may be comprised of a relatively small number of issuers in comparison to other funds. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater risks than a fund that invests in a greater number of issuers. A change in the value of any single investment held by the Fund may affect the overall value of the Fund more than it would affect a fund that holds more investments. In particular, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments affecting any single issuer held by the Fund and may be susceptible to greater losses because of these developments. The Fund’s policy of concentrating its portfolio on a smaller number of holdings could result in more volatility in the Fund’s performance and share price.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s NAV may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic, and other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

Initial Public Offering Risk. The Fund’s purchase of shares issued in an initial public offering (“IPO”) exposes it to the risks associated with companies that have little operating history as public companies, as well as to the risks inherent in those sectors of the market where these new issuers operate. There can be no assurance that the Fund will identify favorable IPO investment opportunities in the future. In addition, as the Fund increases in size, the impact of IPOs on the Fund’s performance will generally decrease.

 

Small- and Mid-Sized Companies Risk. Investments in securities issued by small- and mid-sized companies, which can include smaller, start-up companies offering emerging products or services, may involve greater risks than are customarily associated with larger, more established companies. Securities issued by small- and mid-sized companies tend to be more volatile and somewhat more speculative than securities issued by larger or more established companies and may underperform as compared to the securities of larger or more established companies.

 

Smaller Sized Fund Risk. Because the Fund has a small asset base, large inflows and outflows may have a disproportionate impact, negative or positive, on the Fund’ performance, which may be more volatile than that of a larger fund. If a smaller fund were to fail to attract sufficient assets to achieve or maintain economies of scale, performance may be negatively impacted, and any resulting liquidation could create negative transaction costs for the Fund and tax consequences for investors.

 

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives can be volatile and involve risks in addition to the risks of the underlying referenced securities or asset. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the

 

4 | Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

 

 

Fund. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty to the derivative transaction will default on its payment obligations. Derivatives used for hedging purposes may reduce or eliminate gains or cause losses if the market moves in a manner different from that anticipated by portfolio management or if the cost of the derivative outweighs the benefit of the hedge.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies employed for the Fund may fail to produce the intended results. Accordingly, the Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

ESG Investment Risk. Because the Fund considers ESG Factors in selecting securities, the Fund may perform differently than funds that do not consider ESG Factors. Due to the ESG considerations and exclusionary criteria employed by the Fund, the Fund may not be invested in certain issuers within the real estate industry or real estate-related industries, and therefore may have lower performance than portfolios that do not apply similar criteria. ESG-related information provided by issuers and third parties, which portfolio management may utilize, continues to develop, and may be incomplete, inaccurate, use different methodologies, or be applied differently across companies and industries. Further, the regulatory landscape for ESG investing in the United States is still developing and future rules and regulations may require the Fund to modify or alter its investment process. Similarly, government policies incentivizing companies to consider their environmental or social practices may fall out of favor, which could potentially limit the Fund’s investment universe. There is also a risk that the issuers identified through the investment process employed by the Fund may fail to adhere to positive environmental or social practices, which may result in selling a security when it might otherwise be disadvantageous to do so.

 

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV. Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of NAV and Market Price Risk. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to NAV. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants (“APs”) and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s NAV. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

5 | Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

 

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV and to face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s performance has varied over time. The bar chart depicts the change in performance from year to year during the periods indicated. The table compares the Fund’s average annual returns for the periods indicated to a broad-based securities market index, as well as to one or more supplemental indices that have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. All figures assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses.

 

The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at janushenderson.com/performance or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

Annual Total Returns (calendar year-end)

 

 

 

Best Quarter:

3rd Quarter 2024

17.21%

Worst Quarter:

2nd Quarter 2022

-15.23%

 

Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended 12/31/24)

 

 

1 Year

Since
Inception
(6/23/21)

 

   

Return Before Taxes

7.62%

1.26%

Return After Taxes on Distributions

6.80%

0.40%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(1)

4.64%

0.67%

Russell 3000® Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

23.81%

9.82%

FTSE Nareit Equity REITs Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

8.73%

2.37%

Russell 3000 Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

FTSE Nareit Equity REITs Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

 

(1)

If the Fund incurs a loss, which generates a tax benefit, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may exceed the Fund’s other return figures.

(2)

Index performance shown in the table is the total return, which assumes reinvestment of any dividends and distributions during the time periods shown.

 

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After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Danny Greenberger is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in June 2021. Greg Kuhl, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in June 2021.

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund is an actively-managed Exchange-Traded Fund (“ETF”). Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount and/or all cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, you may pay more than NAV (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than NAV (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

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Additional Information about the Fund

 

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

 

The Fund is an actively managed ETF and, thus, does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. Accordingly, portfolio management has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolio in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective. In choosing investments for the Fund, portfolio management applies a “bottom up” approach to selecting investments to purchase and sell utilizing portfolio management’s knowledge of the North American equity real estate markets. This means that portfolio management looks at securities one at a time to determine if a security is an attractive investment opportunity and if it is consistent with the Fund’s investment policies. Factors that portfolio management considers in their “bottom up” analysis include a company’s balance sheet, valuation, strength of management, and risk-adjusted returns. To identify the universe of investible securities for the Fund, portfolio management also apply negative screens, which incorporate third-party inputs, to seek to avoid investing in (i) REITs that are involved in the operation of prison facilities and (ii) issuers that are United Nations Global Compact violators. At portfolio management’s discretion, the Fund will engage with companies regarding the adoption, or commitment to adopt, emission reduction targets. Portfolio management may sell a stock if they believe that its future prospects have been accurately reflected in the market price, if the company no longer meets the social or environmental criteria noted above, or if their original investment thesis has changed.

 

The Fund’s Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) may change the Fund’s investment objective or non-fundamental principal investment strategies without a shareholder vote. The Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days or as soon as reasonably practicable before making any such change it considers material. The Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days prior to changing the Fund’s 80% policy to invest in equity securities of U.S. real estate-related companies. If there is a material change to the Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

On each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV per share. A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Information about the premiums and discounts at which the Fund’s shares have traded is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Unless otherwise stated, the following additional investment strategies and general policies apply to the Fund and provide further information including, but not limited to, the types of securities the Fund may invest in when implementing its investment objective. Some of these strategies and policies may be part of a principal strategy. Other strategies and policies may be utilized to a lesser extent as a complement to the Fund’s principal strategy. Except for the Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this Prospectus and/or the SAI normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if the Fund exceeds a limit, other than illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. For temporary liquidity and cash management purposes, the Fund may invest in other ETFs that provide exposure to related securities.

 

REITS and Real Estate-Related Securities

The Fund invests in equity securities of real estate-related entities. These securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, and other securities, including, but not limited to mortgage-backed securities, real estate-related securities, securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and REIT-like entities (such as real estate operating companies (“REOCs”)). For purposes of the Fund’s principal investment strategies, companies in real estate-related industries are U.S. companies at the time of investment (i) that derive at least 50% of their revenue from ownership, construction, extraction, financing, management, operation, sales or development of real estate; (ii) that have at least 50% of their book value (balance sheet) in real estate assets; or (iii) where the market value of real estate holdings is greater than 50% of enterprise value.

 

A REIT is an entity that invests in real estate-related projects, such as properties, mortgage loans, and construction loans. REITs are often categorized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. An equity REIT, the most common type of REIT, invests primarily in the fee ownership of land and buildings. An equity REIT derives its income primarily from rental

 

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income but may also realize capital gains or losses by selling real estate properties in its portfolio that have appreciated or depreciated in value. A mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development, or long-term loans. A mortgage REIT generally derives its income from interest payments on the credit it has extended. A hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of equity REITs and mortgage REITs, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate.

 

Similar to REITs, REOCs are publicly-traded real estate companies that typically engage in the development, management or financing of real estate, such as homebuilders, hotel management companies, land developers and brokers. REOCs, however, have not elected (or are not eligible) to be taxed as a REIT. The reasons for not making such an election include the (i) availability of tax-loss carry-forwards, (ii) operation in non-REIT-qualifying lines of business, and (iii) ability to retain earnings. Instead, REOCs are generally structured as “C” corporations under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and, as a result, are not required to distribute any portion of their income. In this regard, although REOCs do not receive the same favorable tax treatment that is accorded to REITs, REOCs are typically subject to fewer restrictions than REITs, including the ability to retain and/or reinvest funds from operations and more flexibility in terms of the real estate investments they can make.

 

Cash Position

The Fund may not always stay fully invested. When portfolio management believes that market conditions are unfavorable for investing, or when portfolio management is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund’s cash or similar investments may increase. When the Fund’s investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested. To the extent the Fund invests its uninvested cash through a sweep program (meaning its uninvested cash is pooled with uninvested cash of other funds and invested in certain securities such as repurchase agreements), it is subject to the risks of the account or fund into which it is investing, including liquidity issues that may delay the Fund from accessing its cash.

 

In addition, the Fund may temporarily increase its cash position under certain unusual circumstances, such as to protect its assets or maintain liquidity in certain circumstances to meet unusually large redemptions. The Fund’s cash position may also increase temporarily due to unusually large cash inflows. Under unusual circumstances such as these, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or similar investments. In this case, the Fund may take positions that are inconsistent with its investment policies. As a result, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Depositary Receipts

The Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), which are receipts issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets. Unsponsored ADRs may be created without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these ADRs generally bear all the costs of the ADR facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored ADR. The bank or trust company depositary of an unsponsored ADR may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. The Fund may invest in American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), which are U.S. dollar-denominated equity shares of a foreign-based company available for purchase on an American stock exchange. ADSs are issued by depository banks in the United States under an agreement with the foreign issuer, and the entire issuance is called an ADR and the individual shares are referred to as ADSs.

 

ESG Investments

As part of its investment process, portfolio management considers environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) risks and opportunities (“ESG Factors”) that it believes are financially material, alongside other fundamental investment factors. Examples of potential financially material ESG Factors may include corporate governance, political governance, executive pay, board structure and diversity, business ethics, corporate reporting, company culture, human capital management and diversity, community relations, human rights, exposure to climate change, biodiversity, and deforestation. Portfolio management focuses on the ESG Factors it considers most likely to have a material impact on the long-term financial performance of the issuer, which includes identifying ESG Factors attributable to a particular region, sector, industry, or issuer. To facilitate its assessment of ESG Factors, portfolio management uses issuer reports, third-party data and internally-generated analyses and may engage directly with issuers. ESG Factors are one of many considerations in the investment decision-making process, may not be determinative in deciding to include or exclude an investment from the portfolio, and may not be considered for every investment decision. Portfolio management may assess the relevance of ESG Factors to its fundamental research process differently across issuers, sectors, regions, and asset classes.

 

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In addition, to identify the universe of investible securities, portfolio management also applies negative screens, which incorporate third-party inputs, to seek to avoid investing in (i) REITs that are involved in the operation of prison facilities and (ii) issuers that are United Nations Global Compact violators. At portfolio management’s discretion, the Fund will engage with companies regarding the adoption, or commitment to adopt, emission reduction targets.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of the Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Forward Contracts

Forward contracts are contracts to purchase or sell a specified amount of a financial instrument for an agreed upon price at a specified time. Forward contracts are not currently exchange-traded and are typically negotiated on an individual basis. The Fund may only enter into forward currency contracts to hedge against declines in the value of securities denominated in, or whose value is tied to, a currency other than the U.S. dollar or to reduce the impact of currency appreciation on purchases of such securities.

 

Futures Contracts

Futures contracts are contracts that obligate the buyer to receive and the seller to deliver an instrument or money at a specified price on a specified date. The Fund may only buy and sell futures contracts on foreign currencies to hedge against declines in the value of securities denominated in, or whose value is tied to, a currency other than the U.S. dollar or to reduce the impact of currency appreciation on purchases of such securities. Futures contracts are standardized and traded on designated exchanges.

 

Illiquid Investments

The Fund will not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund 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 investment.

 

Initial Public Offerings and Secondary Offerings

The Fund may purchase shares issued as part of, or a short period after, a company’s IPO, and may at times dispose of those shares shortly after their acquisition. An IPO is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public. IPOs are often issued by smaller, younger companies seeking the capital to expand, but can also be done by large privately-owned companies looking to become publicly traded. The Fund may also purchase shares in offerings made by companies that are publicly traded (“secondary offerings”). Secondary offerings may be made by companies for a number of reasons, including as part of a refinancing, to raise capital for growth, and/or to provide existing shareholders with a way to register and sell restricted shares.

 

Leverage

The Fund does not intend to use leverage for investment purposes. Leverage occurs when the Fund increases its assets available for investment using when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment transactions, or other similar transactions. In addition, other investment techniques, such as certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect.

 

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio turnover rates are generally not a factor in making buy and sell decisions. Changes may be made to the Fund’s portfolio, consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, when portfolio management believes such changes are in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. Short-term transactions may result from the purchase of a security in anticipation of relatively short-term gains, liquidity needs, securities having reached a price or yield objective, changes in interest rates or the credit standing of an issuer, or by reason of economic or other developments not foreseen at the time of the initial investment decision. The Fund may also sell one security and simultaneously purchase the same or a comparable

 

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security to take advantage of short-term differentials in bond yields or securities prices. Portfolio turnover is affected by market conditions, changes in the size of the Fund (including due to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units), the nature of the Fund’s investments, and the investment style of portfolio management.

 

Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover also may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. The “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus shows the Fund’s historical turnover rates.

 

Securities Lending

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions in an amount equal to up to one-third of its total assets as determined at the time of the loan origination. When the Fund lends its securities, it receives collateral (including cash collateral), at least equal to the value of securities loaned. The Fund may earn income by investing this collateral in one or more affiliated or non-affiliated cash management vehicles or in time deposits. It is also possible that, due to a decline in the value of a cash management vehicle in which collateral is invested, the Fund may lose money. Securities lending involves a risk of loss because the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. If the Fund lends its securities and is unable to recover the securities loaned, it may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Lending securities entails a risk of loss to the Fund if and to the extent that the market value of the loaned securities increases and the collateral is not increased accordingly. Any cash received as collateral for loaned securities will be invested in an affiliated cash management vehicle or time deposits. This investment is subject to market appreciation or depreciation and the Fund will bear any loss on the investment of its cash collateral. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns. The Adviser intends to manage a portion of the cash collateral in an affiliated cash management vehicle and will receive an investment advisory fee for managing such assets.

 

Special Situations

The Fund may invest in companies that demonstrate special situations or turnarounds, meaning companies that have experienced significant business problems but are believed to have favorable prospects for recovery. For example, a special situation or turnaround may arise when, in the opinion of the Fund’s portfolio management, the securities of a particular issuer will be recognized as undervalued by the market and appreciate in value due to a specific development with respect to that issuer. Special situations may include significant changes in a company’s allocation of its existing capital, a restructuring of assets, or a redirection of free cash flow. For example, issuers undergoing significant capital changes may include companies involved in spin-offs, sales of divisions, mergers or acquisitions, companies involved in bankruptcy proceedings, or companies initiating large changes in their debt to equity ratio. Companies that are redirecting cash flows may be reducing debt, repurchasing shares, or paying dividends. Special situations may also result from: (i) significant changes in industry structure through regulatory developments or shifts in competition; (ii) a new or improved product, service, operation, or technological advance; (iii) changes in senior management or other extraordinary corporate event; (iv) differences in market supply of and demand for the security; or (v) significant changes in cost structure. Investments in “special situations” companies can present greater risks than investments in companies not experiencing special situations, and the Fund’s performance could be adversely impacted if the securities selected decline in value or fail to appreciate in value.

 

Risks of the Fund

 

The value of your investment will vary over time, sometimes significantly, and you may lose money by investing in the Fund. The following information is intended to help you better understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund, including those risks that are summarized in the Fund Summary section. This information also includes descriptions of other risks the Fund may be subject to as a result of additional investment strategies and general policies that may apply to the Fund. The impact of the following risks on the Fund may vary depending on the Fund’s investments. The greater the Fund’s investment in a particular security, the greater the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with that security. Before investing in the Fund, you should consider carefully the risks that you assume when investing in the Fund.

 

Affiliated Underlying Fund Risk. The Adviser may invest in certain affiliated ETFs as investments for the Fund. The Adviser will generally receive fees for managing such funds, in addition to the fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund. The payment of such fees by affiliated funds creates a conflict of interest when selecting affiliated funds for investment in the Fund. The Adviser, however, is a fiduciary to the Fund and its shareholders and is legally obligated to act in its best interest when

 

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selecting affiliated funds. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated ETFs with respect to the Fund’s investment in such ETF, less certain operating expenses.

 

Cash Transaction Risk. The Fund may require all APs to purchase Creation Units in cash when portfolio management believes it is in the best interest of the Fund. Cash purchases may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges or delays in investing the cash that it would otherwise not incur if a purchase was made on an in-kind basis. To the extent the Fund determines to effect a Creation Unit redemption on a cash basis, it may be less tax-efficient for the Fund compared to an in-kind redemption and may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges it would not otherwise incur with an in-kind redemption, to the extent such fees or charges are not offset by the redemption transaction fee paid by APs. In addition, the Fund’s use of cash transactions may result in wider bid-ask spreads in Fund shares trading in the secondary market as compared to ETFs that transact exclusively on an in-kind basis.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that changes in the exchange rate between currencies will adversely affect the value (in U.S. dollar terms) of an investment. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

Concentration Risk. Because the Fund concentrates its assets in the U.S. real estate industry and real estate-related industries, an investment in the Fund will be closely linked to performance of the real estate markets. Unanticipated economic, legal, cultural, political, or other developments may cause property values to decline, REIT prices may drop, and changes in federal or state tax laws may affect the value of the securities held by the Fund. Real estate-related companies are also generally sensitive to interest rates, cash flow of underlying real estate assets, supply and demand, and management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. The Fund’s NAV may fluctuate more than those of a fund that does not concentrate its investments.

 

While the Fund will not invest in real property directly, the Fund may be subject to risks similar to those associated with the direct ownership of real property (in addition to securities market risks). These risks include, but are not limited to, declines in the value of real property, risks related to general and local economic conditions, dependency on management skill, heavy cash flow dependency, adverse changes in the operations of any property or the financial condition of any tenant, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds, overbuilding, extended vacancies of properties, increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, losses due to costs resulting from the clean-up of environmental problems, liability to third parties for damages resulting from environmental problems, casualty or condemnation losses, limitations on rents, changes in neighborhood values and in appeal of properties to tenants, and changes in interest rates.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. Depositary receipts are generally subject to the same sort of risks as direct investments in a foreign country, such as currency risk, market risk, and foreign exposure risk, because their values depend on the performance of a foreign security denominated in its home currency.

 

Derivatives Risk. Derivatives can be volatile and involve similar risks to those as the underlying referenced securities or assets. Gains or losses from a derivative investment can be substantially greater than the derivative’s original cost, and can therefore involve leverage. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if it had not used leverage because leverage can exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities and other instruments held by the Fund.

 

The Fund uses derivatives only for currency hedging purposes related to investments in securities of Canadian issuers. Derivatives can be complex instruments and may involve analysis that differs from that required for other investment types used by the Fund. If the value of a derivative does not correlate well with the particular market or other asset class to which the derivative is intended to provide exposure, the derivative may not produce the anticipated result. Derivatives can also reduce the opportunity for gain or result in losses by offsetting positive returns in other investments. Derivatives entail the risk that the counterparty will default on its payment obligations. If the counterparty to a derivative transaction defaults, the Fund would risk the loss of the net amount of the payments that it contractually is entitled to receive.

 

Currency Futures Risk. Currency futures are similar to forward foreign currency exchange contracts, and pose similar risks, except that futures contracts are standardized, exchange-traded contracts while forward foreign currency exchange contracts are traded in the over-the-counter market. The use of currency futures contracts may substantially change the Fund’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as anticipated. Currency markets generally are not as regulated as securities markets. In addition, currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time, and can reduce returns. Currency futures may also involve leverage risk.

 

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Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contract Risk. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts (“forward currency contracts”) involve the risk that unanticipated changes in currency prices may negatively impact the Fund’s performance. Moreover, there may be an imperfect correlation between the Fund’s portfolio holdings of securities quoted or denominated in a particular currency and any forward currency contracts entered into by the Fund, which will expose the Fund to risk of foreign exchange loss. The trading markets for forward currency contracts offer less protection against defaults than trading in currency instruments on an exchange. Because a forward currency contract is not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse, a default on the contract could result in losses to the Fund and may force the Fund to cover its purchase or sale commitments, if any, at the current market price. In addition, forward currency contract markets can experience periods of illiquidity, which could prevent the Fund from divesting of a forward currency contract at the optimal time and may adversely affect the Fund’s returns and NAV.

 

ESG Investment Risk. There is a risk that considering ESG Factors as part of the Fund’s investment process may fail to produce the intended results or that the Fund may perform differently from funds that have a similar investment style but do not formally incorporate such considerations in their strategy. While portfolio management believes that the consideration of financially material ESG Factors has the potential to provide better risk-adjusted returns, ESG Factors may not be considered for every investment decision and there is no guarantee that the consideration of ESG Factors will result in better performance. In addition, information related to ESG Factors provided by issuers and third parties, upon which portfolio management may utilize, continues to develop, and may be incomplete, inaccurate, use different methodologies or be applied differently across issuers and industries. Further, the U.S. regulatory landscape regarding the use of ESG Factors in investing is still developing and future rules and regulations may require the Fund to modify or alter its investment process and/or how it discloses its consideration of ESG Factors.

 

Furthermore, due to the ESG considerations and exclusionary criteria employed by the Fund, the Fund may not be invested in certain industries or sectors, and therefore may have lower performance than portfolios that do not apply similar criteria. ESG-related information provided by issuers and third parties, upon which portfolio management may utilize, continues to develop, and may be incomplete, inaccurate, use different methodologies, or be applied differently across companies and industries. Further, the regulatory landscape for ESG investing in the United States is still developing and future rules and regulations may require the Fund to modify or alter its investment process. Similarly, government policies incentivizing companies to consider their environmental or social practices may fall out of favor, which could potentially limit the Fund’s investment universe. There is also a risk that the issuers identified through the investment process employed by the Fund may fail to adhere to positive environmental or social practices, which may result in selling a security when it might otherwise be disadvantageous to do so.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies, which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. ETFs are traded on a national securities exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium or discount to its NAV. When the Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. ETFs also involve the risk that an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained. Similarly, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to purchase or sell an ETF at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities.

 

The ETFs in which the Fund invests are subject to specific risks, depending on the investment strategy of the ETF. In turn, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with direct exposure to the securities or commodities held by the ETF. Because the Fund may invest in a broad range of ETFs, such risks may include, but are not limited to, leverage risk, foreign exposure risk, and commodity-linked investments risk.

 

Foreign Exposure Risk. The Funds may invest in foreign equity and/or debt securities either indirectly (e.g., depositary receipts, depositary shares, and passive foreign investment companies) or directly in foreign markets, including emerging markets. Additional risks may be present with respect to investments in securities of issuers or companies that are economically tied to different countries throughout the world. An issuer is deemed to be economically tied to a country or countries if one or more of the following tests are met: (i) the issuer is organized in, or its primary business office or principal trading market of its equity are located in, the country; (ii) a majority of the issuer’s revenues are derived from one or more

 

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countries; or (iii) a majority of the issuer’s assets are located in one or more countries. Investments in foreign securities, including securities of foreign and emerging market governments, may involve greater risks than investing in domestic securities because a Fund’s performance may depend on factors other than the performance of a particular company. These factors include:

 

Currency Risk. As long as a Fund holds a foreign security, its value will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When a Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

Foreign Market Risk. Foreign securities markets, particularly those of emerging market countries, may be less liquid and more volatile than domestic markets. These securities markets may trade a small number of securities, may have a limited number of issuers and a high proportion of shares, or may be held by a relatively small number of persons or institutions. Local securities markets may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of substantial holdings difficult or impossible at times. It is also possible that certain markets may require payment for securities before delivery, and delays may be encountered in settling securities transactions. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. It may not be possible for a Fund to repatriate capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, securities of issuers located in or economically tied to countries with emerging markets may have limited marketability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements which could also have a negative effect on a Fund. Such factors may hinder a Fund’s ability to buy and sell emerging market securities in a timely manner, affecting the Fund’s investment strategies and potentially affecting the value of the Fund.

 

Geographic Concentration Risk. To the extent that a Fund invests a substantial amount of its assets in issuers located in a single country or region, the economic, political, social, regulatory, or other developments or conditions within such country or region will generally have a greater effect on the Fund than they would on a more geographically diversified fund, which may result in greater losses and volatility. Adverse developments in certain regions could also adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated and could have a negative impact on a Fund’s performance.

 

Political and Economic Risk. Foreign investments may be subject to increased political and economic risks, including the imposition of economic and other sanctions. Sanctions imposed by the United States government on other countries or persons or issuers operating in such countries could restrict a Fund’s ability to buy affected securities or force a Fund to dispose of any affected securities it has previously purchased at an inopportune time. As a result, a Fund may experience a greater risk of loss with respect to securities impacted by such sanctions.

 

Political and economic risks may be heightened in emerging markets, which may have relatively unstable governments, immature economic structures, national policies restricting investments by foreigners, social instability, and different and/or developing legal systems. In some countries, there is the risk that the government may take over the assets or operations of a company or that the government may impose withholding and other taxes or limits on the removal of a Fund’s assets from that country. In addition, the economies of emerging markets may be predominantly based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates.

 

Regulatory Risk. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets. As a result, foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices applicable to domestic issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers.

 

Transaction Costs Risk. Costs of buying, selling, and holding foreign securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, may be higher than those involved in domestic transactions.

 

Industry and Sector Risk. Industry and sector risk is the possibility that a group of related securities will decline in price due to industry-specific or economic sector-specific developments. Companies in the same or similar industries and economic sectors may share common characteristics and are more likely to react similarly to industry-specific market or economic developments. The Fund’s investments in multiple companies in a particular industry or economic sector may increase the Fund’s exposure to industry and sector risk.

 

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Real Estate Sector Risk. The Fund’s investments in securities issued by companies in the real estate sector and companies related to the real estate sector, including REITs, may be affected by the risks associated with investments, such as: fluctuations in the value of the underlying properties; defaults by borrowers or tenants; market saturation; changes in general and local economic conditions; decreases in market rates for rents; changes in the availability, cost, and terms of mortgage funds; increases in competition, property taxes, capital expenditures, or operating expenses; environmental liabilities; management’s skill and the creditworthiness of the issuer; and other economic, political, or regulatory occurrences, including the impact of changes in environmental laws.

 

Inflation Risk. Inflation creates uncertainty over the future real value of an investment (the value after adjusting for inflation). The real value of certain assets or real income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions may decline. This risk is more prevalent with respect to debt securities held by the Fund. Inflation rates may change frequently and drastically as a result of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy. Moreover, the Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation, which may result in losses to Fund shareholders or adversely affect the real value of shareholders’ investment in the Fund. Fund shareholders’ expectation of future inflation can also impact the current value of the Fund’s portfolio, resulting in lower asset values and potential losses. This risk may be elevated compared to historical market conditions because of recent monetary policy measures and the current interest rate environment.

 

Initial Public Offering and Secondary Offering Risk. The Fund’s purchase of shares issued in an IPO exposes it to the risks associated with companies that have little operating history as public companies, as well as to the risks inherent in those sectors of the market where these new issuers operate. Attractive IPOs are often oversubscribed and may not be available to the Fund or may be available only in very limited quantities. The market for IPO issuers has been volatile and share prices of newly public companies have fluctuated up and down significantly over short periods of time. There can be no assurance that the Fund will identify favorable IPO investment opportunities. In addition, under certain market conditions, a relatively small number of companies may issue securities in IPOs. As the Fund increases in size, the impact of IPOs on its performance will generally decrease.

 

The Fund may purchase shares in secondary offerings. Secondary offerings may expose the Fund to some of the risks of IPOs. Participation in secondary offerings may have a magnified impact on the performance of a fund to the extent it has a small asset base and the fund may not experience similar performance as its assets grow. Secondary offering shares frequently are volatile in price. As a result, the Fund may hold secondary offering shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the portfolio turnover rate of the Fund and may lead to increased expenses for the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, secondary offering shares can experience an immediate drop in value if the demand for the securities does not continue to support the offering price.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease if the value of one or more issuers in the Fund’s portfolio decreases. Further, regardless of how well individual companies or securities perform, the value of the Fund’s portfolio could also decrease if there are deteriorating economic or market conditions, including, but not limited to, a general decline in prices on the stock markets, a general decline in real estate markets, a decline in commodities prices, or if the market favors different types of securities than the types of securities in which the Fund invests. If the value of the Fund’s portfolio decreases, the Fund’s NAV will also decrease, which means if you sell your shares in the Fund you may lose money. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole.

 

The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, financial institution failures, and economic recessions could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions and/or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the global economies and financial markets.

 

Armed Conflict Risk. Recent such examples include conflict, loss of life, and a disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent and duration of each conflict, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in each region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect, including significant negative impacts on the United States and broader global economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities.

 

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Money Market Fund Investment Risk. The Fund may have cash balances that have not been invested in portfolio securities, which may be used to purchase shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds, or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds, as part of a cash sweep program. By investing in a money market fund, the Fund will be exposed to the investment risks of the money market fund in direct proportion to such investment. The money market fund may not achieve its investment objective and the Fund may lose money. To the extent the Fund transacts in instruments such as derivatives, the Fund may hold investments, which may be significant, in money market fund shares to cover its obligations resulting from the Fund’s investments in derivatives. An investment in a money market fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by any bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. There can be no assurance that a money market fund will maintain a $1.00 per share NAV at all times. Factors that could adversely affect the value of a money market fund’s shares include, among other things, a sharp rise in interest rates, an illiquid market for the securities held by the money market fund, a high volume of redemption activity in a fund’s shares, and a credit event or credit rating downgrade affecting one or more of the issuers of securities held by the money market fund. In addition, the failure of even an unrelated money market fund to maintain a stable NAV could create a widespread risk of increased redemption pressures on all money market funds, potentially jeopardizing the stability of their NAVs. Certain money market funds have in the past failed to maintain stable NAVs, and there can be no assurance that such failures and resulting redemption pressures will not impact money market funds in the future.

 

Rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) require, among other things, certain money market funds to cause transactions in shares of these funds to be effected using a fund’s NAV per share calculated out to the fourth decimal point (e.g., $1.0000 instead of $1.00). “Government Money Market Funds” and “Retail Money Market Funds” as defined in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, as amended, are not subject to the floating NAV requirements, as described above. In addition, certain money market funds may impose a discretionary fee (up to 2%) upon sale of shares because of market conditions or other factors if a fund’s board or a delegate believes such fee is in the best interest of the fund.

 

Recently adopted amendments to Rule 2a-7 also require certain money market funds, excluding Government Money Market Funds and Retail Money Market Funds, to impose mandatory liquidity fees when a fund experiences net redemptions that exceed 5% of its net assets, unless the fund’s liquidity costs are de minimis (i.e., less than 1 basis point).

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investments in money market funds are not adversely affected by these or additional reforms to money market regulation that may be adopted by the SEC or other regulatory authorities.

 

In addition to the fees and expenses that the Fund directly bears, the Fund indirectly bears the fees and expenses of any money market fund in which it invests.

 

Operational Risk. An investment in the Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in key personnel, technology and/or service providers, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, process fund orders, execute portfolio trades, or perform other essential tasks in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. Implementation of business continuity plans by the Fund, the Adviser or third-party service providers in response to disruptive events such as cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may increase these operational risks to the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third-party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that the investment strategies and research process employed for the Fund may fail to achieve its investment objective or produce the intended results. Although the Fund seeks to provide long-term positive returns, market conditions or implementation of the Fund’s investment process may result in losses, and the Fund may not meet its investment objective. As such, there can be no assurance of positive “absolute” return. The Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives. Because the Fund invests substantially all of its assets in equity securities, it is subject to risks such as market risk and real estate securities risk.

 

REIT Risk. The Fund may be subject to the additional risks associated with REITs and REIT-like investments. REITs and REIT-like entities are subject to heavy cash flow dependency to allow them to make distributions to their shareholders. The prices of equity REITs are affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, changes in

 

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capital markets and interest rates, management skill in running a REIT, and the creditworthiness of the REIT. The prices of mortgage REITs are affected by the quality of any credit they extend, the creditworthiness of the mortgages they hold, as well as by the value of the property that secures the mortgages. In addition, mortgage REITs (similar to direct investments in mortgage-backed securities) are subject to prepayment risk. Equity REITs and mortgage REITs are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and self-liquidation. There is also the risk that borrowers under mortgages held by a REIT or lessees of a property that a REIT owns may be unable to meet their obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments. While equity REITs and mortgage REITs may provide exposure to a large number of properties, such properties may be concentrated in a particular industry, region, or housing type, making such investments more vulnerable to unfavorable developments to economic or market events. Certain “special purpose” REITs in which the Fund may invest focus their assets in specific real property sectors, such as hotels, shopping malls, nursing homes, or warehouses, and are therefore subject to the specific risks associated with adverse developments in these sectors. The Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear their proportionate share of the REIT’s expenses, in addition to their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses. The value of investments in REOCs will generally be affected by the same factors that adversely affect REIT investments; however, REOCs may also be adversely affected by income streams derived from businesses other than real estate ownership.

 

Additionally, a REIT that fails to comply with federal tax requirements affecting REITs may be subject to federal income taxation, or the federal tax requirement that a REIT distribute substantially all of its net income to its shareholders may result in a REIT having insufficient capital for future expenditures. REITs are also subject to certain provisions under federal tax law and the failure of a company to qualify as a REIT could have adverse consequences for the Fund, including significantly reducing the return to the Fund on its investment in such company.

 

Risk of Investing in Canada. The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities of Canadian issuers. Investments in Canadian issuers may subject the Fund to regulatory, political, currency, security and economic risk specific to Canada. Among other things, the Canadian economy is heavily dependent on relationships with certain key trading partners, including the U.S. and China. The Canadian economy is sensitive to fluctuations in certain commodity markets.

 

Secondary Market Trading Risk. The net asset value of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. However, the Fund’s shares trade on a national securities exchange at prices above or below their most recent net asset value. The “market price” for a share of the Fund fluctuates continuously throughout the national securities exchange’s trading day and is based on supply and demand for the Fund’s shares. The market price of the Fund’s shares may not track the Fund’s net asset value, which is only calculated at the end of each business day.

 

A potential investor in the Fund will likely also incur the cost of the “spread” (the difference between the bid price and the ask price for a share of the Fund). The spread varies over time for a share of the Fund. This cost is generally smaller for a fund with significant daily trading volumes and larger for funds with smaller daily trading volumes.

 

Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market price of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in the Fund’s shares trading at a substantial discount to its net asset value. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the Fund’s securities holdings. Flash crashes may also cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in Fund shares, which may result in a further increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and their net asset value. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell Fund shares during a flash crash.

 

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Management of the Fund

 

 

Investment adviser

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, is the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio and furnishes continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Fund’s investments. The Adviser also provides certain administration and other services and is responsible for other business affairs of the Fund.

 

The Adviser (together with its predecessors and affiliates) has served as investment adviser to Janus Henderson mutual funds since 1970 and currently serves as investment adviser to all of the Janus Henderson funds, the Janus Henderson exchange-traded funds, acts as subadviser for a number of private-label mutual funds, and provides separate account advisory services for institutional accounts and other unregistered products.

 

The Trust and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and, as appropriate, reallocate the Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that the Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight by the Trustees, would have the responsibility to oversee such subadviser(s) to the Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for the Fund. In the event that the Adviser hires a subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for the Fund.

 

Management expenses

 

The Fund uses a unitary fee structure, under which the Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Fund, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services. The Adviser’s fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Fund’s expenses. However, the Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee which may vary and affect the total level of expenses paid by shareholders, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest and dividends (including those relating to short positions (if any)), taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

The Fund’s Management Fee is calculated daily and paid monthly. The Fund’s advisory agreement details the Management Fee and other expenses that the Fund must pay.

 

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The following table reflects the Fund’s contractual Management Fee rate (expressed as an annual rate), as well as the actual compensation rate paid to the Adviser after any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. The rates shown are fixed rates based on the Fund’s daily net assets.

 

Fund Name

Daily
Net Assets of
the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Actual Compensation
Rate Paid to Adviser
(%) (for the fiscal
year ended
October 31, 2024)

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

$0-$250 Million

0.65

0.65

 

Next $750 Million

0.60

 
 

Over $1 Billion

0.50

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Trustees’ approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement is included in the Fund’s semiannual financial statements (for the period ending April 30) located in Form N-CSR. You can request the Fund’s annual or semiannual financial statements, free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This information is also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Expense Limitation

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of Fund assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

Portfolio Management

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

 

 

Co-Portfolio Managers Danny Greenberger and Greg Kuhl jointly are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, with no limitation on the authority of one co-portfolio manager in relation to the other.

 

Danny Greenberger is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in June 2021. He joined the Global Property Equities Team at Janus Henderson Group in 2017 as a fund manager. Prior to joining the Adviser, Mr. Greenberger was co-founder and managing director from 2014 at Citrine Investment Group, where he designed and managed its long/short real estate investment strategy. Mr. Greenberger holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Michigan.

 

Greg Kuhl, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in June 2021. He joined Henderson Global Investors Limited in 2015 as a fund manager. Prior to joining the Adviser, Mr. Kuhl was Vice President, Global REITs at Brookfield Investment Management from 2011 to 2015, where he was a senior analyst for global long-only and global long/short strategies focused on property equities across North America, Europe, and Asia. Mr. Kuhl holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance with a concentration in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Information about portfolio management’s compensation structure and other accounts managed, as well as the aggregate range of their individual ownership in the Fund, is included in the SAI.

 

Conflicts of Interest

The Adviser manages other funds and numerous other accounts, which may include separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds. Side-by-side management of multiple accounts, including the management of a cash collateral pool for securities lending and investing the Janus Henderson funds’ cash, may give rise to conflicts of interest

 

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among those accounts, and may create potential risks, such as the risk that investment activity in one account may adversely affect another account. For example, short sale activity in an account could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more other accounts (and vice versa). Side-by-side management may raise additional potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.

 

In addition, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of the Fund for their own accounts, or may purchase shares of the Fund for the benefit of their clients, including other Janus Henderson funds. Increasing the Fund’s assets may enhance the Fund’s profile with financial intermediaries and platforms, investment flexibility and trading volume. The Adviser and its affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to dispose of at any time some or all of the shares of the Fund acquired for their own accounts or for the benefit of their clients. A large sale of Fund shares by the Adviser or its affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility or trading volume. The Adviser considers the effect of redemptions on the Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to dispose of its shares of the Fund.

 

The Adviser believes it has appropriately designed and implemented policies and procedures to mitigate these and other potential conflicts of interest. A further discussion of potential conflicts of interest and policies and procedures intended to mitigate them is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

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Other Information

 

 

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUND

 

Creation Units for the Fund are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org, or 1-800-289-9999.

 

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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

To avoid taxation of the Fund, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), requires the Fund to distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income and any net capital gains realized on its investments at least annually.

 

Distribution Schedule

Dividends from net investment income are generally declared and distributed to shareholders quarterly. Distributions of net capital gains are declared and distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. The date you receive your distribution may vary depending on how your intermediary processes trades. Dividend payments are made through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from the Fund. Please consult your financial intermediary for details.

 

How Distributions Affect the Fund’s NAV

Distributions are paid to shareholders as of the record date of a distribution of the Fund, regardless of how long the shares have been held. Undistributed income and net capital gains are included in the Fund’s daily NAV. The Fund’s NAV drops by the amount of the distribution, net of any subsequent market fluctuations. For example, assume that on December 31, the Fund declared a dividend in the amount of $0.25 per share. If the Fund’s NAV was $10.00 on December 30, the Fund’s NAV on December 31 would be $9.75, barring market fluctuations. You should be aware that distributions from a taxable fund do not increase the value of your investment and may create income tax obligations.

 

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

TAXES

 

As with any investment, you should consider the tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The discussion does not apply to qualified tax-advantaged accounts or other non-taxable entities, nor is it a complete analysis of the federal income tax implications of investing in the Fund. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect that an investment in the Fund may have on your particular tax situation, including the federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of your investment.

 

Taxes on Distributions

Distributions by the Fund are subject to federal income tax, regardless of whether the distribution is made in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, and realized net short-term capital gains), other than qualified dividend income, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of qualified dividend income are taxed to individuals and other noncorporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received from REITs, certain foreign corporations, and income received “in lieu of” dividends in a securities lending transaction generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares. Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income includes dividends paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares. The Fund’s net investment income and capital gains are distributed to (and may be taxable to) those persons who are shareholders of the Fund at the record date of such payments. Although the Fund’s total net income and net realized gain are the results of its operations, the per share amount distributed or taxable to shareholders is affected by the number of Fund

 

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shares outstanding at the record date. Distributions declared to shareholders of record in October, November, or December and paid on or before January 31 of the succeeding year will be treated for federal income tax purposes as if received by shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared. Generally, account tax information will be made available to shareholders on or before February 15 of each year. Information regarding distributions may also be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).

 

The Fund may derive “excess inclusion income” from certain equity interests in mortgage pooling vehicles either directly or through an investment in a U.S. REIT. Please see the Fund’s SAI for a discussion of the risks and special tax consequences to shareholders in the event the Fund realizes excess inclusion income in excess of certain threshold amounts.

 

Under 2017 legislation commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, “qualified REIT dividends” (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income) are treated as eligible for a 20% deduction by noncorporate taxpayers. The Fund may choose to pass through the special character of “qualified REIT dividends” to its shareholders, provided the Fund and the shareholder meet certain holding period requirements.

 

Taxes on Sales

Any time you sell the shares of the Fund in a taxable account, it is considered a taxable event. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price, you may have a gain or loss on the transaction. The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares for more than one year and if not held for such period, as a short-term capital gain or loss. Any tax liabilities generated by your transactions are your responsibility.

 

U.S. federal income tax withholding may be required on all distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number, fail to make certain required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is applied.

 

For shares purchased and sold from a taxable account, your financial intermediary will report cost basis information to you and to the IRS. Your financial intermediary will permit shareholders to elect their preferred cost basis method. In the absence of an election, your cost basis method will be your financial intermediary’s default method, which is often the average cost method. Please consult your tax adviser to determine the appropriate cost basis method for your particular tax situation and to learn more about how the cost basis reporting laws apply to you and your investments.

 

Taxation of the Fund

Dividends, interest, and some capital gains received by the Fund on foreign securities may be subject to foreign tax withholding or other foreign taxes.

 

Certain fund transactions may involve futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, and may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, can potentially affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders, and utilization of capital loss carryforwards. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and use certain investment strategies where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these tax provisions, if possible.

 

The Fund does not expect to pay any federal income or excise taxes because it intends to meet certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, including the distribution each year of substantially all its net investment income and net capital gains. It is important for the Fund to meet these requirements so that any earnings on your investment will not be subject to federal income tax twice. If the Fund invests in a partnership, however, it may be subject to state tax liabilities.

 

If the Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

 

For additional information, see the “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status” section of the SAI.

 

23 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Shareholder’s Guide

 

 

The Fund issues or redeems its shares at NAV per share only in Creation Units. Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and trade on the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and offered price in the secondary market on each purchase and sale transaction. Fund shares are traded on the Exchange under the trading symbol JRE. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.

 

APs may acquire Fund shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their Fund shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share, only in Creation Units and in accordance with the procedures described in the Fund’s SAI.

 

Pricing of fund shares

 

The per share NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the close of the trading session of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time) each day that the NYSE is open (“Business Day”). However, the NAV may still be calculated if trading on the NYSE is restricted, provided there is sufficient pricing information available for the Fund to value its securities, or as permitted by the SEC. Foreign securities held by the Fund, as applicable, may be traded on days and at times when the NYSE is closed and the NAV is therefore not calculated. Accordingly, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days that are not Business Days in the United States and on which you will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.

 

Securities held by the Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (“Valuation Procedures”). To the extent available, equity securities (including shares of ETFs) are generally valued at readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. Most fixed-income securities are typically valued using an evaluated bid price supplied by an Adviser-approved pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term instruments maturing within 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. If a market quotation or evaluated price for a security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable, or if an event that is expected to affect the value of the security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, a fair value of the security will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Such events include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a non-significant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a non-valued security and a restricted or non-public security. This type of fair valuation may be more commonly used with foreign equity securities, but it may also be used with, among other things, thinly-traded domestic securities or fixed-income securities. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position. For valuation purposes, if applicable, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities, and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are generally translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates. The methodologies employed when fair valuing securities may change from time to time. Because fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, it is possible that the fair value determination for a security may be different than the value that could be realized when selling that security.

 

The value of the securities of mutual funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such mutual funds, and the prospectuses for such mutual funds explain the circumstances under which they use fair valuation and the effects of using fair valuation. The value of the securities of any cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such funds.

 

All purchases, sales, or other account activity must be processed through your financial intermediary or plan sponsor.

 

24 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Distribution and servicing fees

 

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Servicing Plan for shares of the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”). The Plan permits compensation in connection with the distribution and marketing of Fund shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services. The Plan permits the Fund to pay the Distributor, or its designee, a fee for the sale and distribution and/or shareholder servicing of the shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the shares of the Fund (“12b-1 fee”). However, payment of a 12b-1 fee has not been authorized at this time.

 

Under the terms of the Plan, the Trust is authorized to make payments to the Distributor or its designee for remittance to retirement plan service providers, broker-dealers, bank trust departments, financial advisors, and other financial intermediaries, as compensation for distribution and/or shareholder services performed by such entities for their customers who are investors in the Fund.

 

The 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized and payments are made, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. The amount of compensation paid by the Adviser varies from intermediary to intermediary. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds not offered in this Prospectus, the Adviser or its affiliates pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for certain of these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the

 

25 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-mutual fund investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

Purchasing and selling shares

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. However, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market will develop or be maintained, or that the Fund shares listing will continue or remain unchanged. The Fund does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. Buying or selling the Fund’s shares involves certain costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, you may incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your financial intermediary. Due to these brokerage costs, if any, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment returns. In addition, you may also incur the cost of the spread (the difference between the bid price and the ask price). The commission may be a significant cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares.

 

Shares of the Fund may be acquired through the Distributor or redeemed directly with the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of the Fund’s SAI. Once created, shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

A Business Day with respect to the Fund is each day the Exchange is open. Orders from APs to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day. On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, to minimize brokerage and other related trading costs associated with securities that cannot be readily transferred in-kind, the Fund may establish early trade cut-off times for APs to submit orders for Creation Units, in accordance with the 1940 Act. See the Fund’s SAI for more information.

 

In compliance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), your financial intermediary is required to verify certain information on your account application as part of its Anti-Money Laundering Program. You will be required to provide your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address to assist in verifying your identity. You may also be asked to provide additional documents that may help to establish your identity. Until verification of your identity is made, your

 

26 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

financial intermediary may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, your financial intermediary may close an account if it is unable to verify your identity. Please contact your financial intermediary if you need additional assistance when completing your application or additional information about your financial intermediary’s Anti-Money Laundering Program.

 

In an effort to ensure compliance with this law, the Adviser’s Anti-Money Laundering Program (the “Program”) provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirements and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an unsold allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

Book Entry

Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The DTC or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.

 

Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Fund. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other exchange-traded securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.

 

Share Prices

The trading prices of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV per share and are affected by market forces such as supply and demand, economic conditions, and other factors. Information regarding the intra-day NAV of the Fund is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day by the national securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares are primarily listed or by market data vendors or other information providers. The intra-day NAV calculations are estimates of the value of the Fund’s NAV per Fund share based on the current market value of the securities and/or cash included in the Fund’s intra-day NAV basket. The intra-day NAV does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities and instruments held by the Fund at a particular point in time. Additionally, when current pricing is not available for certain portfolio securities the intra-day indicative value may not accurately reflect the current market value of the Fund’s shares or the best possible valuation of the current portfolio. For example, the intra-day NAV is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities’ local market and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market’s close. Therefore, the intra-day NAV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV,

 

27 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

which is computed only once a day. The intra-day NAV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the portfolio securities and instruments included in the Fund’s intra-day NAV basket. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the intra-day NAV and makes no representation or warranty as to its accuracy. An inaccuracy in the intra-day NAV could result from various factors, including the difficulty of pricing portfolio instruments on an intra-day basis.

 

Premiums and Discounts

There may be differences between the daily market prices on secondary markets for shares of the Fund and the Fund’s NAV. NAV is the price per share at which the Fund issues and redeems shares. See “Pricing of Fund Shares” above. The price used to calculate market returns (“Market Price”) of the Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the national securities exchange on which shares of the Fund are primarily listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. The Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its NAV. The NAV of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of the Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its NAV, as well as market supply and demand for shares of the Fund.

 

Premiums or discounts are the differences (expressed as a percentage) between the NAV and the Market Price of the Fund on a given day, generally at the time the NAV is calculated. A premium is the amount that the Fund is trading above the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount is the amount that the Fund is trading below the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount or premium could be significant. Information regarding the Fund’s premium/discount to NAV for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that calendar year end (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Investments by Other Investment Companies

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for purposes of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Under the 1940 Act, purchases or acquisitions by the Fund of shares issued by registered investment companies (including other ETFs) and business development companies (“BDCs”) and the purchase or acquisition of Fund shares by registered investment companies, BDCs, and investment vehicles relying on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except where an exemption is available, including as provided in Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and (G) and Rule 12d1-4 thereunder. Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies and BDCs to invest in Fund shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company or BDC first enter into a written agreement with the Trust regarding the terms of the investment, among other conditions.

 

Excessive trading

 

Unlike traditional mutual funds, the frequent trading of Fund shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains by the Fund, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders. The vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market. Because these trades do not involve the Fund, they do not harm the Fund or its shareholders. APs are authorized to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with the Fund in Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions that are effected using securities (i.e., in-kind) do not cause any of the harmful effects to the issuing fund (as previously noted). However, Creation Unit transactions effected using cash can potentially subject the Fund and its shareholders to those harmful effects. As a result, the Fund requires APs to pay transaction fees to cover brokerage and certain related costs when purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. Those fees are designed to protect the Fund and its shareholders from the dilutive costs associated with frequent creation and redemption activity. For these reasons, the Trustees of the Fund have determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market timing of Fund shares. However, the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding frequent purchases and redemptions may be modified by the Trustees at any time.

 

Fund website & availability of portfolio holdings information

 

Each Business Day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided by its custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation

 

28 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. In addition, on each Business Day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV. A complete schedule of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is also available semiannually and annually in Form N-CSR and, after the first and third fiscal quarters, in Form N-PORT. Information reported in Form N-CSR and in Form N-PORT will be made publicly available within 70 and 60 days, respectively, after the end of each fiscal quarter. The Fund’s Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. For additional information on these disclosures and the availability of portfolio holdings information, please refer to the Fund’s SAI.

 

Shareholder communications

 

Statements and Reports

Your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for sending you periodic statements of all transactions, along with trade confirmations and tax reporting, as required by applicable law. In addition, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is also responsible for providing annual and semiannual reports. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor to obtain these reports.

 

You may also obtain copies of the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, SAI and other information, such as the Fund’s financial statements (when available), free upon request by calling Janus Henderson at 1-800-668-0434 or you can access and download these documents at the Fund’s website: janushenderson.com/info.

 

The Fund’s fiscal year ends October 31st.

 

Lost (Unclaimed/Abandoned) Accounts

It is important to maintain a correct address for each shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned as undeliverable. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is required to attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is unable to locate the shareholder, then the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is legally obligated to deem the property “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently escheat (or transfer) unclaimed property (including shares of a fund) to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. Further, your account may be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently transferred to your state of residence if no activity (as defined by that state) occurs within your account during the time frame specified in your state’s unclaimed property laws. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Interest or income is not earned on redemption or distribution check(s) sent to you during the time the check(s) remained uncashed.

 

29 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for each fiscal period shown. Items “Net asset value, beginning of period” through “Net asset value, end of period” reflect financial results for a single Fund share. The information for the fiscal periods shown has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s Form N-CSR and incorporated by reference into the SAI.

 

The total returns 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).

 

 

 

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

 

For a share outstanding during each year or period ended October 31

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

   

2021(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 19.52     $ 21.39       $26.90       $25.00  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

                               

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    0.53       0.56       0.38       0.17  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    5.60       (1.84 )     (5.41 )     1.80  

Total from Investment Operations

    6.13       (1.28 )     (5.03 )     1.97  

Less Dividends and Distributions:

                               

Dividends (from net investment income)

    (0.54 )     (0.59 )     (0.48 )     (0.07 )

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.54 )     (0.59 )     (0.48 )     (0.07 )

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 25.11     $ 19.52     $ 21.39     $ 26.90  

Total Return*

    31.69 %     (6.19 )%     (18.85 )%     7.90 %

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 26,369     $ 4,393     $ 3,208     $ 11,435  

Ratios to Average Net Assets**

                               

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.65 %     0.65 %     0.65 %     0.65 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    2.23 %     2.55 %     1.46 %     1.84 %

Portfolio Turnover Rate(3)

    102 %     73 %     76 %     23 %

 

* Total return not annualized for periods of less than one full year.

**Annualized for periods of less than one full year.

(1) Period from June 22, 2021 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2021.

(2) Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(3) Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

 

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You can make inquiries and request other information, including a Statement of Additional Information, annual report, semiannual report, or Fund financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, most recent annual and semiannual reports, and Fund financial statements are also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info. Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports and in Form N-CSR. In the Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal period. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund’s annual and semiannual financial statements. Other information is also available from financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund.

 

The Statement of Additional Information provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 

janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act File No. is 811-23112.

 

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

SSPX

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Prospectus

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved of these securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

This Prospectus describes Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF (the “Fund”), a portfolio of Janus Detroit Street Trust (the “Trust”). Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund.

 

Shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and the owners of Fund shares may purchase or redeem shares from the Fund in Creation Units only, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Prospectus. The purchase and sale price of individual Fund shares trading on an exchange may be below, at or above the most recently calculated net asset value for Fund shares (sometimes referred to as the “NAV”).

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Fund Summary

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

2

Additional Information about the Fund

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

9

Risks of the Fund

12

Management of the Fund

 

Investment adviser

17

Management expenses

17

Portfolio management

18

Other Information

20

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

21

Shareholder’s Guide

 

Pricing of fund shares

23

Distribution and servicing fees

24

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

24

Purchasing and selling shares

25

Excessive trading

27

Shareholder communications

28

Financial Highlights

29

 

1 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

 

SSPX Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF Shares

S&P 500® Index (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

Fund Summary

 

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

Ticker: SSPX

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF seeks long-term growth of capital.

 

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. Investors may pay brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries on their purchases and sales of Fund shares, which are not reflected in the table or in the example below.

 

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

 

Management Fees

0.55%

Other Expenses

0.00%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

0.55%

 

EXAMPLE:

 

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. 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

 
    $ 56     $ 176     $ 307     $ 689  

 

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 20% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

 

The Fund pursues its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities that are economically tied to the United States. The Fund seeks to invest in companies whose products and services are considered by the Adviser as contributing to positive environmental or social change and sustainable economic development, including those that are strategically aligned with environmental and social megatrends such as climate change, resource constraints, growing populations, and aging populations. A security is deemed to be economically tied to the United States if one or more of the following tests are met: (i) the company is organized in, or its primary business office or principal trading market of its equity is located in the United States, (ii) a majority of the company’s revenues are derived from the United States or (iii) a majority of the company’s assets are located in the United States.

 

2 | Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

The Fund generally invests in a core group of 30-50 equity securities, which consist primarily of common stocks, but may also include other types of instruments, such as warrants. The Fund may also invest in equity securities of real estate-related companies, including real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and similar REIT-like entities. The Fund will invest primarily in larger, well-established companies but may also invest in mid- and small-sized companies. The Fund’s uninvested assets may be held in cash, cash equivalents, and/or affiliated or unaffiliated exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”).

 

The Fund is “actively managed” and does not seek to replicate the composition or performance of an index. In selecting investments, portfolio management employs a “bottom-up” approach that focuses on fundamental research. To identify the universe of investible securities for the Fund, portfolio management first employs positive selection criteria that seeks to identify companies that derive at least 50% of their current or future expected revenues from at least one of ten environmental and social themes. Environmental themes include efficiency, cleaner energy, water management, environmental services, and sustainable transport. Social themes include sustainable property and finance, safety, quality of life, knowledge and technology, and health.

 

Next, portfolio management applies broad-based negative screens, which incorporate third-party inputs, to seek to avoid securities of issuers that, in the determination of the Adviser, are significantly engaged in or derive more than de minimis revenue from industries, activities, or assets considered by portfolio management to have a negative impact on society or the environment. A current list of such activities, which may evolve over time, follows:

 

alcohol;

animal testing (non-medical);

chemicals of concern;

● civilian firearms and ammunition;

● controversial weapons;

● conventional weapons;

fossil fuels;

fur;

gambling;

genetically modified organisms;

● human stem cell research;

intensive farming;

nuclear power generation;

pornography;

tobacco; and

United Nations Global Compact and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development violators.

 

In selecting investments, portfolio management will then consider, among other factors, a company’s growth potential, competitive positioning, operational quality, and strategy. Portfolio management may also consider factors such as a company’s historic and projected return on capital, balance sheets, and financial models. Portfolio management will also consider environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors, which may include climate change, deforestation, biodiversity, human rights, company culture, and community relations, board structure and diversity, executive pay, and corporate reporting.

 

Portfolio management seeks to maintain a portfolio of securities that has a carbon footprint and carbon intensity that is at least 20% below the S&P 500® Index. At portfolio management’s discretion, the Fund will engage with a company’s management regarding matters that may evolve over time and may include shareholder rights, governance and remuneration, climate change, carbon emissions, pollution, biodiversity, human capital, and diversity and inclusion.

 

Portfolio management evaluates and applies ESG and sustainable investment criteria relying on a mix of third-party data and internally-generated analyses based on information that may include web-based research reports from a company or independent sources, as well as corporate engagement. Portfolio management does not apply ESG and sustainable investment criteria in managing the Fund’s exposure to cash and cash equivalents. The Fund will generally consider selling a stock if, in portfolio management’s opinion, there has been a regulatory, industry, or position-level change that may impair a company’s revenue growth. The Fund will also consider selling a stock if, in portfolio management’s opinion, the company’s business model no longer meets the sustainable investment criteria employed in managing the Fund.

 

3 | Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The biggest risk is that the Fund’s returns will vary, and you could lose money. The Fund invests primarily in common stocks, which tend to be more volatile than many other investment choices. The principal risks associated with investing in the Fund are set forth below.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease due to short-term market movements and over more prolonged market downturns. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) may decrease. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole. Market risk may be magnified if certain social, political, economic, and other conditions and events (such as financial institution failures, economic recessions, terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is important to understand that the value of your investment may fall, sometimes sharply, in response to changes in the market, and you could lose money.

 

Sustainable Investment Risk. The Fund follows a sustainable investment approach by investing in companies that relate to certain sustainable development themes and demonstrate adherence to ESG practices. Accordingly, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting similar business or businesses within the same economic sector, which may make the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in a particular sector than funds that invest more broadly. Additionally, due to its exclusionary criteria, the Fund may not be invested in certain industries or sectors, and therefore may have lower performance than portfolios that do not apply similar criteria. In addition, because sustainable and ESG investing takes into consideration factors beyond traditional financial analysis, the investment opportunities for the Fund may be limited at times. Sustainability and ESG-related information provided by issuers and third parties, upon which portfolio management may rely, continues to develop, and may be incomplete, inaccurate, use different methodologies, or be applied differently across companies and industries. Further, the regulatory landscape for sustainable and ESG investing in the United States is still developing and future rules and regulations may require the Fund to modify or alter its investment process. Similarly, government policies incentivizing companies to engage in sustainable and ESG practices may fall out of favor, which could potentially limit the Fund’s investment universe. There is also a risk that the companies identified through the investment process may fail to adhere to sustainable and/or ESG-related business practices, which may result in the Fund selling a security when it might otherwise be disadvantageous to do so.

 

Industry and Sector Risk. Although the Fund does not concentrate its investments in specific industries, it emphasizes certain themes and megatrends. As a result, at times, it may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting similar business or businesses within the same economic sector or that benefit from the same megatrend. Companies in the same industry or economic sector or that benefit from the same megatrend may be similarly affected by economic or market events, making the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments than funds that invest more broadly. As the Fund’s portfolio becomes more concentrated, the Fund is less able to spread risk and potentially reduce the risk of loss and volatility.

 

Technology Sector Risk. In the technology sector, competitive pressures may have a significant effect on the performance of companies in which the Fund may invest. In addition, technology and technology-related companies often progress at an accelerated rate, and these companies may be subject to short product cycles and aggressive pricing, which may increase their volatility.

 

Issuer Concentration Risk. The Fund’s portfolio may be comprised of a relatively small number of issuers in comparison to other funds. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater risks than a fund that invests in a greater number of issuers. A change in the value of any single investment held by the Fund may affect the overall value of the Fund more than it would affect a fund that holds more investments. In particular, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments affecting any single issuer held by the Fund and may be susceptible to greater losses because of these developments.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that portfolio management may not be successful in identifying investment opportunities that are aligned with the sustainable investment approach that the Fund employs. Accordingly, the Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Small- and Mid-Sized Companies Risk. Investments in securities issued by small- and mid-sized companies, which can include smaller, start-up companies offering emerging products or services, may involve greater risks than are customarily associated with larger, more established companies. For example, they may suffer more significant losses as a result of their

 

4 | Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

narrow product lines, limited operating history, greater exposure to competitive threats, limited financial resources, limited trading markets, and the potential lack of management depth. Securities issued by small- and mid-sized companies tend to be more volatile and somewhat more speculative than securities issued by larger or more established companies and may underperform as compared to the securities of larger or more established companies. These holdings are also subject to wider price fluctuations and tend to be less liquid than stocks of larger or more established companies, which could have a significant adverse effect on the Fund’s returns, especially as market conditions change.

 

Liquidity Risk. The Fund may invest in securities or instruments that do not trade actively or in large volumes, and may make investments that are less liquid than other investments. Also, the Fund may make investments that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. Investments that are illiquid or that trade in lower volumes may be more difficult to value. When there is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at the desired time or price, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell the security or instrument at all. Investments in foreign securities, particularly those of issuers located in emerging market countries, tend to have greater exposure to liquidity risk than domestic securities. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced). An inability to sell one or more portfolio positions can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities.

 

REIT Risk. REITs are subject to certain risks inherent in the direct ownership of real estate, including without limitation, a possible lack of mortgage funds and associated interest rate risks, overbuilding, property vacancies, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, losses due to environmental damages and changes in neighborhood values and appeal to purchasers. In addition, a REIT could fail to qualify for tax-free pass-through of its income under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or fail to maintain its exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), which could produce adverse economic consequences for the REIT and its investors, including the Fund.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in ETFs for temporary liquidity purposes, to manage duration and cash positioning and/or for other purposes. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. ETFs are traded on a national securities exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium or discount to its NAV. As a result, the Fund may pay more or less than NAV when it buys ETF shares, and may receive more or less than NAV when it sells those shares. When the Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will also bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. Additionally, when purchasing or selling shares of an ETF, the Fund may pay commissions or other trading costs as part of the transaction. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Smaller Sized Fund Risk. Because the Fund has a small asset base, large inflows and outflows may have a disproportionate impact, negative or positive, on the Fund’s performance, which may be more volatile than that of a larger fund. If a smaller fund were to fail to attract sufficient assets to achieve or maintain economies of scale, performance may be negatively impacted, and any resulting liquidation could create negative transaction costs for the Fund and tax consequences for investors.

 

Exchange Listing and Trading Issues Risk. Although Fund shares are listed for trading on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The lack of an active market for Fund shares, as well as periods of high volatility, disruptions in the creation/redemption process, or factors affecting the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, may result in the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to its NAV. Trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Fund shares inadvisable. In addition, trading is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to the Exchange’s “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the Fund’s listing will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

 

Fluctuation of NAV and Market Price Risk. The NAV of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate in accordance with changes in the Fund’s NAV and supply and demand of shares on the Exchange. Volatile market conditions, an absence of trading in shares of the Fund, or a high volume of trading in the Fund, may result in trading prices in the Fund’s shares that differ significantly from the Fund’s NAV. Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market prices of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in Fund shares trading at a substantial discount to NAV. Such a decline may not

 

5 | Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

reflect the performance of the portfolio securities held by the Fund. Flash crashes may cause Authorized Participants (“APs”) and other market makers to limit or cease trading in the Fund’s shares for temporary or longer periods, which may result in an increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s NAV. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell shares during a flash crash.

 

It cannot be predicted whether Fund shares will trade below, at, or above the Fund’s NAV. Further, the securities held by the Fund may be traded in markets that close at a different time than the Exchange. Liquidity in those securities may be reduced after the applicable closing times. Accordingly, during the time when the Exchange is open but after the applicable market closing or fixing settlement times, bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV is likely to widen. Similarly, the Exchange may be closed at times or days when markets for securities held by the Fund are open, which may increase bid-ask spreads and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund shares’ NAV when the Exchange re-opens. The Fund’s bid-ask spread and the resulting premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV may also be impacted by the liquidity of the underlying securities held by the Fund, particularly in instances of significant volatility of the underlying securities.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund may have a limited number of financial institutions that may act as APs. Only APs who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. These APs have no obligation to submit creation or redemption orders and, as a result, there is no assurance that an active trading market for the Fund’s shares will be established or maintained. This risk may be heightened to the extent that the securities underlying the Fund are traded outside of a collateralized settlement system. In that case, APs may be required to post collateral on certain trades on an agency basis (i.e., on behalf of other market participants), which only a limited number of APs may be willing or able to do. In addition, to the extent that APs exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other AP is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units, this may result in a significantly diminished trading market for Fund shares, and Fund shares may be more likely to trade at a premium or discount to the Fund’s NAV and to face trading halts and/or delisting.

 

An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

 

The following information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing how the Fund’s performance has varied over time. The bar chart depicts the change in performance from year to year during the periods indicated. The table compares the Fund’s average annual returns for the periods indicated to a broad-based securities market index. All figures assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions and include the effect of the Fund’s recurring expenses.

 

The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at janushenderson.com/performance or by calling 1-800-668-0434.

 

Annual Total Returns (calendar year-end)

 

 

 

3/31/2024 6/30/2022

Best Quarter:

1st Quarter 2024

12.60%

Worst Quarter:

2nd Quarter 2022

19.40%

 

6 | Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

Average Annual Total Returns (periods ended 12/31/24)

 

 

1 Year

Since
Inception
09/09/2021

     

Return Before Taxes

12.99%

2.39%

Return After Taxes on Distributions

12.90%

2.28%

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares(1)

7.76%

1.81%

S&P 500® Index(2) (reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes)

25.02%

9.99%

 

(1)

If the Fund incurs a loss, which generates a tax benefit, the Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may exceed the Fund’s other return figures.

 

(2)

Index performance shown in the table is the total return, which assumes reinvestment of any dividends and distributions during the time periods shown.

 

After-tax returns in the table above are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state or local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. The after-tax return information shown above does not apply to Fund shares held through a tax-advantaged account, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Investment Adviser: Janus Henderson Investors US LLC

 

Portfolio Management: Hamish Chamberlayne, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2021. Aaron Scully, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of the Fund, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2021.

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES

 

The Fund is an actively-managed ETF. Unlike shares of traditional mutual funds, shares of the Fund are not individually redeemable and may only be purchased or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV in large increments called “Creation Units” through APs. The Adviser may modify the Creation Unit size with prior notification to the Fund’s APs. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount and/or all cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Fund shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund. Shares of the Fund are listed and trade on the Exchange, and individual investors can purchase or sell shares in much smaller increments for cash in the secondary market through a broker-dealer. These transactions, which do not involve the Fund, are made at market prices that may vary throughout the day and differ from the Fund’s NAV. As a result, you may pay more than NAV (at a premium) when you purchase shares, and receive less than NAV (at a discount) when you sell shares, in the secondary market.

 

Investors purchasing or selling shares in the secondary market may also incur additional costs, including brokerage commissions, and an investor 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) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Historical information regarding the Fund’s bid/ask spread can be accessed on Janus Henderson’s website at janushenderson.com/performance and then selecting the Fund.

 

TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund’s distributions are generally taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (in which case you may be taxed at ordinary income tax rates upon withdrawal of your investment from such account). A sale of Fund shares may result in a capital gain or loss.

 

7 | Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

PAYMENTS TO BROKER-DEALERS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

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

 

8 | Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

Additional Information about the Fund

 

 

Additional investment strategies and general portfolio policies

 

The Fund is an actively managed ETF and, thus, does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. Accordingly, portfolio management has discretion on a daily basis to manage the Fund’s portfolios in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective.

 

The Fund’s Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) may change the Fund’s investment objective or non-fundamental principal investment strategies without a shareholder vote. The Fund will notify you in writing at least 60 days or as soon as reasonably practicable before making any such change it considers material. If there is a material change to the Fund’s investment objective or principal investment strategies, you should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment for you. There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

On each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV per share. A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Information about the premiums and discounts at which the Fund’s shares have traded is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Unless otherwise stated, the following additional investment strategies and general policies apply to the Fund and provide further information including, but not limited to, the types of securities the Fund may invest in when implementing its investment objective. Some of these strategies and policies may be part of a principal strategy. Other strategies and policies may be utilized to a lesser extent as a complement to the Fund’s principal strategy. Except for the Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this Prospectus and/or the SAI normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if the Fund exceeds a limit, other than illiquid investments, borrowing and derivatives use, as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

The Fund may borrow to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. For temporary liquidity and cash management purposes, the Fund may invest in other ETFs that provide exposure to related securities.

 

Security Selection

In selecting investments, portfolio management employs a “bottom-up” approach that focuses on fundamental research. To identify the universe of investible securities for the Fund, portfolio management first employs positive selection criteria that seeks to identify companies that derive at least 50% of their current or future expected revenues from at least one of ten environmental and social themes. Environmental themes include efficiency, cleaner energy, water management, environmental services, and sustainable transport. Social themes include sustainable property and finance, safety, quality of life, knowledge and technology, and health.

 

Next, portfolio management applies broad-based negative screens, which incorporate third-party inputs, to seek to avoid securities of issuers that, in the determination of the Adviser, are significantly engaged in or derive more than de minimis revenue (generally no more than 5-10%, except as noted below) from industries, activities, or assets considered by portfolio management to have a negative impact on society or the environment. A current list of such industries, activities, or assets, which may evolve over time, follows:

 

alcohol;

animal testing (non-medical);

chemicals of concern (such as, but not limited to, microbeads, persistent organic pollutants and the manufacture of any other substances banned or restricted under international conventions);

civilian firearms and ammunition;

controversial weapons;

fossil fuels;

fur;

gambling;

 

9 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

genetically modified organisms;

human stem cell research;

intensive farming;

nuclear power generation;

pornography;

tobacco production, distribution, retail, licensing and supply; and

United Nations Global Compact and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development violators.

 

In screening such investments, there may be instances where the de minimis limits cannot be expressed quantitatively, in which case portfolio management applies a qualitative assessment of an issuer. Among other things, the qualitative assessment looks at the extent to which an “avoided” activity is part of a company’s business, whether a company is taking action to address and improve upon such activity, and may consider certain issuers, industries or sectors that are in the process of transitioning to sustainable business practices, in which case a threshold of greater than 5-10% may initially be applied.

 

Issuers are excluded if they derive any revenue from controversial weapons, fossil fuels, or tobacco production. As it relates to the fossil fuels exclusion, portfolio management may invest in issuers generating power from natural gas if the issuer’s strategy involves a transition to renewable energy power generation and they have a carbon intensity aligned with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

 

In addition, portfolio management applies screens to exclude direct investment in:

 

 

any issuer whose head office is located in a country or territory included in the latest available version of the European Union’s list of countries and territories not cooperating on tax issues;

 

 

any issuer whose registered office is domiciled in a country or territory on the Financial Action Task Force blacklist or greylist; and

 

 

any issuer that derives 50% or more of its revenues from electricity generation with a greenhouse gas intensity that exceeds certain thresholds for power sector emissions intensity.

 

In selecting investments, portfolio management will then consider, among other factors, a company’s growth potential, competitive positioning, operational quality, and strategy. Portfolio management may also consider factors such as a company’s historic and projected return on capital, balance sheets, and financial models. Portfolio management will also consider environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors, which may include climate change, deforestation, biodiversity, human rights, company culture, and community relations, board structure and diversity, executive pay, and corporate reporting. Portfolio management seeks to maintain a portfolio of securities that has a carbon footprint and carbon intensity that is at least 20% below the Fund’s performance benchmark index. At portfolio management’s discretion, the Fund will engage with a company’s management regarding matters that may include shareholder rights, governance and remuneration, climate change, carbon emissions, pollution, biodiversity, human capital, and diversity and inclusion.

 

Portfolio management does not apply these ESG and sustainable investment criteria in managing the Fund’s exposure to cash and cash equivalents.

 

The Fund will generally consider selling a stock if, in portfolio management’s opinion, there has been a regulatory, industry, or position-level change that may impair a company’s revenue growth. The Fund will also consider selling a stock if, in portfolio management’s opinion, the company’s business model no longer meets the sustainable investment criteria employed in managing the Fund.

 

Cash Position

The Fund may not always stay fully invested. When portfolio management believes that market conditions are unfavorable for investing, or when portfolio management is otherwise unable to locate attractive investment opportunities, the Fund’s cash or similar investments may increase. When the Fund’s investments in cash or similar investments increase, it may not participate in market advances or declines to the same extent that it would if the Fund remained more fully invested. To the extent the Fund invests its uninvested cash through a sweep program (meaning its uninvested cash is pooled with uninvested cash of other funds and invested in certain securities such as repurchase agreements), it is subject to the risks of the account or fund into which it is investing, including liquidity issues that may delay the Fund from accessing its cash.

 

10 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

In addition, the Fund may temporarily increase its cash position under certain unusual circumstances, such as to protect its assets or maintain liquidity in certain circumstances to meet unusually large redemptions. The Fund’s cash position may also increase temporarily due to unusually large cash inflows. Under unusual circumstances such as these, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or similar investments. In this case, the Fund may take positions that are inconsistent with its investment policies. As a result, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of the Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Foreign Securities

The Fund may invest in foreign securities. Portfolio management seeks investments that meet the selection criteria, regardless of where an issuer or company is located. Foreign securities are generally selected on a security-by-security basis without regard to any predetermined allocation among countries or geographic regions. However, certain factors, such as expected levels of inflation, government policies influencing business conditions, the outlook for currency relationships, and prospects for economic growth among countries, regions, or geographic areas, may warrant greater consideration in selecting foreign securities.

 

Illiquid Investments

The Fund will not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. An illiquid investment is any investment that the Fund 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 investment.

 

Portfolio Turnover

In general, the Fund intends to purchase securities for long-term investment, although, to a limited extent, the Fund may purchase securities in anticipation of relatively short-term gains. Short-term transactions may also result from liquidity needs, securities having reached a price or yield objective, changes in interest rates or the credit standing of an issuer, or by reason of economic or other developments not foreseen at the time of the initial investment decision. The Fund may also sell one security and simultaneously purchase the same or a comparable security to take advantage of short-term differentials in bond yields or securities prices. Portfolio turnover is affected by market conditions, changes in the size of the Fund (including due to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units), the nature of the Fund’s investments, and the investment style of portfolio management.

 

Increased portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover also may have a negative effect on the Fund’s performance. The “Financial Highlights” section of this Prospectus shows the Fund’s historical turnover rates.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities

Private placements are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. These securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may include securities issued through private offerings without registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) pursuant to Regulation S or Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Offerings of Regulation S securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Although Regulation S and Rule 144A securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the amounts received from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund.

 

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REITs and Real Estate-Related Securities

The Fund may invest in equity and debt securities of real estate-related companies. These securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, and other securities, including, but not limited to, mortgage-backed securities, real estate-backed securities, securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and similar REIT-like entities (such as real estate operation companies (“REOCs”)). A REIT is an entity that invests in real estate-related projects, such as properties, mortgage loans, and construction loans. REITs are often categorized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. An equity REIT, the most common type of REIT, invests primarily in the fee ownership of land and buildings. An equity REIT derives its income primarily from rental income but may also realize capital gains or losses by selling real estate properties in its portfolio that have appreciated or depreciated in value. A mortgage REIT invests primarily in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development, or long-term loans. A mortgage REIT generally derives its income from interest payments on the credit it has extended. A hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of equity REITs and mortgage REITs, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate.

 

Similar to REITs, REOCs are publicly-traded real estate companies that typically engage in the development, management or financing of real estate, such as homebuilders, hotel management companies, land developers and brokers. REOCs, however, have not elected (or are not eligible) to be taxed as a REIT. The reasons for not making such an election include the (i) availability of tax-loss carry-forwards, (ii) operation in non-REIT-qualifying lines of business, and (iii) ability to retain earnings. Instead, REOCs are generally structured as “C” corporations under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and, as a result, are not required to distribute any portion of their income. In this regard, although REOCs do not receive the same favorable tax treatment that is accorded to REITs, REOCs are typically subject to fewer restrictions than REITs, including the ability to retain and/or reinvest funds from operations and more flexibility in terms of the real estate investments they can make.

 

Sustainable Investing

Sustainable investing is an investment approach that focuses on companies that relate to certain sustainable development themes, including those that are strategically aligned with environmental and social megatrends such as climate change, resource constraints, growing populations, and aging populations.

 

Risks of the Fund

 

The value of your investment will vary over time, sometimes significantly, and you may lose money by investing in the Fund. The following information is intended to help you better understand some of the risks of investing in the Fund, including those risks that are summarized in the Fund Summary section. This information also includes descriptions of other risks the Fund may be subject to as a result of additional investment strategies and general policies that may apply to the Fund. The impact of the following risks on the Fund may vary depending on the Fund’s investments. The greater the Fund’s investment in a particular security, the greater the Fund’s exposure to the risks associated with that security. Before investing in the Fund, you should consider carefully the risks that you assume when investing in the Fund.

 

Affiliated Underlying Fund Risk. The Adviser may invest in certain affiliated ETFs as investments for the Fund. The Adviser will generally receive fees for managing such funds, in addition to the fees paid to the Adviser by the Fund. The payment of such fees by affiliated funds creates a conflict of interest when selecting affiliated funds for investment in the Fund. The Adviser, however, is a fiduciary to the Fund and its shareholders and is legally obligated to act in its best interest when selecting affiliated funds. In addition, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any of the affiliated ETFs with respect to the Fund’s investment in such ETF, less certain operating expenses.

 

Cash Transaction Risk. The Fund may require all APs to purchase Creation Units in cash when portfolio management believes it is in the best interest of the Fund. Cash purchases may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges or delays in investing the cash that it would otherwise not incur if a purchase was made on an in-kind basis. To the extent the Fund determines to effect a Creation Unit redemption on a cash basis, it may be less tax-efficient for the Fund compared to an in-kind redemption and may cause the Fund to incur portfolio transaction fees or charges it would not otherwise incur with an in-kind redemption, to the extent such fees or charges are not offset by the redemption transaction fee paid by APs. In addition, the Fund’s use of cash transactions may result in wider bid-ask spreads in Fund shares trading in the secondary market as compared to ETFs that transact exclusively on an in-kind basis.

 

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Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that changes in the exchange rate between currencies will adversely affect the value (in U.S. dollar terms) of an investment. As long as the Fund holds a foreign security, its value will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When the Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. Depositary receipts are generally subject to the same sort of risks as direct investments in a foreign country, such as currency risk, market risk, and foreign exposure risk, because their values depend on the performance of a foreign security denominated in its home currency.

 

European Investments Risk. Exposure to investments in European countries may expose the Fund to the economic and political risks associated with Europe in general and the specific European countries in which it invests. The economies and markets of European countries are often closely connected and interdependent, and events in one European country can have an adverse impact on other European countries. The Fund may be exposed to investments in securities of issuers that are domiciled in, have significant operations in, or that are listed on at least one securities exchange within member states of the European Union (the “EU”). A number of countries within the EU are also members of the Economic and Monetary Union (the “EMU”) (together, with the EU, the “eurozone”) and have adopted the euro as their currency. Eurozone membership requires member states to comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, interest rates, debt levels and fiscal and monetary controls, each of which may significantly affect every country in Europe. Changes in import or export tariffs, changes in governmental or EU regulations on trade, changes in the exchange rate of the euro and other currencies of certain EU countries which are not in the eurozone, the default or threat of default by an EU member state on its sovereign debt, and/or an economic recession in an EU member state may have a significant adverse effect on the economies of other EU member states and major trading partners outside Europe.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk. The Fund may invest in ETFs, including affiliated ETFs. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies, which may seek to track the performance of a specific index or be actively managed. ETFs are traded on a national securities exchange at market prices that may vary from the NAV of their underlying investments. Accordingly, there may be times when an ETF trades at a premium or discount to its NAV. When the Fund invests in an ETF, in addition to directly bearing the expenses associated with its own operations, it will bear a pro rata portion of the ETF’s expenses. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in the underlying ETFs and may be higher than other ETFs or mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. ETFs also involve the risk that an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained. Similarly, because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the Fund may not be able to purchase or sell an ETF at the most optimal time, which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance. In addition, ETFs that track particular indices may be unable to match the performance of such underlying indices due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other factors, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities.

 

The ETFs in which the Fund invests are subject to specific risks, depending on the investment strategy of the ETF. In turn, the Fund will be subject to substantially the same risks as those associated with direct exposure to the securities or commodities held by the ETF. Because the Fund may invest in a broad range of ETFs, such risks may include, but are not limited to, leverage risk, foreign exposure risk, and commodity-linked investments risk.

 

Foreign Exposure Risk. Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in foreign equity and debt securities either indirectly (e.g., depositary receipts, depositary shares, and passive foreign investment companies) or directly in foreign markets, including emerging markets. Additional risks may be present with respect to investments in securities of issuers or companies that are economically tied to different countries throughout the world. An issuer is deemed to be economically tied to a country or countries if one or more of the following tests are met: (i) the issuer is organized in, or its primary business office or principal trading market of its equity is located in, the country; (ii) a majority of the issuer’s revenues are derived from one or more countries; or (iii) a majority of the issuer’s assets are located in one or more countries. Investments in foreign securities, including securities of foreign and emerging market governments, may involve greater risks than investing in domestic securities because the Fund’s performance may depend on factors other than the performance of a particular company. Such risks include: currency risk, foreign market risk, geographic concentration risk, political and economic risk, and regulatory risk due to greater exposure to a particular country or geographic region.

 

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Inflation Risk. Inflation creates uncertainty over the future real value of an investment (the value after adjusting for inflation). The real value of certain assets or real income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of the Fund’s assets and distributions may decline. This risk is more prevalent with respect to debt securities held by the Fund. Inflation rates may change frequently and drastically as a result of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy. Moreover, the Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation, which may result in losses to Fund shareholders or adversely affect the real value of shareholders’ investment in the Fund. Fund shareholders’ expectation of future inflation can also impact the current value of the Fund’s portfolio, resulting in lower asset values and potential losses. This risk may be elevated compared to historical market conditions because of recent monetary policy measures and the current interest rate environment.

 

Issuer Concentration Risk. The Fund’s portfolio may be comprised of a relatively small number of issuers in comparison to other funds. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater risks than a fund that invests in a greater number of issuers. A change in the value of any single investment held by the Fund may affect the overall value of the Fund more than it would affect a fund that holds more investments. In particular, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments affecting any single issuer held by the Fund and may be susceptible to greater losses because of these developments.

 

Industry and Sector Risk. The Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting similar business or businesses within the same economic sector or that benefit from the same megatrend. Companies in the same industry or economic sector or that benefit from the same megatrend may be similarly affected by economic or market events, making the Fund more vulnerable to unfavorable developments than funds that invest more broadly. As the Fund’s portfolio becomes more concentrated, the Fund is less able to spread risk and potentially reduce the risk of loss and volatility. In addition, the Fund may be overweight or underweight in certain industries or sectors relative to its benchmark index, which may cause the Fund’s performance to be more or less sensitive to developments affecting those sectors.

 

Liquidity Risk. The Fund may invest in securities or instruments that do not trade actively or in large volumes, and may make investments that are less liquid than other investments. Also, the Fund may make investments that may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions. Investments that are illiquid or that trade in lower volumes may be more difficult to value. When there is no willing buyer and investments cannot be readily sold at the desired time or price, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell the security or instrument at all. Investments in foreign securities, particularly those of issuers located in emerging market countries, tend to have greater exposure to liquidity risk than domestic securities. In unusual market conditions, even normally liquid securities may be affected by a degree of liquidity risk (i.e., if the number and capacity of traditional market participants is reduced). An inability to sell one or more portfolio positions can adversely affect the Fund’s value or prevent the Fund from being able to take advantage of other investment opportunities. Liquidity risk may be increased to the extent that the Fund invests in other securities exempt from certain registration requirements that are deemed to be illiquid investments.

 

Market Risk. The value of the Fund’s portfolio may decrease if the value of one or more issuers in the Fund’s portfolio decreases. Further, regardless of how well individual companies or securities perform, the value of the Fund’s portfolio could also decrease if there are deteriorating economic or market conditions, including, but not limited to, a general decline in prices on the stock markets, a general decline in real estate markets, a decline in commodities prices, or if the market favors different types of securities than the types of securities in which the Fund invests. If the value of the Fund’s portfolio decreases, the Fund’s NAV will also decrease, which means if you sell your shares in the Fund you may lose money. Market risk may affect a single issuer, industry, economic sector, or the market as a whole.

 

The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, war, conflicts, including related sanctions, social unrest, financial institution failures, and economic recessions could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions and/or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the global economies and financial markets.

 

Armed Conflict Risk. Recent such examples include conflict, loss of life, and a disaster connected to ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in Europe and Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. The extent and duration of each conflict, resulting sanctions and resulting future market disruptions in each region are impossible to predict, but could be significant and have a severe adverse effect, including significant negative impacts on the United States and broader global economy and the markets for certain securities and commodities.

 

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Operational Risk. An investment in the Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in key personnel, technology and/or service providers, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, process fund orders, execute portfolio trades, or perform other essential tasks in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. Implementation of business continuity plans by the Fund, the Adviser or third-party service providers in response to disruptive events such as cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest may increase these operational risks to the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third-party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Portfolio Management Risk. The Fund is an actively managed investment portfolio and is therefore subject to the risk that portfolio management may not be successful in identifying investment opportunities that are aligned with the sustainable investment approach that the Fund employs. Although the Fund seeks to provide long-term positive returns, market conditions or implementation of the Fund’s investment process may result in losses, and the Fund may not meet its investment objective. As such, there can be no assurance of positive “absolute” return. Accordingly, the Fund may underperform its benchmark index or other funds with similar investment objectives.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities Risk. Investments in private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements could decrease the Fund’s liquidity profile or prevent the Fund from disposing of them promptly at advantageous prices. Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be less liquid than other investments because such securities may not always be readily sold in broad public markets and may have no active trading market. As a result, they may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available. Transaction costs may be higher for these securities, and the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other securities exempt from certain registration requirements.

 

REIT and Real Estate-Related Securities Risk. To the extent that the Fund holds REITs and REIT-like entities, it may be subject to the additional risks associated with REITs and REIT-like investments. REITs and REIT-like entities are subject to heavy cash flow dependency to allow them to make distributions to their shareholders. The prices of equity REITs are affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, changes in capital markets and interest rates, management skill in running a REIT, and the creditworthiness of the REIT. The prices of mortgage REITs are affected by the quality of any credit they extend, the creditworthiness of the mortgages they hold, as well as by the value of the property that secures the mortgages. In addition, mortgage REITs (similar to direct investments in mortgage-backed securities) are subject to prepayment risk. Equity REITs and mortgage REITs are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and self-liquidation. There is also the risk that borrowers under mortgages held by a REIT or lessees of a property that a REIT owns may be unable to meet their obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments. While equity REITs and mortgage REITs may provide exposure to a large number of properties, such properties may be concentrated in a particular industry, region, or housing type, making such investments more vulnerable to unfavorable developments to economic or market events. Certain “special purpose” REITs in which the Fund may invest focus their assets in specific real property sectors, such as hotels, shopping malls, nursing homes, or warehouses, and are therefore subject to the specific risks associated with adverse developments in these sectors. The Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear their proportionate share of the REIT’s expenses, in addition to their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses. The value of investments in REOCs will generally be affected by the same factors that adversely affect REIT investments, however, REOCs may also be adversely affected by income streams derived from businesses other than real estate ownership.

 

Additionally, a REIT that fails to comply with federal tax requirements affecting REITs may be subject to federal income taxation, or the federal tax requirement that a REIT distribute substantially all of its net income to its shareholders may result in a REIT having insufficient capital for future expenditures. REITs are also subject to certain provisions under federal tax law and the failure of a company to qualify as a REIT could have adverse consequences for the Fund, including significantly reducing the return to the Fund on its investment in such company.

 

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Secondary Market Trading Risk. The net asset value of the Fund’s shares will generally fluctuate with changes in the market value of the Fund’s securities holdings. However, the Fund’s shares trade on a national securities exchange at prices above or below their most recent net asset value. The “market price” for a share of the Fund fluctuates continuously throughout the national securities exchange’s trading day and is based on supply and demand for the Fund’s shares. The market price of the Fund’s shares may not track the Fund’s net asset value, which is only calculated at the end of each business day.

 

A potential investor in the Fund will likely also incur the cost of the “spread” (the difference between the bid price and the ask price for a share of the Fund). The spread varies over time for a share of the Fund. This cost is generally smaller for a fund with significant daily trading volumes and larger for funds with smaller daily trading volumes.

 

Additionally, during a “flash crash,” the market price of the Fund’s shares may decline suddenly and significantly, resulting in the Fund’s shares trading at a substantial discount to its net asset value. Such a decline may not reflect the performance of the Fund’s securities holdings. Flash crashes may also cause APs and other market makers to limit or cease trading in Fund shares, which may result in a further increase in the variance between market prices of the Fund’s shares and their net asset value. Shareholders could suffer significant losses to the extent that they sell Fund shares during a flash crash.

 

Small- and Mid-Sized Companies Risk. The Fund’s investments in securities issued by small- and mid-sized companies, which can include smaller, start-up companies offering emerging products or services, may involve greater risks than are customarily associated with larger, more established companies. For example, they may suffer more significant losses as a result of their narrow product lines, limited operating history, greater exposure to competitive threats, limited financial resources, limited trading markets, and the potential lack of management depth. Securities issued by small- and mid-sized companies tend to be more volatile and somewhat more speculative than securities issued by larger or more established companies and may underperform as compared to the securities of larger or more established companies. These holdings are also subject to wider price fluctuations and tend to be less liquid than stocks of larger or more established companies, which could have a significant adverse effect on the Fund’s returns, especially as market conditions change.

 

Sustainable Investment Risk. The Fund follows a sustainable investment approach by investing in companies that relate to certain sustainable development themes and demonstrate adherence to ESG practices. Accordingly, the Fund may have a significant portion of its assets invested in securities of companies conducting similar business or businesses within the same economic sector. Additionally, due to its exclusionary criteria, the Fund may not be invested in certain industries or sectors. As a result, the Fund may be overweight or underweight in certain industries or sectors relative to its benchmark index, which may cause the Fund’s performance to be more or less sensitive to developments affecting those sectors. In addition, because sustainable and ESG investing takes into consideration factors beyond traditional financial analysis, the investment opportunities for the Fund may be limited at times. Sustainability and ESG-related information provided by issuers and third parties, upon which portfolio management may rely, continues to develop, and may be incomplete, inaccurate, use different methodologies, or be applied differently across companies and industries. Further, the regulatory landscape for sustainable and ESG investing in the United States is still developing and future rules and regulations may require the Fund to modify or alter its investment process. Similarly, government policies incentivizing companies to engage in sustainable and ESG practices may fall out of favor, which could potentially limit the Fund’s investment universe. There is also a risk that the companies identified through the investment process may fail to adhere to sustainable and/or ESG-related business practices, which may result in the Fund selling a security when it might otherwise be disadvantageous to do so. There is no guarantee that sustainable investments will outperform the broader market on either an absolute or relative basis.

 

Warrants and Rights Risk. The price, performance and liquidity of warrants and rights to purchase equity securities are typically linked to the underlying stock. These instruments have many characteristics of convertible securities and, similarly, will react to variations in the general market for equity securities. Rights are similar to warrants, but normally have a short duration and are distributed directly by the issuer to its shareholders. Rights and warrants have no voting rights, receive no dividends and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.

 

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Management of the Fund

 

 

Investment adviser

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, is the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio and furnishes continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Fund’s investments. The Adviser also provides certain administration and other services and is responsible for other business affairs of the Fund. The Adviser utilizes a personnel-sharing arrangement with its foreign (non-U.S.) affiliates, Janus Henderson Investors (Jersey) Limited (“HIJL”) and Janus Henderson Investors (Australia) Institutional Funds Management Limited (“JHIAIFML”) pursuant to which certain Janus Henderson employees, acting for HIJL and JHIAIFML may also serve as “associated persons” of the Adviser. In this capacity, such Janus Henderson employees, acting for HIJL and JHIAIFML are subject to the oversight and supervision of the Adviser and may provide portfolio management, research, and related services to the Fund on behalf of the Adviser.

 

The Adviser (together with its predecessors and affiliates) has served as investment adviser to Janus Henderson mutual funds since 1970 and currently serves as investment adviser to all of the Janus Henderson funds, the Janus Henderson exchange-traded funds, acts as subadviser for a number of private-label mutual funds, and provides separate account advisory services for institutional accounts and other unregistered products.

 

The Trust and the Adviser have received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and, as appropriate, reallocate the Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that the Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight by the Trustees, would have the responsibility to oversee such subadviser(s) to the Fund and to recommend for the approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for the Fund. In the event that the Adviser hires a subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for the Fund.

 

Management expenses

 

The Fund uses a unitary fee structure, under which the Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Fund, including the costs of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit, and other services. The Adviser’s fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Fund’s expenses. However, the Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee which may vary and affect the total level of expenses paid by shareholders, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest and dividends (including those relating to short positions (if any)), taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

The Fund’s Management Fee is calculated daily and paid monthly. The Fund’s advisory agreement details the Management Fee and other expenses that the Fund must pay.

 

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The following table reflects the Fund’s contractual Management Fee rate (expressed as an annual rate), as well as the actual compensation rate paid to the Adviser after any applicable fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements for the most recent fiscal year. The rates shown are fixed rates based on the Fund’s daily net assets.

 

Fund Name

Daily
Net Assets of
the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Actual
Compensation Rate
Paid to Adviser (%)
(for the
fiscal year ended
October 31, 2024)

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

$0 - $250 Million

0.55

0.55

 

Over $250 Million

0.50

 

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Trustees’ approval of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement is included in the Fund’s semiannual financial statements (for the period ending April 30) located in Form N-CSR. You can request the Fund’s annual or semiannual financial statements, free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This information is also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Expense Limitation

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of Fund assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

Portfolio management

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

Co-Portfolio Managers Hamish Chamberlayne and Aaron Scully jointly are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund, with no limitation on the authority of one co-portfolio manager in relation to the other.

 

Hamish Chamberlayne, CFA, is Head of Global Sustainable Equities of Janus Henderson Investors. He is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2021. He is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. Mr. Chamberlayne joined Henderson Global Investors Limited in 2007. He holds a Master’s degree in Chemistry from New College, Oxford University. Mr. Chamberlayne holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Aaron Scully, CFA, is Co-Portfolio Manager of Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF, which he has co-managed since inception in September 2021. He is also Portfolio Manager of other Janus Henderson accounts. Mr. Scully joined the Adviser in 2001 as a corporate financial analyst. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Indiana University. Mr. Scully holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

 

Information about portfolio management’s compensation structure and other accounts managed, as well as the aggregate range of their individual ownership in the Fund, is included in the SAI.

 

Conflicts of Interest

The Adviser manages other funds and numerous other accounts, which may include separate accounts and other pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds. Side-by-side management of multiple accounts, including the management of a cash collateral pool for securities lending and investing the Janus Henderson funds’ cash, may give rise to conflicts of interest among those accounts, and may create potential risks, such as the risk that investment activity in one account may adversely

 

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affect another account. For example, short sale activity in an account could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more other accounts (and vice versa). Side-by-side management may raise additional potential conflicts of interest relating to the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of trades.

 

In addition, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of the Fund for their own accounts, or may purchase shares of the Fund for the benefit of their clients, including other Janus Henderson funds. Increasing the Fund’s assets may enhance the Fund’s profile with financial intermediaries and platforms, investment flexibility and trading volume. The Adviser and its affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to dispose of at any time some or all of the shares of the Fund acquired for their own accounts or for the benefit of their clients. A large sale of Fund shares by the Adviser or its affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility or trading volume. The Adviser considers the effect of redemptions on the Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to dispose of its shares of the Fund.

 

The Adviser believes it has appropriately designed and implemented policies and procedures to mitigate these and other potential conflicts of interest. A further discussion of potential conflicts of interest and policies and procedures intended to mitigate them is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

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Other Information

 

 

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUND

 

Creation Units for the Fund are distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”), which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org, or 1-800-289-9999.

 

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Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

 

DISTRIBUTIONS

 

To avoid taxation of the Fund, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), requires the Fund to distribute all or substantially all of its net investment income and any net capital gains realized on its investments at least annually.

 

Distribution Schedule

Dividends from net investment income are generally declared and distributed to shareholders quarterly. Distributions of net capital gains are declared and distributed at least annually. Dividends may be declared and paid more frequently to comply with the distribution requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. The date you receive your distribution may vary depending on how your intermediary processes trades. Dividend payments are made through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) participants and indirect participants to beneficial owners then of record with proceeds received from the Fund. Please consult your financial intermediary for details.

 

How Distributions Affect the Fund’s NAV

Distributions are paid to shareholders as of the record date of a distribution of the Fund, regardless of how long the shares have been held. Undistributed income and net capital gains are included in the Fund’s daily NAV. The Fund’s NAV drops by the amount of the distribution, net of any subsequent market fluctuations. For example, assume that on December 31, the Fund declared a dividend in the amount of $0.25 per share. If the Fund’s NAV was $10.00 on December 30, the Fund’s NAV on December 31 would be $9.75, barring market fluctuations. You should be aware that distributions from a taxable fund do not increase the value of your investment and may create income tax obligations.

 

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

TAXES

 

As with any investment, you should consider the tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The following is a general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. The discussion does not apply to qualified tax-advantaged accounts or other non-taxable entities, nor is it a complete analysis of the federal income tax implications of investing in the Fund. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the effect that an investment in the Fund may have on your particular tax situation, including the federal, state, local, and foreign tax consequences of your investment.

 

Taxes on Distributions

Distributions by the Fund are subject to federal income tax, regardless of whether the distribution is made in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, and realized net short-term capital gains), other than qualified dividend income, are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of qualified dividend income are taxed to individuals and other noncorporate shareholders at long-term capital gain rates, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received from REITs, certain foreign corporations, and income received “in lieu of” dividends in a securities lending transaction generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) are taxable as long-term capital gain, regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares. Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income includes dividends paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares. The Fund’s net investment income and capital gains are distributed to (and may be taxable to) those persons who are shareholders of the Fund at the record date of such payments. Although the Fund’s total net income and net realized gain are the results of its operations, the per share amount distributed or taxable to shareholders is affected by the number of Fund

 

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shares outstanding at the record date. Distributions declared to shareholders of record in October, November, or December and paid on or before January 31 of the succeeding year will be treated for federal income tax purposes as if received by shareholders on December 31 of the year in which the distribution was declared. Generally, account tax information will be made available to shareholders on or before February 15 of each year. Information regarding distributions may also be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).

 

The Fund may derive “excess inclusion income” from certain equity interests in mortgage pooling vehicles either directly or through an investment in a U.S. REIT. Please see the Fund’s SAI for a discussion of the risks and special tax consequences to shareholders in the event the Fund realizes excess inclusion income in excess of certain threshold amounts.

 

Under 2017 legislation commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, “qualified REIT dividends” (i.e., ordinary REIT dividends other than capital gain dividends and portions of REIT dividends designated as qualified dividend income) are treated as eligible for a 20% deduction by noncorporate taxpayers. The Fund may choose to pass through the special character of “qualified REIT dividends” to its shareholders, provided the Fund and the shareholder meet certain holding period requirements.

 

Taxes on Sales

Any time you sell the shares of the Fund in a taxable account, it is considered a taxable event. Depending on the purchase price and the sale price, you may have a gain or loss on the transaction. The gain or loss will generally be treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if you held your shares for more than one year and if not held for such period, as a short-term capital gain or loss. Any tax liabilities generated by your transactions are your responsibility.

 

U.S. federal income tax withholding may be required on all distributions payable to shareholders who fail to provide their correct taxpayer identification number, fail to make certain required certifications, or who have been notified by the IRS that they are subject to backup withholding. The current backup withholding rate is applied.

 

For shares purchased and sold from a taxable account, your financial intermediary will report cost basis information to you and to the IRS. Your financial intermediary will permit shareholders to elect their preferred cost basis method. In the absence of an election, your cost basis method will be your financial intermediary’s default method, which is often the average cost method. Please consult your tax adviser to determine the appropriate cost basis method for your particular tax situation and to learn more about how the cost basis reporting laws apply to you and your investments.

 

Taxation of the Fund

Dividends, interest, and some capital gains received by the Fund on foreign securities may be subject to foreign tax withholding or other foreign taxes.

 

Certain fund transactions may involve futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, and may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, can potentially affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders, and utilization of capital loss carryforwards. The Fund will monitor its transactions and may make certain tax elections and use certain investment strategies where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these tax provisions, if possible.

 

The Fund does not expect to pay any federal income or excise taxes because it intends to meet certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, including the distribution each year of substantially all its net investment income and net capital gains. It is important for the Fund to meet these requirements so that any earnings on your investment will not be subject to federal income tax twice. If the Fund invests in a partnership, however, it may be subject to state tax liabilities.

 

If the Fund redeems Creation Units in cash, it may recognize more capital gains than it will if it redeems Creation Units in-kind.

 

For additional information, see the “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status” section of the SAI.

 

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Shareholder’s Guide

 

 

The Fund issues or redeems its shares at NAV per share only in Creation Units. Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange and trade on the secondary market during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. There is no minimum investment. When buying or selling Fund shares through a broker, you may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and offered price in the secondary market on each purchase and sale transaction. Fund shares are traded on the Exchange under the trading symbol SSPX. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share.

 

APs may acquire Fund shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their Fund shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share, only in Creation Units and in accordance with the procedures described in the Fund’s SAI.

 

Pricing of fund shares

 

The per share NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the close of the trading session of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (normally 4:00 p.m. New York time) each day that the NYSE is open (“Business Day”). However, the NAV may still be calculated if trading on the NYSE is restricted, provided there is sufficient pricing information available for the Fund to value its securities, or as permitted by the SEC. Foreign securities held by the Fund, as applicable, may be traded on days and at times when the NYSE is closed and the NAV is therefore not calculated. Accordingly, the value of the Fund’s holdings may change on days that are not Business Days in the United States and on which you will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares.

 

Securities held by the Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (“Valuation Procedures”). To the extent available, equity securities (including shares of ETFs) are generally valued at readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. Most fixed-income securities are typically valued using an evaluated bid price supplied by an Adviser-approved pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term instruments maturing within 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. If a market quotation or evaluated price for a security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable, or if an event that is expected to affect the value of the security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, a fair value of the security will be determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Such events include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a non-significant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a non-valued security and a restricted or non-public security. This type of fair valuation may be more commonly used with foreign equity securities, but it may also be used with, among other things, thinly-traded domestic securities or fixed-income securities. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position. For valuation purposes, if applicable, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities, and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are generally translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates. The methodologies employed when fair valuing securities may change from time to time. Because fair value pricing involves subjective judgments, it is possible that the fair value determination for a security may be different than the value that could be realized when selling that security.

 

The value of the securities of mutual funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such mutual funds, and the prospectuses for such mutual funds explain the circumstances under which they use fair valuation and the effects of using fair valuation. The value of the securities of any cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate as money market funds held by the Fund, if any, will be calculated using the NAV of such funds.

 

All purchases, sales, or other account activity must be processed through your financial intermediary or plan sponsor.

 

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Distribution and servicing fees

 

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust has adopted a Distribution and Servicing Plan for shares of the Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Plan”). The Plan permits compensation in connection with the distribution and marketing of Fund shares and/or the provision of certain shareholder services. The Plan permits the Fund to pay the Distributor, or its designee, a fee for the sale and distribution and/or shareholder servicing of the shares at an annual rate of up to 0.25% of average daily net assets of the shares of the Fund (“12b-1 fee”). However, payment of a 12b-1 fee has not been authorized at this time.

 

Under the terms of the Plan, the Trust is authorized to make payments to the Distributor or its designee for remittance to retirement plan service providers, broker-dealers, bank trust departments, financial advisors, and other financial intermediaries, as compensation for distribution and/or shareholder services performed by such entities for their customers who are investors in the Fund.

 

The 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized and payments are made, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

Payments to financial intermediaries by Adviser or its affiliates

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. The amount of compensation paid by the Adviser varies from intermediary to intermediary. More information regarding these payments is contained in the Fund’s SAI.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds not offered in this Prospectus, the Adviser or its affiliates pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for certain of these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings

 

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or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-mutual fund investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

Purchasing and selling shares

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange during the trading day. Shares can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like shares of other publicly traded companies. However, there can be no guarantee that an active trading market will develop or be maintained, or that the Fund shares listing will continue or remain unchanged. The Fund does not impose any minimum investment for shares of the Fund purchased on an exchange. Buying or selling the Fund’s shares involves certain costs that apply to all securities transactions. When buying or selling shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, you may incur a brokerage commission or other charges determined by your financial intermediary. Due to these brokerage costs, if any, frequent trading may detract significantly from investment returns. In addition, you may also incur the cost of the spread (the difference between the bid price and the ask price). The commission may be a significant cost for investors seeking to buy or sell small amounts of shares.

 

Shares of the Fund may be acquired through the Distributor or redeemed directly with the Fund only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” section of the Fund’s SAI. Once created, shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

 

The Exchange is open for trading Monday through Friday and is closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

 

A Business Day with respect to the Fund is each day the Exchange is open. Orders from APs to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day. On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, to minimize brokerage and other related trading costs associated with securities that cannot be readily transferred in-kind, the Fund may establish early trade cut-off times for APs to submit orders for Creation Units, in accordance with the 1940 Act. See the Fund’s SAI for more information.

 

In compliance with the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (“USA PATRIOT Act”), your financial intermediary is required to verify certain information on your account application as part of its Anti-Money Laundering Program. You will be required to provide your full name, date of birth, social security number, and permanent street address to assist in verifying your identity. You may also be asked to provide additional documents that may help to establish your identity. Until verification of your identity is made, your

 

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financial intermediary may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, your financial intermediary may close an account if it is unable to verify your identity. Please contact your financial intermediary if you need additional assistance when completing your application or additional information about your financial intermediary’s Anti-Money Laundering Program.

 

In an effort to ensure compliance with this law, the Adviser’s Anti-Money Laundering Program (the “Program”) provides for the development of internal practices, procedures and controls, designation of anti-money laundering compliance officers, an ongoing training program, and an independent audit function to determine the effectiveness of the Program.

 

Continuous Offering

The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirements and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.

 

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an unsold allotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.

 

Book Entry

Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The DTC or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.

 

Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for shares of the Fund. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other exchange-traded securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form.

 

Share Prices

The trading prices of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV per share and are affected by market forces such as supply and demand, economic conditions, and other factors. Information regarding the intra-day NAV of the Fund is disseminated every 15 seconds throughout the trading day by the national securities exchange on which the Fund’s shares are primarily listed or by market data vendors or other information providers. The intra-day NAV calculations are estimates of the value of the Fund’s NAV per Fund share based on the current market value of the securities and/or cash included in the Fund’s intra-day NAV basket. The intra-day NAV does not necessarily reflect the precise composition of the current portfolio of securities and instruments held by the Fund at a particular point in time. Additionally, when current pricing is not available for certain portfolio securities, including foreign securities and certain debt securities, the intra-day indicative value may not accurately reflect the current market value of the Fund’s shares or the best possible valuation of the current portfolio. For example, the intra-day NAV is based on quotes and closing prices from the securities’ local market and may not reflect events that occur subsequent to the local market’s close. Therefore, the intra-day

 

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NAV should not be viewed as a “real-time” update of the NAV, which is computed only once a day. The intra-day NAV is generally determined by using both current market quotations and/or price quotations obtained from broker-dealers that may trade in the portfolio securities and instruments included in the Fund’s intra-day NAV basket. The Fund is not involved in, or responsible for, the calculation or dissemination of the intra-day NAV and makes no representation or warranty as to its accuracy. An inaccuracy in the intra-day NAV could result from various factors, including the difficulty of pricing portfolio instruments on an intra-day basis.

 

Premiums and Discounts

There may be differences between the daily market prices on secondary markets for shares of the Fund and the Fund’s NAV. NAV is the price per share at which the Fund issues and redeems shares. See “Pricing of Fund Shares” above. The price used to calculate market returns (“Market Price”) of the Fund generally is determined using the midpoint between the highest bid and the lowest offer on the national securities exchange on which shares of the Fund are primarily listed for trading, as of the time that the Fund’s NAV is calculated. The Fund’s Market Price may be at, above, or below its NAV. The NAV of the Fund will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio holdings. The Market Price of the Fund will fluctuate in accordance with changes in its NAV, as well as market supply and demand for shares of the Fund.

 

Premiums or discounts are the differences (expressed as a percentage) between the NAV and the Market Price of the Fund on a given day, generally at the time the NAV is calculated. A premium is the amount that the Fund is trading above the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount is the amount that the Fund is trading below the reported NAV, expressed as a percentage of the NAV. A discount or premium could be significant. Information regarding the Fund’s premium/discount to NAV for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that calendar year end (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) is available at janushenderson.com/performance by selecting the Fund for additional details.

 

Investments by Other Investment Companies

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for purposes of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Under the 1940 Act, purchases or acquisitions by the Fund of shares issued by registered investment companies (including other ETFs) and business development companies (“BDCs”) and the purchase or acquisition of Fund shares by registered investment companies, BDCs, and investment vehicles relying on Section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except where an exemption is available, including as provided in Sections 12(d)(1)(F) and (G) and Rule 12d1-4 thereunder. Rule 12d1-4 permits registered investment companies and BDCs to invest in Fund shares beyond the limits in Section 12(d)(1)(A), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company or BDC first enter into a written agreement with the Trust regarding the terms of the investment, among other conditions.

 

Excessive trading

 

Unlike traditional mutual funds, the frequent trading of Fund shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the Fund’s trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains by the Fund, or otherwise harm Fund shareholders. The vast majority of trading in Fund shares occurs on the secondary market. Because these trades do not involve the Fund, they do not harm the Fund or its shareholders. APs are authorized to purchase and redeem Fund shares directly with the Fund in Creation Units. Creation Unit transactions that are effected using securities (i.e., in-kind) do not cause any of the harmful effects to the issuing fund (as previously noted). However, Creation Unit transactions effected using cash can potentially subject the Fund and its shareholders to those harmful effects. As a result, the Fund requires APs to pay transaction fees to cover brokerage and certain related costs when purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. Those fees are designed to protect the Fund and its shareholders from the dilutive costs associated with frequent creation and redemption activity. For these reasons, the Trustees of the Fund have determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market timing of Fund shares. However, the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding frequent purchases and redemptions may be modified by the Trustees at any time.

 

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Fund website & availability of portfolio holdings information

 

Each Business Day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided by its custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. In addition, on each Business Day before commencement of trading in shares on the Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV. A complete schedule of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is also available semiannually and annually in Form N-CSR and, after the first and third fiscal quarters, in Form N-PORT. Information reported in Form N-CSR and in Form N-PORT will be made publicly available within 70 and 60 days, respectively, after the end of each fiscal quarter. The Fund’s Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT filings are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

For additional information on these disclosures and the availability of portfolio holdings information, please refer to the Fund’s SAI.

 

Shareholder communications

 

Statements and Reports

Your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is responsible for sending you periodic statements of all transactions, along with trade confirmations and tax reporting, as required by applicable law. In addition, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is also responsible for providing annual and semiannual reports. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor to obtain these reports.

 

You may also obtain copies of the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports, SAI and other information, such as the Fund’s financial statements (when available), free upon request by calling Janus Henderson at 1-800-668-0434 or you can access and download these documents at the Fund’s website: janushenderson.com/info.

 

The Fund’s fiscal year ends October 31st.

 

Lost (Unclaimed/Abandoned) Accounts

It is important to maintain a correct address for the shareholder. An incorrect address may cause a shareholder’s account statements and other mailings to be returned as undeliverable. Based upon statutory requirements for returned mail, your financial intermediary or plan sponsor is required to attempt to locate the shareholder or rightful owner of the account. If the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is unable to locate the shareholder, then the financial intermediary or plan sponsor is legally obligated to deem the property “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently escheat (or transfer) unclaimed property (including shares of the fund) to the appropriate state’s unclaimed property administrator in accordance with statutory requirements. Further, your account may be deemed “unclaimed” or “abandoned,” and subsequently transferred to your state of residence if no activity (as defined by that state) occurs within your account during the time frame specified in your state’s unclaimed property laws. The shareholder’s last known address of record determines which state has jurisdiction. Interest or income is not earned on redemption or distribution check(s) sent to you during the time the check(s) remained uncashed.

 

28 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance for each fiscal period shown. Items “Net asset value, beginning of period” through “Net asset value, end of period” reflect financial results for a single Fund share. The information for the fiscal periods shown has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s Form N-CRS and incorporated by reference into the SAI.

 

The total returns 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).

 

 

 

 

   

 

   

 

   

 

 

For a share outstanding during each year or period ended October 31

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

   

2021(1)

 

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

  $ 20.45     $ 18.99     $ 25.38     $ 25.00  

Income/(Loss) from Investment Operations:

                               

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    0.10       0.08       0.04       (3) 

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    6.64       1.46       (6.32 )     0.38  

Total from Investment Operations

    6.74       1.54       (6.28 )     0.38  

Less Dividends and Distributions:

                               

Dividends (from net investment income)

    (0.11 )     (0.08 )     (0.11 )      

Total Dividends and Distributions

    (0.11 )     (0.08 )     (0.11 )      

Net Asset Value, End of Period

  $ 27.08     $ 20.45     $ 18.99     $ 25.38  

Total Return*

    32.97 %     8.11 %     (24.82 )%     1.52 %

Net assets, End of Period (in thousands)

  $ 8,124     $ 7,156     $ 19,935     $ 51,394  

Ratios to Average Net Assets**

                               

Ratio of Gross Expenses

    0.55 %     0.55 %     0.55 %     0.55 %

Ratio of Net Investment Income/(Loss)

    0.39 %     0.40 %     0.19 %     (0.01 )%

Portfolio Turnover Rate(4)

    20 %     17 %     9 %     1 %

 

*

Total return not annualized for periods of less than one full year.

**

Annualized for periods of less than one full year.

(1)

Period from September 8, 2021 (commencement of operations) through October 31, 2021.

(2)

Per share amounts are calculated based on average shares outstanding during the year or period.

(3)

Amount is less than $0.005.

(4)

Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities received or delivered from in-kind processing of creation or redemptions.

 

 

29 | Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

 

You can make inquiries and request other information, including a Statement of Additional Information, annual report, semiannual report, or Fund financial statements (as they become available), free of charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, most recent annual and semiannual reports, and Fund financial statements are also available, free of charge, at janushenderson.com/info. Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semiannual reports and in Form N-CSR. In the Fund’s annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance during its last fiscal period. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund’s annual and semiannual financial statements. Other information is also available from financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Fund.

 

The Statement of Additional Information provides detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval (EDGAR) Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may obtain copies of this information, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 

janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

The Trust’s Investment Company Act File No. is 811-23112.

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

Fixed Income

Ticker

Listing Exchange

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

JAAA

NYSE Arca, Inc.

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

JBBB

Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

JLQD

NYSE Arca, Inc.

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

JEMB

NYSE Arca, Inc.

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

JMBS

NYSE Arca, Inc.

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

JSI

NYSE Arca, Inc.

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

VNLA

NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) expands upon and supplements the information contained in the current Prospectuses of the Funds listed above, each of which is a separate series of Janus Detroit Street Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”). Each of these series of the Trust represents shares of beneficial interest in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets with its own objectives and policies.

 

This SAI is not a Prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Funds’ Prospectuses dated February 28, 2025, and any supplements thereto, which are incorporated by reference into this SAI and may be obtained by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, at janushenderson.com/info, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This SAI contains additional and more detailed information about the Funds’ operations and activities than the Prospectuses. The audited financial statements for each Fund, the notes relating thereto, and the related reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, are incorporated by reference into this SAI from the Trust's most recent Form N-CSR, which contains important financial information about the Funds. The Annual and Semiannual Reports (as they become available) are available, without charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, at janushenderson.com/info, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434.

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Classification, Investment Policies and Restrictions, and Investment Strategies and Risks

2

Investment Adviser

57

Custodian, Transfer Agent, and Certain Affiliations

63

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

64

Shares of the Trust

67

Securities Lending

77

Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status

78

Trustees and Officers

83

Principal Shareholders

93

Miscellaneous Information

95

Shares of the Trust

95

Shareholder Meetings

95

Voting Rights

96

Investments By Other Investment Companies

96

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

96

Registration Statement

96

Financial Statements

97

Appendix A — Explanation of Rating Categories

98

Appendix B – Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

100

 

 

Classification, Investment Policies and Restrictions,
and Investment Strategies and Risks

 

 

JANUS DETROIT STREET TRUST

 

This Statement of Additional Information includes information about the Funds, each of which operates as an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) and is a series of the Trust, an open-end, management investment company.

 

Each Fund offers and issues shares at its net asset value (“NAV”) per share only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (“Creation Unit”), in exchange for a designated portfolio of securities, assets or other positions and/or cash (the “Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”).

 

Each Fund is listed on a national securities exchange as set forth in the table below (each a “Listing Exchange” and together the “Listing Exchanges”):

 

Fund Name

Listing Exchange

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

NYSE Arca, Inc. (“NYSE Arca”)

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (“Cboe”)

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

NYSE Arca

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

NYSE Arca

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

NYSE Arca

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

NYSE Arca

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

NYSE Arca

 

Shares of each Fund are traded in the secondary market and elsewhere at market prices that may be at, above or below each Fund’s NAV. Unlike mutual funds, a Fund’s shares are not individually redeemable securities. Rather, a Fund’s shares are redeemable only in Creation Units, and Creation Unit transactions are conducted primarily in exchange for all cash, but may be in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount. The size of a Creation Unit to purchase shares of a Fund may differ from the size of a Creation Unit required to redeem shares of the Fund. The size of a Creation Unit may be modified by Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) with prior notification to a Fund’s Authorized Participants. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for each Fund’s current Creation Unit size. In the event of liquidation of a Fund, the number of shares in a Creation Unit may be significantly reduced.

 

Each Fund may charge creation/redemption transaction fees for each creation and redemption. In all cases, transaction fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. Some of the information in this SAI and the corresponding Prospectuses, such as information about purchasing and redeeming shares from each Fund and transaction fees, is not relevant to most retail investors because it applies only to transactions for Creation Units. Refer to “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” below.

 

Once created, each Fund’s shares generally trade in the secondary market, at market prices that change throughout the day, in amounts less than a Creation Unit. Investors purchasing a Fund’s shares in the secondary market through a brokerage account or with the assistance of a broker may be subject to brokerage commissions and charges.

 

Unlike index-based ETFs, each Fund is “actively managed” and does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index.

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

Shares of each Fund are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on their respective Listing Exchange and other secondary markets. Shares of each Fund may also be listed on certain foreign (non U.S.) exchanges. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Listing Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares of each Fund will continue to be met. Each Listing Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of a Fund from listing under the following

 

2

 

 

circumstances, as may be applicable: (i) if a Listing Exchange becomes aware that a Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); (ii) if a Fund fails to meet certain continuing listing standards of its Listing Exchange; (iii) for the Funds listed on NYSE Arca, if following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of Fund shares, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of shares of the Fund and for the Fund listed on Cboe, if, following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of Fund shares, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of shares of the Fund for at least 30 consecutive trading days; or (iv) if any other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of a Listing Exchange, makes further dealings on the Listing Exchange inadvisable. The Listing Exchanges will remove the shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund. In the event a Fund ceases to be listed on an exchange, the Fund may cease operating as an “exchange-traded” fund and operate as a mutual fund, provided that shareholders are given advance notice.

 

As in the case of other publicly-traded securities, when you buy or sell shares through a financial intermediary you will incur a brokerage commission determined by that financial intermediary.

 

In order to provide additional information regarding the intra-day value of shares (the "iNAV") of Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF, Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF, and Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF, the Listing Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other widely disseminated means an updated iNAV for these three Funds as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Trust is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the iNAV and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the iNAV.

 

Shares of each Fund trade on its respective Listing Exchange or in the secondary market at prices that may differ from their NAV because such prices may be affected by market forces (such as supply and demand for the Fund’s shares). The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share prices of each Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of each Fund.

 

Each Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by its Listing Exchange. The Listing Exchanges make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of each Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in a Fund particularly or the ability of a Fund to achieve its investment objectives. The Listing Exchanges have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of each Fund.

 

CLASSIFICATION

 

The 1940 Act classifies funds as either diversified or nondiversified. Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF, Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF, Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF, Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF, and Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF are classified as diversified. Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF and Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF are classified as nondiversified.

 

ADVISER

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) is the investment adviser for each Fund.

 

JANUS HENDERSON AAA CLO ETF AND JANUS HENDERSON B-BBB CLO ETF
INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS

 

Each Fund is subject to certain fundamental policies and restrictions that may not be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholder approval means approval by the lesser of: (i) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or each Fund if a matter affects just the Fund) or (ii) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or each Fund) are present or represented by proxy. The following policies are fundamental policies of each Fund.

 

3

 

 

Each Fund may not:

 

(1) With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of an issuer (other than the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, or repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. Government securities, and securities of other investment companies) if: (a) such purchase would, at the time, cause more than 5% of a Fund’s total assets taken at market value to be invested in the securities of such issuer or (b) such purchase would, at the time, result in more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer being held by each Fund.

 

(2) Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in any particular industry or group of industries (other than U.S. Government securities, including those issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, and securities of other investment companies).

 

(3) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this limitation shall not prevent each Fund from purchasing or selling foreign currencies, options, futures, swaps, forward contracts, or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

(4) Lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than one-third of each Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties (but this limitation does not apply to investments in repurchase agreements, commercial paper, debt securities, or loans, including assignments and participation interests).

 

(5) Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that each Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities.

 

(6) Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules or regulations thereunder or other governing statute, or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or otherwise as permitted by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over each Fund. This policy shall not prohibit short sales transactions, or futures, options, swaps, repurchase transactions (including reverse repurchase agreements), or forward transactions. Each Fund may not issue “senior securities” in contravention of the 1940 Act.

 

(7) Invest directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, each Fund may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses.

 

As a fundamental policy, each Fund may, notwithstanding any other investment policy or limitation (whether or not fundamental), invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies, and limitations as the Fund.

 

The Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) has adopted additional investment restrictions for each Fund. These restrictions are operating policies of each Fund and may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval. The additional restrictions adopted by the Trustees to date include the following:

 

(1) If a Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

(2) Each Fund may sell securities short if it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor (“short sales against the box”). In addition, each Fund may engage in short sales other than against the box, which involve selling a security that the Fund borrows and does not own. The Trustees may impose limits on each Fund’s investments in short sales, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. Transactions in futures, options, swaps, and forward contracts not involving short sales are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

 

(3) Each Fund does not intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Funds may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in connection with transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swaps, forward contracts, “to be announced” commitments, and other permitted investment techniques shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.

 

4

 

 

(4) Each Fund may not mortgage or pledge any securities owned or held by the Funds in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s NAV, provided that this limitation does not apply to: reverse repurchase agreements; deposits of assets to margin; guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps, or forward contracts; or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.

 

(5) Each Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets.

 

(6) Each Fund may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.

 

JANUS HENDERSON CORPORATE BOND ETF INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS

 

The Fund is subject to certain fundamental policies and restrictions that may not be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholder approval means approval by the lesser of: (i) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund if a matter affects just the Fund) or (ii) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund) are present or represented by proxy. The following policies are fundamental policies of the Fund.

 

The Fund may not:

 

(1) Invest 25% or more of the value of its net assets in any particular industry or group of industries (other than U.S. Government securities, including those issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, and securities of other investment companies) except that notwithstanding this limitation the Fund may invest between 25% and 35% of its total assets (or such other percentage permitted by the 1940 Act regulation or interpretations thereunder) in the securities of any one industry group or group of industries if, at the time of investment, that industry group or group of industries represents 20% or more of the Fund’s primary benchmark index. (The Fund does not consider its primary benchmark index to be fundamental and therefore the Fund’s primary benchmark index may be changed without a shareholder vote).

 

(2) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this limitation shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling foreign currencies, options, futures, swaps, forward contracts, or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

(3) Lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than one-third of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties (but this limitation does not apply to investments in repurchase agreements, commercial paper, debt securities, or loans, including assignments and participation interests).

 

(4) Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities.

 

(5) Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules or regulations thereunder or other governing statute, or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or otherwise as permitted by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund. This policy shall not prohibit short sales transactions, or futures, options, swaps, repurchase transactions (including reverse repurchase agreements), or forward transactions. The Fund may not issue “senior securities” in contravention of the 1940 Act.

 

(6) Invest directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, the Fund may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses.

 

As a fundamental policy, the Fund may, notwithstanding any other investment policy or limitation (whether or not fundamental), invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies, and limitations as the Fund.

 

5

 

 

The Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) has adopted additional investment restrictions for the Fund. These restrictions are operating policies of the Fund and may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval. The additional restrictions adopted by the Trustees to date include the following:

 

(1) If the Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

(2) The Fund may sell securities short if it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor (“short sales against the box”). In addition, the Fund may engage in short sales other than against the box, which involve selling a security that the Fund borrows and does not own. The Trustees may impose limits on the Fund’s investments in short sales, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. Transactions in futures, options, swaps, and forward contracts not involving short sales are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

 

(3) The Fund does not intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in connection with transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swaps, forward contracts, “to be announced” commitments, and other permitted investment techniques shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.

 

(4) The Fund may not mortgage or pledge any securities owned or held by the Fund in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s NAV, provided that this limitation does not apply to: reverse repurchase agreements; deposits of assets to margin; guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps, or forward contracts; or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.

 

(5) The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets.

 

(6) The Fund may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.

 

JANUS HENDERSON EMERGING MARKETS DEBT HARD CURRENCY ETF INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS

 

The Fund is subject to certain fundamental policies and restrictions that may not be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholder approval means approval by the lesser of: (i) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund if a matter affects just the Fund) or (ii) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund) are present or represented by proxy. The following policies are fundamental policies of the Fund.

 

The Fund may not:

 

(1) Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in any particular industry or group of industries (other than U.S. Government securities, including those issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, and securities of other investment companies).

 

(2) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this limitation shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling foreign currencies, options, futures, swaps, forward contracts, or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

(3) Lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than one-third of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties (but this limitation does not apply to investments in repurchase agreements, commercial paper, debt securities, or loans, including assignments and participation interests).

 

(4) Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities.

 

6

 

 

(5) Borrow money except that the Fund may borrow money for temporary or emergency purposes (not for leveraging or investment). Borrowings from banks will not, in any event, exceed one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed). This policy shall not prohibit short sales transactions, or futures, options, swaps, repurchase transactions (including reverse repurchase agreements), or forward transactions. The Fund may not issue “senior securities” in contravention of the 1940 Act.

 

(6) Invest directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, the Fund may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses.

 

As a fundamental policy, the Fund may, notwithstanding any other investment policy or limitation (whether or not fundamental), invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies, and limitations as the Fund.

 

The Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) has adopted additional investment restrictions for the Fund. These restrictions are operating policies of the Fund and may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval. The additional restrictions adopted by the Trustees to date include the following:

 

(1) If the Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

(2) The Fund may sell securities short if it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor (“short sales against the box”). In addition, the Fund may engage in short sales other than against the box, which involve selling a security that the Fund borrows and does not own. The Trustees may impose limits on the Fund’s investments in short sales, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. Transactions in futures, options, swaps, and forward contracts not involving short sales are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

 

(3) The Fund does not intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in connection with transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swaps, forward contracts, “to be announced” commitments, and other permitted investment techniques shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.

 

(4) The Fund may not mortgage or pledge any securities owned or held by the Fund in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s NAV, provided that this limitation does not apply to: reverse repurchase agreements; deposits of assets to margin; guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps, or forward contracts; or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.

 

(5) The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets.

 

(6) The Fund may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.

 

JANUS HENDERSON MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES ETF INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS

 

The Fund is subject to certain fundamental policies and restrictions that may not be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholder approval means approval by the lesser of: (i) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund if a matter affects just the Fund) or (ii) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund) are present or represented by proxy. The following policies are fundamental policies of the Fund.

 

The Fund may not:

 

(1) With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of an issuer (other than the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, or repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. Government securities, and securities of other investment companies) if: (a) such purchase would, at the time, cause more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets taken at market value to be invested in the securities of such issuer or (b) such purchase would, at the time, result in more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer being held by the Fund.

 

7

 

 

(2) Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in any particular industry or group of industries (other than U.S. Government securities, including those issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, and securities of other investment companies).

 

(3) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this limitation shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling foreign currencies, options, futures, swaps, forward contracts, or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

(4) Lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than one-third of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties (but this limitation does not apply to investments in repurchase agreements, commercial paper, debt securities, or loans, including assignments and participation interests).

 

(5) Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities.

 

(6) Borrow money except that the Fund may borrow money for temporary or emergency purposes (not for leveraging or investment). Borrowings from banks will not, in any event, exceed one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed). This policy shall not prohibit short sales transactions, or futures, options, swaps, repurchase transactions (including reverse repurchase agreements), or forward transactions. The Fund may not issue “senior securities” in contravention of the 1940 Act.

 

(7) Invest directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, the Fund may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses.

 

As a fundamental policy, the Fund may, notwithstanding any other investment policy or limitation (whether or not fundamental), invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies, and limitations as the Fund.

 

The Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) has adopted additional investment restrictions for the Fund. These restrictions are operating policies of the Fund and may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval. The additional restrictions adopted by the Trustees to date include the following:

 

(1) If the Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

(2) The Fund may sell securities short if it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor (“short sales against the box”). In addition, the Fund may engage in short sales other than against the box, which involve selling a security that the Fund borrows and does not own. The Trustees may impose limits on the Fund’s investments in short sales, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. Transactions in futures, options, swaps, and forward contracts not involving short sales are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

 

(3) The Fund does not intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in connection with transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swaps, forward contracts, “to be announced” commitments, and other permitted investment techniques shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.

 

(4) The Fund may not mortgage or pledge any securities owned or held by the Fund in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s NAV, provided that this limitation does not apply to: reverse repurchase agreements; deposits of assets to margin; guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps, or forward contracts; or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.

 

(5) The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets.

 

(6) The Fund may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.

 

8

 

 

JANUS HENDERSON SECURITIZED INCOME ETF INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS

 

The Fund is subject to certain fundamental policies and restrictions that may not be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholder approval means approval by the lesser of: (i) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund if a matter affects just the Fund) or (ii) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund) are present or represented by proxy. The following policies are fundamental policies of the Fund.

 

The Fund may not:

 

(1) Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in any particular industry or group of industries (other than U.S. Government securities, including those issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, and securities of other investment companies).

 

(2) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this limitation shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling foreign currencies, options, futures, swaps, forward contracts, or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

(3) Lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than one-third of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties (but this limitation does not apply to investments in repurchase agreements, commercial paper, debt securities, or loans, including assignments and participation interests).

 

(4) Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities.

 

(5) Borrow money except that the Fund may borrow money for temporary or emergency purposes (not for leveraging or investment). Borrowings from banks will not, in any event, exceed one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed). This policy shall not prohibit short sales transactions, or futures, options, swaps, repurchase transactions (including reverse repurchase agreements), or forward transactions. The Fund may not issue “senior securities” in contravention of the 1940 Act.

 

(6) Invest directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, the Fund may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses.

 

As a fundamental policy, the Fund may, notwithstanding any other investment policy or limitation (whether or not fundamental), invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies, and limitations as the Fund.

 

The Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) has adopted additional investment restrictions for the Fund. These restrictions are operating policies of the Fund and may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval. The additional restrictions adopted by the Trustees to date include the following:

 

(1) If the Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

(2) The Fund may sell securities short if it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor (“short sales against the box”). In addition, the Fund may engage in short sales other than against the box, which involve selling a security that the Fund borrows and does not own. The Trustees may impose limits on the Fund’s investments in short sales, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. Transactions in futures, options, swaps, and forward contracts not involving short sales are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

 

(3) The Fund does not intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in connection with transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swaps, forward contracts, “to be announced” commitments, and other permitted investment techniques shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.

 

9

 

 

(4) The Fund may not mortgage or pledge any securities owned or held by the Fund in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s NAV, provided that this limitation does not apply to: reverse repurchase agreements; deposits of assets to margin; guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps, or forward contracts; or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.

 

(5) The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets.

 

(6) The Fund may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.

 

JANUS HENDERSON SHORT DURATION INCOME ETF INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS

 

The Fund is subject to certain fundamental policies and restrictions that may not be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholder approval means approval by the lesser of: (i) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund if a matter affects just the Fund) or (ii) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund) are present or represented by proxy. The following policies are fundamental policies of the Fund.

 

The Fund may not:

 

(1) With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of an issuer (other than the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, or repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. Government securities, and securities of other investment companies) if: (a) such purchase would, at the time, cause more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets taken at market value to be invested in the securities of such issuer or (b) such purchase would, at the time, result in more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer being held by the Fund.

 

(2) Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in any particular industry or group of industries (other than U.S. Government securities and securities of other investment companies).

 

(3) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this limitation shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling foreign currencies, options, futures, swaps, forward contracts, or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

(4) Lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than one-third of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties (but this limitation does not apply to investments in repurchase agreements, commercial paper, debt securities, or loans, including assignments and participation interests).

 

(5) Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities.

 

(6) Borrow money except that the Fund may borrow money for temporary or emergency purposes (not for leveraging or investment). Borrowings from banks will not, in any event, exceed one-third of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed). This policy shall not prohibit short sales transactions, or futures, options, swaps, repurchase transactions (including reverse repurchase agreements), or forward transactions. The Fund may not issue “senior securities” in contravention of the 1940 Act.

 

(7) Invest directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, the Fund may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses.

 

As a fundamental policy, the Fund may, notwithstanding any other investment policy or limitation (whether or not fundamental), invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies, and limitations as the Fund.

 

10

 

 

The Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) has adopted additional investment restrictions for the Fund. These restrictions are operating policies of the Fund and may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval. The additional restrictions adopted by the Trustees to date include the following:

 

(1) If the Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

(2) The Fund may sell securities short if it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor (“short sales against the box”). In addition, the Fund may engage in short sales other than against the box, which involve selling a security that the Fund borrows and does not own. The Trustees may impose limits on the Fund’s investments in short sales, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. Transactions in futures, options, swaps, and forward contracts not involving short sales are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

 

(3) The Fund does not intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in connection with transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swaps, forward contracts, “to be announced” commitments, and other permitted investment techniques shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.

 

(4) The Fund may not mortgage or pledge any securities owned or held by the Fund in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s NAV, provided that this limitation does not apply to: reverse repurchase agreements; deposits of assets to margin; guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps, or forward contracts; or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.

 

(5) The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets.

 

(6) The Fund may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.

 

OTHER INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS

 

Under the terms of an exemptive order received from the SEC, each Fund may borrow money from or lend money to other funds that permit such transactions and for which the Adviser or one of its affiliates serves as investment adviser. All such borrowing and lending will be subject to the above limits and to the limits and other conditions in such exemptive order. Each Fund will borrow money through the program only when the costs are equal to or lower than the cost of bank loans. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Each Fund will lend through the program only when the returns are higher than those available from other short-term instruments (such as repurchase agreements). Each Fund may have to borrow from a bank at a higher interest rate if an interfund loan is called or not renewed.

 

Any delay in repayment to a lending Fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional borrowing costs, and interfund loans are subject to the risk that the borrowing fund may be unable to repay the loan when due. While it is expected that each Fund may borrow money through the program to satisfy redemption requests or to cover unanticipated cash shortfalls, the Funds may elect to not participate in the program during times of market uncertainty or distress or for other reasons.

 

For purposes of these investment restrictions, the issuer of a CLO is considered to be the trust or special purpose vehicle, and not the sponsor, manager or any majority holder of equity tranche interests.

 

For purposes of each Fund’s fundamental policy related to investments in real estate, the policy does not prohibit the purchase of securities directly or indirectly secured by real estate or interests therein, or issued by entities that invest in real estate or interests therein, such as, but not limited to, corporations, partnerships, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), and other REIT- like entities, such as foreign entities that have REIT characteristics.

 

Except for each Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments and borrowing, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this SAI and/or the Fund’s Prospectus normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if a Fund exceeds a limit as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

11

 

 

For purposes of each Fund’s policies on investing in particular industries, the Funds utilize any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized third-party providers and/or as defined by the Adviser. The policy will be interpreted to give broad authority to each Fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries. Each Fund may change any source used for determining industry classifications and sub-classifications without prior shareholder notice or approval.

 

With respect to Funds’ concentration policy as set forth above, as it relates to investments in asset-backed securities (including collateralized loan obligations), the Funds do not take into account, and may not have sufficient information to ascertain, the exposure to a particular industry or group of industries as a result of investing in asset-backed securities.

 

Accordingly, each Fund takes the position that to the extent its investments in asset-backed securities could be construed to result in a concentration of an industry or group of industries, it would not be due to any knowing or intentional exercise of a freedom of action reserved by the Fund to so concentrate. To facilitate these positions, each Fund takes the position, with respect to concentration in any particular industry or group of industries, that any asset- backed securities (including collateralized loan obligations) do not represent interests in any particular industry or group of industries and each Funds’ respective fundamental investment policy above, with respect to concentration, does not operate to limit the ability of the Fund to purchase such securities in any amount.

 

For purposes of these investment restrictions, the identification of the issuer of a municipal obligation depends on the terms and conditions of the security. When assets and revenues of a political subdivision are separate from those of the government that created the subdivision and the security is backed only by the assets and revenues of the subdivision, the subdivision is deemed to be the sole issuer. Similarly, in the case of an industrial development bond, if the bond is backed only by assets and revenues of a nongovernmental user, then the nongovernmental user would be deemed to be the sole issuer. If, however, in either case, the creating government or some other entity guarantees the security, the guarantee would be considered a separate security that would be treated as an issue of the guaranteeing entity.

 

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

 

A discussion of the principal strategies and risks associated with an investment in each Fund is contained in the Funds’ Prospectuses under the headings “Principal Investment Strategy”, “Principal Investment Risks”, and “Risks of the Fund.” Those investment strategies, types of securities, and risks checked in the chart below compliment the information provided in each Fund’s Prospectus. Immediately following this chart is a brief summary of such investment strategies, types of securities, and/or risk. The information below should be read in conjunction with each Fund’s Prospectus.

 

Strategies, Types of Securities, and Risks

JAAA

JBBB

JLQD

JEMB

JMBS

JSI

VNLA

General Considerations and Risks

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Diversification

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities

     

x

x

x

x

Agency Mortgage-Related Securities

       

x

x

x

Asset-Backed Securities

   

x

x

x

x

x

Bank Capital Securities

   

x

 

x

x

x

Bank Obligations

x

x

x

 

x

x

x

Callable Securities

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Cash Position

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Collateralized Loan Obligations

x

x

x

x

 

x

x

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations

       

x

x

 

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities

     

x

x

x

x

Commercial Real Estate Collateralized Loan Obligations

       

x

x

 

Confidential Information

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Contingent Convertible Securities

     

x

     

Corporate Bonds

   

x

x

x

x

x

Credit Risk Transfer Securities

       

x

x

x

Credit Spread Trades

x

x

x

 

x

x

x

Cyber Security Risk

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

12

 

 

Strategies, Types of Securities, and Risks

JAAA

JBBB

JLQD

JEMB

JMBS

JSI

VNLA

Defaulted Securities

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Depositary Receipts

           

x

Derivative Instruments

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

ESG Exclusions Policy

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Eurodollar Dollar Obligations

     

x

     

Eurodollar Instruments

   

x

     

x

Exchange-Traded Funds

x

x

x

 

x

x

x

Exchange-Traded Notes

   

x

 

x

 

x

Fixed Income Securities

x x

x

x

x

x

x

Floating Rate Obligations

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Foreign Securities

x

x

x

x

   

x

Forward Contracts

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Futures Contracts

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

High-Yield Bonds

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Illiquid Investments

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Inflation-Linked Securities

       

x

 

x

Inflation-Related Investments Risk

x

x

x

 

x

x

 

Inverse Floaters

       

x

x

x

Investment Company Securities

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Labeled Bonds

   

x

       

Loans

x

x

x

x

 

x

 

Mortgage Dollar Rolls

       

x

x

x

Municipal Obligations

           

x

Operational Risk

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Options on Securities, Securities Indices & Foreign Currencies

   

x

x

x

x

x

Option Transaction Risk

   

x

 

x

x

x

Pass-Through Securities

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Performance Indexed Paper

   

x

 

x

   

Perpetual Bonds

   

x

x

     

Preferred Stock

   

x

x

x

x

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Privately Issued Mortgage-Related Securities

       

x

x

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts and Real Estate-Linked Derivatives

       

x

x

 

Regulation S Securities

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Regulatory Changes and Market Events and Risks

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Repurchase and Reverse Repurchase Agreements

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Risk of Investing in the Asian Region

     

x

   

x

Risk of Investing in Australia

           

x

Risk of Investing in Eastern Europe

     

x

     

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets

   

x

x

   

x

Risk of Investing in Europe

x

x

x

x

   

x

Risk of Investing in Latin American

     

x

     

Risk of Investing in the Middle East Region

     

x

     

Risk of Investing in the People’s Republic of China

           

x

Risk of Investing in the Sub-Saharan Africa

     

x

     

Sale-Buybacks

x

x

x

 

x

x

x

Securities Lending

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

13

 

 

Strategies, Types of Securities, and Risks

JAAA

JBBB

JLQD

JEMB

JMBS

JSI

VNLA

Settlement Risk

x

x

x

x

x

x

 

Sovereign Debt

   

x

x

   

x

Special Situations

     

x

x

x

 

Standby Commitments

x

x

x

 

x

x

x

Strip Bonds

   

x

 

x

x

x

Structured Investments

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Swaps and Swap-Related Products

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Tender Option Bonds

       

x

x

x

Trade Claims

           

x

U.S. Government Securities

x

x

x

 

x

x

x

When-Issued, Delayed Delivery, and TBA Commitments

   

x

 

x

x

x

Zero Coupon, Step Coupon, and Pay In Kind Securities

   

x

 

x

x

x

 

General Considerations and Risks

Investments in each Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the portfolio of securities held by the Fund may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of fixed-income or equity instruments in which a Fund may invest, and other factors.

 

An investment in each Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the securities markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Fund shares). Securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic and banking crises.

 

The principal trading market for some of the securities held by a Fund may be in the over-the-counter market. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of a Fund’s shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent or if bid/ask spreads are wide.

 

Diversification

Funds are classified as either diversified or nondiversified. To be classified as diversified under the 1940 Act, a fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any issuer and may not own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer. A fund that is classified as nondiversified under the 1940 Act is not subject to the same restrictions and therefore has the ability to take larger positions in securities than a fund that is classified as diversified. This gives a fund that is classified as nondiversified more flexibility to focus its investments in companies that portfolio management has identified as the most attractive for the investment objective and strategy of the fund. However, because the appreciation or depreciation of a single security may have a greater impact on the NAV of a fund which is classified as nondiversified, its share price can be expected to fluctuate more than a comparable fund which is classified as diversified. This fluctuation, if significant, may affect the performance of a fund.

 

Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities

Certain Funds may invest in adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities (“ARMBS”), which have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBS permits a Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBS are based. Such ARMBS generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed-income debt securities of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, a Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBS, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, a Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (i.e., the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages,

 

14

 

 

ARMBS behave more like fixed-income securities and less like adjustable rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed-income securities. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

 

Agency Mortgage-Related Securities

Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) Certificates are mortgage-backed securities that evidence an undivided interest in a pool of mortgage loans. Ginnie Mae Certificates differ from bonds in that principal is paid back monthly by the borrowers over the term of the loan rather than returned in a lump sum at maturity. A Fund may purchase “modified pass-through” Ginnie Mae Certificates, which entitle the holder to receive a share of all interest and principal payments paid and owned on the mortgage pool, net of fees paid to the “issuer” and Ginnie Mae, regardless of whether or not the mortgagor actually makes the payment. Ginnie Mae Certificates are backed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.

 

Government-related (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government) guarantors include the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), which issue certificates (participation certificates and guaranteed mortgage certificates) that resemble Ginnie Mae Certificates in that each certificate represents a pro rata share of all interest and principal payments made and owned on the underlying pool. Pass-through securities issued by Fannie Mae are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by Fannie Mae. Participation certificates issued by Freddie Mac, which represent interests in mortgages from Freddie Mac’s national portfolio, are guaranteed by Freddie Mac as to the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal.

 

In September 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”), an agency of the U.S. Government, placed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under conservatorship. These purchases are intended to enhance Fannie Mae’s and Freddie Mac’s ability to meet their obligations. The FHFA and the U.S. Treasury have imposed strict limits on the size of these entities’ mortgage portfolios. The FHFA has the power to cancel any contract entered into by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac prior to FHFA’s appointment as conservator or receiver, including the guarantee obligations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

 

More recently in 2019, under the direction of the FHFA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have entered into a joint initiative to develop a common securitization platform for the issuance of a uniform mortgage-backed security (the “Single Security Initiative”) that aligns the characteristics of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac certificates. The Single Security Initiative seeks to support the overall liquidity of both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac certificates in the TBA market. The FHFA has indicated that the conservatorship will end when the director of the FHFA determines that the FHFA’s plan to restore the entities to a safe and solvent condition has been completed. As of the date of this SAI, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac remain under conservatorship.

 

Except for Ginnie Mae Certificates, each of the mortgage-backed securities described above is characterized by monthly payments to the holder, reflecting the monthly payments made by the borrowers who received the underlying mortgage loans. The payments to the security holders, like the payments on the underlying loans, represent both principal and interest. Although the underlying mortgage loans are for specified periods of time, such as 20 or 30 years, the borrowers can, and typically do, pay them off sooner. Thus, the security holders frequently receive prepayments of principal in addition to the principal that is part of the regular monthly payments. Portfolio management will consider estimated prepayment rates in calculating the average-weighted maturity of a Fund, if relevant. A borrower is more likely to prepay a mortgage that bears a relatively high rate of interest. This means that in times of declining interest rates, higher yielding mortgage-backed securities held by a Fund might be converted to cash, and a Fund will be forced to accept lower interest rates when that cash is used to purchase additional securities in the mortgage-backed securities sector or in other investment sectors. Additionally, prepayments during such periods will limit a Fund’s ability to participate in as large a market gain as may be experienced with a comparable security not subject to prepayment.

 

A Fund’s investments in mortgage-backed securities, including privately issued mortgage-related securities where applicable, may be backed by subprime mortgages. Subprime mortgages are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their mortgages. Investments in mortgage-backed securities comprised of subprime mortgages may be subject to a higher degree of credit risk, valuation risk, extension risk (heightened in rising interest rate environments), and liquidity risk.

 

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Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities represent interests in pools of consumer and commercial loans and are backed by paper or accounts receivables originated by banks, credit card companies, or other providers of credit. Asset-backed securities are created from many types of assets, including but not limited to, auto loans, accounts receivable such as credit card receivables and hospital account receivables, home equity loans, student loans, boat loans, mobile home loans, recreational vehicle loans, manufactured housing loans, aircraft leases, computer leases, and syndicated bank loans. Generally, the originating bank or credit provider is neither the obligor nor the guarantor of the security, and interest and principal payments ultimately depend upon payment of the underlying loans. Tax-exempt asset-backed securities include units of beneficial interests in pools of purchase contracts, financing leases, and sales agreements that may be created when a municipality enters into an installment purchase contract or lease with a vendor. Such securities may be secured by the assets purchased or leased by the municipality; however, if the municipality stops making payments, there generally will be no recourse against the vendor. The market for tax-exempt, asset-backed securities is still relatively new. These obligations are likely to involve unscheduled prepayments of principal.

 

Bank Capital Securities

Bank capital securities are issued by banks to help fulfill their regulatory capital requirements. There are two common types of bank capital: Tier I and Tier II. Bank capital is generally, but not always, of investment grade quality. Tier I securities often take the form of trust preferred securities. Tier II securities are commonly thought of as hybrids of debt and preferred stock, are often perpetual (with no maturity date), callable and, under certain conditions, allow for the issuer bank to withhold payment of interest until a later date.

 

Bank Obligations

Bank obligations in which certain Funds may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds 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. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

 

Callable Securities

Callable securities give the issuer the right to redeem the security on a given date or dates (known as the call dates) prior to maturity. In return, the call feature is factored into the price of the debt security, and callable debt securities typically offer a higher yield than comparable non-callable securities. Certain securities may be called only in whole (the entire security is redeemed), while others may be called only in part (a portion of the total face value is redeemed) and possibly from time to time as determined by the issuer. There is no guarantee that a Fund will receive higher yields or a call premium on an investment in callable securities.

 

The period of time between the time of issue and the first call date, known as call protection, varies from security to security. Call protection provides the investor holding the security with assurance that the security will not be called before a specified date. As a result, securities with call protection generally cost more than similar securities without call protection. Call protection will make a callable security more similar to a long-term debt security, resulting in an associated increase in the callable security’s interest rate sensitivity.

 

Documentation for callable securities usually requires that investors be notified of a call within a prescribed period of time. If a security is called, a Fund will receive the principal amount and accrued interest, and may receive a small additional payment as a call premium. Issuers are more likely to exercise call options in periods when interest rates are below the rate at which the original security was issued, because the issuer can issue new securities with lower interest payments. Callable securities are subject to the risks of other debt securities in general, including prepayment risk, especially in falling interest rate environments.

 

Cash Position

As discussed in the Prospectus, certain Funds’ cash position may temporarily increase under various circumstances. Securities that a Fund may invest in as a means of receiving a return on uninvested cash include U.S. treasury securities, domestic or foreign currency denominated commercial paper, certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, or other short-term debt

 

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obligations. These securities may include U.S. and foreign short-term cash instruments and cash equivalent securities. Certain Funds may also invest in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds (including private funds or unregistered cash management pooled investment vehicles operating as money market funds that are not registered under the 1940 Act) (refer to “Investment Company Securities”).

 

Collateralized Loan Obligations

A Collateralized Loan Obligation (“CLO”) is a type of structured credit, which is a sector of the fixed income market that also includes asset-backed and mortgage- backed securities. Typically organized as a trust or other special purpose vehicle, the CLO issues debt and equity interests and uses the proceeds from this issuance to acquire a portfolio of bank loans made primarily to businesses that are rated below investment grade. The underlying loans in which a CLO may invest may be issued or offered as “covenant lite” loans, which have few or no financial maintenance covenants. The underlying loans are generally senior-secured/first-priority loans; however, the CLO may also include an allowance for second-lien and/or unsecured debt. Additionally, the underlying loans may include domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, some of which may individually be below investment grade or the equivalent if unrated. The portfolio of underlying loans is actively managed by the CLO manager for a fixed period of time (“reinvestment period”). During the reinvestment period, the CLO manager may buy and sell individual loans to create trading gains or mitigate loses. The CLO portfolio will generally be required to adhere to certain diversification rules established by the CLO issuer to mitigate against the risk of concentrated defaults within a given industry or sector. After a specified period of time, the majority owner of equity interests in the CLO may seek to call the CLO’s outstanding debt or refinance its position.

 

If not called or refinanced, when the reinvestment period ends, the CLO uses cash flows from the underlying loans to pay down the outstanding debt tranches and wind up the CLO’s operations.

 

Interests in the CLOs are divided into two or more separate debt and equity tranches, each with a different credit rating and risk/return profile based upon its priority of claim on the cashflows produced by the underlying loan pool. Tranches are categorized as senior, mezzanine and subordinated/equity, according to their degree of credit risk. If there are defaults or the CLO’s collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches take precedence over those to subordinated/equity tranches. The riskiest portion is the “Equity” tranche, which bears the bulk of defaults from the loans in the CLO and is intended to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Senior and mezzanine tranches are typically rated, with the former receiving ratings of A to AAA/Aaa and the latter receiving ratings of B to BBB/Baa. The ratings reflect both the credit quality of the CLO’s underlying collateral as well as how much protection a given tranche is afforded by tranches that are subordinate to it. Normally, CLOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws.

 

CLOs themselves, and the loan obligations underlying the CLOs, are typically subject to certain restrictions on transfer and sale, potentially making them less liquid than other types of securities. Additionally, when a Fund purchases a newly issued CLO directly from the issuer (rather than from the secondary market), there will be a delayed settlement period, during which time, the liquidity of the CLO may be further reduced. During periods of limited liquidity and higher price volatility, a Fund’s ability to acquire or dispose of CLOs at a price and time the Fund deems advantageous may be severely impaired. CLOs are generally considered to be long-term investments and there is no guarantee that an active secondary market will exist or be maintained for any given CLO. CLOs are typically structured such that, after a specified period of time, the majority investor in the equity tranche can call (i.e., redeem) the security in full. A Fund may not be able to accurately predict when or which of its CLO investments will be called, resulting in the Fund having to reinvest the proceeds in unfavorable circumstances, resulting in a decline in that Fund’s income. As interest rates decrease, issuers of the underlying loan obligations may refinance any floating rate loans, which will result in a reduction in the principal value of the CLO’s portfolio and require the Fund to reinvest cash at an inopportune time. Conversely, as interest rates rise, borrowers with floating rate loans may experience difficulty in making payments, resulting and delinquencies and defaults, which will result in a reduction in cash flow to the CLO and the CLO’s investors.

 

Collateralized Loan Obligations Manager Risk. CLOs are managed by investment advisers independent of the Adviser. CLO managers are responsible for selecting, managing and replacing the underlying bank loans within a CLO. CLO managers may have limited operating histories, may be subject to conflicts of interests, including managing the assets of other clients or other investment vehicles, or receiving fees that incentivize maximizing the yield, and indirectly the risk, of a CLO. Adverse developments with respect to a CLO manager, such as personnel and resource constraints, regulatory issues or other developments that may impact the ability and/or performance of the CLO manager, may adversely impact the performance of the CLO securities in which a Fund invests.

 

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Collateralized Mortgage Obligations

A Collateralized Mortgage Obligation (“CMO”) is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac, or Fannie Mae, and their income streams. A Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduit (“REMIC”) is a type of CMO that qualifies for special tax treatment, and unlike the debt securities structure of CMOs, REMICs may be structured as indirect ownership interests in the underlying assets of the REMICs themselves.

 

CMOs are structured into multiple classes, often referred to as “tranches,” with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including pre-payments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMOs (known as “sequential pay” CMOs), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including pre-payments, are applied to the classes of CMOs in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMOs until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full.

 

In a typical CMO transaction, a corporation (“issuer”) issues multiple series (e.g., A, B, C, Z) of CMO bonds (“Bonds”). Proceeds of the Bond offering are used to purchase mortgages or mortgage pass-through certificates (“Collateral”). The Collateral is pledged to a third party trustee as security for the Bonds. Principal and interest payments from the Collateral are used to pay principal on the Bonds in the order A, B, C, Z. The Series A, B, and C Bonds all bear current interest. Interest on the Series Z Bond is accrued and added to principal and a like amount is paid as principal on the Series A, B, or C Bond currently being paid off. When the Series A, B, and C Bonds are paid in full, interest and principal on the Series Z Bond begins to be paid currently. CMOs may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

 

As CMOs have evolved, some classes of CMO bonds have become more common. For example, a Fund may invest in parallel-pay and planned amortization class (“PAC”) CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates. Parallel-pay CMOs and multi-class pass-through certificates are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one class. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each class, which, as with other CMO and multi-class pass-through structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PACs generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date. PACs are parallel-pay CMOs with the required principal amount on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. Any CMO or multi-class pass-through structure that includes PAC securities must also have support tranches – known as support bonds, companion bonds or non-PAC bonds – which lend or absorb principal cash flows to allow the PAC securities to maintain their stated maturities and final distribution dates within a range of actual prepayment experience. These support tranches are subject to a higher level of maturity risk compared to other mortgage-related securities, and usually provide a higher yield to compensate investors. If principal cash flows are received in amounts outside a pre-determined range such that the support bonds cannot lend or absorb sufficient cash flows to the PAC securities as intended, the PAC securities are subject to heightened maturity risk. Consistent with certain Fund’s investment objectives and policies, the Adviser may invest in various tranches of CMO bonds, including support bonds.

 

Collateralized Mortgage Obligation Residuals. CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

 

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an IO class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive

 

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to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described above with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances a Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual.

 

CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. Transactions in CMO residuals are generally completed only after careful review of the characteristics of the securities in question. CMO residuals, whether or not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"), may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability, and may be deemed “illiquid” and subject to a Fund’s limitations on investment in illiquid securities.

 

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities

Commercial mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans, including office properties, retail properties, hotels, industrial mixed- use properties or multi-family apartment buildings. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

 

Other Mortgage-Related Securities. Other mortgage-related securities in which a Fund may invest include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including equity or debt securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. In addition, a Fund may invest in any combination of mortgage-related interest-only or principal-only debt.

 

Mortgage-related securities include, among other things, securities that reflect an interest in reverse mortgages. In a reverse mortgage, a lender makes a loan to a homeowner based on the homeowner’s equity in his or her home. While a homeowner must be age 62 or older to qualify for a reverse mortgage, reverse mortgages may have no income restrictions. Repayment of the interest or principal for the loan is generally not required until the homeowner dies, sells the home, or ceases to use the home as his or her primary residence.

 

There are three general types of reverse mortgages: (i) single-purpose reverse mortgages, which are offered by certain state and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations; (ii) federally-insured reverse mortgages, which are backed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and (iii) proprietary reverse mortgages, which are privately offered loans. A mortgage-related security may be backed by a single type of reverse mortgage. Reverse mortgage-related securities include agency and privately issued mortgage-related securities. The principal government guarantor of reverse mortgage related securities is Ginnie Mae.

 

Reverse mortgage-related securities may be subject to risks different than other types of mortgage-related securities due to the unique nature of the underlying loans. The date of repayment for such loans is uncertain and may occur sooner or later than anticipated. The timing of payments for the corresponding mortgage-related security may be uncertain. Therefore, these loans may react differently than traditional home loans to market events.

 

Commercial Real Estate Collateralized Loan Obligations

Commercial real estate collateralized loan obligations (“CRE CLOs”) are securities that are collateralized by, or evidence ownership interests in, a single commercial mortgage loan or a partial or entire pool of mortgage loans secured by transitional commercial properties. CRE CLOs are generally pass-through certificates that represent beneficial ownership interests in common law trusts whose assets consist of defined portfolios of one or more commercial mortgage loans. They are typically issued in multiple tranches whereby the more senior classes are entitled to priority distributions of specified principal and interest payments from the trust’s underlying assets. The senior classes are often securities which, if rated, would have ratings ranging from low investment grade “BBB-” to higher investment grades “A,” “AA” or “AAA.” The junior, subordinated classes typically would include one or more non-investment grade classes which, if rated, would have ratings below investment grade “BBB.” Losses and other shortfalls from expected amounts to be received on the mortgage pool are borne first by the most subordinate classes, which receive payments only after the more senior classes have received all principal and/or interest to which they are entitled. CRE CLOs may be adversely impacted due to collateral defaults of subordinate tranches or market anticipation of such defaults. The risks of CRE CLOs will be greater if a Fund holds subordinate tranches of a CRE CLO that absorbs losses from the defaults before senior tranches. CRE CLOs are subject to interest rate risk and credit risk.

 

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Confidential Information

With respect to certain loan transactions, including but not limited to private placements, certain Funds may determine not to receive confidential information. Such a decision may place a Fund at a disadvantage relative to other investors who determine to receive confidential information, as a Fund may be limited in its available investments or unable to make accurate assessments related to certain investments.

 

In cases where the Adviser receives material, nonpublic information about the issuers securities that may be held in a Fund’s holdings, the Adviser’s ability to trade in these securities for the account of the Fund could potentially be limited by its possession of such information, to the extent necessary to comply with certain regulatory restrictions. Such limitations on the ability to trade in the securities of the issuer could have an adverse effect on a Fund by, for example, preventing the Fund from selling a security that is experiencing a material decline in value. In some instances, these trading restrictions could continue in effect for a substantial period of time.

 

In addition, because a Fund becomes a creditor of an issuer when holding a security, the Adviser may from time to time participate on creditor committees on behalf of a Fund. These are committees formed by creditors to negotiate with management of the issuer and are intended to protect the rights of bondholders in the event of bankruptcy, bond covenant default, or other issuer-related financial problems. Participation on creditor committees may expose the Adviser or a Fund to material non-public information of the issuer, restricting such Fund’s ability to trade in or acquire additional positions in a particular security or other securities of the issuer when it might otherwise desire to do so. Participation on creditor committees may also expose a Fund to federal bankruptcy laws or other laws governing rights of debtors and creditors. Additionally, such participation may subject a Fund to expenses such as legal fees. The Adviser will only participate on creditor committees on behalf of a Fund when it believes such participation is necessary or desirable to protect the value of portfolio securities or enforce a Fund’s rights as a creditor.

 

Contingent Convertible Securities

A contingent convertible security, or CoCo, is a hybrid debt security typically issued by a non-U.S. bank that, upon the occurrence of a specified trigger event, may be (i) convertible into equity securities of the issuer at a predetermined share price; or (ii) written down in liquidation value. Trigger events are identified in the documents that govern the CoCo and may include a decline in the issuer’s capital below a specified threshold level, an increase in the issuer’s risk weighted assets, the share price of the issuer falling to a particular level for a certain period of time and certain regulatory events, such as a change in regulatory capital requirements. CoCos are designed to behave like bonds in times of economic health yet absorb losses when the trigger event occurs.

 

With respect to CoCos that provide for conversion of the CoCo into common shares of the issuer in the event of a trigger event, the conversion would deepen the subordination of the investor, subjecting the Fund to a greater risk of loss in the event of bankruptcy. In addition, because the common stock of the issuer may not pay a dividend, investors in such instruments could experience reduced yields (or no yields at all). With respect to CoCos that provide for the write down in liquidation value of the CoCo in the event of a trigger event, it is possible that the liquidation value of the CoCo may be adjusted downward to below the original par value or written off entirely under certain circumstances. For instance, if losses have eroded the issuer’s capital levels below a specified threshold, the liquidation value of the CoCo may be reduced in whole or in part. The write-down of the CoCo’s par value may occur automatically, and if written down to zero, would effectively cancel the securities, causing investors (including the Fund) to lose the entire value of their investment, even as the issuer remains in business. If such an event occurs, an investor may not have any rights to repayment of the principal amount of the securities and may not be entitled to institute bankruptcy proceedings against the issuer. In addition, an automatic writedown could result in a reduced income rate if the dividend or interest payment associated with the CoCo is based on par value. Coupon payments on CoCos may be discretionary and may be cancelled by the issuer for any reason or may be subject to approval by the issuer’s regulator and may be suspended in the event there are insufficient distributable reserves.

 

CoCos are subject to the credit, interest rate, high yield securities, foreign securities and market risks associated with bonds and equity securities, and to the risks specific to convertible securities in general. They are also subject to other specific risks. CoCos typically are structurally subordinated to traditional convertible bonds in the issuer’s capital structure, which increases the risk that the Fund may experience a loss. In certain scenarios, investors in CoCos may suffer a loss of capital ahead of equity holders or when equity holders do not. CoCos are generally speculative and the prices of CoCos may be volatile. There is no guarantee that the Fund will receive return of principal on CoCos.

 

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Corporate Bonds

Corporate bonds are debt obligations issued by corporations, institutions and other business entities. Typically, the debt is issued for the purpose of borrowing money, often to help the corporation develop a new product or service, to expand into a new market, or to buy another company. Corporate bonds may be either secured or unsecured. Collateral used for secured debt includes real property, machinery, equipment, accounts receivable, stocks, bonds or notes. If a bond is unsecured, it is known as a debenture. Bondholders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over common and preferred stockholders as to both income and assets of the corporation for the principal and interest due them and may have a prior claim over other creditors if liens or mortgages are involved. Interest on corporate bonds may be fixed or floating, or the bonds may be zero coupons. Interest on corporate bonds is typically paid semi-annually and is fully taxable to the bondholder.

 

Corporate bonds are subject to interest rate risk. The market value of a corporate bond generally may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates and may also be affected by the credit rating of the corporation, the corporation’s performance, and perceptions of the corporation in the marketplace. Corporate bonds usually yield more than government or agency bonds due to the presence of credit risk. Corporate bonds are also subject to credit risk. As with other types of bonds, the issuer promises to repay the principal on a specific date and to make interest payments in the meantime. The amount of interest offered depends both on market conditions and on the financial health of the corporation issuing the bonds; a company whose credit rating is not strong will have to offer a higher interest rate to obtain buyers for its bonds. There is a risk that the issuers of corporate bonds may not be able to meet their obligations on interest or principal payments at the time called for by an instrument. The market value of a corporate bond may also be affected by factors directly related to the issuer, such as investors’ perceptions of the creditworthiness of the issuer, the issuer’s financial performance, perceptions of the issuer in the marketplace, performance of management of the issuer, the issuer’s capital structure and use of financial leverage, and demand for the issuer’s goods and services. Corporate bonds of below investment grade quality are often high risk and have speculative characteristics and may be particularly susceptible to adverse issuer-specific developments.

 

Credit Risk Transfer Securities

Credit risk transfer securities (“CRTs”) are unguaranteed and unsecured fixed or floating rate general obligations or debt securities issued by government sponsored enterprises (“GSE”), such as Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, or by private entities. Credit risk transfer securities are typically issued at par and have stated final maturities. CRTs issued by government sponsored entities are typically structured so that: (i) interest is paid directly by the issuing GSE; and (ii) principal is paid by the issuing GSE in accordance with the principal payments and default performance of a pool of residential or underlying mortgage loans acquired by the GSE. The issuing GSE selects the pool of mortgage loans based on that GSE’s eligibility criteria, and the performance of the CRTs will be directly affected by the selection of such underlying mortgage loans.

 

GSE CRTs are not directly linked to or backed by the underlying mortgage loans. Therefore, although the payment of principal and interest on such securities is tied to the performance of the pool of underlying mortgage loans, the actual cash flow from the underlying mortgage loans will not be paid or otherwise made available to the holders of the securities and the holders of the securities will have no interest in the underlying mortgage loans. As a result, in the event that a GSE fails to pay principal or interest on its CRTs or goes through a bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceeding, holders of such CRTs will have no direct recourse to the underlying mortgage loans. Such holders will receive recovery on par with other unsecured note holders (agency debentures) in such a scenario.

 

GSE CRTs are typically issued in multiple tranches, which are allocated certain principal repayments and credit losses corresponding to the seniority of the particular tranche. Each tranche will have credit exposure to the underlying mortgage loans and the yield to maturity will be directly related to the amount and timing of certain defined credit events on the underlying mortgage loans, any prepayments by borrowers and any removals of a mortgage loan from the pool. Because credit risk exposure is allocated in accordance with the seniority of the particular tranche, principal losses will be first allocated to the most junior or subordinate tranches, thus making the most subordinate tranches subject to increased sensitivity to dramatic housing downturns. In addition, many CRTs have collateral performance triggers (such as those based on credit enhancement, delinquencies or defaults) that could shut off principal payments to subordinate tranches.

 

The risks associated with an investment in GSE CRTs will be different than the risks associated with an investment in mortgage-backed securities issued by GSEs, because some or all of the mortgage default or credit risk associated with the underlying mortgage loans in GSE CRTs is transferred to investors. As a result, investors in GSE CRTs could lose some or all of their investment in these securities if the underlying mortgage loans default.

 

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CRTs are not directly linked to or backed by the underlying mortgage loans. Thus, although the payment of principal and interest on such securities is tied to the performance of the pool of underlying mortgage loans, if a Fund is an investor in CRTs, the Fund will have no interest in the underlying mortgage loans. In the event that a GSE fails to pay principal or interest on its CRTs or goes through a bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceeding, a Fund would have no direct recourse to the underlying mortgage loans.

 

CRTs issued by private entities are structured similarly to those issued by a GSE, and are generally subject to the same types of risks, including mortgage, credit, prepayment, extension, interest rate, market, liquidity, and valuation risks.

 

Credit Spread Trades

Credit spread trades are investment positions relating to a difference in the prices or interest rates of two securities or currencies, where the value of the investment position is determined by movements in the difference between the prices or interest rates, as the case may be, of the respective securities or currencies.

 

Cyber Security Risk

The Funds are susceptible to operational and information security risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, infection by computer viruses or other malicious software code, gaining unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices that are used to service the Funds’ operations through “hacking” or other means for the purpose of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on the Funds’ websites or a service provider’s systems, which renders them inoperable to intended users until appropriate actions are taken. In addition, authorized persons could inadvertently or intentionally release confidential or proprietary information stored on the Funds’ systems.

 

Cyber security failures or breaches by the Funds’ service providers (including, but not limited to, the Adviser, custodians, transfer agents, sub administrators, and financial intermediaries) may subject a Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security failures or breaches, and may cause disruptions and impact the service providers’ and the Funds’ business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and the Funds to process transactions, inability to calculate a Fund’s net asset value, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. The Funds may incur incremental costs to prevent cyber incidents in the future. The Funds could be negatively impacted as a result. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans and risk management systems designed to prevent or reduce the impact of such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems due in part to the ever-changing nature of technology and cyber-attack tactics. As such, there is a possibility that certain risks have not been adequately identified or prepared for. Furthermore, the Funds cannot directly control any cyber security plans and systems put in place by third party service providers or their service providers. Cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund’s investment in such securities to lose value. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence ("AI") could increase the effectiveness of cyber-attacks and exacerbate the risks.

 

Defaulted Securities

Certain Funds may hold defaulted securities if its portfolio management believes, based upon an analysis of the financial condition, results of operations, and economic outlook of an issuer, that there is potential for resumption of income payments and that the securities offer an unusual opportunity for capital appreciation. For the Funds subject to such limit, defaulted securities will be included in each Fund’s limit on investments in bonds rated below investment grade. A Fund will not invest in defaulted securities at the time of investment. Notwithstanding portfolio management’s belief about the resumption of income, however, the purchase of any security on which payment of interest or dividends is suspended involves a high degree of risk. Such risk includes, among other things, the following:

 

Financial and Market Risks. Investments in securities that are in default involve a high degree of financial and market risks that can result in substantial or, at times, even total losses. Issuers of defaulted securities may have substantial capital needs and may become involved in bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings. Among the problems involved in investments in such issuers is the fact that it may be difficult to obtain information about the condition of such issuers. The market prices of such securities also are subject to abrupt and erratic movements and above average price volatility, and the spread between the bid and asked prices of such securities may be greater than normally expected.

 

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Disposition of Portfolio Securities. Although certain Funds generally will purchase securities for which portfolio management expects an active market to be maintained, defaulted securities may be less actively traded than other securities, and it may be difficult to dispose of substantial holdings of such securities at prevailing market prices. A Fund will limit holdings of any such securities to amounts that portfolio management believes could be readily sold, and holdings of such securities would, in any event, be limited so as not to limit a Fund’s ability to readily dispose of securities to meet redemptions.

 

Other. Defaulted securities require active monitoring and may, at times, require participation in bankruptcy or receivership proceedings on behalf of a Fund.

 

Depositary Receipts

American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) are receipts issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets. Unsponsored ADRs may be created without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these ADRs generally bear all the costs of the ADR facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored ADR. The bank or trust company depositary of an unsponsored ADR may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. Certain Funds may also invest in European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), and in other similar instruments representing securities of foreign companies. EDRs and GDRs are securities that are typically issued by foreign banks or foreign trust companies, although U.S. banks or U.S. trust companies may issue them. EDRs and GDRs are structured similarly to the arrangements of ADRs. EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets.

 

Depositary receipts are generally subject to the same sort of risks as direct investments in a foreign country, such as currency risk, political and economic risk, regulatory risk, market risk, and geographic investment risk, because their values depend on the performance of a foreign security denominated in its home currency. The risks of foreign investing are addressed in some detail in the Funds’ Prospectuses, as applicable.

 

Derivative Instruments

A derivative is a financial instrument whose performance is derived from the performance of another, underlying asset.

 

Subject to its investment objective and policies, a Fund may use derivative instruments for hedging purposes (to manage and mitigate risks associated with an investment, currency exposure, or market conditions), to manage duration (i.e., sensitivity of the portfolio to changes in interest rates), or to seek to enhance returns or earn income by, for example, using put or call options to receive income based on portfolio management’s view of the future direction of interest rates, credit or a specific currency. A Fund’s derivative investments will be primarily in instruments that are exchange-traded and cleared and which, as a result, tend to be more liquid and less susceptible to counterparty risk than derivatives that are not exchange-traded and cleared.

 

A Fund may not use any derivative to gain exposure to an asset or class of assets that it would be prohibited by its investment restrictions from purchasing directly. A Fund’s ability to use derivative instruments may also be limited by tax considerations (see “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status”).

 

Investments in derivatives in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Investments in derivatives may not directly correlate with the price movements of the underlying instrument. As a result, the use of derivatives may expose a Fund to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than otherwise would be the case. Derivatives can be volatile and may involve significant risks, including:

 

Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that the counterparty (the party on the other side of the transaction) on a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation to a Fund.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that changes in the exchange rate between currencies will adversely affect the value (in U.S. dollar terms) of an investment.

 

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Leverage Risk. Leverage risk is the risk associated with certain types of leveraged investments or trading strategies pursuant to which relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of an investment. A Fund creates leverage by investing in instruments where the investment loss can exceed the original amount invested. The use of investment techniques, such as short sales and certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect on a Fund, which can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested.

 

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that the seller would like or at the price that the seller believes the security is currently worth.

 

Index Risk. Index risk is the risk that the derivative linked to the performance of an index, will also be subject to the risks associated with changes in that index. If the index changes, a Fund could receive lower interest payments or experience a reduction in the value of the derivative to below what the Fund paid. Certain indexed securities, including inverse securities (which move in an opposite direction to the index), may create leverage, to the extent that they increase or decrease in value at a rate that is a multiple of the changes in the applicable index.

 

Derivatives may generally be traded over-the-counter (“OTC”) or on an exchange. Derivatives traded OTC are agreements that are individually negotiated between parties and can be tailored to meet a purchaser’s needs. OTC derivatives are not guaranteed by a clearing agency and may be subject to increased counterparty risk.

 

In an effort to mitigate counterparty risk associated with derivatives traded OTC, a Fund may enter into collateral agreements with certain counterparties whereby, subject to certain minimum exposure requirements, the Fund may require the counterparty to post collateral if the Fund has a net aggregate unrealized gain on all OTC derivative contracts with a particular counterparty. There is no guarantee that counterparty exposure is reduced by using collateral and these arrangements are dependent on the Adviser’s ability to establish and maintain appropriate systems and trading.

 

The Adviser has filed a notice of eligibility for exemption from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” with respect to each Fund in accordance with Rule 4.5 of the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (“Commodity Exchange Act”) and, therefore, the Adviser is not subject to regulation as a commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act with respect to the Fund. Each Fund may enter into futures contracts and related options as permitted under Rule 4.5. Amendments to Rule 4.5 adopted in 2012, however, narrowed the exemption from the definition of commodity pool operator and effectively imposed additional restrictions on a Fund’s use of futures, options, and swaps. The Adviser will become subject to increased Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulation if a Fund invests more than a prescribed level of its assets in such instruments, or if a Fund markets itself as providing investment exposure to these instruments. If a Fund cannot meet the requirements of Rule 4.5, the Adviser and the Fund would need to comply with certain disclosure, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements. Such additional requirements would potentially increase the Fund’s expenses, which could negatively impact the Fund’s returns.

 

Risk of Government Regulation. Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act governs the Funds’ use of derivative instruments and certain other transactions that create future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Funds. Rule 18f-4 permits the Funds to enter into derivatives and certain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of “senior securities” under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Section 18 of the 1940 Act, among other things, prohibits open-end funds, including the Funds, from issuing or selling any “senior security,” other than borrowing from a bank (subject to a requirement to maintain 300% “asset coverage”). In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC eliminated the asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering derivatives transactions and certain financial instruments.

 

Pursuant to Rule 18f-4, the Funds have adopted and implemented a derivatives risk management program (“DRMP”) designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with derivatives and certain other transactions. The DRMP is administered by a “derivatives risk manager,” who is approved by the Trustees, and who periodically reviews the DRMP and reports to the Trustees. While the Funds are not required to segregate assets to cover derivatives transactions and certain financial instruments pursuant to Rule 18f-4, the Funds will continue to do so for other instruments as required under applicable federal securities laws.

 

In addition, the SEC, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading. It is not possible to predict fully the effects of current or future regulation. However, it is possible that developments in government regulation of various types of derivative instruments may limit or prevent

 

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the Funds from using these instruments effectively as a part of their investment strategies, and could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. The Funds will continue to monitor developments in the area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the ability to enter into derivative transactions. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to the Funds, may increase the cost of the Funds’ investments and cost of doing business.

 

ESG Exclusions Policy

The Adviser has adopted a firmwide environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) exclusions policy that generally applies to the accounts it manages, including the Funds. Using third-party inputs, the Adviser applies exclusionary criteria to seek to avoid investing in securities of issuers that, in the determination of the Adviser, manufacture cluster munitions, anti-personnel mines, chemical weapons, and biological weapons.

 

Eurodollar Dollar Obligations

Eurodollar bank obligations are U.S. dollar denominated securities issued outside the U.S. capital markets by foreign branches of U.S. banks and by foreign banks. Eurodollar obligations are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issues, notably credit risk, market risk, and liquidity risk. Additionally, Eurodollar obligations are subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital, in the form of dollars, from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments; the extent and quality of government regulation of financial markets and institutions; the imposition of foreign withholding taxes and the expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers.

 

Eurodollar Instruments

Eurodollar instruments are U.S. dollar-denominated futures contracts or options thereon which are linked to a reference rate, although foreign currency denominated instruments are available from time to time. Eurodollar futures contracts enable purchasers to obtain a fixed rate for the lending of funds and sellers to obtain a fixed rate for borrowings.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

Certain Funds may invest in affiliated or unaffiliated ETFs to gain exposure to a particular portion of the market, to assist with cash management, and/or for other purposes. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of a Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in a Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the net asset value of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, a Fund’s adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. A Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Exchange-Traded Notes

Exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”) are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities whose returns are linked to a particular index and provide exposure to the total returns of various market indices, including indices linked to stocks, bonds, commodities, and currencies. This type of debt security differs from other types of bonds and notes. ETN returns are based upon the performance of a market index minus applicable fees; no period coupon payments are distributed and no principal protections exist. ETNs do not pay cash distributions. Instead, the value of dividends, interest, and investment gains are captured in a Fund’s total return. A Fund may invest in these securities when desiring exposure to debt securities or commodities. When evaluating ETNs for investment, the Adviser will consider the potential risks involved, expected tax efficiency, rate of return, and credit risk. As senior debt securities, ETNs rank above the issuing company’s other securities in the event of a bankruptcy or liquidation, which means a Fund would be in line to receive repayment of its investment before certain of the company’s other creditors. When a Fund invests in ETNs, it will bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses borne by the ETN. There may be restrictions on a Fund’s right to redeem its investment in an ETN, which are meant to be held until maturity. A Fund’s decision to sell its ETN holdings may be limited by the availability of a secondary market.

 

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Fixed Income Securities

A Fund may invest in fixed-income securities, including bonds and notes or other debt securities issued by foreign companies and governments. A Fund can invest in investment-grade or below-investment-grade debt securities (commonly referred to as “junk bonds”). A Fund may invest in securities that are rated below-investment-grade and at times may invest substantial amounts of its assets in those securities. Investment-grade debt securities are rated in one of the top rating categories by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. A Fund may also invest in unrated securities, in which case the Fund’s Adviser may internally assign ratings to certain of those securities, after assessing their credit quality, in investment-grade or below investment-grade categories similar to those of nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. There can be no assurance, nor is it intended, that the Adviser’s credit analysis is consistent or comparable with the credit analysis process used by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. A Fund may also invest in other fixed income securities, including asset-backed securities and mortgage-backed securities.

 

Floating Rate Obligations

Floating rate obligations typically are negotiated, structured, and originated by a bank or other financial institution (an “agent”) for a lending group or “syndicate” of financial institutions. In most cases, a Fund relies on the agent to assert appropriate creditor remedies against the borrower. The agent may not have the same interests as a Fund, and the agent may determine to waive certain covenants contained in the loan agreement that the Fund would not otherwise have determined to waive. The typical practice of an agent relying on reports from a borrower about its financial condition may involve a risk of fraud by a borrower. In addition, if an agent becomes insolvent or carries out its duties improperly, a Fund may experience delays in realizing payment and/or risk loss of principal and/or income on its floating rate loan investments. The investment team performs a credit analysis on the borrower but typically does not perform a credit analysis on the agent or other intermediate participants.

 

Floating rate obligations have interest rates that adjust periodically and are tied to a benchmark lending rate such as Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), which is intended to be a broad measure of secured overnight U.S. Treasury repo rates, the prime rate offered by one or more major U.S. banks (“Prime Rate”), or the rate paid on large certificates of deposit traded in the secondary markets (“CD rate”). The interest rate on Prime Rate based loans and corporate debt securities may float daily as the Prime Rate changes, while the interest rate on CD rate based loans and corporate debt securities may reset periodically. If the benchmark lending rate changes, the rate payable to lenders under the loan will change at the next scheduled adjustment date specified in the loan agreement. Investing in floating rate loans with longer interest rate reset periods may increase fluctuations in a Fund’s NAV as a result of changes in interest rates. A Fund may attempt to hedge against interest rate fluctuations by entering into interest rate swaps or by using other hedging techniques.

 

While a Fund generally expects to invest in fully funded term loans, certain of the loans in which the Fund may invest may not be fully funded at the time of investment. These types of loans include revolving loans, bridge loans, DIP loans, delayed funding loans, and delayed draw term loans. Such loans generally obligate the lender (and those with an interest in the loan) to fund the loan at the borrower’s discretion. As such, a Fund would need to maintain assets sufficient to meet its contractual obligations. In cases where a Fund invests in revolving loans, bridge loans, DIP loans, delayed funding loans, or delayed draw term loans, the Fund will maintain high-quality liquid assets in an amount at least equal to its obligations under the loans. Amounts maintained in high-quality liquid assets may provide less return to a Fund than investments in floating rate obligations. Loans involving revolving credit facilities, bridge financing, DIP loans, delayed funding loans, or delayed draw terms may require a Fund to increase its investment in a particular floating rate loan when it otherwise would not have done so. Further, a Fund may be obligated to do so even if it may be unlikely that the borrower will repay amounts.

 

Foreign Securities

A Fund may invest in foreign securities either indirectly (e.g., depositary receipts, depositary shares, and passive foreign investment companies) or directly in foreign markets, including emerging markets. Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF and Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF may invest in foreign debt securities either directly (e.g., in a CLO domiciled in a foreign country and/or denominated in a foreign currency) or indirectly (e.g., the portfolio of loans underlying a CLO are issued to foreign investors and/or in foreign currency) in foreign markets. Investments in foreign securities may include corporate debt securities of foreign issuers, certain foreign bank obligations (including bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies),

 

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and obligations of foreign governments or supranational entities or their subdivisions, agencies, and instrumentalities. Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF may invest up to 5% of its net assets in non-U.S. dollar denominated securities. Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF and Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF may invest up to 30% of their assets in foreign securities. Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF may invest up to 70% of its assets in foreign securities. A Fund may also engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time. Investments in foreign securities, including securities of foreign and emerging market governments, may involve greater risks than investing in domestic securities because the Fund’s performance may depend on factors other than the performance of a particular company. These risks may include:

 

Currency Risk. As long as a Fund holds a foreign currency denominated security, its value will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When a Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

Foreign Market Risk. Foreign securities markets, particularly those of emerging market countries, may be less liquid and more volatile than domestic markets. These securities markets may trade a small number of securities, may have a limited number of issuers and a high proportion of shares, or may be held by a relatively small number of persons or institutions. Local securities markets may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of substantial holdings difficult or impossible at times. It is also possible that certain markets may require payment for securities before delivery, and delays may be encountered in settling securities transactions. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. A Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required approval for repatriation of capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, securities of issuers located in or economically tied to countries with emerging markets may have limited marketability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements which could also have a negative effect on a Fund. Such factors may hinder a Fund’s ability to buy and sell emerging market securities in a timely manner, affecting the Fund’s investment strategies and potentially affecting the value of the Fund.

 

Geographic Investment Risk. To the extent a Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a particular country or geographic region, the Fund will generally have more exposure to certain risks due to possible political, economic, social, regulatory events, and conflicts in that country or region. Adverse developments in certain regions could also adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated and could have a negative impact on a Fund’s performance. The foregoing may result in a negative impact on Fund performance and the value of an investment in a Fund, even beyond any direct investment exposure the Fund may have to issuers located in or with significant exposure to an impacted country or geographic region.

 

Similarly, a particular country or geographic region may be more prone to and economically sensitive to environmental events such as, but not limited to, hurricanes, earthquakes, typhoons, flooding, tidal waves, tsunamis, erupting volcanoes, wildfires or droughts, tornadoes, mudslides, or other weather-related phenomena. Such disasters, and the resulting physical or economic damage, could have a severe and negative impact on a Fund’s investment portfolio and, in the longer term, could impair the ability of issuers in which the Fund invests to conduct their businesses as they would under normal conditions. Adverse weather conditions may also have a particularly significant negative effect on issuers in the agricultural sector and on insurance and reinsurance companies that insure or reinsure against the impact of natural disasters.

 

Political and Economic Risk. Foreign investments may be subject to heightened political and economic risks, particularly in emerging markets which may have relatively unstable governments, immature economic structures, national policies restricting investments by foreigners, social instability, trade disputes, and different and/or developing legal systems. In some countries, there is the risk that the government may take over the assets or operations of a company or that the government may impose withholding and other taxes or limits on the removal of a Fund’s assets from that country. Further, acts of terrorism in the United States or other countries may cause uncertainty in the financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which a Fund has exposure. In addition, the economies of emerging markets may be predominantly based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates.

 

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Regulatory Risk. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets. As a result, foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices applicable to domestic issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers.

 

Transaction Costs. Costs of buying, selling, and holding foreign securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, may be higher than those involved in domestic transactions.

 

Forward Contracts

A forward contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific security, currency or other instrument for an agreed price at a future date that is individually negotiated and privately traded by traders and their customers. Unlike contracts traded on an exchange (such as futures contracts), forward contracts trade “over-the-counter” and are not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse. Forward contracts are subject to the risk that the counterparty will default on its obligations. Forward contracts are highly leveraged and highly volatile, and a relatively small price movement in a forward contract may result in substantial losses to a Fund. Depending on the asset underlying the forward contract, forward contracts can be influenced by, among other things, changing supply and demand relationships, changing interest rates, governmental trade policies and/or sanctions, national and international political and economic events, governmental intervention in currency markets, armed conflicts, weather, and severe and unanticipated natural phenomenon outside of human control.

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts. A forward foreign currency contract (“forward currency contract”) involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the forward currency contract. Forward currency contracts are principally traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. These contracts typically are settled by physical delivery of the underlying currency or currencies in the amount of the full contract value.

 

A non-deliverable forward contract is a forward contract where there is no physical settlement of two currencies at maturity. Non-deliverable forward currency contracts will usually be done on a net basis, with a Fund receiving or paying only the net amount of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of a Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each non-deliverable forward contract is accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid securities having an aggregate value at least equal to the accrued excess is maintained to cover such obligations. The risk of loss with respect to non-deliverable forward contracts generally is limited to the net amount of payments that a Fund is contractually obligated to make or receive.

 

Currency exchange transactions involve a significant degree of risk and the markets in which currency exchange transactions are effected are highly volatile, highly specialized and highly technical. Significant changes, including changes in liquidity and prices, can occur in such markets within very short periods of time, often within minutes. Currency exchange trading risks include, but are not limited to, exchange rate risk, interest rate risk, and potential interference by foreign governments through regulation of local exchange markets, foreign investment or particular transactions in foreign currency. If a Fund utilizes foreign currency transactions at an inappropriate time, such transactions may not serve their intended purpose and may negatively impact a Fund’s NAV. A Fund could experience losses if the value of any forward currency contract is poorly correlated with its other investments or if it could not close out its positions because of an illiquid market. In addition, a Fund will incur transaction costs, including trading commissions, in connection with certain foreign currency transactions.

 

Futures Contracts

In purchasing a futures contract, the buyer agrees to purchase a specified underlying instrument at a specified future date. In selling a futures contract, the seller agrees to sell a specified underlying instrument at a specified date. Futures contracts are standardized, exchange-traded contracts and the price at which the purchase and sale will take place is fixed when the buyer and seller enter into the contract. Some currently available futures contracts are based on specific securities or baskets of securities, some are based on commodities or commodities indexes (for funds that seek commodities exposure), and some are based on indexes of securities prices (including foreign indexes for funds that seek foreign exposure). Futures on indexes and futures not calling for physical delivery of the underlying instrument will be settled through cash payments rather than through delivery of the underlying instrument. Futures can be held until their delivery dates, or can be closed out by offsetting purchases or sales of futures contracts before the delivery date if a liquid market is available. A Fund may realize a gain or loss by closing out its futures contracts.

 

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The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of its underlying instrument. Therefore, purchasing futures contracts will tend to increase a fund’s exposure to positive and negative price fluctuations in the underlying instrument, much as if it had purchased the underlying instrument directly. When a fund sells a futures contract, by contrast, the value of its futures position will tend to move in a direction contrary to the market for the underlying instrument. Selling futures contracts, therefore, will tend to offset both positive and negative market price changes.

 

The purchaser or seller of a futures contract is not required to deliver or pay for the underlying instrument or the final cash settlement price, as applicable, unless the contract is held until the delivery date. However, both the purchaser and seller are required to deposit “initial margin” with a futures broker, known as a futures commission merchant, when the contract is entered into. If the value of either party’s position declines, that party will be required to make additional payments to settle the change in value on a daily basis. This process of “marking to market” will be reflected in the daily calculation of open positions computed in a fund’s NAV. The party that has a gain is entitled to receive all or a portion of this amount.

 

Although futures exchanges generally operate similarly in the United States and abroad, foreign futures exchanges may follow trading, settlement, and margin procedures that are different from those for U.S. exchanges. Futures contracts traded outside the United States may not involve a clearing mechanism or related guarantees and may involve greater risk of loss than U.S.-traded contracts, including potentially greater risk of losses due to insolvency of a futures broker, exchange member, or other party that may owe marking to market payments to a fund. Because initial and variation margin payments may be measured in foreign currency, a futures contract traded outside the United States may also involve the risk of foreign currency fluctuation.

 

There is no assurance a liquid market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time. Exchanges may establish daily price fluctuation limits for futures contracts, and may halt trading if a contract’s price moves upward or downward more than the limit in a given day. On volatile trading days when the price fluctuation limit is reached or a trading halt is imposed, it may be impossible to enter into new positions or close out existing positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

 

Because there are a limited number of types of exchange-traded futures contracts, it is possible that the standardized contracts available will not match a fund’s current or anticipated investments exactly. A fund may invest in futures contracts based on securities with different issuers, maturities, or other characteristics from the securities in which the fund typically invests, which involves a risk that the futures position will not track the performance of the fund’s other investments.

 

Futures prices can also diverge from the prices of their underlying instruments, even if the underlying instruments match a fund’s investments well. Futures prices are affected by such factors as current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility of the underlying instrument, and the time remaining until expiration of the contract, which may not affect security prices the same way. Imperfect correlation may also result from differing levels of demand in the futures markets and the securities markets, from structural differences in how futures and securities are traded, or from imposition of daily price fluctuation limits or trading halts. If price changes in a fund’s futures positions are poorly correlated with its other investments, the positions may fail to produce anticipated gains or result in losses that are not offset by gains in other investments.

 

Furthermore, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets, and the participation of speculators in such markets.

 

Options on Futures Contracts. Each Fund reserves the right to buy or sell options on futures contracts. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in exchange for payment of a premium, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security or instrument at any time during the option period. A call option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer of the option the obligation to sell, the underlying security or instrument at any time during the option period. A premium is paid to the writer of an option as consideration for undertaking the obligation in the contract.

 

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High-Yield Bonds

Within the parameters of their specific investment policies, certain Funds may invest in bonds that are rated below investment grade (also known as “junk” bonds), such as BB+ or lower by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and Fitch, Inc., or Ba1 or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

 

Lower rated bonds, which are considered speculative, involve a higher degree of credit risk, which is the risk that the issuer will not make interest or principal payments when due. In the event of an unanticipated default, a Fund could expect a decline in the market value of the bonds so affected.

 

Certain Funds may also invest in unrated bonds of foreign and domestic issuers. For the Funds subject to such a limit, unrated high-yield bonds will be included in a Fund’s limit, as applicable, on investments in bonds rated below investment grade unless its portfolio management deems such securities to be the equivalent of investment grade bonds. Unrated bonds, while not necessarily of lower quality than rated bonds, may not have as broad a market. Because of the size and perceived demand of the issue, among other factors, certain municipalities may not incur the costs of obtaining a rating and may issue unrated securities. Portfolio management will analyze the creditworthiness of the issuer, as well as any financial institution or other party responsible for payments on the bond, in determining whether to purchase unrated municipal bonds.

 

The secondary market on which high-yield securities are traded is less liquid than the market for investment grade securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of the security. Additionally, it may be more difficult to value the securities because valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a larger role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available.

 

Please refer to the “Explanation of Rating Categories” section of this SAI for a description of bond rating categories.

 

Illiquid Investments

A Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, such Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. Illiquid investments, which include certain securities that are purchased in private placements, are securities that each Fund 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. Certain securities previously deemed liquid may become illiquid over time, particularly in periods of economic distress.

 

If illiquid investments that are assets exceed 15% of a Fund’s net assets, the Fund will take steps to reduce its holdings of such illiquid investments to or below 15% of its net assets within a reasonable period of time. Because illiquid investments may not be readily marketable, portfolio management may not be able to dispose of them in a timely manner. As a result, a Fund may be forced to hold illiquid investments while their price depreciates. Depreciation in the price of illiquid investments may cause the NAV of a Fund to decline.

 

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Inflation-Linked Securities

Certain Funds may invest in inflation-linked securities, including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (also known as TIPS), municipal inflation-indexed bonds, and corporate inflation-indexed bonds, or in derivatives that are linked to these securities. TIPS are inflation-linked bonds issued by the U.S. Government. Inflation-linked bonds may also be issued by, or related to, sovereign governments of other developed countries, emerging market countries, or companies or other entities not affiliated with governments.

 

Inflation- linked bonds are fixed-income securities whose interest and principal payments are periodically adjusted according to the rate of inflation. The inflation adjustment, which is typically applied monthly to the principal of the bond, follows a designated inflation index, such as the consumer price index. If an index measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will typically be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Because of their inflation adjustment feature, inflation-linked bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate bonds.

 

Inflation-linked bonds normally decline in price when real interest rates rise. In the event of deflation, when prices decline over time, the principal and income of inflation-linked bonds would likely decline, resulting in losses to a Fund.

 

In the case of TIPS, repayment of original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed. When TIPS mature, the holder is paid the adjusted principal or original principal, whichever is greater. For inflation-linked bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value or maturity amount of the inflation-linked bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.

 

Inflation-Related Investments Risk

Inflation-linked swaps, inflation-linked bonds (including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, also known as TIPS), and other inflation-linked securities are subject to inflation risk. A swap held long by a Fund can potentially lose value if the rate of inflation over the life of the swap is less than the fixed rate that the Fund agrees to pay at the initiation of the swap. Except for a Fund’s investments in TIPS, which are guaranteed as to principal by the U.S. Treasury, the inflation-adjusted principal value of inflation-linked bonds repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal. Because of their inflation-linked adjustment feature, inflation-linked bonds typically have lower yields than conventional fixed-rate securities. In the event of deflation, where prices decline over time, the principal and income of inflation-linked bonds will likely decline, resulting in losses to a Fund.

 

Inverse Floaters

Inverse floaters are debt instruments whose interest bears an inverse relationship to the interest rate on another security. Similar to variable and floating rate obligations, effective use of inverse floaters requires skills different from those needed to select most portfolio securities. If movements in interest rates are incorrectly anticipated, a Fund could lose money, or its NAV could decline by the use of inverse floaters. Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF will not invest more than 5% of its assets in inverse floaters.

 

Investment Company Securities

From time to time, a Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act or as otherwise permitted by the SEC. Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act prohibits a Fund from acquiring: (i) more than 3% of another investment company’s voting stock; (ii) securities of another investment company with a value in excess of 5% of a Fund’s total assets; or (iii) securities of such other investment company and all other investment companies owned by a Fund having a value in excess of 10% of the Fund’s total assets. In addition, Section 12(d)(1) prohibits another investment company from selling its shares to a Fund if, after the sale: (i) the Fund owns more than 3% of the other investment company’s voting stock or (ii) the Fund and other investment companies, and companies controlled by them, own more than 10% of the voting stock of such other investment company. To the extent a Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds managed by the Adviser, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G). A Fund may invest in other investment companies beyond these statutory limits to the extent the Fund abides by certain conditions of Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. A Fund may invest its cash holdings in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate pursuant to the provision of the 1940 Act that governs the operation of money market funds as part of a cash sweep program. A Fund may purchase unlimited shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds and of other funds managed by the Adviser, whether registered or unregistered entities, as permitted by the 1940 Act and rules promulgated thereunder.

 

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To the extent a Fund invests in money market funds or other funds, such Fund will be subject to the same risks that investors experience when investing in such other funds. These risks may include the impact of significant fluctuations in assets as a result of the cash sweep program or purchase and redemption activity by affiliated or non-affiliated shareholders in such other funds. Additionally, to the extent that the Adviser serves as the investment adviser to underlying funds or investment vehicles in which a Fund may invest, the Adviser may have conflicting interests in fulfilling its fiduciary duties to both the Fund and the underlying funds or investment vehicles. Money market funds are open-end registered investment companies. Money market funds that meet the definition of a retail money market fund or government money market fund compute their price per share using the amortized cost method of valuation to seek to maintain a stable $1.00 price per share, and money market funds that do not meet the definitions of a retail money market fund or government money market fund transact at a floating NAV per share (similar to all other non-money market mutual funds). Money market funds may impose liquidity fees because of market conditions or other factors. Amendments to money market fund regulation could impact the trading and value of money market instruments, which may negatively affect a Fund’s return potential.

 

As a shareholder of another investment company, a Fund would bear its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the expenses the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation. The market prices of ETFs and closed-end funds will fluctuate in accordance with both changes in the market value of their underlying portfolio investments and due to supply and demand for the instruments on the exchanges on which they are traded (which may result in their trading at a discount or premium to their NAVs). If the market price of shares of an ETF or closed-end fund decreases below the price that a Fund paid for the shares and the Fund were to sell its shares of such investment company at a time when the market price is lower than the price at which it purchased the shares, the Fund would experience a loss.

 

Labeled Bonds

Certain Funds may invest in “labeled bonds” which include debt where the proceeds have been specifically earmarked for ESG-themed purposes (“Use of Proceeds” bonds), or the returns are specifically tied to defined sustainable or environmental key performance indicators (“KPI-linked bonds”). As the labeled bond market is relatively new and continues to evolve, the type and structure of such investments, as well as the criteria used to define them, may change in the future. Labeled bonds may be structured in various ways including, but not limited to:

 

Covered Bond. Proceeds from the issuance of the bonds are earmarked for eligible green, social or other sustainable projects included in the covered pool.

 

Loan Interests. Proceeds from the loan are earmarked for eligible green, social or other sustainable projects or secured on eligible assets.

 

Project Bond. Proceeds from the issuance of the bonds are ring-fenced for a specific underlying green, social or other sustainable projects.

 

Securitization Bond. Proceeds from the issuance of the bonds are used to refinance portfolios of green projects or proceeds are earmarked for green, social or other sustainable projects.

 

Use of Proceeds Bonds. Proceeds from the issuance of these bonds (or other revenue streams associated with the bonds) are earmarked for green, social or other sustainable projects.

 

Other debt instruments (e.g., convertible bonds or notes or commercial paper) are where proceeds are earmarked for eligible green, social or other sustainable projects.

 

Loans

Certain Funds may invest in various commercial loans, including bank loans, bridge loans, debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) loans, mezzanine loans, and other fixed and floating rate loans. The loans in which a Fund may invest may be denominated in U.S. or non-U.S. currencies, including the euro. Some of a Fund’s bank loan investments may be deemed illiquid and therefore would be subject to the Fund’s limit of investing up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets, when combined with the Fund’s other illiquid investments.

 

Bank Loans. Bank loans are obligations of companies or other entities that are typically issued in connection with recapitalizations, acquisitions, and refinancings, and may be offered on a public or private basis. These investments may include institutionally-traded floating and fixed-rate debt securities. Bank loans often involve borrowers with low credit ratings whose financial conditions are troubled or uncertain, including companies that are highly leveraged and may

 

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be distressed or involved in bankruptcy proceedings. A Fund generally invests in bank loans directly through an agent, either by assignment from another holder of the loan or as a participation interest in another holder’s portion of the loan. A Fund may also purchase interests and/or servicing or similar rights in such loans. Assignments and participations involve credit risk, interest rate risk, and liquidity risk. To the extent a Fund invests in non-U.S. bank loan investments, those investments are subject to the risks of foreign investment. Some bank loans may be purchased on a “when issued” basis.

 

When a Fund purchases an assignment, the Fund generally assumes all the rights and obligations under the loan agreement and will generally become a “lender” for purposes of the particular loan agreement. The rights and obligations acquired by a Fund under an assignment may be different, and be more limited, than those held by an assigning lender. Subject to the terms of a loan agreement, a Fund may enforce compliance by a borrower with the terms of the loan agreement and may have rights with respect to any funds acquired by other lenders through set-off. If a loan is foreclosed, a Fund may become part owner of any collateral securing the loan and may bear the costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of any collateral. The Fund could be held liable as a co-lender. In addition, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the borrower’s obligations or that the collateral could be liquidated.

 

If a Fund purchases a participation interest, it typically will have a contractual relationship with the lender and not with the borrower. The Fund may only be able to enforce its rights through the lender and may assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender, or any other intermediate participant. The Fund may have the right to receive payments of principal, interest, and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. The failure by the Fund to receive scheduled interest or principal payments may adversely affect the income of the Fund and may likely reduce the value of its assets, which would be reflected by a reduction in the Fund’s NAV.

 

The borrower of a loan in which a Fund holds an assignment or participation interest may, either at its own election or pursuant to the terms of the loan documentation, prepay amounts of the loan from time to time. There is no assurance that the Fund will be able to reinvest the proceeds of any loan prepayment at the same interest rate or on the same terms as those of the original loan participation. This may result in the Fund realizing less income on a particular investment and replacing the loan with a less attractive security, which may provide less return to the Fund.

 

Bridge Loans. Bridge Loans are short-term loan arrangements (e.g., 12 to 36 months) typically made by an issuer in anticipation of intermediate-term or long-term permanent financing. Most Bridge Loans are structured as floating-rate debt with step-up provisions under which the interest rate on the Bridge Loan rises the longer the Loan remains outstanding. In addition, Bridge Loans commonly contain a conversion feature that allows the Bridge Loan investor to convert its loan interest to senior exchange notes if the loan has not been prepaid in full on or prior to its maturity date. Bridge Loans typically are structured as senior loans but may be structured as subordinated loans.

 

Debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) Loans. DIP Loans are made to companies at the onset of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring. A DIP loan provides immediate cash needs to the company as well as subsequent working capital needs to allow the company to continue operating as a normal business during bankruptcy proceedings. The DIP loan will generally have a first lien on the company’s working capital, second liens on property already secured by other lenders, and first liens on all assets owned by the company which are not encumbered by a lien from another lender. Because the DIP loan is high in the company’s capital structure during the Chapter 11 process, these loans generally have lower risk.

 

Mezzanine Loans. Mezzanine loans are not secured by a mortgage on the underlying real property but rather by a pledge of equity interests (such as a partnership or limited liability company) in the property owner that has control over the property. Generally, mezzanine loans may be more highly leveraged than other types of loans and subordinate in the capital structure of the issuer. While foreclosure of a mezzanine loan generally takes substantially less time than foreclosure of a traditional mortgage, the holders of a mezzanine loan have different remedies available versus the holder of a first lien mortgage loan. In addition, a sale of the underlying real property would not be unencumbered, and thus would be subject to encumbrances by more senior mortgages and liens of other creditors. Upon foreclosure of a mezzanine loan, the holder of the mezzanine loan acquires an equity interest in the issuer. However, because of the subordinate nature of a mezzanine loan, the real property continues to be subject to the lien of the mortgage and other liens encumbering the actual real property. To the extent that the amount of mortgages and senior indebtedness and liens exceed the value of the real property, the collateral underlying a mezzanine loan may have little or no value.

 

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Mortgage Dollar Rolls

A mortgage dollar roll transaction involves a Fund selling a mortgage-related security (such as a Ginnie Mae security) to a dealer and simultaneously agrees to repurchase a similar security (but not the same security) in the future at a predetermined price. A “dollar roll” can be viewed, like a reverse repurchase agreement, as a collateralized borrowing in which a Fund pledges a mortgage-related security to a dealer to obtain cash. Unlike in the case of reverse repurchase agreements, the dealer with which a Fund enters into a dollar roll transaction is not obligated to return the same securities as those originally sold by the Fund, but only securities which are “substantially identical.” To be considered “substantially identical,” the securities returned to a Fund generally must: (i) be collateralized by the same types of underlying mortgages; (ii) be issued by the same agency and be part of the same program; (iii) have a similar original stated maturity; (iv) have identical net coupon rates; (v) have similar market yields (and, therefore, price); and (vi) satisfy “good delivery” requirements, meaning that the aggregate principal amounts of the securities delivered and received back must be within 2.5% of the initial amount delivered.

 

Under certain circumstances, an underlying mortgage-backed security that is part of a dollar roll transaction may be considered illiquid. During the roll period, a Fund foregoes principal and interest paid on the mortgage-backed security. A Fund is compensated by the difference between the current sale price and the lower forward purchase price, often referred to as the “drop,” as well as the interest earned on the cash proceeds of the initial sale.

 

Successful use of mortgage dollar rolls depends on the Fund’s ability to predict mortgage supply dynamics, mortgage prepayments, and short-term Federal Reserve interest rate policy. Dollar roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities a Fund is required to purchase may decline below the agreed upon repurchase price.

 

Municipal Obligations

Certain Funds may invest in municipal obligations issued by states, territories, and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia. The municipal obligations which a Fund may purchase include general obligation bonds and limited obligation bonds (or revenue bonds) and private activity bonds. In addition, a Fund may invest in securities issued by entities whose underlying assets are municipal bonds. General obligation bonds are obligations involving the credit of an issuer possessing taxing power and are payable from such issuer’s general revenues and not from any particular source. Limited obligation bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Tax-exempt private activity bonds generally are also revenue bonds and thus are not payable from the issuer’s general revenues.

 

The value of municipal obligations can be affected by changes in their actual or perceived credit quality. The credit quality of municipal obligations can be affected by, among other things, the financial condition of the issuer or guarantor, the issuer’s current financial obligations, the issuer’s future borrowing plans and sources of revenue, the economic feasibility of the revenue bond project or general borrowing purpose, political or economic developments in the region where the security is issued, and the liquidity of the security. Because municipal securities are generally traded over-the-counter, the liquidity of a particular issue often depends on the willingness of dealers to make a market in the security. The liquidity of some municipal obligations may be enhanced by demand features, which would enable a Fund to demand payment on short notice from the issuer or a financial intermediary.

 

A Fund may invest in longer-term municipal obligations that give the investor the right to “put” or sell the security at par (face value) within a specified number of days following the investor’s request – usually one to seven days. This demand feature enhances a security’s liquidity by shortening its effective maturity and enables it to trade at a price equal to or very close to par. If a demand feature terminates prior to being exercised, a Fund would hold the longer-term security, which could experience substantially more volatility.

 

Operational Risk

An investment in a Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect a Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on a Fund. While each Fund seek to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third party service providers, there is no guarantee that a Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

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Options on Securities, Securities Indices & Foreign Currencies

Certain Fund may write (sell) call and put options on any securities in which it may invest or on any securities index composed of securities in which it may invest. A Fund may write such options on securities that are listed on national domestic securities exchanges or foreign securities exchanges or traded in the over-the-counter market.

 

Call Options. A call option written by a Fund obligates that Fund to sell specified securities to the holder of the option at a specified price if the option is exercised on or before a certain date in the future (“the expiration date”). Depending upon the type of call option, the purchaser of a call option either (i) has the right to any appreciation in the value of the security over a fixed price (the “exercise price”) on the expiration date or (ii) has the right to any appreciation in the value of the security over the exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option.

 

If the purchaser exercises the option, a Fund pays the purchaser the difference between the price of the security and the exercise price of the option. The premium, the exercise price, and the market value of the security determine the gain or loss realized by a Fund as the seller of the call option.

 

A Fund’s purpose in writing call options is to realize greater income than would be realized on portfolio securities transactions alone. However, a Fund may forego the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the underlying security.

 

Put Options. A put option written by a Fund obligates that Fund to purchase specified securities from the option holder at a specified price if the option is exercised on or before the expiration date.

 

The purpose of writing such options is to generate additional income for the Fund. However, in return for the option premium, each Fund accepts the risk that it may be required to purchase the underlying securities at a price in excess of the securities’ market value at the time of purchase.

 

Options on Foreign Currency. A Fund may, to the extent that it invests in foreign securities, write and purchase put and call options on foreign currencies for the purpose of protecting against declines in the U.S. dollar value of foreign portfolio securities and against increases in the U.S. dollar cost of foreign securities to be acquired. As with other kinds of option transactions, the writing of an option on foreign currency will constitute only a partial hedge, up to the amount of the premium received. If an option that a Fund has written is exercised, the Fund could be required to purchase or sell foreign currencies at disadvantageous exchange rates, thereby incurring losses.

 

The purchase of an option on foreign currency may constitute an effective hedge against exchange rate fluctuations; however, in the event of exchange rate movements adverse to a Fund’s position, the Fund may forfeit the entire amount of the premium and related transaction costs.

 

Options on foreign currencies may be traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges or over-the-counter.

 

Options on currency may also be used for cross–hedging purposes, which involves writing or purchasing options on one currency to seek to hedge against changes in exchange rates for a different currency. A Fund may also seek to increase total return when portfolio management anticipates that the currency will appreciate or depreciate in value.

 

In addition to using options for the hedging purposes, certain Funds are permitted to use options on currency to seek to increase total return. These Funds may write (sell) put and call options on any currency in an attempt to realize greater income than would be realized on portfolio securities transactions alone.

 

Options on Securities Indices. A Fund may also write (sell) call and put options on any securities index comprised of securities in which it may invest. Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. In addition, securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.

 

A Fund would purchase put and call options on securities indices for the same purposes as it would purchase options on individual securities.

 

Closing Purchase Transactions. A Fund may terminate its obligations under a call or put option by purchasing a “closing purchase transactions.” A Fund may enter into closing sale transactions in order to realize gains or minimize losses.

 

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Option Transaction Risk

The writing and purchasing of options is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of options to seek to increase total return involves the risk of loss if portfolio management is incorrect in its expectation of securities prices or interest rates. The successful use of options for hedging purposes also depends in part on the ability of portfolio management to manage the degree of correlation between the options and securities (or currency) markets. If portfolio management is incorrect in its expectation a Fund may incur losses that it would not otherwise incur.

 

There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an options exchange will exist for any particular exchange–traded option or at any particular time. If a Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to options it has written, the Fund must sell the underlying securities to purchasers of the options if the options are exercised. Similarly, if a Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options it has purchased, it will have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit and will incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of underlying securities.

 

Reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange include the following: (i) there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening or closing transactions or both; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options; (iv) unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”) may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or (vi) 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 on that exchange that had been issued by the OCC as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.

 

Each Fund may purchase and sell both options that are traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges and options traded over-the-counter with financial intermediaries who make markets in these options. The ability to terminate over-the-counter options is more limited than with exchange-traded options and may involve the risk that financial intermediary participating in such transactions will not fulfill their obligations.

 

The writing of options could increase a Fund’s portfolio turnover rate and, therefore, increase associated brokerage commissions or spreads.

 

Pass-Through Securities

Certain Funds may invest in various types of pass-through securities, such as commercial and residential mortgage-backed securities, which include CMOs and REMIC pass-through or mortgage participation certificates, asset-backed securities, credit-linked trust certificates, traded custody receipts, and participation interests. A pass-through security is a share or certificate of interest in a pool of debt obligations that have been repackaged by an intermediary, such as a bank or broker-dealer. The purchaser of a pass-through security receives an undivided interest in the underlying pool of securities. The issuers of the underlying securities make interest and principal payments to the intermediary, which are passed through to purchasers, such as the Funds.

 

Other Types of Pass-Through Securities. The Funds also may invest in other types of pass-through securities, such as credit-linked trust certificates, traded custody receipts, and participation interests. Holders of the interests are entitled to receive distributions of interest, principal, and other payments on each of the underlying debt securities (less expenses), and in some cases distributions of the underlying debt securities. The underlying debt securities have a specified maturity but are subject to prepayment risk because if an issuer prepays the principal, a Fund may have additional cash to invest at a time when prevailing interest rates have declined and reinvestment of such additional funds is made at a lower rate. The value of the underlying debt securities may change due to changes in market interest rates. If interest rates rise, the value of the underlying debt securities, and therefore the value of the pass-through security, may decline. If the underlying debt securities are high-yield securities, the risks associated with high-yield securities discussed in this SAI and in the Funds’ Prospectuses may apply.

 

Performance Indexed Paper

Performance indexed paper is U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper the yield of which is linked to certain foreign exchange rate movements. The yield to the investor on performance indexed paper is established at maturity as a function of spot exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a designated currency as of or about that time (generally, the index maturity two days prior to maturity). The yield to the investor will be within a range stipulated at the time of purchase of the

 

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obligation, generally with a guaranteed minimum rate of return that is below, and a potential maximum rate of return that is above, market yields on U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper, with both the minimum and maximum rates of return on the investment corresponding to the minimum and maximum values of the spot exchange rate two business days prior to maturity.

 

Perpetual Bonds

Perpetual bonds offer a fixed return with no maturity date. Because they never mature, perpetual bonds can be more volatile than other types of bonds that have a maturity date and may have heightened sensitivity to changes in interest rates. An issuer of perpetual bonds is responsible for coupon payments in perpetuity but does not have to redeem the securities. Perpetual bonds may be callable after a set period of time. It is possible that one or more perpetual bonds in which a Fund invests will be characterized as equity rather than debt for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Where such perpetual bonds are issued by non-U.S. issuers, they may be treated in turn as equity securities of a “passive foreign investment company.”

 

Preferred Stock

A preferred stock represents an ownership interest in a company, but pays dividends at a specific rate and has priority over common stock in payment of dividends and liquidation claims. Preferred stock dividends are generally cumulative, noncumulative, or participating. “Cumulative” dividend provisions require all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends can be paid to the issuer’s common stock. “Participating” preferred stock may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. Like debt securities, the value of a preferred stock often fluctuates more in response to changes in interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer, rather than in response to changes in the issuer’s profitability and business prospects. Preferred stock is subject to similar risks as common stock and debt securities.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities

Private placements are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. These securities may also include initial public offerings (“IPO”) where a Fund participates as an anchor or cornerstone investor (“Cornerstone Investor”) wherein it agrees, prior to a company’s IPO, to acquire a certain dollar amount of the IPO securities (“Cornerstone IPOs”). Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. These securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, the prices of these securities may be more volatile and more difficult to determine than publicly traded securities and these securities may involve heightened risk as compared to investments in securities of publicly traded companies. Further, companies whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that would be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. Accordingly, private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses.

 

Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be illiquid, and it frequently can be difficult to sell them at a time when it may otherwise be desirable to do so or a Fund may be able to sell them only at prices that are less than what the Fund regards as their fair market value. A security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for private placements. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering such securities for sale and there may be substantial delays in effecting the registration. If, during such a delay, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed at the time it decided to seek registration of the securities. In addition, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other security exempt from certain registration requirements, so it may be less able to anticipate a loss. Also, if portfolio management receives material non-public information about the issuer, the Fund may, as a result, be legally prohibited from selling the securities.

 

Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may include securities issued through private offerings without registration with the SEC pursuant to Regulation S or Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Offerings of Regulation S securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Although Regulation S and Rule 144A securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the amounts received from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Funds.

 

Privately Issued Mortgage-Related Securities

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans created by commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers. Such issuers may be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as

 

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the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers.

 

Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets a Fund’s investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. A Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/ servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Funds’ quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable.

 

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool. The Funds’ investments in privately issued mortgage related securities may be backed by subprime mortgage loans.

 

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. A decline in real property values across the United States may exacerbate the level of losses that investors in privately issued mortgage-related securities have experienced. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

 

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held by a Fund may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.

 

A Fund may purchase privately issued mortgage-related securities that are originated, packaged and serviced by third party entities. It is possible these third parties could have interests that are in conflict with the holders of mortgage-related securities, and such holders (such as a Fund) could have rights against the third parties or their affiliates. For example, if a loan originator, servicer or its affiliates engaged in negligence or willful misconduct in carrying out its duties, then a holder of the mortgage-related security could seek recourse against the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable. Also, as a loan originator/servicer, the originator/servicer or its affiliates may make certain representations and warranties regarding the quality of the mortgages and properties underlying a mortgage-related security. If one or more of those representations or warranties is false, then the holders of the mortgage-related securities (such as a Fund) could trigger an obligation of the originator/servicer or its affiliates, as applicable, to repurchase the mortgages from the issuing trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, many of the third parties that are legally bound by trust and other documents have failed to perform their respective duties, as stipulated in such trust and other documents, and investors have had limited success in enforcing terms.

 

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Funds’ industry concentration restrictions by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. Government securities. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities, the Adviser takes the position that mortgage-related securities do not represent interests in any particular “industry” or group of industries. Therefore, privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to a Fund’s industry concentration restrictions. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans

 

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and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration or the Department of Veterans Affairs. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. Government securities nor U.S. Government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts and Real Estate-Linked Derivatives

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) are sometimes informally characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. In addition, a Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in real estate-linked derivatives and common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Investments in publicly traded REITs and real estate-linked derivatives are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value, fluctuations in rental income, possible environmental liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent, and other risks related to local or general economic conditions. Equity REITs generally experience these risks directly through fee or leasehold interests, whereas mortgage REITs generally experience these risks indirectly through mortgage interests, unless the mortgage REIT forecloses on the underlying real estate. Changes in interest rates may also affect the value of a Fund’s investment in publicly traded REITs. For instance, during periods of declining interest rates, certain mortgage REITs may hold mortgages that the mortgagors elect to prepay, and prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by those REITs.

 

Certain REITs have relatively small market capitalizations, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of their securities. Furthermore, publicly traded REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. Publicly traded REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code and to maintain exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act. By investing in publicly traded REITs indirectly through a Fund, a shareholder will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of a Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the publicly traded REITs. In addition, publicly traded REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders.

 

Regulation S Securities

Regulation S Securities are issued through private offerings without registration with the SEC pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act (“Regulation S Securities”). Offerings of Regulation S Securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Because Regulation S Securities are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale Regulation S Securities may be considered illiquid. If a Regulation S Security is determined to be illiquid, a Fund’s 15% of net assets limitation on investment in illiquid securities will apply.

 

Furthermore, because Regulation S Securities are generally less liquid than registered securities, a Fund may take longer to liquidate these positions than would be the case for publicly traded securities. Although Regulation S Securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the amounts received from these sales could be less than those originally paid by a Fund. Further, companies whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that would be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. Accordingly, Regulation S Securities may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses.

 

Regulatory Changes and Market Events and Risks

Federal, state, and foreign governments, regulatory agencies, and self regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the regulation of the Funds or the instruments in which the Funds invest, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Future legislation or regulation or other governmental actions could limit or preclude the Funds’ abilities to achieve their investment objectives or otherwise adversely impact an investment in the Funds. Furthermore, worsened market conditions, including as a result of U.S. government shutdowns or the perceived creditworthiness of the United States, could have a negative impact on securities markets.

 

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Economic downturns can prompt various economic, legal, budgetary, tax, and regulatory reforms across the globe. In the aftermath of the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the financial sector experienced reduced liquidity in credit and other fixed income markets, and an unusually high degree of volatility, both domestically and internationally. In response to the crisis, the United States and certain foreign governments, along with the U.S. Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks, took a number of unprecedented steps designed to support the financial markets, which provided for widespread regulation of the financial industry, including expanded federal oversight in the financial sector. The U.S. government and the Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and central banks, took extraordinary actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets may not work as intended.

 

Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries continue to impact many aspects of financial regulation. For example, some countries, including the United States, could adopt more protectionist trade policies and may affect the global economy in ways that cannot be presently foreseen.

 

The value and liquidity of a Fund’s holdings are also generally subject to the risk of significant future local, national, or global economic or political disruptions or slowdowns in the markets in which a Fund invests, especially given that the economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected and reliant on each other. In the event of such an occurrence, the issuers of securities held by a Fund may experience significant declines in the value of their assets and even cease operations, or may require government assistance that is contingent on increased restrictions on their business operations or their government interventions. In addition, it is not certain that the U.S. government or foreign governments will intervene in response to a future market disruption and the effect of any such future intervention cannot be predicted.

 

Widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, and natural or environmental disasters, including those which may be attributable to global climate change, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and weather-related phenomena generally have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a Fund’s investments. Economies and financial markets throughout the world have become increasingly interconnected, which increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or country will adversely affect markets or issuers in other regions or countries, including the United States. These disruptions could prevent a Fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner and negatively impact a Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective(s). Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value of a Fund’s assets. In addition, these disruptions could also impair the information technology and other operational systems upon which the Funds’ service providers, including the Adviser, rely, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of employees of the Funds’ service providers to perform essential tasks on behalf of the Funds.

 

Repurchase and Reverse Repurchase Agreements

In a repurchase agreement, a Fund purchases an equity or fixed-income security and simultaneously commits to resell that security to the seller at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon date within a number of days (usually not more than seven) from the date of purchase. The resale price consists of the purchase price plus an agreed upon incremental amount that is unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased security. A repurchase agreement involves the obligation of the seller to pay the agreed upon price, which obligation is in effect secured by the value (at least equal to the amount of the agreed upon resale price and marked-to-market daily) of the underlying security or “collateral.” A risk associated with repurchase agreements is the failure of the seller to repurchase the securities as agreed, which may cause a Fund to suffer a loss if the market value of such securities declines before they can be liquidated on the open market. In the event of bankruptcy or insolvency of the seller, a Fund may encounter delays and incur costs in liquidating the underlying security. In addition, the collateral received in the repurchase transaction may become worthless. To the extent a Fund’s collateral focuses in one or more sectors, such as banks and financial services, the Fund is subject to increased risk as a result of that exposure. Repurchase agreements that mature in more than seven calendar days are subject to the 15% limit on illiquid investments that are assets. While it is not possible to eliminate all risks from these transactions, it is the policy of the Funds to limit repurchase agreements to those parties whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the Adviser. There is no guarantee that the Adviser’s analysis of the creditworthiness of the counterparty will be accurate, and the underlying collateral involved in the transaction can expose a Fund to additional risk regardless of the creditworthiness of the parties involved in the transaction.

 

Reverse repurchase agreements are transactions in which a Fund sells an equity or fixed-income security and simultaneously commits to repurchase that security from the buyer, such as a bank or broker-dealer, at an agreed upon price on an agreed upon future date. The resale price in a reverse repurchase agreement reflects a market rate of interest that is not related to

 

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the coupon rate or maturity of the sold security. For certain demand agreements, there is no agreed upon repurchase date and interest payments are calculated daily, often based upon the prevailing overnight repurchase rate. The Funds will use the proceeds of reverse repurchase agreements only to satisfy unusually heavy redemption requests or for other temporary or emergency purposes without the necessity of selling portfolio securities, or to earn additional income on portfolio securities, such as Treasury bills or notes, or as part of an inflation-related investment strategy.

 

Generally, a reverse repurchase agreement enables a Fund to recover for the term of the reverse repurchase agreement all or most of the cash invested in the portfolio securities sold and to keep the interest income associated with those portfolio securities. Such transactions are only advantageous if the interest cost to a Fund of the reverse repurchase transaction is less than the cost of obtaining the cash otherwise. In addition, interest costs on the money received in a reverse repurchase agreement may exceed the return received on the investments made by a Fund with those monies. Using reverse repurchase agreements to earn additional income involves the risk that the interest earned on the invested proceeds is less than the expense of the reverse repurchase agreement transaction. This technique may also have a leveraging effect on a Fund’s portfolio. A Fund will enter into reverse repurchase agreements only with parties that the Adviser deems creditworthy. A Fund will limit its investments in reverse repurchase agreements to one-third or less of its total assets.

 

Risks of Investments in the Asian Region

Investing in the Asian region, or having indirect exposure to Asian securities through derivative investments, presents additional risks. A Fund’s investments in Asian issuers increases the Fund’s exposure to various risks including, but not limited to, risks associated with volatile securities markets, currency fluctuations, social, political, and regulatory developments, economic environmental events (such as natural disasters), and changes in tax or economic policies, each of which, among others, may be particular to Asian countries or regions.

 

If a Fund’s investments focus on Asian issuers, its investments will be more sensitive to social, financial, economic, political, and regulatory developments affecting the fiscal stability of a particular country and/or the broader region. Events that negatively affect the fiscal stability of a particular country and/or the broader region may cause the value of a Fund’s holdings to decrease, in some cases significantly. As a result, a Fund is likely to be more volatile than a fund that is more geographically diverse in its investments.

 

The Asian region within which a Fund may focus its investments comprises countries in various stages of economic and political development. As a result, some countries may have relatively unstable governments or may experience adverse conditions such as overextension of credit, currency devaluations and restrictions, less efficient markets, rising unemployment, high inflation, underdeveloped financial services sectors, heavy reliance on international trade, prolonged economic recessions, and political instability, including military disruption, which could result in significant downturns and volatility in the economies of Asian countries and therefore have an adverse effect on the value of a Fund’s portfolio. Certain Asian countries may be vulnerable to trade barriers and other protectionist measures. Some countries have restricted the flow of money in and out of the country. Further, if Asian securities fall out of favor, it may cause a Fund to underperform funds that do not focus their investments in a single region of the world.

 

It is also possible that from time to time, a small number of companies and industries may represent a large portion of the market in a particular country or region, and these companies and industries can be sensitive to social, financial, economic, political, and regulatory developments. The economies of the Asian countries in which a Fund invests may be interdependent, which could increase the possibility that conditions in one country will adversely impact the issuers of securities in a different country or region, or that the impact of such conditions will be experienced at the same time by the region as a whole. Likewise, the economies of the Asian region may also be dependent on the economies of other countries, such as the United States and Europe, and events in these economies could negatively impact the economies of the Asian region. The trading volume on some Asian stock exchanges tends to be much lower than in the United States, and Asian securities of some companies are less liquid and more volatile than similar U.S. securities which could lead to a significant possibility of loss to a Fund. In addition, brokerage commissions on regional stock exchanges are fixed and are generally higher than the negotiated commissions in the United States.

 

Risk of Investing in Australia

Investments in Australian issuers may subject a Fund to loss in the event of adverse political, economic, regulatory and other developments that affect Australia, including fluctuations of Australian currency versus the U.S. dollar. Also, Australia is economically sensitive to environmental events and is located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural disasters, such as drought and flooding. Any such event in the future could have a significant adverse impact on the Australian economy. The Australian economy is dependent on trading with key trading partners, including the United

 

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States, China, Japan, Singapore, and certain European countries. Economic events in the United States, Asia, or in other key trading countries or regions can have a significant economic effect on the Australian economy and companies or issuers to which a Fund has exposure. In addition, the economy of Australia is heavily dependent on the price and demand for natural resources and commodities as well as its exports from the agricultural and mining sectors. Conditions that weaken demand for such products worldwide could have a negative impact on the Australian economy as a whole.

 

Risk of Investing in Eastern Europe

Investing in the securities of issuers located or operating in Eastern Europe is highly speculative and involves risks not usually associated with investing in the more developed markets. Certain Eastern European countries have high public debt levels, significant underground economies, high unemployment and emigration of skilled workers. Such countries generally have a history of political instability, limited infrastructure and an inefficient public sector prone to endemic corruption. Political and economic reforms are too recent to establish a definite trend away from centrally planned economies and state-owned industries. In the past, some Eastern European governments have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and many claims of the property owners have never been fully settled.

 

Many Eastern European countries continue to move toward market economies at different paces with different characteristics. Many Eastern European securities markets are generally underdeveloped with low, irregular trading volumes, and dubious investor protections. Eastern European securities markets are generally subject to less government supervision and regulation and may be less liquid and more volatile than securities markets in the U.S. or Western European countries. Legal institutions governing private and foreign investments and private property may be relatively nascent, inefficient, and unevenly enforced or inequitably enforced. Certain Eastern European governments may exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector and may own or control many companies. Future government actions could have a significant effect on the economic conditions in such countries, which could have a negative impact on a Fund’s investments. Information and transaction costs, differential taxes, and sometimes political or transfer risk give a comparative advantage to the domestic investor rather than the foreign investor.

 

Eastern European economies may also be particularly susceptible to changes in the international credit markets due to their reliance on bank related inflows of capital. Changes to the economies of countries with substantial foreign direct investment in certain Eastern European countries may negatively affect the region’s economy. The economy of certain Eastern European countries may be adversely affected by global prices for manufactured goods or commodity price declines to the extent that a country relies on the export of such products.

 

Geopolitical events, including war, and other instability in certain Eastern European countries may cause uncertainty in the region’s financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which the Fund has exposure. These markets may be particularly sensitive to social, political, economic, and currency events in Russia and may suffer heavy losses as a result of their trading and investment links to the Russian economy and currency. Russia has historically asserted its influence in the region.

 

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets

Developing countries or emerging market countries include, but are not limited to, countries included in the International Monetary Fund’s (“IMF’s”) list of Emerging and Developing Economies. Investing in emerging markets involves certain risks not typically associated with investing in the United States and imposes risks greater than, or in addition to, the risks associated with investing in securities of more developed foreign countries as previously discussed under “Foreign Securities.” The prices of investments in emerging markets can experience sudden and sharp price swings. In many developing markets, there is less government supervision and regulation of business and industry practices (including the potential lack of strict finance and accounting controls and standards), stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in more developed markets. Similarly, issuers in such markets may not be subject to regulatory, disclosure, accounting, auditing, and financial reporting and recordkeeping standards comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject. Information about emerging markets companies, including financial information, may be less available or reliable and a Fund’s ability to conduct due diligence with respect to such companies may be limited. In addition, certain emerging market jurisdictions may materially restrict the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s (“PCAOB”) inspection, investigation and enforcement capabilities which impairs the ability to conduct independent oversight or inspection of accounting firms located in or operating in certain emerging markets; therefore, there is no guarantee that the quality of financial reporting or the audits conducted by audit firms of emerging market issuers meet PCAOB standards. Accordingly, these investments may be potentially more volatile in price and less liquid than investments in developed securities markets, resulting in greater risk to investors. There is a risk in developing countries that a current or future economic or political crisis could

 

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lead to price controls, forced mergers of companies, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, imposition or enforcement of foreign ownership limits, seizure, nationalization, sanctions or imposition of restrictions by various governmental entities on investment and trading, or creation of government monopolies, any of which may have a detrimental effect on a Fund’s investments.

 

Many emerging market countries have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation or deflation for many years, and future inflation may adversely affect the economies and securities markets of such countries. In addition, the economies of developing countries tend to be heavily dependent upon international trade and, as such, have been, and may continue to be, adversely impacted by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values, and other protectionist measures. Developing countries may also experience a higher level of exposure and vulnerability to the adverse effects of climate change. This may be attributed to both the geographic location of emerging market countries and/or a country’s lack of access to technology or resources to adjust and adapt to its effects. An increased occurrence and severity of natural disasters and extreme weather events such as droughts and decreased crop yields, heat waves, flooding and rising sea levels, and increased spread of disease, could cause harmful effects to the performance of affected economies. These economies also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they do business. Emerging markets may be subject to a higher degree of corruption and fraud than developed markets, and financial institutions and transaction counterparties may have less financial sophistication, creditworthiness and/or resources than participants in developed markets.

 

The securities markets of many of the emerging market countries in which a Fund may invest may also be smaller, less liquid, and subject to greater price volatility than those in the United States. Moreover, the legal remedies for investors in emerging markets or other legal systems to ensure orderly enforcement of property interests such as bankruptcy may be more limited than the remedies available in the United States. Additionally, the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., the SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors may be limited. A shareholder’s ability to bring and enforce legal actions in emerging market countries, or to obtain information needed to pursue or enforce such actions, may be limited and as a result such claims may be difficult or impossible to pursue. In the event of a default on any investments in foreign debt obligations, it may be more difficult for a Fund to obtain or to enforce a judgment against the issuers of such securities.

 

In addition, there may be little financial or accounting information available with respect to issuers of emerging market securities, and it may be difficult as a result to assess the value of an investment in such securities. Further, a Fund’s ability to participate fully in the smaller, less liquid emerging markets may be limited by the policy restricting its investments in illiquid securities. In addition, the taxation systems at the federal, regional and local levels in developing or emerging market countries may be less transparent and inconsistently enforced, and subject to sudden change. A Fund may be subject to emerging markets risk to the extent that it invests in securities of issuers or companies which are not considered to be from emerging markets, but which have customers, products, or transactions associated with emerging markets. Emerging market countries in which a Fund may invest include frontier market countries, which generally have smaller economies and even less developed capital markets than traditional developing markets, and, as a result, the risks of investing in developing market countries are magnified in frontier market countries. The magnification of risks are the result of: potential for extreme price volatility and illiquidity in frontier markets; government ownership or control of parts of private sector and of certain companies; trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which frontier market countries trade; and the relatively new and unsettled securities laws in many frontier market countries. Frontier market countries typically are located in the Asia-Pacific region, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Africa.

 

Risk of Investing in Europe

Investing in European countries may expose a Fund to the economic and political risks associated with Europe in general and the specific European countries in which it invests. The economies and markets of European countries are often closely connected and interdependent, and events in one European country can have an adverse impact on other European countries. A majority of western European and a number of eastern European countries are members of the European Union (“EU”). A number of countries in the EU have experienced, and may continue to experience, severe economic and financial difficulties. In particular, many EU nations are susceptible to economic risks associated with high levels of debt. Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on, or been forced to restructure, their debts. Many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing existing obligations. Financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit. As a result, financial markets in the EU have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. These difficulties may continue, worsen, or spread further within the EU. The Economic and Monetary Union

 

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of the European Union (“EMU”) is comprised of EU members that have adopted the euro currency (the “Eurozone”). By adopting the euro as its currency, a member state relinquishes control of its own monetary policies and is subject to fiscal and monetary controls imposed by the EMU. As a result, European countries may also be significantly affected by fiscal and monetary policies implemented by the EMU and European Central Bank. As economic conditions across the Eurozone may vary widely, it is possible that these controls may not adequately address the needs of all Eurozone members from time to time. These controls remove the Eurozone’s flexibility in implementing monetary policies to address regional economic conditions, which may impair their ability to respond to crises. The euro currency may not fully reflect the strengths and weaknesses of the various economies that comprise the Eurozone and Europe generally.

 

Certain countries in the EU have had to accept assistance from supra-governmental agencies such as the International Monetary Fund and the European Financial Service Facility. The European Central Bank has also been intervening to purchase Eurozone debt in an attempt to stabilize markets and reduce borrowing costs. Responses to these financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest, and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets, and asset valuations around the world.

 

In addition, certain European countries have at times experienced negative interest rates on certain fixed-income instruments. A negative interest rate policy is an unconventional central bank monetary policy tool where nominal target interest rates are set with a negative value (i.e., below zero percent) intended to help create self-sustaining growth in the local economy. Negative interest rates may result in heightened market volatility and may detract from a Fund’s performance to the extent the Fund is exposed to such interest rates.

 

One or more countries could abandon the euro and/or withdraw from the EU, which could weaken the EU and, by extension, its remaining members. In the event of one or more countries’ exit from the euro, it may be difficult to value investments denominated in euros or in a replacement currency. The United Kingdom formally left the EU in January 2020 (commonly known as “Brexit”) and entered into a new trade agreement with the EU, which became effective in January 2021. Significant economic and regulatory uncertainty caused by the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU has resulted in volatile markets for the United Kingdom and broader international financial markets. In addition, financial markets may experience among other things, greater illiquidity, currency fluctuations, and decline in cross-border investment between the United Kingdom and the EU, and lower economic growth for companies that relied significantly on the United Kingdom and/or the EU for their business activities and revenues. Accordingly, there remains a risk that the aftermath of Brexit, including its ongoing effect on the United Kingdom’s relations with other countries, including the United States, and with the EU, may negatively impact the value of investments held by the Funds. In addition, any further exits from the EU, or an increase in the belief that such exits are likely or possible, would likely cause additional market disruption globally and introduce new legal and regulatory uncertainties.

 

Among other things, these developments have adversely affected the value and exchange rate of the euro and pound sterling, and may continue to significantly affect the economies of all EU countries, which in turn may have a material adverse effect on a Fund’s investments in such countries, other countries that depend on EU countries for significant amounts of trade or investment, or issuers with exposure to debt issued by certain EU countries. While many countries in western Europe are considered to have developed markets, many eastern European countries are less developed. Investments in eastern European countries, even if denominated in euros, may involve special risks associated with investments in emerging markets. Securities markets of emerging market economies may be less efficient and may have lower trading volume, lower liquidity, and higher volatility than more developed markets. Many eastern European economies remain particularly sensitive to social, political, and economic conditions within the region and may, in particular, given its proximity and historical ties, be adversely affected by events in Russia, including changes to the Russian economy or currency (including as the result of sanctions), or attempts by Russia to assert its influence through economic, political, or military measures (such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine beginning in late February 2022). Many eastern European countries are also highly dependent on exports to western Europe, making them particularly vulnerable to demand in that region. Many eastern European countries had centrally planned socialist economies for a substantial period of time, and there can be no assurance that more recent political and economic efforts to transition to market-based economies will be successful. As a result, investments in eastern European countries may involve heightened risks of expropriation or nationalization. Many eastern European countries are heavily reliant on credit from western Europe, and those countries have faced significant challenges in the wake of the global economic crisis.

 

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Risks of Investments in Latin American

In addition to the risks listed under “Foreign Securities” and “Emerging Markets,” investing in Latin American countries, or having indirect exposure to Latin American securities through derivative investments, presents additional risks. Many Latin American countries have experienced, at one time or another, considerable difficulties, including high inflation and high interest rates. In addition, the economies of many Latin American countries are sensitive to fluctuations in commodities prices because exports of agricultural products, minerals, and metals represent a significant percentage of Latin American exports.

 

Some Latin American currencies have experienced steady devaluations relative to the U.S. dollar and certain Latin American countries have had to make major adjustments in their currencies from time to time. In addition, governments of many Latin American 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 Latin American countries, which could affect the companies in which a Fund invests and, therefore, the value of Fund shares. As noted above, in the past, many Latin American countries have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. For companies that keep accounting records in the local currency, inflation accounting rules in some Latin American countries require, for both tax and accounting purposes, that certain assets and liabilities be restated on the company’s balance sheet in order to express items in terms of currency of constant purchasing power. Inflation accounting may indirectly generate losses or profits for certain Latin American companies. Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and could have, in the future, very negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain Latin American countries.

 

Substantial limitations may exist in certain countries with respect to a Fund’s ability to repatriate investment income, capital, or the proceeds of sales of securities. A Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a 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.

 

Certain Latin American countries have entered into regional trade agreements that are designed to, among other things, reduce barriers between countries, increase competition among companies, and reduce government subsidies in certain industries. No assurance can be given that these changes will be successful in the long term, or that these changes will result in the economic stability intended. There is a possibility that these trade arrangements will not be fully implemented, or will be partially or completely unwound. It is also possible that a significant participant could choose to abandon a trade agreement, which could diminish its credibility and influence. Any of these occurrences could have adverse effects on the markets of both participating and non-participating countries, including sharp appreciation or depreciation of participants’ national currencies and a significant increase in exchange rate volatility, a resurgence in economic protectionism, an undermining of confidence in the Latin American markets, an undermining of Latin American economic stability, the collapse or slowdown of the drive towards Latin American economic unity, and/or reversion of the attempts to lower government debt and inflation rates that were introduced in anticipation of such trade agreements. Such developments could have an adverse impact on the Fund’s investments in Latin America generally or in specific countries participating in such trade agreements.

 

Other Latin American market risks 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 Latin American countries may be less extensive than those available to investors in the United States or other foreign countries.

 

Risk of Investing in the Middle East Region

Many Middle Eastern countries have little or no democratic tradition, and the political and legal systems in such countries may have an adverse impact on a Fund. Many economies in the Middle East are highly reliant on income from the sale of oil and natural gas or trade with countries involved in the sale of oil and natural gas, and their economies are therefore vulnerable to changes in the market for oil and natural gas and foreign currency values. As global demand for oil and natural gas fluctuates, many Middle Eastern economies may be significantly impacted.

 

Certain Middle Eastern countries may be heavily dependent upon international trade and, consequently, have been and may continue to be negatively affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which they trade. These countries also have been and may continue to be adversely impacted by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade. In addition, certain issuers located in Middle Eastern countries in which a Fund invests may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions and/or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government and the United Nations, and/or countries identified

 

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by the U.S. government as state sponsors of terrorism. As a result, an issuer may sustain damage to its reputation if it is identified as an issuer which operates in, or has dealings with, such countries. A Fund, as an investor in such issuers, will be indirectly subject to those risks.

 

Certain Middle Eastern countries have strained relations with other Middle Eastern countries due to territorial disputes, historical animosities, international alliances, defense concerns or other reasons, which may adversely affect the economies of these Middle Eastern countries. Certain Middle Eastern countries experience significant unemployment, as well as widespread underemployment. There has also been a recent increase in recruitment efforts and an aggressive push for territorial control by terrorist groups in the region, which has led to an outbreak of warfare and hostilities. Warfare in the region has spread throughout and such hostilities may continue into the future or may escalate at any time due to ethnic, racial, political, religious or ideological tensions between groups in the region or foreign intervention or lack of intervention, among other factors.

 

Risk of Investing in the People’s Republic of China

Investing in the PRC, or having indirect exposure to the PRC through derivative investments, presents additional risks. These additional risks include (without limitation): (i) inefficiencies resulting from erratic growth; (ii) the unavailability of consistently-reliable economic data; (iii) potentially high rates of inflation; (iv) dependence on exports and international trade; (v) relatively high levels of asset price volatility; (vi) small market capitalization and less liquidity; (vii) greater competition from regional economies; (viii) fluctuations in currency exchange rates, particularly in light of the relative lack of currency hedging instruments and controls on the ability to exchange local currency for U.S. dollars; (ix) the relatively small size and absence of operating history of many Chinese companies; (x) the developing nature of the legal and regulatory framework for securities markets, custody arrangements and commerce; (xi) uncertainty with respect to the commitment of the government of the PRC to economic reforms; and (xii) the imposition of sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government.

 

PRC political uncertainty, military intervention and political corruption could reverse market and economic reform, privatization and removal of trade barriers, and could result in significant disruption to global securities markets. Reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, the imposition of tariffs or other trade barriers by the United States or other foreign governments on exports from the PRC, or a downturn in any of the economies of the PRC’s key trading partners may also have an adverse impact on Chinese issuers and the PRC’s economy as a whole. The current political climate has intensified concerns about trade tariffs and a potential trade war between the PRC and the United States. These consequences may trigger a significant reduction in international trade, the oversupply of certain manufactured goods, substantial price reductions of goods, and possible failure of individual companies and/or large segments of the PRC’s export industry with a potentially negative impact to a Fund.

 

The PRC is dominated by the one-party rule of the Communist Party. Investments in the PRC are subject to risks associated with greater governmental control over and involvement in the economy. The PRC manages its currency at artificial levels relative to the U.S. dollar rather than at levels determined by the market. This type of system can lead to sudden and large adjustments in the currency, which, in turn, can have a disruptive and negative effect on foreign investors. The PRC also may restrict the free conversion of its currency into foreign currencies, including the U.S. dollar. Currency repatriation restrictions may have the effect of making securities and instruments tied to the PRC relatively illiquid, particularly in connection with redemption requests. In addition, the government of the PRC exercises significant control over economic growth through direct and heavy involvement in resource allocation and monetary policy, control over payment of foreign currency denominated obligations and provision of preferential treatment to particular industries and/or companies. Economic reform programs in the PRC have contributed to growth, but there is no guarantee that such reforms will continue.

 

Chinese companies, particularly those located in China, may lack, or have different, accounting and financial reporting standards, which may result in the unavailability of material information about Chinese issuers. PRC companies are required to follow Chinese accounting standards and practices, which may be less rigorous and significantly different than international accounting standards. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of a Chinese issuer may not reflect its financial position or results of operations in the way they would be reflected had such financial statements been prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Furthermore, the PCAOB has warned that it lacks the ability to inspect audit work and practices of PCAOB-registered auditing firms in China. This may result in inaccurate or incomplete financial records of an issuer’s operations within China, which may have a negative impact on a Fund’s investments in such companies.

 

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Natural disasters such as droughts, floods, earthquakes and tsunamis have plagued the PRC in the past, and the region’s economy may be affected by such environmental events in the future. A Fund’s investment in the PRC is, therefore, subject to the risk of such events (see “Geographic Investment Risk”). In addition, the relationship between the PRC and Taiwan is particularly sensitive, and hostilities between the PRC and Taiwan may present a risk to a Fund’s investments in the PRC.

 

Moreover, as demonstrated by recent protests in Hong Kong over political, economic, social, and legal freedoms, and the PRC government’s response to them, political uncertainty exists within Hong Kong and there is no guarantee that additional protests will not arise in the future. Hostilities between the PRC and Hong Kong may present a risk to a Fund’s investments in the PRC or Hong Kong.

 

Securities Listed on Chinese Stock Exchanges. These securities are divided into two classes of shares: China B Shares, which may be owned by both Chinese and foreign investors and China A Shares. China A Shares and other eligible securities (“Stock Connect Securities”) listed and traded on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (“SSE”) through the Shanghai – Hong Kong Stock Connect program, as well as eligible China A Shares listed and traded on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (“SZSE”) through the Shenzhen Hong Kong Stock Connect program (both programs collectively referred to herein as “Stock Connect”). Each of the SSE and SZSE are referred to as an “Exchange” and collectively as the “Exchanges” for purposes of this section. An investment in China A Shares is also generally subject to the risks identified under “Foreign Securities,” and foreign investment risks such as price controls, expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, and nationalization may be heightened when investing in China.

 

Stock Connect is a securities trading and clearing linked program developed by The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“SEHK”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (“HKEC”), the Exchanges, and the China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation Limited (“ChinaClear”) to permit mutual stock market access between mainland China and Hong Kong. Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited (“HKSCC”), a clearing house operated by HKEC, acts as nominee for participants, such as a fund, accessing Stock Connect Securities.

 

A primary feature of the Stock Connect program is the application of the home market’s laws and rules to investors in a security. Thus, investors in Stock Connect Securities are generally subject to Chinese securities regulations and the listing rules of the respective Exchange, among other restrictions. Since the relevant regulations governing Stock Connect Securities are relatively new and untested, they are subject to change and there is no certainty as to how they will be applied. In particular, the courts may consider that the nominee or custodian, as registered holder of Stock Connect Securities, has full ownership over the Stock Connect Securities rather than a fund as the underlying beneficial owner. HKSCC, as nominee holder, does not guarantee the title to Stock Connect Securities held through it and is under no obligation to enforce title or other rights associated with ownership on behalf of beneficial owners. Consequently, title to these securities, or the rights associated with them such as participation in corporate actions or shareholder meetings cannot be assured. In the event ChinaClear defaults, HKSCC’s liabilities under its market contracts with participants will be limited to assisting participants with claims and a fund may not fully recover its losses or the Stock Connect Securities it owns. Recovery of a fund’s property may also be subject to delays and expenses, which may be material. Further, investors are currently able to trade Stock Connect Securities only up to certain daily maximums. Buy orders and sell orders are offset for purposes of the daily quota, which is applied to all market participants and not specifically to the funds or investment manager. If the daily quota is reached or a stock is recalled from the scope of eligible stocks for trading via Stock Connect, a fund’s investment program would be adversely impacted.

 

Stock Connect will only operate on days when both the respective Exchange and SEHK are open for trading and when banks in both markets are open on the corresponding settlement days. Therefore, an investment in China A Shares through Stock Connect may subject a fund to a risk of price fluctuations on days where the Chinese market is open, but Stock Connect is not trading. Trading via Stock Connect is subject to trading, clearance and settlement procedures that are untested in China which could pose risks to a fund. Finally, the withholding tax treatment of dividends and capital gains payable to overseas investors currently is unsettled.

 

Variable Interest Entities. Variable Interest Entities structures (“VIE structures”) may subject a Fund to legal and regulatory uncertainties and additional risks. The VIE structure enables foreign investors, such as a Fund, to obtain exposure to a Chinese operating company in situations in which the Chinese government has limited or prohibited non-Chinese ownership of such company. The VIE structure does not involve equity ownership in a China-based company but rather involves claims to the China-based company’s profits and control of its assets through contractual arrangements. As a result, foreign investors do not have rights of direct equity owners, including rights to residual profits or control over management.

 

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Intervention by the Chinese government with respect to VIE structure or the non-enforcement of VIE-related contractual rights could significantly affect a Chinese operating company’s business, the enforceability of the shell company’s contractual arrangements with the Chinese operating company and the value of the listed company’s stock. Intervention by the Chinese government could include nationalization of the Chinese operating company, confiscation of its assets, restrictions on operations and/or constraints on the use of VIE structures, generally or with particular industries. Any change in the operations of entities in a VIE structure, the status of VIE contractual arrangements or the legal or regulatory environment in China could result in significant losses to a Fund.

 

Risk of Investments in the Sub-Saharan Africa

Investments in securities of African issuers involve risks and special considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. securities markets. Such heightened risks include, among others, expropriation and/or nationalization of assets, restrictions on and government intervention in international trade, confiscatory taxation, political instability, including authoritarian and/or military involvement in governmental decision making, armed conflict, terrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, strained international relations related to border disputes, the impact on the economy as a result of civil war, and social instability as a result of religious, ethnic and/or socioeconomic unrest and, in certain countries, genocidal warfare. Unanticipated political or social developments may result in sudden and significant investment losses. Additionally, Africa is located in a part of the world that has historically been prone to natural disasters and is economically sensitive to environmental events.

 

The securities markets in Africa are underdeveloped and are often considered to be less correlated to global economic cycles than those markets located in more developed countries or geographic regions. A subset of African emerging market countries are considered to be “frontier markets.” In addition, there may be no single centralized securities exchange on which securities are traded. As a result, securities markets in Africa are subject to greater risks associated with market volatility, lower market capitalization, lower trading volume, illiquidity, inflation, greater price fluctuations, uncertainty regarding the existence of trading markets, governmental control and heavy regulation of labor and industry. Additionally, certain countries in Africa generally have less developed capital markets than traditional emerging market countries and, consequently, the risks of investing in foreign securities are magnified in such countries. There may also be a high concentration of trading volume in a small number of issuers, investors and financial intermediaries representing a limited number of sectors or industries. Brokers may be fewer in number and less well capitalized than brokers in more developed regions. Moreover, trading on securities markets may be suspended altogether.

 

Certain economies in African countries depend to a significant degree upon exports of primary commodities such as agricultural products, gold, silver, copper, diamonds and oil. These economies therefore are vulnerable to changes in commodity prices, which in turn may be affected by a variety of factors. Additionally, certain issuers in which the Fund invests may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions and/or embargoes imposed by the U.S. government and the United Nations. As a result, an issuer may sustain damage to its reputation if it is identified as an issuer which operates in, or had dealings with, such countries. A Fund, as an investor in such issuers, will be indirectly subject to those risks.

 

Certain governments in Africa may restrict or control to varying degrees the ability of foreign investors to invest in securities of issuers located or operating in those countries. These restrictions and/or controls may at times limit or prevent foreign investment in securities of issuers located or operating in countries in Africa. For example, there may be prohibitions or substantial restrictions on foreign investing in the capital markets of certain countries in Africa or in certain sectors or industries of such countries.

 

Moreover, certain countries in Africa may require governmental approval or special licenses prior to investments by foreign investors and may limit the amount of investments by foreign investors in a particular industry and/or issuer and may limit such foreign investment to a certain class of securities of an issuer that may have less advantageous rights than the classes available for purchase by domiciliaries of those countries and/or impose additional taxes on foreign investors. A delay in obtaining a government approval or a license would delay investments in a particular country, and, as a result, a Fund may not be able to invest in certain securities while approval is pending. The government of a particular country may also withdraw or decline to renew a license that enables a Fund to invest in such country.

 

The governments of certain countries in Africa may exercise substantial influence over many aspects of the private sector and may own or control many companies. Future government actions could have a significant effect on the economic conditions in such countries, which could have a negative impact on private sector companies. There is also the possibility of diplomatic developments that could adversely affect investments in certain countries in Africa. Some countries in Africa may be

 

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affected by a greater degree of public corruption and crime. Additionally, certain African countries, such as South Africa, are characterized by a two-tiered economy, with one rivaling developed countries and the other exhibiting many characteristics of developing countries. This accounts for an uneven distribution of wealth and income and high rates of unemployment. Although economic reforms have been enacted to promote growth and foreign investments, there can be no assurance that these programs will achieve the desired results.

 

There may be a risk of loss due to the imposition of restrictions on repatriation of capital invested. In addition, certain African countries have currencies pegged to the U.S. dollar. If such currency pegs are abandoned, such abandonment could cause sudden and significant currency adjustments, which could impact a Fund’s investment returns in those countries.

 

Sale-Buybacks

A sale-buyback is similar to a reverse repurchase agreement, except that in a sale-buyback, the counterparty that purchases the security is entitled to receive any principal or interest payments made on the underlying security pending settlement of a Fund’s repurchase of the underlying security. Such Fund’s obligations under a sale-buyback typically would be offset by liquid assets equal in value to the amount of the Fund’s forward commitment to repurchase the subject security.

 

Securities Lending

Certain Funds may lend its securities to approved borrowers. Any gain or loss on the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the Fund. These loans cannot exceed one-third of a Fund’s total assets in accordance with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Approved borrowers are financial institutions that meet the Funds’ securities lending program requirements, which require that (i) the borrowers pledge and maintain with a Fund collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a bank, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government having a value at all times of not less than 102% of the value of the securities loaned (on a “mark-to-market” basis); (ii) the loan be made subject to termination by a Fund at any time; and (iii) a Fund receives reasonable interest on the loan. From time to time, a Fund may return a part of the interest earned on the investment of collateral received from securities loaned to the borrower and/or a third party that is unaffiliated with a Fund and that is acting as a finder.

 

To the extent a Fund engages in securities lending, there is the risk of a delay in recovering loaned securities. If a Fund is unable to recover a security on loan, the Fund may use the collateral to purchase a replacement security in the market. There is a risk that the value of the collateral could be insufficient to cover the cost of the replacement security, resulting in a loss to a Fund. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns.

 

The Adviser invests the collateral in time deposit and/or in cash management vehicles for which the Adviser serves as investment adviser or other unaffiliated cash management vehicles. An investment in a cash management vehicle is generally subject to the same risks that shareholders experience when investing directly in similarly structured vehicles. As Adviser to the Funds and the affiliated cash management vehicle, the Adviser has an inherent conflict of interest as a result of its fiduciary duties to both the Funds and the cash management vehicle. Additionally, the Adviser receives an investment advisory fee for managing the affiliated cash management vehicle and therefore may have an incentive to allocate collateral to the affiliated cash management vehicle, rather than to other collateral management options for which the Adviser does not receive compensation.

 

Settlement Risk

Global markets have different clearance and settlement procedures and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of transactions. Delays in settlement may increase credit risk to a Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, and potentially subject the Fund to penalties for its failure to deliver to subsequent purchasers of securities whose delivery to the Fund was delayed. Delays in the settlement of securities purchased by a Fund may limit the ability of the Fund to sell those securities at times and prices it considers desirable, and may subject the Fund to losses and costs due to its own inability to settle with subsequent purchasers of the securities from it. A Fund may be required to borrow monies it had otherwise expected to receive in connection with the settlement of securities.

 

Sovereign Debt

Sovereign debt may be issued by foreign developed and emerging market governments and their respective sub-divisions, agencies or instrumentalities, government sponsored enterprises and supranational government entities. Supranational entities include international organizations that are organized or supported by one or more government entities to promote economic reconstruction or development and by international banking institutions and related governmental agencies.

 

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Investment in sovereign debt can involve a high degree of risk. The governmental entity that controls the repayment of sovereign debt may not be able or willing to repay the principal and/or interest when due in accordance with the terms of the debt. A governmental entity’s willingness or ability to repay principal and interest due in a timely manner may be affected by, among other factors, its cash flow situation, the extent of its foreign reserves, the availability of sufficient foreign exchange on the date a payment is due, the relative size of the debt service burden to the economy as a whole, the governmental entity’s policy toward the International Monetary Fund, and the political constraints to which a governmental entity may be subject. Governmental entities also may depend on expected disbursements from foreign governments, multilateral agencies and others to reduce principal and interest arrearages on their debt. The commitment on the part of these governments, agencies and others to make such disbursements may be conditioned on a governmental entity’s implementation of economic reforms and/or economic performance and the timely service of such debtor’s obligations. Failure to implement such reforms, achieve such levels of economic performance or repay principal or interest when due may result in the cancellation of such third parties’ commitments to lend funds to the governmental entity, which may further impair such debtor’s ability or willingness to service its debts in a timely manner. Consequently, governmental entities may decide to default on their sovereign debt in whole or in part. Holders of sovereign debt (including the Funds) may be requested to participate in the rescheduling of such debt and to extend further loans to governmental entities.

 

In recent years, some of the countries have encountered difficulties in servicing their sovereign debt. Some of these countries have withheld payments of interest and/or principal of sovereign debt. These difficulties have also led to agreements to restructure external debt obligations; in particular, commercial bank loans, typically by rescheduling principal payments, reducing interest rates and extending new credits to finance interest payments on existing debt. In the future, holders of sovereign debt may be requested to participate in similar rescheduling of such debt.

 

The ability or willingness of foreign governments to make timely payments on their sovereign debt is likely to be influenced strongly by a country’s balance of trade and its access to trade and other international credits. A country whose exports are concentrated in a few commodities could be vulnerable to a decline in the international prices of one or more of such commodities. Increased protectionism on the part of a country’s trading partners could also adversely affect its exports. Such events could extinguish a country’s trade account surplus, if any. To the extent that a country receives payment for its exports in currencies other than hard currencies, its ability to make hard currency payments could be affected.

 

The occurrence of political, social, economic and diplomatic changes in one or more of the countries issuing sovereign debt could adversely affect a Fund’s investments. The countries issuing such instruments are faced with social and political issues and some of them have experienced high rates of inflation in recent years and have extensive internal debt. Among other effects, high inflation and internal debt service requirements may adversely affect the cost and availability of future domestic sovereign borrowing to finance governmental programs, and may have other adverse social, political and economic consequences. Political changes or a deterioration of a country’s domestic economy or balance of trade may affect the willingness of countries to services their sovereign debt. There can be no assurance that adverse political changes will not cause a Fund to suffer a loss of interest or principal on any of its holdings.

 

As a result of all of the foregoing, a government obligor may default on its obligations. If such an event occurs, a Fund may have limited legal recourse against the issuer and/or guarantor. Remedies must, in some cases, be pursued in the courts of the defaulting party itself, and the ability of the holder of foreign government debt securities to obtain recourse may be subject to the political climate in the relevant country. Bankruptcy, moratorium and other similar laws applicable to issuers of sovereign debt obligations may be substantially different from those applicable to issuers of private debt obligations. In addition, no assurance can be given that the holders of commercial bank debt will not contest payments to the holders of other foreign government debt obligations in the event of default under their commercial bank loan agreements.

 

Periods of economic uncertainty may result in the volatility of market prices of sovereign debt and in turn, a Fund’s net asset value, to a greater extent than the volatility inherent in domestic securities. The value of sovereign debt will likely vary inversely with changes in prevailing interest rates, which are subject to considerable variance in the international market.

 

Quasi-Sovereign Debt Risk. Quasi-Sovereign debt includes securities issued or guaranteed by a foreign sovereign government’s agencies, authorities, political subdivisions or instrumentalities. Quasi-sovereign obligations typically are issued by companies or agencies that may receive financial support or backing from a sovereign government or in which the government owns a majority of the issuer’s voting shares. Quasi-sovereign obligations are typically less liquid and less standardized than direct sovereign obligations.

 

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In addition to the other risks applicable to debt investments, quasi-sovereign debt may decline in value as a result of default or other adverse credit event resulting from an issuer’s inability or unwillingness to make principal or interest payments in a timely fashion. A quasi-sovereign entity’s failure to make timely payments on its debt can result from many factors, including, without limitation, insufficient foreign currency reserves or an inability to sufficiently manage fluctuations in relative currency valuations, an inability or unwillingness to satisfy the demands of creditors and/or relevant supranational entities regarding debt service or economic reforms, and tax revenues, cash flow difficulties, the sovereign entity’s policy towards relevant supranational entities and other political and social considerations. The risk of loss to a Fund in the event of a quasi-sovereign debt default or other adverse credit event is heightened by the unlikelihood of any formal recourse or means to enforce its rights as a holder of the quasi-sovereign debt. In addition, quasi-sovereign debt restructurings, which may be shaped by entities and factors beyond a Fund’s control, may result in a loss in value of the Fund’s quasi-sovereign debt holdings.

 

Special Situations

Special Situations involve investing in companies that demonstrate special situations or turnarounds, meaning companies that have experienced significant business problems but are believed to have favorable prospects for recovery. For example, a special situation or turnaround may arise when, in the opinion of a Fund’s portfolio management, the securities of a particular issuer will be recognized as undervalued by the market and appreciate in value due to a specific development with respect to that issuer. Special situations may include significant changes in a company’s allocation of its existing capital, a restructuring of assets, or a redirection of free cash flow. For example, issuers undergoing significant capital changes may include companies involved in spin-offs, sales of divisions, mergers or acquisitions, companies involved in bankruptcy proceedings, or companies initiating large changes in their debt to equity ratio. Companies that are redirecting cash flows may be reducing debt, repurchasing shares, or paying dividends. Special situations may also result from: (i) significant changes in industry structure through regulatory developments or shifts in competition; (ii) a new or improved product, service, operation, or technological advance; (iii) changes in senior management or other extraordinary corporate event; (iv) differences in market supply of and demand for the security; or (v) significant changes in cost structure. Investments in “special situations” companies can present greater risks than investments in companies not experiencing special situations, and a Fund’s performance could be adversely impacted if the securities selected decline in value or fail to appreciate in value.

 

Standby Commitments

Standby commitments are the rights to sell a specified underlying security or securities within a specified period of time and at an exercise price equal to the amortized cost of the underlying security or securities plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise, that may be sold, transferred, or assigned only with the underlying security or securities. A standby commitment entitles the holder to receive same day settlement and will be considered to be from the party to whom the investment company will look for payment of the exercise price.

 

Strip Bonds

Strip bonds are debt securities that are stripped of their interest (usually by a financial intermediary) after the securities are issued. The market value of these securities generally fluctuates more in response to changes in interest rates than interest-paying securities of comparable maturity.

 

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities. Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities (“SMBS”) are derivative multi-class mortgage securities and issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government. SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on a Fund’s yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, a Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

 

Structured Investments

Structured Investments (also called “structured securities”) are derivative debt securities, the interest rate on or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. The value of the interest rate and/or the principal of structured investment is determined by reference to changes in the value of a reference instrument (e.g., a security or other financial instrument,

 

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asset, currency, interest rate, commodity, or index) or the relative change in two or more reference instruments. A structured investment may be positively, negatively, or both positively and negatively indexed; that is, its value or interest rate may increase or decrease if the value of the reference instrument increases. Similarly, its value or interest rate may increase or decrease if the value of the reference instrument decreases.

 

Further, the change in the principal amount payable with respect to, or the interest rate of, a structured investment may be calculated as a multiple of the percentage change (positive or negative) in the value of the underlying reference instrument(s). Therefore, the value of such structured note may be very volatile. Structured Investments may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because a Fund, as an investor, bears the risk of the reference instrument. Structured Investments may also be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities.

 

In addition, because structured investments generally are traded over-the-counter, structured investments are subject to the creditworthiness of the counterparty of the structured investment, and their values may decline substantially if the counterparty’s creditworthiness deteriorates.

 

Swaps and Swap-Related Products

Certain Funds may enter into swaps and other derivatives to gain exposure to an underlying asset without actually purchasing such asset, or to hedge a position including in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted, impossible, or is otherwise impracticable. Swaps are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a day to more than one year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on a particular pre-determined interest rate, commodity, security, indexes, or other assets or measurable indicators. The gross return to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties is calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” e.g., the return on, or the increase/decrease in, value of a particular dollar amount invested in a “basket” of securities or an ETF representing a particular index or group of securities.

 

A Fund may enter into swaps to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of securities. For example, in one common type of total return swap, the Fund’s counterparty will agree to pay the Fund the rate at which the specified asset or indicator (e.g., a single issuer, an ETF, or securities comprising a benchmark index, plus the dividends or interest that would have been received on those assets) increased in value multiplied by the relevant notional amount of the swap. The Fund will agree to pay to the counterparty an interest fee (based on the notional amount) and the rate at which the specified asset or indicator decreased in value multiplied by the notional amount of the swap, plus, in certain instances, commissions or trading spreads on the notional amount.

 

As a result, the swap has a similar economic effect as if a Fund were to invest in the assets underlying the swap in an amount equal to the notional amount of the swap. The return to the Fund on such swap should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends or interest on the assets less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount. However, unlike cash investments in the underlying assets, the Fund will not be an owner of the underlying assets and will not have voting or similar rights in respect of such assets.

 

A Fund may enter into any of several types of swap agreements, including:

 

Credit Default Swaps. A credit default swap (“CDS”) generally references one or more debt securities or reference entities. The protection “buyer” in a CDS is generally obligated to pay the protection “seller” an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default in payments of interest or principal on bonds, has occurred in respect of the reference entity or assets. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer: (a) the full notional value of the swap; or (b) the difference between the notional value of the defaulted reference entity and the recovery price/rate for the defaulted reference entity. CDS are designed to reflect changes in credit quality, including events of default.

 

Commodity Swaps. Commodity swaps may be used either as substitutes for owning specific physical commodities or as a means of obtaining exposure in markets where a reference commodity is unavailable or may otherwise be impossible or impracticable for a Fund to own that asset.

 

Foreign Currency Swaps. Currency swaps are similar to interest rate swaps, except that they involve multiple currencies. A Fund may enter into a currency swap when it has exposure to one currency and desires exposure to a different currency. Typically, the interest rates that determine the currency swap payments are fixed, although occasionally one or both parties may pay a floating rate of interest. Unlike an interest rate swap, however, the principal

 

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amounts are exchanged at the beginning of the contract and returned at the end of the contract. In addition to paying and receiving amounts at the beginning and end of the transaction, both sides will have to pay in full on a periodic basis based upon the currency they have borrowed. Changes in foreign exchange rates and changes in interest rates, as described above, may negatively affect currency swaps.

 

Interest Rate Swaps. Interest rate swaps, in their most basic form, involve the exchange by a Fund with another party of their respective commitments to pay or receive interest. For example, a Fund might exchange its right to receive certain floating rate payments in exchange for another party’s right to receive fixed rate payments. Interest rate swaps can take a variety of other forms, such as agreements to pay the net differences between two different interest indexes or rates. Despite their differences in form, the function of interest rate swaps is generally the same: to increase or decrease a Fund’s exposure to long- or short-term interest rates. For example, a Fund may enter into an interest rate swap to preserve a return or spread on a particular investment or a portion of its portfolio or to protect against any increase in the price of securities a Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date.

 

Total Return Swaps. Total return swaps may be used either as economically similar substitutes for owning the reference asset specified in the swap, such as the securities that comprise a given market index, particular securities or commodities, or other assets or indicators. They also may be used as a means of obtaining exposure in markets where the reference asset is unavailable or it may otherwise be impossible or impracticable for a Fund to own that asset. “Total return” refers to the payment (or receipt) of the total return on the underlying reference asset, which is then exchanged for the receipt (or payment) of an interest rate. Total return swaps provide a Fund with the additional flexibility of gaining exposure to a market or sector index in a potentially more economical way.

 

Other Swaps. Other forms of swaps that a Fund may enter into include: interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or “cap”; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified level, or “floor”; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.

 

If the creditworthiness of a Fund’s swap counterparty declines, the risk that the counterparty may not perform could increase, potentially resulting in a loss to the Fund. To limit the counterparty risk involved in swap agreements, a Fund will enter into swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness.

 

A swap agreement may be considered illiquid for purposes of the Fund’s illiquid investment limitations if it cannot be terminated in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the amount a Fund has valued the asset.

 

The use of swaps is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the reference asset, reference rate, or index, but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. If portfolio management is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, credit quality, interest rates and currency exchange rates, the investment performance of a Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if this investment technique were not used.

 

Options on Swap Agreements. An option on swap agreements (a “swaption”) is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, on specified terms at a designated future time. Depending on the particular terms, a Fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes (sells) a swaption than it will incur when it purchases a swaption. When a Fund purchases a swaption, it risks losing the amount of premium paid should the option expire unexercised. When a Fund writes a swaption, upon exercise of the swaption the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

 

Tender Option Bonds

Tender option bonds are relatively long-term bonds that are coupled with the option to tender the securities to a bank, broker-dealer, or other financial institution at periodic intervals and receive the face value of the bonds. This investment structure is commonly used as a means of enhancing a security’s liquidity.

 

A Fund will purchase standby commitments, tender option bonds, and instruments with demand features primarily for the purpose of increasing the liquidity of its portfolio holdings.

 

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Trade Claims

Trade claims are non-securitized rights of payment arising from obligations that typically arise when vendors and suppliers extend credit to a company by offering payment terms for products and services. If the company files for bankruptcy, payments on these trade claims stop and the claims are subject to compromise along with the other debts of the company. Trade claims may be purchased directly from the creditor or through brokers. Trade claims are illiquid investments which generally do not pay interest and are typically unsecured. There can be no guarantee that a debtor will ever be able to satisfy its trade claim obligations. Additionally, there can be restrictions on the purchase, sale, and/or transferability of trade claims during all or part of a bankruptcy proceeding.

 

U.S. Government Securities

The 1940 Act defines U.S. Government securities to include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies, and its instrumentalities. U.S. Government securities may also include repurchase agreements collateralized by and municipal securities escrowed with or refunded with U.S. Government securities. U.S. Government securities in which the Funds may invest include U.S. Treasury securities, including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, Treasury bills, notes, and bonds, and obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. In addition, U.S. Government securities in which a Fund may invest include securities backed only by the rights of the issuers to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those issued by the members of the Federal Farm Credit System, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Tennessee Valley Authority, and Freddie Mac. Securities issued by Fannie Mae, the Federal Home Loan Banks, and the Student Loan Marketing Association are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the obligations. There is no guarantee that the U.S. Government will support securities not backed by its full faith and credit. They may involve more risk than securities backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government because a Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the securities for repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment.

 

Because of the rising U.S. Government debt burden, it is possible that the U.S. Government may not be able to meet its financial obligations or that securities issued or backed by the U.S. Government may experience credit downgrades. Such a credit event may adversely affect the financial markets.

 

When-Issued, Delayed Delivery, and TBA Commitments

A Fund typically will enter into “to be announced” or “TBA” commitments and may purchase or sell other securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis. When purchasing a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, a Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations, and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its net asset value. Typically, no income accrues on securities a Fund has committed to purchase prior to the time delivery of the securities is made. A Fund assumes the rights and risk of ownership of the security but does not pay for the securities until they are received. If the other party to a transaction fails to deliver the securities, a Fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity. If a Fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment purchases are outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage.

 

When a Fund has sold a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis, a Fund does not participate in future gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a transaction fails to pay for the securities, a Fund could suffer a loss. Additionally, when selling a security on a when-issued, delayed delivery, or forward commitment basis without owning the security, a Fund will incur a loss if the security’s price appreciates in value such that the security’s price is above the agreed upon price on the settlement date.

 

The Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a transaction after it is entered into, and may purchase or sell when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment securities before the settlement date, which may result in a gain or loss.

 

Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. include certain mandatory margin requirements for TBA commitments which, when implemented, may require the Fund to also post collateral under certain circumstances. These collateral requirements may increase costs associated with the Fund’s participation in the TBA market.

 

Zero Coupon, Step Coupon, and Pay-In-Kind Securities

Zero coupon bonds are securities that make no fixed interest payments but instead are issued and traded at a discount from their face value. They do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to maturity. Step coupon bonds are issued and traded at a discount from their face value and pay coupon interest that increases or decreases over the life of the

 

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bond. The discount from the face amount or par value depends on the time remaining until cash payments begin, prevailing interest rates, liquidity of the security and the perceived credit quality of the issuer. Pay-in-kind bonds normally give the issuer an option to pay cash at a coupon payment date or give the holder of the security a similar bond with the same coupon rate and a face value equal to the amount of the coupon payment that would have been made. For purposes of a Fund’s restriction on investing in income-producing securities, income-producing securities include securities that make periodic interest payments as well as those that make interest payments on a deferred basis or pay interest only at maturity (e.g., Treasury bills or zero coupon bonds).

 

For federal income tax purposes, holders of zero coupon securities and step coupon securities are required to recognize income even though the holders receive no cash payments of interest during the year. Similarly, holders of payment-in-kind securities must include in their gross income the value of securities they receive as “interest.” In order to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), and the regulations thereunder, and to avoid a federal income or excise tax, a Fund must distribute a portion of such recognized income and may be required to dispose of other portfolio securities, which may occur in periods of adverse market prices, in order to generate cash to meet these distribution requirements.

 

Generally, the market prices of zero coupon, step coupon, and pay-in-kind securities are more volatile than the prices of securities that pay interest periodically and in cash and are likely to respond to changes in interest rates to a greater degree than other types of debt securities having similar maturities and credit quality. Additionally, such securities may be subject to heightened credit and valuation risk.

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

 

The portfolio turnover rate of a Fund is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities (exclusive of purchases or sales of U.S. Government securities and all other securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less) by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the year. Proceeds from short sales and assets used to cover short positions undertaken are included in the amounts of securities sold and purchased, respectively, during the fiscal year. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities held by a Fund were replaced once during the fiscal year. A Fund cannot accurately predict its turnover rate. Variations in portfolio turnover rates shown may be due to market conditions, changes in the size of a Fund, fluctuating volume of shareholder purchase and redemption orders, the nature of a Fund’s investments, the investment style and/or outlook of portfolio management, or due to a restructuring of a Fund’s portfolio as a result of a change in portfolio management. A Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher when a Fund finds it necessary to significantly change its portfolio to adopt a temporary defensive position or respond to economic or market events. Higher levels of portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in Fund performance.

 

The following table summarizes the portfolio turnover rates for the Funds for the last two fiscal years, unless otherwise noted.

 

Fund Name

Portfolio Turnover
Rate for the
Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2024

Portfolio Turnover
Rate for the
Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2023

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

51%

47%

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

90%

53%

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

200%(1)

118%

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

11%(2)

N/A

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

57%

48%

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

94%(3)

N/A

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

68%

53%

 

(1) The increase in the portfolio turnover rate was due to a repositioning of the Fund’s portfolio as a result of a change in the Fund’s investment strategy.

 

(2) August 13, 2024 (commencement of operations) to October 31, 2024.

 

(3) November 8, 2023 (commencement of operations) to October 31, 2024.

 

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PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

The ETF Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures adopted by the Adviser and the series of the Trust (the “Janus Henderson funds”) are designed to ensure that each Fund’s portfolio holdings information is disclosed in a manner that (i) is consistent with applicable legal requirements and in the best interest of the Funds’ shareholders; (ii) does not put the interests of the Adviser, ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS” or the “Distributor”), or any affiliated person of the Adviser or ALPS, above those of Fund shareholders; (iii) does not advantage any current or prospective Fund shareholders over any other current or prospective Fund shareholders; and (iv) does not provide selective access to portfolio holdings information except pursuant to the procedures outlined below and to the extent appropriate confidentiality arrangements limiting the use of such information are in effect. Item (iii) above does not preclude the provision of portfolio holdings information not available to other current or prospective Fund shareholders to certain Entities to the extent such information is necessary to facilitate Creation Unit transactions. These “Entities” are generally limited to National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) members, subscribers to various fee-based subscription services, large institutional investors (known as “Authorized Participants”) that have been authorized by the Distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of shares pursuant to legal requirements and market makers and other institutional market participants and entities that provide information for transactional services.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings in Accordance with Regulatory Requirements. Each business day, each Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided to the Fund’s custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. This information typically reflects each Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following business day. In addition, on each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the applicable Listing Exchange each Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings as Required by Applicable Law. Each Fund’s portfolio holdings will be available semiannually and annually in Form N-CSR and, after the first and third fiscal quarters, in Form N-PORT. Information reported in Form N-CSR and in Form N-PORT will be made publicly available within 70 and 60 days, respectively, after the end of each fiscal quarter. The Funds’ Form N-CSR and Form N-PORT filings will be available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Daily access to information concerning each Fund’s portfolio holdings is permitted (i) to certain personnel of those service providers that are involved in portfolio management and in providing administrative, operational, risk management, or other support to portfolio management; and (ii) to other personnel of the Adviser, ALPS and its affiliates, and the administrator, custodian, and fund accountant who deal directly with, or assist in, functions related to investment management, distribution, administration, custody, securities lending, and fund accounting, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with federal securities laws and regulations thereunder.

 

Portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Funds in the ordinary course of business after it has been disseminated to the NSCC. From time to time, information concerning portfolio holdings other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Funds, including rating or ranking organizations, in the ordinary course of business, no earlier than one business day following the date of the information.

 

Nonpublic portfolio holdings information may be disclosed to certain third parties upon a good faith determination made by the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate, in consultation with the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer or a designee, that the Funds have a legitimate business purpose for such disclosure and the recipient agrees to maintain confidentiality. The Chief Compliance Officer reports to the Funds’ Trustees regarding material compliance matters with respect to the portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures.

 

Under extraordinary circumstances, the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate, in consultation with the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer, has the authority to waive one or more provisions of, or make exceptions to, the ETF Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures when in the best interest of the Funds and when such waiver or exception is consistent with federal securities laws and applicable fiduciary duties.

 

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Investment Adviser

 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER – JANUS HENDERSON INVESTORS US LLC

 

As stated in the Prospectus, each Fund has an Investment Advisory Agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) with Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805. The Adviser is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Janus Henderson Group plc (“JHG”). Janus Henderson US (Holdings) Inc., the direct parent of the Adviser, completed a strategic combination with Henderson Group plc on May 30, 2017, to form JHG, doing business as Janus Henderson Investors.

 

Each Fund’s Advisory Agreement continues in effect for an initial term of two years and from year to year thereafter so long as such continuance is approved at least annually by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust (the “Trustees”) who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined by the 1940 Act) of any such party (the “Independent Trustees”), and by either the Trustees or the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund. Each Advisory Agreement: (i) may be terminated, without the payment of any penalty, by the Trustees, or the vote of at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund, or the Adviser, on at least 60 days’ advance written notice; (ii) terminates automatically in the event of its assignment; and (iii) generally, may not be amended without the approval by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the affected Fund, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, and, to the extent required by the 1940 Act, the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that Fund.

 

Each Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser will furnish continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Funds’ investments, provide office space for the Funds and certain other advisory-related services. Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, under the unitary fee structure, the Funds pay the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Funds. The fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Funds’ expenses. However, the Funds bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest, dividends, taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

In rendering investment advisory services to the following Fund(s) listed in the table below, the Adviser may use services provided by foreign (non-U.S.) affiliates of the Adviser (each individual a “Foreign Affiliate” and together “Foreign Affiliates”). One or more employees of the listed Foreign Affiliates may provide services to the named Fund through a “participating affiliate” arrangement, as that term is used in guidance issued by the Staff allowing U.S. registered investment advisers to use portfolio management or research resources of advisory affiliates subject to the regulatory supervision of the registered investment adviser. Under the participating affiliate arrangement, Janus Henderson employees, acting for a Foreign Affiliate, are considered “associated persons” of the Adviser (as that term is defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended) and in this capacity, such Janus Henderson employees, acting for a Foreign Affiliate, are subject to supervision of the Adviser and may provide portfolio management, research, and other services to the designated Fund. The responsibilities of both the Adviser and each Foreign Affiliate, under the participating affiliate arrangement, are documented in a memorandum of understanding between the two entities.

 

Fund

Foreign Affiliate

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

Janus Henderson Investors Denmark, filial af Janus Henderson Investors Europe S.A. (“JHI Denmark”)

 

The Adviser has received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Funds’ assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly- owned subadvisers”).

 

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Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and reallocate the Funds’ assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that the Funds’ assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight and supervision by the Trustees, would have responsibility to oversee such subadviser to a Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for such Fund. The order also permits a Fund to disclose subadvisers’ fees only in the aggregate. In the event that the Adviser hires a new subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Funds have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for each Fund.

 

The Adviser also provides certain administration services necessary for the operation of each Fund, including, but not limited to the preparation of prospectuses.

 

The Funds pay a monthly Management Fee to the Adviser for its services. The fees are based on the daily net assets of the Funds and is calculated at the following annual rates.

 

Fund Name

Daily Net
Assets of the Fund

Contractual
Management Fees (%)
(annual rate)

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

$0-$1 Billion

0.25

 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.49

 

Over $500 Million

0.45

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.35

 

Over $500 Million

0.30

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.52

 

Over $500 Million

0.48

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.30

 

Next $500 Million

0.25

 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

$0-$1 Billion

0.49

 

Next $2 Billion

0.46

 

Over $3 Billion

0.43

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.30

 

Next $500 Million

0.25

 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

 

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The following table summarizes the Management fees paid by each Fund and any expense limitation agreement in effect during the last three fiscal years ended October 31, unless otherwise noted.

 

   

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Fund Name

 

Management
Fees

   

Waivers(–)

   

Management
Fees

   

Waivers(–)

   

Management
Fees

   

Waivers(–)

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

  $ 17,964,543       N/A     $ 6,026,305       N/A     $ 2,592,245       N/A  

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

  $ 2,730,439       -$23,073     $ 440,111       –$5,346     $ 302,267 (1)      –$3,522 (1) 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

  $ 108,716       N/A     $ 106,396       N/A     $ 132,440       N/A  

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

  $ 212,706 (2)      N/A (2)      N/A       N/A       N/A       N/A  

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

  $ 8,541,656       N/A     $ 3,313,192       N/A     $ 2,338,312       N/A  

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

  $ 1,016,416 (3)      –$8,143 (3)      N/A       N/A       N/A       N/A  

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

  $ 5,314,797       –$106,834     $ 5,354,774       –$114,968     $ 5,950,111       –$42,316  

 

(1)

January 10, 2022 (effective date) to October 31, 2022.

(2)

August 12, 2024 (effective date) to October 31, 2024.

(3)

November 6, 2023 (effective date) to October 31, 2024.

 

EXPENSE LIMITATIONS

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse the management fee payable by the Funds listed below in an amount equal to the amount, if any, that the Funds’ total annual fund operating expenses (excluding distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest, dividends, taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Funds’ business) exceed the annual rate shown below. For information about how the expense limit affects the total expenses of the Funds refer to the “Fees and Expenses of the Fund” table in the Fund Summary of the Prospectuses. The Adviser has agreed to continue these waivers at least until February 28, 2026.

 

Fund Name

Expense Limit
Percentage (%)

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

0.20

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

0.22

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

0.23

 

The Adviser has also contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of each Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which a Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of a Fund’s assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). This fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs.

 

Each of these fee waiver agreements may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

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PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES BY THE ADVISER OR ITS AFFILIATES

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients or for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to one or more intermediaries for operational and/or platform set-up and maintenance fees on a per fund basis, often referred to as CUSIP fees. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates to intermediaries may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser or its affiliates, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. Other factors may include, but are not limited to, the distribution capabilities of the intermediary, the overall quality of the relationship, expected gross and/or net sales generated by the relationship, disposition and retention rates of assets held through the intermediary, the willingness to cooperate with the Adviser’s marketing efforts, access to sales personnel, and the anticipated profitability of sales through the institutional relationship. These factors and their weightings varies from one intermediary to another and may change from time to time. As of February 5, 2025, the broker-dealer firms with which the Adviser or its affiliates have agreements or are currently negotiating agreements to make payments out of their own assets related to the acquisition or retention of certain Janus Henderson ETFs are E*Trade Securities LLC; Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC; LPL Financial LLC; Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC; National Financial Services LLC; Pershing LLC; Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.; and Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Any additions, modifications, or deletions to the broker-dealer firms identified that have occurred since that date are not reflected.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates may also pay intermediaries for the development of technology platforms and reporting systems. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

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The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements, and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-investment company investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Janus Henderson funds. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ADVISER

 

The Adviser has adopted procedures (including trade allocation procedures described in the “Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage” section of this SAI) that it believes are reasonably designed to mitigate potential conflicts and risks. For example, the Adviser manages long and short portfolios. The simultaneous management of long and short portfolios creates potential conflicts of interest in fund management and creates potential risks such as the risk that short sale activity could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more Janus Henderson funds (and vice versa), the risk arising from the sequential orders in long and short positions, and the risks associated with the trade desk receiving opposing orders in the same security at the same time. To mitigate this potential conflict, the Adviser has procedures that prohibit portfolio management from executing a short sale on a security held long in any other portfolio that he or she manages but is not held long in the account in which portfolio management is placing the short. Note this does not prohibit shorting against the box. The procedures also require approvals of the Adviser’s senior management in other situations that raise potential conflicts of interest, as well as periodic monitoring of long and short trading activity of the Janus Henderson funds and accounts.

 

The Funds and other funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates may also transfer daily uninvested cash balances into one or more joint trading accounts. Assets in the joint trading accounts are invested in money market instruments and the proceeds are allocated to the participating funds on a pro rata basis.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of the 1940 Act, Janus Henderson funds may participate in an affiliated or non-affiliated cash sweep program. In the cash sweep program, uninvested cash balances of Janus Henderson funds may be used to purchase shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate pursuant to the provisions of the 1940 Act that govern the operation of money market funds. All Janus Henderson funds are eligible to participate in the cash sweep program (the “Investing Funds”). The Adviser has an inherent conflict of interest because of its fiduciary duties to the affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles and the Investing Funds. In addition, the Adviser receives an investment advisory fee for managing proprietary money market funds and the cash management vehicle used for its securities lending program, but it may not receive a fee for managing affiliated cash management vehicles, and therefore may have an incentive to allocate preferred investment opportunities to investment vehicles for which it is receiving a fee.

 

Each account managed by the Adviser has its own investment objective and policies and is managed accordingly by the respective portfolio management. As a result, from time to time, two or more different managed accounts may pursue divergent investment strategies with respect to investments or categories of investments.

 

The officers and Trustees of the Janus Henderson funds may also serve as officers and Trustees of ETFs, hedge funds, private funds, and other Janus Henderson financial products managed by the Adviser. Conflicts may arise as the officers and Trustees seek to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities to both the Funds and other Janus Henderson financial products. The Trustees intend to address any such conflicts as deemed appropriate.

 

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ALPS Distributors, Inc.’s Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the Trustees have approved a Code of Ethics adopted by ALPS. The Code of Ethics is intended to ensure that the interests of shareholders and other clients are placed ahead of any personal interest, that no undue personal benefit is obtained from the person’s employment activities and that actual and potential conflicts of interest are avoided.

 

The Code of Ethics applies to the personal investing activities of ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“Access Persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Code of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by Access Persons. Under the 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 Code of Ethics permits personnel subject to the Code to invest in securities subject to certain limitations, including securities that may be purchased or held by a Fund. In addition, certain Access Persons are required to obtain approval before investing in initial public offerings or private placements. The Code of Ethics is on file with and available from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Janus Henderson Personal Code of Ethics

The Adviser currently has in place the Personal Code of Ethics, which is comprised of the Personal Account Dealing Policy, the Gifts, Entertainment and Meals Received Policy, the Outside Business Activities Policy, and the Political Activities Policy. The Personal Code of Ethics is designed to ensure the Adviser’s personnel: (i) observe applicable legal (including compliance with applicable federal securities laws) and ethical standards in the performance of their duties; (ii) at all times place the interests of the Funds’ shareholders first; (iii) disclose all actual or potential conflicts; (iv) adhere to the highest standards of loyalty, candor, and care in all matters relating to the Funds’ shareholders; (v) conduct all personal trading, including transactions in the Funds and other securities, consistent with the Personal Code of Ethics and in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of their position of trust and responsibility; and (vi) refrain from using any material nonpublic information in securities trading. The Personal Code of Ethics is on file with and available from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Under the Personal Account Dealing Policy, all the Adviser personnel, as well as the Trustees and Officers of the Funds, are required to conduct their personal investment activities in a manner that the Adviser believes is not detrimental to the Funds. In addition, the Adviser personnel are not permitted to transact in securities held by the Funds for their personal accounts except under circumstances specified in the Personal Account Dealing Policy. All personnel of the Adviser, and the Funds, as well as certain other designated employees deemed to have access to current trading information, are required to pre-clear all transactions in securities not otherwise exempt. Requests for trading authorization will be denied when, among other reasons, the proposed personal transaction would be contrary to the provisions of the Personal Account Dealing Policy.

 

In addition to the pre-clearance requirement described above, the Personal Account Dealing Policy subjects such personnel to various trading restrictions and reporting obligations. All reportable transactions are reviewed for compliance with the Personal Account Dealing Policy and under certain circumstances the Adviser personnel may be required to forfeit profits made from personal trading.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

 

The Trustees of the Trust have delegated to the Adviser the authority to vote all proxies relating to a Fund’s portfolio securities in accordance with the Adviser’s own policies and procedures. The Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures, including specific voting guidelines, are included in Appendix B of this SAI and are also available at janushenderson.com/proxyvoting.

 

The Adviser or its affiliates will publicly disclose vote reporting in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in the Adviser’s view, it is appropriate. Each Fund’s proxy voting record for the one-year period ending each June 30th is available, free of charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-525-1093, through janushenderson.com/proxyvoting, or from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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Custodian, Transfer Agent, and Certain Affiliations

 

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JP Morgan” or the “Custodian”), 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10179 is the custodian of the domestic securities and cash of each Fund. JP Morgan is the designated Foreign Custody Manager (as the term is defined in Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act) of the Funds’ securities and cash held outside the United States. The Funds’ Trustees have delegated to JP Morgan certain responsibilities for such assets, as permitted by Rule 17f-5. JP Morgan and the foreign subcustodians selected by it hold the Funds’ assets in safekeeping and collect and remit the income thereon, subject to the instructions of the Funds. JP Morgan also serves as transfer agent for the shares of the Funds (“Transfer Agent”).

 

JP Morgan also provides certain fund administration services to the Funds, including services related to the Funds’ accounting, including calculating the daily NAV, audit, tax, and reporting obligations, pursuant to an Agreement with the Adviser, on behalf of the Funds. The Adviser may cancel this Agreement at any time with 90 days’ notice. As compensation for such services, the Adviser pays JP Morgan a fee based on a percentage of the Funds’ assets, and a flat fee, per Fund, for certain services. The Adviser serves as administrator to the Funds, providing oversight and coordination of the Funds’ service providers, recordkeeping and other administrative services. The Adviser does not receive any additional compensation, beyond the unitary fee, for serving as administrator. Pursuant to agreements with the Funds, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, an affiliate of JP Morgan, may execute portfolio transactions for the Funds, including but not limited to, in connection with cash in lieu transactions (as described under Fund Deposit and Redemption of Creation Units).

 

The following table summarizes the fees received by JP Morgan for custodian, transfer agent and sub-administrative services for each Fund for the fiscal years ended October 31, unless otherwise noted.

 

Fund Name

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

  $ 1,269,130     $ 557,264     $ 295,762  

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

  $ 187,546     $ 82,322     $ 40,642 (1) 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

  $ 80,998     $ 75,024     $ 59,290  

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

  $ 17,658 (2)      N/A       N/A  

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

  $ 670,939     $ 357,958     $ 273,150  

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

  $ 106,907 (3)      N/A       N/A  

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

  $ 431,036     $ 497,778     $ 575,020  

 

(1)

January 10, 2022 (effective date) to October 31, 2022.

(2)

August 12, 2024 (effective date) to October 31, 2024.

(3)

November 6, 2023 (effective date) to October 31, 2024.

 

ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS” or the “Distributor”), 1290 Broadway, #1000, Denver, Colorado 80203-5603 is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). ALPS acts as the agent of the Funds in connection with the sale of its shares in all states in which such shares are registered and in which ALPS is qualified as a broker-dealer. Under the Distribution Agreement, ALPS offers Creation Units of the Funds’ shares on an ongoing basis.

 

Pursuant to an agreement with ALPS, Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Adviser, and a member of FINRA, may provide marketing and promotional services on behalf of the Funds. Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC does not receive any compensation from the Funds or ALPS for such services.

 

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Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

 

 

The Adviser, or its affiliates, acting pursuant to the Global Execution Agreement, initiate all portfolio transactions of the Funds, solely upon the direction of portfolio management. The Adviser is party to a Global Execution Agreement with certain Janus Henderson affiliates (the “Trading Affiliates”) that allows trades in foreign markets to be executed by personnel in the relevant market through such Trading Affiliates. Personnel of the Trading Affiliate providing trade execution services are subject to brokerage policies and procedures and oversight by Janus Henderson Investors’ Front Offices Governance and Risk Committee. As used in this Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage section, the term “Adviser” also includes its Trading Affiliates.

 

The Adviser selects broker-dealers for the Funds as part of its discretionary responsibilities under the Advisory Agreement and broker selection is determined by the Adviser’s duty to seek best execution. Brokers may include Authorized Participants and/or market makers for the Funds. Janus Henderson’s Best Execution Committee will periodically review the quality of execution that the Adviser receives from broker-dealers and the Adviser’s trading desks will continually evaluate the effectiveness of the executing brokers and trading tools utilized. The Adviser does not consider a broker-dealer’s sale of shares of the Funds or gifts and entertainment received from registered representatives of broker-dealers when choosing a broker-dealer to effect transactions.

 

The Adviser has a duty to seek to obtain “best execution” for its portfolio transactions by reasonably seeking to obtain the best possible result under the circumstances. The Adviser considers a number of factors including but not limited to: an understanding of prices of securities currently available and commission rates and other costs associated with various trading tools, channels and venues; the nature, liquidity, size and type of the security being traded and the character of the markets in which the security will be purchased or sold; the activity, existing and expected, in the market for the particular security; the potential impact of the trade in such market and the desired timing or urgency of the trade pursuant to the investment decision; any portfolio restrictions associated with asset types; the ability of a broker-dealer to maintain confidentiality, including trade anonymity; the quality of the execution, clearance, and settlement services of a broker-dealer; the broker-dealer’s knowledge of the financial stability of the broker-dealer and the existence of actual or apparent operational problems of the broker-dealer its liquidity; and principal commitment by the broker-dealer to facilitate the transaction; and for accounts that do not utilize a research charge collection agreement, as discussed below, the research services provided by a broker-dealer.

 

The Funds may trade foreign securities in foreign countries because the best available market for these securities is often on foreign exchanges. In transactions on foreign stock exchanges, brokers’ commissions are frequently fixed and are often higher than in the United States, where commissions are negotiated.

 

The Funds generally buy and sell fixed-income securities in principal and agency transactions in which no brokerage commissions are paid. However, the Funds may engage an agent and pay commissions for such transactions if the Adviser believes that the net result of the transaction to the Funds will be no less favorable than that of contemporaneously available principal transactions. The implied cost of executing fixed-income securities transactions for the Funds primarily will consist of bid-offer spreads at which brokers will transact. The spread is the difference between the prices at which the broker is willing to purchase and sell the specific security at the time.

 

When the Funds purchase or sell a security in the over-the-counter market, the transaction takes place directly with a principal market-maker, without the use of a broker, except in those circumstances where, in the opinion of the Adviser, better prices and executions will be achieved through the use of a broker.

 

The Adviser may have an incentive to use broker-dealers who offer research services instead of other broker-dealers who do not provide such services, but who may execute transactions at a lower price. The Adviser does not guarantee any broker the placement of a predetermined amount of securities transactions in return for the research or brokerage services it provides. The Adviser does, however, allocate transactions among brokers in a manner consistent with its execution policies which provide that the Adviser may seek brokers that it has identified as providing execution-related services, research, or research-related products of a particular benefit to the Adviser’s clients.

 

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The Adviser makes investment decisions for each of its clients, including proprietary accounts, independently from those of any other account that is or may become managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. Because the Adviser generally invests in similar strategies for clients, numerous clients could have similar investment objectives and thus, similar portfolios. As a result, the Adviser may be trading the same security for multiple clients at the same time. In order to seek efficiencies that may be available for larger transactions, or help allocate execution fills and prices fairly, the Adviser may aggregate the orders for its clients for execution in circumstances where the Adviser determines that the investment is eligible and appropriate for each participating account.

 

In addition to, or instead of, aggregating orders of accounts that would be trading the same security at the same time, the Adviser may average the price of the transactions of these accounts and allocate trades to each account in accordance with the Adviser’s allocation procedures. Pursuant to these procedures, partial fills will be allocated pro rata under procedures adopted by the Adviser. The Adviser seeks to allocate the opportunity to purchase or sell a security or other investment among accounts on an equitable basis by taking into consideration certain factors. These factors include, but are not limited to: size of the portfolio, concentration of holdings, investment objectives and guidelines, position weightings, duration targets, consistency of portfolio characteristics across similar accounts, purchase costs, issuer restrictions, price targets, ESG jurisdictional requirements, and cash availability. Due to such factors, the Adviser cannot assure equality of allocations among all of its accounts, nor can it assure that the opportunity to purchase or sell a security or other investment will be proportionally allocated among accounts according to any particular or predetermined standards or criteria which could cause performance divergence from similar accounts. In some cases, these allocation procedures may adversely affect the price paid or received by an account or the size of the position obtained or liquidated for an account. In others, however, the accounts’ ability to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions and prices for the accounts.

 

The Adviser may adjust allocations to eliminate fractional shares or odd lots, or to account for minimum trade size requirements and has the discretion to deviate from its allocation procedures in certain circumstances.

 

Funds may from time to time participate in initial public offerings (“IPOs”) or other types of limited offerings. To the extent that a fund, such as a new fund, has only affiliated shareholders, such as portfolio management or an adviser, and the fund wishes to participate in an IPO, those shareholders may be perceived as receiving a benefit and, as a result, may have a conflict with management of the fund and thus may not be eligible to participate in the offering. Funds may also, from time to time, participate as an anchor or Cornerstone Investor in an IPO. A Cornerstone Investor agrees, prior to a company’s IPO, to acquire a certain dollar amount of the IPO securities. Such agreement provides the Cornerstone Investor with an agreed and known allocation in the IPO. Shares allocated to the Cornerstone Investor in such IPOs may be restricted from trading for up to six months post the IPO and participation by any Adviser account as a Cornerstone Investor could preclude any other account from participating in the IPO as a non-Cornerstone Investor. The Adviser utilizes a dual book IPO indication process. More specifically, in order to provide issuers with a level of flexibility to address the diverse styles, needs, and relations of our global investment teams, the Adviser has assigned each investment team to either a U.S. or EMEA/APAC IPO indication group (each an “IPO Indication Group”) and places two separate indications with a broker for any one limited offering. The Adviser’s allocation procedures generally require all securities of an offering allocated to an IPO Indication Group be allocated to all accounts based on portfolio management's participation in such IPO Indication Group based on their initial indications and on a pro rata basis to all participating eligible accounts based on the total assets of each account. When more than one portfolio management across the firm indicates interest in a primary or secondary limited offering, a limit on the allowable bid will be applied. The Adviser cannot assure in all instances, participations in IPOs or limited offerings by all eligible accounts. In the event an eligible account does not participate in an offering, the Adviser generally does not reimburse for opportunity costs.

 

Creation or redemption transactions, to the extent consisting of cash, may require the Funds to contemporaneously transact with broker-dealers for purchases of Deposit Securities (as defined under Fund Deposit) or sales of Fund Securities (as defined under Redemption of Creation Units), including any foreign exchange, as applicable. Such transactions with a particular broker-dealer may be conditioned upon the broker-dealer’s agreement to transact at guaranteed price levels in order to reduce transaction costs the Funds would otherwise incur as a consequence of settling creation or redemption baskets in cash rather than in-kind.

 

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The following table summarizes the total amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Funds for the fiscal years ended October 31, unless otherwise noted.

 

Fund Name

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

  $ 0     $ 0     $ 0  

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

  $ 61,682     $ 4,363     $ 2,714 (1) 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

  $ 3,935     $ 2,083     $ 1,967  

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

  $ 3,728 (2)      N/A       N/A  

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

  $ 186,888     $ 49,392     $ 26,427  

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

  $ 30,481 (3)      N/A       N/A  

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

  $ 133,012     $ 43,264     $ 111,151  

 

(1)

January 10, 2022 (effective date) to October 31, 2022.

(2)

August 12, 2024 (effective date) to October 31, 2024.

(3)

November 6, 2023 (effective date) to October 31, 2024.

 

Brokerage commissions paid by the Funds may vary significantly from year to year because of portfolio turnover rates, varying market conditions, changes to investment strategies or processes, and other factors.

 

As of October 31, 2024, the Funds owned securities of their regular broker-dealer (or parents) as shown below.

 

Fund Name

Name of Broker-Dealer

Value of Securities
Owned

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

$18,834,937

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

$2,644,612

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

Barclays Capital, Inc.

$209,563

 

BofA Securities, Inc.

$138,022

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

$317,000

 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

$701,149

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

$152,333

 

Jane Street Execution Services, LLC

$236,153

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

$531,033

 

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

$162,438

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

None

N/A

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

$25,254,486

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

$6,414,579

 

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

$5,457,187

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited

$7,382,336

 

BofA Securities, Inc.

$41,003,870

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

$35,290,219

 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

$33,793,708

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

$56,121,033

 

Macquarie Group Limited

$56,655,577

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

$58,023,135

 

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

$8,388,555

 

UBS Securities LLC

$12,311,799

 

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

$57,183,711

 

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Shares of the Trust

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE DETERMINATION

 

As stated in the Funds’ Prospectus, the net asset value (“NAV”) of the shares of each Fund is determined once each day the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open, as of the close of its trading session (normally 4:00 p.m., New York time, Monday through Friday). The per share NAV of each Fund is computed by dividing the net assets by the number of the Funds’ shares outstanding.

 

Securities held by each Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (the “Valuation Procedures”). In determining NAV, equity securities traded on a domestic securities exchange are generally valued at the readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. If such price is lacking for the trading period immediately preceding the time of determination, such securities are valued at their current bid price. If applicable, equity securities that are traded on a foreign exchange are generally valued at the closing prices on such markets. In the event that there is no current trading volume on a particular security in such foreign exchange, the bid price from the primary exchange is generally used to value the security. Securities that are traded on the over-the-counter markets are generally valued at their closing or latest bid prices as available. Foreign securities and currencies are converted to U.S. dollars using the applicable exchange rate in effect at the close of the London Stock Exchange. The Adviser will determine the market value of individual securities held by it by using prices provided by one or more Adviser-approved professional pricing services or, as needed, by obtaining market quotations from independent broker-dealers. Most debt securities are valued in accordance with the evaluated bid price supplied by the pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price supplied by the pricing service is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term securities maturing within 60 days or less may be valued on an amortized cost basis.

 

Securities for which market quotations or evaluated prices are not readily available or are deemed unreliable are valued at fair value determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Circumstances in which fair valuation may be utilized include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a nonsignificant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a nonvalued security and a restricted or nonpublic security. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position.

 

Each Fund calculates its NAV per share, and therefore effects sales, redemptions, and repurchases of its shares, as of the close of the NYSE once each day on which the NYSE is open. Such calculation may not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the foreign portfolio securities used in such calculation. If an event that is expected to affect the value of a portfolio security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which that security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, then that security may be valued in good faith under the Valuation Procedures.

 

DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING PLAN

 

Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, as amended, (the “Rule”) provides that an investment company may bear expenses of distributing its shares only pursuant to a plan adopted in accordance with the Rule. The Trustees have adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan (“Rule 12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to which each Fund may pay certain expenses incurred in the distribution of its shares and the servicing and maintenance of existing shareholder accounts. ALPS, as the Funds’ principal underwriter, and the Adviser may have a direct or indirect financial interest in the Rule 12b-1 Plan or any related agreement. Pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plan, each Fund may pay a fee of up to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. No Rule 12b-1 fee is currently being charged to the Funds.

 

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The Rule 12b-1 Plan was approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Funds. In approving each Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Trustees determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Rule 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Funds and their shareholders.

 

The Rule 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so, and for the Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF, Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF, and Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF, the imposition of or increase in the 12b-1 fee must also be approved by each Fund’s shareholders, respectively. Because these fees are paid out of each Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The Rule 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

The Trust issues and sells shares of each Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form as described in the Authorized Participant Agreement (as defined below), on any Business Day (as defined below). The size of a Creation Unit to purchase shares of a Fund may differ from the size of a Creation Unit required to redeem shares of the Fund. The size of a Creation Unit may be modified by the Adviser with prior notification to a Fund’s Authorized Participants. Each Fund’s current Creation Unit size may be found on the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website.

 

A “Business Day” with respect to the Funds is each day the Listing Exchanges are open, which excludes weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Orders from Authorized Participants to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day.

 

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Financial intermediaries may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of Fund shares for reinvestment of their dividend distributions.

 

Beneficial owners should contact their financial intermediary to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Financial intermediaries may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both income and net capital gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

 

Fund Deposit

The consideration for purchase of Creation Units of the Funds may consist of cash or securities (plus an amount of cash). If creations are not conducted in cash, the consideration for purchase of Creation Units of the Funds generally consists of “Deposit Securities” and the Cash Component computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to creation requests received in proper form. Each Fund Deposit represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of a Fund.

 

The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the “Deposit Amount,” which is an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities, and serves to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount. Payment of any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing the Creation Unit.

 

The Adviser makes available through the NSCC on each Business Day prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange, the list of names and the required number or par value of each Deposit Security, if any, and the amount of the Cash Component to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information as of the end of the previous Business Day for each Fund). Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units of shares of the Funds until such time as the next-announced Fund Deposit is made available.

 

The identity and number or par value of the Deposit Securities change pursuant to changes in the composition of each Fund’s portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities constituting each Fund’s portfolio.

 

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Each Fund reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or the Clearing Process (as discussed below). Each Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which (i) the delivery of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant (as described below) would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws or (ii) the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations. In the case of transactions involving “cash in lieu” amounts, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser. If a purchase or redemption consists solely or partially of cash and the Fund places a brokerage transaction for portfolio securities with a third party broker, an Authorized Participant or its affiliated broker-dealer, the broker or the Authorized Participant (or an affiliated broker-dealer of the Authorized Participant) may be required, in its capacity as broker-dealer with respect to that transaction, to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, and market impact costs through a brokerage execution guarantee.

 

Procedures for Creating Creation Units

To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit of a Fund, an entity must be: (i) a “Participating Party,” i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”) or (ii) a DTC Participant, and must have executed an agreement with the Distributor, with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Units (“Authorized Participant Agreement”) (discussed below). A Participating Party or DTC Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement is referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” All shares of the Funds, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.

 

Role of the Authorized Participant

Creation Units may be purchased only by or through a DTC Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor. Such Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of such Authorized Participant Agreement and on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that such Authorized Participant will make available in advance of each purchase of shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component, once the net asset value of a Creation Unit is next determined after receipt of the purchase order in proper form, together with the transaction fees described below. An Authorized Participant, acting on behalf of an investor, may require the investor to enter into an agreement with such Authorized Participant with respect to certain matters, including payment of the Cash Component. Investors who are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be a DTC Participant or may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that orders to purchase Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant. As a result, purchase orders placed through a non-Authorized Participant may result in additional charges to such investor. The Trust does not expect to enter into an Authorized Participant Agreement with more than a small number of DTC Participants. The Distributor and Transfer Agent have adopted guidelines regarding Authorized Participants’ transactions in Creation Units that are made available to all Authorized Participants. These guidelines set forth the processes and standards for Authorized Participants to transact with the Distributor, Transfer Agent, and their agents in connection with creation and redemption transactions, as applicable.

 

Placement of Creation Orders

Fund Deposits must be delivered through the Federal Reserve System (for cash and U.S. government securities), through DTC (for corporate and municipal securities) or through a central depository account, such as with Euroclear or DTC, maintained by the Custodian or a subcustodian (a “Central Depository Account”). Any portion of a Fund Deposit that may not be delivered through the Federal Reserve System or DTC must be delivered through a Central Depository Account. The Fund Deposit transfers made through DTC must be ordered by the DTC Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities through DTC to the account of each Fund generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. Fund Deposit transfers made through the Federal Reserve System must be deposited by the participant institution in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number or amount of Deposit Securities or cash through the Federal Reserve System to the account of each Fund generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. Fund Deposit transfers made through a Central Depository Account must be completed pursuant to the requirements established by the Custodian or subcustodian for such Central Depository Account generally before 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. The “Settlement Date” for all funds is generally the first Business Day after the

 

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Transmittal Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities to be delivered, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash equal to the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities are not received by 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date, the creation order may be canceled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of each Fund. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the first Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor, provided that the relevant Fund Deposit has been received by each Fund prior to such time.

 

Purchase Orders

To initiate an order for a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit to the Distributor or its agent an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Funds, in proper form, by the Cutoff Time (as defined below). The Distributor or its agent will notify the Adviser and the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to any appropriate subcustodian. Procedures and requirements governing the delivery of the Fund Deposit are set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement and may change from time to time. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a creation request to be made through an Authorized Participant. Those placing orders to purchase Creation Units through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor or its agent by the Cutoff Time (as defined below) on such Business Day.

 

The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to the Funds, immediately available or same day funds estimated by a Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable purchase transaction fees. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit. Those placing orders should ascertain the deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the Cash Component. This deadline is likely to be significantly earlier than the Cutoff Time of the Funds. Investors should be aware that an Authorized Participant may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in the particular form required by the individual Authorized Participant.

 

The Authorized Participant is responsible for any and all expenses and costs incurred by the Funds, including any applicable cash amounts, in connection with any purchase order.

 

Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders

An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Funds generally before the described cut-off time (Eastern Time) listed in the table below, on any Business Day in order to receive that day’s NAV.

 

 

Cut-Off Time for
Negotiated Custom
Baskets Orders

Cut-Off Time for
Standard Baskets
Orders

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

1:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

1:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

12:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

12:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

1:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

12:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

12:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Fund may, but is not required to permit orders until 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, or until the market closes (in the event a Listing Exchange closes early). On days when a Listing Exchange or bond market closes earlier than normal (or on days where the bond market is closed but a Listing Exchange is open), the Funds may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day.

 

Creation Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor or its agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement, as described below. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or its agent or an Authorized Participant. Orders to create shares of the Funds that are submitted on the

 

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Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the equity markets in the relevant foreign market are closed may be charged the maximum additional charge for Creation Unit transactions as set forth in this SAI to account for transaction costs incurred by the Funds. The Funds’ deadline specified above for the submission of purchase orders is referred to as the Funds’ “Cutoff Time.” The Distributor or its agent, in their discretion, may permit the submission of such orders and requests by or through an Authorized Participant at any time (including on days on which the Listing Exchange is not open for business) via communication through the facilities of the Distributor’s or its Transfer Agent’s proprietary website maintained for this purpose. Purchase orders and redemption requests, if accepted by the Trust, will be processed based on the NAV next determined after such acceptance. However, to account for transaction costs otherwise incurred by the Funds, an Authorized Participant that submits an order to the Distributor after the Cutoff Time stated above, may be charged the maximum additional charge for Creation Unit transactions as set forth in this SAI.

 

Acceptance of Orders for Creation Units

Subject to the conditions that (i) an irrevocable purchase order has been submitted by the Authorized Participant (either on its own or another investor’s behalf) and (ii) arrangements satisfactory to the Funds are in place for payment of the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due, the Funds will accept the order, subject to the Funds’ right (and the right of the Distributor and the Adviser) to reject any order until acceptance, as set forth below.

 

Once each Fund has accepted an order, upon the next determination of the net asset value of the shares, the Funds will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such net asset value. The Distributor or its agent will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.

 

Each Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor or its agent if (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of a Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identity and number of shares specified, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to a Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the discretion of a Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on a Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (vii) circumstances outside the control of a Fund, the Distributor or its agent and the Adviser make it impracticable to process purchase orders. The Distributor or its agent shall notify a prospective purchaser of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such purchaser of its rejection of such order. The Funds, Transfer Agent, subcustodian, and Distributor or their agents are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.

 

Issuance of a Creation Unit

Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Funds of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the custodian that the securities included in the Fund Deposit (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Distributor or its agent and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery and the Funds will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit. Creation Units for the Funds typically are issued on a “T+1 basis” (i.e., one Business Day after trade date). However, each Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1, including a shorter settlement period, if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law. For example, each Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1, in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets, as applicable, of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (i.e., the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security) and in certain other circumstances.

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement with the Distributor, the Funds will issue Creation Units to such Authorized Participant, notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral having a value at least equal to 105%, which percentage the Adviser may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing Deposit Securities in accordance with the Funds’ then-effective procedures. The only collateral that is acceptable to the Funds is cash in U.S. dollars. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the contractual settlement date. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. Information concerning the Funds’ current procedures for collateralization of missing Deposit Securities is available from the Distributor

 

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or its agent. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit the Funds to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Funds of purchasing such securities and the cash collateral.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date and in these instances, the Funds reserve the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participants that the creation and redemption transactions are for separate beneficial owners. All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Funds and the Funds’ determination shall be final and binding.

 

Redemption of Creation Units

Shares of the Funds may be redeemed by Authorized Participants only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Transfer Agent or its agent and only on a Business Day. The Funds will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the secondary market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares to constitute a Creation Unit that could be redeemed by an Authorized Participant. Beneficial owners also may sell shares in the secondary market. The Funds typically redeem Creation Units entirely in cash; however, the Funds may also redeem in cash and/or in Fund Securities plus any Cash Amount.

 

In-Kind Redemption Method

The Adviser will make available through the NSCC, prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each Business Day, the designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”), and an amount of cash (the “Cash Amount,” as described below). Such Fund Securities and the corresponding Cash Amount (each subject to possible amendment or correction) are applicable in order to effect redemptions of Creation Units of the Funds until such time as the next announced composition of the Fund Securities and Cash Amount is made available. Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Units. Procedures and requirements governing redemption transactions are set forth in the handbook for Authorized Participants and may change from time to time.

 

With an in-kind redemption, the proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of Fund Securities, plus the Cash Amount, which is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the shares being redeemed, as next determined after the receipt of a redemption request in proper form, and the value of Fund Securities, less a redemption transaction fee (as described below).

 

Each Fund may, in its sole discretion, substitute a “cash in lieu” amount to replace any Fund Security, and reserves the right to redeem entirely in cash. Each Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; or (ii) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Fund Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations. The amount of cash paid out in such cases will be equivalent to the value of the substituted security listed as a Fund Security. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder.

 

Cash Redemption Method

When partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units are authorized by the Funds, a custom redemption will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of partial or full cash redemption, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.

 

Costs Associated with Creation and Redemption Transactions

Each type of Creation Unit standard transaction fee (“Standard Fee”) is imposed to offset the transfer and other transaction costs incurred by the Funds associated with the issuance or redemption of Creation Units. The Standard Fee will be charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates or redeems a Creation Unit, and is the same, regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The

 

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Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction. For creations, Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to a Fund. The Adviser may adjust the Standard Fee from time to time to account for changes in transaction fees associated with in-kind transactions.

 

In addition to the Standard Fees discussed above, the Funds charge an additional variable fee (“Variable Fee”) for creations and redemptions in whole or partial cash to offset brokerage and impact expenses associated with the cash portion of the transaction. The amount of the Variable Fee payable to the Funds by the Authorized Participant is determined by the Adviser based on analysis of historical transaction cost data and the Adviser’s view of current market conditions, among other factors. The actual Variable Fee charged for a given transaction may be lower or higher than the trading expenses incurred by the Funds with respect to that transaction. The total transaction fees charged (i.e. the Standard Fee plus the Variable Fee) will not exceed the maximum amounts reflected in the table below. From time to time, the Adviser, in its sole discretion, may adjust a Fund’s transaction fees or reimburse an Authorized Participant for all or a portion of the transaction fees.

 

The following table shows as of the date of this SAI (i) the Standard Fee, and (ii) the maximum total transaction fee charges for creations and redemptions (as described above):

 

Fund Name

In-Kind Creation
Unit Standard Fee*

Cash Creation Unit
Standard Fee*

Maximum Total
Transaction Fee**

     

3.00% (Create)

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

$500

$100

2.00% (Redeem)

     

3.00% (Create)

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

$500

$100

2.00% (Redeem)

     

3.00% (Create)

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

$500

N/A

2.00% (Redeem)

     

3.00% (Create)

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

$500

N/A

2.00% (Redeem)

     

3.00% (Create)

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

$500

N/A

2.00% (Redeem)

     

3.00% (Create)

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

$500

N/A

2.00% (Redeem)

     

3.00% (Create)

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

$500

N/A

2.00% (Redeem)

 

*

Flat fee charged per transaction for one or more Creation Units.

**

As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit, inclusive of the Standard Fee.

 

Placement of Redemption Orders

Redemption requests for Creation Units of the Funds must be submitted to the Transfer Agent by or through an Authorized Participant before the described cut-off time (Eastern Time) listed in the table below, in order to receive that day’s net asset value.

 

 

Cut-Off Time for
Negotiated Custom
Baskets Orders

Cut-Off Time for
Standard Baskets
Orders

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

1:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

1:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

12:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

12:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

1:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

12:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

12:00 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Funds may, but are not required to permit orders until 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, or until the market closes (in the event a Listing Exchange closes early). On days when a Listing Exchange or bond market closes earlier than normal (or on days where the bond market is closed, but a Listing Exchange is open), the Funds may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant.

 

The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption in the form required by the Funds to the Transfer Agent or its agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. At any time, only a limited number of broker-dealers will have an Authorized Participant Agreement in effect. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the shares to the Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.

 

A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Transfer Agent the Creation Unit redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the Listing Exchange closing time on the applicable Business Day, (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Funds is received by the Transfer Agent or its agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified above and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement are properly followed. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s shares through DTC’s facilities by 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the Business Day next following the day that the redemption request is received, the redemption request may be rejected. Investors should be aware that the deadline for such transfers of shares through the DTC system may be significantly earlier than the close of business on the Listing Exchange. Those making redemption requests should ascertain the deadline applicable to transfers of shares through the DTC system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effecting the transfer of the shares.

 

Upon receiving a redemption request, the Transfer Agent or its agent shall notify the Funds of such redemption request. The tender of an investor’s shares for redemption and the distribution of the securities and/or cash included in the redemption payment made in respect of Creation Units redeemed will be made through DTC and the relevant Authorized Participant to the Beneficial Owner thereof as recorded on the book-entry system of DTC or the DTC Participant through which such investor holds, as the case may be, or by such other means specified by the Authorized Participant submitting the redemption request.

 

A redeeming Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the portfolio securities are customarily traded, to which account such portfolio securities will be delivered.

 

Deliveries of redemption proceeds by the Funds generally will be made within one Business Day (i.e., “T+1”). Further, consistent with applicable law, the Funds reserve the right to settle redemption transactions and deliver redemption proceeds on another basis to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, including to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (i.e., the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold) and in certain other circumstances.

 

If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Funds may in their discretion exercise the option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In such case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the net asset value of its shares based on the NAV of the Funds next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charges specified above, to offset the Funds’ brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and the Funds (whether or not they otherwise

 

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permit cash redemptions) reserve the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Funds cannot lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or cannot do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws.

 

In the event that cash redemptions are utilized by a Fund, proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares as soon as practicable after the date of redemption (generally within seven calendar days thereafter, except as described in “Regular Holidays” below).

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement with the Distributor or its agent, in the event an Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to a Fund, at or prior to 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the Listing Exchange business day after the date of submission of such redemption request, the Transfer Agent or its agent will accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash, in U.S. dollars in immediately available funds, having a value at least equal to 105%, which percentage the Adviser may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing shares. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the day after the date of submission of such redemption request and shall be held by the Custodian and marked-to-market daily. The fees of the Custodian and any subcustodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant Agreement permits the Funds to acquire shares of the Funds at any time and subjects the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the aggregate of the cost to the Funds of purchasing such shares, plus the value of the Cash Amount, and the value of the cash collateral.

 

Because the portfolio securities of the Funds may trade on exchange(s) on days that the Listing Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Funds, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Funds, or purchase or sell shares of the Funds on the Listing Exchange on days when the NAV of the Funds could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

 

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Funds: (i) for any period during which the Listing Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the Listing Exchange is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Funds’ portfolio securities or determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.

 

Custom Baskets

The securities and other assets that are required for the issuance of a Creation Unit, or are provided upon redemption of a Creation Unit (a “basket”) may differ and the Funds may permit or require the submission of a portfolio of securities or cash that differs from the composition of the published portfolio(s) (a “Custom Basket”). A Custom Basket may include any of the following: (i) a basket that is composed of a nonrepresentative selection of the Funds’ portfolio holdings; or (ii) a representative basket that is different from the initial basket used in transactions on the same business day. The Funds have adopted policies and procedures that govern the construction and acceptance of baskets, including heightened requirements for certain types of custom baskets intended to be protective to the Funds and their shareholders. Such policies and procedures, among other items, establish (i) parameters for the construction and acceptance of custom baskets, and (ii) processes for revisions to or deviations from such parameters. The Adviser has established a governance process to oversee basket compliance for the Funds, as set forth in the Funds’ policies and procedures.

 

Taxation on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units

An Authorized Participant generally will recognize either gain or loss upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units. This gain or loss is calculated by taking the market value of the Creation Units purchased (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) over the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the Deposit Securities exchanged therefor (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for Deposit Securities generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the Authorized Participant’s basis in the Creation Units (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and the aggregate market value of the Deposit Securities (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant

 

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as part of the redemption). However, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) may apply the wash sales rules to determine that any loss realized upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units is not currently deductible. Authorized Participants should consult their own tax advisors.

 

Current U.S. federal tax laws dictate that capital gain or loss realized from the redemption of Creation Units will generally create long-term capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the Creation Units for more than one year, or short-term capital gain or loss if the Creation Units were held for one year or less, if the Creation Units are held as capital assets.

 

Regular Holidays

For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market or U.S. bond market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market or U.S. bond market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within the normal settlement period.

 

The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with foreign market or U.S. bond market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days, in certain circumstances. Under normal circumstances, the Funds expect to pay out redemption proceeds within one Business Day after the redemption request is received, in accordance with the process set forth in the Funds’ SAI and in the agreement between the Authorized Participant and the Funds’ Distributor. However, the Funds reserve the right, including under stressed market conditions, to take up to seven days after the receipt of a redemption request to pay the Authorized Participant, all as permitted by the 1940 Act. With respect to the Funds’ foreign investments, in a country where local market holiday(s) prevent the Funds from delivering such foreign investments to an Authorized Participant in response to a redemption request, the Funds may take up to 15 days after the receipt of the redemption request to deliver such investments to the Authorized Participant.

 

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Securities Lending

 

 

Certain Funds may seek to earn additional income through lending their securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. acts as securities lending agent and custodian or subcustodian to receive and disburse cash balances and cash collateral, hold short-term investments, and perform other custodian functions in accordance with the Securities Lending Agreement.

 

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2024, the securities lending services provided by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., included negotiating the terms of loans; monitoring approved borrowers; recalling and arranging the return of loaned securities to the Funds upon termination of the loan; marking to market loans; providing recordkeeping services; reporting on the Funds’ securities lending activities; and related services. The following table summarizes the income and fees from securities lending activities for the fiscal year for those Funds that participated in securities lending.

 

Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services:

 

 

Gross income
from securities
lending
activities

   

Fees Paid
to securities
lending agent
from revenue
split

   

Fees paid
for any cash
collateral
management
services
(including
fees deducted
from a pooled
cash collateral
reinvestment
vehicle)
that are not
included in the
revenue split

   

Administrative
fees not
included in the
revenue split

   

Indemnification
fees not included
in the revenue
split

   

Rebate
(paid to
borrower)

   

Other fees not
included in
revenue split

   

Aggregate
fees and/or
compensation
for securities
lending
activities

   

Net income
from securities
lending
activities

 

JLQD

  $ 8,685     $ (68 )   $ (69 )               $ (7,769 )         $ (7,906 )   $ 779  

JMBS

  $ 502     $ (0 )   $ (4 )               $ (497 )         $ (501 )   $ 1  

 

 

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Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status

 

 

INCOME DIVIDENDS, CAPITAL GAINS DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAX STATUS

 

The following is intended to be a general summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Funds. It is not intended to be a complete discussion of all such federal income tax consequences, nor does it purport to deal with all categories of investors. This summary assumes that investors hold shares of a Fund as capital assets (within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code). This summary does not apply to investors that are not “United States persons” (as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code) or investors subject to special tax treatment (such as a partnership, financial institution, real estate investment trust, regulated investment company, insurance company, tax-advantaged, tax-qualified and retirement plans (or any other tax-exempt entity), or dealer in securities), except as otherwise specifically indicated below. This discussion reflects applicable tax laws of the United States as of the date of this SAI.However, tax laws may change or be subject to new interpretation by the courts or the IRS, possibly with retroactive effect. Investors are therefore advised to consult with their own tax advisers before making an investment in the Funds.

 

It is a policy of the Funds to make distributions of substantially all of their respective net investment income and any realized net capital gains at least annually. Any net capital gains realized during each fiscal year, as defined by the Internal Revenue Code, are normally declared and payable to shareholders in December but, if necessary, may be distributed at other times as well. Additional information regarding the frequency of each Fund’s distribution of dividend payments from net investment income can be found at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Fund Taxation

The Funds intend to qualify as regulated investment companies as such term is defined under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code (each, a “regulated investment company”). If a Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company in any taxable year, the Fund may be subject to federal income tax on its taxable income at the applicable corporate tax rate. In addition, all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would generally be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income but may, at least in part, qualify for the dividends received deduction applicable to corporations or the reduced rate of taxation applicable to noncorporate holders for “qualified dividend income.” In addition, the Funds could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay taxes and interest, and make distributions before requalifying as regulated investment companies that are accorded special federal income tax treatment.

 

A federal excise tax at the rate of 4% will be imposed on the excess, if any, of a Fund’s “required distribution” over actual distributions in any calendar year. Generally, the “required distribution” is 98% of a Fund’s ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of its capital gain net income recognized during the one-year period ending on October 31 plus undistributed amounts from prior years. Each Fund intends to make distributions sufficient to avoid imposition of the excise tax.

 

Certain transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, if any, may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, may affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders. The Funds will monitor their transactions and may make certain tax elections where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions, if possible.

 

In certain circumstances, such as if a Fund invests in certain pay-in-kind securities, zero coupon securities, deferred interest securities or, in general, any other securities with original issue discount (or with market discount if the Fund elects to include market discount in income currently), the Fund must accrue income on such investments for each taxable year, which generally will be prior to the receipt of the corresponding cash payments. However, in order to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code and to avoid federal income tax and the 4% federal excise tax, a Fund must distribute to shareholders, at least annually, all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net tax-exempt income, including such accrued income. Therefore, a Fund may have to dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate cash, or may have to leverage itself by borrowing the cash, to satisfy these distribution requirements.

 

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A Fund may acquire market discount bonds. A market discount bond is a security acquired in the secondary market at a price below its redemption value (or its adjusted issue price if it is also an original issue discount bond). If a Fund invests in a market discount bond, it generally will be required to treat any gain recognized on the disposition of such market discount bond as ordinary income (instead of capital gain) to the extent of the accrued market discount, unless the Fund elects to include the market discount in income as it accrues.

 

A Fund’s investments in lower-rated or unrated debt securities may present issues for that Fund if the issuers of these securities default on their obligations because the federal income tax consequences to a holder of such securities are not certain.

 

A Fund may purchase securities of certain foreign corporations considered to be passive foreign investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code. In order to avoid taxes and interest that must be paid by that Fund, the Fund may make various elections permitted by the Internal Revenue Code. However, these elections could require that the Fund recognize taxable income, which in turn must be distributed even though the Fund may not have received any income upon such an event.

 

Some foreign securities purchased by the Funds may be subject to foreign taxes which could reduce the yield on such securities. If the amount of foreign taxes is significant in a particular year, the Funds that qualify under Section 853 of the Internal Revenue Code may elect to pass through such taxes to shareholders. If a Fund makes such an election, foreign taxes paid by the Fund will be reported to shareholders as income and shareholders may claim either a foreign tax credit or deduction for such taxes, subject to certain limitations. If such election is not made by a Fund, any foreign taxes paid or accrued will represent an expense to the Fund, which will reduce its investment company taxable income.

 

Under the Internal Revenue Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time a Fund accrues income or receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on disposition of certain other instruments, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition also may be treated as ordinary gain or loss. These gains and losses, referred to under the Internal Revenue Code as “Section 988” gains or losses, may increase or decrease the amount of a Fund’s investment company taxable income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.

 

A Fund that invests in foreign securities may utilize foreign currency contracts in an effort to limit foreign currency risk. The value of foreign currency contracts can vary widely from month-to-month, which may result in gains one month and losses the next month. If the Fund distributes such gains during a monthly distribution (if applicable) and subsequently realizes foreign currency losses due to exchange rate fluctuations, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

 

If a Fund elects to invest in REIT equity securities, such investments may require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. In order to generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales. The Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may result in the receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings. If a Fund distributes such amounts, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

 

Some REITs are permitted to hold “residual interests” in REMICs. Pursuant to an IRS notice, a portion of a Fund’s income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT’s residual interest in a REMIC (referred to in the Internal Revenue Code as an “excess inclusion”) may be subject to federal income tax in all events. Excess inclusion income will normally be allocated to shareholders in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest directly. There may be instances in which a Fund may be unaware of a REIT’s excess inclusion income. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders: (a) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions); (b) will constitute unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan, or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on unrelated business income, thereby potentially requiring such an entity that is allocated excess inclusion income, and otherwise might not be required to file a federal income tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income; and (c) in the case of a foreign shareholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. Tax-exempt investors sensitive to UBTI are strongly encouraged to consult their tax advisers prior to investment in a Fund. In addition, if at any time during any taxable year a “disqualified organization” (as defined by the Internal Revenue

 

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Code) is a record holder of a share in a regulated investment company, then the regulated investment company will be subject to a tax equal to that portion of its excess inclusion income for the taxable year that is allocable to the disqualified organization, multiplied by the applicable corporate tax rate. This may impact a Fund’s performance.

 

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, ordinary REIT dividends are treated as “qualified business income” that is eligible for a 20% federal income tax deduction in the case of individuals, trusts and estates. Regulations enable a Fund to pass through the special character of “qualified REIT dividends” to its shareholders. The amount of a regulated investment company’s dividends eligible for the 20% deduction for a taxable year is limited to the excess of the regulated investment company’s qualified REIT dividends for the taxable year over allocable expenses. To be eligible to treat distributions from a Fund as qualified REIT dividends, a shareholder must hold shares of the Fund for more than 45 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend and the shareholder must not be under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. If a Fund does not elect to pass the special character of this income through to shareholders or if a shareholder does not satisfy the above holding period requirements, the shareholder will not be entitled to the 20% deduction for the shareholder’s share of the Fund’s qualified REIT dividend income.

 

The application of certain requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company and the application of certain other federal income tax rules may be unclear in some respects in connection with investments in certain derivatives and other investments. As a result, a Fund may be required to limit the extent to which it invests in such investments and it is also possible that the IRS may not agree with a Fund’s treatment of such investments. In addition, the tax treatment of derivatives and certain other investments may be affected by future legislation, treasury regulations, and guidance issued by the IRS (which could apply retroactively) that could affect the timing, character, and amount of a Fund’s income and gains and distributions to shareholders, affect whether a Fund has made sufficient distributions and otherwise satisfied the requirements to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid federal income and excise taxes, or limit the extent to which a Fund may invest in certain derivatives and other investments in the future.

 

Generally, the character of the income or capital gains that a Fund receives from another investment company will pass through to the Fund’s shareholders as long as the Fund and the other investment company each qualify as regulated investment companies. However, to the extent that another investment company that qualifies as a regulated investment company realizes net losses on its investments for a given taxable year, a Fund will not be able to recognize its share of those losses until it disposes of shares of such investment company. Moreover, even when a Fund does make such a disposition, a portion of its loss may be recognized as a long-term capital loss. As a result of the foregoing rules, and certain other special rules, it is possible that the amounts of net investment income and net capital gains that a Fund will be required to distribute to shareholders will be greater than such amounts would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests, rather than investing in shares of the investment companies. For similar reasons, the character of distributions from a Fund (e.g., long-term capital gain, qualified dividend income, etc.) will not necessarily be the same as it would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests.

 

A Fund may treat a portion of the amount paid to redeem shares as a distribution of investment company taxable income and realized capital gains that are reflected in the net asset value. This practice, commonly referred to as “equalization,” has no effect on the redeeming shareholder or a Fund’s total return, but may reduce the amounts that would otherwise be required to be paid as taxable dividends to the remaining shareholders. It is possible that the IRS could challenge the Funds’ equalization methodology or calculations, and any such challenge could result in additional tax, interest, or penalties to be paid by the Funds or disqualification of a Fund as a regulated investment company.

 

Shareholder Taxation

Shareholders will be subject to federal income taxes on distributions made by a Fund whether received in cash or additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from a Fund’s net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, net short-term capital gains, and net gains from foreign currency transactions), if any, generally are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income, unless such distributions are attributable to “qualified dividend income” eligible in the case of noncorporate investors for the reduced federal income tax rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received from REITs and certain foreign corporations generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

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In addition, if a Fund participates in a securities lending transaction and receives a payment in lieu of dividends with respect to securities on loan (a “substitute payment”), such income generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of a Fund’s net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long shares of the Fund were held. Long-term capital gains are taxable to noncorporate investors at a maximum federal income tax rate of 20%. In addition, certain non-corporate investors may be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax discussed below. Dividends paid by a Fund may also qualify in part for the dividends-received deduction available to corporate shareholders, provided that certain holding period and other requirements under the Internal Revenue Code are satisfied. Generally, however, dividends received from REITs and on stocks of foreign issuers are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction when distributed to the Funds’ corporate shareholders. In addition, a substitute payment received with respect to a securities lending transaction will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction when distributed to the Funds’ corporate shareholders. Distributions from a Fund may also be subject to foreign, state, and local income taxes. Please consult a tax adviser regarding the tax consequences of Fund distributions and to determine whether you will need to file a tax return.

 

If a Fund makes a distribution in excess of its current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his, her, or its shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder’s basis in his, her, or its shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of such shares. If a Fund produces income primarily derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid by such Fund is anticipated to be qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions declared by a Fund during October, November, or December to shareholders of record during such month and paid by January 31 of the following year will be taxable in the year they are declared, rather than the year in which they are received. Each Fund will notify its shareholders each year of the amount and type of dividends and distributions it paid.

 

Gain or loss realized upon a redemption or other disposition (such as an exchange) of shares of a Fund by a shareholder will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and, if not held for such period, as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss on the sale or exchange of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain distributions paid to the shareholder with respect to such shares. Any loss a shareholder realizes on a sale or exchange of shares of a Fund will be disallowed if the shareholder acquires other shares of the Fund (whether through the automatic reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) or substantially identical stock or securities within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shareholder’s sale or exchange of the shares. In such case, the shareholder’s tax basis in the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Capital losses may be subject to limitations on their use by a shareholder.

 

When a shareholder opens an account, IRS regulations require that the shareholder provide a taxpayer identification number (“TIN”), certify that it is correct, and certify that he, she, or it is not subject to backup withholding. If a shareholder fails to provide a TIN or the proper tax certifications, each Fund is required to withhold 24% of all distributions (including dividends and capital gain distributions) and redemption proceeds paid to the shareholder. Each Fund is also required to begin backup withholding on an account if the IRS instructs it to do so. Amounts withheld may be applied to the shareholder’s federal income tax liability and the shareholder may obtain a refund from the IRS if withholding results in an overpayment of federal income tax for such year.

 

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount.

 

Non-U.S. Investors

Non-U.S. investors (shareholders that are not “United States persons,” as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code, or partnerships) may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements. Non-U.S. investors should consult their tax advisors as to the consequences of these and other state and local tax rules affecting investment in a Fund and about the applicability of U.S. tax withholding and the use of the appropriate forms to certify their status.

 

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Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a 30% or lower treaty rate and U.S. estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are provided for certain capital gain dividends paid by a Fund from net long-term capital gains, interest related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, if such amounts are reported by a Fund. However, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding at the source, any such dividends and distributions of income and capital gains may be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 24% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a United States person (as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code).

 

Under Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), a 30% withholding tax is imposed on income dividends made by a Fund to certain foreign entities, referred to as foreign financial institutions or nonfinancial foreign entities, that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. After December 31, 2018, FATCA withholding also would have applied to certain capital gain distributions, return of capital distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares; however, based on proposed regulations issued by the IRS which can be relied on currently, such withholding is not required unless final regulations provide otherwise. A 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 or similar laws. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of a Fund fails to provide the Fund with appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.

 

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Trustees and Officers

 

 

The following are the Trustees and officers of the Trust together with a brief description of their principal occupations during the last five years (principal occupations for certain Trustees may include periods over five years).

 

Each Trustee has served in that capacity since he or she was originally elected or appointed. The Trustees do not serve a specified term of office. Each Trustee will hold office until the termination of the Trust or his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, incapacity, or removal. Under the Funds’ Governance Procedures and Guidelines, the policy is for Trustees to retire no later than the end of the calendar year in which the Trustee turns 75. The Trustees review the Funds’ Governance Procedures and Guidelines from time to time and may make changes they deem appropriate. The Funds’ Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees for the position of Trustee recommended by shareholders. Shareholders may submit the name of a candidate for consideration by the Committee by submitting their recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary. Each Trustee is currently a Trustee of one other registered investment company advised by the Adviser: Clayton Street Trust. As of the date of this SAI, collectively, the two registered investment companies consist of 17 series or funds. The Trust’s officers are elected annually by the Trustees for a one-year term. Certain officers also serve as officers of Clayton Street Trust. Certain officers of the Funds may also be officers and/or directors of the Adviser. Except as otherwise disclosed, Fund officers receive no compensation from the Funds.

 

TRUSTEES

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions
Held with
the Trust

Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios/
Funds
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee*

Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past Five Years

Independent Trustees

Clifford J. Weber
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1963

Chairman Trustee

2/16-Present
2/16-Present

Owner, Financial Products Consulting Group LLC (consulting services to financial institutions) (since 2015).

17

Chairman, Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Chairman, Clough Global Opportunities Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Chairman, Clough Global Equity Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Opportunities Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Equity Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017) and Independent Trustee, Global X Funds (investment company) (since 2018). Formerly, Chairman, Clough Funds Trust (investment company) (2016-2023), Independent Trustee, Clough Funds Trust (2015-2023).

 

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TRUSTEES

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions
Held with
the Trust

Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios/
Funds
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee*

Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past Five Years

Maureen T. Upton
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1965

Trustee

2/16-Present

Executive Director, National Association of Corporate Directors Colorado Chapter (since 2024); Principal, Maureen Upton Ltd. (consulting services to multinational companies) (since 2017).

17

Independent Director, Cascadia Minerals Ltd. (mineral exploration company); Independent Director, ATAC Resources Ltd. (mineral exploration company) (since 2022).

Jeffrey B. Weeden
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1956

Trustee

2/16-Present

Senior Advisor, Bay Boston Capital LP (investment fund in finance companies, banks and bank holdings companies) (since 2015).

17

Director, West Travis County Municipal Utility District No. 6. (municipal utility) (since 2020). Formerly, Director, State Farm Bank (banking) (2014-2021).

Interested Trustee

Gregory Trinks**
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1977

Trustee

7/24-Present

Head of US Product, Janus Henderson Investors (since 2023); Formerly, Managing Director, UBS Wealth Management USA, (2002-2022).

17

 

 

*

Each Trustee also serves as a trustee to the Clayton Street Trust, which is currently comprised of three portfolios.

**

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee because of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors.

 

OFFICERS

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions Held with the Trust

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Nicholas Cherney
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1981

President and Chief Executive Officer

10/22-Present

Head of Innovation at Janus Henderson Investors (since 2023), Head of Exchange Traded Products at Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, Velocity Shares Holdings Inc. (since 2019). Formerly, Head of Exchange Traded Products Janus Henderson Indices LLC (2019-2023), Senior Vice President, Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, Janus Henderson Indices LLC (2015-2019), Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (2015-2017), and Velocity Shares Holdings Inc. (2014-2019).

Kristin Mariani
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1966

Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer

7/20-Present

Head of Compliance, North America at Janus Henderson Investors (since September 2020) and Chief Compliance Officer at Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since September 2017). Formerly, Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust (July 2020-December 2022), and Global Head of Investment Management Compliance at Janus Henderson Investors (February 2019-August 2020).

 

84

 

 

OFFICERS

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions Held with the Trust

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Jesper Nergaard
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1962

Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Principal Accounting Officer

2/16-Present

Head of U.S. Fund Administration, Janus Henderson Investors and Janus Henderson Services US LLC (since 2005).

Cara Owen
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1981

Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal Officer

1/23-Present

Senior Legal Counsel of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2021). Formerly, Assistant Secretary of the Trust and Clayton Street Trust (2021-2023); Vice President and Principal Legal Counsel, ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (2019-2021) (fund administrator); and Senior Counsel, Corporate & Investments, Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company (insurance company) (2014-2019).

Ciaran Askin
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1978

Anti-Money Laundering Officer

1/23-Present

Global Head of Financial Crime, Janus Henderson Investors (since 2022). Formerly, Global Head of Financial Crime at Invesco Ltd. (2017-2022).

Jay Mensah
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1994

Assistant Secretary

10/24-Present

Legal Counsel of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2024). Formerly, Associate, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP (law firm) (2022-2024); Associate, Finn Dixon & Herling LLP (law firm)(2021-2022); Associate Counsel, CBRE Global Investors (asset management firm) (2020–2021).

J. Tison Cory
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1969

Assistant Secretary

1/23-Present

Senior Legal Manger of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2020).

Dawn Cotten
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1977

Assistant Treasurer

7/23-Present

Director – Head of Fund Oversight of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2023). Formerly, Client Solutions Group Director, S&P Global (financial data information provider) (2022-2023); and Senior Vice President SS&C ALPS (fund administrator) (2017-2021).

Allen Welch
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1974

Assistant Treasurer

2/16-Present

Director, Head of Fund Tax of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2017).

 

*

Officers are elected at least annually by the Trustees for a one-year term and may also be elected from time to time by the Trustees for an interim period.

 

The Board’s Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for identifying and recommending candidates for nomination or election by the Board based on a variety of diverse criteria. In its most recent evaluation of the qualifications of each Trustee as part of the Board’s annual self-evaluation process and in connection with candidate assessment prior to the appointment of a new Trustee, effective July 11, 2024, the Committee and the Board considered the totality of the information available to them, including the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills, as noted below, and determined that each of the Trustees should serve as members of the Board of Trustees based on the Trust’s business structure. In reaching these conclusions, the Committee and the Board, in the exercise of their reasonable business judgment, evaluated each Trustee based on his or her specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills on an individual basis and in combination with the other Trustees, none of which by itself was considered dispositive. Each member is listed below.

 

85

 

 

Maureen T. Upton: Service as a consultant to global mining, energy and water resource industries, founder of sustainability consultancy, director of public affairs of a NYSE-listed mining corporation, and experience with the financial services industry.

 

Clifford J. Weber: Service as a senior executive of stock exchanges with responsibilities including exchange-traded fund and exchange-traded product issues, experience with the structure and operations of exchange-traded funds, experience with secondary market transactions involving exchange-traded funds, and service as a mutual fund independent director.

 

Jeffrey B. Weeden: Service as a senior executive and CFO of NYSE-listed financial services companies, and as a director of a bank.

 

Gregory Trinks: Service as a senior executive at Janus Henderson Investors and experience as a senior executive in the financial services industry.

 

General Information Regarding the Board of Trustees and Leadership Structure

The Trust is governed by the Board of Trustees, which is responsible for and oversees the management and operations of the Trust and the Funds on behalf of Fund shareholders. A majority of the Board is considered Independent of the Adviser and the Distributor. The Board’s Chair is also an Independent Trustee and each Committee is comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Board’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, oversight of the Funds’ officers and service providers, including the Adviser, which is responsible for the Trust’s day-to-day operations. The Trustees approve all of the agreements entered into with the Funds’ service providers, including the investment management agreements with the Adviser and distribution agreement with ALPS. The Trustees are also responsible for determining or changing the Funds’ investment objective(s), policies, and available investment techniques, as well as for overseeing the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Trustees are assisted by the Trust’s independent auditor (who reports directly to the Trust’s Audit Committee) and independent counsel, each of whom is selected by the Trustees. The Trustees also may engage specialists or consultants from time to time to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities. The Trustees also meet regularly without representatives of the Adviser or its affiliates present.

 

The Trustees discharge their responsibilities collectively as a Board, as well as through Board committees, each of which operates pursuant to a Board-approved charter that delineates the specific responsibilities of that committee. For example, the Board will oversee the annual process by which the Board will consider for approval the renewal of the Funds’ investment advisory agreement with the Adviser. Specific matters may be delegated to a committee, such as oversight of the Funds’ independent auditor, which has been delegated by the Board to its Audit and Pricing Committee, subject to approval of the Audit Committee’s recommendations by the Board. The members and responsibilities of each Board committee are summarized below. In addition to serving on certain committees, the Chair of the Board (“Board Chair”) is responsible for presiding at all meetings of the Board, and has other duties as may be assigned by the Trustees from time to time. The Board Chair also serves as the Board’s liaison to the Adviser with respect to all matters related to the Funds that are not otherwise delegated to the chair of a Board committee. The Board has determined that this leadership structure is appropriate based on (i) the number of funds overseen and the various investment objectives of those funds; (ii) the distribution model of the Funds, and (iii) the responsibilities entrusted to the Adviser and its affiliates to oversee the Trust’s day-to-day operations, among other considerations. On an annual basis, the Board conducts a self-evaluation that considers, among other matters, whether the Board and its committees are functioning effectively and whether, given the size and composition of the Board and each of its committees, the Trustees are able to oversee effectively the funds in the complex.

 

86

 

 

Committees of the Board

The Board of Trustees has two standing committees that each performs specialized functions: an Audit and Pricing Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee. The table below shows the committee members. Each committee is comprised entirely of Independent Trustees. Information about each committee’s functions is provided in the following table:

 

 

Summary of Functions

Members (Independent
Trustees)

Number of Meetings Held
During Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2024

Audit and Pricing Committee

Reviews the financial reporting process, the system of internal controls over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures, and the audit process. The Committee’s review of the audit process includes, among other things, the appointment, compensation, and oversight of the Trust’s independent auditor and preapproval of all audit and nonaudit services.

 

Oversees the Adviser as valuation designee and reviews reports on fair valuation determinations and valuation methodologies regarding securities and investments held by the Funds pursuant to valuation procedures established by the Adviser and approved by the Board of Trustees, reviews other matters related to the pricing of securities, and approves changes to the valuation procedures.

Jeffrey B. Weeden (Chair)
Maureen T. Upton
Clifford J. Weber

 

 

6

Nominating and Governance Committee

Identifies and recommends individuals for election as Trustee, consults with Management in planning Trustee meetings, and oversees the administration of, and ensures compliance with, the Trust’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, which includes review of proposed changes to Trustee compensation.

Maureen T. Upton (Chair)
Clifford J. Weber
Jeffrey B. Weeden

4

 

Board Oversight of Risk Management

The Adviser, as part of its responsibilities for the day-to-day operations of the Funds, is responsible for day-to-day risk management. The Board, as part of its overall oversight responsibilities for the Funds’ operations, oversees the Adviser’s risk management efforts with respect to the Funds. The Board, in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment, also separately considers potential risks that may impact the Funds. Information considered by the Board is provided by the Adviser and the Funds’ service providers, as deemed appropriate from time to time. The Board and its Committees will analyze the risks of each Fund, and request information they deem appropriate. The Audit and Pricing Committee considers valuation risk as part of its regular oversight responsibilities as well as enterprise risk. The Board is apprised of particular risk management matters in connection with its general oversight and approval of various Fund matters brought before the Board. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer for the Funds (“Fund CCO”) who reports directly to the Board. The Fund CCO, who also serves as Chief Compliance Officer of other Janus Henderson funds, discusses relevant risk issues that may impact the Janus Henderson funds and/or the Adviser’s services to the funds, and also discusses matters related to the Funds’ compliance policies and procedures.

 

87

 

 

Additional Information About Trustees

Under the Trust’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, the Trustees are expected to make efforts to invest in one or more (but not necessarily all) funds advised by the Adviser for which they serve as Trustee, to the extent it is practicable and reasonable to do so. Such investments, including the amount and which funds, are dictated by each Trustee’s individual financial circumstances and investment goals.

 

As of December 31, 2024, the Trustees owned securities of the Funds described in this SAI in the dollar range shown in the following table. The last column of the following table reflects each Trustee’s aggregate dollar range of securities of all funds advised by the Adviser and overseen by the Trustees (collectively, the “Janus Henderson Funds”).

 

Name of Trustee

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds

Aggregate Dollar
Range of Equity
Securities in All
Registered Investment
Companies Overseen
by Trustee in Janus
Henderson Funds

Independent Trustees

   

Clifford J. Weber

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF
Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF
Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF
Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF
Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF
Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF
Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

None
None
$1-$10,000
None
None
None
None

$10,001-$50,000

Maureen T. Upton

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

$1-$10,000

$1-$10,000

$1-$10,000

$1-$10,000

$10,001-$50,000

$1-$10,000

$1-$10,000

Over $100,000

Jeffrey B. Weeden

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

Over $100,000

Over $100,000

$1-$10,000

None

$50,001-$100,00

$1-$10,000

None

Over $100,000

Interested Trustee

     

Gregory Trinks(1)

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

$10,001-$50,000

$1-$10,000

None

None

$10,001-$50,000

Over $100,000

None

Over $100,00

 

(1)

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee by virtue of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors. Effective July 11, 2024, Gregory Trinks became a Trustee of the Trust.

 

88

 

 

Trustee Compensation

Each Independent Trustee receives an annual retainer plus a fee for each in-person or telephonic meeting of the Trustees attended. Given the unitary fee structure, the Adviser pays the compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees. Each Independent Trustee receives fees from other Janus Henderson funds for serving as Trustee of those funds. The Adviser pays persons who are directors, officers, or employees of the Adviser or any affiliate thereof, or any Trustee considered an “interested” Trustee, for their services as Trustees or officers. The Trust and other funds managed by the Adviser may pay all or a portion of the compensation and related expenses of the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer and compliance staff, as authorized from time to time by the Trustees.

 

The following table shows the aggregate compensation paid by the Adviser to each Independent Trustee for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2024. None of the Independent Trustees receives any pension or retirement benefits from the Funds or the Adviser.

 

Name of Person, Position

Aggregate
Compensation from
the Trust(1)

Total Compensation
from the Janus
Henderson Funds
Overseen by
Trustees(2)

Independent Trustees

Clifford J. Weber, Chairman and Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Maureen T. Upton, Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Jeffrey B. Weeden, Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Interested Trustee

Gregory Trinks, Trustee(3)

$0

$0

 

(1)

As of October 31, 2024, there were 12 series of the Trust.

(2)

For each Independent Trustee, includes compensation for service on the boards of two Janus Henderson trusts comprised of 15 portfolios as of October 31, 2024.

(3)

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee by virtue of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors. Effective July 11, 2024, Mr. Trinks became a Trustee of the Trust.

 

JANUS HENDERSON PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

 

Other Accounts Managed

To the best knowledge of the Trust, the following table provides information relating to other accounts managed by portfolio management as of October 31, 2024. For any co-managed fund or account, the assets reflect total fund assets. If applicable, accounts included under Other Registered Investment Companies only include U.S. registered investment companies. To the extent that any of the accounts pay advisory fees based on account performance, information on those accounts is separately listed.

 

 

Other Registered
Investment
Companies

Other Pooled
Investment
Vehicles

Other
Accounts

Nick Childs

Number of Other Accounts Managed

None

None

3

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

None

None

$0.30M

Thomas Haugaard

Number of Other Accounts Managed

None

1

4(1)

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

None

$103.43M

$1,262.76M

Michael Keough

Number of Other Accounts Managed

7

12

15

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$41,690.49M

$10,327.10M

$4.928.36M

John Kerschner

Number of Other Accounts Managed

1

2

2

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$4,854.38M

$456.26M

$175.48M

Bent Lystbaek

Number of Other Accounts Managed

None

1

4(1)

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

None

$103.43M

$1,262.76M

 

89

 

 

 

Other Registered
Investment
Companies

Other Pooled
Investment
Vehicles

Other
Accounts

Addison Maier

Number of Other Accounts Managed

1

3

1

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$50.56M

$183.31M

$1,337.91M

Jacob Ellinge Nielsen

Number of Other Accounts Managed

None

1

4(1)

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

None

$103.43M

$1,262.76M

Sorin Pirau

Number of Other Accounts Managed

None

1

4(1)

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

None

$103.43M

$1,262.76M

Jessica Shill

Number of Other Accounts Managed

None

None

None

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

None

None

None

Daniel Siluk

Number of Other Accounts Managed

1

6

8(2)

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$50.56M

$1,831.33M

$2,576.00M

Brad Smith

Number of Other Accounts Managed

1

7

7

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$647.74M

$1,293.33M

$4,255.20M

 

(1)

One account included in the total, consisting of $95.45M of the total assets in the category, has a performance-based advisory fee.

(2)

One account included in the total, consisting of $210.17M of the total assets in the category, has a performance-based advisory fee.

 

Material Conflicts

As shown in the table above, portfolio management generally manages other accounts, including accounts that may hold the same securities as or pursue investment strategies similar to the Funds. Those other accounts may include separately managed accounts, model or emulation accounts, Janus Henderson mutual funds and ETFs, private-label funds for which the Adviser or an affiliate serves as subadviser, or other Janus Henderson pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, which may have different fee structures or rates than a Fund or may have a performance-based management fee. The Adviser or an affiliate may also proprietarily invest in or provide seed capital to some but not all of these accounts. In addition, portfolio management may personally invest in or provide seed capital to some but not all of these accounts, and certain of these accounts may have a greater impact on their compensation than others. Further, portfolio management (or their family members) may beneficially own or transact in the same securities as those held in a Fund’s portfolio. Moreover, portfolio management may also have other roles at Janus Henderson (e.g., research analyst) and receive compensation attributable to the other roles. Portfolio management may also have roles with an affiliate of the Adviser, and provide advice on behalf of the Adviser through participating affiliate agreements, and receive compensation attributable to other roles. These factors could create conflicts of interest between portfolio management and the Funds because portfolio management may have incentives to favor one or more accounts over others or one role over another in the allocation of time, resources, or investment opportunities and the sequencing of trades, resulting in the potential for the Fund to be disadvantaged relative to one or more other accounts.

 

A conflict of interest between the Funds and other clients, including one or more Funds, may arise if portfolio management identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be appropriate for a Fund, but the Fund is not able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to the need to allocate that opportunity among other accounts also managed by such portfolio management. A conflict may also arise if portfolio management executes transactions in one or more accounts that adversely impact the value of securities held by a Fund.

 

Investments made by a Fund and results achieved by a Fund at any given time are not expected to be the same as those made by other funds for which the Adviser acts as investment adviser, including funds with names, investment objectives and policies, and/or portfolio management teams, similar to a Fund. The Adviser believes that these and other conflicts are mitigated by policies, procedures, and practices in place, including those governing personal trading, proprietary trading and seed capital deployment, aggregation and allocation of trades, allocation of limited offerings, cross trades, and best execution. In addition, the Adviser generally requires portfolio management to manage accounts with similar investment strategies in a similar fashion, subject to a variety of exceptions, including, but not limited to, investment restrictions or policies applicable only to certain accounts, certain portfolio holdings that may be transferred in-kind when an account is opened, differences in cash flows and account sizes, and similar factors. The Adviser monitors accounts with similar strategies for any holdings, risk, or performance dispersion or unfair treatment.

 

90

 

 

The Adviser and its affiliates generate trades throughout the day, depending on the volume of orders received from portfolio management, for all of its clients using trade system software. Trades are pre-allocated to individual clients and submitted to selected brokers via electronic files, in alignment with the Adviser’s best execution policy. If an order is not completely filled, executed shares are allocated to client accounts in proportion to the order. In addition, the Adviser has adopted trade allocation procedures that govern allocation of securities among various Janus Henderson accounts. Trade allocation and personal trading are described in further detail under “Additional Information About the Adviser.”

 

JANUS HENDERSON PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT COMPENSATION INFORMATION

 

The following describes the structure and method of calculating portfolio management’s compensation as of the date of this SAI.

 

Portfolio management is compensated for managing a Fund and any other funds, portfolios, or accounts for which they have exclusive or shared responsibilities through two components: fixed compensation and variable compensation. Compensation (both fixed and variable) is determined on a pre-tax basis.

 

Fixed Compensation: Fixed compensation is paid in cash and is comprised of an annual base salary. The base salary is based on factors such as performance, scope of responsibility, skills, knowledge, experience, ability, and market competitiveness.

 

Variable Compensation: Portfolio management’s variable compensation is discretionary and is determined by investment team management. The overall investment team variable compensation pool is funded by an amount equal to a percentage of Janus Henderson’s pre-incentive operating income. In determining individual awards, both quantitative and qualitative factors are considered. Such factors include, among other things, consistent short-term and long-term fund performance (i.e., one-, three-, and five-year performance), client support and investment team support through the sharing of ideas, leadership, development, mentoring, and teamwork.

 

Performance fees: The firm receives performance fees in relation to certain funds depending on outperformance of the fund against pre-determined benchmarks. Performance fees are shared directly with the investment professional in two instances; on a discretionary basis, if the fees were generated by certain products, and on a formulaic basis, if there is a contractual agreement in place.

 

The discretionary performance fee sharing incentives are funded from within the profit pools and subject to the same risk adjustment, review, and standard deferral arrangements that apply to the discretionary funding frameworks.

 

Deferrals/Firm Ownership: All employees are subject to Janus Henderson’s standard deferral arrangements which apply to variable incentive awards. Deferral rates apply to awards that exceed a minimum threshold, rates of deferral increase for larger incentive awards. Deferred awards vest in three equal installments over a 3-year period and are delivered into JHG restricted stock and/or funds.

 

Portfolio management may be eligible to defer payment of a designated percentage of their fixed compensation and/or up to all of their variable compensation in accordance with JHG’s Executive Income Deferral Program.

 

OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

 

As of October 31, 2024, portfolio management of each Fund described in this SAI beneficially owned securities of the Fund(s) they manage in the dollar range shown in the following table. Beneficial ownership may include amounts invested through contingent compensation plans.

 

Investment Personnel

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund(s) Managed

Nick Childs

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

$500,001-$1,000,000 $100,001-$500,000

$1-$10,000

$500,001-$1,000,000

Thomas Haugaard

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

None

Michael Keough

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

$1-$10,000

 

91

 

 

Investment Personnel

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund(s) Managed

John Kerschner

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

$100,001-$500,000

$100,001-$500,000

$100,001-$500,000

$500,001-$1,000,000

Bent Lystbaek

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

None

Addison Maier

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

$100,001-$500,000

Jacob Ellinge Nielsen

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

None

Sorin Pirau

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

None

Jessica Shill

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

$10,001-$50,000

$10,001-$50,000

Daniel Siluk

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

$100,001-$500,000

Brad Smith

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

None

 

 

92

  

 

Principal Shareholders

 

 

To the best knowledge of Janus Detroit Street Trust, as of January 31, 2024, the officers and Trustees as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of each Fund. As of January 31, 2024, the percentage ownership of any person or entity owning 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each Fund is listed below. Any person or entity that beneficially owns, directly or through one or more controlled companies, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company is presumed to “control” such company. Accordingly, to the extent that a person or entity is identified as the beneficial owner of more than 25% of the voting securities of each Fund, or is identified as the record owner of more than 25% of each Fund and has voting and/or investment powers, that person or entity may be presumed to control each Fund. A controlling shareholder’s vote could have a more significant effect on matters presented to shareholders for approval than the vote of other Fund shareholders.

 

An Authorized Participant (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of a Fund) may hold of record more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Funds. From time to time, Authorized Participants (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of the Fund) may be a beneficial and/or legal owner of the Funds, may be affiliated with an index provider, may be deemed to have control of the Funds and/or may be able to affect the outcome of matters presented for a vote of the shareholders of the Funds. Authorized Participants (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of a Fund) may execute an irrevocable proxy granting the Distributor or the Adviser (or an affiliate) power to vote or abstain from voting such Authorized Participant’s beneficially or legally owned shares of the Funds. In such cases, the agent shall mirror vote (or abstain from voting) such shares in the same proportion as all other beneficial owners of the Funds.

 

To the best knowledge of the Trust, entities shown as owning more than 25% of the outstanding shares of each Fund are not the beneficial owners of such shares, unless otherwise indicated. The following chart lists each shareholder or group of shareholders who beneficially (or of record) owned more than 5% of a Fund as of January 31, 2024:

 

Fund Name

Shareholder and Address of Record

Percentage
Ownership

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. San Francisco, CA

23.12%

 

National Financial Services LLC New York, NY

16.18%

 

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC New York, NY

8.85%

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. Jacksonville, FL

8.49%

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. San Francisco, CA

26.24%

 

National Financial Services LLC New York, NY

14.95%

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. Jacksonville, FL

10.41%

 

Pershing LLC Jersey City, NJ

5.54%

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

Principal Bank Des Moines, IA

73.33%

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC/JPMC New York, NY

25.18%

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

BNP Paribas New York, NY

96.65%

 

93

 

 

Fund Name

Shareholder and Address of Record

Percentage
Ownership

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. San Francisco, CA

27.69%

 

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC New York, NY

19.80%

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. Jacksonville, FL

15.12%

 

National Financial Services LLC New York, NY

9.60%

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. San Francisco, CA

57.59%

 

National Financial Services LLC New York, NY

21.05%

 

LPL Financial LLC San Diego, CA

6.21%

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. San Francisco, CA

21.22%

 

National Financial Services LLC New York, NY

16.86%

 

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC New York, NY

13.48%

 

LPL Financial LLC San Diego, CA

11.91%

 

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. Jacksonville, FL

10.30%

 

Pershing LLC Jersey City, NJ

5.41%

 

 

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Miscellaneous Information

 

 

Each Fund is a series of the Trust, an open-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act and organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 6, 2015. As of the date of this SAI, the Trust offers 14 series of shares, known as “Funds.” The other series of the Trust are described in separate statements of additional information.

 

Fund Name

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

Janus Henderson Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Transformational Growth ETF

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

The Adviser reserves the right to the name “Janus Henderson.” In the event that the Adviser does not continue to provide investment advice to the Funds, the Funds must cease to use the name “Janus Henderson” as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

It is important to know that, pursuant to the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the authority to merge, liquidate, consolidate and/or reorganize a Fund into another fund without seeking shareholder vote or consent. Any such consolidation, merger, or reorganization may be authorized at any time by a vote of a majority of the Trustees then in office. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising their authority to liquidate a Fund, they may do so if the Fund fails to reach or maintain viable size or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board in its discretion.

 

Shares of the Trust

 

The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $0.001 per share for each series of the Trust. Shares of each series of the Trust are fully paid and nonassessable when issued. Shares of each Fund participate equally in dividends and other distributions by the shares of the Fund, and in residual assets of the Fund in the event of liquidation. Shares of each Fund have no preemptive, conversion, or subscription rights. Shares of each Fund may be transferred by endorsement or stock power as is customary, but the Fund is not bound to recognize any transfer until it is recorded on its books.

 

Shareholder Meetings

 

The Trust does not intend to hold annual or regular shareholder meetings unless otherwise required by the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act. Special meetings may be called for a specific fund or for the Trust as a whole for purposes such as changing fundamental policies, electing or removing Trustees, making any changes to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust that would affect shareholders’ voting rights (as specified in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust), determining whether to bring certain derivative actions, or for any other purpose requiring a shareholder vote under applicable law or the Trust’s governing documents, or as the Trustees consider necessary or desirable.

 

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Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, special meetings of shareholders of the Trust or of the Funds shall be called subject to certain conditions, upon written request of shareholders owning shares representing at least 25% (or 10% to the extent required by the 1940 Act) of the shares then outstanding. The Funds will assist these shareholders in communicating with other shareholders in connection with such a meeting similar to that referred to in Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act.

 

Voting Rights

 

Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each Trustee of the Trust will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his or her earlier death, retirement, resignation, incapacity, or removal. Vacancies will be filled by appointment by a majority of the remaining Trustees, subject to the 1940 Act.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Participant Agreement, an Authorized Participant, to the extent that it is a beneficial owner of Fund shares, will irrevocably appoint the Distributor as its agent and proxy with full authorization and power to vote (or abstain from voting) its beneficially owned Fund shares. From time to time, other broker dealers making markets in shares of a Fund may execute similar, standalone agreements resulting in irrevocable assignment of proxy voting rights to the Adviser (or an affiliate), to the extent that such broker dealer beneficially owns Fund shares. The Distributor intends to vote such shares in accordance with its written supervisory procedures. The Adviser (or its affiliate) intends to vote such shares either by voting in proportion to the votes of other shareholders on a given matter (echo vote) or abstain from voting.

 

As a shareholder, you are entitled to one vote per share (with proportionate voting for fractional shares). Generally, each fund votes together as a single group, except where a separate vote of one or more funds is required by law or where the interests of one or more funds are affected differently from other funds. Shares of all series of the Trust have noncumulative voting rights, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the value of shares of all series of the Trust voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of the Trustees if they choose to do so. In such event, the holders of the remaining value of shares will not be able to elect any Trustees.

 

Investments By Other Investment Companies

 

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for the purpose of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 1900 16th Street, Suite 1600, Denver, Colorado 80202, the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Funds, audits the Funds’ annual financial statements and performs tax services for the Funds.

 

Registration Statement

 

The Trust has filed with the SEC, Washington, D.C., a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to the securities to which this SAI relates. If further information is desired with respect to the Funds or such securities, reference is made to the Registration Statement and the exhibits filed as a part thereof.

 

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Financial Statements

 

 

The financial statements and Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024 are hereby incorporated into this SAI by reference from the Funds’ Form N-CSR dated October 31, 2024.

 

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Appendix A — Explanation of Rating Categories

 

 

The following information provided is a general summary of credit ratings issued by the three major credit rating agencies. Additional information regarding each credit rating agency’s rating methodology can be found by visiting that credit rating agency’s respective website.

 

STANDARD & POOR’S RATINGS SERVICES

 

Bond Rating

Explanation

Investment Grade

 

AAA

Highest rating; extremely strong capacity to meet financial commitment.

AA

High quality; very strong capacity to meet financial commitment.

A

Strong capacity to meet financial commitment but more subject to adverse economic conditions.

BBB

Adequate capacity to meet financial commitment, but more subject to adverse economic conditions.

Non-Investment Grade

 

BB

Less vulnerable in the near-term but faces major ongoing uncertainties to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions.

B

More vulnerable to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions but currently has the capacity to meet financial commitment.

CCC

Currently vulnerable and dependent on favorable business, financial, and economic conditions to meet its financial commitment.

CC

Highly vulnerable; default has not yet occurred, but is expected to be a virtual certainty.

C

Currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment; ultimate recovery is expected to be lower than that of higher rated obligations.

D

Payment default on a financial commitment or breach of an imputed promise; also used when a bankruptcy petition has been filed.

 

FITCH, INC.

 

Long-Term Bond Rating

Explanation

Investment Grade

 

AAA

Highest credit quality. Denotes the lowest expectation of credit risk. Exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments.

AA

Very high credit quality. Denotes expectations of very low credit risk. Very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments.

A

High credit quality. Denotes expectations of low credit risk. Strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. May be more vulnerable to changes in circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

BBB

Good credit quality. Currently expectations of low credit risk. Capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse changes in circumstances and economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity than is the case for higher ratings.

 

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Long-Term Bond Rating

Explanation

Non-Investment Grade

 

BB

Speculative. Indicates possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time. Business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.

B

Highly speculative. May indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for extremely high recoveries.

CCC

May indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for superior to average levels of recovery.

CC

May indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for average or below-average levels of recovery.

C

May indicate distressed or defaulted obligations with potential for below-average to poor recoveries.

D

In default.

   

Short-Term Bond Rating

Explanation

F-1+

Exceptionally strong credit quality. Issues assigned this rating are regarded as having the strongest degree of assurance for timely payment.

F-1

Very strong credit quality. Issues assigned this rating reflect an assurance for timely payment only slightly less in degree than issues rated F-1+.

F-2 Good credit quality

Issues assigned this rating have a satisfactory degree of assurance for timely payments, but the margin of safety is not as great as the F-1+ and F-1 ratings.

 

MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE, INC.

 

Bond Rating

Explanation

Investment Grade

 

Aaa

Judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal risk.

Aa

Judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

A

Considered upper to medium-grade obligations and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa

Subject to moderate credit risk; considered medium-grade and as such may possess speculative characteristics.

Non-Investment Grade

 

Ba

Judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.

B

Considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

Caa

Judged to be in poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

Ca

Highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery in principal and interest.

C

Lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with this prospect for recovery of principal and interest.

 

*

Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

 

Unrated securities will be treated as non-investment grade securities unless the portfolio managers determine that such securities are the equivalent of investment grade securities. When calculating the quality assigned to securities that receive different ratings from two or more agencies (“split-rated securities”), the security will receive: (i) the middle rating from the three reporting agencies if three agencies provide a rating for the security or (ii) the lowest rating if only two agencies provide a rating for the security.

 

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Appendix B – Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

 

 

Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

 

Last Review Date: February 2024

 

100

 

 

Contents

1

Overview

100

1.1

Policy Statement

100

1.2

Key Principles

100

1.3

Scope

100

1.4

Roles and Responsibilities

100

1.5

References

101

2

Additional Definitions

101

3

Proxy Voting Procedures

101

3.1

Voting Generally

101

3.2

Abstentions

102

3.3

Funds of Funds

102

3.4

Conflicts of Interest

103

4

Reporting, Oversight and Recordkeeping

103

4.1

Client and Regulatory Reporting

103

4.2

Proxy Voting and Proxy Voting Service Oversight

104

4.3

Record Retention

104

5

Amendments

104

Proxy Voting Guidelines

104

Directors and Boards

105

Auditors and Accounting Issues

107

Compensation Issues

107

Capitalization, Issuances, Transactions, Shareholder Rights, and Other Corporate Matters

108

Environmental and Social Issues

109

Miscellaneous, Administrative and Routine Items

110

Proposals Outside the Guidelines

110

 

 

101

 

 

1 Overview

 

1.1    Policy Statement

 

Where Janus Henderson Investors has been provided voting discretion, it has a responsibility to vote proxies in the best interest of each client. Janus Henderson Investors has adopted this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients without regard to any relationship that Janus Henderson Investors or any affiliated person of Janus Henderson Investors may have with the issuer or personnel of the issuer. Subject to specific provisions in a client’s account documentation related to exception voting, Janus Henderson Investors will generally only accept direction from a client to vote proxies for that client’s account pursuant to: 1) the JHI Voting Guidelines; 2) the ISS Benchmark Policy; or 3) the ISS Taft-Hartley Voting Guidelines.

 

1.2    Key Principles

 

 

Janus Henderson Investors will vote proxies in the best interest of each client.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will identify and manage any conflicts of interest which might affect a voting decision.

 

Upon request, Janus Henderson Investors will provide clients with the proxy voting record for their accounts.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will publicly disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in Janus Henderson Investors’ view, it is appropriate.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will maintain records supporting its voting decisions.

 

1.3    Scope

 

This Policy applies to Janus Henderson Investors and each of the client accounts for which it has proxy voting responsibilities, other than those advised or sub-advised by Kapstream Capital Pty Ltd.

 

1.4    Roles and Responsibilities

 

Portfolio Management. Portfolio Management is responsible for determining how to vote proxies with respect to securities held in the client accounts they manage with input and support from the Responsible Investment and Governance Team, other representatives of Janus Henderson, and the Proxy Voting Service, as applicable. Where Portfolio Management chooses to vote contrary to the Guidelines and as otherwise specified herein, Portfolio Management is required to provide a written rationale sufficient to show why Portfolio Management reasonably believes the voting instruction is in the best interest of the client.

 

Asset Servicing. Asset Servicing is responsible for administering the proxy voting process as set forth in this Policy. Asset Servicing works with the Proxy Voting Service and is responsible for ensuring that all meeting notices are reviewed against the Guidelines, the ISS Benchmark Policy or the Taft-Hartley Guidelines, and proxy matters are communicated to Portfolio Management for consideration pursuant to this Policy.

 

Proxy Voting Committee. The Proxy Voting Committee develops Janus Henderson Investors’ positions on all major corporate issues, maintains and updates the Guidelines, manages conflicts of interest related to proxy voting and oversees the voting process generally, including by reviewing results of diligence on the Proxy Voting Service.

 

Proxy Voting Service. The Proxy Voting Service provides research services relating to proxy issues. The Proxy Voting Service also assists in certain functions relating to the voting of proxies. Among other things, the Proxy Voting Service is responsible for coordinating with clients’ custodians to ensure that all proxy materials received by the custodians relating to the clients’ portfolio securities are processed in a timely fashion. In addition, the Proxy Voting Service is responsible for submitting Janus Henderson Investors’ votes in accordance with the Guidelines or as otherwise instructed by Janus Henderson Investors and is responsible for maintaining copies of all proxy statements received from issuers and promptly providing such materials to Janus Henderson Investors upon request. The Proxy Voting Service also provides voting disclosure services, including preparing Form N-PX for Janus Henderson Investors and the Proprietary U.S. Funds.

 

 

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1.5    References

 

Rule 206(4)-7 of the Investment Advisers Act Rule 30b1-4 of the Investment Company Act
Rule 239.15 et seq. of the Investment Company Act
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 231/2013, Article 37
Commission Directive 2010/43/EU, Article 21
FCA COLL 6.6A.6
CSSF Regulation 10-04, Article 23
UN Principles for Responsible Investment
IMAS Singapore Stewardship Principles
SFC Principles of Responsible Ownership
FRC UK Stewardship Code

 

2 Additional Definitions

 

Janus Henderson Investors includes all investment advisory subsidiaries of Janus Henderson Group plc, including, but not limited to, Janus Henderson Investors (Australia) Institutional Funds Management Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Singapore) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Japan) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Jersey) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors UK Limited, and Janus Henderson Investors US LLC.1

 

JHI Proxy Voting Guidelines or the Guidelines refers to the voting guidelines adopted by Janus Henderson Investors and outlined at Appendix A.

 

Policy means this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures.

 

Portfolio Management refers to the portfolio managers, assistant portfolio managers, and analysts supporting a given client account.

 

Proxy Voting Committee or the Committee refers to the Janus Henderson Investors Proxy Voting Committee. The Committee is comprised of representatives from the Asset Servicing, Compliance, Operational Risk as well as the Responsible Investment and Governance Team and equity portfolio management who provide input on behalf of the investment team. Internal legal counsel serves as a consultant to the Committee and is a non-voting member.

 

Proprietary U.S Funds refer to the series of Janus Investment Fund, Janus Aspen Series, Clayton Street Trust, and Janus Detroit Street Trust.

 

Proxy Voting Service or ISS refers to Institutional Shareholder Services Inc.

 

3 Proxy Voting Procedures

 

3.1    Voting Generally

 

Where the Guidelines address the proxy matter being voted on, votes will be cast in accordance with the Guidelines unless directed otherwise. Portfolio Management may vote contrary to the Guidelines at their discretion and with a written rationale sufficient to show why Portfolio Management reasonably believes the voting instruction is in the best interest of the client. Where the (1) Guidelines call for Portfolio Management input and/or (2) the proxy matter being voted on relates to a company and/or issue for which the Proxy Voting Service does not have research, analysis and/or a recommendation available, the Proxy Voting Service will refer proxy questions to portfolio management for further instruction. In the event Portfolio Management is unable to provide input on a referred proxy item, Janus Henderson Investors will vote the proxy item consistent with the ISS Benchmark Policy.

 

Notwithstanding the above, with respect to clients who have instructed Janus Henderson Investors to vote proxies in accordance with the Taft-Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy, the Proxy Voting Service will cast all proxy votes in strict accordance with those policies.

 

 

1

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC has been designated by the Boards of Trustees of Janus Investment Fund, Janus Aspen Series, Clayton Street Trust, and Janus Detroit Street Trust to vote proxies for the Proprietary U.S. Funds, as applicable.

 

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Janus Henderson relies on pre-populated and/or automated voting. That means the Proxy Voting Service will automatically populate the proxy voting system in accordance with the Guidelines, the Taft- Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy. For those proxy proposals with a default policy position, the votes will be cast as populated in the system by the Proxy Voting Service unless directed otherwise by Janus Henderson Investors.

 

From time to time, issuers and/or ballot issue sponsors may publicly report additional information that may be relevant to the application of the Guidelines, the Taft-Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy or the exercise of discretion by Portfolio Management (“supplemental materials”). To the extent the Proxy Voting Service identifies such supplemental materials, it will review that information and determine whether it has a material effect on the application of the Guidelines, the Taft-Hartley Guidelines, or the ISS Benchmark Policy. The Proxy Voting Service is then responsible for ensuring that any votes pre-populated in the proxy voting system are appropriately updated and Janus Henderson is provided appropriate notice of such changes, including through availability of an updated research report. In all events, the Proxy Voting Service will notify Janus Henderson Investors of any supplemental materials identified so that they can be considered as part of the voting process, including with respect to items requiring Portfolio Management input.

 

3.2    Abstentions

 

Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that in certain circumstances the cost to clients associated with casting a proxy vote may exceed the benefits received by clients from doing so. In those situations, Janus Henderson Investors may decide to abstain from voting. For instance, in many countries, shareholders who vote proxies for shares of an issuer are not able to trade in that company’s stock within a given period of time on or around the shareholder meeting date (“share blocking”). In countries where share blocking is practiced, Janus Henderson Investors will only vote proxies if Janus Henderson Investors determines that the benefit of voting the proxies outweighs the risk of not being able to sell the securities. Similarly, in some instances, Janus Henderson Investors may participate in a securities lending program. Generally, if shares of an issuer are on loan, the voting rights are transferred and the lending party cannot vote the shares. In deciding whether to recall securities on loan, Janus Henderson Investors will evaluate whether the benefit of voting the proxies outweighs the cost of recalling them consistent with requirements of applicable securities lending procedures. Furthermore, in circumstances where a client held a security as of record date, but the holdings were sold prior to the shareholder meeting, Janus Henderson Investors may abstain from voting that proxy.

 

3.3    Funds of Funds

 

Janus Henderson Investors advises certain accounts that invest in other funds (“funds of funds”) advised by Janus Henderson Investors or its affiliated persons (“underlying funds”). From time to time, a fund of funds may be required to vote proxies for the underlying funds in which it is invested. In those circumstances, there may be a conflict of interest between Janus Henderson Investors and its clients. Except as noted below, to mitigate that conflict, whenever an underlying fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders which would otherwise require portfolio manager discretion under the Guidelines, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote shares in accordance with the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service. Janus Henderson Investors will generally abstain from voting shares where the Proxy Voting Service does not have a recommendation; although, it may alternatively vote in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders in the underlying fund (“echo vote”) in limited cases. Whenever an underlying fund that is a Proprietary U.S. Fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders, Janus Henderson Investors will echo vote shares held by a fund-of-funds account or refrain from voting such shares to the extent that cost or other considerations outweigh the benefits of voting such shares.

 

In addition, certain Proprietary U.S. Funds may invest in exchange-traded funds and other funds advised by unaffiliated persons (“acquired funds,” and each, an “acquired fund”) pursuant to Rule 12d1-4 under the Investment Company Act (“Rule 12d1-4”). To the extent a Proprietary U.S. Fund and its advisory group, as defined in Rule 12d1-4 (“advisory group”), individually or in the aggregate become the holders of (i) more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired open- end fund or unit investment trust as a result of a decrease in the outstanding securities of that acquired open-end fund or unit investment trust or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired registered closed-end management investment company or business development company, Janus Henderson Investors will ensure that the Proprietary U.S. Fund and other funds and accounts in the advisory group echo vote the shares of the acquired fund; provided, however, that in circumstances where all holders of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired fund are required to echo vote pursuant to Rule 12d1-4, a Proprietary U.S. Fund and other funds and accounts in the advisory group will solicit voting instructions from its shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies with respect to such acquired fund securities and vote such proxies only in accordance with such instructions.

 

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3.4    Conflicts of Interest

 

Because the Guidelines, the ISS Benchmark Policy and the Taft-Hartley Guidelines pre-establish voting positions, application of those rules to default positions should, in most cases, adequately address any possible conflicts of interest. For situations where Portfolio Management seeks to exercise discretion when voting proxies, Janus Henderson Investors has implemented additional policies and controls described below to mitigate any conflicts of interest.

 

Portfolio Management is required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may affect its exercise of voting discretion. Actual or potential conflicts of interest include but are not limited to the existence of any communications from the issuer, proxy solicitors or others designed to improperly influence Portfolio Management in exercising its discretion or the existence of significant relationships with the issuer.

 

Janus Henderson Investors also proactively monitors and tests proxy votes for any actual or potential conflicts of interest. Janus Henderson Investors maintains a list of significant relationships for purposes of assessing potential conflicts with respect to proxy voting, which may include significant intermediaries, vendors or service providers, clients, and other relationships. In the event Portfolio Management votes against the Guidelines with respect to an issuer on the significant relationships list, Asset Servicing will notify the Committee which will review the rationale provided by Portfolio Management. In the event Portfolio Management votes contrary to Proxy Voting Service’s recommendations and with management as to an issuer on the significant relationships list, Asset Servicing will notify the Committee, which will review the rationale provided by Portfolio Management. If the Committee determines the rationale is inadequate, the proxy vote will be cast as in accordance with the Guidelines or as instructed by the Committee. In addition, on a quarterly basis, the Committee reviews all votes that deviate from the Guidelines and assesses the adequacy of Portfolio Management’s stated rationale.

 

Any personal conflict of interest related to a specific proxy vote should be reported to the Committee prior to casting a vote. In the event a personal conflict of interest is disclosed or identified, the Committee will determine whether that person should recuse himself or herself from the voting determination process. In such circumstances, the proxy vote will be cast in accordance with the Guidelines or as instructed by the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate. Compliance also reviews all refer votes contrary to the ISS recommendations and with management to identify any undisclosed personal conflicts of interest.

 

If a proxy vote is referred to the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate or to the Committee, the decision made and basis for the decision will be documented by the Committee.

 

To mitigate perceived or potential conflicts of interest, in instances where a proxy is for a Janus Henderson managed fund in which seed or other proprietary capital is invested, Janus Henderson Investors will generally instruct that such shares be voted in the same proportion as other shares are voted with respect to a proposal, subject to applicable legal, regulatory and operational requirements.

 

4 Reporting, Oversight and Recordkeeping

 

4.1    Client and Regulatory Reporting

 

Janus Henderson Investors will provide clients with such information on proxy voting in their accounts as contractually agreed or reasonably requested. Janus Henderson Investors will present this Policy and the Guidelines to the boards of trustees of the Proprietary U.S. Funds at least annually and shall provide such other information and reports requested by such boards to fulfill their oversight function.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will provide other third parties with such information on proxy voting as set forth herein. Janus Henderson Investors will publicly disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in Janus Henderson Investors’ view, it is appropriate. On an annual basis, Janus Henderson Investors will provide proxy voting records for each Proprietary U.S. Fund for the one-year period ending on June 30th on Janus Henderson Investors’ website at www.janushenderson.com/proxyvoting. Such voting record, on Form N-PX, is also available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov no later than August 31 of each year.2 Janus Henderson Investors may also privately disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending where appropriate and consistent with other applicable policy, legal, and regulatory requirements.

 

 

2

Janus Henderson Investors will also provide proxy voting records on say-on-pay issues consistent with requirements of Rule 14Ad-1.

 

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Except as noted in this Policy or required by law, Janus Henderson Investors generally does not provide information to anyone on how it voted or intends to vote on any matters still pending. Unless that information has otherwise been made public, Janus Henderson Investors may only confirm to issuers, their agents or other third parties that votes have been cast but not how or how many votes were cast. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Portfolio Management may indicate to issuers, proxy solicitors and proxy advisory firms how they voted or intend to vote in the context of the engagement and investment analysis process. Portfolio Management also may indicate to other shareholders how they voted or intend to vote subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

 

A complete copy of the Policy is available at www.janushenderson.com.

 

4.2    Proxy Voting and Proxy Voting Service Oversight

 

The Committee will ensure sufficient oversight of proxy voting through periodic review of voting decisions, operational issues and conflicts of interest as discussed herein. The Committee will review such information as it deems appropriate to discharge these responsibilities.

 

In addition, Janus Henderson Investors will conduct periodic due diligence reviews of the Proxy Voting Service via on-site, video, or telephonic meetings and by written questionnaires. As part of this periodic due diligence process, Janus Henderson Investors shall collect information that is reasonably sufficient to support the conclusion that the Proxy Voting Service has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze the matters for which they provide research and voting recommendations. In connection with the periodic due diligence review, Janus Henderson Investors shall consider, among other things, (1) the adequacy and quality of the Proxy Voting Service’s staffing, personnel, and/or technology; (2) disclosure from the Proxy Voting Service regarding its methodologies in formulating voting recommendations; and (3) whether the Proxy Voting Service has adequate policies and procedures to identify, disclose, and address actual and potential conflicts of interest. In further exercise of its oversight responsibility, Janus Henderson Investors shall periodically sample the proxy votes cast on behalf of clients to ensure whether the Guidelines were applied correctly to such votes.

 

4.3    Record Retention

 

Janus Henderson Investors will retain proxy statements received regarding client securities, records of votes cast on behalf of clients, records of client requests for proxy voting information and all documents prepared by Janus Henderson Investors regarding votes cast in contradiction to the Guidelines. In addition, Janus Henderson Investors will retain internally-generated documents that are material to a proxy voting decision, such as the Guidelines, Committee materials and other internal research relating to voting decisions. Proxy statements received from issuers are generally available from the issuer’s, the relevant regulatory authority’s and/or the market place’s websites. They may also be available from the third-party voting service upon request. All materials discussed above will be retained in accordance with any applicable record retention obligations.

 

5 Amendments

 

This Policy is subject to review on an annual or more frequent basis by the Committee. In reviewing the Policy, the Committee reviews Janus Henderson Investors’ proxy voting record over the prior year, including exceptions to the Guidelines requested by Portfolio Management to determine whether any adjustments should be made. The Committee also reviews changes to the Guidelines recommended by the Proxy Voting Service, discusses such changes with the Proxy Voting Service, and solicits feedback from Portfolio Management on such changes. Once the Guidelines have been approved by the Committee and clients where required, they are distributed to Asset Servicing and the Proxy Voting Service for implementation.

 

Proxy Voting Guidelines

 

Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote all proxies relating to portfolio securities held in client accounts for which it has been delegated voting authority in accordance with the Policy, including these Guidelines, and the implementation instructions provided to the Proxy Voting Service. Nonetheless, because proxy issues and the circumstances of individual companies are varied, there may be instances when Janus Henderson Investors may not vote in strict adherence to the Guidelines. Portfolio Management is responsible for monitoring significant corporate developments, including proxy proposals submitted to shareholders, and instructing votes contrary to the Guidelines where they reasonably believe that is in the best interest of clients.

 

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Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that corporate governance systems vary a great deal between jurisdictions according to factors such as cultural issues, laws and regulations, the extent of shareholder rights, the level of dispersed ownership and the stage of development more generally. In formulating our approach to corporate governance, we are conscious that a “one size fits all” policy is not appropriate. We will therefore seek to vary our voting activities according to the local market and its standards of best practices.

 

While Janus Henderson Investors has attempted to address the most common issues through the Guidelines, there will be various proxy voting proposals that are not addressed by the Guidelines or that require case-by-case resolution under the Guidelines. In addition, it may not be appropriate to apply certain Guidelines to investment types such as mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and closed-end funds, in which case Janus Henderson Investors will generally rely on the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service unless otherwise specified in the Policy. Moreover, there may be various proxy voting proposals as to which the Proxy Voting Service does not have or provide research, analysis and recommendations. For example, the Proxy Voting Service may not provide research, analysis and recommendations for proxy voting proposals of privately-held companies. In such instances, those proposals will be referred to Portfolio Management for resolution. In exercising discretion, Janus Henderson Investors may take into consideration the information and recommendations of the Proxy Voting Service but will vote all proxies based on its own conclusions regarding the best interests of its clients.

 

In many cases, a security may be held by client accounts managed by multiple portfolio managers. While Janus Henderson Investors generally casts votes consistently across client accounts it manages, different portfolio managers may vote differently on the same matter in the exercise of their discretion. For example, different portfolio managers may reasonably reach different conclusions as to what is in the best interest of their clients based on their independent judgments. In addition, in rare circumstances, an individual portfolio manager may reasonably reach different conclusions as to what is in the best interests of different clients depending on each individual client account’s investment strategy or its objectives.

 

Directors and Boards

Janus Henderson Investors recognises the diversity of corporate governance models across different markets and does not advocate any one form of board structure. However, it also recognises there are certain key functions which are or should be common across all markets:

 

 

Reviewing and guiding corporate strategy, major plans of action, risk policy, annual budgets and business plans; setting performance objectives; monitoring implementation and corporate performance; and overseeing major capital expenditures, acquisitions and divestitures;

 

Monitoring the effectiveness of the company’s governance practices and making changes as needed; Selecting, compensating, monitoring and, where necessary, replacing key executives and overseeing succession planning;

 

Aligning key executive and board compensation with the longer-term interests of the company and its shareholders;

 

Ensuring a formal and transparent board nomination and election process;

 

Monitoring and managing potential conflicts of interest of management, board members and shareholders, including misuse of corporate assets and abuse in related party transactions;

 

Ensuring the integrity of the corporation’s accounting and financial reporting systems, including the independent audit, and that appropriate systems of control are in place, in particular, systems for risk management, financial and operational control, and compliance with the law and relevant standards;

 

Monitoring the quality of relationships with key stakeholders; and

 

Overseeing the process of disclosure and communications.

 

Boards of directors should include the number and types of qualified directors sufficient to ensure effective discharge of these responsibilities, including independent non-executive directors with appropriate skills, experience, and knowledge. The responsibilities of such non-executive directors should include monitoring and contributing effectively to the strategy and performance of management, staffing key committees of the board, and influencing the conduct of the board as a whole. Consistent with this principle of independence, a board of directors should generally have a non-executive chairperson.

 

The board of directors should establish audit, compensation, and nomination/succession committees. These should be composed wholly or predominantly of independent directors. Companies should publicly disclose the terms of reference of these committees and give an account to shareholders in an annual report or other regulatory filing of how their responsibilities have been discharged. The chairpersons and members of these committees should be appointed by the board as a whole according to a transparent procedure.

 

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Janus Henderson Investors believes the board of directors, or supervisory board, as an entity, and each of its members, as an individual, is a fiduciary for all shareholders, and should be accountable to the shareholder body as a whole. Each director should therefore generally stand for election on an annual basis.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Board Classification – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to classify boards of directors and for proposals to declassify boards of directors.

 

Board Size – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to increase the size of a board of directors so long as the board would retain a majority of independent directors. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to decrease the size of a board of directors which are intended as anti-takeover measures.

 

Director Independence – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to increase the minimum number of independent directors. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to separate the role of the chairman from the role of the CEO.

 

Director Indemnification – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals regarding director or officer indemnification arrangements provided such provisions are not deemed excessive or inappropriate.

 

Uncontested Elections –Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of director candidates that result in the board having a majority of independent directors and oppose director candidates that result in the board not having a majority of independent directors. After taking into consideration country-specific practices, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of individual director candidates unless:

 

 

they attend less than 75% of the board and committee meetings without a valid excuse;

 

they ignore or otherwise fail to respond appropriately to shareholder proposals receiving majority shareholder support;

 

they are not responsive to advisory votes on executive compensation matters;

 

they fail to provide appropriate oversight of company’s risk management practices;

 

they are non-independent directors and sit on the audit, compensation or nominating committees;

 

they are non-independent directors and the board does not have an audit, compensation, or nominating committee;

 

they are audit committee members and the non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive;

 

they are audit committee members and poor accounting practices rise to a level of serious concern, or other serious issues surrounding the audit process or arrangement exist;

 

they serve as directors on an excessive number of boards;

 

they are compensation committee members and the company has poor compensation practices;

 

they adopt a long term poison pill without shareholder approval or make material adverse changes to an existing poison pill;

 

they are the chair of the nominating committee, or are otherwise responsible for the nomination process, of a board that does not have a minimum level of female directors, and the company has not provided a sufficient explanation for its lack of gender diversity;

 

they are the chair of the nominating committee, or are otherwise responsible for the nomination process, of a board that does not have any apparent racial/ethnic diversity, and the company has not provided a sufficient explanation for its lack of racial/ethnic diversity;

 

they are the chair of the responsible committee of a company that is a significant greenhouse gas emitter3 where such company is not taking minimum steps needed to understand, assess, and mitigate risks related to climate change;

 

they amend the company’s bylaws or charter without shareholder approval in a manner that materially diminishes shareholders’ rights or that could adversely impact shareholders; and/or

 

the company employs a capital structure with unequal voting rights.

 

Contested Elections – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals relating to contested director candidates on case-by-case basis.

 

Cumulative Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to adopt cumulative voting unless otherwise recommended by the Proxy Voting Service.

 

 

3

Janus Henderson Investors will apply the same definition as used by the Proxy Voting Service.

 

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Auditors and Accounting Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes boards of directors should maintain robust structures and processes to ensure sound internal controls and to oversee all aspects of relationships with auditors. Boards of directors should generally have appropriately constituted audit committees with sufficient levels of financial expertise in accordance with prevailing legislation or best practice. The audit committee should ensure that the company gives a balanced and clear presentation of its financial position and prospects and clearly explains its accounting principles and policies. The audit committee should ensure that the independence of the external auditors is not compromised by conflicts of interest (e.g., financial conflicts arising from the award of non-audit assignments).

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Uncontested Auditors – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to approve external or statutory auditors and auditor compensation unless:

 

 

the auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company and is therefore not independent;

 

fees for non-audit services are excessive;

 

there is reason to believe the auditor has rendered an opinion which may be neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position;

 

the auditor is being changed without explanation; or

 

the auditor is not identified by name.

 

Contested Auditors – Janus Henderson Investors will evaluate proposals relating to contested auditors on a case-by-case basis.

 

Compensation Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes compensation of executive directors and key executives should be aligned with the interests of shareholders. Performance criteria attached to share-based compensation should be demanding. Requirements for directors and senior executives to acquire and retain company shares that are meaningful in the context of their cash compensation are also appropriate. The design of senior executives’ contracts should not commit companies to ‘payment for failure’. Boards should pay attention to minimising this risk when drawing up contracts and to resist pressure to concede excessively generous severance conditions. Any share-based compensation should be subject to shareholder approval.

 

Companies should disclose in each annual report or proxy statement the board’s policies on executive compensation (and preferably the compensation of individual board members and top executives), as well as the composition of such compensation so that investors can judge whether corporate pay policies and practices are appropriately designed.

 

Broad-based employee share ownership plans or other profit-sharing programs are effective market mechanisms that promote employee participation. When reviewing whether to support proposed new share schemes, we place particular importance on the following factors:

 

 

The overall potential cost of the scheme, including the level of dilution;

 

The issue price of share options relative to the market price;

 

The use of performance conditions aligning the interests of participants with shareholders;

 

The holding period (i.e., the length of time from the award date to the earliest date of exercise); and

 

The level of disclosure.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Executive and Director Equity-Based Compensation Plans – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of equity-based compensation plans unless they create an inconsistent relationship between long-term share performance and compensation, do not demonstrate good stewardship of investors’ interests, or contain problematic features. Janus Henderson Investors considers the following, non-exhaustive list of practices to be problematic and generally votes against plans or amendments to plans that:

 

 

provide for re-pricing of underwater options;

 

provide for automatic replenishment (“evergreen”) or reload options;

 

create an inconsistent relationship between long term share performance and compensation increases; and/or

 

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are proposed by management and do not demonstrate good stewardship of investors’ interests regarding executive compensation or are a vehicle for poor compensation practices.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals permitting material amendments to equity-based compensation plans without shareholder approval.

 

Long-Term Ownership – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals intended to increase long-term stock ownership by executives, officers, and directors. These may include:

 

 

requiring executive officers and directors to hold a minimum amount of stock in the company;

 

requiring stock acquired through exercised options to be held for a certain period of time; and

 

using restricted stock grants instead of options.

 

Director and Officer Loans – Janus Henderson Investors will generally oppose proposals requesting approval of loans to officers, executives, and board members of an issuer.

 

Say-on-Pay – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of annual advisory votes on executive compensation (say-on-pay frequency). Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote with management on advisory votes on executive compensation (say-on-pay) unless Janus Henderson Investors determines problematic pay practices are maintained.

 

Executive Severance Agreements – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals to approve or cancel executive severance agreements on a case-by-case basis. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to require executive severance agreements to be submitted for shareholder approval unless the proposal requires shareholder approval prior to entering into employment contracts.

 

Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOP) and Stock Purchase Plans (ESPP) – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals relating to ESOPs and ESPPs unless the shares purchased through the plans are discounted more than the market norm, the shares allocated to the plans are excessive, and/or the plans contain other problematic features.

 

Option Expensing and Repricing – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals requiring the expensing of options. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals providing for the repricing of options.

 

Capitalization, Issuances, Transactions, Shareholder Rights, and Other Corporate Matters

Janus Henderson Investors believes all shareholders should be treated equitably. Companies’ ordinary shares should provide one vote for each share, and companies should act to ensure the owners’ rights to vote.

 

Any major strategic modifications to the core businesses of a company should not be made without prior shareholder approval. Equally, any major corporate changes, which in substance or effect, materially dilute the equity or erode the economic interests or share ownership rights of existing shareholders should not be made without prior shareholder approval of the proposed change. Such changes may include but are not limited to modifications to articles or bylaws and the implementation of shareholder rights plans or so called “poison pills.”

 

We will not support proposals that have the potential to reduce shareholder rights, such as significant open-ended authorities to issue shares without pre-emption rights or anti-takeover proposals, unless companies provide a compelling rationale for why they are in shareholder interests.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Capital Stock – Subject to local market standards, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals seeking to increase the number of shares of common or preferred stock authorized for issue unless the company does not adequately justify the need for the additional shares. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to authorize preferred stock whose voting, conversion, dividend, and other rights are determined at the discretion of the board of directors when the stock is issued (“blank check stock”). Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals for different classes of stock with different voting rights.

 

Stock Splits – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to split shares unless they negatively affect the ability to trade shares or the economic value of a share.

 

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Share Issuances - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals related to share issuances with and without preemptive rights, provided that voting in favor of such proposals is consistent with local market standards, such proposals are not considered excessive in the context of the issuer and such proposals do not provide for different levels of voting rights.

 

Debt Issuances – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals regarding the issuance of debt, including convertible debt, on a case- by-case basis.

 

Mergers, Acquisitions and Other Significant Corporate Transactions – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals regarding acquisitions, mergers, related party transactions, tender offers, or changes in control on a case-by-case basis, including any related proposals such as share issuances or advisory votes on golden parachutes.

 

Reorganization, Restructuring and Liquidation – Janus Henderson Investors will evaluate plans of reorganization, restructuring and liquidation on a case-by-case basis.

 

Shareholder Rights Plans and Other Anti-Takeover Mechanisms – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against shareholder rights plans or other proposals designed to prevent or obstruct corporate takeovers (includes poison pills), unless such measures are proposed in a transparent and independent fashion and designed primarily as a short-term means to protect a tax benefit, or are structured in such a way that they give shareholders the ultimate decision on any proposal or offer. This general policy supersedes any other more specific policy to the contrary.

 

Change in Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals regarding changes in the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of an issuer.

 

Confidential Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to provide for confidential voting and independent tabulation of voting results.

 

Supermajority Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to provide for supermajority voting (e.g., to approve acquisitions or mergers).

 

Special Meetings – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals to allow shareholders to call special meetings. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of shareholder proposals to allow shareholders to call special meetings, unless such right is already provided at a level consistent with local best practice and the shareholder proposal would further reduce the required threshold. Such proposals will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

 

Written Consents – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent. Where supported by the Proxy Voting Service, Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent on a case-by-case basis; otherwise, Janus Henderson will generally vote against proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent.

 

Proxy Access – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals related to proxy access on a case-by-case basis.

 

Environmental and Social Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes that good management of stakeholder relationships contributes to business success and long-term shareholder value. These stakeholders include not only shareholders but also employees, consumers, debtholders, business partners, neighbors, and the wider global community. Janus Henderson Investors also recognises the importance of environmental issues such as climate change and social issues such as diversity & inclusion to all these stakeholder groups.

 

As a fiduciary for its clients, Janus Henderson Investors is primarily concerned with the impact of proposals on a company’s performance and economic value. Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that environmental and social issues are associated with risks, costs and benefits which can have a significant impact on company performance over the short and long term. When evaluating the merits of proposals on environmental and social issues, Janus Henderson Investors will weigh the risks, costs, and benefits of supporting the proposals against those presented by alternatives, including potentially seeking similar outcomes through direct engagement activities with management. Janus Henderson Investors will generally support management proposals addressing environmental and social issues unless we identify significant weaknesses relative to market practice or peers. Janus Henderson Investors will generally support shareholder proposals addressing environmental and social issues where we identify significant areas of weakness or deficiency relative to peers and/or industry best practices or feel that management has failed to adequately respond to shareholder concerns.

 

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Miscellaneous, Administrative and Routine Items

Janus Henderson Investors believes that management should generally have discretion to make certain types of decisions, including how to use existing capital. In addition, in certain jurisdictions, shareholder approval of certain routine or administrative matters may be required. On these types of issues, Janus Henderson Investors will generally defer to management unless it believes these decisions are not being made, or these actions are not being taken, in good faith.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Dividends – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals relating to the issuance of dividends. Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals relating to the issuance of dividends on a case-by-case basis.

 

Share Repurchase Plans - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals regarding share repurchases. Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals relating to share repurchases on a case-by-case basis.

 

“Other Business” – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to approve “other business” when it appears as a voting item.

 

Designation of Exclusive Forum - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals designating an exclusive forum in federal court or Delaware state court (for companies organized in Delaware). Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals designating an exclusive forum in other jurisdictions on a case- by-case basis.

 

Proposals Outside the Guidelines

For proposals outside the scope of the Guidelines or instructions otherwise provided to the Proxy Voting Service, Janus Henderson Investors will generally rely on the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service.

 

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janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, Colorado 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Listing Exchange

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

JMID

The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) expands upon and supplements the information contained in the current Prospectus for Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF (the “Fund”), which is a separate series of Janus Detroit Street Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”). This series of the Trust represents shares of beneficial interest in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets with its own objective and policies.

 

This SAI is not a Prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s Prospectus dated February 28, 2025, and any supplements thereto, which are incorporated by reference into this SAI and may be obtained by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, at janushenderson.com/info, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This SAI contains additional and more detailed information about the Fund’s operations and activities than the Prospectus. The audited financial statements for the Fund, the notes relating thereto, and the related reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, are incorporated by reference into this SAI from the Trust's most recent Form N-CSR, which contains important financial information about the Fund. The Annual and Semiannual Reports (as they become available) are available, without charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, at janushenderson.com/info, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434.

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Classification, Investment Policies and Restrictions, and Investment Strategies and Risks

2

Investment Adviser

17

Custodian, Transfer Agent, and Certain Affiliations

22

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

23

Shares of the Trust

27

Securities Lending

36

Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status

37

Trustees and Officers

42

Principal Shareholders

50

Miscellaneous Information

51

Shares of the Trust

51

Shareholder Meetings

51

Voting Rights

52

Investments By Other Investment Companies

52

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

52

Registration Statement

52

Financial Statements

53

Appendix A – Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

54

 

 

Classification, Investment Policies and Restrictions,
and Investment Strategies and Risks

 

 

JANUS DETROIT STREET TRUST

 

This Statement of Additional Information includes information about the Fund. The Fund operates as an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) and is a series of the Trust, an open-end, management investment company.

 

The Fund offers and issues shares at its net asset value (“NAV”) per share only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (“Creation Unit”), in exchange for a designated portfolio of securities, assets or other positions and/or cash (the “Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”). Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (the “Listing Exchange”), a national securities exchange. Shares of the Fund are traded in the secondary market and elsewhere at market prices that may be at, above or below the Fund’s NAV. Unlike mutual funds, the Fund’s shares are not individually redeemable securities. Rather, the Fund’s shares are redeemable only in Creation Units, and Creation Unit transactions are conducted in exchange for the deposit or delivery of a designated portfolio of in-kind securities with a cash balancing amount and/or all cash. The size of a Creation Unit to purchase shares of the Fund may differ from the size of a Creation Unit required to redeem shares of the Fund. The size of a Creation Unit may be modified by Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) with prior notification to the Fund’s Authorized Participants. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. In the event of liquidation of the Fund, the number of shares in a Creation Unit may be significantly reduced.

 

The Fund may charge creation/redemption transaction fees for each creation and redemption. In all cases, transaction fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. Some of the information in this SAI and the Prospectus, such as information about purchasing and redeeming shares from the Fund and transaction fees, is not relevant to most retail investors because it applies only to transactions for Creation Units. Refer to “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” below.

 

Once created, the Fund’s shares generally trade in the secondary market, at market prices that change throughout the day, in amounts less than a Creation Unit. Investors purchasing the Fund’s shares in the secondary market through a brokerage account or with the assistance of a broker may be subject to brokerage commissions and charges.

 

Unlike index-based ETFs, the Fund is “actively managed” and does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index.

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Listing Exchange and other secondary markets. Shares of the Fund may also be listed on certain foreign (non U.S.) exchanges. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Listing Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares of the Fund will continue to be met. The Listing Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of the Fund from listing under the following circumstances, as may be applicable: (i) if the Listing Exchange becomes aware that the Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); (ii) if the Fund fails to meet certain continuing listing standards of the Listing Exchange; (iii) if following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of Fund shares, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of shares of the Fund; or (iv) if any other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Listing Exchange, makes further dealings on the Listing Exchange inadvisable. The Listing Exchange will remove the shares of the Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund. In the event the Fund ceases to be listed on an exchange, the Fund may cease operating as an “exchange-traded” fund and operate as a mutual fund, provided that shareholders are given advance notice.

 

As in the case of other publicly-traded securities, when you buy or sell shares through a financial intermediary you may incur a brokerage commission determined by that financial intermediary.

 

2

 

 

Shares of the Fund trade on the Listing Exchange or in the secondary market at prices that may differ from its NAV because such prices may be affected by market forces (such as supply and demand for the Fund’s shares). The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share prices of the Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

 

The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the Listing Exchange. The Listing Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives. The Listing Exchange has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the Fund.

 

CLASSIFICATION

 

The 1940 Act classifies funds as either diversified or nondiversified. The Fund is classified as diversified.

 

ADVISER

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) is the investment adviser for the Fund.

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS APPLICABLE TO THE FUND

 

The Fund is subject to certain fundamental policies and restrictions that may not be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholder approval means approval by the lesser of: (i) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund if a matter affects just the Fund) or (ii) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund) are present or represented by proxy. The following policies are fundamental policies of the Fund.

 

The Fund may not:

 

(1) With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of an issuer (other than the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, or repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. Government securities, and securities of other investment companies) if: (a) such purchase would, at the time, cause more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets taken at market value to be invested in the securities of such issuer or (b) such purchase would, at the time, result in more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer being held by the Fund.

 

(2) Invest 25% or more of the value of its net assets in any particular industry or group of industries (other than U.S. Government securities, including those issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, and securities of other investment companies) except that notwithstanding this limitation the Fund may invest between 25% and 35% of its total assets (or such other percentage permitted by the 1940 Act regulation or interpretations thereunder) in the securities of any one industry group or group of industries if, at the time of investment, that industry group or group of industries represents 20% or more of the Fund’s benchmark index. (The Fund does not consider its benchmark index to be fundamental and therefore the Fund’s benchmark index may be changed without a shareholder vote).

 

(3) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this limitation shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling foreign currencies, options, futures, swaps, forward contracts, or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

(4) Lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than one-third of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties (but this limitation does not apply to investments in repurchase agreements, commercial paper, debt securities, or loans, including assignments and participation interests).

 

(5) Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities.

 

3

 

 

(6) Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules or regulations thereunder or other governing statute, or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or otherwise as permitted by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund. This policy shall not prohibit short sales transactions, or futures, options, swaps, repurchase transactions (including reverse repurchase agreements), or forward transactions. The Fund may not issue “senior securities” in contravention of the 1940 Act.

 

(7) Invest directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, the Fund may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses.

 

As a fundamental policy, the Fund may, notwithstanding any other investment policy or limitation (whether or not fundamental), invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies, and limitations as the Fund.

 

The Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) has adopted additional investment restrictions for the Fund. These restrictions are operating policies of the Fund and may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval. The additional restrictions adopted by the Trustees to date include the following:

 

(1) If the Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

(2) The Fund may sell securities short if it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor (“short sales against the box”). In addition, the Fund may engage in short sales other than against the box, which involve selling a security that the Fund borrows and does not own. The Trustees may impose limits on the Fund’s investments in short sales, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. Transactions in futures, options, swaps, and forward contracts not involving short sales are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

 

(3) The Fund does not intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in connection with transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swaps, forward contracts, “to be announced” commitments, and other permitted investment techniques shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.

 

(4) The Fund may not mortgage or pledge any securities owned or held by the Fund in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s NAV, provided that this limitation does not apply to: reverse repurchase agreements; deposits of assets to margin; guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps, or forward contracts; or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.

 

(5) The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets.

 

(6) The Fund may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.

 

Under the terms of an exemptive order received from the SEC, the Fund may borrow money from or lend money to other funds that permit such transactions and for which the Adviser or one of its affiliates serves as investment adviser. All such borrowing and lending will be subject to the above limits and to the limits and other conditions in such exemptive order. The Fund will borrow money through the program only when the costs are equal to or lower than the cost of bank loans. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. The Fund will lend through the program only when the returns are higher than those available from other short-term instruments (such as repurchase agreements). The Fund may have to borrow from a bank at a higher interest rate if an interfund loan is called or not renewed.

 

Any delay in repayment to the lending Fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional borrowing costs, and interfund loans are subject to the risk that the borrowing fund may be unable to repay the loan when due. While it is expected that the Fund may borrow money through the program to satisfy redemption requests or to cover unanticipated cash shortfalls, the Fund may elect to not participate in the program during times of market uncertainty or distress or for other reasons.

 

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For purposes of the Fund’s fundamental policy related to investments in real estate, the policy does not prohibit the purchase of securities directly or indirectly secured by real estate or interests therein, or issued by entities that invest in real estate or interests therein, such as, but not limited to, corporations, partnerships, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), and other REIT-like entities, such as foreign entities that have REIT characteristics.

 

Except for the Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments and borrowing, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this SAI and/or the Fund’s Prospectus normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if the Fund exceeds a limit as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

For purposes of the Fund’s policies on investing in particular industries, the Fund utilizes any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized third-party providers and/or as defined by the Adviser. The policy will be interpreted to give broad authority to the Fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries. The Fund may change any source used for determining industry classifications and sub-classifications without prior shareholder notice or approval.

 

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

 

A discussion of the principal strategies and risks associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Fund’s Prospectus under the headings “Principal Investment Strategy”, “Principal Investment Risks”, and “Risks of the Fund.” The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

General Considerations and Risks

Investments in the Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the portfolio of securities held by the Fund may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of fixed-income instruments generally and other factors.

 

An investment in the Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the securities markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Fund shares). Securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic and banking crises.

 

The principal trading market for some of the securities held by the Fund may be in the over-the-counter market. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of the Fund’s shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent or if bid/ask spreads are wide.

 

Diversification

Funds are classified as either diversified or nondiversified. To be classified as diversified under the 1940 Act, a fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any issuer and may not own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer. A fund that is classified as nondiversified under the 1940 Act is not subject to the same restrictions and therefore has the ability to take larger positions in securities than a fund that is classified as diversified. This gives a fund that is classified as nondiversified more flexibility to focus its investments in companies that portfolio management has identified as the most attractive for the investment objective and strategy of the fund. However, because the appreciation or depreciation of a single security may have a greater impact on the NAV of a fund which is classified as nondiversified, its share price can be expected to fluctuate more than a comparable fund which is classified as diversified. This fluctuation, if significant, may affect the performance of a fund.

 

Equity Securities

The Fund may invest in equity securities, which include, but are not limited to, common and preferred stocks and securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock.

 

Common Stock. Common stock represents a proportionate share of the ownership of a company. Common stocks

 

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sometimes are divided into several classes, with each class having different voting rights, dividend rights, or other differences in their rights and priorities. The value of a stock is based on the market’s assessment of the current and future success of a company’s business, any income paid to stockholders, the value of the company’s assets, and general market conditions. The value of a stock may also be adversely affected by other factors such as accounting irregularities, actual or perceived weaknesses in corporate governance practices of a company’s board or management, and changes in company management. Common stock values can fluctuate dramatically over short periods.

 

Preferred Stock. A preferred stock represents an ownership interest in a company, but pays dividends at a specific rate and has priority over common stock in payment of dividends and liquidation claims. Preferred stock dividends are generally cumulative, noncumulative, or participating. “Cumulative” dividend provisions require all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends can be paid to the issuer’s common stock. “Participating” preferred stock may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. Like debt securities, the value of a preferred stock often fluctuates more in response to changes in interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer, rather than in response to changes in the issuer’s profitability and business prospects. Preferred stock is subject to similar risks as common stock and debt securities.

 

Convertible Security. A convertible security is generally a debt obligation or preferred stock that may be converted within a specified period of time into a certain amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security, such as a “convertible preferred stock,” provides a fixed-income stream and the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation resulting from a market price advance in its underlying common stock. Like a common stock, the value of a convertible security tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock rises, and it tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying stock declines. As with a fixed-income security, a convertible security tends to increase in market value when interest rates decline and decrease in value when interest rates rise. Because both interest rate and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security is not as sensitive to interest rates as a similar fixed-income security, nor is it as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying stock.

 

Convertible securities generally have less potential for gain or loss than common stocks. Convertible securities generally provide yields higher than the underlying common stocks, but generally lower than comparable non-convertible securities. Because of this higher yield, convertible securities generally sell at prices above their “conversion value,” which is the current market value of the stock to be received upon conversion. The difference between this conversion value and the price of convertible securities will vary over time depending on changes in the value of the underlying common stocks and interest rates.

 

A convertible security may also be called for redemption or conversion by the issuer after a particular date and under certain circumstances (including a specified price) established upon issue. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption or conversion, the Fund could be required to tender it for redemption, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third party.

 

Synthetic convertible securities are created by combining separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics of a traditional convertible security, i.e., an income-producing security (“income-producing component”) and the right to acquire an equity security (“convertible component”). The income-producing component is achieved by investing in non-convertible, income-producing securities such as bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments, which may be represented by derivative instruments. The convertible component is achieved by investing in securities or instruments such as warrants or options to buy common stock at a certain exercise price, or options on a stock index. Unlike a traditional convertible security, which is a single security having a single market value, a synthetic convertible security is comprised of two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the “market value” of a synthetic convertible security is the sum of the values of its income-producing component and its convertible component. For this reason, the values of a synthetic convertible security and a traditional convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations.

 

More flexibility is possible in the assembly of a synthetic convertible security than in the purchase of a convertible security. Although synthetic convertible securities may be selected where the two components are issued by a single issuer, thus making the synthetic convertible security similar to the traditional convertible security, the character of a synthetic convertible security allows the combination of components representing distinct issuers. A synthetic convertible security also is a more flexible investment in that its two components may be purchased separately. For example, the Fund may purchase a warrant for inclusion in a synthetic convertible security but temporarily hold short-term investments while postponing the purchase of a corresponding bond pending development of more favorable market conditions.

 

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A holder of a synthetic convertible security faces the risk of a decline in the price of the security or the level of the index involved in the convertible component, causing a decline in the value of the security or instrument, such as a call option or warrant, purchased to create the synthetic convertible security. Should the price of the stock fall below the exercise price and remain there throughout the exercise period, the entire amount paid for the convertible component would be lost. Because a synthetic convertible security includes the income-producing component as well, the holder of a synthetic convertible security also faces the risk that interest rates will rise, causing a decline in the value of the income-producing instrument.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in affiliated or unaffiliated ETFs to gain exposure to a particular portion of the market, to assist with cash management, and/or for other purposes. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of the Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the net asset value of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Fund’s adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Investment Company Securities

From time to time, the Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act or as otherwise permitted by the SEC. Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act prohibits the Fund from acquiring: (i) more than 3% of another investment company’s voting stock; (ii) securities of another investment company with a value in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets; or (iii) securities of such other investment company and all other investment companies owned by the Fund having a value in excess of 10% of the Fund’s total assets. In addition, Section 12(d)(1) prohibits another investment company from selling its shares to the Fund if, after the sale: (i) the Fund owns more than 3% of the other investment company’s voting stock or (ii) the Fund and other investment companies, and companies controlled by them, own more than 10% of the voting stock of such other investment company. To the extent the Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds managed by the Adviser, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G). The Fund may invest in other investment companies beyond these statutory limits to the extent the Fund abides by certain conditions of Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. The Fund may invest its cash holdings in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate pursuant to the provision of the 1940 Act that governs the operation of money market funds as part of a cash sweep program. The Fund may purchase unlimited shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds and of other funds managed by the Adviser, whether registered or unregistered entities, as permitted by the 1940 Act and rules promulgated thereunder.

 

To the extent the Fund invests in money market funds or other funds, the Fund will be subject to the same risks that investors experience when investing in such other funds. These risks may include the impact of significant fluctuations in assets as a result of the cash sweep program or purchase and redemption activity by affiliated or non-affiliated shareholders in such other funds. Additionally, to the extent that the Adviser serves as the investment adviser to underlying funds or investment vehicles in which the Fund may invest, the Adviser may have conflicting interests in fulfilling its fiduciary duties to both the Fund and the underlying funds or investment vehicles. Money market funds are open-end registered investment companies. Money market funds that meet the definition of a retail money market fund or government money market fund compute their price per share using the amortized cost method of valuation to seek to maintain a stable $1.00 price per share, and money market funds that do not meet the definitions of a retail money market fund or government money market fund transact at a floating NAV per share (similar to all other non-money market mutual funds). Money market funds may impose liquidity fees because of market conditions or other factors. Amendments to money market fund regulation could impact the trading and value of money market instruments, which may negatively affect the Fund’s return potential.

 

As a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the expenses the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation. The market prices of ETFs and closed-end funds will fluctuate in accordance with both changes in the market value of their underlying portfolio investments and due to supply and demand for the instruments on the exchanges on which they are traded (which may result in their trading at a discount or premium to their NAVs). If the market price of shares of an ETF

 

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or closed-end fund decreases below the price that the Fund paid for the shares and the Fund were to sell its shares of such investment company at a time when the market price is lower than the price at which it purchased the shares, the Fund would experience a loss.

 

Cash Position

As discussed in the Prospectus, the Fund’s cash position may temporarily increase under various circumstances. Securities that the Fund may invest in as a means of receiving a return on uninvested cash include U.S. treasury securities, domestic commercial paper, certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, or other short-term debt obligations. These securities may include U.S. cash instruments and cash equivalent securities. The Fund may also invest in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds (including private funds operating as money market funds that are not registered under the 1940 Act) (refer to “Investment Company Securities”).

 

Foreign Securities

The Fund may invest in foreign securities either indirectly (e.g., depositary receipts, depositary shares, and passive foreign investment companies) or directly in foreign markets, including emerging markets. The Fund may also engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time. Investments in foreign securities, including securities of foreign and emerging market governments, may involve greater risks than investing in domestic securities because the Fund’s performance may depend on factors other than the performance of a particular company. These risks may include:

 

Currency Risk. As long as the Fund holds a foreign currency denominated security, its value will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When the Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

Foreign Market Risk. Foreign securities markets, particularly those of emerging market countries, may be less liquid and more volatile than domestic markets. These securities markets may trade a small number of securities, may have a limited number of issuers and a high proportion of shares, or may be held by a relatively small number of persons or institutions. Local securities markets may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of substantial holdings difficult or impossible at times. It is also possible that certain markets may require payment for securities before delivery, and delays may be encountered in settling securities transactions. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required approval for repatriation of capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, securities of issuers located in or economically tied to countries with emerging markets may have limited marketability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements which could also have a negative effect on the Fund. Such factors may hinder the Fund’s ability to buy and sell emerging market securities in a timely manner, affecting the Fund’s investment strategies and potentially affecting the value of the Fund.

 

Geographic Investment Risk. To the extent the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a particular country or geographic region, the Fund will generally have more exposure to certain risks due to possible political, economic, social, regulatory events, and conflicts in that country or region. Adverse developments in certain regions could also adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated and could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance. The foregoing may result in a negative impact on Fund performance and the value of an investment in the Fund, even beyond any direct investment exposure the Fund may have to issuers located in or with significant exposure to an impacted country or geographic region.

 

Similarly, a particular country or geographic region may be more prone to and economically sensitive to environmental events such as, but not limited to, hurricanes, earthquakes, typhoons, flooding, tidal waves, tsunamis, erupting volcanoes, wildfires or droughts, tornadoes, mudslides, or other weather-related phenomena. Such disasters, and the resulting physical or economic damage, could have a severe and negative impact on the Fund’s investment portfolio and, in the longer term, could impair the ability of issuers in which the Fund invests to conduct their businesses as they would under normal conditions. Adverse weather conditions may also have a particularly significant negative effect on issuers in the agricultural sector and on insurance and reinsurance companies that insure or reinsure against the impact of natural disasters.

 

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Political and Economic Risk. Foreign investments may be subject to heightened political and economic risks, particularly in emerging markets which may have relatively unstable governments, immature economic structures, national policies restricting investments by foreigners, social instability, trade disputes, and different and/or developing legal systems. In some countries, there is the risk that the government may take over the assets or operations of a company or that the government may impose withholding and other taxes or limits on the removal of the Fund’s assets from that country. Further, acts of terrorism in the United States or other countries may cause uncertainty in the financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which the Fund has exposure. In addition, the economies of emerging markets may be predominantly based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates.

 

Regulatory Risk. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets. As a result, foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices applicable to domestic issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers.

 

Transaction Costs. Costs of buying, selling, and holding foreign securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, may be higher than those involved in domestic transactions.

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) and Real Estate Operating Companies (“REOCs”)

Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in REITs and REIT-like entities, including REOCs. REITs are sometimes informally characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. In addition, the Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Investments in publicly traded REITs and real estate-linked investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value, fluctuations in rental income, possible environmental liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent, and other risks related to local or general economic conditions. Equity REITs generally experience these risks directly through fee or leasehold interests, whereas mortgage REITs generally experience these risks indirectly through mortgage interests, unless the mortgage REIT forecloses on the underlying real estate. Changes in interest rates may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in publicly traded REITs. For instance, during periods of declining interest rates, certain mortgage REITs may hold mortgages that the mortgagors elect to prepay, and prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by those REITs.

 

Certain REITs have relatively small market capitalizations, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of their securities. Furthermore, publicly traded REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. Publicly traded REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code and to maintain exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act. By investing in publicly traded REITs indirectly through the Fund, a shareholder will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the publicly traded REITs. In addition, publicly traded REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders.

 

REOCs are publicly traded real estate companies that typically engage in the development, management or financing of real estate that have not elected (or are not eligible) to be taxed as a REIT. Instead, REOCs are generally structured as “C” corporations under the Internal Revenue Code and, as a result, are not required to distribute any portion of their income. In this regard, although REOCs do not receive the same favorable tax treatment that is accorded to REITs, REOCs are typically subject to fewer restrictions than REITs, including the ability to retain and/or reinvest funds from operations. The value of investments in REOCs will generally be affected by the same factors that adversely affect REIT investments; however, REOCs may also be adversely affected by income streams derived from businesses other than real estate ownership.

 

U.S. Government Securities

The 1940 Act defines U.S. Government securities to include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies, and its instrumentalities. U.S. Government securities may also include repurchase agreements collateralized by and municipal securities escrowed with or refunded with U.S. Government securities. U.S. Government securities in which the Fund may invest include U.S. Treasury securities, including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, Treasury bills, notes, and bonds, and obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. In addition, U.S. Government securities in which the Fund may invest include

 

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securities backed only by the rights of the issuers to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those issued by the members of the Federal Farm Credit System, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Tennessee Valley Authority, and Freddie Mac. Securities issued by Fannie Mae, the Federal Home Loan Banks, and the Student Loan Marketing Association are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the obligations. There is no guarantee that the U.S. Government will support securities not backed by its full faith and credit. They may involve more risk than securities backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government because the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the securities for repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment.

 

Because of the rising U.S. Government debt burden, it is possible that the U.S. Government may not be able to meet its financial obligations or that securities issued or backed by the U.S. Government may experience credit downgrades. Such a credit event may adversely affect the financial markets.

 

Illiquid Investments

The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. Illiquid investments, which include certain securities that are purchased in private placements, are securities that the Fund 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. Certain securities previously deemed liquid may become illiquid over time, particularly in periods of economic distress.

 

If illiquid investments that are assets exceed 15% of the Fund’s net assets, the Fund will take steps to reduce its holdings of such illiquid investments to or below 15% of its net assets within a reasonable period of time. Because illiquid investments may not be readily marketable, portfolio management may not be able to dispose of them in a timely manner. As a result, the Fund may be forced to hold illiquid investments while their price depreciates. Depreciation in the price of illiquid investments may cause the NAV of the Fund to decline.

 

Regulation S Securities

Regulation S Securities are issued through private offerings without registration with the SEC pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"), (“Regulation S Securities”). Offerings of Regulation S Securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Because Regulation S Securities are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale Regulation S Securities may be considered illiquid. If a Regulation S Security is determined to be illiquid, the Fund’s 15% of net assets limitation on investment in illiquid securities will apply.

 

Furthermore, because Regulation S Securities are generally less liquid than registered securities, the Fund may take longer to liquidate these positions than would be the case for publicly traded securities. Although Regulation S Securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the amounts received from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund. Further, companies whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that would be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. Accordingly, Regulation S Securities may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses.

 

Derivative Instruments

A derivative is a financial instrument whose performance is derived from the performance of another, underlying asset.

 

Subject to its investment objective and policies, the Fund may use derivative instruments for hedging purposes (to manage and mitigate risks associated with an investment, currency exposure, or market conditions), to manage duration (i.e., sensitivity of the portfolio to changes in interest rates), or to seek to enhance returns or earn income by, for example, using put or call options to receive income based on portfolio management’s view of the future direction of interest rates, credit or a specific currency. The Fund’s derivative investments will be primarily in instruments that are exchange-traded and cleared and which, as a result, tend to be more liquid and less susceptible to counterparty risk than derivatives that are not exchange-traded and cleared.

 

The Fund may not use any derivative to gain exposure to an asset or class of assets that it would be prohibited by its investment restrictions from purchasing directly. The Fund’s ability to use derivative instruments may also be limited by tax considerations (see “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status”).

 

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Investments in derivatives in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Investments in derivatives may not directly correlate with the price movements of the underlying instrument. As a result, the use of derivatives may expose the Fund to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than otherwise would be the case. Derivatives can be volatile and may involve significant risks, including:

 

Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that the counterparty (the party on the other side of the transaction) on a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation to the Fund.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that changes in the exchange rate between currencies will adversely affect the value (in U.S. dollar terms) of an investment.

 

Leverage Risk. Leverage risk is the risk associated with certain types of leveraged investments or trading strategies pursuant to which relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of an investment. The Fund creates leverage by investing in instruments where the investment loss can exceed the original amount invested. The use of investment techniques, such as short sales and certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect on the Fund, which can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested.

 

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that the seller would like or at the price that the seller believes the security is currently worth.

 

Index Risk. Index risk is the risk that the derivative linked to the performance of an index, will also be subject to the risks associated with changes in that index. If the index changes, the Fund could receive lower interest payments or experience a reduction in the value of the derivative to below what the Fund paid. Certain indexed securities, including inverse securities (which move in an opposite direction to the index), may create leverage, to the extent that they increase or decrease in value at a rate that is a multiple of the changes in the applicable index.

 

Derivatives may generally be traded over-the-counter (“OTC”) or on an exchange. Derivatives traded OTC are agreements that are individually negotiated between parties and can be tailored to meet a purchaser’s needs. OTC derivatives are not guaranteed by a clearing agency and may be subject to increased counterparty risk.

 

In an effort to mitigate counterparty risk associated with derivatives traded OTC, the Fund may enter into collateral agreements with certain counterparties whereby, subject to certain minimum exposure requirements, the Fund may require the counterparty to post collateral if the Fund has a net aggregate unrealized gain on all OTC derivative contracts with a particular counterparty. There is no guarantee that counterparty exposure is reduced by using collateral and these arrangements are dependent on the Adviser’s ability to establish and maintain appropriate systems and trading.

 

Risk of Government Regulation. Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act governs the Fund's use of derivative instruments and certain other transactions that create future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. Rule 18f-4 permits the Fund to enter into derivatives and certain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of “senior securities” under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Section 18 of the 1940 Act, among other things, prohibits open-end funds, including the Fund, from issuing or selling any “senior security,” other than borrowing from a bank (subject to a requirement to maintain 300% “asset coverage”). In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC eliminated the asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering derivatives transactions and certain financial instruments.

 

Pursuant to Rule 18f-4, the Fund has adopted and implemented a derivatives risk management program (“DRMP”) designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with derivatives and certain other transactions. The DRMP is administered by a “derivatives risk manager,” who is approved by the Trustees, and who periodically reviews the DRMP and reports to the Trustees. While the Fund is not required to segregate assets to cover derivatives transactions and certain financial instruments pursuant to Rule 18f-4, the Fund will continue to do so for other instruments as required under applicable federal securities laws.

 

In addition, the SEC, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading. It is not possible to predict fully the effects of current or future regulation. However, it is possible that developments in government regulation of various types of derivative instruments may limit or prevent the Fund from using these instruments effectively as a part of its investment strategies, and could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its

 

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investment objective. The Fund will continue to monitor developments in the area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the ability to enter into derivative transactions. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to the Fund, may increase the cost of the Fund’s investments and cost of doing business.

 

Restrictions on the Use of Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts

The Adviser does not currently intend to, but may in the future, file a claim for exemption with the CFTC on behalf of the Fund, so that neither the Fund nor the Trust are deemed to be a “commodity pool” or “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”), respectively, under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), and they are not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA. The Adviser is not deemed to be a “commodity trading advisor” with respect to its services as an investment adviser to the Fund. In February 2012, however, the CFTC adopted certain regulatory changes that will subject the adviser of an investment company to registration with the CFTC as a CPO if the investment company is unable to comply with certain trading and marketing limitations.

 

With respect to investments in swap transactions, commodity futures, commodity options or certain other derivatives used for purposes other than bona fide hedging purposes, an investment company must meet one of the following tests under the amended regulations in order to claim an exemption from being considered a “commodity pool” or CPO. First, the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish an investment company’s positions in such investments may not exceed five percent (5%) of the liquidation value of the investment company’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such investments). Alternatively, the aggregate net notional value of such instruments, determined at the time of the most recent position established, may not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the liquidation value of the investment company’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, the investment company may not market itself as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps and derivatives markets. In the event that the Adviser were required to register as a CPO with respect to the Fund, the disclosure and operations of the Fund would need to comply with all applicable CFTC regulations. Compliance with these additional registration and regulatory requirements would increase operational expenses. Other potentially adverse regulatory initiatives could also develop.

 

Regulatory Changes and Market Events and Risks

Federal, state, and foreign governments, regulatory agencies, and self-regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the regulation of the Fund or the instruments in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Future legislation or regulation or other governmental actions could limit or preclude the Fund’s abilities to achieve its investment objectives or otherwise adversely impact an investment in the Fund. Furthermore, worsened market conditions, including as a result of U.S. government shutdowns or the perceived creditworthiness of the United States, could have a negative impact on securities markets.

 

Economic downturns can prompt various economic, legal, budgetary, tax, and regulatory reforms across the globe. In the aftermath of the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the financial sector experienced reduced liquidity in credit and other fixed-income markets, and an unusually high degree of volatility, both domestically and internationally. In response to the crisis, the United States and certain foreign governments, along with the U.S. Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks, took a number of unprecedented steps designed to support the financial markets, which provided for widespread regulation of the financial industry, including expanded federal oversight in the financial sector. The U.S. government and the Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and central banks, took extraordinary actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This and other future government interventions into the economy and financial markets may not work as intended.

 

Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries continue to impact many aspects of financial regulation. For example, some countries, including the United States, are considering more protectionist trade policies, which could increase volatility and may affect the global economy in ways that cannot be presently foreseen.

 

The value and liquidity of the Fund’s holdings are also generally subject to the risk of significant future local, national, or global economic or political disruptions or slowdowns in the markets in which the Fund invests, especially given that the economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected and reliant on each other. In the event of such an occurrence, the issuers of securities held by the Fund may experience significant declines in the value of their assets and even cease operations, or may require government assistance that is contingent on increased restrictions on

 

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their business operations or their government interventions. In addition, it is not certain that the U.S. government or foreign governments will intervene in response to a future market disruption and the effect of any such future intervention cannot be predicted.

 

Widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, and natural or environmental disasters, including those which may be attributable to global climate changes, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and weather-related phenomena generally have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. These disruptions could prevent the Fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner and negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective(s).

 

Issuer Concentration

The Fund’s portfolio may be comprised of a relatively small number of issuers in comparison to other funds. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater risks than a fund that invests in a greater number of issuers. A change in the value of any single investment held by the Fund may affect the overall value of the Fund more than it would affect a fund that holds more investments. In particular, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments affecting any single issuer held by the Fund and may be susceptible to greater losses because of these developments. A portfolio of a small number of issuers may also have elevated risks to changes in general economic conditions, cyclical market patterns, adverse labor relations, political events, obsolescence of technologies, and increased competition that may negatively affect the profitability or viability of an issuer. The Fund’s investment strategy to concentrate its portfolio on a smaller number of holdings could result in more volatility in the Fund’s performance and share price.

 

Operational Risk

An investment in the Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Cyber Security Risk

The Fund is susceptible to operational and information security risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, infection by computer viruses or other malicious software code, gaining unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices that are used to service the Fund’s operations through “hacking” or other means for the purpose of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on the Fund’s websites or a service provider’s systems, which renders them inoperable to intended users until appropriate actions are taken. In addition, authorized persons could inadvertently or intentionally release confidential or proprietary information stored on the Fund’s systems.

 

Cyber security failures or breaches by the Fund’s service providers (including, but not limited to, the Adviser, custodians, transfer agents, sub administrators, and financial intermediaries) may subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security failures or breaches, and may cause disruptions and impact the service providers’ and the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and the Fund to process transactions, inability to calculate the Fund’s net asset value, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. The Fund may incur incremental costs to prevent cyber incidents in the future. The Fund could be negatively impacted as a result. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans and risk management systems designed to prevent or reduce the impact of such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems due in part to the ever-changing nature of technology and cyber-attack tactics. As such, there is a possibility that certain risks have not been adequately identified or prepared for. Furthermore, the Fund cannot directly control any cyber security plans and systems put in place by third party service providers or their service providers. Cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund’s investment in such securities to lose value. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence ("AI") could increase the effectiveness of cyber-attacks and exacerbate the risks.

 

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ESG Exclusions Policy

The Adviser has adopted a firmwide environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) exclusions policy that generally applies to the accounts it manages, including the Fund. Using third-party inputs, the Adviser applies exclusionary criteria to seek to avoid investing in securities of issuers that, in the determination of the Adviser, manufacture cluster munitions, anti-personnel mines, chemical weapons, and biological weapons.

 

Securities Lending

The Fund may lend its securities to approved borrowers. Any gain or loss on the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the Fund. These loans cannot exceed one-third of the Fund’s total assets in accordance with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Approved borrowers are financial institutions that meet the Fund’s securities lending program requirements, which require that (i) the borrowers pledge and maintain with the Fund collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a bank, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government having a value at all times of not less than 102% of the value of the securities loaned (on a “mark-to-market” basis); (ii) the loan be made subject to termination by the Fund at any time; and (iii) the Fund receives reasonable interest on the loan. From time to time, the Fund may return a part of the interest earned on the investment of collateral received from securities loaned to the borrower and/or a third party that is unaffiliated with the Fund and that is acting as a finder.

 

To the extent the Fund engages in securities lending, there is the risk of a delay in recovering loaned securities. If the Fund is unable to recover a security on loan, the Fund may use the collateral to purchase a replacement security in the market. There is a risk that the value of the collateral could be insufficient to cover the cost of the replacement security, resulting in a loss to the Fund. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns.

 

The Adviser invests the collateral in time deposit and/or in cash management vehicles for which the Adviser serves as investment adviser or other unaffiliated cash management vehicles. An investment in a cash management vehicle is generally subject to the same risks that shareholders experience when investing directly in similarly structured vehicles. As Adviser to the Fund and the affiliated cash management vehicle, the Adviser has an inherent conflict of interest as a result of its fiduciary duties to both the Fund and the cash management vehicle. Additionally, the Adviser receives an investment advisory fee for managing the affiliated cash management vehicle and therefore may have an incentive to allocate collateral to the affiliated cash management vehicle, rather than to other collateral management options for which the Adviser does not receive compensation.

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

 

The portfolio turnover rate of the Fund is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities (exclusive of purchases or sales of U.S. Government securities and all other securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less) by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the year. Proceeds from short sales and assets used to cover short positions undertaken are included in the amounts of securities sold and purchased, respectively, during the fiscal year. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities held by the Fund were replaced once during the fiscal year. The Fund cannot accurately predict its turnover rate. Variations in portfolio turnover rates shown may be due to market conditions, changes in the size of the Fund, fluctuating volume of shareholder purchase and redemption orders, the nature of the Fund’s investments, the investment style and/or outlook of portfolio management, or due to a restructuring of the Fund’s portfolio as a result of a change in portfolio management. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher when the Fund finds it necessary to significantly change its portfolio to adopt a temporary defensive position or respond to economic or market events. Higher levels of portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in Fund performance.

 

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The following table summarizes the portfolio turnover rates for the Fund for the period from the commencement of operations on September 17, 2024 through October 31, 2024.

 

Fund Name

Portfolio
Turnover Rate for the
Period September 17,
2024 through
October 31, 2024

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

0%

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

The ETF Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures adopted by the Adviser and the series of the Trust (the “Janus Henderson funds”) are designed to ensure that the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is disclosed in a manner that (i) is consistent with applicable legal requirements and in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders; (ii) does not put the interests of the Adviser, ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS” or the “Distributor”), or any affiliated person of the Adviser or ALPS, above those of Fund shareholders; (iii) does not advantage any current or prospective Fund shareholders over any other current or prospective Fund shareholders; and (iv) does not provide selective access to portfolio holdings information except pursuant to the procedures outlined below and to the extent appropriate confidentiality arrangements limiting the use of such information are in effect. Item (iii) above does not preclude the provision of portfolio holdings information not available to other current or prospective Fund shareholders to certain Entities to the extent such information is necessary to facilitate Creation Unit transactions. These “Entities” are generally limited to National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) members, subscribers to various fee-based subscription services, large institutional investors (known as “Authorized Participants”) that have been authorized by the Distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of shares pursuant to legal requirements and market makers and other institutional market participants and entities that provide information for transactional services.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings in Accordance with Regulatory Requirements. Each business day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided to the Fund’s custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. This information typically reflects the Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following business day. In addition, on each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Listing Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings as Required by Applicable Law. The Fund is also required to disclose its complete holdings as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT within 60 days of the end of the first and third fiscal quarters, and on Form N-CSR in connection with the annual report and semiannual report to Fund shareholders. These reports (i) are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov; and (ii) are available without charge, upon request, by calling a Janus Henderson representative at 1-800-668-0434 (toll free).

 

Daily access to information concerning the Fund’s portfolio holdings is permitted (i) to certain personnel of those service providers that are involved in portfolio management and in providing administrative, operational, risk management, or other support to portfolio management; and (ii) to other personnel of the Adviser, ALPS and its affiliates, and the administrator, custodian, and fund accountant who deal directly with, or assist in, functions related to investment management, distribution, administration, custody, securities lending, and fund accounting, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with federal securities laws and regulations thereunder.

 

Portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Fund in the ordinary course of business after it has been disseminated to the NSCC. From time to time, information concerning portfolio holdings other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Fund, including rating or ranking organizations, in the ordinary course of business, no earlier than one business day following the date of the information.

 

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Nonpublic portfolio holdings information may be disclosed to certain third parties upon a good faith determination made by the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate, in consultation with the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer or a designee, that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for such disclosure and the recipient agrees to maintain confidentiality. The Chief Compliance Officer reports to the Fund’s Trustees regarding material compliance matters with respect to the portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures.

 

Under extraordinary circumstances, the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate, in consultation with the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, has the authority to waive one or more provisions of, or make exceptions to, the ETF Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures when in the best interest of the Fund and when such waiver or exception is consistent with federal securities laws and applicable fiduciary duties.

 

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Investment Adviser

 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER – JANUS HENDERSON INVESTORS US LLC

 

As stated in the Prospectus, the Fund has an Investment Advisory Agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) with Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805. The Adviser is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Janus Henderson Group plc (“JHG”). Janus Henderson US (Holdings) Inc., the direct parent of the Adviser, completed a strategic combination with Henderson Group plc on May 30, 2017 to form JHG, doing business as Janus Henderson Investors.

 

The Fund’s Advisory Agreement continues in effect for an initial term of two years and from year to year thereafter so long as such continuance is approved at least annually by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust (the “Trustees”) who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined by the 1940 Act) of any such party (the “Independent Trustees”), and by either the Trustees or the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Advisory Agreement: (i) may be terminated, without the payment of any penalty, by the Trustees, or the vote of at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or the Adviser, on at least 60 days’ advance written notice; (ii) terminates automatically in the event of its assignment; and (iii) generally, may not be amended without the approval by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Fund, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, and, to the extent required by the 1940 Act, the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.

 

The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser will furnish continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Fund’s investments, provide office space for the Fund and certain other advisory-related services. Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, under the unitary fee structure, the Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Fund. The fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Fund’s expenses. However, the Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest, dividends, taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

The Adviser has received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that the Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight and supervision by the Trustees, would have responsibility to oversee such subadviser to the Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for the Fund. The order also permits the Fund to disclose subadvisers’ fees only in the aggregate. In the event that the Adviser hires a new subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for the Fund.

 

The Adviser also provides certain administration services necessary for the operation of the Fund, including, but not limited to, the preparation of prospectuses.

 

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The Fund pays a monthly Management Fee to the Adviser for its services. The fee is based on the daily net assets of the Fund and is calculated at the following annual rate.

 

Fund Name

Daily Net
Assets of the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.30

 

Next $500 Million

0.25

 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

 

The following table summarizes the Management Fees paid by the Fund during the period from commencement of operations on September 17, 2024 through October 31, 2024.

 

Fund Name

For the Period
September 17, 2024
through
October 31, 2024

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$2,086

 

EXPENSE LIMITATIONS

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of the Fund’s assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES BY THE ADVISER OR ITS AFFILIATES

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients or for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to one or more intermediaries for operational and/or platform set-up and maintenance fees on a per fund basis, often referred to as CUSIP fees. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates to intermediaries may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser or its affiliates, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. Other factors may include, but are not limited to, the distribution capabilities of the intermediary, the overall quality of the relationship, expected gross and/or net sales generated by the relationship, disposition and retention rates of assets held through the intermediary, the willingness to cooperate with the Adviser’s marketing efforts, access to sales personnel, and the anticipated profitability of sales through the institutional relationship. These factors and their weightings varies from one intermediary to another and may change from time to time. As of February 5, 2025, the broker-dealer firms with which the Adviser or its affiliates have agreements or are currently negotiating agreements to make payments out of their own assets related to the acquisition or retention of

 

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certain Janus Henderson ETFs are E*Trade Securities LLC; Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC; LPL Financial LLC; Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC; National Financial Services LLC; Pershing LLC; Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.; and Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Any additions, modifications, or deletions to the broker-dealer firms identified that have occurred since that date are not reflected.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates may also pay intermediaries for the development of technology platforms and reporting systems. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements, and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-investment company investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Janus Henderson funds. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ADVISER

 

The Adviser has adopted procedures (including trade allocation procedures described in the “Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage” section of this SAI) that it believes are reasonably designed to mitigate potential conflicts and risks. For example, the Adviser manages long and short portfolios. The simultaneous management of long and short portfolios creates potential conflicts of interest in fund management and creates potential risks such as the risk that short sale activity could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more Janus Henderson funds (and vice versa), the risk arising from the sequential orders in long and short positions, and the risks associated with the trade desk receiving opposing orders in the same security at the same time. To mitigate this potential conflict, the Adviser has procedures that prohibit portfolio management from executing a short sale on a security held long in any other portfolio that he or she manages but is not held

 

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long in the account in which portfolio management is placing the short. Note this does not prohibit shorting against the box. The procedures also require approvals of the Adviser’s senior management in other situations that raise potential conflicts of interest, as well as periodic monitoring of long and short trading activity of the Janus Henderson funds and accounts.

 

The Fund and other funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates may also transfer daily uninvested cash balances into one or more joint trading accounts. Assets in the joint trading accounts are invested in money market instruments and the proceeds are allocated to the participating funds on a pro rata basis.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of the 1940 Act, Janus Henderson funds may participate in an affiliated or non-affiliated cash sweep program. In the cash sweep program, uninvested cash balances of Janus Henderson funds may be used to purchase shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate pursuant to the provisions of the 1940 Act that govern the operation of money market funds. All Janus Henderson funds are eligible to participate in the cash sweep program (the “Investing Funds”). The Adviser has an inherent conflict of interest because of its fiduciary duties to the affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles and the Investing Funds. In addition, the Adviser receives an investment advisory fee for managing proprietary money market funds and the cash management vehicle used for its securities lending program, but it may not receive a fee for managing certain other affiliated cash management vehicles, and therefore may have an incentive to allocate preferred investment opportunities to investment vehicles for which it is receiving a fee.

 

Each account managed by the Adviser has its own investment objective and policies and is managed accordingly by the respective portfolio management. As a result, from time to time, two or more different managed accounts may pursue divergent investment strategies with respect to investments or categories of investments.

 

The officers and Trustees of the Janus Henderson funds may also serve as officers and Trustees of ETFs, hedge funds, private funds, and other Janus Henderson financial products managed by the Adviser. Conflicts may arise as the officers and Trustees seek to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities to both the Fund and other Janus Henderson financial products. The Trustees intend to address any such conflicts as deemed appropriate.

 

ALPS Distributors, Inc.’s Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the Trustees have approved a Code of Ethics adopted by ALPS. The Code of Ethics is intended to ensure that the interests of shareholders and other clients are placed ahead of any personal interest, that no undue personal benefit is obtained from the person’s employment activities and that actual and potential conflicts of interest are avoided.

 

The Code of Ethics applies to the personal investing activities of ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“Access Persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Code of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by Access Persons. Under the 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 Code of Ethics permits personnel subject to the Code to invest in securities subject to certain limitations, 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. The Code of Ethics is on file with and available from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Janus Henderson Personal Code of Ethics

The Adviser currently has in place the Personal Code of Ethics, which is comprised of the Personal Account Dealing Policy, the Gifts, Entertainment and Meals Received Policy, the Outside Business Activities Policy, and the Political Activities Policy. The Personal Code of Ethics is designed to ensure the Adviser’s personnel: (i) observe applicable legal (including compliance with applicable federal securities laws) and ethical standards in the performance of their duties; (ii) at all times place the interests of the Fund’s shareholders first; (iii) disclose all actual or potential conflicts; (iv) adhere to the highest standards of loyalty, candor, and care in all matters relating to the Fund’s shareholders; (v) conduct all personal trading, including transactions in the Fund and other securities, consistent with the Personal Code of Ethics and in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of their position of trust and responsibility; and (vi) refrain from using any material nonpublic information in securities trading. The Personal Code of Ethics is on file with and available from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Under the Personal Account Dealing Policy, all the Adviser personnel, as well as the Trustees and Officers of the Fund, are required to conduct their personal investment activities in a manner that the Adviser believes is not detrimental to the Fund. In addition, the Adviser personnel are not permitted to transact in securities held by the Fund for their personal accounts

 

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except under circumstances specified in the Personal Account Dealing Policy. All personnel of the Adviser and the Fund, as well as certain other designated employees deemed to have access to current trading information, are required to pre-clear all transactions in securities not otherwise exempt. Requests for trading authorization will be denied when, among other reasons, the proposed personal transaction would be contrary to the provisions of the Personal Account Dealing Policy.

 

In addition to the pre-clearance requirement described above, the Personal Account Dealing Policy subjects such personnel to various trading restrictions and reporting obligations. All reportable transactions are reviewed for compliance with the Personal Account Dealing Policy and under certain circumstances the Adviser personnel may be required to forfeit profits made from personal trading.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

 

The Trustees of the Trust have delegated to the Adviser the authority to vote all proxies relating to the Fund’s portfolio securities in accordance with the Adviser’s own policies and procedures. The Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures, including specific voting guidelines, are included in Appendix A of this SAI and are also available at janushenderson.com/proxyvoting.

 

The Adviser or its affiliates will publicly disclose vote reporting in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in the Adviser’s view, it is appropriate. The Fund’s proxy voting record for the one-year period ending each June 30th is available, free of charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-525-1093, through janushenderson.com/proxyvoting, or from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

21

 

 

Custodian, Transfer Agent, and Certain Affiliations

 

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JP Morgan” or the “Custodian”), 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10179 is the custodian of the domestic securities and cash of the Fund. JP Morgan is the designated Foreign Custody Manager (as the term is defined in Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act) of the Fund’s securities and cash held outside the United States. The Fund’s Trustees have delegated to JP Morgan certain responsibilities for such assets, as permitted by Rule 17f-5. JP Morgan and the foreign subcustodians selected by it hold the Fund’s assets in safekeeping and collect and remit the income thereon, subject to the instructions of the Fund. JP Morgan also serves as transfer agent for the shares of the Fund (“Transfer Agent”).

 

JP Morgan also provides certain fund administration services to the Fund, including services related to the Fund’s accounting, including calculating the daily NAV, audit, tax, and reporting obligations, pursuant to an Agreement with the Adviser, on behalf of the Fund. The Adviser may cancel this Agreement at any time with 90 days’ notice. As compensation for such services, the Adviser pays JP Morgan a fee based on a percentage of the Fund’s assets, and a flat fee, for certain services. The Adviser serves as administrator to the Fund, providing oversight and coordination of the Fund’s service providers, recordkeeping and other administrative services. The Adviser does not receive any additional compensation, beyond the unitary fee, for serving as administrator. Pursuant to agreements with the Fund, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, an affiliate of JP Morgan, may execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, including but not limited to, in connection with cash in lieu transactions (as described under Fund Deposit and Redemption of Creation Units).

 

The following table summarizes the fees received by JP Morgan for custodian, transfer agent and sub-administrative services from commencement of operations on September 17, 2024 through October 31, 2024.

 

Fund Name

For the Period
September 17, 2024
through
October 31, 2024

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$1,857

 

ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS” or the “Distributor”), 1290 Broadway, #1000, Denver, Colorado 80203-5603 is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). ALPS acts as the agent of the Fund in connection with the sale of its shares in all states in which such shares are registered and in which ALPS is qualified as a broker-dealer. Under the Distribution Agreement, ALPS offers Creation Units of the Fund’s shares on an ongoing basis.

 

Pursuant to an agreement with ALPS, Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Adviser, and a member of FINRA, may provide marketing and promotional services on behalf of the Fund. Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC does not receive any compensation from the Fund or ALPS for such services.

 

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Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

 

 

The Adviser or its affiliates, acting pursuant to the Global Execution Agreement mentioned below, initiate all portfolio transactions of the Fund, solely upon the direction of the relevant portfolio management. The Adviser is party to a Global Execution Agreement with certain Janus Henderson affiliates (the “Trading Affiliates”) that allow trades in foreign markets to be executed by personnel in the relevant market through such Trading Affiliates. Personnel of the Trading Affiliates providing trade execution services are subject to brokerage policies and procedures and oversight by Janus Henderson Investors’ Front Offices Governance and Risk Committee. As used in this Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage section, the term “Adviser” also includes its Trading Affiliates.

 

The Adviser selects broker-dealers for the Fund as part of its discretionary responsibilities under the Advisory Agreement and broker selection is determined by the Adviser’s duty to seek best execution. Brokers may include Authorized Participants and/or market makers for the Fund. Janus Henderson’s Best Execution Committee will periodically review the quality of execution that the Adviser receives from broker-dealers and the Adviser will continually evaluate the effectiveness of the executing brokers and trading tools utilized. The Adviser does not consider a broker-dealer’s sale of shares of the Fund or gifts and entertainment received from registered representatives of broker-dealers when choosing a broker-dealer to effect transactions.

 

The Adviser has a duty to seek to obtain “best execution” for its portfolio transactions by reasonably seeking to obtain the best possible result under the circumstances. The Adviser considers a number of factors including but not limited to: an understanding of prices of securities currently available and commission rates and other costs associated with various trading tools, channels and venues; the nature, liquidity, size and type of the security being traded and the character of the markets in which the security will be purchased or sold; the activity, existing and expected, in the market for the particular security; the potential impact of the trade in such market and the desired timing or urgency of the trade pursuant to the investment decision; any portfolio restrictions associated with asset types; the ability of a broker-dealer to maintain confidentiality, including trade anonymity; the quality of the execution, clearance, and settlement services of a broker-dealer; the financial stability of the broker-dealer and the existence of actual or apparent operational problems of the broker-dealer; principal commitment by the broker-dealer to facilitate the transaction; and for accounts that do not utilize a research charge collection agreement, as discussed below, the research services provided by a broker-dealer.

 

The Fund may trade foreign securities in foreign countries because the best available market for these securities is often on foreign exchanges. In transactions on foreign stock exchanges, brokers’ commissions are frequently fixed and are often higher than in the United States, where commissions are negotiated.

 

The Fund generally buys and sells fixed-income securities in principal and agency transactions in which no brokerage commissions are paid. However, the Fund may engage an agent and pay commissions for such transactions if the Adviser believes that the net result of the transaction to the Fund will be no less favorable than that of contemporaneously available principal transactions. The implied cost of executing fixed-income securities transactions for the Fund primarily will consist of bid-offer spreads at which brokers will transact. The spread is the difference between the prices at which the broker is willing to purchase and sell the specific security at the time.

 

When the Fund purchases or sells a security in the over-the-counter market, the transaction takes place directly with a principal market-maker, without the use of a broker, except in those circumstances where, in the opinion of the Adviser, better prices and executions will be achieved through the use of a broker.

 

The Adviser unbundles equity commissions globally. More specifically, the Adviser defines an execution commission component (“ECC”) and a research commission component (“RCC”). The ECC is standard across all brokers by region and broker class. Generally, the ECC is not negotiated on an order-by-order basis, but is determined by an established rate card that is reviewed by the Janus Henderson Best Execution Committee. Those rates are established to be competitive with industry standards and aligned with the service level the Adviser expects from brokers. With respect to the RCC, consistent with its best execution obligation for accounts that do not utilize an RCCA (as defined below), and as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and subsequent SEC guidance and no-action relief, the Adviser may place portfolio transactions with a broker-dealer for a higher commission than another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the Adviser determines, in good faith, that the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer or provided by third parties viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or of the overall responsibilities of the Adviser with respect to all client accounts. Funds that

 

23

 

 

utilize RCCAs are prohibited from using research charges for brokerage services and are subject to additional restrictions on what constitutes eligible research as provided by the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (“MiFID II”) and Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) regulations.

 

The Adviser has client commission agreements (“CCAs”) and, for certain funds, RCC Agreements (“RCCAs”) with certain broker-dealers. These agreements allow the Adviser to instruct broker-dealers to pool commissions or research charges, respectively, generated from equity security orders executed at that broker-dealer. RCCAs are utilized for accounts for which Janus Henderson is subject to MiFID II and instead of using a portion of the commission for research, an additional research charge is added to the execution commission for equity transactions. Pursuant to these agreements, the broker-dealer retains the execution component of the brokerage commission as compensation for execution services and segregates the other portion of the commission (or additional research charge for RCCAs) for research services. Such commissions (and charges) are then used, upon the Adviser’s direction, to pay such broker-dealers for such broker-dealers’ proprietary research or to pay third parties that provide the Adviser with brokerage or research services, as permitted under Section 28(e), and for RCCAs, as permitted under MiFID II and FCA regulation. All portfolio transactions directed to these broker-dealers are subject to the Adviser’s best execution obligations.

 

The Adviser establishes a research budget annually for each investment strategy, and the research portion of the commission (or additional research charge for RCCAs) is collected until the Fund’s pro rata portion of the research budget for its investment strategy is reached. Typically, it is expected that the Fund’s proportionate share of the budget for its strategy will be based on the amount of assets held in its account relative to overall assets in the strategy. Once the pro rata budget of any account within an investment strategy is reached, such account will transact at the execution only rate for the remainder of the applicable period. If the costs for external research or brokerage services for an investment strategy exceed the amount collected from accounts within that strategy, the Adviser or its affiliates may adjust the research portion of commissions (or research charges) up or down within such strategy, continue to acquire external research for such accounts using its own resources, or cease to purchase external research for such accounts until the next applicable period. If research commissions (or research charges) collected by accounts within an investment strategy exceed the research or brokerage services costs for such investment strategy, the Adviser may rebate the accounts within such strategy all or a portion of their pro rata portion of such excess (subject to de minimis amounts as determined by the Adviser) or (for CCAs only) rollover such amounts to be used for research during the next applicable period.

 

The Adviser oversees the consumption, valuation and appropriate remuneration of third-party investment research consumed by the Adviser. Research budgets are set annually based on the needs of each investment strategy and are not otherwise linked to the volume or value of transactions executed on behalf of any accounts within that strategy. Research budgets may be adjusted by the Adviser throughout the calendar year.

 

The Adviser intends that all client equity transactions will be included within its CCAs and RCCAs, except to the extent the Adviser manages a strategy in which portfolio management solely uses market data or in which portfolio management and clients are located in Europe, the Middle East, or Asia, the Adviser may determine to pay for research for such strategies and/or accounts consistent with the methods available pursuant to MiFID II, including by use of an RCCA or Janus Henderson’s own resources. Therefore, whether and to what extent clients pay for research through commissions differs among clients. However, subject to applicable law, research may be used to service any or all clients, including clients that do not pay commissions to the broker-dealer relating to the CCA. As a result, clients that do not directly pay for research or pay for research to a lesser extent, including in connection with the establishment of research budgets (switching to execution only rates when research budgets are met), may be considered to disproportionately benefit from research payments of other clients.

 

The Adviser may receive statistical, research and other factual information or services from broker-dealers that it would otherwise have to pay for with cash, or use its own resources to produce, for no consideration other than the brokerage or underwriting commissions that they obtain from the Adviser’s execution of trades with the broker-dealers.

 

The Adviser may also use step-out or sponsorship transactions in order to receive research products and related services. In step-out or sponsorship transactions, the Adviser directs trades to a broker-dealer with the instruction that the broker-dealer execute the transaction, but direct all or a portion of the transaction or commission in favor of a second broker-dealer that provides such products and/or services. The second broker-dealer may clear and settle and receive commissions for the remaining portion.

 

The Adviser may also use broker sponsorship programs in order to pay for research. The Adviser may receive research from a sponsored broker but choose to execute with an executing agent on behalf of the sponsored broker. The executing agent executes the trade and then sends it to the sponsored broker for settlement. The Adviser pays the sponsored broker the commissions on the trade and the sponsored broker then pays the executing agent a predetermined fee.

 

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The Adviser maintains prime brokerage arrangements to facilitate short sale transactions. A prime broker may provide services and products to the Adviser in connection with the short selling facilities and related services the prime broker provides. The Adviser typically uses technology and personalized client services, but additional services such as capital introduction, business consulting services and portfolio analytics may also be available from prime brokers.

 

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2024, the Fund paid no brokerage commissions to brokers and dealers in transactions identified for execution primarily on the basis of research and other services provided to the Fund.

 

The Adviser may have an incentive to use broker-dealers who offer the above services to effect transactions instead of other broker-dealers who do not provide such services, but who may execute transactions at a lower price. The Adviser does not guarantee any broker the placement of a predetermined amount of securities transactions in return for the research or brokerage services it provides. The Adviser does, however, have an internal procedure for allocation transactions in a manner consistent with its execution policy to brokers that it has identified as providing research or brokerage services. Any transactions with such brokers are always subject to the Adviser’s best execution obligations.

 

In order for client commissions to be used to pay for these services, the Adviser must determine that the services are permitted research or brokerage services under Section 28(e). Additionally, all broker-dealers and all vendors of research and/or brokerage services paid with client commissions will be approved pursuant to the Adviser’s policies and procedures. In instances when the above services may include components not eligible under Section 28(e), the Adviser makes a reasonable allocation of the cost of the research and/or brokerage services according to its use and all non-eligible research and/or brokerage services are separately invoiced and paid for with cash from the Adviser and not with client commissions.

 

Research received from broker-dealers is supplemental to the Adviser’s own research efforts. The brokerage and research products and services furnished by broker-dealers may be used in servicing any or all of the Adviser’s clients and may not necessarily be used by the Adviser in connection with the accounts that actually paid commissions, nor in proportion to the amount of commissions paid by accounts, to the broker-dealer providing the products and services.

 

The Adviser may engage in “cross trades” whereby the Adviser causes its clients or accounts to engage in a purchase and sale of a security with each other. The Adviser may engage in cross trades where it determines such transaction is in the best interests of both accounts and consistent with the Adviser’s best execution obligations. Although the use of cross trades may be beneficial to clients, it also creates opportunities for conflicts of interest to adversely affect clients. For instance, the Adviser could prefer one account over the other in determining price or otherwise executing a cross trade due to the existence of a more favorable fee structure or proprietary interest in one account. To address these potential conflicts, the Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which require that all cross trades are effected at a readily available fair market price, which may be based on independent dealer bids or quotes depending on the type of security. In addition, cross trades involving a registered investment company must be consistent with Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act. The Adviser may execute cross trades among any eligible funds and accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. The Adviser does not permit cross trades with the Fund for fixed-income securities, with accounts subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or where prohibited by client restrictions.

 

The Adviser makes investment decisions for each of its clients, including proprietary accounts, independently from those of any other account that is or may become managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. Because the Adviser generally invests in similar strategies for clients, numerous clients could have similar investment objectives and thus, similar portfolios. As a result, the Adviser may be trading the same security for multiple clients at the same time. In order to seek efficiencies that may be available for larger transactions, or help allocate execution fills and prices fairly, the Adviser may aggregate the orders for its clients for execution in circumstances where the Adviser determines that the investment is eligible and appropriate for each participating account. Clients participating in an aggregated trade are generally charged the same price and execution rate or execution portion of the commission except in circumstances where doing otherwise is deemed fair and consistent with applicable law. Instances can occur in which not all clients are charged a research portion (or the same research portion) of the commission in an aggregated trade, including where clients have a different research rate, have already met the research budget established by the Adviser or are subject to regulatory or other restrictions on the use of client commissions to pay for research services and may transact at lower commissions or execution only rates. In addition to, or instead of, aggregating orders of accounts that would be trading the same security at the same time, the Adviser may average the price of the transactions of these accounts and allocate trades to each account in accordance with the Adviser’s allocation procedures. Pursuant to these procedures, partial fills will be allocated pro rata under procedures adopted by Janus Henderson. The Adviser seeks to allocate the opportunity to purchase or sell a security or other investment among accounts on an equitable basis by taking into consideration certain factors. These factors include, but are not limited to: size of the portfolio, concentration of holdings, investment objectives and guidelines, position weightings, duration targets, consistency of portfolio characteristics across similar accounts, purchase

 

25

 

 

costs, issuer restrictions, price targets, ESG jurisdictional requirements, and cash availability. Due to such factors, the Adviser cannot assure equality of allocations among all of its accounts, nor can it assure that the opportunity to purchase or sell a security or other investment will be proportionally allocated among accounts according to any particular or predetermined standards or criteria which could cause performance divergence from similar accounts. In some cases, these allocation procedures may adversely affect the price paid or received by an account or the size of the position obtained or liquidated for an account. In others, however, the accounts’ ability to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions and prices for the accounts. The Adviser may adjust allocations to eliminate fractional shares or odd lots, or to account for minimum trade size requirements and has the discretion to deviate from its allocation procedures in certain circumstances.

 

The Fund may from time to time participate in initial public offerings (“IPOs”) or other types of limited offerings such as secondary placements of common stock, private equity offerings, or other private placement offerings. To the extent that the Fund has only affiliated shareholders, such as portfolio management or an adviser, and the Fund wishes to participate in an IPO, those shareholders may be perceived as receiving a benefit and, as a result, may have a conflict with management of the Fund and thus may not be eligible to participate in the offering. The Fund may also, from time to time, participate as an anchor or Cornerstone Investor in an IPO. A Cornerstone Investor agrees, prior to a company’s IPO, to acquire a certain dollar amount of the IPO securities. Such agreement provides the Cornerstone Investor with an agreed and known allocation in the IPO. Shares allocated to the Cornerstone Investor in such IPOs may be restricted from trading for up to six months post the IPO and participation by any Adviser account as a Cornerstone Investor could preclude any other account from participating in the IPO as a non-Cornerstone Investor. The Adviser utilizes a dual book IPO indication process. More specifically, in order to provide issuers with a level of flexibility to address the diverse styles, needs, and relationships of our global investment teams, the Adviser has assigned each investment team to either a U.S. or EMEA/APAC IPO indication group (each an “IPO Indication Group”) and places two separate indications with a broker for any one limited offering. The Adviser’s allocation procedures generally require all securities of an offering allocated to an IPO Indication Group be allocated to all accounts based on portfolio management's participation in such IPO Indication Group based on their initial indications and on a pro rata basis to all participating eligible accounts based on the total assets of each account. When more than one portfolio manager across the firm indicates interest in a primary or secondary limited offering, a limit on the allowable bid will be applied. In addition, with respect to private equity offerings, the Adviser limits the amount that any one fund can own, in the aggregate, of all private companies. Deviations from these procedures are permitted provided such deviations are documented and approved by an Asset Class Head or a delegate. A deviation could occur, for example, in order to allocate additional securities to ensure that accounts receive sufficient securities to satisfy specialized investment objectives or policies, to account for allocation sizes that are deemed by the Adviser to be de minimis for certain eligible accounts, to address market conditions, to address situations specific to individual accounts (e.g., cash limitations, position weightings, liquidity profiles of the investment, redemption history of the account, etc.). Additionally, for primary and secondary offerings of common stock, additional shares may be allocated to the applicable accounts of portfolio management with a preexisting position in that security. Deviations from pro rata allocations may contribute to differences in performance among eligible accounts within the same strategy. The Adviser cannot assure in all instances, participations in IPOs or limited offerings by all eligible accounts. In the event an eligible account does not participate in an offering, the Adviser generally does not reimburse for opportunity costs.

 

Creation or redemption transactions, to the extent consisting of cash, may require the Fund to contemporaneously transact with broker-dealers for purchases of Deposit Securities (as defined under Fund Deposit) or sales of Fund Securities (as defined under Redemption of Creation Units), including any foreign exchange, as applicable. Such transactions with a particular broker-dealer may be conditioned upon the broker-dealer’s agreement to transact at guaranteed price levels in order to reduce transaction costs the Fund would otherwise incur as a consequence of settling creation or redemption baskets in cash rather than in-kind.

 

The following table summarizes the total amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund from the period of commencement of operations on September 17, 2024 through October 31, 2024.

 

Fund Name

For the Period
September 17, 2024
through
October 31, 2024

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$2

 

As of the date of this SAI, the Fund did not own any securities of its regular broker-dealer (or parents).

 

Brokerage commissions paid by the Fund may vary significantly from year to year because of portfolio turnover rates, shareholder, broker-dealer, or other financial intermediary purchase/redemption activity, varying market conditions, changes to investment strategies or processes, and other factors.

 

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Shares of the Trust

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE DETERMINATION

 

As stated in the Fund’s Prospectus, the net asset value (“NAV”) of the shares of the Fund is determined once each day the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open, as of the close of its trading session (normally 4:00 p.m., New York time, Monday through Friday). The per share NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the net assets by the number of the Fund’s shares outstanding.

 

Securities held by the Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (the “Valuation Procedures”). In determining NAV, equity securities traded on a domestic securities exchange are generally valued at the readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. If such price is lacking for the trading period immediately preceding the time of determination, such securities are valued at their current bid price. If applicable, equity securities that are traded on a foreign exchange are generally valued at the closing prices on such markets. In the event that there is no current trading volume on a particular security in such foreign exchange, the bid price from the primary exchange is generally used to value the security. Securities that are traded on the over-the-counter markets are generally valued at their closing or latest bid prices as available. Foreign securities and currencies are converted to U.S. dollars using the applicable exchange rate in effect at the close of the London Stock Exchange. The Adviser will determine the market value of individual securities held by it by using prices provided by one or more Adviser-approved professional pricing services or, as needed, by obtaining market quotations from independent broker-dealers. Most debt securities are valued in accordance with the evaluated bid price supplied by the pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price supplied by the pricing service is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term securities maturing within 60 days or less may be valued on an amortized cost basis.

 

Securities for which market quotations or evaluated prices are not readily available or are deemed unreliable are valued at fair value determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Circumstances in which fair valuation may be utilized include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a nonsignificant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a nonvalued security and a restricted or nonpublic security. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position.

 

The Fund calculates its NAV per share, and therefore effects sales, redemptions, and repurchases of its shares, as of the close of the NYSE once each day on which the NYSE is open. Such calculation may not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the foreign portfolio securities used in such calculation. If an event that is expected to affect the value of a portfolio security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which that security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, then that security may be valued in good faith under the Valuation Procedures.

 

DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING PLAN

 

Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, as amended, (the “Rule”) provides that an investment company may bear expenses of distributing its shares only pursuant to a plan adopted in accordance with the Rule. The Trustees have adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan (“Rule 12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to which the Fund may pay certain expenses incurred in the distribution of its shares and the servicing and maintenance of existing shareholder accounts. ALPS, as the Fund’s principal underwriter, and the Adviser may have a direct or indirect financial interest in the Rule 12b-1 Plan or any related agreement. Pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Fund may pay a fee of up to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. No Rule 12b-1 fee is currently being charged to the Fund.

 

The Rule 12b-1 Plan was approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Fund. In approving the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Trustees determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Rule 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Fund and its shareholders.

 

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The Rule 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The Rule 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

The Trust issues and sells shares of the Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form as described in the Authorized Participant Agreement (as defined below), on any Business Day (as defined below). The size of a Creation Unit to purchase shares of the Fund may differ from the size of a Creation Unit required to redeem shares of the Fund. The size of a Creation Unit may be modified by the Adviser with prior notification to the Fund’s Authorized Participants. The Fund’s current Creation Unit size may be found on the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website.

 

A “Business Day” with respect to the Fund is each day the Listing Exchange is open, which excludes weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Orders from Authorized Participants to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day.

 

Fund Deposit

The consideration for purchase of Creation Units of the Fund may consist of cash or securities (plus an amount of cash). If creations are not conducted in cash, the consideration for purchase of Creation Units of the Fund generally consists of “Deposit Securities” and the Cash Component computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to creation requests received in proper form. The Fund Deposit represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund.

 

The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the “Deposit Amount,” which is an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities, and serves to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount. Payment of any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing the Creation Unit.

 

The Adviser makes available through the NSCC on each Business Day prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange, the list of names and the required number or par value of each Deposit Security, if any, and the amount of the Cash Component to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information as of the end of the previous Business Day for the Fund). Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units of shares of the Fund until such time as the next-announced Fund Deposit is made available.

 

The identity and number or par value of the Deposit Securities change pursuant to changes in the composition of the Fund’s portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities constituting the Fund’s portfolio.

 

The Fund reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or the Clearing Process (as discussed below). The Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which (i) the delivery of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant (as described below) would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws or (ii) the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations. In the case of transactions involving “cash in lieu” amounts, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser. If a purchase or redemption consists solely or partially of cash and the Fund places a brokerage transaction for portfolio securities with a third party

 

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broker, an Authorized Participant or its affiliated broker-dealer, the broker or the Authorized Participant (or an affiliated broker-dealer of the Authorized Participant) may be required, in its capacity as broker-dealer with respect to that transaction, to cover certain brokerage, tax, execution, and market impact costs through a brokerage execution guarantee.

 

Procedures for Creating Creation Units

To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be: (i) a “Participating Party,” i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”) or (ii) a DTC Participant, and must have executed an agreement with the Distributor, with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Units (“Authorized Participant Agreement”) (discussed below). A Participating Party or DTC Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement is referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” All shares of the Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.

 

Role of the Authorized Participant

Creation Units may be purchased only by or through a DTC Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor. Such Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of such Authorized Participant Agreement and on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that such Authorized Participant will make available in advance of each purchase of shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component, once the net asset value of a Creation Unit is next determined after receipt of the purchase order in proper form, together with the transaction fees described below. An Authorized Participant, acting on behalf of an investor, may require the investor to enter into an agreement with such Authorized Participant with respect to certain matters, including payment of the Cash Component. Investors who are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be a DTC Participant or may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that orders to purchase Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant. As a result, purchase orders placed through a non-Authorized Participant may result in additional charges to such investor. The Trust does not expect to enter into an Authorized Participant Agreement with more than a small number of DTC Participants. The Distributor and Transfer Agent have adopted guidelines regarding Authorized Participants’ transactions in Creation Units that are made available to all Authorized Participants. These guidelines set forth the processes and standards for Authorized Participants to transact with the Distributor, Transfer Agent, and their agents in connection with creation and redemption transactions, as applicable.

 

Placement of Creation Orders

Fund Deposits must be delivered through the Federal Reserve System (for cash and U.S. government securities), through DTC (for corporate and municipal securities) or through a central depository account, such as with Euroclear or DTC, maintained by the Custodian or a subcustodian (a “Central Depository Account”). Any portion of the Fund Deposit that may not be delivered through the Federal Reserve System or DTC must be delivered through a Central Depository Account. The Fund Deposit transfers made through DTC must be ordered by the DTC Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities through DTC to the account of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. Fund Deposit transfers made through the Federal Reserve System must be deposited by the participant institution in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number or amount of Deposit Securities or cash through the Federal Reserve System to the account of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. Fund Deposit transfers made through a Central Depository Account must be completed pursuant to the requirements established by the Custodian or subcustodian for such Central Depository Account generally before 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. The “Settlement Date” for all funds is generally the first Business Day after the Transmittal Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities to be delivered, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash equal to the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities are not received by 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date, the creation order may be canceled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the first Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor, provided that the relevant Fund Deposit has been received by the Fund prior to such time.

 

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Purchase Orders

To initiate an order for a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit to the Distributor or its agent an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Fund, in proper form, by the Cutoff Time (as defined below). The Distributor or its agent will notify the Adviser and the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to any appropriate subcustodian. Procedures and requirements governing the delivery of the Fund Deposit are set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement and may change from time to time. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a creation request to be made through an Authorized Participant. Those placing orders to purchase Creation Units through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor or its agent by the Cutoff Time (as defined below) on such Business Day.

 

The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to the Fund, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable purchase transaction fees. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit. Those placing orders should ascertain the deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the Cash Component. This deadline is likely to be significantly earlier than the Cutoff Time of the Fund. Investors should be aware that an Authorized Participant may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in the particular form required by the individual Authorized Participant.

 

The Authorized Participant is responsible for any and all expenses and costs incurred by the Fund, including any applicable cash amounts, in connection with any purchase order.

 

Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders

An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m. (for negotiated custom baskets) or 4:00 p.m. (for standard orders), Eastern time on any Business Day in order to receive that day’s NAV. On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. Creation Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor or its agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement, as described below. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or its agent or an Authorized Participant. Orders to create shares of the Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the equity markets in the relevant foreign market are closed may be charged the maximum additional charge for Creation Unit transactions as set forth in this SAI to account for transaction costs incurred by the Fund. The Fund’s deadline specified above for the submission of purchase orders is referred to as the Fund’s “Cutoff Time.” The Distributor or its agent, in their discretion, may permit the submission of such orders and requests by or through an Authorized Participant at any time (including on days on which the Listing Exchange is not open for business) via communication through the facilities of the Distributor’s or its Transfer Agent’s proprietary website maintained for this purpose. Purchase orders and redemption requests, if accepted by the Trust, will be processed based on the NAV next determined after such acceptance. However, to account for transaction costs otherwise incurred by the Fund, an Authorized Participant that submits an order to the Distributor after the Cutoff Time stated above, may be charged the maximum additional charge for Creation Unit transactions as set forth in this SAI.

 

Acceptance of Orders for Creation Units

Subject to the conditions that (i) an irrevocable purchase order has been submitted by the Authorized Participant (either on its own or another investor’s behalf) and (ii) arrangements satisfactory to the Fund is in place for payment of the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due, the Fund will accept the order, subject to the Fund’s right (and the right of the Distributor and the Adviser) to reject any order until acceptance, as set forth below.

 

Once the Fund has accepted an order, upon the next determination of the net asset value of the shares, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such net asset value. The Distributor or its agent will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.

 

The Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor or its agent if (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identity and number of shares specified, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the

 

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Fund Deposit would, in the discretion of the Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (vii) circumstances outside the control of the Fund, the Distributor or its agent and the Adviser make it impracticable to process purchase orders. The Distributor or its agent shall notify a prospective purchaser of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such purchaser of its rejection of such order. The Fund, Transfer Agent, subcustodian, and Distributor or their agents are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.

 

Issuance of a Creation Unit

Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Fund of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the custodian that the securities included in the Fund Deposit (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Distributor or its agent and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery and the Fund will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit. Creation Units for the Fund typically are issued on a “T+1 basis” (i.e., one Business Day after trade date). However, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1, including a shorter settlement period, if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law. For example, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1, in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets, as applicable, of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (i.e., the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security) and in certain other circumstances.

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement with the Distributor, the Fund will issue Creation Units to such Authorized Participant, notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral having a value at least equal to 105%, which percentage the Adviser may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing Deposit Securities in accordance with the Fund’s then-effective procedures. The only collateral that is acceptable to the Fund is cash in U.S. dollars. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the contractual settlement date. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. Information concerning the Fund’s current procedures for collateralization of missing Deposit Securities is available from the Distributor or its agent. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit the Fund to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Fund of purchasing such securities and the cash collateral.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date and in these instances, the Fund reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participants that the creation and redemption transactions are for separate beneficial owners. All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Fund and the Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.

 

Redemption of Creation Units

Shares of the Fund may be redeemed by Authorized Participants only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Transfer Agent or its agent and only on a Business Day. The Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the secondary market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares to constitute a Creation Unit that could be redeemed by an Authorized Participant. Beneficial owners also may sell shares in the secondary market. The Fund redeems Creation Units in-kind plus any Cash Amount due or entirely in cash.

 

In-Kind Redemption Method

The Adviser will make available through the NSCC, prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each Business Day, the designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”), and an amount of cash (the “Cash Amount,” as described below). Such Fund Securities and the corresponding Cash Amount (each subject to possible amendment or correction) are applicable in order to effect redemptions of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next announced

 

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composition of the Fund Securities and Cash Amount is made available. Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Units. Procedures and requirements governing redemption transactions are set forth in the handbook for Authorized Participants and may change from time to time.

 

With an in-kind redemption, the proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of Fund Securities, plus the Cash Amount, which is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the shares being redeemed, as next determined after the receipt of a redemption request in proper form, and the value of Fund Securities, less a redemption transaction fee (as described below).

 

The Fund may, in its sole discretion, substitute a “cash in lieu” amount to replace any Fund Security, and reserves the right to redeem entirely in cash. The Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of the Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; or (ii) the delivery of the Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Fund Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations. The amount of cash paid out in such cases will be equivalent to the value of the substituted security listed as the Fund Security. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder.

 

Cash Redemption Method

When partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units are authorized by the Fund, a custom redemption will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of partial or full cash redemption, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.

 

Costs Associated with Creation and Redemption Transactions

The standard transaction fee (“Standard Fee”) is imposed to offset the transfer and other transaction costs incurred by the Fund associated with the issuance or redemption of Creation Units. The Standard Fee will be charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates or redeems a Creation Unit, and is the same, regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction. For creations, Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the Fund. The Adviser may adjust the Standard Fee from time to time to account for changes in transaction fees associated with in-kind transactions.

 

In addition to the Standard Fees discussed above, the Fund charges an additional variable fee (“Variable Fee”) for creations and redemptions in whole or partial cash to offset brokerage and impact expenses associated with the cash portion of the transaction. The amount of the Variable Fee payable to the Fund by the Authorized Participant is determined by the Adviser based on analysis of historical transaction cost data and the Adviser’s view of current market conditions, among other factors. The actual Variable Fee charged for a given transaction may be lower or higher than the trading expenses incurred by the Fund with respect to that transaction. The total transaction fees charged (i.e. the Standard Fee plus the Variable Fee) will not exceed the maximum amounts reflected in the table below. From time to time, the Adviser, in its sole discretion, may adjust the Fund’s transaction fees or reimburse an Authorized Participant for all or a portion of the transaction fees.

 

The following table shows as of the date of this SAI (i) the Standard Fee, and (ii) the maximum total transaction fee charges for creations and redemptions (as described above):

 

Fund Name

Standard Fee*

Maximum Total
Transaction Fee**

   

3.00% (Create)

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$500

2.00% (Redeem)

 

*

Flat fee charged per transaction for one or more Creation Units.

**

As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit, inclusive of the Standard Fee.

 

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Placement of Redemption Orders

Redemption requests for Creation Units of the Fund must be submitted to the Transfer Agent by or through an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable request to redeem shares of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m. (for negotiated custom baskets) or 4:00 p.m. (for standard orders), Eastern time on any Business Day, in order to receive that day’s NAV. On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant.

 

The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption in the form required by the Fund to the Transfer Agent or its agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. At any time, only a limited number of broker-dealers will have an Authorized Participant Agreement in effect. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the shares to the Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.

 

A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Transfer Agent the Creation Unit redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the Listing Exchange closing time on the applicable Business Day, (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Fund is received by the Transfer Agent or its agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified above and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement are properly followed. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s shares through DTC’s facilities by 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the Business Day next following the day that the redemption request is received, the redemption request may be rejected. Investors should be aware that the deadline for such transfers of shares through the DTC system may be significantly earlier than the close of business on the Listing Exchange. Those making redemption requests should ascertain the deadline applicable to transfers of shares through the DTC system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effecting the transfer of the shares.

 

Upon receiving a redemption request, the Transfer Agent or its agent shall notify the Fund of such redemption request. The tender of an investor’s shares for redemption and the distribution of the securities and/or cash included in the redemption payment made in respect of Creation Units redeemed will be made through DTC and the relevant Authorized Participant to the Beneficial Owner thereof as recorded on the book-entry system of DTC or the DTC Participant through which such investor holds, as the case may be, or by such other means specified by the Authorized Participant submitting the redemption request.

 

A redeeming Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the portfolio securities are customarily traded, to which account such portfolio securities will be delivered.

 

Deliveries of redemption proceeds by the Fund generally will be made within one Business Day (i.e., “T+1”). Further, consistent with applicable law, the Fund reserves the right to settle redemption transactions and deliver redemption proceeds on another basis to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, including to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (i.e., the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold) and in certain other circumstances.

 

If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Fund may in their discretion exercise the option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In such case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the net asset value of its shares based on the NAV of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charges specified above, to offset the Fund’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be

 

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subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund cannot lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or cannot do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws.

 

In the event that cash redemptions are permitted or required by the Fund, proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares as soon as practicable after the date of redemption (generally within seven calendar days thereafter, except as described in “Regular Holidays” below).

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement with the Distributor or its agent, in the event an Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to the Fund, at or prior to 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the Listing Exchange business day after the date of submission of such redemption request, the Transfer Agent or its agent will accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash, in U.S. dollars in immediately available funds, having a value at least equal to 105%, which percentage the Adviser may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing shares. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the day after the date of submission of such redemption request and shall be held by the Custodian and marked-to-market daily. The fees of the Custodian and any subcustodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant Agreement permits the Fund to acquire shares of the Fund at any time and subjects the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the aggregate of the cost to the Fund of purchasing such shares, plus the value of the Cash Amount, and the value of the cash collateral.

 

Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on exchange(s) on days that the Listing Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Listing Exchange on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

 

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund: (i) for any period during which the Listing Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the Listing Exchange is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.

 

Custom Baskets

The securities and other assets that are required for the issuance of a Creation Unit, or are provided upon redemption of a Creation Unit (a “basket”) may differ and the Fund may permit or require the submission of a portfolio of securities or cash that differs from the composition of the published portfolio(s) (a “Custom Basket”). A Custom Basket may include any of the following: (i) a basket that is composed of a nonrepresentative selection of the Fund’s portfolio holdings; or (ii) a representative basket that is different from the initial basket used in transactions on the same business day. The Fund has adopted policies and procedures that govern the construction and acceptance of baskets, including heightened requirements for certain types of custom baskets intended to be protective to the Fund and its shareholders. Such policies and procedures, among other items, establish (i) parameters for the construction and acceptance of custom baskets, and (ii) processes for revisions to or deviations from such parameters. The Adviser has established a governance process to oversee basket compliance for the Fund, as set forth in the Fund’s policies and procedures.

 

Taxation on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units

An Authorized Participant generally will recognize either gain or loss upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units. This gain or loss is calculated by taking the market value of the Creation Units purchased (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) over the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the Deposit Securities exchanged therefor (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for Deposit Securities generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the Authorized Participant’s basis in the Creation Units (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and the aggregate market value of the Deposit Securities (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant

 

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as part of the redemption). However, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) may apply the wash sales rules to determine that any loss realized upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units is not currently deductible. Authorized Participants should consult their own tax advisors.

 

Current U.S. federal tax laws dictate that capital gain or loss realized from the redemption of Creation Units will generally create long-term capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the Creation Units for more than one year, or short-term capital gain or loss if the Creation Units were held for one year or less, if the Creation Units are held as capital assets.

 

Regular Holidays

For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within the normal settlement period.

 

The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with foreign market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days, in certain circumstances. Under normal circumstances, the Fund expects to pay out redemption proceeds within one Business Day after the redemption request is received, in accordance with the process set forth in the Fund’s SAI and in the agreement between the Authorized Participant and the Fund’s Distributor. However, the Fund reserves the right, including under stressed market conditions, to take up to seven days after the receipt of a redemption request to pay the Authorized Participant, all as permitted by the 1940 Act. With respect to the Fund’s foreign investments, in a country where local market holiday(s) prevent the Fund from delivering such foreign investments to an Authorized Participant in response to a redemption request, the Fund may take up to 15 days after the receipt of the redemption request to deliver such investments to the Authorized Participant.

 

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Securities Lending

 

 

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. acts as securities lending agent and custodian or subcustodian to receive and disburse cash balances and cash collateral, hold short-term investments, and perform other custodian functions in accordance with the Securities Lending Agreement.

 

The Fund did not engage in securities lending activity during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2024.

 

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Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status

 

 

The following is intended to be a general summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. It is not intended to be a complete discussion of all such federal income tax consequences, nor does it purport to deal with all categories of investors. This summary assumes that investors hold shares of the Fund as capital assets (within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code). This summary does not apply to investors that are not “United States persons” (as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code) or investors subject to special tax treatment (such as a partnership, financial institution, real estate investment trust, regulated investment company, insurance company, tax-advantaged, tax-qualified and retirement plans (or any other tax-exempt entity), or dealer in securities), except as otherwise specifically indicated below. This discussion reflects applicable tax laws of the United States as of the date of this SAI. However, tax laws may change or be subject to new interpretation by the courts or the IRS, possibly with retroactive effect. Investors are therefore advised to consult with their own tax advisers before making an investment in the Fund.

 

It is a policy of the Fund to make distributions of substantially all of their respective net investment income and any realized net capital gains at least annually. Any net capital gains realized during each fiscal year, as defined by the Internal Revenue Code, are normally declared and payable to shareholders in December but, if necessary, may be distributed at other times as well. Additional information regarding the frequency of the Fund’s distribution of dividend payments from net investment income can be found at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Fund Taxation

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company as such term is defined under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code (a “regulated investment company”). If the Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company in any taxable year, the Fund may be subject to federal income tax on its taxable income at the applicable corporate tax rate. In addition, all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would generally be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income but may, at least in part, qualify for the dividends received deduction applicable to corporations or the reduced rate of taxation applicable to noncorporate holders for “qualified dividend income.” In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay taxes and interest, and make distributions before requalifying as a regulated investment company that is accorded special federal income tax treatment.

 

A federal excise tax at the rate of 4% will be imposed on the excess, if any, of the Fund’s “required distribution” over actual distributions in any calendar year. Generally, the “required distribution” is 98% of the Fund’s ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of its capital gain net income recognized during the one-year period ending on October 31 plus undistributed amounts from prior years. The Fund intends to make distributions sufficient to avoid imposition of the excise tax.

 

Certain transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, if any, may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, may affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders. The Fund will monitor their transactions and may make certain tax elections where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions, if possible.

 

In certain circumstances, such as if the Fund invests in certain pay-in-kind securities, zero coupon securities, deferred interest securities or, in general, any other securities with original issue discount (or with market discount if the Fund elects to include market discount in income currently), the Fund must accrue income on such investments for each taxable year, which generally will be prior to the receipt of the corresponding cash payments. However, in order to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code and to avoid federal income tax and the 4% federal excise tax, the Fund must distribute to shareholders, at least annually, all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net tax-exempt income, including such accrued income. Therefore, the Fund may have to dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate cash, or may have to leverage itself by borrowing the cash, to satisfy these distribution requirements.

 

The Fund may acquire market discount bonds. A market discount bond is a security acquired in the secondary market at a price below its redemption value (or its adjusted issue price if it is also an original issue discount bond). If the Fund invests in a market discount bond, it generally will be required to treat any gain recognized on the disposition of such market discount bond as ordinary income (instead of capital gain) to the extent of the accrued market discount, unless the Fund elects to include the market discount in income as it accrues.

 

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The Fund’s investments in lower-rated or unrated debt securities may present issues for the Fund if the issuers of these securities default on their obligations because the federal income tax consequences to a holder of such securities are not certain.

 

The Fund may purchase securities of certain foreign corporations considered to be passive foreign investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code. In order to avoid taxes and interest that must be paid by the Fund, the Fund may make various elections permitted by the Internal Revenue Code. However, these elections could require that the Fund recognize taxable income, which in turn must be distributed even though the Fund may not have received any income upon such an event.

 

Some foreign securities purchased by the Fund may be subject to foreign taxes which could reduce the yield on such securities. If the amount of foreign taxes is significant in a particular year and the Fund qualifies under Section 853 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund may elect to pass through such taxes to shareholders. If the Fund makes such an election, foreign taxes paid by the Fund will be reported to shareholders as income and shareholders may claim either a foreign tax credit or deduction for such taxes, subject to certain limitations. If such election is not made by the Fund, any foreign taxes paid or accrued will represent an expense to the Fund, which will reduce its investment company taxable income.

 

Under the Internal Revenue Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time the Fund accrues income or receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on disposition of certain other instruments, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition also may be treated as ordinary gain or loss. These gains and losses, referred to under the Internal Revenue Code as “Section 988” gains or losses, may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund’s investment company taxable income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.

 

The Fund may utilize foreign currency contracts in an effort to limit foreign currency risk. The value of foreign currency contracts can vary widely from month-to-month, which may result in gains one month and losses the next month. If the Fund distributes such gains during a monthly distribution (if applicable) and subsequently realizes foreign currency losses due to exchange rate fluctuations, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

 

If the Fund elects to invest in REIT equity securities, such investments may require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. In order to generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales. The Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may result in the receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings. If the Fund distributes such amounts, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

 

Some REITs are permitted to hold “residual interests” in Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”). Pursuant to an IRS notice, a portion of the Fund’s income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT’s residual interest in a REMIC (referred to in the Internal Revenue Code as an “excess inclusion”) may be subject to federal income tax in all events. Excess inclusion income will normally be allocated to shareholders in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest directly. There may be instances in which the Fund may be unaware of a REIT’s excess inclusion income. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders: (a) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions); (b) will constitute unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan, or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on unrelated business income, thereby potentially requiring such an entity that is allocated excess inclusion income, and otherwise might not be required to file a federal income tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income; and (c) in the case of a foreign shareholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. Tax-exempt investors sensitive to UBTI are strongly encouraged to consult their tax advisers prior to investment in the Fund. In addition, if at any time during any taxable year a “disqualified organization” (as defined by the Internal Revenue Code) is a record holder of a share in a regulated investment company, then the regulated investment company will be subject to a tax equal to that portion of its excess inclusion income for the taxable year that is allocable to the disqualified organization, multiplied by the applicable corporate tax rate. This may impact the Fund’s performance.

 

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For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, ordinary REIT dividends are treated as “qualified business income” that is eligible for a 20% federal income tax deduction in the case of individuals, trusts and estates. Regulations enable the Fund to pass through the special character of “qualified REIT dividends” to its shareholders. The amount of a regulated investment company’s dividends eligible for the 20% deduction for a taxable year is limited to the excess of the regulated investment company’s qualified REIT dividends for the taxable year over allocable expenses. To be eligible to treat distributions from the Fund as qualified REIT dividends, a shareholder must hold shares of the Fund for more than 45 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend and the shareholder must not be under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. If the Fund does not elect to pass the special character of this income through to shareholders or if a shareholder does not satisfy the above holding period requirements, the shareholder will not be entitled to the 20% deduction for the shareholder’s share of the Fund’s qualified REIT dividend income.

 

The application of certain requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company and the application of certain other federal income tax rules may be unclear in some respects in connection with investments in certain derivatives and other investments. As a result, the Fund may be required to limit the extent to which it invests in such investments and it is also possible that the IRS may not agree with the Fund’s treatment of such investments. In addition, the tax treatment of derivatives and certain other investments may be affected by future legislation, treasury regulations, and guidance issued by the IRS (which could apply retroactively) that could affect the timing, character, and amount of the Fund’s income and gains and distributions to shareholders, affect whether the Fund has made sufficient distributions and otherwise satisfied the requirements to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid federal income and excise taxes, or limit the extent to which the Fund may invest in certain derivatives and other investments in the future.

 

Generally, the character of the income or capital gains that the Fund receives from another investment company will pass through to the Fund’s shareholders as long as the Fund and the other investment company each qualify as regulated investment companies. However, to the extent that another investment company that qualifies as a regulated investment company realizes net losses on its investments for a given taxable year, the Fund will not be able to recognize its share of those losses until it disposes of shares of such investment company. Moreover, even when the Fund does make such a disposition, a portion of its loss may be recognized as a long-term capital loss. As a result of the foregoing rules, and certain other special rules, it is possible that the amounts of net investment income and net capital gains that the Fund will be required to distribute to shareholders will be greater than such amounts would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests, rather than investing in shares of the investment companies. For similar reasons, the character of distributions from the Fund (e.g., long-term capital gain, qualified dividend income, etc.) will not necessarily be the same as it would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests.

 

The Fund may treat a portion of the amount paid to redeem shares as a distribution of investment company taxable income and realized capital gains that are reflected in the net asset value. This practice, commonly referred to as “equalization,” has no effect on the redeeming shareholder or the Fund’s total return, but may reduce the amounts that would otherwise be required to be paid as taxable dividends to the remaining shareholders. It is possible that the IRS could challenge the Fund’s equalization methodology or calculations, and any such challenge could result in additional tax, interest, or penalties to be paid by the Fund or disqualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company.

 

Shareholder Taxation

Shareholders will be subject to federal income taxes on distributions made by the Fund whether received in cash or additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from the Fund’s net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, net short-term capital gains, and net gains from foreign currency transactions), if any, generally are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income, unless such distributions are attributable to “qualified dividend income” eligible in the case of noncorporate investors for the reduced federal income tax rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received from REITs and certain foreign corporations generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

In addition, if the Fund participates in a securities lending transaction and receives a payment in lieu of dividends with respect to securities on loan (a “substitute payment”), such income generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

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Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long shares of the Fund were held. Long-term capital gains are taxable to noncorporate investors at a maximum federal income tax rate of 20%. In addition, certain non-corporate investors may be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax discussed below. Dividends paid by the Fund may also qualify in part for the dividends-received deduction available to corporate shareholders, provided that certain holding period and other requirements under the Internal Revenue Code are satisfied. Generally, however, dividends received from REITs and on stocks of foreign issuers are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction when distributed to the Fund’s corporate shareholders. In addition, a substitute payment received with respect to a securities lending transaction will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction when distributed to the Fund’s corporate shareholders. Distributions from the Fund may also be subject to foreign, state, and local income taxes. Please consult a tax adviser regarding the tax consequences of the Fund distributions and to determine whether you will need to file a tax return.

 

If the Fund makes a distribution in excess of its current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his, her, or its shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder’s basis in his, her, or its shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of such shares. If the Fund produces income primarily derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid by the Fund is anticipated to be qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions declared by the Fund during October, November, or December to shareholders of record during such month and paid by January 31 of the following year will be taxable in the year they are declared, rather than the year in which they are received. The Fund will notify its shareholders each year of the amount and type of dividends and distributions it paid.

 

Gain or loss realized upon a redemption or other disposition (such as an exchange) of shares of the Fund by a shareholder will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and, if not held for such period, as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss on the sale or exchange of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain distributions paid to the shareholder with respect to such shares. Any loss a shareholder realizes on a sale or exchange of shares of the Fund will be disallowed if the shareholder acquires other shares of the Fund (whether through the automatic reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) or substantially identical stock or securities within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shareholder’s sale or exchange of the shares. In such case, the shareholder’s tax basis in the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Capital losses may be subject to limitations on their use by a shareholder.

 

When a shareholder opens an account, IRS regulations require that the shareholder provide a taxpayer identification number (“TIN”), certify that it is correct, and certify that he, she, or it is not subject to backup withholding. If a shareholder fails to provide a TIN or the proper tax certifications, the Fund is required to withhold 24% of all distributions (including dividends and capital gain distributions) and redemption proceeds paid to the shareholder. The Fund is also required to begin backup withholding on an account if the IRS instructs it to do so. Amounts withheld may be applied to the shareholder’s federal income tax liability and the shareholder may obtain a refund from the IRS if withholding results in an overpayment of federal income tax for such year.

 

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount.

 

Non-U.S. Investors

Non-U.S. investors (shareholders that are not “United States persons,” as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code, or partnerships) may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements. Non-U.S. investors should consult their tax advisors as to the consequences of these and other state and local tax rules affecting investment in the Fund and about the applicability of U.S. tax withholding and the use of the appropriate forms to certify their status.

 

Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a 30% or lower treaty rate and U.S. estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are provided for certain capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from net long-term capital gains, interest related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, if such amounts are reported by the Fund. However,

 

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notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding at the source, any such dividends and distributions of income and capital gains may be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 24% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a United States person (as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code).

 

Under Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), a 30% withholding tax is imposed on income dividends made by the Fund to certain foreign entities, referred to as foreign financial institutions or nonfinancial foreign entities, that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. After December 31, 2018, FATCA withholding also would have applied to certain capital gain distributions, return of capital distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares; however, based on proposed regulations issued by the IRS which can be relied on currently, such withholding is not required unless final regulations provide otherwise. 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 or similar laws. 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.

 

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Trustees and Officers

 

 

The following are the Trustees and officers of the Trust together with a brief description of their principal occupations during the last five years (principal occupations for certain Trustees may include periods over five years).

 

Each Trustee has served in that capacity since he or she was originally elected or appointed. The Trustees do not serve a specified term of office. Each Trustee will hold office until the termination of the Trust or his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, incapacity, or removal. Under the Fund’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, the policy is for Trustees to retire no later than the end of the calendar year in which the Trustee turns 75. The Trustees review the Fund’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines from time to time and may make changes they deem appropriate. The Fund’s Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees for the position of Trustee recommended by shareholders. Shareholders may submit the name of a candidate for consideration by the Committee by submitting their recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary. Each Trustee is currently a Trustee of one other registered investment company advised by the Adviser: Clayton Street Trust. As of the date of this SAI, collectively, the two registered investment companies consist of 17 series or funds. The Trust’s officers are elected annually by the Trustees for a one-year term. Certain officers also serve as officers of Clayton Street Trust. Certain officers of the Fund may also be officers and/or directors of the Adviser. Except as otherwise disclosed, Fund officers receive no compensation from the Fund.

 

TRUSTEES

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions
Held with
the Trust

Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios/
Funds
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee*

Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past Five Years

Independent Trustees

Clifford J. Weber
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1963

Chairman Trustee

2/16-Present
2/16-Present

Owner, Financial Products Consulting Group LLC (consulting services to financial institutions) (since 2015).

17

Chairman, Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Chairman, Clough Global Opportunities Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Chairman, Clough Global Equity Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Opportunities Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Equity Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017) and Independent Trustee, Global X Funds (investment company) (since 2018). Formerly, Chairman, Clough Funds Trust (investment company) (2016-2023), Independent Trustee, Clough Funds Trust (2015-2023).

Maureen T. Upton
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1965

Trustee

2/16-Present

Executive Director, National Association of Corporate Directors Colorado Chapter (since 2024); Principal, Maureen Upton Ltd. (consulting services to multinational companies) (since 2017).

17

Independent Director, Cascadia Minerals Ltd. (mineral exploration company); Independent Director, ATAC Resources Ltd. (mineral exploration company) (since 2022).

 

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TRUSTEES

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions
Held with
the Trust

Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios/
Funds
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee*

Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past Five Years

Jeffrey B. Weeden
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1956

Trustee

2/16-Present

Senior Advisor, Bay Boston Capital LP (investment fund in finance companies, banks and bank holdings companies) (since 2015).

17

Director, West Travis County Municipal Utility District No. 6. (municipal utility) (since 2020). Formerly, Director, State Farm Bank (banking) (2014-2021).

Interested Trustee

Gregory Trinks**
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1977

Trustee

7/24-Present

Head of US Product, Janus Henderson Investors (since 2023); Formerly, Managing Director, UBS Wealth Management USA, (2002-2022).

17

 

 

*

Each Trustee also serves as a trustee to the Clayton Street Trust, which is currently comprised of three portfolios.

**

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee because of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors.

 

OFFICERS

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions Held with the Trust

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Nicholas Cherney
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1981

President and Chief Executive Officer

10/22-Present

Head of Innovation at Janus Henderson Investors (since 2023), Head of Exchange Traded Products at Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, Velocity Shares Holdings Inc. (since 2019). Formerly, Head of Exchange Traded Products Janus Henderson Indices LLC (2019-2023), Senior Vice President, Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, Janus Henderson Indices LLC (2015-2019), Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (2015-2017), and Velocity Shares Holdings Inc. (2014-2019).

Kristin Mariani
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1966

Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer

7/20-Present

Head of Compliance, North America at Janus Henderson Investors (since September 2020) and Chief Compliance Officer at Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since September 2017). Formerly, Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust (July 2020-December 2022), and Global Head of Investment Management Compliance at Janus Henderson Investors (February 2019-August 2020).

Jesper Nergaard
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1962

Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Principal Accounting Officer

2/16-Present

Head of U.S. Fund Administration, Janus Henderson Investors and Janus Henderson Services US LLC (since 2005).

 

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OFFICERS

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions Held with the Trust

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Cara Owen
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB:1981

Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal Officer

1/23-Present

Senior Legal Counsel of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2021). Formerly, Assistant Secretary of the Trust and Clayton Street Trust (2021-2023); Vice President and Principal Legal Counsel, ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (2019-2021) (fund administrator); and Senior Counsel, Corporate & Investments, Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company (insurance company) (2014-2019).

Ciaran Askin
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1978

Anti-Money Laundering Officer

1/23-Present

Global Head of Financial Crime, Janus Henderson Investors (since 2022). Formerly, Global Head of Financial Crime at Invesco Ltd. (2017-2022).

Jay Mensah
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1994

Assistant Secretary

10/24-Present

Legal Counsel of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2024). Formerly, Associate, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP (law firm) (2022-2024); Associate, Finn Dixon & Herling LLP (law firm)(2021-2022); Associate Counsel, CBRE Global Investors (asset management firm) (2020–2021).

J. Tison Cory
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1969

Assistant Secretary

1/23-Present

Senior Legal Manger of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2020).

Dawn Cotten
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1977

Assistant Treasurer

7/23-Present

Director – Head of Fund Oversight of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2023). Formerly, Client Solutions Group Director, S&P Global (financial data information provider) (2022-2023); and Senior Vice President SS&C ALPS (fund administrator) (2017-2021).

Allen Welch
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1974

Assistant Treasurer

2/16-Present

Director, Head of Fund Tax of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2017).

 

*

Officers are elected at least annually by the Trustees for a one-year term and may also be elected from time to time by the Trustees for an interim period.

 

The Board’s Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for identifying and recommending candidates for nomination or election by the Board based on a variety of diverse criteria. In its most recent evaluation of the qualifications of each Trustee as part of the Board’s annual self-evaluation process and in connection with candidate assessment prior to the appointment of a new Trustee, effective July 11, 2024, the Committee and the Board considered the totality of the information available to them, including the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills, as noted below, and determined that each of the Trustees should serve as members of the Board of Trustees based on the Trust’s business structure. In reaching these conclusions, the Committee and the Board, in the exercise of their reasonable business judgment, evaluated each Trustee based on his or her specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills on an individual basis and in combination with the other Trustees, none of which by itself was considered dispositive. Each member is listed below.

 

Maureen T. Upton: Service as a consultant to global mining, energy and water resource industries, founder of sustainability consultancy, director of public affairs of a NYSE-listed mining corporation, and experience with the financial services industry.

 

Clifford J. Weber: Service as a senior executive of stock exchanges with responsibilities including exchange-traded fund and exchange-traded product issues, experience with the structure and operations of exchange-traded funds, experience with secondary market transactions involving exchange-traded funds, and service as a mutual fund independent director.

 

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Jeffrey B. Weeden: Service as a senior executive and CFO of NYSE-listed financial services companies, and as a director of a bank.

 

Gregory Trinks: Service as a senior executive at Janus Henderson Investors and experience as a senior executive in the financial services industry.

 

General Information Regarding the Board of Trustees and Leadership Structure

The Trust is governed by the Board of Trustees, which is responsible for and oversees the management and operations of the Trust and the Fund on behalf of Fund shareholders. A majority of the Board is considered Independent of the Adviser and the Distributor. The Board’s Chair is also an Independent Trustee and each Committee is comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Board’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, oversight of the Fund’s officers and service providers, including the Adviser, which is responsible for the Trust’s day-to-day operations. The Trustees approve all of the agreements entered into with the Fund’s service providers, including the investment management agreements with the Adviser and distribution agreement with ALPS. The Trustees are also responsible for determining or changing the Fund’s investment objective(s), policies, and available investment techniques, as well as for overseeing the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Trustees are assisted by the Trust’s independent auditor (who reports directly to the Trust’s Audit Committee) and independent counsel, each of whom is selected by the Trustees. The Trustees also may engage specialists or consultants from time to time to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities. The Trustees also meet regularly without representatives of the Adviser or its affiliates present.

 

The Trustees discharge their responsibilities collectively as a Board, as well as through Board committees, each of which operates pursuant to a Board-approved charter that delineates the specific responsibilities of that committee. For example, the Board will oversee the annual process by which the Board will consider for approval the renewal of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with the Adviser. Specific matters may be delegated to a committee, such as oversight of the Fund’s independent auditor, which has been delegated by the Board to its Audit and Pricing Committee, subject to approval of the Audit Committee’s recommendations by the Board. The members and responsibilities of each Board committee are summarized below. In addition to serving on certain committees, the Chair of the Board (“Board Chair”) is responsible for presiding at all meetings of the Board, and has other duties as may be assigned by the Trustees from time to time. The Board Chair also serves as the Board’s liaison to the Adviser with respect to all matters related to the Fund that are not otherwise delegated to the chair of a Board committee. The Board has determined that this leadership structure is appropriate based on (i) the number of funds overseen and the various investment objectives of those funds; (ii) the distribution model of the Fund, and (iii) the responsibilities entrusted to the Adviser and its affiliates to oversee the Trust’s day-to-day operations, among other considerations. On an annual basis, the Board conducts a self-evaluation that considers, among other matters, whether the Board and its committees are functioning effectively and whether, given the size and composition of the Board and each of its committees, the Trustees are able to oversee effectively the funds in the complex.

 

Committees of the Board

The Board of Trustees has two standing committees that each performs specialized functions: an Audit and Pricing Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee. The table below shows the committee members. Each committee is comprised entirely of Independent Trustees. Information about each committee’s functions is provided in the following table:

 

 

Summary of Functions

Members (Independent
Trustees)

Number of Meetings Held
During Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2024

Audit and Pricing Committee

Reviews the financial reporting process, the system of internal controls over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures, and the audit process. The Committee’s review of the audit process includes, among other things, the appointment, compensation, and oversight of the Trust’s independent auditor and preapproval of all audit and nonaudit services.

 

Oversees the Adviser as valuation designee and reviews reports on fair valuation determinations and valuation methodologies regarding securities and investments held by the Fund pursuant to valuation procedures established by the Adviser and approved by the Board of Trustees, reviews other matters related to the pricing of securities, and approves changes to the valuation procedures.

Jeffrey B. Weeden (Chair)
Maureen T. Upton
Clifford J. Weber

6

 

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Summary of Functions

Members (Independent
Trustees)

Number of Meetings Held
During Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2024

Nominating and Governance Committee

Identifies and recommends individuals for election as Trustee, consults with Management in planning Trustee meetings, and oversees the administration of, and ensures compliance with, the Trust’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, which includes review of proposed changes to Trustee compensation.

Maureen T. Upton (Chair)
Clifford J. Weber
Jeffrey B. Weeden

4

 

Board Oversight of Risk Management

The Adviser, as part of its responsibilities for the day-to-day operations of the Fund, is responsible for day-to-day risk management. The Board, as part of its overall oversight responsibilities for the Fund’s operations, oversees the Adviser’s risk management efforts with respect to the Fund. The Board, in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment, also separately considers potential risks that may impact the Fund. Information considered by the Board is provided by the Adviser and the Fund’s service providers, as deemed appropriate from time to time. The Board and its Committees will analyze the risks of the Fund and request information they deem appropriate. The Audit and Pricing Committee considers valuation risk as part of its regular oversight responsibilities as well as enterprise risk. The Board is apprised of particular risk management matters in connection with its general oversight and approval of various Fund matters brought before the Board. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer for the Fund (“Fund CCO”) who reports directly to the Board. The Fund CCO, who also serves as Chief Compliance Officer of other Janus Henderson funds, discusses relevant risk issues that may impact the Janus Henderson funds and/or the Adviser’s services to the funds, and also discusses matters related to the Fund’s compliance policies and procedures.

 

Additional Information About Trustees

Under the Trust’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, the Trustees are expected to make efforts to invest in one or more (but not necessarily all) funds advised by the Adviser for which they serve as Trustee, to the extent it is practicable and reasonable to do so. Such investments, including the amount and which funds, are dictated by each Trustee’s individual financial circumstances and investment goals.

 

As of December 31, 2024, the Trustees owned securities of the Fund described in this SAI in the dollar range shown in the following table. The last column of the following table reflects each Trustee’s aggregate dollar range of securities of all funds advised by the Adviser and overseen by the Trustees (collectively, the “Janus Henderson Funds”).

 

Name of Trustee

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in All Registered
Investment Companies
Overseen by Trustee in
Janus Henderson Funds

Independent Trustees

   

Clifford J. Weber

None

$10,001-$50,000

Maureen T. Upton

None

Over $100,000

Jeffrey B. Weeden

Over $100,000

Over $100,000

Interested Trustee

   

Gregory Trinks(1)

None

Over $100,000

 

(1)

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee by virtue of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors. Effective July 11, 2024, Gregory Trinks became a Trustee of the Trust.

 

Trustee Compensation

Each Independent Trustee receives an annual retainer plus a fee for each in-person or telephonic meeting of the Trustees attended. Given the unitary fee structure, the Adviser pays the compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees. Each Independent Trustee receives fees from other Janus Henderson funds for serving as Trustee of those funds. The Adviser pays persons who are directors, officers, or employees of the Adviser or any affiliate thereof, or any Trustee considered an

 

46

 

 

“interested” Trustee, for their services as Trustees or officers. The Trust and other funds managed by the Adviser may pay all or a portion of the compensation and related expenses of the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer and compliance staff, as authorized from time to time by the Trustees.

 

The following table shows the aggregate compensation paid by the Adviser to each Independent Trustee for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2024. None of the Independent Trustees receives any pension or retirement benefits from the Fund or the Adviser.

 

Name of Person, Position

Aggregate
Compensation from
the Trust
(1)

Total Compensation
from the Janus
Henderson Funds
Overseen by Trustees
(2)

Independent Trustees

Clifford J. Weber, Chairman and Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Maureen T. Upton, Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Jeffrey B. Weeden, Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Interested Trustee

Gregory Trinks, Trustee(3)

$0

$0

 

(1)

As of October 31, 2024, there were 12 series of the Trust.

(2)

For each Independent Trustee, includes compensation for service on the boards of two Janus Henderson trusts comprised of 15 portfolios as of October 31, 2024.

(3)

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee by virtue of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors. Effective July 11, 2024, Mr. Trinks became a Trustee of the Trust.

 

JANUS HENDERSON PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

 

Other Accounts Managed

To the best knowledge of the Trust, the following table provides information relating to other accounts managed by portfolio management as of October 31, 2024. For any co-managed fund or account, the assets reflect total fund assets. If applicable, accounts included under Other Registered Investment Companies only include U.S. registered investment companies. No accounts included in the totals listed below have a performance-based advisory fee.

 

 

Other Registered
Investment
Companies

Other Pooled
Investment
Vehicles

Other
Accounts

Benjamin Wang

Number of Other Accounts Managed

5

1

None

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$1,402.55M

$18.47M

None

Zoey Zhu

Number of Other Accounts Managed

5

1

None

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$1,402.55M

$18.47M

None

 

Material Conflicts

As shown in the table above, portfolio management generally manages other accounts, including accounts that may hold the same securities as or pursue investment strategies similar to the Fund. Those other accounts may include separately managed accounts, model or emulation accounts, Janus Henderson mutual funds and ETFs, private-label funds for which the Adviser or an affiliate serves as subadviser, or other Janus Henderson pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, which may have different fee structures or rates than the Fund or may have a performance-based management fee. The Adviser or an affiliate may also proprietarily invest in or provide seed capital to some but not all of these accounts. In addition, portfolio management may personally invest in or provide seed capital to some but not all of these accounts, and certain of these accounts may have a greater impact on their compensation than others. Further, portfolio management (or their family members) may beneficially own or transact in the same securities as those held in the Fund’s portfolio. Moreover, portfolio management may also have other roles at Janus Henderson (e.g., research analyst) and receive compensation attributable to the other roles. Portfolio management may also have roles with an affiliate of the Adviser, and provide advice on behalf of the Adviser through participating affiliate agreements, and receive compensation attributable to other roles. These factors could create conflicts of interest between portfolio management and the Fund because portfolio management may have incentives

 

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to favor one or more accounts over others or one role over another in the allocation of time, resources, or investment opportunities and the sequencing of trades, resulting in the potential for the Fund to be disadvantaged relative to one or more other accounts.

 

A conflict of interest between the Fund and other clients, including one or more funds, may arise if portfolio management identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be appropriate for the Fund, but the Fund is not able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to the need to allocate that opportunity among other accounts also managed by such portfolio management. A conflict may also arise if portfolio management executes transactions in one or more accounts that adversely impact the value of securities held by the Fund.

 

Investments made by the Fund and results achieved by the Fund at any given time are not expected to be the same as those made by other funds for which the Adviser acts as investment adviser, including funds with names, investment objectives and policies, and/or portfolio management teams, similar to the Fund. The Adviser believes that these and other conflicts are mitigated by policies, procedures, and practices in place, including those governing personal trading, proprietary trading and seed capital deployment, aggregation and allocation of trades, allocation of limited offerings, cross trades, and best execution. In addition, the Adviser generally requires portfolio management to manage accounts with similar investment strategies in a similar fashion, subject to a variety of exceptions, including, but not limited to, investment restrictions or policies applicable only to certain accounts, certain portfolio holdings that may be transferred in-kind when an account is opened, differences in cash flows and account sizes, and similar factors. The Adviser monitors accounts with similar strategies for any holdings, risk, or performance dispersion or unfair treatment.

 

The Adviser and its affiliates generate trades throughout the day, depending on the volume of orders received from portfolio management, for all of its clients using trade system software. Trades are pre-allocated to individual clients and submitted to selected brokers via electronic files, in alignment with the Adviser’s best execution policy. If an order is not completely filled, executed shares are allocated to client accounts in proportion to the order. In addition, the Adviser has adopted trade allocation procedures that govern allocation of securities among various Janus Henderson accounts. Trade allocation and personal trading are described in further detail under “Additional Information About the Adviser.”

 

JANUS HENDERSON PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT
COMPENSATION INFORMATION

 

The following describes the structure and method of calculating portfolio management’s compensation as of the date of this SAI.

 

Portfolio management is compensated for managing the Fund and any other funds, portfolios, or accounts for which they have exclusive or shared responsibilities through two components: fixed compensation and variable compensation. Compensation (both fixed and variable) is determined on a pre-tax basis.

 

Fixed Compensation: Fixed compensation is paid in cash and is comprised of an annual base salary. The base salary is based on factors such as performance, scope of responsibility, skills, knowledge, experience, ability, and market competitiveness.

 

Variable Compensation: Portfolio management’s variable compensation is discretionary and is determined by investment team management. The overall investment team variable compensation pool is funded by an amount equal to a percentage of Janus Henderson’s pre-incentive operating income. In determining individual awards, both quantitative and qualitative factors are considered. Such factors include, among other things, consistent short-term and long-term fund performance (i.e., one-, three-, and five-year performance), client support and investment team support through the sharing of ideas, leadership, development, mentoring, and teamwork.

 

Performance fees: The firm receives performance fees in relation to certain funds depending on outperformance of the fund against pre-determined benchmarks. Performance fees are shared directly with the investment professional in two instances; on a discretionary basis, if the fees were generated by certain products, and on a formulaic basis, if there is a contractual agreement in place.

 

The discretionary performance fee sharing incentives are funded from within the profit pools and subject to the same risk adjustment, review, and standard deferral arrangements that apply to the discretionary funding frameworks.

 

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Deferrals/Firm Ownership: All employees are subject to Janus Henderson’s standard deferral arrangements which apply to variable incentive awards. Deferral rates apply to awards that exceed a minimum threshold, rates of deferral increase for larger incentive awards. Deferred awards vest in three equal installments over a 3-year period and are delivered into JHG restricted stock and/or funds.

 

Portfolio management may be eligible to defer payment of a designated percentage of their fixed compensation and/or up to all of their variable compensation in accordance with JHG’s Executive Income Deferral Program.

 

OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

 

As of October 31, 2024, portfolio management of the Fund described in this SAI beneficially owned securities of the Fund they manage in the dollar range shown in the following table. Beneficial ownership may include amounts invested through contingent compensation plans.

 

Investment Personnel

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund Managed

Benjamin Wang

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$100,001-$500,000

Zoey Zhu

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$50,001-$100,000

 

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Principal Shareholders

 

 

To the best knowledge of Janus Detroit Street Trust, as of January 31, 2025, the officers and Trustees as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. As of January 31, 2025, the percentage ownership of any person or entity owning 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund is listed below. Any person or entity that beneficially owns, directly or through one or more controlled companies, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company is presumed to “control” such company. Accordingly, to the extent that a person or entity is identified as the beneficial owner of more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund, or is identified as the record owner of more than 25% of the Fund and has voting and/or investment powers, that person or entity may be presumed to control the Fund. A controlling shareholder’s vote could have a more significant effect on matters presented to shareholders for approval than the vote of other Fund shareholders.

 

An Authorized Participant (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of the Fund) may hold of record more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. From time to time, Authorized Participants (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of the Fund) may be a beneficial and/or legal owner of the Fund, may be affiliated with an index provider, may be deemed to have control of the Fund and/or may be able to affect the outcome of matters presented for a vote of the shareholders of the Fund. Authorized Participants (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of the Fund) may execute an irrevocable proxy granting the Distributor or the Adviser (or an affiliate) power to vote or abstain from voting such Authorized Participant’s beneficially or legally owned shares of the Fund. In such cases, the agent shall mirror vote (or abstain from voting) such shares in the same proportion as all other beneficial owners of the Fund.

 

To the best knowledge of the Trust, entities shown as owning more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are not the beneficial owners of such shares, unless otherwise indicated. The following chart lists each shareholder or group of shareholders who beneficially (or of record) owned more than 5% of the Fund as of January 31, 2025:

 

Fund Name

Shareholder and Address of Record

Percentage Ownership

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

The Bank of New York Mellon
New York, NY

43.49%

 

Principal Bank
Des Moines, IA

28.57%

 

Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.
San Francisco, CA

16.89%

 

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Miscellaneous Information

 

 

The Fund is a series of the Trust, an open-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act and organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 6, 2015. As of the date of this SAI, the Trust offers 14 series of shares, known as “Funds.” The other series of the Trust are described in separate statements of additional information.

 

Fund Name

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

Janus Henderson Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Transformational Growth ETF

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

The Adviser reserves the right to the name “Janus Henderson.” In the event that the Adviser does not continue to provide investment advice to the Fund, the Fund must cease to use the name “Janus Henderson” as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

It is important to know that, pursuant to the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the authority to merge, liquidate, consolidate and/or reorganize the Fund into another fund without seeking shareholder vote or consent. Any such consolidation, merger, or reorganization may be authorized at any time by a vote of a majority of the Trustees then in office. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising their authority to liquidate the Fund, they may do so if the Fund fails to reach or maintain viable size or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board in its discretion.

 

Shares of the Trust

 

The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $0.001 per share for each series of the Trust. Shares of each series of the Trust are fully paid and nonassessable when issued. Shares of the Fund participate equally in dividends and other distributions by the shares of the Fund, and in residual assets of the Fund in the event of liquidation. Shares of the Fund have no preemptive, conversion, or subscription rights. Shares of the Fund may be transferred by endorsement or stock power as is customary, but the Fund is not bound to recognize any transfer until it is recorded on its books.

 

Shareholder Meetings

 

The Trust does not intend to hold annual or regular shareholder meetings unless otherwise required by the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act. Special meetings may be called for a specific fund or for the Trust as a whole for purposes such as changing fundamental policies, electing or removing Trustees, making any changes to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust that would affect shareholders’ voting rights (as specified in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust), determining whether to bring certain derivative actions, or for any other purpose requiring a shareholder vote under applicable law or the Trust’s governing documents, or as the Trustees consider necessary or desirable. Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, special meetings of shareholders of the Trust or of the Fund shall be called subject to certain

 

51

 

 

conditions, upon written request of shareholders owning shares representing at least 25% (or 10% to the extent required by the 1940 Act) of the shares then outstanding. The Fund will assist these shareholders in communicating with other shareholders in connection with such a meeting similar to that referred to in Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act.

 

Voting Rights

 

Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each Trustee of the Trust will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his or her earlier death, retirement, resignation, incapacity, or removal. Vacancies will be filled by appointment by a majority of the remaining Trustees, subject to the 1940 Act.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Participant Agreement, an Authorized Participant, to the extent that it is a beneficial owner of Fund shares, will irrevocably appoint the Distributor as its agent and proxy with full authorization and power to vote (or abstain from voting) its beneficially owned Fund shares. From time to time, other broker dealers making markets in shares of the Fund may execute similar, standalone agreements resulting in irrevocable assignment of proxy voting rights to the Adviser (or an affiliate), to the extent that such broker dealer beneficially owns Fund shares. The Distributor intends to vote such shares in accordance with its written supervisory procedures. The Adviser (or its affiliate) intends to vote such shares either by voting in proportion to the votes of other shareholders on a given matter (echo vote) or abstain from voting.

 

As a shareholder, you are entitled to one vote per share (with proportionate voting for fractional shares). Generally, each fund votes together as a single group, except where a separate vote of one or more funds is required by law or where the interests of one or more funds are affected differently from other funds. Shares of all series of the Trust have noncumulative voting rights, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the value of shares of all series of the Trust voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of the Trustees if they choose to do so. In such event, the holders of the remaining value of shares will not be able to elect any Trustees.

 

Investments By Other Investment Companies

 

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for the purpose of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 1900 16th Street, Suite 1600, Denver, Colorado 80202, the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Fund, audits the Fund’s annual financial statements and performs tax services for the Fund.

 

Registration Statement

 

The Trust has filed with the SEC, Washington, D.C., a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to the securities to which this SAI relates. If further information is desired with respect to the Fund or such securities, reference is made to the Registration Statement and the exhibits filed as a part thereof.

 

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Financial Statements

 

 

The financial statements and Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024 are hereby incorporated into this SAI by reference from the Fund’s Form N-CSR dated October 31, 2024.

 

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Appendix A – Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

 

 

Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

 

Last Review Date: February 2024

 

54

 

 

Contents

1

Overview

54

1.1

Policy Statement

54

1.2

Key Principles

54

1.3

Scope

54

1.4

Roles and Responsibilities

54

1.5

References

55

2

Additional Definitions

55

3

Proxy Voting Procedures

55

3.1

Voting Generally

55

3.2

Abstentions

56

3.3

Funds of Funds

56

3.4

Conflicts of Interest

57

4

Reporting, Oversight and Recordkeeping

57

4.1

Client and Regulatory Reporting

57

4.2

Proxy Voting and Proxy Voting Service Oversight

58

4.3

Record Retention

58

5

Amendments

58

Proxy Voting Guidelines

58

Directors and Boards

59

Auditors and Accounting Issues

61

Compensation Issues

61

Capitalization, Issuances, Transactions, Shareholder Rights, and Other Corporate Matters

62

Environmental and Social Issues

63

Miscellaneous, Administrative and Routine Items

64

Proposals Outside the Guidelines

64

 

 

55

 

 

1 Overview

 

1.1 Policy Statement

 

Where Janus Henderson Investors has been provided voting discretion, it has a responsibility to vote proxies in the best interest of each client. Janus Henderson Investors has adopted this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients without regard to any relationship that Janus Henderson Investors or any affiliated person of Janus Henderson Investors may have with the issuer or personnel of the issuer. Subject to specific provisions in a client’s account documentation related to exception voting, Janus Henderson Investors will generally only accept direction from a client to vote proxies for that client’s account pursuant to: 1) the JHI Voting Guidelines; 2) the ISS Benchmark Policy; or 3) the ISS Taft-Hartley Voting Guidelines.

 

1.2 Key Principles

 

 

Janus Henderson Investors will vote proxies in the best interest of each client.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will identify and manage any conflicts of interest which might affect a voting decision.

 

Upon request, Janus Henderson Investors will provide clients with the proxy voting record for their accounts.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will publicly disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in Janus Henderson Investors’ view, it is appropriate.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will maintain records supporting its voting decisions.

 

1.3 Scope

 

This Policy applies to Janus Henderson Investors and each of the client accounts for which it has proxy voting responsibilities, other than those advised or sub-advised by Kapstream Capital Pty Ltd.

 

1.4 Roles and Responsibilities

 

Portfolio Management. Portfolio Management is responsible for determining how to vote proxies with respect to securities held in the client accounts they manage with input and support from the Responsible Investment and Governance Team, other representatives of Janus Henderson, and the Proxy Voting Service, as applicable. Where Portfolio Management chooses to vote contrary to the Guidelines and as otherwise specified herein, Portfolio Management is required to provide a written rationale sufficient to show why Portfolio Management reasonably believes the voting instruction is in the best interest of the client.

 

Asset Servicing. Asset Servicing is responsible for administering the proxy voting process as set forth in this Policy. Asset Servicing works with the Proxy Voting Service and is responsible for ensuring that all meeting notices are reviewed against the Guidelines, the ISS Benchmark Policy or the Taft-Hartley Guidelines, and proxy matters are communicated to Portfolio Management for consideration pursuant to this Policy.

 

Proxy Voting Committee. The Proxy Voting Committee develops Janus Henderson Investors’ positions on all major corporate issues, maintains and updates the Guidelines, manages conflicts of interest related to proxy voting and oversees the voting process generally, including by reviewing results of diligence on the Proxy Voting Service.

 

Proxy Voting Service. The Proxy Voting Service provides research services relating to proxy issues. The Proxy Voting Service also assists in certain functions relating to the voting of proxies. Among other things, the Proxy Voting Service is responsible for coordinating with clients’ custodians to ensure that all proxy materials received by the custodians relating to the clients’ portfolio securities are processed in a timely fashion. In addition, the Proxy Voting Service is responsible for submitting Janus Henderson Investors’ votes in accordance with the Guidelines or as otherwise instructed by Janus Henderson Investors and is responsible for maintaining copies of all proxy statements received from issuers and promptly providing such materials to Janus Henderson Investors upon request. The Proxy Voting Service also provides voting disclosure services, including preparing Form N-PX for Janus Henderson Investors and the Proprietary U.S. Funds.

 

 

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1.5 References

 

Rule 206(4)-7 of the Investment Advisers Act Rule 30b1-4 of the Investment Company Act

 

Rule 239.15 et seq. of the Investment Company Act

 

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)

 

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 231/2013, Article 37

 

Commission Directive 2010/43/EU, Article 21

 

FCA COLL 6.6A.6

 

CSSF Regulation 10-04, Article 23

 

UN Principles for Responsible Investment

 

IMAS Singapore Stewardship Principles

 

SFC Principles of Responsible Ownership

 

FRC UK Stewardship Code

 

2 Additional Definitions

 

Janus Henderson Investors includes all investment advisory subsidiaries of Janus Henderson Group plc, including, but not limited to, Janus Henderson Investors (Australia) Institutional Funds Management Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Singapore) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Japan) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Jersey) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors UK Limited, and Janus Henderson Investors US LLC.1

 

JHI Proxy Voting Guidelines or the Guidelines refers to the voting guidelines adopted by Janus Henderson Investors and outlined at Appendix A.

 

Policy means this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures.

 

Portfolio Management refers to the portfolio managers, assistant portfolio managers, and analysts supporting a given client account.

 

Proxy Voting Committee or the Committee refers to the Janus Henderson Investors Proxy Voting Committee. The Committee is comprised of representatives from the Asset Servicing, Compliance, Operational Risk as well as the Responsible Investment and Governance Team and equity portfolio management who provide input on behalf of the investment team. Internal legal counsel serves as a consultant to the Committee and is a non-voting member.

 

Proprietary U.S Funds refer to the series of Janus Investment Fund, Janus Aspen Series, Clayton Street Trust, and Janus Detroit Street Trust.

 

Proxy Voting Service or ISS refers to Institutional Shareholder Services Inc.

 

3 Proxy Voting Procedures

 

3.1 Voting Generally

 

Where the Guidelines address the proxy matter being voted on, votes will be cast in accordance with the Guidelines unless directed otherwise. Portfolio Management may vote contrary to the Guidelines at their discretion and with a written rationale sufficient to show why Portfolio Management reasonably believes the voting instruction is in the best interest of the client. Where the (1) Guidelines call for Portfolio Management input and/or (2) the proxy matter being voted on relates to a company and/or issue for which the Proxy Voting Service does not have research, analysis and/or a recommendation

 

 

1

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC has been designated by the Boards of Trustees of Janus Investment Fund, Janus Aspen Series, Clayton Street Trust, and Janus Detroit Street Trust to vote proxies for the Proprietary U.S. Funds, as applicable.

 

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available, the Proxy Voting Service will refer proxy questions to portfolio management for further instruction. In the event Portfolio Management is unable to provide input on a referred proxy item, Janus Henderson Investors will vote the proxy item consistent with the ISS Benchmark Policy.

 

Notwithstanding the above, with respect to clients who have instructed Janus Henderson Investors to vote proxies in accordance with the Taft-Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy, the Proxy Voting Service will cast all proxy votes in strict accordance with those policies.

 

Janus Henderson relies on pre-populated and/or automated voting. That means the Proxy Voting Service will automatically populate the proxy voting system in accordance with the Guidelines, the Taft- Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy. For those proxy proposals with a default policy position, the votes will be cast as populated in the system by the Proxy Voting Service unless directed otherwise by Janus Henderson Investors.

 

From time to time, issuers and/or ballot issue sponsors may publicly report additional information that may be relevant to the application of the Guidelines, the Taft-Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy or the exercise of discretion by Portfolio Management (“supplemental materials”). To the extent the Proxy Voting Service identifies such supplemental materials, it will review that information and determine whether it has a material effect on the application of the Guidelines, the Taft-Hartley Guidelines, or the ISS Benchmark Policy. The Proxy Voting Service is then responsible for ensuring that any votes pre-populated in the proxy voting system are appropriately updated and Janus Henderson is provided appropriate notice of such changes, including through availability of an updated research report. In all events, the Proxy Voting Service will notify Janus Henderson Investors of any supplemental materials identified so that they can be considered as part of the voting process, including with respect to items requiring Portfolio Management input.

 

3.2 Abstentions

 

Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that in certain circumstances the cost to clients associated with casting a proxy vote may exceed the benefits received by clients from doing so. In those situations, Janus Henderson Investors may decide to abstain from voting. For instance, in many countries, shareholders who vote proxies for shares of an issuer are not able to trade in that company’s stock within a given period of time on or around the shareholder meeting date (“share blocking”). In countries where share blocking is practiced, Janus Henderson Investors will only vote proxies if Janus Henderson Investors determines that the benefit of voting the proxies outweighs the risk of not being able to sell the securities. Similarly, in some instances, Janus Henderson Investors may participate in a securities lending program. Generally, if shares of an issuer are on loan, the voting rights are transferred and the lending party cannot vote the shares. In deciding whether to recall securities on loan, Janus Henderson Investors will evaluate whether the benefit of voting the proxies outweighs the cost of recalling them consistent with requirements of applicable securities lending procedures. Furthermore, in circumstances where a client held a security as of record date, but the holdings were sold prior to the shareholder meeting, Janus Henderson Investors may abstain from voting that proxy.

 

3.3 Funds of Funds

 

Janus Henderson Investors advises certain accounts that invest in other funds (“funds of funds”) advised by Janus Henderson Investors or its affiliated persons (“underlying funds”). From time to time, a fund of funds may be required to vote proxies for the underlying funds in which it is invested. In those circumstances, there may be a conflict of interest between Janus Henderson Investors and its clients. Except as noted below, to mitigate that conflict, whenever an underlying fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders which would otherwise require portfolio manager discretion under the Guidelines, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote shares in accordance with the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service. Janus Henderson Investors will generally abstain from voting shares where the Proxy Voting Service does not have a recommendation; although, it may alternatively vote in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders in the underlying fund (“echo vote”) in limited cases. Whenever an underlying fund that is a Proprietary U.S. Fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders, Janus Henderson Investors will echo vote shares held by a fund-of-funds account or refrain from voting such shares to the extent that cost or other considerations outweigh the benefits of voting such shares.

 

In addition, certain Proprietary U.S. Funds may invest in exchange-traded funds and other funds advised by unaffiliated persons (“acquired funds,” and each, an “acquired fund”) pursuant to Rule 12d1-4 under the Investment Company Act (“Rule 12d1-4”). To the extent a Proprietary U.S. Fund and its advisory group, as defined in Rule 12d1-4 (“advisory group”), individually or in the aggregate become the holders of (i) more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired open- end fund or unit investment trust as a result of a decrease in the outstanding securities of that acquired open-end fund or unit investment trust or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired registered closed-

 

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end management investment company or business development company, Janus Henderson Investors will ensure that the Proprietary U.S. Fund and other funds and accounts in the advisory group echo vote the shares of the acquired fund; provided, however, that in circumstances where all holders of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired fund are required to echo vote pursuant to Rule 12d1-4, a Proprietary U.S. Fund and other funds and accounts in the advisory group will solicit voting instructions from its shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies with respect to such acquired fund securities and vote such proxies only in accordance with such instructions.

 

3.4 Conflicts of Interest

 

Because the Guidelines, the ISS Benchmark Policy and the Taft-Hartley Guidelines pre-establish voting positions, application of those rules to default positions should, in most cases, adequately address any possible conflicts of interest. For situations where Portfolio Management seeks to exercise discretion when voting proxies, Janus Henderson Investors has implemented additional policies and controls described below to mitigate any conflicts of interest.

 

Portfolio Management is required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may affect its exercise of voting discretion. Actual or potential conflicts of interest include but are not limited to the existence of any communications from the issuer, proxy solicitors or others designed to improperly influence Portfolio Management in exercising its discretion or the existence of significant relationships with the issuer.

 

Janus Henderson Investors also proactively monitors and tests proxy votes for any actual or potential conflicts of interest. Janus Henderson Investors maintains a list of significant relationships for purposes of assessing potential conflicts with respect to proxy voting, which may include significant intermediaries, vendors or service providers, clients, and other relationships. In the event Portfolio Management votes against the Guidelines with respect to an issuer on the significant relationships list, Asset Servicing will notify the Committee which will review the rationale provided by Portfolio Management. In the event Portfolio Management votes contrary to Proxy Voting Service’s recommendations and with management as to an issuer on the significant relationships list, Asset Servicing will notify the Committee, which will review the rationale provided by Portfolio Management. If the Committee determines the rationale is inadequate, the proxy vote will be cast as in accordance with the Guidelines or as instructed by the Committee. In addition, on a quarterly basis, the Committee reviews all votes that deviate from the Guidelines and assesses the adequacy of Portfolio Management’s stated rationale.

 

Any personal conflict of interest related to a specific proxy vote should be reported to the Committee prior to casting a vote. In the event a personal conflict of interest is disclosed or identified, the Committee will determine whether that person should recuse himself or herself from the voting determination process. In such circumstances, the proxy vote will be cast in accordance with the Guidelines or as instructed by the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate. Compliance also reviews all refer votes contrary to the ISS recommendations and with management to identify any undisclosed personal conflicts of interest.

 

If a proxy vote is referred to the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate or to the Committee, the decision made and basis for the decision will be documented by the Committee.

 

To mitigate perceived or potential conflicts of interest, in instances where a proxy is for a Janus Henderson managed fund in which seed or other proprietary capital is invested, Janus Henderson Investors will generally instruct that such shares be voted in the same proportion as other shares are voted with respect to a proposal, subject to applicable legal, regulatory and operational requirements.

 

4 Reporting, Oversight and Recordkeeping

 

4.1 Client and Regulatory Reporting

 

Janus Henderson Investors will provide clients with such information on proxy voting in their accounts as contractually agreed or reasonably requested. Janus Henderson Investors will present this Policy and the Guidelines to the boards of trustees of the Proprietary U.S. Funds at least annually and shall provide such other information and reports requested by such boards to fulfill their oversight function.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will provide other third parties with such information on proxy voting as set forth herein. Janus Henderson Investors will publicly disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in Janus Henderson Investors’ view, it is appropriate. On an annual basis, Janus Henderson

 

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Investors will provide proxy voting records for each Proprietary U.S. Fund for the one-year period ending on June 30th on Janus Henderson Investors’ website at www.janushenderson.com/proxyvoting. Such voting record, on Form N-PX, is also available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov no later than August 31 of each year.2 Janus Henderson Investors may also privately disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending where appropriate and consistent with other applicable policy, legal, and regulatory requirements.

 

Except as noted in this Policy or required by law, Janus Henderson Investors generally does not provide information to anyone on how it voted or intends to vote on any matters still pending. Unless that information has otherwise been made public, Janus Henderson Investors may only confirm to issuers, their agents or other third parties that votes have been cast but not how or how many votes were cast. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Portfolio Management may indicate to issuers, proxy solicitors and proxy advisory firms how they voted or intend to vote in the context of the engagement and investment analysis process. Portfolio Management also may indicate to other shareholders how they voted or intend to vote subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

 

A complete copy of the Policy is available at www.janushenderson.com.

 

4.2 Proxy Voting and Proxy Voting Service Oversight

 

The Committee will ensure sufficient oversight of proxy voting through periodic review of voting decisions, operational issues and conflicts of interest as discussed herein. The Committee will review such information as it deems appropriate to discharge these responsibilities.

 

In addition, Janus Henderson Investors will conduct periodic due diligence reviews of the Proxy Voting Service via on-site, video, or telephonic meetings and by written questionnaires. As part of this periodic due diligence process, Janus Henderson Investors shall collect information that is reasonably sufficient to support the conclusion that the Proxy Voting Service has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze the matters for which they provide research and voting recommendations. In connection with the periodic due diligence review, Janus Henderson Investors shall consider, among other things, (1) the adequacy and quality of the Proxy Voting Service’s staffing, personnel, and/or technology; (2) disclosure from the Proxy Voting Service regarding its methodologies in formulating voting recommendations; and (3) whether the Proxy Voting Service has adequate policies and procedures to identify, disclose, and address actual and potential conflicts of interest. In further exercise of its oversight responsibility, Janus Henderson Investors shall periodically sample the proxy votes cast on behalf of clients to ensure whether the Guidelines were applied correctly to such votes.

 

4.3 Record Retention

 

Janus Henderson Investors will retain proxy statements received regarding client securities, records of votes cast on behalf of clients, records of client requests for proxy voting information and all documents prepared by Janus Henderson Investors regarding votes cast in contradiction to the Guidelines. In addition, Janus Henderson Investors will retain internally-generated documents that are material to a proxy voting decision, such as the Guidelines, Committee materials and other internal research relating to voting decisions. Proxy statements received from issuers are generally available from the issuer’s, the relevant regulatory authority’s and/or the market place’s websites. They may also be available from the third-party voting service upon request. All materials discussed above will be retained in accordance with any applicable record retention obligations.

 

5 Amendments

 

This Policy is subject to review on an annual or more frequent basis by the Committee. In reviewing the Policy, the Committee reviews Janus Henderson Investors’ proxy voting record over the prior year, including exceptions to the Guidelines requested by Portfolio Management to determine whether any adjustments should be made. The Committee also reviews changes to the Guidelines recommended by the Proxy Voting Service, discusses such changes with the Proxy Voting Service, and solicits feedback from Portfolio Management on such changes. Once the Guidelines have been approved by the Committee and clients where required, they are distributed to Asset Servicing and the Proxy Voting Service for implementation.

 

 

2

Janus Henderson Investors will also provide proxy voting records on say-on-pay issues consistent with requirements of Rule 14Ad-1.

 

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Proxy Voting Guidelines

 

Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote all proxies relating to portfolio securities held in client accounts for which it has been delegated voting authority in accordance with the Policy, including these Guidelines, and the implementation instructions provided to the Proxy Voting Service. Nonetheless, because proxy issues and the circumstances of individual companies are varied, there may be instances when Janus Henderson Investors may not vote in strict adherence to the Guidelines. Portfolio Management is responsible for monitoring significant corporate developments, including proxy proposals submitted to shareholders, and instructing votes contrary to the Guidelines where they reasonably believe that is in the best interest of clients.

 

Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that corporate governance systems vary a great deal between jurisdictions according to factors such as cultural issues, laws and regulations, the extent of shareholder rights, the level of dispersed ownership and the stage of development more generally. In formulating our approach to corporate governance, we are conscious that a “one size fits all” policy is not appropriate. We will therefore seek to vary our voting activities according to the local market and its standards of best practices.

 

While Janus Henderson Investors has attempted to address the most common issues through the Guidelines, there will be various proxy voting proposals that are not addressed by the Guidelines or that require case-by-case resolution under the Guidelines. In addition, it may not be appropriate to apply certain Guidelines to investment types such as mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and closed-end funds, in which case Janus Henderson Investors will generally rely on the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service unless otherwise specified in the Policy. Moreover, there may be various proxy voting proposals as to which the Proxy Voting Service does not have or provide research, analysis and recommendations. For example, the Proxy Voting Service may not provide research, analysis and recommendations for proxy voting proposals of privately-held companies. In such instances, those proposals will be referred to Portfolio Management for resolution. In exercising discretion, Janus Henderson Investors may take into consideration the information and recommendations of the Proxy Voting Service but will vote all proxies based on its own conclusions regarding the best interests of its clients.

 

In many cases, a security may be held by client accounts managed by multiple portfolio managers. While Janus Henderson Investors generally casts votes consistently across client accounts it manages, different portfolio managers may vote differently on the same matter in the exercise of their discretion. For example, different portfolio managers may reasonably reach different conclusions as to what is in the best interest of their clients based on their independent judgments. In addition, in rare circumstances, an individual portfolio manager may reasonably reach different conclusions as to what is in the best interests of different clients depending on each individual client account’s investment strategy or its objectives.

 

Directors and Boards

Janus Henderson Investors recognises the diversity of corporate governance models across different markets and does not advocate any one form of board structure. However, it also recognises there are certain key functions which are or should be common across all markets:

 

 

Reviewing and guiding corporate strategy, major plans of action, risk policy, annual budgets and business plans; setting performance objectives; monitoring implementation and corporate performance; and overseeing major capital expenditures, acquisitions and divestitures;

 

Monitoring the effectiveness of the company’s governance practices and making changes as needed; Selecting, compensating, monitoring and, where necessary, replacing key executives and overseeing succession planning;

 

Aligning key executive and board compensation with the longer-term interests of the company and its shareholders;

 

Ensuring a formal and transparent board nomination and election process;

 

Monitoring and managing potential conflicts of interest of management, board members and shareholders, including misuse of corporate assets and abuse in related party transactions;

 

Ensuring the integrity of the corporation’s accounting and financial reporting systems, including the independent audit, and that appropriate systems of control are in place, in particular, systems for risk management, financial and operational control, and compliance with the law and relevant standards;

 

Monitoring the quality of relationships with key stakeholders; and

 

Overseeing the process of disclosure and communications.

 

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Boards of directors should include the number and types of qualified directors sufficient to ensure effective discharge of these responsibilities, including independent non-executive directors with appropriate skills, experience, and knowledge. The responsibilities of such non-executive directors should include monitoring and contributing effectively to the strategy and performance of management, staffing key committees of the board, and influencing the conduct of the board as a whole. Consistent with this principle of independence, a board of directors should generally have a non-executive chairperson.

 

The board of directors should establish audit, compensation, and nomination/succession committees. These should be composed wholly or predominantly of independent directors. Companies should publicly disclose the terms of reference of these committees and give an account to shareholders in an annual report or other regulatory filing of how their responsibilities have been discharged. The chairpersons and members of these committees should be appointed by the board as a whole according to a transparent procedure.

 

Janus Henderson Investors believes the board of directors, or supervisory board, as an entity, and each of its members, as an individual, is a fiduciary for all shareholders, and should be accountable to the shareholder body as a whole. Each director should therefore generally stand for election on an annual basis.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Board Classification – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to classify boards of directors and for proposals to declassify boards of directors.

 

Board Size – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to increase the size of a board of directors so long as the board would retain a majority of independent directors. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to decrease the size of a board of directors which are intended as anti-takeover measures.

 

Director Independence – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to increase the minimum number of independent directors. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to separate the role of the chairman from the role of the CEO.

 

Director Indemnification – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals regarding director or officer indemnification arrangements provided such provisions are not deemed excessive or inappropriate.

 

Uncontested Elections –Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of director candidates that result in the board having a majority of independent directors and oppose director candidates that result in the board not having a majority of independent directors. After taking into consideration country-specific practices, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of individual director candidates unless:

 

 

they attend less than 75% of the board and committee meetings without a valid excuse;

 

they ignore or otherwise fail to respond appropriately to shareholder proposals receiving majority shareholder support;

 

they are not responsive to advisory votes on executive compensation matters;

 

they fail to provide appropriate oversight of company’s risk management practices;

 

they are non-independent directors and sit on the audit, compensation or nominating committees;

 

they are non-independent directors and the board does not have an audit, compensation, or nominating committee;

 

they are audit committee members and the non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive;

 

they are audit committee members and poor accounting practices rise to a level of serious concern, or other serious issues surrounding the audit process or arrangement exist;

 

they serve as directors on an excessive number of boards;

 

they are compensation committee members and the company has poor compensation practices;

 

they adopt a long term poison pill without shareholder approval or make material adverse changes to an existing poison pill;

 

they are the chair of the nominating committee, or are otherwise responsible for the nomination process, of a board that does not have a minimum level of female directors, and the company has not provided a sufficient explanation for its lack of gender diversity;

 

they are the chair of the nominating committee, or are otherwise responsible for the nomination process, of a board that does not have any apparent racial/ethnic diversity, and the company has not provided a sufficient explanation for its lack of racial/ethnic diversity;

 

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they are the chair of the responsible committee of a company that is a significant greenhouse gas emitter3 where such company is not taking minimum steps needed to understand, assess, and mitigate risks related to climate change;

 

they amend the company’s bylaws or charter without shareholder approval in a manner that materially diminishes shareholders’ rights or that could adversely impact shareholders; and/or

 

the company employs a capital structure with unequal voting rights.

 

Contested Elections – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals relating to contested director candidates on case-by-case basis.

 

Cumulative Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to adopt cumulative voting unless otherwise recommended by the Proxy Voting Service.

 

Auditors and Accounting Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes boards of directors should maintain robust structures and processes to ensure sound internal controls and to oversee all aspects of relationships with auditors. Boards of directors should generally have appropriately constituted audit committees with sufficient levels of financial expertise in accordance with prevailing legislation or best practice. The audit committee should ensure that the company gives a balanced and clear presentation of its financial position and prospects and clearly explains its accounting principles and policies. The audit committee should ensure that the independence of the external auditors is not compromised by conflicts of interest (e.g., financial conflicts arising from the award of non-audit assignments).

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Uncontested Auditors – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to approve external or statutory auditors and auditor compensation unless:

 

 

the auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company and is therefore not independent;

 

fees for non-audit services are excessive;

 

there is reason to believe the auditor has rendered an opinion which may be neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position;

 

the auditor is being changed without explanation; or

 

the auditor is not identified by name.

 

Contested Auditors – Janus Henderson Investors will evaluate proposals relating to contested auditors on a case-by-case basis.

 

Compensation Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes compensation of executive directors and key executives should be aligned with the interests of shareholders. Performance criteria attached to share-based compensation should be demanding. Requirements for directors and senior executives to acquire and retain company shares that are meaningful in the context of their cash compensation are also appropriate. The design of senior executives’ contracts should not commit companies to ‘payment for failure’. Boards should pay attention to minimising this risk when drawing up contracts and to resist pressure to concede excessively generous severance conditions. Any share-based compensation should be subject to shareholder approval.

 

Companies should disclose in each annual report or proxy statement the board’s policies on executive compensation (and preferably the compensation of individual board members and top executives), as well as the composition of such compensation so that investors can judge whether corporate pay policies and practices are appropriately designed.

 

Broad-based employee share ownership plans or other profit-sharing programs are effective market mechanisms that promote employee participation. When reviewing whether to support proposed new share schemes, we place particular importance on the following factors:

 

 

The overall potential cost of the scheme, including the level of dilution;

 

The issue price of share options relative to the market price;

 

The use of performance conditions aligning the interests of participants with shareholders;

 

The holding period (i.e., the length of time from the award date to the earliest date of exercise); and

 

The level of disclosure.

 

 

3

Janus Henderson Investors will apply the same definition as used by the Proxy Voting Service.

 

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In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Executive and Director Equity-Based Compensation Plans – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of equity-based compensation plans unless they create an inconsistent relationship between long-term share performance and compensation, do not demonstrate good stewardship of investors’ interests, or contain problematic features. Janus Henderson Investors considers the following, non-exhaustive list of practices to be problematic and generally votes against plans or amendments to plans that:

 

 

provide for re-pricing of underwater options;

 

provide for automatic replenishment (“evergreen”) or reload options;

 

create an inconsistent relationship between long term share performance and compensation increases; and/or

 

are proposed by management and do not demonstrate good stewardship of investors’ interests regarding executive compensation or are a vehicle for poor compensation practices.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals permitting material amendments to equity-based compensation plans without shareholder approval.

 

Long-Term Ownership – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals intended to increase long-term stock ownership by executives, officers, and directors. These may include:

 

 

requiring executive officers and directors to hold a minimum amount of stock in the company;

 

requiring stock acquired through exercised options to be held for a certain period of time; and

 

using restricted stock grants instead of options.

 

Director and Officer Loans – Janus Henderson Investors will generally oppose proposals requesting approval of loans to officers, executives, and board members of an issuer.

 

Say-on-Pay – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of annual advisory votes on executive compensation (say-on-pay frequency). Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote with management on advisory votes on executive compensation (say-on-pay) unless Janus Henderson Investors determines problematic pay practices are maintained.

 

Executive Severance Agreements – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals to approve or cancel executive severance agreements on a case-by-case basis. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to require executive severance agreements to be submitted for shareholder approval unless the proposal requires shareholder approval prior to entering into employment contracts.

 

Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOP) and Stock Purchase Plans (ESPP) – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals relating to ESOPs and ESPPs unless the shares purchased through the plans are discounted more than the market norm, the shares allocated to the plans are excessive, and/or the plans contain other problematic features.

 

Option Expensing and Repricing – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals requiring the expensing of options. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals providing for the repricing of options.

 

Capitalization, Issuances, Transactions, Shareholder Rights, and Other Corporate Matters

Janus Henderson Investors believes all shareholders should be treated equitably. Companies’ ordinary shares should provide one vote for each share, and companies should act to ensure the owners’ rights to vote.

 

Any major strategic modifications to the core businesses of a company should not be made without prior shareholder approval. Equally, any major corporate changes, which in substance or effect, materially dilute the equity or erode the economic interests or share ownership rights of existing shareholders should not be made without prior shareholder approval of the proposed change. Such changes may include but are not limited to modifications to articles or bylaws and the implementation of shareholder rights plans or so called “poison pills.”

 

We will not support proposals that have the potential to reduce shareholder rights, such as significant open-ended authorities to issue shares without pre-emption rights or anti-takeover proposals, unless companies provide a compelling rationale for why they are in shareholder interests.

 

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In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Capital Stock – Subject to local market standards, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals seeking to increase the number of shares of common or preferred stock authorized for issue unless the company does not adequately justify the need for the additional shares. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to authorize preferred stock whose voting, conversion, dividend, and other rights are determined at the discretion of the board of directors when the stock is issued (“blank check stock”). Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals for different classes of stock with different voting rights.

 

Stock Splits – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to split shares unless they negatively affect the ability to trade shares or the economic value of a share.

 

Share Issuances - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals related to share issuances with and without preemptive rights, provided that voting in favor of such proposals is consistent with local market standards, such proposals are not considered excessive in the context of the issuer and such proposals do not provide for different levels of voting rights.

 

Debt Issuances – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals regarding the issuance of debt, including convertible debt, on a case- by-case basis.

 

Mergers, Acquisitions and Other Significant Corporate Transactions – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals regarding acquisitions, mergers, related party transactions, tender offers, or changes in control on a case-by-case basis, including any related proposals such as share issuances or advisory votes on golden parachutes.

 

Reorganization, Restructuring and Liquidation – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate plans of reorganization, restructuring and liquidation on a case-by-case basis.

 

Shareholder Rights Plans and Other Anti-Takeover Mechanisms – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against shareholder rights plans or other proposals designed to prevent or obstruct corporate takeovers (includes poison pills), unless such measures are proposed in a transparent and independent fashion and designed primarily as a short-term means to protect a tax benefit, or are structured in such a way that they give shareholders the ultimate decision on any proposal or offer. This general policy supersedes any other more specific policy to the contrary.

 

Change in Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals regarding changes in the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of an issuer.

 

Confidential Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to provide for confidential voting and independent tabulation of voting results.

 

Supermajority Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to provide for supermajority voting (e.g., to approve acquisitions or mergers).

 

Special Meetings – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals to allow shareholders to call special meetings. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of shareholder proposals to allow shareholders to call special meetings, unless such right is already provided at a level consistent with local best practice and the shareholder proposal would further reduce the required threshold. Such proposals will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

 

Written Consents – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent. Where supported by the Proxy Voting Service, Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent on a case-by-case basis; otherwise, Janus Henderson will generally vote against proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent.

 

Proxy Access – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals related to proxy access on a case-by-case basis.

 

Environmental and Social Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes that good management of stakeholder relationships contributes to business success and long-term shareholder value. These stakeholders include not only shareholders but also employees, consumers, debtholders, business partners, neighbors, and the wider global community. Janus Henderson Investors also recognises the importance of environmental issues such as climate change and social issues such as diversity & inclusion to all these stakeholder groups.

 

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As a fiduciary for its clients, Janus Henderson Investors is primarily concerned with the impact of proposals on a company’s performance and economic value. Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that environmental and social issues are associated with risks, costs and benefits which can have a significant impact on company performance over the short and long term. When evaluating the merits of proposals on environmental and social issues, Janus Henderson Investors will weigh the risks, costs, and benefits of supporting the proposals against those presented by alternatives, including potentially seeking similar outcomes through direct engagement activities with management. Janus Henderson Investors will generally support management proposals addressing environmental and social issues unless we identify significant weaknesses relative to market practice or peers. Janus Henderson Investors will generally support shareholder proposals addressing environmental and social issues where we identify significant areas of weakness or deficiency relative to peers and/or industry best practices or feel that management has failed to adequately respond to shareholder concerns.

 

Miscellaneous, Administrative and Routine Items

Janus Henderson Investors believes that management should generally have discretion to make certain types of decisions, including how to use existing capital. In addition, in certain jurisdictions, shareholder approval of certain routine or administrative matters may be required. On these types of issues, Janus Henderson Investors will generally defer to management unless it believes these decisions are not being made, or these actions are not being taken, in good faith.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Dividends – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals relating to the issuance of dividends. Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals relating to the issuance of dividends on a case-by-case basis.

 

Share Repurchase Plans - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals regarding share repurchases. Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals relating to share repurchases on a case-by-case basis.

 

“Other Business” – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to approve “other business” when it appears as a voting item.

 

Designation of Exclusive Forum - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals designating an exclusive forum in federal court or Delaware state court (for companies organized in Delaware). Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals designating an exclusive forum in other jurisdictions on a case- by-case basis.

 

Proposals Outside the Guidelines

For proposals outside the scope of the Guidelines or instructions otherwise provided to the Proxy Voting Service, Janus Henderson Investors will generally rely on the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service.

 

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 janushenderson.com/info

 

 151 Detroit Street
Denver, Colorado 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Listing Exchange

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

JSML

The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

JSMD

The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) expands upon and supplements the information contained in the current Prospectuses of Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF and Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), each of which is a separate series of Janus Detroit Street Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”). Each of these series of the Trust represents shares of beneficial interest in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets with its own objective and policies.

 

This SAI is not a Prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Funds’ Prospectuses dated February 28, 2025, and any supplements thereto, which are incorporated by reference into this SAI and may be obtained by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, at janushenderson.com/info, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This SAI contains additional and more detailed information about the Funds’ operations and activities than the Prospectuses. The audited financial statements for each Fund, the notes relating thereto, and the related reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, are incorporated by reference into this SAI from the Trust's most recent Form N-CSR, which contains important financial information about the Funds. The Annual and Semiannual Reports (as they become available) are available, without charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, at janushenderson.com/info, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434.

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Classification, Investment Policies and Restrictions, and Investment Strategies and Risks

2

Investment Adviser

17

Custodian, Transfer Agent, and Certain Affiliations

22

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

23

Shares of the Trust

25

Securities Lending

34

Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status

35

Trustees and Officers

40

Principal Shareholders

48

Miscellaneous Information

49

Shares of the Trust

49

Shareholder Meetings

49

Voting Rights

50

Investments By Other Investment Companies

50

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

50

Registration Statement

50

Financial Statements

51

Appendix A – Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

52

 

 

Classification, Investment Policies and Restrictions,
and Investment Strategies and Risks

 

 

JANUS DETROIT STREET TRUST

 

This Statement of Additional Information includes information about the Funds, each of which operates as an exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) and is a series of the Trust, an open-end, management investment company.

 

Each Fund offers and issues shares at its net asset value (“NAV”) per share only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (“Creation Unit”), in exchange for a designated portfolio of securities, assets or other positions and/or cash (the “Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”), or in certain circumstances, for an all cash payment. Shares of each Fund are listed for trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (the “Listing Exchange”), a national securities exchange. Shares of each Fund are traded in the secondary market and elsewhere at market prices that may be at, above or below the Fund’s NAV. Unlike mutual funds, each Fund’s shares are not individually redeemable securities. Rather, each Fund’s shares are redeemable only in Creation Units, and, generally, in exchange for portfolio investments and a Cash Component. The size of a Creation Unit to purchase shares of a Fund may differ from the size of a Creation Unit required to redeem shares of that Fund. The size of a Creation Unit may be modified by Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) with prior notification to a Fund’s Authorized Participants. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for a Fund’s current Creation Unit size. In the event of liquidation of a Fund, the number of shares in a Creation Unit may be significantly reduced.

 

A Fund may charge creation/redemption transaction fees for each creation and redemption. In all cases, transaction fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. Some of the information in this SAI and the Prospectus, such as information about purchasing and redeeming shares from a Fund and transaction fees, is not relevant to most retail investors because it applies only to transactions for Creation Units. Refer to “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” below.

 

Once created, a Fund’s shares generally trade in the secondary market, at market prices that change throughout the day, in amounts less than a Creation Unit. Investors purchasing a Fund’s shares in the secondary market through a brokerage account or with the assistance of a broker may be subject to brokerage commissions and charges.

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

Shares of each Fund are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Listing Exchange and other secondary markets. Shares of each Fund may also be listed on certain foreign (non U.S.) exchanges. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Listing Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares of each Fund will continue to be met. The Listing Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of a Fund from listing under the following circumstances, as may be applicable: (i) if the Listing Exchange becomes aware that the Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); (ii) if the value of the Fund’s Underlying Index is no longer calculated or available; (iii) if the Fund fails to meet certain continuing listing standards of the Listing Exchange; (iv) if following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of Fund shares, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of shares of the Fund; or (v) if any other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Listing Exchange, makes further dealings on the Listing Exchange inadvisable. The Listing Exchange will remove the shares of a Fund from listing and trading upon termination of a Fund. In the event a Fund ceases to be listed on an exchange, a Fund may cease operating as an “exchange-traded” fund and operate as a mutual fund, provided that shareholders are given advance notice.

 

As in the case of other publicly-traded securities, when you buy or sell shares through a financial intermediary you will incur a brokerage commission determined by that financial intermediary.

 

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In order to provide additional information regarding the intra-day value of shares of the Fund (the "iNAV"), the Listing Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other widely disseminated means an updated iNAV for the Fund as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Trust is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the iNAV and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the iNAV.

 

Shares of each Fund trade on the Listing Exchange or in the secondary market at prices that may differ from their NAV because such prices may be affected by market forces (such as supply and demand for a Fund’s shares). The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share prices of each Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of a Fund.

 

Each Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the Listing Exchange. The Listing Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of a Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in a Fund particularly or the ability of a Fund to achieve its investment objectives. The Listing Exchange has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of each Fund.

 

CLASSIFICATION

 

The 1940 Act classifies funds as either diversified or nondiversified. Each Fund is classified as diversified.

 

ADVISER

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) is the investment adviser for each Fund.

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS APPLICABLE TO THE FUNDS

 

Each Fund is subject to certain fundamental policies and restrictions that may not be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholder approval means approval by the lesser of: (i) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or each Fund if a matter affects just the Fund) or (ii) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or each Fund) are present or represented by proxy. The following policies are fundamental policies of each Fund.

 

Each Fund may not:

 

(1) With respect to 75% of its total assets, purchase securities of an issuer (other than the U.S. Government, its agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, or repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. Government securities, and securities of other investment companies) if: (a) such purchase would, at the time, cause more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets taken at market value to be invested in the securities of such issuer or (b) such purchase would, at the time, result in more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer being held by the Fund.

 

(2) Invest 25% or more of the value of its total assets in any particular industry or group of industries (other than U.S. Government securities and securities of other investment companies), except to the extent each Fund’s Underlying Index concentrates in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as its Underlying Index.

 

(3) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this limitation shall not prevent a Fund from purchasing or selling foreign currencies, options, futures, swaps, forward contracts, or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

(4) Lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than one-third of a Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties (but this limitation does not apply to investments in repurchase agreements, commercial paper, debt securities, or loans, including assignments and participation interests).

 

(5) Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that a Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities.

 

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(6) Borrow money except that a Fund may borrow money for temporary or emergency purposes (not for leveraging or investment). Borrowings from banks will not, in any event, exceed one-third of the value of a Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed). This policy shall not prohibit short sales transactions, or futures, options, swaps, repurchase transactions (including reverse repurchase agreements), or forward transactions. A Fund may not issue “senior securities” in contravention of the 1940 Act.

 

(7) Invest directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, a Fund may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses.

 

As a fundamental policy, a Fund may, notwithstanding any other investment policy or limitation (whether or not fundamental), invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies, and limitations as the Fund.

 

The Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) has adopted additional investment restrictions for the Funds. These restrictions are operating policies of the Funds and may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval. The additional restrictions adopted by the Trustees to date include the following:

 

(1) If a Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

(2) A Fund may sell securities short if it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor (“short sales against the box”). In addition, a Fund may engage in short sales other than against the box, which involve selling a security that the Fund borrows and does not own. The Trustees may impose limits on a Fund’s investments in short sales, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. Transactions in futures, options, swaps, and forward contracts not involving short sales are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

 

(3) The Funds do not intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Funds may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in connection with transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swaps, forward contracts, “to be announced” commitments, and other permitted investment techniques shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.

 

(4) A Fund may not mortgage or pledge any securities owned or held by the Fund in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s NAV, provided that this limitation does not apply to: reverse repurchase agreements; deposits of assets to margin; guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps, or forward contracts; or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.

 

(5) A Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets.

 

(6) The Funds may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.

 

Under the terms of an exemptive order received from the SEC, a Fund may borrow money from or lend money to other funds that permit such transactions and for which the Adviser or one of its affiliates serves as investment adviser. All such borrowing and lending will be subject to the above limits and to the limits and other conditions in such exemptive order. Each Fund will borrow money through the program only when the costs are equal to or lower than the cost of bank loans. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Each Fund will lend through the program only when the returns are higher than those available from other short-term instruments (such as repurchase agreements). A Fund may have to borrow from a bank at a higher interest rate if an interfund loan is called or not renewed. Any delay in repayment to a lending Fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional borrowing costs, and interfund loans are subject to the risk that the borrowing Fund may be unable to repay the loan when due. While it is expected that a Fund may borrow money through the program to satisfy redemption requests or to cover unanticipated cash shortfalls, a Fund may elect to not participate in the program during times of market uncertainty or distress or for other reasons.

 

For purposes of these investment restrictions, the identification of the issuer of a municipal obligation depends on the terms and conditions of the security. When assets and revenues of a political subdivision are separate from those of the government that created the subdivision and the security is backed only by the assets and revenues of the subdivision, the subdivision is

 

4

 

 

deemed to be the sole issuer. Similarly, in the case of an industrial development bond, if the bond is backed only by assets and revenues of a nongovernmental user, then the nongovernmental user would be deemed to be the sole issuer. If, however, in either case, the creating government or some other entity guarantees the security, the guarantee would be considered a separate security that would be treated as an issue of the guaranteeing entity.

 

For purposes of the Funds’ fundamental policy related to investments in real estate, the policy does not prohibit the purchase of securities directly or indirectly secured by real estate or interests therein, or issued by entities that invest in real estate or interests therein, such as, but not limited to, corporations, partnerships, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), and other REIT-like entities, such as foreign entities that have REIT characteristics.

 

Except for the Funds’ policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments and borrowing, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this SAI and/or the Funds’ Prospectus normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if a Fund exceeds a limit as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities and may continue to purchase such securities in order to track the underlying index.

 

For purposes of each Fund’s policies on investing in particular industries, each Fund utilizes any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized third-party providers and/or as defined by the Adviser. The policy will be interpreted to give broad authority to each Fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries. Each Fund may change any source used for determining industry classifications and sub-classifications without prior shareholder notice or approval.

 

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

 

Each Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally, before fees and expenses, to the performance of its respective Underlying Index. A discussion of the principal strategies and risks associated with an investment in each Fund is contained in each Fund’s Prospectus under the headings “Principal Investment Strategy”, “Principal Investment Risks”, and “Risks of the Fund.” The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of each Fund’s Prospectus.

 

General Considerations and Risks

Investments in a Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the portfolio of securities held by the Fund may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of common stocks generally and other factors.

 

Each Fund is not actively managed by traditional methods and therefore the adverse financial condition of any one issuer will not result in the elimination of its securities from the portfolio securities held by the Fund unless the securities of such issuer are removed from the Underlying Index.

 

An investment in a Fund should also be made with an understanding that a Fund will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the Underlying Index because the total return generated by its portfolio securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of such securities and other Fund expenses, whereas such transaction costs and expenses are not included in the calculation of the Underlying Index. It is also possible that for short periods of time, a Fund may not fully replicate the performance of the Underlying Index due to the temporary unavailability of certain Underlying Index securities in the secondary market or due to other extraordinary circumstances. Such events are unlikely to continue for an extended period of time because a Fund is required to correct such imbalances by means of adjusting the composition of its portfolio securities.

 

An investment in a Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the securities markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Fund shares). Securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic and banking crises.

 

Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, have generally inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors of, or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks issued by, the issuer. Further, unlike debt

 

5

 

 

securities which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, will be subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. Common stock values are subject to market fluctuations as long as the common stock remains outstanding.

 

The principal trading market for some of the securities in an index may be in the over-the-counter market. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of a Fund’s shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for a Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent or if bid/ask spreads are wide.

 

Diversification

Funds are classified as either diversified or nondiversified. To be classified as diversified under the 1940 Act, a fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any issuer and may not own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer. A fund that is classified as nondiversified under the 1940 Act is not subject to the same restrictions and therefore has the ability to take larger positions in securities than a fund that is classified as diversified. This gives a fund that is classified as nondiversified more flexibility to focus its investments in companies that portfolio management has identified as the most attractive for the investment objective and strategy of the fund. However, because the appreciation or depreciation of a single security may have a greater impact on the NAV of a fund which is classified as nondiversified, its share price can be expected to fluctuate more than a comparable fund which is classified as diversified. This fluctuation, if significant, may affect the performance of a fund.

 

Cyber Security Risk

The Funds are susceptible to operational and information security risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, infection by computer viruses or other malicious software code, gaining unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices that are used to service the Funds’ operations through “hacking” or other means for the purpose of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on the Funds’ websites or a service provider’s systems, which renders them inoperable to intended users until appropriate actions are taken. In addition, authorized persons could inadvertently or intentionally release confidential or proprietary information stored on the Funds’ systems.

 

Cyber security failures or breaches by the Funds’ service providers (including, but not limited to, the Adviser, custodians, transfer agents, sub administrators, and financial intermediaries) may subject a Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security failures or breaches, and may cause disruptions and impact the service providers’ and the Funds’ business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and the Funds to process transactions, inability to calculate a Fund’s net asset value, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. The Funds may incur incremental costs to prevent cyber incidents in the future. The Funds could be negatively impacted as a result. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans and risk management systems designed to prevent or reduce the impact of such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems due in part to the ever-changing nature of technology and cyber-attack tactics. As such, there is a possibility that certain risks have not been adequately identified or prepared for. Furthermore, the Funds cannot directly control any cyber security plans and systems put in place by third party service providers or their service providers. Cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund’s investment in such securities to lose value. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence ("AI") could increase the effectiveness of cyber-attacks and exacerbate the risks.

 

Operational Risk

An investment in a Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect a Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on a Fund. While each Fund seek to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third party service providers, there is no guarantee that a Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

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Equity Securities

The Funds may invest in equity securities, which include, but are not limited to, common and preferred stocks and securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock.

 

Common Stock. Common stock represents a proportionate share of the ownership of a company. Common stocks sometimes are divided into several classes, with each class having different voting rights, dividend rights, or other differences in their rights and priorities. The value of a stock is based on the market’s assessment of the current and future success of a company’s business, any income paid to stockholders, the value of the company’s assets, and general market conditions. The value of a stock may also be adversely affected by other factors such as accounting irregularities, actual or perceived weaknesses in corporate governance practices of a company’s board or management, and changes in company management. Common stock values can fluctuate dramatically over short periods.

 

Preferred Stock. A preferred stock represents an ownership interest in a company, but pays dividends at a specific rate and has priority over common stock in payment of dividends and liquidation claims. Preferred stock dividends are generally cumulative, noncumulative, or participating. “Cumulative” dividend provisions require all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends can be paid to the issuer’s common stock. “Participating” preferred stock may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. Like debt securities, the value of a preferred stock often fluctuates more in response to changes in interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer, rather than in response to changes in the issuer’s profitability and business prospects. Preferred stock is subject to similar risks as common stock and debt securities.

 

Convertible Security. A convertible security is generally a debt obligation or preferred stock that may be converted within a specified period of time into a certain amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security, such as a “convertible preferred stock,” provides a fixed-income stream and the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation resulting from a market price advance in its underlying common stock. Like a common stock, the value of a convertible security tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock rises, and it tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying stock declines. As with a fixed-income security, a convertible security tends to increase in market value when interest rates decline and decrease in value when interest rates rise. Because both interest rate and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security is not as sensitive to interest rates as a similar fixed-income security, nor is it as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying stock.

 

Convertible securities generally have less potential for gain or loss than common stocks. Convertible securities generally provide yields higher than the underlying common stocks, but generally lower than comparable non-convertible securities. Because of this higher yield, convertible securities generally sell at prices above their “conversion value,” which is the current market value of the stock to be received upon conversion. The difference between this conversion value and the price of convertible securities will vary over time depending on changes in the value of the underlying common stocks and interest rates.

 

A convertible security may also be called for redemption or conversion by the issuer after a particular date and under certain circumstances (including a specified price) established upon issue. If a convertible security held by a Fund is called for redemption or conversion, the Fund could be required to tender it for redemption, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third party.

 

Synthetic convertible securities are created by combining separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics of a traditional convertible security, i.e., an income-producing security (“income-producing component”) and the right to acquire an equity security (“convertible component”). The income-producing component is achieved by investing in non-convertible, income-producing securities such as bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments, which may be represented by derivative instruments. The convertible component is achieved by investing in securities or instruments such as warrants or options to buy common stock at a certain exercise price, or options on a stock index. Unlike a traditional convertible security, which is a single security having a single market value, a synthetic convertible security is comprised of two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the “market value” of a synthetic convertible security is the sum of the values of its income-producing component and its convertible component. For this reason, the values of a synthetic convertible security and a traditional convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations.

 

More flexibility is possible in the assembly of a synthetic convertible security than in the purchase of a convertible security. Although synthetic convertible securities may be selected where the two components are issued by a single issuer, thus making the synthetic convertible security similar to the traditional convertible security, the character of a synthetic convertible

 

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security allows the combination of components representing distinct issuers. A synthetic convertible security also is a more flexible investment in that its two components may be purchased separately. For example, a Fund may purchase a warrant for inclusion in a synthetic convertible security but temporarily hold short-term investments while postponing the purchase of a corresponding bond pending development of more favorable market conditions.

 

A holder of a synthetic convertible security faces the risk of a decline in the price of the security or the level of the index involved in the convertible component, causing a decline in the value of the security or instrument, such as a call option or warrant, purchased to create the synthetic convertible security. Should the price of the stock fall below the exercise price and remain there throughout the exercise period, the entire amount paid for the convertible component would be lost. Because a synthetic convertible security includes the income-producing component as well, the holder of a synthetic convertible security also faces the risk that interest rates will rise, causing a decline in the value of the income-producing instrument.

 

Foreign Securities

A Fund may invest in foreign securities either indirectly (e.g., depositary receipts, depositary shares, and passive foreign investment companies) or directly in foreign markets, including emerging markets. Investments in foreign securities, including securities of foreign and emerging market governments, may involve greater risks than investing in domestic securities because a Fund’s performance may depend on factors other than the performance of a particular company. These risks may include:

 

Currency Risk. As long as a Fund holds a foreign currency denominated security, its value will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When a Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

Foreign Market Risk. Foreign securities markets, particularly those of emerging market countries, may be less liquid and more volatile than domestic markets. These securities markets may trade a small number of securities, may have a limited number of issuers and a high proportion of shares, or may be held by a relatively small number of persons or institutions. Local securities markets may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of substantial holdings difficult or impossible at times. It is also possible that certain markets may require payment for securities before delivery, and delays may be encountered in settling securities transactions. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. A Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required approval for repatriation of capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, securities of issuers located in or economically tied to countries with emerging markets may have limited marketability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements which could also have a negative effect on a Fund. Such factors may hinder a Fund’s ability to buy and sell emerging market securities in a timely manner, affecting the Fund’s investment strategies and potentially affecting the value of the Fund.

 

Geographic Investment Risk. To the extent a Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a particular country or geographic region, the Fund will generally have more exposure to certain risks due to possible political, economic, social, regulatory events, and conflicts in that country or region. Adverse developments in certain regions could also adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated and could have a negative impact on a Fund’s performance.

 

Similarly, a particular country or geographic region may be more prone to and economically sensitive to environmental events such as, but not limited to, hurricanes, earthquakes, typhoons, flooding, tidal waves, tsunamis, erupting volcanoes, wildfires or droughts, tornadoes, mudslides, or other weather-related phenomena. Such disasters, and the resulting physical or economic damage, could have a severe and negative impact on a Fund’s investment portfolio and, in the longer term, could impair the ability of issuers in which the Fund invests to conduct their businesses as they would under normal conditions. Adverse weather conditions may also have a particularly significant negative effect on issuers in the agricultural sector and on insurance and reinsurance companies that insure or reinsure against the impact of natural disasters.

 

Political and Economic Risk. Foreign investments may be subject to heightened political and economic risks, particularly in emerging markets which may have relatively unstable governments, immature economic structures, national policies restricting investments by foreigners, social instability, trade disputes, and different and/or developing legal systems. In some countries, there is the risk that the government may take over the assets or operations of a company or that the

 

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government may impose withholding and other taxes or limits on the removal of a Fund’s assets from that country. Further, acts of terrorism in the United States or other countries may cause uncertainty in the financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which a Fund has exposure. In addition, the economies of emerging markets may be predominantly based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates.

 

Regulatory Risk. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets. As a result, foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices applicable to domestic issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers.

 

Transaction Costs. Costs of buying, selling, and holding foreign securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, may be higher than those involved in domestic transactions.

 

Risk of Investing in Europe

Investing in European countries may expose a Fund to the economic and political risks associated with Europe in general and the specific European countries in which it invests. The economies and markets of European countries are often closely connected and interdependent, and events in one European country can have an adverse impact on other European countries. A majority of western European and a number of eastern European countries are members of the European Union (“EU”). A number of countries in the EU have experienced, and may continue to experience, severe economic and financial difficulties. In particular, many EU nations are susceptible to economic risks associated with high levels of debt. Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on, or been forced to restructure, their debts. Many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing existing obligations. Financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit. As a result, financial markets in the EU have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. These difficulties may continue, worsen, or spread further within the EU. The Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (“EMU”) is comprised of EU members that have adopted the euro currency (the “Eurozone”). By adopting the euro as its currency, a member state relinquishes control of its own monetary policies and is subject to fiscal and monetary controls imposed by the EMU. As a result, European countries may also be significantly affected by fiscal and monetary policies implemented by the EMU and European Central Bank. As economic conditions across the Eurozone may vary widely, it is possible that these controls may not adequately address the needs of all Eurozone members from time to time. These controls remove the Eurozone's flexibility in implementing monetary policies to address regional economic conditions, which may impair their ability to respond to crises. The euro currency may not fully reflect the strengths and weaknesses of the various economies that comprise the Eurozone and Europe generally.

 

Certain countries in the EU have had to accept assistance from supra-governmental agencies such as the International Monetary Fund and the European Financial Service Facility. The European Central Bank has also been intervening to purchase Eurozone debt in an attempt to stabilize markets and reduce borrowing costs. Responses to these financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest, and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets, and asset valuations around the world.

 

In addition, certain European countries have at times experienced negative interest rates on certain fixed-income instruments. A negative interest rate policy is an unconventional central bank monetary policy tool where nominal target interest rates are set with a negative value (i.e., below zero percent) intended to help create self-sustaining growth in the local economy. Negative interest rates may result in heightened market volatility and may detract from a Fund's performance to the extent the Fund is exposed to such interest rates.

 

One or more countries could abandon the euro and/or withdraw from the EU, which could weaken the EU and, by extension, its remaining members. In the event of one or more countries' exit from the euro, it may be difficult to value investments denominated in euros or in a replacement currency. The United Kingdom formally left the EU in January 2020 (commonly known as “Brexit”) and entered into a new trade agreement with the EU, which became effective in January 2021. Significant economic and regulatory uncertainty caused by the United Kingdom's exit from the EU has resulted in volatile markets for the United Kingdom and broader international financial markets. In addition, financial markets may experience among other things, greater illiquidity, currency fluctuations, and decline in cross-border investment between the United Kingdom and the EU, and lower economic growth for companies that relied significantly on the United Kingdom and/or the EU for their business activities and revenues. Accordingly, there remains a risk that the aftermath of Brexit, including its ongoing effect on the United Kingdom's relations with other countries, including the United States, and with the EU, may negatively impact the value of investments held by a Fund. In addition, any further exits from the EU, or an increase in the belief that such exits are likely or possible, would likely cause additional market disruption globally and introduce new legal and regulatory uncertainties.

 

Among other things, these developments have adversely affected the value and exchange rate of the euro and pound sterling, and may continue to significantly affect the economies of all EU countries, which in turn may have a material adverse effect on a Fund's investments in such countries, other countries that depend on EU countries for significant amounts of trade or investment, or issuers with exposure to debt issued by certain EU countries. While many countries in western Europe are considered to have developed markets, many eastern European countries are less developed. Investments in eastern European countries, even if denominated in euros, may involve special risks associated with investments in emerging markets. Securities markets of emerging market economies may be less efficient and may have lower trading volume, lower liquidity, and higher volatility than more developed markets. Many eastern European economies remain particularly sensitive to social, political, and economic conditions within the region and may, in particular, given its proximity and historical ties, be adversely affected by events in Russia, including changes to the Russian economy or currency (including as the result of sanctions), or attempts by Russia to assert its influence through economic, political, or military measures (such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine beginning in late February 2022). Many eastern European countries are also highly dependent on exports to western Europe, making them particularly vulnerable to demand in that region. Many eastern European countries had centrally planned socialist economies for a substantial period of time, and there can be no assurance that more recent political and economic efforts to transition to market-based economies will be successful. As a result, investments in eastern European countries may involve heightened risks of expropriation or nationalization. Many eastern European countries are heavily reliant on credit from western Europe, and those countries have faced significant challenges in the wake of the global economic crisis.

 

Illiquid Investments

Each Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, a Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. Illiquid investments, which include certain securities that are purchased in private placements, are securities that each Fund 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. Certain securities previously deemed liquid may become illiquid over time, particularly in periods of economic distress.

 

If illiquid investments that are assets exceed 15% of a Fund’s net assets, the Fund will take steps to reduce its holdings of such illiquid investments to or below 15% of its net assets within a reasonable period of time. Because illiquid investments may not be readily marketable, portfolio management may not be able to dispose of them in a timely manner. As a result, a Fund may be forced to hold illiquid investments while their price depreciates. Depreciation in the price of illiquid investments may cause the NAV of a Fund to decline.

 

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Investment Company Securities

From time to time, a Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act or as otherwise permitted by the SEC. Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act prohibits a Fund from acquiring: (i) more than 3% of another investment company’s voting stock; (ii) securities of another investment company with a value in excess of 5% of a Fund’s total assets; or (iii) securities of such other investment company and all other investment companies owned by a Fund having a value in excess of 10% of the Fund’s total assets. In addition, Section 12(d)(1) prohibits another investment company from selling its shares to a Fund if, after the sale: (i) a Fund owns more than 3% of the other investment company’s voting stock or (ii) a Fund and other investment companies, and companies controlled by them, own more than 10% of the voting stock of such other investment company. To the extent a Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds managed by the Adviser, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G). A Fund may invest in other investment companies beyond these statutory limits to the extent the Fund abides by certain conditions of Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. A Fund may invest its cash holdings in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate pursuant to the provision of the 1940 Act that governs the operation of money market funds as part of a cash sweep program. A Fund may purchase unlimited shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds and of other funds managed by the Adviser, whether registered or unregistered entities, as permitted by the 1940 Act and rules promulgated thereunder.

 

To the extent a Fund invests in money market funds or other funds, such Fund will be subject to the same risks that investors experience when investing in such other funds. These risks may include the impact of significant fluctuations in assets as a result of the cash sweep program or purchase and redemption activity by affiliated or non-affiliated shareholders in such other funds. Additionally, to the extent that the Adviser serves as the investment adviser to underlying funds or investment vehicles in which a Fund may invest, the Adviser may have conflicting interests in fulfilling its fiduciary duties to both the Fund and the underlying funds or investment vehicles. Money market funds are open-end registered investment companies. Money market funds that meet the definition of a retail money market fund or government money market fund compute their price per share using the amortized cost method of valuation to seek to maintain a stable $1.00 price per share, and money market funds that do not meet the definitions of a retail money market fund or government money market fund transact at a floating NAV per share (similar to all other non-money market mutual funds). Money market funds may impose liquidity fees because of market conditions or other factors. Amendments to money market fund regulation could impact the trading and value of money market instruments, which may negatively affect a Fund’s return potential.

 

As a shareholder of another investment company, a Fund would bear its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the expenses the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation. The market prices of ETFs and closed-end funds will fluctuate in accordance with both changes in the market value of their underlying portfolio investments and due to supply and demand for the instruments on the exchanges on which they are traded (which may result in their trading at a discount or premium to their NAVs). If the market price of shares of an ETF or closed-end fund decreases below the price that a Fund paid for the shares and the Fund were to sell its shares of such investment company at a time when the market price is lower than the price at which it purchased the shares, the Fund would experience a loss.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

Each Fund may invest in affiliated or unaffiliated ETFs to gain exposure to a particular portion of the market, to assist with cash management, and/or for other purposes. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of a Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in a Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the net asset value of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, a Fund’s adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. A Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) and Real Estate Operating Companies (“REOCs”)

Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, each Fund may invest in REITs and REIT-like entities, including REOCs. REITs are sometimes informally characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. In addition, a Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Investments in publicly traded REITs and real estate-linked investments are subject to

 

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risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value, fluctuations in rental income, possible environmental liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent, and other risks related to local or general economic conditions. Equity REITs generally experience these risks directly through fee or leasehold interests, whereas mortgage REITs generally experience these risks indirectly through mortgage interests, unless the mortgage REIT forecloses on the underlying real estate. Changes in interest rates may also affect the value of a Fund’s investment in publicly traded REITs. For instance, during periods of declining interest rates, certain mortgage REITs may hold mortgages that the mortgagors elect to prepay, and prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by those REITs.

 

Certain REITs have relatively small market capitalizations, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of their securities. Furthermore, publicly traded REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. Publicly traded REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code and to maintain exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act. By investing in publicly traded REITs indirectly through a Fund, a shareholder will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of a Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the publicly traded REITs. In addition, publicly traded REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders.

 

REOCs are publicly traded real estate companies that typically engage in the development, management or financing of real estate that have not elected (or are not eligible) to be taxed as a REIT. Instead, REOCs are generally structured as “C” corporations under the Internal Revenue Code and, as a result, are not required to distribute any portion of their income. In this regard, although REOCs do not receive the same favorable tax treatment that is accorded to REITs, REOCs are typically subject to fewer restrictions than REITs, including the ability to retain and/or reinvest funds from operations. The value of investments in REOCs will generally be affected by the same factors that adversely affect REIT investments; however, REOCs may also be adversely affected by income streams derived from businesses other than real estate ownership.

 

Derivative Instruments

A derivative is a financial instrument whose performance is derived from the performance of another, underlying asset.

 

Subject to its investment objective and policies, a Fund may use derivative instruments for hedging purposes (to manage and mitigate risks associated with an investment, currency exposure, or market conditions), to manage duration (i.e., sensitivity of the portfolio to changes in interest rates), or to seek to enhance returns or earn income by, for example, using put or call options to receive income based on portfolio management’s view of the future direction of interest rates, credit or a specific currency. A Fund’s derivative investments will be primarily in instruments that are exchange-traded and cleared and which, as a result, tend to be more liquid and less susceptible to counterparty risk than derivatives that are not exchange-traded and cleared.

 

A Fund may not use any derivative to gain exposure to an asset or class of assets that it would be prohibited by its investment restrictions from purchasing directly. A Fund’s ability to use derivative instruments may also be limited by tax considerations (see “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status”).

 

Investments in derivatives in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Investments in derivatives may not directly correlate with the price movements of the underlying instrument. As a result, the use of derivatives may expose a Fund to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than otherwise would be the case. Derivatives can be volatile and may involve significant risks, including:

 

Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that the counterparty (the party on the other side of the transaction) on a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation to a Fund.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that changes in the exchange rate between currencies will adversely affect the value (in U.S. dollar terms) of an investment.

 

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Leverage Risk. Leverage risk is the risk associated with certain types of leveraged investments or trading strategies pursuant to which relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of an investment. A Fund creates leverage by investing in instruments where the investment loss can exceed the original amount invested. The use of investment techniques, such as short sales and certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect on a Fund.

 

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that the seller would like or at the price that the seller believes the security is currently worth.

 

Index Risk. Index risk is the risk that the derivative linked to the performance of an index, will also be subject to the risks associated with changes in that index. If the index changes, a Fund could receive lower interest payments or experience a reduction in the value of the derivative to below what the Fund paid. Certain indexed securities, including inverse securities (which move in an opposite direction to the index), may create leverage, to the extent that they increase or decrease in value at a rate that is a multiple of the changes in the applicable index.

 

Derivatives may generally be traded over-the-counter (“OTC”) or on an exchange. Derivatives traded OTC are agreements that are individually negotiated between parties and can be tailored to meet a purchaser’s needs. OTC derivatives are not guaranteed by a clearing agency and may be subject to increased counterparty risk.

 

In an effort to mitigate counterparty risk associated with derivatives traded OTC, a Fund may enter into collateral agreements with certain counterparties whereby, subject to certain minimum exposure requirements, the Fund may require the counterparty to post collateral if the Fund has a net aggregate unrealized gain on all OTC derivative contracts with a particular counterparty. There is no guarantee that counterparty exposure is reduced by using collateral and these arrangements are dependent on the Adviser’s ability to establish and maintain appropriate systems and trading.

 

Risk of Government Regulation. Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act governs the Funds’ use of derivative instruments and certain other transactions that create future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Funds. Rule 18f-4 permits the Funds to enter into derivatives and certain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of “senior securities” under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Section 18 of the 1940 Act, among other things, prohibits open-end funds, including the Funds, from issuing or selling any “senior security,” other than borrowing from a bank (subject to a requirement to maintain 300% “asset coverage”). In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC eliminated the asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering derivatives transactions and certain financial instruments.

 

Pursuant to Rule 18f-4, to the Funds have adopted and implemented a derivatives risk management program (“DRMP”) designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with derivatives and certain other transactions. Under the DRMP, the Funds are required to comply with certain value-at-risk (VaR)-based leverage limits (VaR is an estimate of an instrument’s or portfolio’s potential losses over a given time horizon and at a specified confidence level). The DRMP is administered by a “derivatives risk manager,” who is approved by the Trustees, and who periodically reviews the DRMP and reports to the Trustees. While the Funds are not required to segregate assets to cover derivatives transactions and certain financial instruments pursuant to Rule 18f-4, the Funds will continue to do so for other instruments as required under applicable federal securities laws.

 

In addition, the SEC, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading. It is not possible to predict fully the effects of current or future regulation. However, it is possible that developments in government regulation of various types of derivative instruments may limit or prevent the Funds from using these instruments effectively as a part of their investment strategies, and could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. The Funds will continue to monitor developments in the area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the ability to enter into derivative transactions. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to the Funds, may increase the cost of the Funds’ investments and cost of doing business.

 

Restrictions on the Use of Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts

The Adviser does not currently intend to, but may in the future, file a claim for exemption with the CFTC on behalf of the Funds, so that neither the Funds nor the Trust are deemed to be a “commodity pool” or “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”), respectively, under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), and they are not subject to registration or regulation as such under the CEA. The Adviser is not deemed to be a “commodity

 

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trading advisor” with respect to its services as an investment adviser to a Fund. In February 2012, however, the CFTC adopted certain regulatory changes that will subject the adviser of an investment company to registration with the CFTC as a CPO if the investment company is unable to comply with certain trading and marketing limitations.

 

With respect to investments in swap transactions, commodity futures, commodity options or certain other derivatives used for purposes other than bona fide hedging purposes, an investment company must meet one of the following tests under the amended regulations in order to claim an exemption from being considered a “commodity pool” or CPO. First, the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish an investment company’s positions in such investments may not exceed five percent (5%) of the liquidation value of the investment company’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such investments). Alternatively, the aggregate net notional value of such instruments, determined at the time of the most recent position established, may not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the liquidation value of the investment company’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, the investment company may not market itself as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps and derivatives markets. In the event that the Adviser were required to register as a CPO with respect to a Fund, the disclosure and operations of the Fund would need to comply with all applicable CFTC regulations. Compliance with these additional registration and regulatory requirements would increase operational expenses. Other potentially adverse regulatory initiatives could also develop.

 

Regulatory Changes and Market Events and Risks

Federal, state, and foreign governments, regulatory agencies, and self regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the regulation of the Funds or the instruments in which the Funds invest, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Future legislation or regulation or other governmental actions could limit or preclude the Funds’ abilities to achieve their investment objectives or otherwise adversely impact an investment in the Funds. Furthermore, worsened market conditions, including as a result of U.S. government shutdowns or the perceived creditworthiness of the United States, could have a negative impact on securities markets.

 

Economic downturns can prompt various economic, legal, budgetary, tax, and regulatory reforms across the globe. In the aftermath of the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the financial sector experienced reduced liquidity in credit and other fixed income markets, and an unusually high degree of volatility, both domestically and internationally. In response to the crisis, the United States and certain foreign governments, along with the U.S. Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks, took a number of unprecedented steps designed to support the financial markets, which provided for widespread regulation of the financial industry, including expanded federal oversight in the financial sector. The U.S. government and the Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and central banks took extraordinary actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets may not work as intended.

 

Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries continue to impact many aspects of financial regulation. For example, some countries, including the United States, could adopt more protectionist trade policies and may affect the global economy in ways that cannot be presently foreseen.

 

The value and liquidity of a Fund’s holdings are also generally subject to the risk of significant future local, national, or global economic or political disruptions or slowdowns in the markets in which a Fund invests, especially given that the economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected and reliant on each other. In the event of such an occurrence, the issuers of securities held by a Fund may experience significant declines in the value of their assets and even cease operations, or may require government assistance that is contingent on increased restrictions on their business operations or their government interventions. In addition, it is not certain that the U.S. government or foreign governments will intervene in response to a future market disruption and the effect of any such future intervention cannot be predicted.

 

Widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, and natural or environmental disasters, including those which may be attributable to global climate change, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and weather-related phenomena generally have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a Fund’s investments. Economies and financial markets throughout the world have become increasingly interconnected, which increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or country will adversely affect markets or issuers in other regions or countries, including the United States. These disruptions could prevent a Fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner and negatively impact a Fund’s ability to achieve its

 

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investment objective(s). Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value of a Fund’s assets. In addition, these disruptions could also impair the information technology and other operational systems upon which the Funds’ service providers, including the Adviser, rely, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of employees of the Funds’ service providers to perform essential tasks on behalf of the Funds.

 

Securities Lending

A Fund may lend its securities to approved borrowers. Any gain or loss on the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the Fund. These loans cannot exceed one-third of a Fund’s total assets in accordance with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Approved borrowers are financial institutions that meet the Funds’ securities lending program requirements, which require that (a) the borrowers pledge and maintain with a Fund collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a bank, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government having a value at all times of not less than 102% of the value of the securities loaned (on a “mark-to-market” basis); (b) the loan be made subject to termination by a Fund at any time; and (c) a Fund receives reasonable interest on the loan. From time to time, a Fund may return a part of the interest earned on the investment of collateral received from securities loaned to the borrower and/or a third party that is unaffiliated with a Fund and that is acting as a finder.

 

To the extent the Fund engages in securities lending, there is the risk of a delay in recovering loaned securities. If a Fund is unable to recover a security on loan, the Fund may use the collateral to purchase a replacement security in the market. There is a risk that the value of the collateral could be insufficient to cover the cost of the replacement security, resulting in a loss to a Fund. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns.

 

The Adviser invests the collateral in time deposit and/or in cash management vehicles for which the Adviser serves as investment adviser or other unaffiliated cash management vehicles. An investment in a cash management vehicle is generally subject to the same risks that shareholders experience when investing directly in similarly structured vehicles. As Adviser to the Funds and the affiliated cash management vehicle, the Adviser has an inherent conflict of interest as a result of its fiduciary duties to both the Funds and the cash management vehicle. Additionally, the Adviser receives an investment advisory fee for managing the affiliated cash management vehicle and therefore may have an incentive to allocate collateral to the affiliated cash management vehicle, rather than to other collateral management options for which the Adviser does not receive compensation.

 

INFORMATION ABOUT EACH UNDERLYING INDEX PROVIDER AND DISCLAIMERS

 

Each Fund will attempt to seek investment results that correspond generally, before fees and expenses, to the performance of its respective Underlying Index.

 

Janus Henderson Indices LLC (“JH Indices” or “Index Provider”) is affiliated with each Fund and the Adviser. This affiliation may create potential conflicts for JH Indices as it may have an interest in the performance of each Fund, which could motivate it to alter the index methodology for each Underlying Index. JH Indices has adopted procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to mitigate these and other potential conflicts.

 

Each Fund is entitled to use its respective Underlying Index at no charge pursuant to a licensing agreement with JH Indices and the Adviser.

 

The only relationship that JH Indices has with each Fund, or ALPS Distributors, Inc., the distributor of each Fund in connection with each Fund is that JH Indices has licensed certain of its intellectual property, including the determination of the component stocks of the Underlying Index and the name of the Underlying Index. The Underlying Index is selected and calculated without regard to the Adviser, ALPS Distributors, Inc., or owners of a Fund. JH Indices has no obligation to take the specific needs of the Adviser, ALPS Distributors, Inc., or owners of a Fund into consideration in the determination and calculation of the Underlying Index. JH Indices is not responsible for and has not participated in the determination of pricing or the timing of the issuance or sale of the shares of a Fund or in the determination or calculation of the net asset value of a Fund. JH Indices has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration or trading of a Fund.

 

ALTHOUGH JH INDICES SHALL OBTAIN INFORMATION FOR INCLUSION IN OR FOR USE IN THE CALCULATION OF THE INDICES FROM SOURCES WHICH IT CONSIDERS RELIABLE, IT DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE QUALITY, ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF EITHER UNDERLYING INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS OF ANY KIND RELATED TO EITHER UNDERLYING

 

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INDEX OR DATA. JH INDICES MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE ADVISER, OWNERS OF THE FUNDS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF EITHER UNDERLYING INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN IN CONNECTION WITH THE RIGHTS LICENSED TO THE ADVISER FOR ANY OTHER USE. JH INDICES MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO EITHER UNDERLYING INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL IT HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS), EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

 

The Adviser does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of either Underlying Index or any data included therein, and the Adviser shall have no liability for any errors, omissions or interruptions therein. The Adviser makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by a Fund, owners of the shares of a Fund or any other person or entity from the use of either Underlying Index or any data included therein. The Adviser makes no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use with respect to either Underlying Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Adviser have any liability for any special, punitive, direct, indirect or consequential damages (including lost profits) arising out of matters relating to the use of either Underlying Index even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

 

The Adviser and the Adviser’s logo are service marks of the Adviser. All other trademarks, service marks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. These marks have been licensed for use by JH Indices.

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

 

The portfolio turnover rate of a Fund is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities (exclusive of purchases or sales of U.S. Government securities and all other securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less) by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the year. Proceeds from short sales and assets used to cover short positions undertaken are included in the amounts of securities sold and purchased, respectively, during the fiscal year. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities held by a Fund were replaced once during the fiscal year. A Fund cannot accurately predict its turnover rate. Variations in portfolio turnover rates shown may be due to market conditions, changes in the size of a Fund, fluctuating volume of shareholder purchase and redemption orders. Higher levels of portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in Fund performance.

 

The following table summarizes the portfolio turnover rates for the Funds for the last two fiscal years.

 

Fund Name

Portfolio
Turnover Rate for the
Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2024

Portfolio
Turnover Rate for the
Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2023

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

91%

105%

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

102%

91%

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

The ETF Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures adopted by the Adviser and the series of the Trust (the “Janus Henderson funds”) are designed to ensure that a Fund’s portfolio holdings information is disclosed in a manner that (i) is consistent with applicable legal requirements and in the best interest of a Fund’s shareholders; (ii) does not put the interests of the Adviser, ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS” or the “Distributor”), or any affiliated person of the Adviser or ALPS, above those of Fund shareholders; (iii) does not advantage any current or prospective Fund shareholders over any other current or prospective Fund shareholders; and (iv) does not provide selective access to portfolio holdings information except pursuant to the procedures outlined below and to the extent appropriate confidentiality arrangements limiting the use of such information are in effect. Item (iii) above does not preclude the provision of portfolio holdings information not available to other current or prospective Fund shareholders to certain Entities to the extent such information is necessary to facilitate Creation Unit transactions. These “Entities” are generally limited to National Securities Clearing

 

15

 

 

Corporation (“NSCC”) members, subscribers to various fee-based subscription services, large institutional investors (known as “Authorized Participants”) that have been authorized by the Distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of shares pursuant to legal requirements and market makers and other institutional market participants and entities that provide information for transactional services.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings in Accordance with Regulatory Requirements. Each business day, a Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided to the Fund’s custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of a Fund in the secondary market. This information typically reflects a Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following business day. In addition, on each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Listing Exchange, a Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by a Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings as Required by Applicable Law. Each Fund is also required to disclose its complete holdings as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT within 60 days of the end of the first and third fiscal quarters, and on Form N-CSR in connection with the annual report and semiannual report to Fund shareholders. These reports (i) are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov; and (ii) are available without charge, upon request, by calling a Janus Henderson representative at 1-800-668-0434 (toll free).

 

Daily access to information concerning a Fund’s portfolio holdings is permitted (i) to certain personnel of those service providers that are involved in portfolio management and in providing administrative, operational, risk management, or other support to portfolio management; and (ii) to other personnel of the Adviser, ALPS and its affiliates, and the administrator, custodian, and fund accountant who deal directly with, or assist in, functions related to investment management, distribution, administration, custody, securities lending, and fund accounting, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with federal securities laws and regulations thereunder.

 

Portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process may be provided to other entities that provide services to a Fund in the ordinary course of business after it has been disseminated to the NSCC. From time to time, information concerning portfolio holdings other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, may be provided to other entities that provide services to a Fund, including rating or ranking organizations, in the ordinary course of business, no earlier than one business day following the date of the information.

 

Nonpublic portfolio holdings information may be disclosed to certain third parties upon a good faith determination made by the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate, in consultation with the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer or a designee, that a Fund has a legitimate business purpose for such disclosure and the recipient agrees to maintain confidentiality. The Chief Compliance Officer reports to the Funds’ Trustees regarding material compliance matters with respect to the portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures.

 

Under extraordinary circumstances, the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate, in consultation with the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer, has the authority to waive one or more provisions of, or make exceptions to, the ETF Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures when in the best interest of a Fund and when such waiver or exception is consistent with federal securities laws and applicable fiduciary duties.

 

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Investment Adviser

 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER – JANUS HENDERSON INVESTORS US LLC

 

As stated in the Prospectus, each Fund has an Investment Advisory Agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) with Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805. The Adviser is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Janus Henderson Group plc (“JHG”). Janus Henderson US (Holdings) Inc., the direct parent of the Adviser, completed a strategic combination with Henderson Group plc on May 30, 2017 to form JHG, doing business as Janus Henderson Investors.

 

Each Fund’s Advisory Agreement continues in effect for an initial term of two years and from year to year thereafter so long as such continuance is approved at least annually by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust (the “Trustees”) who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined by the 1940 Act) of any such party (the “Independent Trustees”), and by either the Trustees or the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund. Each Advisory Agreement: (i) may be terminated, without the payment of any penalty, by the Trustees, or the vote of at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund, or the Adviser, on at least 60 days’ advance written notice; (ii) terminates automatically in the event of its assignment; and (iii) generally, may not be amended without the approval by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the affected Fund, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, and, to the extent required by the 1940 Act, the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of that Fund.

 

Each Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser will furnish continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Funds’ investments, provide office space for the Funds, and certain other advisory-related services. Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, under the unitary fee structure, each Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Funds. The fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Funds’ expenses. However, each Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest, dividends, taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

The Adviser has received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of a Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and reallocate a Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that a Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight and supervision by the Trustees, would have responsibility to oversee such subadviser to a Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for a Fund. The order also permits a Fund to disclose subadvisers’ fees only in the aggregate. In the event that the Adviser hires a subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of each Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for each Fund.

 

The Adviser also provides certain administration services necessary for the operation of each Fund, including, but not limited to, preparation of prospectuses.

 

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The Funds pay a monthly Management Fee to the Adviser for its services. The fees are based on the daily net assets of the Funds and is calculated at the following annual rates.

 

Fund Name

Daily Net
Assets of the Fund

Contractual
Management Fees (%)
(annual rate)

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.30

 

Next $500 Million

0.25

 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$0-$500 Million

0.30

 

Next $500 Million

0.25

 

Over $1 Billion

0.20

 

The following table summarizes the Management Fees paid by each Fund for the last three fiscal years ended October 31.

 

Fund Name

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

  $ 619,467     $ 319,685     $ 312,951  

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

  $ 1,018,624     $ 618,049     $ 526,325  

 

EXPENSE LIMITATIONS

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of each Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which a Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of a Fund’s assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES BY THE ADVISER OR ITS AFFILIATES

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients or for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to one or more intermediaries for operational and/or platform set-up and maintenance fees on a per fund basis, often referred to as CUSIP fees. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates to intermediaries may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser or its affiliates, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. Other factors may include, but are not limited to, the distribution capabilities of the intermediary, the overall quality of the relationship, expected gross and/or net sales generated by the relationship, disposition and retention rates of assets held through the intermediary, the willingness to cooperate with the Adviser’s marketing efforts, access to sales personnel, and the anticipated profitability of sales through the institutional relationship. These factors and their weightings varies from one intermediary to another and may change from time to time. As of February 5, 2025, the broker-dealer firms with which the Adviser or its affiliates have agreements

 

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or are currently negotiating agreements to make payments out of their own assets related to the acquisition or retention of certain Janus Henderson ETFs are E*Trade Securities LLC; Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC; LPL Financial LLC; Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC; National Financial Services LLC; Pershing LLC; Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.; and Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Any additions, modifications, or deletions to the broker-dealer firms identified that have occurred since that date are not reflected.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates may also pay intermediaries for the development of technology platforms and reporting systems. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements, and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-investment company investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Janus Henderson funds. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ADVISER

 

The Adviser has adopted procedures (including trade allocation procedures described in the “Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage” section of this SAI) that it believes are reasonably designed to mitigate potential conflicts and risks. For example, the Adviser manages long and short portfolios. The simultaneous management of long and short portfolios creates potential conflicts of interest in fund management and creates potential risks such as the risk that short sale activity could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more Janus Henderson funds (and vice versa), the risk arising from the sequential orders in long and short positions, and the risks associated with the trade desk receiving opposing orders in the same security at the same time. To mitigate this potential conflict, the Adviser has procedures that prohibit portfolio management from executing a short sale on a security held long in any other portfolio that he or she manages but is not held

 

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long in the account in which portfolio management is placing the short. Note this does not prohibit shorting against the box. The procedures also require approvals of the Adviser’s senior management in other situations that raise potential conflicts of interest, as well as periodic monitoring of long and short trading activity of the Janus Henderson funds and accounts.

 

The Funds and other funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates may also transfer daily uninvested cash balances into one or more joint trading accounts. Assets in the joint trading accounts are invested in money market instruments and the proceeds are allocated to the participating funds on a pro rata basis.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of the 1940 Act, Janus Henderson funds may participate in an affiliated or non-affiliated cash sweep program. In the cash sweep program, uninvested cash balances of Janus Henderson funds may be used to purchase shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate pursuant to the provisions of the 1940 Act that govern the operation of money market funds. All Janus Henderson funds are eligible to participate in the cash sweep program (the “Investing Funds”). The Adviser has an inherent conflict of interest because of its fiduciary duties to the affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles and the Investing Funds. In addition, the Adviser receives an investment advisory fee for managing proprietary money market funds and the cash management vehicle used for its securities lending program, but it may not receive a fee for managing certain other affiliated cash management vehicles, and therefore may have an incentive to allocate preferred investment opportunities to investment vehicles for which it is receiving a fee.

 

Each account managed by the Adviser has its own investment objective and policies and is managed accordingly by the respective portfolio management. As a result, from time to time, two or more different managed accounts may pursue divergent investment strategies with respect to investments or categories of investments.

 

The officers and Trustees of the Janus Henderson funds may also serve as officers and Trustees of ETFs, hedge funds, private funds, and other Janus Henderson financial products managed by the Adviser. Conflicts may arise as the officers and Trustees seek to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities to both the Funds and other Janus Henderson financial products. The Trustees intend to address any such conflicts as deemed appropriate.

 

ALPS Distributors, Inc.’s Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the Trustees have approved a Code of Ethics adopted by ALPS. The Code of Ethics is intended to ensure that the interests of shareholders and other clients are placed ahead of any personal interest, that no undue personal benefit is obtained from the person’s employment activities and that actual and potential conflicts of interest are avoided.

 

The Code of Ethics applies to the personal investing activities of ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“Access Persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Code of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by Access Persons. Under the 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 Code of Ethics permits personnel subject to the Code to invest in securities subject to certain limitations, including securities that may be purchased or held by a Fund. In addition, certain Access Persons are required to obtain approval before investing in initial public offerings or private placements. The Code of Ethics is on file with and available from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Janus Henderson Personal Code of Ethics

The Adviser currently has in place the Personal Code of Ethics, which is comprised of the Personal Account Dealing Policy, the Gifts, Entertainment and Meals Received Policy, the Outside Business Activities Policy, and the Political Activities Policy. The Personal Code of Ethics is designed to ensure the Adviser’s personnel: (i) observe applicable legal (including compliance with applicable federal securities laws) and ethical standards in the performance of their duties; (ii) at all times place the interests of the Funds’ shareholders first; (iii) disclose all actual or potential conflicts; (iv) adhere to the highest standards of loyalty, candor, and care in all matters relating to the Funds’ shareholders; (v) conduct all personal trading, including transactions in the Funds and other securities, consistent with the Personal Code of Ethics and in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of their position of trust and responsibility; and (vi) refrain from using any material nonpublic information in securities trading. The Personal Code of Ethics is on file with and available from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Under the Personal Account Dealing Policy, all the Adviser personnel, as well as the Trustees and Officers of the Funds, are required to conduct their personal investment activities in a manner that the Adviser believes is not detrimental to the Funds. In addition, the Adviser personnel are not permitted to transact in securities held by the Funds for their personal accounts

 

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except under circumstances specified in the Personal Account Dealing Policy. All personnel of the Adviser, and the Funds, as well as certain other designated employees deemed to have access to current trading information, are required to pre-clear all transactions in securities not otherwise exempt. Requests for trading authorization will be denied when, among other reasons, the proposed personal transaction would be contrary to the provisions of the Personal Account Dealing Policy.

 

In addition to the pre-clearance requirement described above, the Personal Account Dealing Policy subjects such personnel to various trading restrictions and reporting obligations. All reportable transactions are reviewed for compliance with the Personal Account Dealing Policy and under certain circumstances the Adviser personnel may be required to forfeit profits made from personal trading.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

 

The Trustees of the Trust have delegated to the Adviser the authority to vote all proxies relating to a Fund’s portfolio securities in accordance with the Adviser’s own policies and procedures. The Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures, including specific voting guidelines, are included in Appendix A of this SAI and are also available at janushenderson.com/proxyvoting.

 

The Adviser or its affiliates will publicly disclose vote reporting in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in the Adviser’s view, it is appropriate. Each Fund’s proxy voting record for the one-year period ending each June 30th is available, free of charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-525-1093, through janushenderson.com/proxyvoting, or from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

21

 

 

Custodian, Transfer Agent, and Certain Affiliations

 

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JP Morgan” or the “Custodian”), 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10179 is the custodian of the domestic securities and cash of the Funds. JP Morgan is the designated Foreign Custody Manager (as the term is defined in Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act) of the Funds’ securities and cash held outside the United States. The Funds’ Trustees have delegated to JP Morgan certain responsibilities for such assets, as permitted by Rule 17f-5. JP Morgan and the foreign subcustodians selected by it hold the Funds’ assets in safekeeping and collect and remit the income thereon, subject to the instructions of each Fund. JP Morgan also serves as transfer agent for the shares of each Fund (“Transfer Agent”).

 

JP Morgan also provides certain fund administration services to each Fund, including services related to the Funds’ accounting, including calculating the daily NAV, audit, tax, and reporting obligations, pursuant to an Agreement with the Adviser, on behalf of each Fund. The Adviser may cancel this Agreement at any time with 90 days’ notice. As compensation for such services, the Adviser pays JP Morgan a fee based on a percentage of each Fund’s assets, and a flat fee, per Fund, for certain services. The Adviser serves as administrator to the Funds, providing oversight and coordination of the Funds’ service providers, recordkeeping and other administrative services. The Adviser does not receive any additional compensation, beyond the unitary fee, for serving as administrator. Pursuant to agreements with the Funds, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, an affiliate of JP Morgan, may execute portfolio transactions for the Funds, including but not limited to, in connection with cash in lieu transactions (as described under Fund Deposit and Redemption of Creation Units).

 

The following table summarizes the fees received by JP Morgan for custodian, transfer agent and sub-administrative services for each Fund for the fiscal years ended October 31.

 

Fund Name

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

  $ 108,544     $ 86,137     $ 81,185  

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

  $ 129,236     $ 118,333     $ 105,638  

 

ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS” or the “Distributor”), 1290 Broadway, #1000, Denver, Colorado 80203-5603 is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). ALPS acts as the agent of the Funds in connection with the sale of their shares in all states in which such shares are registered and in which ALPS is qualified as a broker-dealer. Under the Distribution Agreement, ALPS offers Creation Units of each Fund’s shares on an ongoing basis.

 

Pursuant to an agreement with ALPS, Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Adviser, and a member of FINRA, may provide marketing and promotional services on behalf of the Funds. Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC does not receive any compensation from the Funds or ALPS for such services.

 

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Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

 

 

The Adviser, or its affiliates, acting pursuant to the Global Execution Agreement, initiate all portfolio transactions of the Fund. The Adviser is party to a Global Execution Agreement with certain Janus Henderson affiliates (each a “Trading Affiliate”) that allows trades in foreign markets to be executed by personnel in the relevant market through such Trading Affiliates. Personnel of the Trading Affiliates providing trade execution services are subject to brokerage policies and procedures and oversight by Janus Henderson Investors’ Front Offices Governance and Risk Committee. As used in this Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage section, the term “Adviser” also includes its Trading Affiliates.

 

The Adviser selects broker-dealers for each Fund as part of its discretionary responsibilities under the Advisory Agreement and broker selection is determined by the Adviser’s duty to seek best execution. Brokers may include Authorized Participants and/or market makers for the Funds. Janus Henderson’s Best Execution Committee will periodically review the quality of execution that the Adviser receives from broker-dealers and the Adviser’s trading desks will continually evaluate the effectiveness of the executing brokers and trading tools utilized. The Adviser does not consider a broker-dealer’s sale of shares of the Funds or gifts and entertainment received from registered representatives of broker-dealers when choosing a broker-dealer to effect transactions.

 

The Adviser has a duty to seek to obtain “best execution” for its portfolio transactions by reasonably seeking to obtain the best possible result under the circumstances. The Adviser considers a number of factors including but not limited to: an understanding of prices of securities currently available and commission rates and other costs associated with various trading tools, channels and venues; the nature, liquidity, size and type of the security being traded and the character of the markets in which the security will be purchased or sold; the activity, existing and expected, in the market for the particular security; the potential impact of the trade in such market and the desired timing or urgency of the trade pursuant to the investment decision; any portfolio restrictions associated with asset types; the ability of a broker-dealer to maintain confidentiality, including trade anonymity; the quality of the execution, clearance, and settlement services of a broker-dealer; the financial stability of the broker-dealer and the existence of actual or apparent operational problems of the broker-dealer; and principal commitment by the broker-dealer to facilitate the transaction.

 

The Funds may trade foreign securities in foreign countries because the best available market for these securities is often on foreign exchanges. In transactions on foreign stock exchanges, brokers’ commissions are frequently fixed and are often higher than in the United States, where commissions are negotiated.

 

The Funds generally buys and sells fixed-income securities in principal and agency transactions in which no brokerage commissions are paid. However, the Funds may engage an agent and pay commissions for such transactions if the Adviser believes that the net result of the transaction to each Fund will be no less favorable than that of contemporaneously available principal transactions. The implied cost of executing fixed-income securities transactions for each Fund primarily will consist of bid-offer spreads at which brokers will transact. The spread is the difference between the prices at which the broker is willing to purchase and sell the specific security at the time.

 

When a Fund purchases or sells a security in the over-the-counter market, the transaction takes place directly with a principal market-maker, without the use of a broker, except in those circumstances where, in the opinion of the Adviser, better prices and executions will be achieved through the use of a broker.

 

The Adviser may engage in “cross trades” whereby the Adviser causes its clients or accounts to engage in a purchase and sale of a security with each other. The Adviser may engage in cross trades where it determines such transaction is in the best interests of both accounts and consistent with the Adviser’s best execution obligations. Although the use of cross trades may be beneficial to clients, it also creates opportunities for conflicts of interest to adversely affect clients. For instance, the Adviser could prefer one account over the other in determining price or otherwise executing a cross trade due to the existence of a more favorable fee structure or proprietary interest in one account. To address these potential conflicts, the Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which require that all cross trades are effected at a readily available fair market price, which may be based on independent dealer bids or quotes depending on the type of security. In addition, cross trades involving a registered investment company must be consistent with Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act. The Adviser may execute cross trades among any eligible funds and accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. The Adviser does not permit cross trades with a Fund for fixed-income securities, with accounts subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or where prohibited by client restrictions.

 

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For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2024, the Funds paid no brokerage commissions to brokers and dealers in transactions identified for execution primarily on the basis of research and other services provided to the Funds.

 

The Adviser may have an incentive to use broker-dealers who offer research services instead of other broker-dealers who do not provide such services, but who may execute transactions at a lower price. The Adviser does not guarantee any broker the placement of a predetermined amount of securities transactions in return for the research or brokerage services it provides. The Adviser does, however, allocate transactions among brokers in a manner consistent with its execution policies which provide that the Adviser may seek brokers that it has identified as providing execution-related services, research, or research-related products of a particular benefit to the Adviser’s clients.

 

Creation or redemption transactions, to the extent consisting of cash, may require a Fund to contemporaneously transact with broker-dealers for purchases of Deposit Securities (as defined under Fund Deposit) or sales of a Fund Securities (as defined under Redemption of Creation Units), including any foreign exchange, as applicable. Such transactions with a particular broker-dealer may be conditioned upon the broker-dealer’s agreement to transact at guaranteed price levels in order to reduce transaction costs each the Fund would otherwise incur as a consequence of settling creation or redemption baskets in cash rather than in-kind.

 

The following table summarizes the total amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Funds for the fiscal years ended October 31.

 

Fund Name

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

  $ 131,548     $ 82,817     $ 73,214  

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

  $ 135,276     $ 81,656     $ 62,600  

 

Brokerage commissions paid by a Fund may vary significantly from year to year because of portfolio turnover rates, shareholder, broker-dealer, or other financial intermediary purchase/redemption activity, varying market conditions, changes to investment strategies or processes, and other factors.

 

As of October 31, 2024, the Funds owned securities of their regular broker-dealer (or parents) as shown below.

 

Fund Name

Name of Broker-Dealer

Value of
Securities Owned

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF None N/A

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

$491,294

 

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Shares of the Trust

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE DETERMINATION

 

As stated in the Funds’ Prospectus, the net asset value (“NAV”) of the shares of each Fund is determined once each day the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open, as of the close of its trading session (normally 4:00 p.m., New York time, Monday through Friday). The per share NAV of each Fund is computed by dividing the net assets by the number of the Fund’s shares outstanding. Securities held by each Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (the “Valuation Procedures”). In determining NAV, equity securities traded on a domestic securities exchange are generally valued at the readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. If such price is lacking for the trading period immediately preceding the time of determination, such securities are valued at their current bid price. If applicable, equity securities that are traded on a foreign exchange are generally valued at the closing prices on such markets. In the event that there is no current trading volume on a particular security in such foreign exchange, the bid price from the primary exchange is generally used to value the security. Securities that are traded on the over-the-counter markets are generally valued at their closing or latest bid prices as available. Foreign securities and currencies are converted to U.S. dollars using the applicable exchange rate in effect at the close of the London Stock Exchange. The Adviser will determine the market value of individual securities held by it by using prices provided by one or more Adviser-approved professional pricing services or, as needed, by obtaining market quotations from independent broker-dealers. Most debt securities are valued in accordance with the evaluated bid price supplied by the pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price supplied by the pricing service is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term securities maturing within 60 days or less may be valued on an amortized cost basis.

 

Securities for which market quotations or evaluated prices are not readily available or are deemed unreliable are valued at fair value determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Circumstances in which fair valuation may be utilized include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a nonsignificant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a nonvalued security and a restricted or nonpublic security. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position.

 

Each Fund calculates its NAV per share, and therefore effects sales, redemptions, and repurchases of its shares, as of the close of the NYSE once each day on which the NYSE is open. Such calculation may not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the foreign portfolio securities used in such calculation. If an event that is expected to affect the value of a portfolio security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which that security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, then that security may be valued in good faith under the Valuation Procedures.

 

DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING PLAN

 

Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, as amended, (the “Rule”) provides that an investment company may bear expenses of distributing its shares only pursuant to a plan adopted in accordance with the Rule. The Trustees have adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan (“Rule 12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to which a Fund may pay certain expenses incurred in the distribution of its shares and the servicing and maintenance of existing shareholder accounts. ALPS, as the Funds’ principal underwriter, and the Adviser may have a direct or indirect financial interest in the Rule 12b-1 Plan or any related agreement. Pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plan, a Fund may pay a fee of up to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. No Rule 12b-1 fee is currently being charged to the Funds.

 

The Rule 12b-1 Plan was approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Funds. In approving each Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Trustees determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Rule 12b-1 Plan will benefit each Fund and their shareholders.

 

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The Rule 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so and the imposition of or increase in the 12b-1 fee is first approved by the Fund’s shareholders. Because these fees are paid out of a Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The Rule 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

The Trust issues and sells shares of the Funds only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form as described in the Authorized Participant Agreement (as defined below), on any Business Day (as defined below). The size of a Creation Unit to purchase shares of a Fund may differ from the size of a Creation Unit required to redeem shares of that Fund. The size of a Creation Unit may be modified by the Adviser with prior notification to the Fund’s Authorized Participants. Each Fund’s current Creation Unit size may be found on the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website.

 

A “Business Day” with respect to each Fund is each day the Listing Exchange is open, which excludes weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Orders from Authorized Participants to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day.

 

Fund Deposit

The consideration for purchase of Creation Units of each Fund generally consists of Deposit Securities and the Cash Component computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to creation requests received in proper form. The Fund Deposit represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of a Fund.

 

The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the “Deposit Amount,” which is an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities, and serves to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount. Payment of any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing the Creation Unit.

 

The Adviser makes available through the NSCC on each Business Day prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange, the list of names and the required number or par value of each Deposit Security and the amount of the Cash Component to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information as of the end of the previous Business Day for each Fund). Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units of shares of a Fund until such time as the next-announced Fund Deposit is made available.

 

The identity and number or par value of the Deposit Securities change pursuant to changes in the composition of the Funds’ portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser with a view to the investment objective of each Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities constituting a Fund’s portfolio.

 

Each Fund reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or the Clearing Process (as discussed below). The Funds also reserve the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which (i) the delivery of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant (as described below) would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws or (ii) the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations. In the case of transactions involving “cash in lieu” amounts, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser. If a purchase or redemption consists solely or partially of cash and the Fund places a brokerage transaction for portfolio securities with a third party broker, an Authorized Participant or its affiliated broker-dealer, the broker or the Authorized Participant (or an affiliated

 

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broker-dealer of the Authorized Participant) may be required, in its capacity as broker-dealer with respect to that transaction, to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, and market impact costs through a brokerage execution guarantee.

 

Procedures for Creating Creation Units

To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit of a Fund, an entity must be: (i) a “Participating Party,” i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”) or (ii) a DTC Participant, and must have executed an agreement with the Distributor, with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Units (“Authorized Participant Agreement”) (discussed below). A Participating Party or DTC Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement is referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” All shares of a Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.

 

Role of the Authorized Participant

Creation Units may be purchased only by or through a DTC Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor. Such Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of such Authorized Participant Agreement and on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that such Authorized Participant will make available in advance of each purchase of shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component, once the net asset value of a Creation Unit is next determined after receipt of the purchase order in proper form, together with the transaction fees described below. An Authorized Participant, acting on behalf of an investor, may require the investor to enter into an agreement with such Authorized Participant with respect to certain matters, including payment of the Cash Component. Investors who are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be a DTC Participant or may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that orders to purchase Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant. As a result, purchase orders placed through a non-Authorized Participant may result in additional charges to such investor. The Trust does not expect to enter into an Authorized Participant Agreement with more than a small number of DTC Participants. The Distributor and Transfer Agent have adopted guidelines regarding Authorized Participants’ transactions in Creation Units that are made available to all Authorized Participants. These guidelines set forth the processes and standards for Authorized Participants to transact with the Distributor, Transfer Agent, and their agents in connection with creation and redemption transactions, as applicable.

 

Placement of Creation Orders

Fund Deposits must be delivered through the Federal Reserve System (for cash and U.S. government securities), through DTC (for corporate and municipal securities) or through a central depository account, such as with Euroclear or DTC, maintained by the Custodian or a subcustodian (a “Central Depository Account”). Any portion of a Fund Deposit that may not be delivered through the Federal Reserve System or DTC must be delivered through a Central Depository Account. The Fund Deposit transfers made through DTC must be ordered by the DTC Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities through DTC to the account of each Fund generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. Fund Deposit transfers made through the Federal Reserve System must be deposited by the participant institution in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number or amount of Deposit Securities or cash through the Federal Reserve System to the account of each Fund generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. Fund Deposit transfers made through a Central Depository Account must be completed pursuant to the requirements established by the Custodian or subcustodian for such Central Depository Account generally before 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. The “Settlement Date” for all funds is generally the first Business Day after the Transmittal Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities to be delivered, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash equal to the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities are not received by 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date, the creation order may be canceled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of each Fund. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the first Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor, provided that the relevant Fund Deposit has been received by each Fund prior to such time.

 

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Purchase Orders

To initiate an order for a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit to the Distributor or its agent an irrevocable order to purchase shares of a Fund, in proper form, by the Cutoff Time (as defined below). The Distributor or its agent will notify the Adviser and the custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to any appropriate subcustodian. Procedures and requirements governing the delivery of the Fund Deposit are set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement and may change from time to time. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a creation request to be made through an Authorized Participant. Those placing orders to purchase Creation Units through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor or its agent by the Cutoff Time (as defined below) on such Business Day.

 

The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to a Fund, immediately available or same day funds estimated by a Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable purchase transaction fees. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit. Those placing orders should ascertain the deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the Cash Component. This deadline is likely to be significantly earlier than the Cutoff Time of a Fund. Investors should be aware that an Authorized Participant may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in the particular form required by the individual Authorized Participant.

 

The Authorized Participant is responsible for any and all expenses and costs incurred by each Fund, including any applicable cash amounts, in connection with any purchase order.

 

Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders

An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Funds generally before 12:00 p.m. (for negotiated custom baskets) or 4:00 p.m. (for standard orders), Eastern time on any Business Day in order to receive that day’s NAV. On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, each Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. Creation Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor or its agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement, as described below. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or its agent or an Authorized Participant. Orders to create shares of a Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the equity markets in the relevant foreign market are closed may be charged the maximum additional change for Creation Unit transactions as set forth in the SAI to account for transaction costs incurred by the Fund. The Funds’ deadline specified above for the submission of purchase orders is referred to as the Funds’ “Cutoff Time.” The Distributor or its agent, in their discretion, may permit the submission of such orders and requests by or through an Authorized Participant at any time (including on days on which the Listing Exchange is not open for business) via communication through the facilities of the Distributor’s or its Transfer Agent’s proprietary website maintained for this purpose. Purchase orders and redemption requests, if accepted by the Trust, will be processed based on the NAV next determined after such acceptance. However, to account for transaction costs otherwise incurred by a Fund, an Authorized Participant that submits an order to the Distributor after the Cutoff Time stated above, may be charged the maximum additional charge for Creation Unit transactions as set forth in this SAI.

 

Acceptance of Orders for Creation Units

Subject to the conditions that (i) an irrevocable purchase order has been submitted by the Authorized Participant (either on its own or another investor’s behalf) and (ii) arrangements satisfactory to a Fund are in place for payment of the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due, a Fund will accept the order, subject to a Fund’s right (and the right of the Distributor and the Adviser) to reject any order until acceptance, as set forth below.

 

Once a Fund has accepted an order, upon the next determination of the net asset value of the shares, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such net asset value. The Distributor or its agent will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.

 

Each Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor or its agent if (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of a Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identity and number of shares specified, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to a Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund

 

28

 

 

Deposit would, in the discretion of a Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on a Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (vii) circumstances outside the control of a Fund, the Distributor or its agent and the Adviser make it impracticable to process purchase orders. The Distributor or its agent shall notify a prospective purchaser of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such purchaser of its rejection of such order. The Funds, Transfer Agent, subcustodian, and Distributor or their agents are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.

 

Issuance of a Creation Unit

Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the transfer of good title to a Fund of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the custodian that the securities included in the Fund Deposit (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Distributor or its agent and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery and a Fund will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit. Creation Units for a Fund typically are issued on a “T+1 basis” (i.e., one Business Day after trade date). However, each Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1, including a shorter settlement period, if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law. For example, each Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1, in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets, as applicable, of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (i.e., the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security) and in certain other circumstances.

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement with the Distributor, a Fund will issue Creation Units to such Authorized Participant, notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral having a value at least equal to 105%, which percentage the Adviser may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing Deposit Securities in accordance with the Funds’ then-effective procedures. The only collateral that is acceptable to a Fund is cash in U.S. dollars. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the contractual settlement date. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. Information concerning the Funds’ current procedures for collateralization of missing Deposit Securities is available from the Distributor or its agent. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit a Fund to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to a Fund of purchasing such securities and the cash collateral.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date and in these instances, each Fund reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participants that the creation and redemption transactions are for separate beneficial owners. All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by a Fund and such Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.

 

Redemption of Creation Units

Shares of each Fund may be redeemed by Authorized Participants only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Transfer Agent or its agent and only on a Business Day. Each Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the secondary market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares to constitute a Creation Unit that could be redeemed by an Authorized Participant. Beneficial owners also may sell shares in the secondary market. The Funds redeem Creation Units in-kind plus any Cash Amount due or entirely in cash.

 

In-Kind Redemption Method

The Adviser will make available through the NSCC, prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each Business Day, the designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”), and an amount of cash (the “Cash Amount,” as described below). Such Fund Securities and the corresponding Cash Amount (each subject to possible amendment or correction) are applicable in order to effect redemptions of Creation Units of a Fund until such time as the next announced

 

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composition of the Fund Securities and Cash Amount is made available. Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Units. Procedures and requirements governing redemption transactions are set forth in the handbook for Authorized Participants and may change from time to time.

 

With an in-kind redemption, the proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of Fund Securities, plus the Cash Amount, which is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the shares being redeemed, as next determined after the receipt of a redemption request in proper form, and the value of Fund Securities, less a redemption transaction fee (as described below).

 

Each Fund may, in its sole discretion, substitute a “cash in lieu” amount to replace any Fund Security, and reserves the right to redeem entirely in cash. Each Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; or (ii) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Fund Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations. The amount of cash paid out in such cases will be equivalent to the value of the substituted security listed as a Fund Security. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Each Fund generally redeems Creation Units in Fund Securities.

 

Cash Redemption Method

When partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units are specified by a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of partial or full cash redemption, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Funds Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.

 

Placement of Redemption Orders

Redemption requests for Creation Units of the Funds must be submitted to the Transfer Agent by or through an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable request to redeem shares of a Fund generally before 12:00 p.m. (for negotiated custom baskets) or 4:00 p.m. (for standard orders), Eastern time on any Business Day, in order to receive that day’s NAV. On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, a Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant.

 

The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption in the form required by a Fund to the Transfer Agent or its agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. At any time, only a limited number of broker-dealers will have an Authorized Participant Agreement in effect. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the shares to the Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.

 

A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Transfer Agent the Creation Unit redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the Listing Exchange closing time on the applicable Business Day, (ii) a request in form satisfactory to a Fund is received by the Transfer Agent or its agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified above and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement are properly followed. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s shares through DTC’s facilities by 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the Business Day next following the day that the redemption request is received, the redemption request may be rejected. Investors should be aware that the deadline for such transfers of shares through the DTC system may be significantly earlier than the close of business on the Listing Exchange. Those making redemption requests should ascertain the deadline applicable to transfers of shares through the DTC system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effecting the transfer of the shares.

 

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Upon receiving a redemption request, the Transfer Agent or its agent shall notify a Fund of such redemption request. The tender of an investor’s shares for redemption and the distribution of the securities and/or cash included in the redemption payment made in respect of Creation Units redeemed will be made through DTC and the relevant Authorized Participant to the Beneficial Owner thereof as recorded on the book-entry system of DTC or the DTC Participant through which such investor holds, as the case may be, or by such other means specified by the Authorized Participant submitting the redemption request.

 

A redeeming Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the portfolio securities are customarily traded, to which account such portfolio securities will be delivered.

 

Deliveries of redemption proceeds by a Fund generally will be made within one Business Day (i.e., “T+1”). Further, consistent with applicable law each Fund reserves the right to settle redemption transactions and deliver redemption proceeds on another basis to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, including to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (i.e., the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold) and in certain other circumstances.

 

If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, a Fund may in its discretion exercise the option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In such case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the net asset value of its shares based on the NAV of a Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charges specified above, to offset a Fund’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and a Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that a Fund cannot lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or cannot do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws.

 

In the event that cash redemptions are permitted or required by the Fund, proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares as soon as practicable after the date of redemption (generally within seven calendar days thereafter, except as described in “Regular Holidays” below).

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement with the Distributor or its agent, in the event an Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to a Fund, at or prior to 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the Listing Exchange business day after the date of submission of such redemption request, the Transfer Agent or its agent will accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash, in U.S. dollars in immediately available funds, having a value at least equal to 105%, which percentage the Adviser may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing shares. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the day after the date of submission of such redemption request and shall be held by the Custodian and marked-to-market daily. The fees of the Custodian and any subcustodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant Agreement permits a Fund to acquire shares of the Fund at any time and subjects the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the aggregate of the cost to the Fund of purchasing such shares, plus the value of the Cash Amount, and the value of the cash collateral.

 

Because the portfolio securities of a Fund may trade on exchange(s) on days that the Listing Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Listing Exchange on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

 

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The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Funds: (i) for any period during which the Listing Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the Listing Exchange is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of a Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.

 

Costs Associated with Creation and Redemption Transactions

A standard transaction fee (“Standard Fee”) is imposed to offset the transfer and other transaction costs incurred by a Fund associated with the issuance or redemption of Creation Units. The Standard Fee will be charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates or redeems a Creation Unit, and is the same, regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction. For creations, Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to a Fund. The Adviser may adjust the Standard Fee from time to time to account for changes in transaction fees associated with in-kind transactions.

 

In addition to the Standard Fees discussed above, each Fund charges an additional variable fee (“Variable Fee”) for creations and redemptions in whole or partial cash to offset brokerage and impact expenses associated with the cash portion of the transaction. The amount of the Variable Fee payable to a Fund by the Authorized Participant is determined by the Adviser based on analysis of historical transaction cost data and the Adviser’s view of current market conditions, among other factors. The actual Variable Fee charged for a given transaction may be lower or higher than the trading expenses incurred by each Fund with respect to that transaction. The total transaction fees charged (i.e. the Standard Fee plus the Variable Fee) will not exceed the maximum amounts reflected in the table below. From time to time, the Adviser, in its sole discretion, may adjust a Fund’s transaction fees or reimburse an Authorized Participant for all or a portion of the transaction fees.

 

The following table shows as of the date of this SAI (i) the Standard Fee, and (ii) the maximum total transaction fee charges for creations and redemptions (as described above):

 

 

Standard Fee*

Maximum Total
Transaction Fee**

   

3.00% (Create)

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$500

2.00% (Redeem)

   

3.00% (Create)

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$500

2.00% (Redeem)

 

*

Flat fee charged per transaction for one or more Creation Units.

**

As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit, inclusive of the Standard Fee.

 

Custom Baskets

The securities and other assets that are required for the issuance of a Creation Unit, or are provided upon redemption of a Creation Unit (a “basket”) may differ and each Fund may permit or require the submission of a portfolio of securities or cash that differs from the composition of the published portfolio(s) (a “Custom Basket”). A Custom Basket may include any of the following: (i) a basket that is composed of a nonrepresentative selection of a Fund’s portfolio holdings; or (ii) a representative basket that is different from the initial basket used in transactions on the same business day. Each Fund has adopted policies and procedures that govern the construction and acceptance of baskets, including heightened requirements for certain types of custom baskets intended to be protective to the Funds and their shareholders. Such policies and procedures, among other items, establish (i) parameters for the construction and acceptance of custom baskets, and (ii) processes for revisions to or deviations from such parameters. The Adviser has established a governance process to oversee basket compliance for the Funds, as set forth in the Funds’ policies and procedures.

 

Taxation on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units

An Authorized Participant generally will recognize either gain or loss upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units. This gain or loss is calculated by taking the market value of the Creation Units purchased (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) over the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the Deposit Securities exchanged therefor (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for Deposit Securities generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the Authorized Participant’s basis in the Creation Units (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the

 

32

 

 

redemption) and the aggregate market value of the Deposit Securities (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption). However, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) may apply the wash sales rules to determine that any loss realized upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units is not currently deductible. Authorized Participants should consult their own tax advisors.

 

Current U.S. federal tax laws dictate that capital gain or loss realized from the redemption of Creation Units will generally create long-term capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the Creation Units for more than one year, or short-term capital gain or loss if the Creation Units were held for one year or less, if the Creation Units are held as capital assets.

 

Regular Holidays

For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within the normal settlement period.

 

The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with foreign market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days, in certain circumstances. Under normal circumstances, each Fund expects to pay out redemption proceeds within one Business Day after the redemption request is received, in accordance with the process set forth in the Fund’s SAI and in the agreement between the Authorized Participant and the Funds’ Distributor. However, each Fund reserves the right, including under stressed market conditions, to take up to seven days after the receipt of a redemption request to pay the Authorized Participant, all as permitted by the 1940 Act. With respect to the Fund’s foreign investments, in a country where local market holiday(s) prevent a Fund from delivering such foreign investments to an Authorized Participant in response to a redemption request, a Fund may take up to 15 days after the receipt of the redemption request to deliver such investments to the Authorized Participant.

 

33

 

 

Securities Lending

 

 

The Funds may seek to earn additional income through lending their securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. acts as securities lending agent and custodian or subcustodian to receive and disburse cash balances and cash collateral, hold short-term investments, and perform other custodian functions in accordance with the Securities Lending Agreement.

 

During the Funds’ last fiscal year, the securities lending services provided by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., included negotiating the terms of loans; monitoring approved borrowers; recalling and arranging the return of loaned securities to the Funds upon termination of the loan; marking to market loans; providing recordkeeping services; reporting on the Funds’ securities lending activities; and related services. The following table summarizes the income and fees from securities lending activities for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2024 for the Funds.

 

Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services:

 

 

Gross
income from
securities
lending
activities

   

Fees paid
to securities
lending agent
from revenue
split

   

Fees paid
for any cash
collateral
management
services
(including
fees deducted
from a pooled
cash collateral
reinvestment
vehicle)
that are not
included in
the revenue
split

   

Administrative
fees not
included in
the revenue
split

   

Indemnification
fees not
included in
the revenue
split

   

Rebate (paid
to borrower)

   

Other fees not
included in
revenue split

   

Aggregate
fees and/or
compensation
for securities
lending
activities

   

Net income
from
securities
lending
activities

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

  $ 197,667     $ (7,402 )   $ (1,240 )               $ (103,866 )         $ (112,508 )   $ 85,159  

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

  $ 155,426     $ (6,573 )   $ (980 )               $ (72,279 )         $ (79,832 )   $ 75,594  

 

34

 

 

Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status

 

 

The following is intended to be a general summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Funds. It is not intended to be a complete discussion of all such federal income tax consequences, nor does it purport to deal with all categories of investors. This summary assumes that investors hold shares of a Fund as capital assets (within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code). This summary does not apply to investors that are not “United States persons” (as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code) or investors subject to special tax treatment (such as a partnership, financial institution, real estate investment trust, regulated investment company, insurance company, tax-advantaged, tax-qualified and retirement plans (or any other tax-exempt entity), or dealer in securities), except as otherwise specifically indicated below. This discussion reflects applicable tax laws of the United States as of the date of this SAI. However, tax laws may change or be subject to new interpretation by the courts or the IRS, possibly with retroactive effect. Investors are therefore advised to consult with their own tax advisers before making an investment in the Funds.

 

It is a policy of the Funds to make distributions of substantially all of their respective net investment income and any realized net capital gains at least annually. Any net capital gains realized during each fiscal year, as defined by the Internal Revenue Code, are normally declared and payable to shareholders in December but, if necessary, may be distributed at other times as well. Additional information regarding the frequency of each Fund’s distribution of dividend payments from net investment income can be found at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Fund Taxation

The Funds intend to qualify as regulated investment companies as such term is defined under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code (each, a “regulated investment company”). If a Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company in any taxable year, the Fund may be subject to federal income tax on its taxable income at the applicable corporate tax rate. In addition, all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would generally be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income but may, at least in part, qualify for the dividends received deduction applicable to corporations or the reduced rate of taxation applicable to noncorporate holders for “qualified dividend income.” In addition, the Funds could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay taxes and interest, and make distributions before requalifying as regulated investment companies that are accorded special federal income tax treatment.

 

A federal excise tax at the rate of 4% will be imposed on the excess, if any, of a Fund’s “required distribution” over actual distributions in any calendar year. Generally, the “required distribution” is 98% of a Fund’s ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of its capital gain net income recognized during the one-year period ending on October 31 plus undistributed amounts from prior years. Each Fund intends to make distributions sufficient to avoid imposition of the excise tax.

 

Certain transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, if any, may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, may affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders. The Funds will monitor their transactions and may make certain tax elections where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions, if possible.

 

In certain circumstances, such as if a Fund invests in certain pay-in-kind securities, zero coupon securities, deferred interest securities or, in general, any other securities with original issue discount (or with market discount if the Fund elects to include market discount in income currently), the Fund must accrue income on such investments for each taxable year, which generally will be prior to the receipt of the corresponding cash payments. However, in order to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code and to avoid federal income tax and the 4% federal excise tax, a Fund must distribute to shareholders, at least annually, all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net tax-exempt income, including such accrued income. Therefore, a Fund may have to dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate cash, or may have to leverage itself by borrowing the cash, to satisfy these distribution requirements.

 

A Fund may acquire market discount bonds. A market discount bond is a security acquired in the secondary market at a price below its redemption value (or its adjusted issue price if it is also an original issue discount bond). If a Fund invests in a market discount bond, it generally will be required to treat any gain recognized on the disposition of such market discount bond as ordinary income (instead of capital gain) to the extent of the accrued market discount, unless the Fund elects to include the market discount in income as it accrues.

 

35

 

 

A Fund’s investments in lower-rated or unrated debt securities may present issues for that Fund if the issuers of these securities default on their obligations because the federal income tax consequences to a holder of such securities are not certain.

 

A Fund may purchase securities of certain foreign corporations considered to be passive foreign investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code. In order to avoid taxes and interest that must be paid by that Fund, the Fund may make various elections permitted by the Internal Revenue Code. However, these elections could require that the Fund recognize taxable income, which in turn must be distributed even though the Fund may not have received any income upon such an event.

 

Some foreign securities purchased by the Funds may be subject to foreign taxes which could reduce the yield on such securities. If the amount of foreign taxes is significant in a particular year, the Funds that qualify under Section 853 of the Internal Revenue Code may elect to pass through such taxes to shareholders. If a Fund makes such an election, foreign taxes paid by the Fund will be reported to shareholders as income and shareholders may claim either a foreign tax credit or deduction for such taxes, subject to certain limitations. If such election is not made by a Fund, any foreign taxes paid or accrued will represent an expense to the Fund, which will reduce its investment company taxable income.

 

Under the Internal Revenue Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time a Fund accrues income or receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time a Fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on disposition of certain other instruments, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition also may be treated as ordinary gain or loss. These gains and losses, referred to under the Internal Revenue Code as “Section 988” gains or losses, may increase or decrease the amount of a Fund’s investment company taxable income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.

 

A Fund that invests in foreign securities may utilize foreign currency contracts in an effort to limit foreign currency risk. The value of foreign currency contracts can vary widely from month-to-month, which may result in gains one month and losses the next month. If the Fund distributes such gains during a monthly distribution (if applicable) and subsequently realizes foreign currency losses due to exchange rate fluctuations, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

 

If a Fund elects to invest in REIT equity securities, such investments may require the Fund accrue and distribute income not yet received. In order to generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales. The Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may result in the receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings. If a Fund distributes such amounts, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

 

Some REITs are permitted to hold “residual interests” in Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”). Pursuant to an IRS notice, a portion of a Fund’s income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT’s residual interest in a REMIC (referred to in the Internal Revenue Code as an “excess inclusion”) may be subject to federal income tax in all events. Excess inclusion income will normally be allocated to shareholders in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest directly. There may be instances in which a Fund may be unaware of a REIT’s excess inclusion income. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders: (a) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions); (b) will constitute unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan, or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on unrelated business income, thereby potentially requiring such an entity that is allocated excess inclusion income, and otherwise might not be required to file a federal income tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income; and (c) in the case of a foreign shareholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. Tax-exempt investors sensitive to UBTI are strongly encouraged to consult their tax advisers prior to investment in a Fund. In addition, if at any time during any taxable year a “disqualified organization” (as defined by the Internal Revenue Code) is a record holder of a share in a regulated investment company, then the regulated investment company will be subject to a tax equal to that portion of its excess inclusion income for the taxable year that is allocable to the disqualified organization, multiplied by the applicable corporate tax rate. This may impact a Fund’s performance.

 

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, ordinary REIT dividends are treated as “qualified business income” that is eligible for a 20% federal income tax deduction in the case of individuals, trusts and estates. Regulations enable a Fund to pass through the special character of “qualified REIT dividends” to its shareholders.

 

36

 

 

The amount of a regulated investment company’s dividends eligible for the 20% deduction for a taxable year is limited to the excess of the regulated investment company’s qualified REIT dividends for the taxable year over allocable expenses. To be eligible to treat distributions from a Fund as qualified REIT dividends, a shareholder must hold shares of the Fund for more than 45 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend and the shareholder must not be under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. If a Fund does not elect to pass the special character of this income through to shareholders or if a shareholder does not satisfy the above holding period requirements, the shareholder will not be entitled to the 20% deduction for the shareholder’s share of the Fund’s qualified REIT dividend income.

 

The application of certain requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company and the application of certain other federal income tax rules may be unclear in some respects in connection with investments in certain derivatives and other investments. As a result, a Fund may be required to limit the extent to which it invests in such investments and it is also possible that the IRS may not agree with a Fund’s treatment of such investments. In addition, the tax treatment of derivatives and certain other investments may be affected by future legislation, treasury regulations, and guidance issued by the IRS (which could apply retroactively) that could affect the timing, character, and amount of a Fund’s income and gains and distributions to shareholders, affect whether a Fund has made sufficient distributions and otherwise satisfied the requirements to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid federal income and excise taxes, or limit the extent to which a Fund may invest in certain derivatives and other investments in the future.

 

Generally, the character of the income or capital gains that a Fund receives from another investment company will pass through to the Fund’s shareholders as long as the Fund and the other investment company each qualify as regulated investment companies. However, to the extent that another investment company that qualifies as a regulated investment company realizes net losses on its investments for a given taxable year, a Fund will not be able to recognize its share of those losses until it disposes of shares of such investment company. Moreover, even when a Fund does make such a disposition, a portion of its loss may be recognized as a long-term capital loss. As a result of the foregoing rules, and certain other special rules, it is possible that the amounts of net investment income and net capital gains that a Fund will be required to distribute to shareholders will be greater than such amounts would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests, rather than investing in shares of the investment companies. For similar reasons, the character of distributions from a Fund (e.g., long-term capital gain, qualified dividend income, etc.) will not necessarily be the same as it would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests.

 

A Fund may treat a portion of the amount paid to redeem shares as a distribution of investment company taxable income and realized capital gains that are reflected in the net asset value. This practice, commonly referred to as “equalization,” has no effect on the redeeming shareholder or a Fund’s total return, but may reduce the amounts that would otherwise be required to be paid as taxable dividends to the remaining shareholders. It is possible that the IRS could challenge the Funds’ equalization methodology or calculations, and any such challenge could result in additional tax, interest, or penalties to be paid by the Funds or disqualification of a Fund as a regulated investment company.

 

Shareholder Taxation

Shareholders will be subject to federal income taxes on distributions made by a Fund whether received in cash or additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from a Fund’s net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, net short-term capital gains, and net gains from foreign currency transactions), if any, generally are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income, unless such distributions are attributable to “qualified dividend income” eligible in the case of noncorporate investors for the reduced federal income tax rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received from REITs and certain foreign corporations generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

In addition, if a Fund participates in a securities lending transaction and receives a payment in lieu of dividends with respect to securities on loan (a “substitute payment”), such income generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of a Fund’s net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long shares of the Fund were held. Long-term capital gains are taxable to noncorporate investors at a maximum federal income tax rate of 20%. In addition, certain non-corporate investors may be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax discussed below. Dividends paid by a Fund may also qualify in part for the dividends-received deduction available to corporate shareholders, provided that certain holding period and

 

37

 

 

other requirements under the Internal Revenue Code are satisfied. Generally, however, dividends received from REITs and on stocks of foreign issuers are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction when distributed to the Funds’ corporate shareholders. In addition, a substitute payment received with respect to a securities lending transaction will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction when distributed to the Funds’ corporate shareholders. Distributions from a Fund may also be subject to foreign, state, and local income taxes. Please consult a tax adviser regarding the tax consequences of Fund distributions and to determine whether you will need to file a tax return.

 

If a Fund makes a distribution in excess of its current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his, her, or its shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder’s basis in his, her, or its shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of such shares. If a Fund produces income primarily derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid by such Fund is anticipated to be qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions declared by a Fund during October, November, or December to shareholders of record during such month and paid by January 31 of the following year will be taxable in the year they are declared, rather than the year in which they are received. Each Fund will notify its shareholders each year of the amount and type of dividends and distributions it paid.

 

Gain or loss realized upon a redemption or other disposition (such as an exchange) of shares of a Fund by a shareholder will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and, if not held for such period, as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss on the sale or exchange of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain distributions paid to the shareholder with respect to such shares. Any loss a shareholder realizes on a sale or exchange of shares of a Fund will be disallowed if the shareholder acquires other shares of the Fund (whether through the automatic reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) or substantially identical stock or securities within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shareholder’s sale or exchange of the shares. In such case, the shareholder’s tax basis in the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Capital losses may be subject to limitations on their use by a shareholder.

 

When a shareholder opens an account, IRS regulations require that the shareholder provide a taxpayer identification number (“TIN”), certify that it is correct, and certify that he, she, or it is not subject to backup withholding. If a shareholder fails to provide a TIN or the proper tax certifications, each Fund is required to withhold 24% of all distributions (including dividends and capital gain distributions) and redemption proceeds paid to the shareholder. Each Fund is also required to begin backup withholding on an account if the IRS instructs it to do so. Amounts withheld may be applied to the shareholder’s federal income tax liability and the shareholder may obtain a refund from the IRS if withholding results in an overpayment of federal income tax for such year.

 

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount.

 

Non-U.S. Investors

Non-U.S. investors (shareholders that are not “United States persons,” as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code, or partnerships) may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements. Non-U.S. investors should consult their tax advisors as to the consequences of these and other state and local tax rules affecting investment in a Fund and about the applicability of U.S. tax withholding and the use of the appropriate forms to certify their status.

 

Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a 30% or lower treaty rate and U.S. estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are provided for certain capital gain dividends paid by a Fund from net long-term capital gains, interest related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, if such amounts are reported by a Fund. However, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding at the source, any such dividends and distributions of income and capital gains may be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 24% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a United States person (as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code).

 

38

 

 

Under Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), a 30% withholding tax is imposed on income dividends made by a Fund to certain foreign entities, referred to as foreign financial institutions or nonfinancial foreign entities, that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. After December 31, 2018, FATCA withholding also would have applied to certain capital gain distributions, return of capital distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares; however, based on proposed regulations issued by the IRS which can be relied on currently, such withholding is not required unless final regulations provide otherwise. A 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 or similar laws. Withholding also may be required if a foreign entity that is a shareholder of a Fund fails to provide the Fund with appropriate certifications or other documentation concerning its status under FATCA.

 

 

39

 

 

Trustees and Officers

 

 

The following are the Trustees and officers of the Trust, together with a brief description of their principal occupations during the last five years (principal occupations for certain Trustees may include periods over five years).

 

Each Trustee has served in that capacity since he or she was originally elected or appointed. The Trustees do not serve a specified term of office. Each Trustee will hold office until the termination of the Trust or his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, incapacity, or removal. Under the Funds’ Governance Procedures and Guidelines, the policy is for Trustees to retire no later than the end of the calendar year in which the Trustee turns 75. The Trustees review the Funds’ Governance Procedures and Guidelines from time to time and may make changes they deem appropriate. The Funds’ Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees for the position of Trustee recommended by shareholders. Shareholders may submit the name of a candidate for consideration by the Committee by submitting their recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary. Each Trustee is currently a Trustee of one other registered investment company advised by the Adviser: Clayton Street Trust. As of the date of this SAI, collectively, the two registered investment companies consist of 17 series or funds. The Trust’s officers are elected annually by the Trustees for a one-year term. Certain officers also serve as officers of Clayton Street Trust. Certain officers of the Funds may also be officers and/or directors of the Adviser. Except as otherwise disclosed, Fund officers receive no compensation from the Funds.

 

TRUSTEES

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions
Held with
the Trust

Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios/
Funds
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee*

Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past Five Years

Independent Trustees

Clifford J. Weber
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1963

Chairman

 

Trustee

2/16-Present

 

2/16-Present

Owner, Financial Products Consulting Group LLC (consulting services to financial institutions) (since 2015).

17

Chairman, Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Chairman, Clough Global Opportunities Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Chairman, Clough Global Equity Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Opportunities Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Equity Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017) and Independent Trustee, Global X Funds (investment company) (since 2018). Formerly, Chairman, Clough Funds Trust (investment company) (2016-2023), Independent Trustee, Clough Funds Trust (2015-2023).

 

40

 

 

TRUSTEES

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions
Held with
the Trust

Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios/
Funds
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee*

Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past Five Years

Maureen T. Upton
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1965

Trustee

2/16-Present

Executive Director, National Association of Corporate Directors Colorado Chapter (since 2024); Principal, Maureen Upton Ltd. (consulting services to multinational companies) (since 2017).

17

Independent Director, Cascadia Minerals Ltd. (mineral exploration company); Independent Director, ATAC Resources Ltd. (mineral exploration company) (since 2022).

Jeffrey B. Weeden
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1956

Trustee

2/16-Present

Senior Advisor, Bay Boston Capital LP (investment fund in finance companies, banks and bank holdings companies) (since 2015).

17

Director, West Travis County Municipal Utility District No. 6. (municipal utility) (since 2020). Formerly, Director, State Farm Bank (banking) (2014-2021).

Interested Trustee

Gregory Trinks**
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1977

Trustee

7/24-Present

Head of US Product, Janus Henderson Investors (since 2023); Formerly, Managing Director, UBS Wealth Management USA, (2002- 2022).

17

 

 

*

Each Trustee also serves as a trustee to the Clayton Street Trust, which is currently comprised of three portfolios.

**

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee because of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors.

 

OFFICERS

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions Held with the Trust

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Nicholas Cherney
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1981

President and Chief Executive Officer

10/22-Present

Head of Innovation at Janus Henderson Investors (since 2023), Head of Exchange Traded Products at Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, Velocity Shares Holdings Inc. (since 2019). Formerly, Head of Exchange Traded Products Janus Henderson Indices LLC (2019-2023), Senior Vice President, Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, Janus Henderson Indices LLC (2015-2019), Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (2015-2017), and Velocity Shares Holdings Inc. (2014-2019).

Kristin Mariani
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1966

Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer

7/20-Present

Head of Compliance, North America at Janus Henderson Investors (since September 2020) and Chief Compliance Officer at Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since September 2017). Formerly, Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust (July 2020-December 2022), and Global Head of Investment Management Compliance at Janus Henderson Investors (February 2019-August 2020).

 

41

 

 

OFFICERS

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions Held with the Trust

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Jesper Nergaard
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1962

Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Principal Accounting Officer

2/16-Present

Head of U.S. Fund Administration, Janus Henderson Investors and Janus Henderson Services US LLC (since 2005).

Cara Owen
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1981

Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal Officer

1/23-Present

Senior Legal Counsel of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2021). Formerly, Assistant Secretary of the Trust and Clayton Street Trust (2021-2023); Vice President and Principal Legal Counsel, ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (2019-2021) (fund administrator); and Senior Counsel, Corporate & Investments, Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company (insurance company) (2014-2019).

Ciaran Askin
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1978

Anti-Money Laundering Officer

1/23-Present

Global Head of Financial Crime, Janus Henderson Investors (since 2022). Formerly, Global Head of Financial Crime at Invesco Ltd. (2017-2022).

Jay Mensah
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1994

Assistant Secretary

10/24-Present

Legal Counsel of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2024). Formerly, Associate, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP (law firm) (2022-2024); Associate, Finn Dixon & Herling LLP (law firm)(2021-2022); Associate Counsel, CBRE Global Investors (asset management firm) (2020–2021).

J. Tison Cory
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1969

Assistant Secretary

1/23-Present

Senior Legal Manger of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2020).

Dawn Cotten
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1977

Assistant Treasurer

7/23-Present

Director – Head of Fund Oversight of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2023). Formerly, Client Solutions Group Director, S&P Global (financial data information provider) (2022-2023); and Senior Vice President SS&C ALPS (fund administrator) (2017-2021).

Allen Welch
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1974

Assistant Treasurer

2/16-Present

Director, Head of Fund Tax of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2017).

 

*

Officers are elected at least annually by the Trustees for a one-year term and may also be elected from time to time by the Trustees for an interim period.

 

The Board’s Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for identifying and recommending candidates for nomination or election by the Board based on a variety of diverse criteria. In its most recent evaluation of the qualifications of each Trustee as part of the Board’s annual self-evaluation process and in connection with candidate assessment prior to the appointment of a new Trustee, effective July 11, 2024, the Committee and the Board considered the totality of the information available to them, including the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills, as noted below, and determined that each of the Trustees should serve as members of the Board of Trustees based on the Trust’s business structure. In reaching these conclusions, the Committee and the Board, in the exercise of their reasonable business judgment, evaluated each Trustee based on his or her specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills on an individual basis and in combination with the other Trustees, none of which by itself was considered dispositive. Each member is listed below.

 

42

 

 

Maureen T. Upton: Service as a consultant to global mining, energy and water resource industries, founder of sustainability consultancy, director of public affairs of a NYSE-listed mining corporation, and experience with the financial services industry.

 

Clifford J. Weber: Service as a senior executive of stock exchanges with responsibilities including exchange-traded fund and exchange-traded product issues, experience with the structure and operations of exchange-traded funds, experience with secondary market transactions involving exchange-traded funds, and service as a mutual fund independent director.

 

Jeffrey B. Weeden: Service as a senior executive and CFO of NYSE-listed financial services companies, and as a director of a bank.

 

Gregory Trinks: Service as a senior executive at Janus Henderson Investors and experience as a senior executive in the financial services industry.

 

General Information Regarding the Board of Trustees and Leadership Structure

The Trust is governed by the Board of Trustees, which is responsible for and oversees the management and operations of the Trust and each of the Funds on behalf of Fund shareholders. A majority of the Board is considered Independent of the Adviser and the Distributor. The Board’s Chair is also an Independent Trustee and each Committee is comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Board’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, oversight of the Funds’ officers and service providers, including the Adviser, which is responsible for the Trust’s day-to-day operations. The Trustees approve all of the agreements entered into with the Funds’ service providers, including the investment management agreements with the Adviser and distribution agreement with ALPS. The Trustees are also responsible for determining or changing each Fund’s investment objective(s), policies, and available investment techniques, as well as for overseeing the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Trustees are assisted by the Trust’s independent auditor (who reports directly to the Trust’s Audit Committee) and independent counsel, each of whom is selected by the Trustees. The Trustees also may engage specialists or consultants from time to time to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities. The Trustees also meet regularly without representatives of the Adviser or its affiliates present.

 

The Trustees discharge their responsibilities collectively as a Board, as well as through Board committees, each of which operates pursuant to a Board-approved charter that delineates the specific responsibilities of that committee. For example, the Board will oversee the annual process by which the Board will consider for approval the renewal of the Funds’ investment advisory agreement with the Adviser. Specific matters may be delegated to a committee, such as oversight of the Funds’ independent auditor, which has been delegated by the Board to its Audit and Pricing Committee, subject to approval of the Audit Committee’s recommendations by the Board. The members and responsibilities of each Board committee are summarized below. In addition to serving on certain committees, the Chair of the Board (“Board Chair”) is responsible for presiding at all meetings of the Board, and has other duties as may be assigned by the Trustees from time to time. The Board Chair also serves as the Board’s liaison to the Adviser with respect to all matters related to the Funds that are not otherwise delegated to the chair of a Board committee. The Board has determined that this leadership structure is appropriate based on (i) the number of funds overseen and the various investment objectives of those funds; (ii) the distribution model of the Funds, and (iii) the responsibilities entrusted to the Adviser and its affiliates to oversee the Trust’s day-to-day operations, among other considerations. On an annual basis, the Board conducts a self-evaluation that considers, among other matters, whether the Board and its committees are functioning effectively and whether, given the size and composition of the Board and each of its committees, the Trustees are able to oversee effectively the funds in the complex.

 

43

 

 

Committees of the Board

The Board of Trustees has two standing committees that each performs specialized functions: an Audit and Pricing Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee. The table below shows the committee members. Each committee is comprised entirely of Independent Trustees. Information about each committee’s functions is provided in the following table:

 

 

Summary of Functions

Members (Independent
Trustees)

Number of Meetings Held
During Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2024

Audit and Pricing Committee

Reviews the financial reporting process, the system of internal controls over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures, and the audit process. The Committee’s review of the audit process includes, among other things, the appointment, compensation, and oversight of the Trust’s independent auditor and preapproval of all audit and nonaudit services.

 

Oversees the Adviser as valuation designee and reviews reports on fair valuation determinations and valuation methodologies regarding securities and investments held by the Funds pursuant to valuation procedures established by the Adviser and approved by the Board of Trustees, reviews other matters related to the pricing of securities, and approves changes to the valuation procedures.

Jeffrey B. Weeden (Chair)
Maureen T. Upton
Clifford J. Weber

6

Nominating and Governance Committee

Identifies and recommends individuals for election as Trustee, consults with Management in planning Trustee meetings, and oversees the administration of, and ensures compliance with, the Trust’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, which includes review of proposed changes to Trustee compensation.

Maureen T. Upton (Chair)
Clifford J. Weber
Jeffrey B. Weeden

4

 

Board Oversight of Risk Management

The Adviser, as part of its responsibilities for the day-to-day operations of the Funds, is responsible for day-to-day risk management. The Board, as part of its overall oversight responsibilities for the Funds’ operations, oversees the Adviser’s risk management efforts with respect to the Funds. The Board, in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment, also separately considers potential risks that may impact the Funds. Information considered by the Board is provided by the Adviser and the Funds’ service providers, as deemed appropriate from time to time. The Board and its Committees will analyze the risks of the Funds and request information they deem appropriate. The Audit and Pricing Committee considers valuation risk as part of its regular oversight responsibilities as well as enterprise risk. The Board is apprised of particular risk management matters in connection with its general oversight and approval of various Fund matters brought before the Board. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer for the Funds (“Fund CCO”) who reports directly to the Board. The Fund CCO, who also serves as Chief Compliance Officer of other Janus Henderson funds, discusses relevant risk issues that may impact the Janus Henderson funds and/or the Adviser’s services to the funds, and also discusses matters related to the Funds’ compliance policies and procedures.

 

Additional Information About Trustees

Under the Trust’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, the Trustees are expected to make efforts to invest in one or more (but not necessarily all) funds advised by the Adviser for which they serve as Trustee, to the extent it is practicable and reasonable to do so. Such investments, including the amount and which funds, are dictated by each Trustee’s individual financial circumstances and investment goals.

 

44

 

 

As of December 31, 2024, the Trustees owned securities of the Funds described in this SAI in the dollar range shown in the following table. The last column of the following table reflects each Trustee’s aggregate dollar range of securities of all funds advised by the Adviser and overseen by the Trustees (collectively, the “Janus Henderson Funds”).

 

Name of Trustee

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Funds

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in All Registered
Investment Companies
Overseen by Trustee in
Janus Henderson Funds

Independent Trustees

   

Clifford J. Weber

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

None
$10,001-$50,000

$10,001-$50,000

Maureen T. Upton

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$10,001-$50,000 $10,001-$50,000

Over $100,000

Jeffrey B. Weeden

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

Over $100,000 Over $100,000

Over $100,000

Interested Trustee

     

Gregory Trinks(1)

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$10,001-$50,000

$10,001-$50,000

Over $100,000

 

(1)

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee by virtue of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors. Effective July 11, 2024, Gregory Trinks became a Trustee of the Trust.

 

Trustee Compensation

Each Independent Trustee receives an annual retainer plus a fee for each in-person or telephonic meeting of the Trustees attended. Given the unitary fee structure, the Adviser pays the compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees. Each Independent Trustee receives fees from other Janus Henderson funds for serving as Trustee of those funds. The Adviser pays persons who are directors, officers, or employees of the Adviser or any affiliate thereof, or any Trustee considered an “interested” Trustee, for their services as Trustees or officers. The Trust and other funds managed by the Adviser may pay all or a portion of the compensation and related expenses of the Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer and compliance staff, as authorized from time to time by the Trustees.

 

The following table shows the aggregate compensation paid by the Adviser to each Independent Trustee for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2024. None of the Independent Trustees receives any pension or retirement benefits from the Funds or the Adviser.

 

Name of Person, Position

Aggregate
Compensation from
the Trust
(1)

Total Compensation
from the Janus
Henderson Funds
Overseen by Trustees
(2)

Independent Trustees

Clifford J. Weber, Chairman and Trustee

$ 56,500

$ 112,500

Maureen T. Upton, Trustee

$ 56,500

$ 112,500

Jeffrey B. Weeden, Trustee

$ 56,500

$ 112,500

Interested Trustee

Gregory Trinks, Trustee(3)

$0

$0

 

(1)

As of October 31, 2024, there were 12 series of the Trust.

(2)

For each Independent Trustee, includes compensation for service on the boards of two Janus Henderson trusts comprised of 15 portfolios as of October 31, 2024.

(3)

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee by virtue of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors. Effective July 11, 2024, Mr. Trinks became a Trustee of the Trust.

 

45

 

 

JANUS HENDERSON Portfolio Management

 

Other Accounts Managed

To the best knowledge of the Trust, the following table provides information relating to other accounts managed by portfolio management as of October 31, 2024. For any co-managed fund or account, the assets reflect total fund assets. If applicable, accounts included under Other Registered Investment Companies only include U.S. registered investment companies. No accounts included in the totals listed below have a performance-based advisory fee.

 

 

Other Registered
Investment
Companies

Other Pooled
Investment
Vehicles

Other
Accounts

Benjamin Wang

Number of Other Accounts Managed

4

1

None

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$796.13M

$18.47M

None

Zoey Zhu

Number of Other Accounts Managed

4

1

None

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$796.13M

$18.47M

None

 

Material Conflicts

As shown in the table above, portfolio management generally manages other accounts, including accounts that may hold the same securities as or pursue investment strategies similar to the Funds. Those other accounts may include separately managed accounts, model or emulation accounts, Janus Henderson mutual funds and ETFs, private-label funds for which the Adviser or an affiliate serves as subadviser, or other Janus Henderson pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, which may have different fee structures or rates than a Fund or may have a performance-based management fee. The Adviser or an affiliate may also proprietarily invest in or provide seed capital to some but not all of these accounts. In addition, portfolio management may personally invest in or provide seed capital to some but not all of these accounts, and certain of these accounts may have a greater impact on their compensation than others. Further, portfolio management (or their family members) may beneficially own or transact in the same securities as those held in a Fund’s portfolio. Moreover, portfolio management may also have other roles at Janus Henderson (e.g., research analyst) and receive compensation attributable to the other roles. Portfolio management may also have roles with an affiliate of the Adviser, and provide advice on behalf of the Adviser through participating affiliate agreements, and receive compensation attributable to other roles. These factors could create conflicts of interest between portfolio management and the Funds because portfolio management may have incentives to favor one or more accounts over others or one role over another in the allocation of time, resources, or investment opportunities and the sequencing of trades, resulting in the potential for the Fund to be disadvantaged relative to one or more other accounts.

 

A conflict of interest between the Funds and other clients, including one or more Funds, may arise if portfolio management identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be appropriate for a Fund, but the Fund is not able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to the need to allocate that opportunity among other accounts also managed by such portfolio management. A conflict may also arise if portfolio management executes transactions in one or more accounts that adversely impact the value of securities held by a Fund.

 

Investments made by a Fund and results achieved by a Fund at any given time are not expected to be the same as those made by other funds for which the Adviser acts as investment adviser, including funds with names, investment objectives and policies, and/or portfolio management teams, similar to a Fund. The Adviser believes that these and other conflicts are mitigated by policies, procedures, and practices in place, including those governing personal trading, proprietary trading and seed capital deployment, aggregation and allocation of trades, allocation of limited offerings, cross trades, and best execution. In addition, the Adviser generally requires portfolio management to manage accounts with similar investment strategies in a similar fashion, subject to a variety of exceptions, including, but not limited to, investment restrictions or policies applicable only to certain accounts, certain portfolio holdings that may be transferred in-kind when an account is opened, differences in cash flows and account sizes, and similar factors. The Adviser monitors accounts with similar strategies for any holdings, risk, or performance dispersion or unfair treatment.

 

The Adviser and its affiliates generate trades throughout the day, depending on the volume of orders received from portfolio management, for all of its clients using trade system software. Trades are pre-allocated to individual clients and submitted to selected brokers via electronic files, in alignment with the Adviser’s best execution policy. If an order is not completely

 

46

 

 

filled, executed shares are allocated to client accounts in proportion to the order. In addition, the Adviser has adopted trade allocation procedures that govern allocation of securities among various Janus Henderson accounts. Trade allocation and personal trading are described in further detail under “Additional Information About the Adviser.”

 

JANUS HENDERSON PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT COMPENSATION INFORMATION

 

The following describes the structure and method of calculating portfolio management’s compensation as of the date of this SAI.

 

Portfolio management is compensated for managing a Fund and any other funds, portfolios, or accounts for which they have exclusive or shared responsibilities through two components: fixed compensation and variable compensation. Compensation (both fixed and variable) is determined on a pre-tax basis.

 

Fixed Compensation: Fixed compensation is paid in cash and is comprised of an annual base salary. The base salary is based on factors such as performance, scope of responsibility, skills, knowledge, experience, ability, and market competitiveness.

 

Variable Compensation: Portfolio management’s variable compensation is discretionary and is determined by investment team management. The overall investment team variable compensation pool is funded by an amount equal to a percentage of Janus Henderson’s pre-incentive operating income. In determining individual awards, both quantitative and qualitative factors are considered. Such factors include, among other things, consistent short-term and long-term fund performance (i.e., one-, three-, and five-year performance), client support and investment team support through the sharing of ideas, leadership, development, mentoring, and teamwork.

 

Performance fees: The firm receives performance fees in relation to certain funds depending on outperformance of the fund against pre-determined benchmarks. Performance fees are shared directly with the investment professional in two instances; on a discretionary basis, if the fees were generated by certain products, and on a formulaic basis, if there is a contractual agreement in place.

 

The discretionary performance fee sharing incentives are funded from within the profit pools and subject to the same risk adjustment, review, and standard deferral arrangements that apply to the discretionary funding frameworks.

 

Deferrals/Firm Ownership: All employees are subject to Janus Henderson’s standard deferral arrangements which apply to variable incentive awards. Deferral rates apply to awards that exceed a minimum threshold, rates of deferral increase for larger incentive awards. Deferred awards vest in three equal installments over a 3-year period and are delivered into JHG restricted stock and/or funds.

 

Portfolio management may be eligible to defer payment of a designated percentage of their fixed compensation and/or up to all of their variable compensation in accordance with JHG’s Executive Income Deferral Program.

 

OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

 

As of October 31, 2024, portfolio management of the Funds described in this SAI beneficially owned securities of the Fund(s) they manage in the dollar range shown in the following table. Beneficial ownership may include amounts invested through contingent compensation plans.

 

Investment Personnel

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund(s) Managed

Benjamin Wang

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$100,001-$500,000

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

$100,001-$500,000

Zoey Zhu

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

None

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

None

 

 

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Principal Shareholders

 

 

To the best knowledge of Janus Detroit Street Trust, as of January 31, 2025, the officers and Trustees as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of each Fund. As of January 31, 2025, the percentage ownership of any person or entity owning 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any Fund is listed below. Any person or entity that beneficially owns, directly or through one or more controlled companies, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company is presumed to “control” such company. Accordingly, to the extent that a person or entity is identified as the beneficial owner of more than 25% of the voting securities of a Fund, or is identified as the record owner of more than 25% of a Fund and has voting and/or investment powers, that person or entity may be presumed to control such Fund. A controlling shareholder’s vote could have a more significant effect on matters presented to shareholders for approval than the vote of other Fund shareholders.

 

An Authorized Participant may hold of record more than 25% of the outstanding shares of a Fund. From time to time, Authorized Participants may be a beneficial and/or legal owner of a Fund, may be affiliated with an index provider, may be deemed to have control of a Fund and/or may be able to affect the outcome of matters presented for a vote of the shareholders of a Fund. Authorized Participants or other broker-dealers may execute an irrevocable proxy granting the Distributor or an affiliate of the Adviser power to vote or abstain from voting such Authorized Participant’s beneficially or legally owned shares of a Fund.

 

In such cases, the agent shall mirror vote (or abstain from voting) such shares in the same proportion as all other beneficial owners of a Fund. To the best knowledge of the Trust, entities shown as owning more than 25% of the outstanding shares of a Fund are not the beneficial owners of such shares, unless otherwise indicated. The following chart lists each shareholder or group of shareholders who beneficially (or of record) owned more than 5% of a Fund as of January 31, 2025:

 

Fund Name

Shareholder and Address of Record

Percentage
Ownership

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

Pershing LLC
Jersey City, NJ

37.34%

Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.
San Francisco, CA

20.36%

LPL Financial LLC
San Diego, CA

11.09%

National Financial Services LLC
New York, NY

9.14%

Raymond James St.
Petersburg, FL

5.00%

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

LPL Financial LLC
San Diego, CA

16.74%

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC
New York, NY

16.49%

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc.
Jacksonville, FL

13.57%

Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.
San Francisco, CA

12.68%

Pershing LLC
Jersey City, NJ

10.51%

National Financial Services LLC
New York, NY

9.57%

Raymond James
St. Petersburg, FL

5.84%

 

48

 

 

Miscellaneous Information

 

 

Each Fund is a series of the Trust, an open-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act and organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 6, 2015. As of the date of this SAI, the Trust offers 14 series of shares, known as “Funds.” The other series of the Trust are described in separate statements of additional information.

 

Fund Name

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

Janus Henderson Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Transformational Growth ETF

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

The Adviser reserves the right to the name “Janus Henderson.” In the event that the Adviser does not continue to provide investment advice to the Funds, the Funds must cease to use the name “Janus Henderson” as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

It is important to know that, pursuant to the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the authority to merge, liquidate, consolidate and/or reorganize a Fund into another fund without seeking shareholder vote or consent. Any such consolidation, merger, or reorganization may be authorized at any time by a vote of a majority of the Trustees then in office. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising their authority to liquidate a Fund, they may do so if a Fund fails to reach or maintain viable size or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board in its discretion.

 

Shares of the Trust

 

The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $0.001 per share for each series of the Trust. Shares of each series of the Trust are fully paid and nonassessable when issued. Shares of the Funds participate equally in dividends and other distributions by the shares of such Fund, and in residual assets of that Fund in the event of liquidation. Shares of each Fund have no preemptive, conversion, or subscription rights. Shares of each Fund may be transferred by endorsement or stock power as is customary, but a Fund is not bound to recognize any transfer until it is recorded on its books.

 

Shareholder Meetings

 

The Trust does not intend to hold annual or regular shareholder meetings unless otherwise required by the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act. Special meetings may be called for a specific fund or for the Trust as a whole for purposes such as changing fundamental policies, electing or removing Trustees, making any changes to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust that would affect shareholders’ voting rights (as specified in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust), determining whether to bring certain derivative actions, or for any other purpose requiring a shareholder vote under applicable law or the Trust’s governing documents, or as the Trustees consider necessary or desirable. Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, special meetings of shareholders of the Trust or of the Funds shall be called subject to certain

 

49

 

 

conditions, upon written request of shareholders owning shares representing at least 25% (or 10% to the extent required by the 1940 Act) of the shares then outstanding. The Funds will assist these shareholders in communicating with other shareholders in connection with such a meeting similar to that referred to in Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act.

 

Voting Rights

 

Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each Trustee of the Trust will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his or her earlier death, retirement, resignation, incapacity, or removal. Vacancies will be filled by appointment by a majority of the remaining Trustees, subject to the 1940 Act.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Participant Agreement, an Authorized Participant, to the extent that it is a beneficial owner of Fund shares, will irrevocably appoint the Distributor as its agent and proxy with full authorization and power to vote (or abstain from voting) its beneficially owned Fund shares. From time to time, other broker dealers making markets in shares of each Fund may execute similar, standalone agreements resulting in irrevocable assignment of proxy voting rights to the Adviser (or an affiliate), to the extent that such broker dealer beneficially owns Fund shares. The Distributor intends to vote such shares in accordance with its written supervisory procedures. The Adviser (or its affiliate) intends to vote such shares either by voting in proportion to the votes of other shareholders on a given matter (echo vote) or abstain from voting.

 

As a shareholder, you are entitled to one vote per share (with proportionate voting for fractional shares). Generally, each fund votes together as a single group, except where a separate vote of one or more funds is required by law or where the interests of one or more funds are affected differently from other funds. Shares of all series of the Trust have noncumulative voting rights, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the value of shares of all series of the Trust voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of the Trustees if they choose to do so. In such event, the holders of the remaining value of shares will not be able to elect any Trustees.

 

Investments By Other Investment Companies

 

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for the purpose of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 1900 16th Street, Suite 1600, Denver, Colorado 80202, the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Funds, audits the Funds’ annual financial statements and performs tax services for the Funds.

 

Registration Statement

 

The Trust has filed with the SEC, Washington, D.C., a Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to the securities to which this SAI relates. If further information is desired with respect to the Funds or such securities, reference is made to the Registration Statement and the exhibits filed as a part thereof.

 

50

 

 

Financial Statements

 

 

The financial statements and Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024 are hereby incorporated into this SAI by reference from the Funds’ Form N-CSR dated October 31, 2024.

 

51

 

 

Appendix A – Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

 

 

Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

 

Last Review Date: February 2024

 

52

 

 

Contents

1

Overview

56

1.1

Policy Statement

56

1.2

Key Principles

56

1.3

Scope

56

1.4

Roles and Responsibilities

56

1.5

References

57

2

Additional Definitions

57

3

Proxy Voting Procedures

57

3.1

Voting Generally

57

3.2

Abstentions

58

3.3

Funds of Funds

58

3.4

Conflicts of Interest

59

4

Reporting, Oversight and Recordkeeping

59

4.1

Client and Regulatory Reporting

59

4.2

Proxy Voting and Proxy Voting Service Oversight

60

4.3

Record Retention

60

5

Amendments

60

Proxy Voting Guidelines

60

Directors and Boards

61

Auditors and Accounting Issues

63

Compensation Issues

63

Capitalization, Issuances, Transactions, Shareholder Rights, and Other Corporate Matters

64

Environmental and Social Issues

65

Miscellaneous, Administrative and Routine Items

66

Proposals Outside the Guidelines

66

 

 

53

 

 

1 Overview

 

1.1 Policy Statement

 

Where Janus Henderson Investors has been provided voting discretion, it has a responsibility to vote proxies in the best interest of each client. Janus Henderson Investors has adopted this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients without regard to any relationship that Janus Henderson Investors or any affiliated person of Janus Henderson Investors may have with the issuer or personnel of the issuer. Subject to specific provisions in a client’s account documentation related to exception voting, Janus Henderson Investors will generally only accept direction from a client to vote proxies for that client’s account pursuant to: 1) the JHI Voting Guidelines; 2) the ISS Benchmark Policy; or 3) the ISS Taft-Hartley Voting Guidelines.

 

1.2 Key Principles

 

 

Janus Henderson Investors will vote proxies in the best interest of each client.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will identify and manage any conflicts of interest which might affect a voting decision.

 

Upon request, Janus Henderson Investors will provide clients with the proxy voting record for their accounts.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will publicly disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in Janus Henderson Investors’ view, it is appropriate.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will maintain records supporting its voting decisions.

 

1.3 Scope

 

This Policy applies to Janus Henderson Investors and each of the client accounts for which it has proxy voting responsibilities, other than those advised or sub-advised by Kapstream Capital Pty Ltd.

 

1.4 Roles and Responsibilities

 

Portfolio Management. Portfolio Management is responsible for determining how to vote proxies with respect to securities held in the client accounts they manage with input and support from the Responsible Investment and Governance Team, other representatives of Janus Henderson, and the Proxy Voting Service, as applicable. Where Portfolio Management chooses to vote contrary to the Guidelines and as otherwise specified herein, Portfolio Management is required to provide a written rationale sufficient to show why Portfolio Management reasonably believes the voting instruction is in the best interest of the client.

 

Asset Servicing. Asset Servicing is responsible for administering the proxy voting process as set forth in this Policy. Asset Servicing works with the Proxy Voting Service and is responsible for ensuring that all meeting notices are reviewed against the Guidelines, the ISS Benchmark Policy or the Taft-Hartley Guidelines, and proxy matters are communicated to Portfolio Management for consideration pursuant to this Policy.

 

Proxy Voting Committee. The Proxy Voting Committee develops Janus Henderson Investors’ positions on all major corporate issues, maintains and updates the Guidelines, manages conflicts of interest related to proxy voting and oversees the voting process generally, including by reviewing results of diligence on the Proxy Voting Service.

 

Proxy Voting Service. The Proxy Voting Service provides research services relating to proxy issues. The Proxy Voting Service also assists in certain functions relating to the voting of proxies. Among other things, the Proxy Voting Service is responsible for coordinating with clients’ custodians to ensure that all proxy materials received by the custodians relating to the clients’ portfolio securities are processed in a timely fashion. In addition, the Proxy Voting Service is responsible for submitting Janus Henderson Investors’ votes in accordance with the Guidelines or as otherwise instructed by Janus Henderson Investors and is responsible for maintaining copies of all proxy statements received from issuers and promptly providing such materials to Janus Henderson Investors upon request. The Proxy Voting Service also provides voting disclosure services, including preparing Form N-PX for Janus Henderson Investors and the Proprietary U.S. Funds.

 

 

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1.5 References

 

Rule 206(4)-7 of the Investment Advisers Act Rule 30b1-4 of the Investment Company Act

 

Rule 239.15 et seq. of the Investment Company Act

 

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)

 

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 231/2013, Article 37

 

Commission Directive 2010/43/EU, Article 21

 

FCA COLL 6.6A.6

 

CSSF Regulation 10-04, Article 23

 

UN Principles for Responsible Investment

 

IMAS Singapore Stewardship Principles

 

SFC Principles of Responsible Ownership

 

FRC UK Stewardship Code

 

2 Additional Definitions

 

Janus Henderson Investors includes all investment advisory subsidiaries of Janus Henderson Group plc, including, but not limited to, Janus Henderson Investors (Australia) Institutional Funds Management Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Singapore) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Japan) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Jersey) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors UK Limited, and Janus Henderson Investors US LLC.1

 

JHI Proxy Voting Guidelines or the Guidelines refers to the voting guidelines adopted by Janus Henderson Investors and outlined at Appendix A.

 

Policy means this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures.

 

Portfolio Management refers to the portfolio managers, assistant portfolio managers, and analysts supporting a given client account.

 

Proxy Voting Committee or the Committee refers to the Janus Henderson Investors Proxy Voting Committee. The Committee is comprised of representatives from the Asset Servicing, Compliance, Operational Risk as well as the Responsible Investment and Governance Team and equity portfolio management who provide input on behalf of the investment team. Internal legal counsel serves as a consultant to the Committee and is a non-voting member.

 

Proprietary U.S Funds refer to the series of Janus Investment Fund, Janus Aspen Series, Clayton Street Trust, and Janus Detroit Street Trust.

 

Proxy Voting Service or ISS refers to Institutional Shareholder Services Inc.

 

3 Proxy Voting Procedures

 

3.1 Voting Generally

 

Where the Guidelines address the proxy matter being voted on, votes will be cast in accordance with the Guidelines unless directed otherwise. Portfolio Management may vote contrary to the Guidelines at their discretion and with a written rationale sufficient to show why Portfolio Management reasonably believes the voting instruction is in the best interest of the client. Where the (1) Guidelines call for Portfolio Management input and/or (2) the proxy matter being voted on relates to a company and/or issue for which the Proxy Voting Service does not have research, analysis and/or a recommendation

 

 

1

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC has been designated by the Boards of Trustees of Janus Investment Fund, Janus Aspen Series, Clayton Street Trust, and Janus Detroit Street Trust to vote proxies for the Proprietary U.S. Funds, as applicable.

 

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available, the Proxy Voting Service will refer proxy questions to portfolio management for further instruction. In the event Portfolio Management is unable to provide input on a referred proxy item, Janus Henderson Investors will vote the proxy item consistent with the ISS Benchmark Policy.

 

Notwithstanding the above, with respect to clients who have instructed Janus Henderson Investors to vote proxies in accordance with the Taft-Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy, the Proxy Voting Service will cast all proxy votes in strict accordance with those policies.

 

Janus Henderson relies on pre-populated and/or automated voting. That means the Proxy Voting Service will automatically populate the proxy voting system in accordance with the Guidelines, the Taft- Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy. For those proxy proposals with a default policy position, the votes will be cast as populated in the system by the Proxy Voting Service unless directed otherwise by Janus Henderson Investors.

 

From time to time, issuers and/or ballot issue sponsors may publicly report additional information that may be relevant to the application of the Guidelines, the Taft-Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy or the exercise of discretion by Portfolio Management (“supplemental materials”). To the extent the Proxy Voting Service identifies such supplemental materials, it will review that information and determine whether it has a material effect on the application of the Guidelines, the Taft-Hartley Guidelines, or the ISS Benchmark Policy. The Proxy Voting Service is then responsible for ensuring that any votes pre-populated in the proxy voting system are appropriately updated and Janus Henderson is provided appropriate notice of such changes, including through availability of an updated research report. In all events, the Proxy Voting Service will notify Janus Henderson Investors of any supplemental materials identified so that they can be considered as part of the voting process, including with respect to items requiring Portfolio Management input.

 

3.2 Abstentions

 

Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that in certain circumstances the cost to clients associated with casting a proxy vote may exceed the benefits received by clients from doing so. In those situations, Janus Henderson Investors may decide to abstain from voting. For instance, in many countries, shareholders who vote proxies for shares of an issuer are not able to trade in that company’s stock within a given period of time on or around the shareholder meeting date (“share blocking”). In countries where share blocking is practiced, Janus Henderson Investors will only vote proxies if Janus Henderson Investors determines that the benefit of voting the proxies outweighs the risk of not being able to sell the securities. Similarly, in some instances, Janus Henderson Investors may participate in a securities lending program. Generally, if shares of an issuer are on loan, the voting rights are transferred and the lending party cannot vote the shares. In deciding whether to recall securities on loan, Janus Henderson Investors will evaluate whether the benefit of voting the proxies outweighs the cost of recalling them consistent with requirements of applicable securities lending procedures. Furthermore, in circumstances where a client held a security as of record date, but the holdings were sold prior to the shareholder meeting, Janus Henderson Investors may abstain from voting that proxy.

 

3.3 Funds of Funds

 

Janus Henderson Investors advises certain accounts that invest in other funds (“funds of funds”) advised by Janus Henderson Investors or its affiliated persons (“underlying funds”). From time to time, a fund of funds may be required to vote proxies for the underlying funds in which it is invested. In those circumstances, there may be a conflict of interest between Janus Henderson Investors and its clients. Except as noted below, to mitigate that conflict, whenever an underlying fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders which would otherwise require portfolio manager discretion under the Guidelines, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote shares in accordance with the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service. Janus Henderson Investors will generally abstain from voting shares where the Proxy Voting Service does not have a recommendation; although, it may alternatively vote in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders in the underlying fund (“echo vote”) in limited cases. Whenever an underlying fund that is a Proprietary U.S. Fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders, Janus Henderson Investors will echo vote shares held by a fund-of-funds account or refrain from voting such shares to the extent that cost or other considerations outweigh the benefits of voting such shares.

 

In addition, certain Proprietary U.S. Funds may invest in exchange-traded funds and other funds advised by unaffiliated persons (“acquired funds,” and each, an “acquired fund”) pursuant to Rule 12d1-4 under the Investment Company Act (“Rule 12d1-4”). To the extent a Proprietary U.S. Fund and its advisory group, as defined in Rule 12d1-4 (“advisory group”), individually or in the aggregate become the holders of (i) more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired open- end fund or unit investment trust as a result of a decrease in the outstanding securities of that acquired open-end fund or unit investment trust or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired registered closed-

 

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end management investment company or business development company, Janus Henderson Investors will ensure that the Proprietary U.S. Fund and other funds and accounts in the advisory group echo vote the shares of the acquired fund; provided, however, that in circumstances where all holders of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired fund are required to echo vote pursuant to Rule 12d1-4, a Proprietary U.S. Fund and other funds and accounts in the advisory group will solicit voting instructions from its shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies with respect to such acquired fund securities and vote such proxies only in accordance with such instructions.

 

3.4 Conflicts of Interest

 

Because the Guidelines, the ISS Benchmark Policy and the Taft-Hartley Guidelines pre-establish voting positions, application of those rules to default positions should, in most cases, adequately address any possible conflicts of interest. For situations where Portfolio Management seeks to exercise discretion when voting proxies, Janus Henderson Investors has implemented additional policies and controls described below to mitigate any conflicts of interest.

 

Portfolio Management is required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may affect its exercise of voting discretion. Actual or potential conflicts of interest include but are not limited to the existence of any communications from the issuer, proxy solicitors or others designed to improperly influence Portfolio Management in exercising its discretion or the existence of significant relationships with the issuer.

 

Janus Henderson Investors also proactively monitors and tests proxy votes for any actual or potential conflicts of interest. Janus Henderson Investors maintains a list of significant relationships for purposes of assessing potential conflicts with respect to proxy voting, which may include significant intermediaries, vendors or service providers, clients, and other relationships. In the event Portfolio Management votes against the Guidelines with respect to an issuer on the significant relationships list, Asset Servicing will notify the Committee which will review the rationale provided by Portfolio Management. In the event Portfolio Management votes contrary to Proxy Voting Service’s recommendations and with management as to an issuer on the significant relationships list, Asset Servicing will notify the Committee, which will review the rationale provided by Portfolio Management. If the Committee determines the rationale is inadequate, the proxy vote will be cast as in accordance with the Guidelines or as instructed by the Committee. In addition, on a quarterly basis, the Committee reviews all votes that deviate from the Guidelines and assesses the adequacy of Portfolio Management’s stated rationale.

 

Any personal conflict of interest related to a specific proxy vote should be reported to the Committee prior to casting a vote. In the event a personal conflict of interest is disclosed or identified, the Committee will determine whether that person should recuse himself or herself from the voting determination process. In such circumstances, the proxy vote will be cast in accordance with the Guidelines or as instructed by the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate. Compliance also reviews all refer votes contrary to the ISS recommendations and with management to identify any undisclosed personal conflicts of interest.

 

If a proxy vote is referred to the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate or to the Committee, the decision made and basis for the decision will be documented by the Committee.

 

To mitigate perceived or potential conflicts of interest, in instances where a proxy is for a Janus Henderson managed fund in which seed or other proprietary capital is invested, Janus Henderson Investors will generally instruct that such shares be voted in the same proportion as other shares are voted with respect to a proposal, subject to applicable legal, regulatory and operational requirements.

 

4 Reporting, Oversight and Recordkeeping

 

4.1 Client and Regulatory Reporting

 

Janus Henderson Investors will provide clients with such information on proxy voting in their accounts as contractually agreed or reasonably requested. Janus Henderson Investors will present this Policy and the Guidelines to the boards of trustees of the Proprietary U.S. Funds at least annually and shall provide such other information and reports requested by such boards to fulfill their oversight function.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will provide other third parties with such information on proxy voting as set forth herein. Janus Henderson Investors will publicly disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in Janus Henderson Investors’ view, it is appropriate. On an annual basis, Janus Henderson

 

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Investors will provide proxy voting records for each Proprietary U.S. Fund for the one-year period ending on June 30th on Janus Henderson Investors’ website at www.janushenderson.com/proxyvoting. Such voting record, on Form N-PX, is also available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov no later than August 31 of each year.2 Janus Henderson Investors may also privately disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending where appropriate and consistent with other applicable policy, legal, and regulatory requirements.

 

Except as noted in this Policy or required by law, Janus Henderson Investors generally does not provide information to anyone on how it voted or intends to vote on any matters still pending. Unless that information has otherwise been made public, Janus Henderson Investors may only confirm to issuers, their agents or other third parties that votes have been cast but not how or how many votes were cast. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Portfolio Management may indicate to issuers, proxy solicitors and proxy advisory firms how they voted or intend to vote in the context of the engagement and investment analysis process. Portfolio Management also may indicate to other shareholders how they voted or intend to vote subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

 

A complete copy of the Policy is available at www.janushenderson.com.

 

4.2 Proxy Voting and Proxy Voting Service Oversight

 

The Committee will ensure sufficient oversight of proxy voting through periodic review of voting decisions, operational issues and conflicts of interest as discussed herein. The Committee will review such information as it deems appropriate to discharge these responsibilities.

 

In addition, Janus Henderson Investors will conduct periodic due diligence reviews of the Proxy Voting Service via on-site, video, or telephonic meetings and by written questionnaires. As part of this periodic due diligence process, Janus Henderson Investors shall collect information that is reasonably sufficient to support the conclusion that the Proxy Voting Service has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze the matters for which they provide research and voting recommendations. In connection with the periodic due diligence review, Janus Henderson Investors shall consider, among other things, (1) the adequacy and quality of the Proxy Voting Service’s staffing, personnel, and/or technology; (2) disclosure from the Proxy Voting Service regarding its methodologies in formulating voting recommendations; and (3) whether the Proxy Voting Service has adequate policies and procedures to identify, disclose, and address actual and potential conflicts of interest. In further exercise of its oversight responsibility, Janus Henderson Investors shall periodically sample the proxy votes cast on behalf of clients to ensure whether the Guidelines were applied correctly to such votes.

 

4.3 Record Retention

 

Janus Henderson Investors will retain proxy statements received regarding client securities, records of votes cast on behalf of clients, records of client requests for proxy voting information and all documents prepared by Janus Henderson Investors regarding votes cast in contradiction to the Guidelines. In addition, Janus Henderson Investors will retain internally-generated documents that are material to a proxy voting decision, such as the Guidelines, Committee materials and other internal research relating to voting decisions. Proxy statements received from issuers are generally available from the issuer’s, the relevant regulatory authority’s and/or the market place’s websites. They may also be available from the third-party voting service upon request. All materials discussed above will be retained in accordance with any applicable record retention obligations.

 

5 Amendments

 

This Policy is subject to review on an annual or more frequent basis by the Committee. In reviewing the Policy, the Committee reviews Janus Henderson Investors’ proxy voting record over the prior year, including exceptions to the Guidelines requested by Portfolio Management to determine whether any adjustments should be made. The Committee also reviews changes to the Guidelines recommended by the Proxy Voting Service, discusses such changes with the Proxy Voting Service, and solicits feedback from Portfolio Management on such changes. Once the Guidelines have been approved by the Committee and clients where required, they are distributed to Asset Servicing and the Proxy Voting Service for implementation.

 

 

2

Janus Henderson Investors will also provide proxy voting records on say-on-pay issues consistent with requirements of Rule 14Ad-1.

 

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Proxy Voting Guidelines

 

Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote all proxies relating to portfolio securities held in client accounts for which it has been delegated voting authority in accordance with the Policy, including these Guidelines, and the implementation instructions provided to the Proxy Voting Service. Nonetheless, because proxy issues and the circumstances of individual companies are varied, there may be instances when Janus Henderson Investors may not vote in strict adherence to the Guidelines. Portfolio Management is responsible for monitoring significant corporate developments, including proxy proposals submitted to shareholders, and instructing votes contrary to the Guidelines where they reasonably believe that is in the best interest of clients.

 

Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that corporate governance systems vary a great deal between jurisdictions according to factors such as cultural issues, laws and regulations, the extent of shareholder rights, the level of dispersed ownership and the stage of development more generally. In formulating our approach to corporate governance, we are conscious that a “one size fits all” policy is not appropriate. We will therefore seek to vary our voting activities according to the local market and its standards of best practices.

 

While Janus Henderson Investors has attempted to address the most common issues through the Guidelines, there will be various proxy voting proposals that are not addressed by the Guidelines or that require case-by-case resolution under the Guidelines. In addition, it may not be appropriate to apply certain Guidelines to investment types such as mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and closed-end funds, in which case Janus Henderson Investors will generally rely on the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service unless otherwise specified in the Policy. Moreover, there may be various proxy voting proposals as to which the Proxy Voting Service does not have or provide research, analysis and recommendations. For example, the Proxy Voting Service may not provide research, analysis and recommendations for proxy voting proposals of privately-held companies. In such instances, those proposals will be referred to Portfolio Management for resolution. In exercising discretion, Janus Henderson Investors may take into consideration the information and recommendations of the Proxy Voting Service but will vote all proxies based on its own conclusions regarding the best interests of its clients.

 

In many cases, a security may be held by client accounts managed by multiple portfolio managers. While Janus Henderson Investors generally casts votes consistently across client accounts it manages, different portfolio managers may vote differently on the same matter in the exercise of their discretion. For example, different portfolio managers may reasonably reach different conclusions as to what is in the best interest of their clients based on their independent judgments. In addition, in rare circumstances, an individual portfolio manager may reasonably reach different conclusions as to what is in the best interests of different clients depending on each individual client account’s investment strategy or its objectives.

 

Directors and Boards

Janus Henderson Investors recognises the diversity of corporate governance models across different markets and does not advocate any one form of board structure. However, it also recognises there are certain key functions which are or should be common across all markets:

 

 

Reviewing and guiding corporate strategy, major plans of action, risk policy, annual budgets and business plans; setting performance objectives; monitoring implementation and corporate performance; and overseeing major capital expenditures, acquisitions and divestitures;

 

Monitoring the effectiveness of the company’s governance practices and making changes as needed; Selecting, compensating, monitoring and, where necessary, replacing key executives and overseeing succession planning;

 

Aligning key executive and board compensation with the longer-term interests of the company and its shareholders;

 

Ensuring a formal and transparent board nomination and election process;

 

Monitoring and managing potential conflicts of interest of management, board members and shareholders, including misuse of corporate assets and abuse in related party transactions;

 

Ensuring the integrity of the corporation’s accounting and financial reporting systems, including the independent audit, and that appropriate systems of control are in place, in particular, systems for risk management, financial and operational control, and compliance with the law and relevant standards;

 

Monitoring the quality of relationships with key stakeholders; and

 

Overseeing the process of disclosure and communications.

 

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Boards of directors should include the number and types of qualified directors sufficient to ensure effective discharge of these responsibilities, including independent non-executive directors with appropriate skills, experience, and knowledge. The responsibilities of such non-executive directors should include monitoring and contributing effectively to the strategy and performance of management, staffing key committees of the board, and influencing the conduct of the board as a whole. Consistent with this principle of independence, a board of directors should generally have a non-executive chairperson.

 

The board of directors should establish audit, compensation, and nomination/succession committees. These should be composed wholly or predominantly of independent directors. Companies should publicly disclose the terms of reference of these committees and give an account to shareholders in an annual report or other regulatory filing of how their responsibilities have been discharged. The chairpersons and members of these committees should be appointed by the board as a whole according to a transparent procedure.

 

Janus Henderson Investors believes the board of directors, or supervisory board, as an entity, and each of its members, as an individual, is a fiduciary for all shareholders, and should be accountable to the shareholder body as a whole. Each director should therefore generally stand for election on an annual basis.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Board Classification – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to classify boards of directors and for proposals to declassify boards of directors.

 

Board Size – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to increase the size of a board of directors so long as the board would retain a majority of independent directors. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to decrease the size of a board of directors which are intended as anti-takeover measures.

 

Director Independence – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to increase the minimum number of independent directors. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to separate the role of the chairman from the role of the CEO.

 

Director Indemnification – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals regarding director or officer indemnification arrangements provided such provisions are not deemed excessive or inappropriate.

 

Uncontested Elections –Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of director candidates that result in the board having a majority of independent directors and oppose director candidates that result in the board not having a majority of independent directors. After taking into consideration country-specific practices, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of individual director candidates unless:

 

 

they attend less than 75% of the board and committee meetings without a valid excuse;

 

they ignore or otherwise fail to respond appropriately to shareholder proposals receiving majority shareholder support;

 

they are not responsive to advisory votes on executive compensation matters;

 

they fail to provide appropriate oversight of company’s risk management practices;

 

they are non-independent directors and sit on the audit, compensation or nominating committees;

 

they are non-independent directors and the board does not have an audit, compensation, or nominating committee;

 

they are audit committee members and the non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive;

 

they are audit committee members and poor accounting practices rise to a level of serious concern, or other serious issues surrounding the audit process or arrangement exist;

 

they serve as directors on an excessive number of boards;

 

they are compensation committee members and the company has poor compensation practices;

 

they adopt a long term poison pill without shareholder approval or make material adverse changes to an existing poison pill;

 

they are the chair of the nominating committee, or are otherwise responsible for the nomination process, of a board that does not have a minimum level of female directors, and the company has not provided a sufficient explanation for its lack of gender diversity;

 

they are the chair of the nominating committee, or are otherwise responsible for the nomination process, of a board that does not have any apparent racial/ethnic diversity, and the company has not provided a sufficient explanation for its lack of racial/ethnic diversity;

 

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they are the chair of the responsible committee of a company that is a significant greenhouse gas emitter3 where such company is not taking minimum steps needed to understand, assess, and mitigate risks related to climate change;

 

they amend the company’s bylaws or charter without shareholder approval in a manner that materially diminishes shareholders’ rights or that could adversely impact shareholders; and/or

 

the company employs a capital structure with unequal voting rights.

 

Contested Elections – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals relating to contested director candidates on case-by-case basis.

 

Cumulative Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to adopt cumulative voting unless otherwise recommended by the Proxy Voting Service.

 

Auditors and Accounting Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes boards of directors should maintain robust structures and processes to ensure sound internal controls and to oversee all aspects of relationships with auditors. Boards of directors should generally have appropriately constituted audit committees with sufficient levels of financial expertise in accordance with prevailing legislation or best practice. The audit committee should ensure that the company gives a balanced and clear presentation of its financial position and prospects and clearly explains its accounting principles and policies. The audit committee should ensure that the independence of the external auditors is not compromised by conflicts of interest (e.g., financial conflicts arising from the award of non-audit assignments).

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Uncontested Auditors – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to approve external or statutory auditors and auditor compensation unless:

 

 

the auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company and is therefore not independent;

 

fees for non-audit services are excessive;

 

there is reason to believe the auditor has rendered an opinion which may be neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position;

 

the auditor is being changed without explanation; or

 

the auditor is not identified by name.

 

Contested Auditors – Janus Henderson Investors will evaluate proposals relating to contested auditors on a case-by-case basis.

 

Compensation Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes compensation of executive directors and key executives should be aligned with the interests of shareholders. Performance criteria attached to share-based compensation should be demanding. Requirements for directors and senior executives to acquire and retain company shares that are meaningful in the context of their cash compensation are also appropriate. The design of senior executives’ contracts should not commit companies to ‘payment for failure’. Boards should pay attention to minimising this risk when drawing up contracts and to resist pressure to concede excessively generous severance conditions. Any share-based compensation should be subject to shareholder approval.

 

Companies should disclose in each annual report or proxy statement the board’s policies on executive compensation (and preferably the compensation of individual board members and top executives), as well as the composition of such compensation so that investors can judge whether corporate pay policies and practices are appropriately designed.

 

Broad-based employee share ownership plans or other profit-sharing programs are effective market mechanisms that promote employee participation. When reviewing whether to support proposed new share schemes, we place particular importance on the following factors:

 

 

The overall potential cost of the scheme, including the level of dilution;

 

The issue price of share options relative to the market price;

 

The use of performance conditions aligning the interests of participants with shareholders;

 

The holding period (i.e., the length of time from the award date to the earliest date of exercise); and

 

 

3

Janus Henderson Investors will apply the same definition as used by the Proxy Voting Service.

 

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The level of disclosure.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Executive and Director Equity-Based Compensation Plans – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of equity-based compensation plans unless they create an inconsistent relationship between long-term share performance and compensation, do not demonstrate good stewardship of investors’ interests, or contain problematic features. Janus Henderson Investors considers the following, non-exhaustive list of practices to be problematic and generally votes against plans or amendments to plans that:

 

 

provide for re-pricing of underwater options;

 

provide for automatic replenishment (“evergreen”) or reload options;

 

create an inconsistent relationship between long term share performance and compensation increases; and/or

 

are proposed by management and do not demonstrate good stewardship of investors’ interests regarding executive compensation or are a vehicle for poor compensation practices.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals permitting material amendments to equity-based compensation plans without shareholder approval.

 

Long-Term Ownership – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals intended to increase long-term stock ownership by executives, officers, and directors. These may include:

 

 

requiring executive officers and directors to hold a minimum amount of stock in the company;

 

requiring stock acquired through exercised options to be held for a certain period of time; and

 

using restricted stock grants instead of options.

 

Director and Officer Loans – Janus Henderson Investors will generally oppose proposals requesting approval of loans to officers, executives, and board members of an issuer.

 

Say-on-Pay – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of annual advisory votes on executive compensation (say-on-pay frequency). Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote with management on advisory votes on executive compensation (say-on-pay) unless Janus Henderson Investors determines problematic pay practices are maintained.

 

Executive Severance Agreements – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals to approve or cancel executive severance agreements on a case-by-case basis. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to require executive severance agreements to be submitted for shareholder approval unless the proposal requires shareholder approval prior to entering into employment contracts.

 

Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOP) and Stock Purchase Plans (ESPP) – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals relating to ESOPs and ESPPs unless the shares purchased through the plans are discounted more than the market norm, the shares allocated to the plans are excessive, and/or the plans contain other problematic features.

 

Option Expensing and Repricing – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals requiring the expensing of options. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals providing for the repricing of options.

 

Capitalization, Issuances, Transactions, Shareholder Rights, and Other Corporate Matters

Janus Henderson Investors believes all shareholders should be treated equitably. Companies’ ordinary shares should provide one vote for each share, and companies should act to ensure the owners’ rights to vote.

 

Any major strategic modifications to the core businesses of a company should not be made without prior shareholder approval. Equally, any major corporate changes, which in substance or effect, materially dilute the equity or erode the economic interests or share ownership rights of existing shareholders should not be made without prior shareholder approval of the proposed change. Such changes may include but are not limited to modifications to articles or bylaws and the implementation of shareholder rights plans or so called “poison pills.”

 

We will not support proposals that have the potential to reduce shareholder rights, such as significant open-ended authorities to issue shares without pre-emption rights or anti-takeover proposals, unless companies provide a compelling rationale for why they are in shareholder interests.

 

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In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Capital Stock – Subject to local market standards, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals seeking to increase the number of shares of common or preferred stock authorized for issue unless the company does not adequately justify the need for the additional shares. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to authorize preferred stock whose voting, conversion, dividend, and other rights are determined at the discretion of the board of directors when the stock is issued (“blank check stock”). Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals for different classes of stock with different voting rights.

 

Stock Splits – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to split shares unless they negatively affect the ability to trade shares or the economic value of a share.

 

Share Issuances - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals related to share issuances with and without preemptive rights, provided that voting in favor of such proposals is consistent with local market standards, such proposals are not considered excessive in the context of the issuer and such proposals do not provide for different levels of voting rights.

 

Debt Issuances – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals regarding the issuance of debt, including convertible debt, on a case- by-case basis.

 

Mergers, Acquisitions and Other Significant Corporate Transactions – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals regarding acquisitions, mergers, related party transactions, tender offers, or changes in control on a case-by-case basis, including any related proposals such as share issuances or advisory votes on golden parachutes.

 

Reorganization, Restructuring and Liquidation – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate plans of reorganization, restructuring and liquidation on a case-by-case basis.

 

Shareholder Rights Plans and Other Anti-Takeover Mechanisms – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against shareholder rights plans or other proposals designed to prevent or obstruct corporate takeovers (includes poison pills), unless such measures are proposed in a transparent and independent fashion and designed primarily as a short-term means to protect a tax benefit, or are structured in such a way that they give shareholders the ultimate decision on any proposal or offer. This general policy supersedes any other more specific policy to the contrary.

 

Change in Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals regarding changes in the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of an issuer.

 

Confidential Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to provide for confidential voting and independent tabulation of voting results.

 

Supermajority Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to provide for supermajority voting (e.g., to approve acquisitions or mergers).

 

Special Meetings – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals to allow shareholders to call special meetings. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of shareholder proposals to allow shareholders to call special meetings, unless such right is already provided at a level consistent with local best practice and the shareholder proposal would further reduce the required threshold. Such proposals will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

 

Written Consents – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent. Where supported by the Proxy Voting Service, Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent on a case-by-case basis; otherwise, Janus Henderson will generally vote against proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent.

 

Proxy Access – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals related to proxy access on a case-by-case basis.

 

Environmental and Social Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes that good management of stakeholder relationships contributes to business success and long-term shareholder value. These stakeholders include not only shareholders but also employees, consumers, debtholders, business partners, neighbors, and the wider global community. Janus Henderson Investors also recognises the importance of environmental issues such as climate change and social issues such as diversity & inclusion to all these stakeholder groups.

 

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As a fiduciary for its clients, Janus Henderson Investors is primarily concerned with the impact of proposals on a company’s performance and economic value. Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that environmental and social issues are associated with risks, costs and benefits which can have a significant impact on company performance over the short and long term. When evaluating the merits of proposals on environmental and social issues, Janus Henderson Investors will weigh the risks, costs, and benefits of supporting the proposals against those presented by alternatives, including potentially seeking similar outcomes through direct engagement activities with management. Janus Henderson Investors will generally support management proposals addressing environmental and social issues unless we identify significant weaknesses relative to market practice or peers. Janus Henderson Investors will generally support shareholder proposals addressing environmental and social issues where we identify significant areas of weakness or deficiency relative to peers and/or industry best practices or feel that management has failed to adequately respond to shareholder concerns.

 

Miscellaneous, Administrative and Routine Items

Janus Henderson Investors believes that management should generally have discretion to make certain types of decisions, including how to use existing capital. In addition, in certain jurisdictions, shareholder approval of certain routine or administrative matters may be required. On these types of issues, Janus Henderson Investors will generally defer to management unless it believes these decisions are not being made, or these actions are not being taken, in good faith.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Dividends – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals relating to the issuance of dividends. Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals relating to the issuance of dividends on a case-by-case basis.

 

Share Repurchase Plans - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals regarding share repurchases. Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals relating to share repurchases on a case-by-case basis.

 

“Other Business” – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to approve “other business” when it appears as a voting item.

 

Designation of Exclusive Forum - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals designating an exclusive forum in federal court or Delaware state court (for companies organized in Delaware). Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals designating an exclusive forum in other jurisdictions on a case- by-case basis.

 

Proposals Outside the Guidelines

For proposals outside the scope of the Guidelines or instructions otherwise provided to the Proxy Voting Service, Janus Henderson Investors will generally rely on the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service.

 

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janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, Colorado 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Listing Exchange

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

JRE

NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Statement of Additional Information

 


 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) expands upon and supplements the information contained in the current Prospectus for Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF (the “Fund”), which is a separate series of Janus Detroit Street Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”). This series of the Trust represents shares of beneficial interest in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets with its own objective and policies.

 

This SAI is not a Prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s Prospectus dated February 28, 2025, and any supplements thereto, which are incorporated by reference into this SAI and may be obtained by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, at janushenderson.com/info, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This SAI contains additional and more detailed information about the Fund’s operations and activities than the Prospectus. The audited financial statements for the Fund, the notes relating thereto, and the related reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, are incorporated by reference into this SAI from the Trust's most recent Form N-CSR, which contains important financial information about the Fund. The Annual and Semiannual Reports (as they become available) are available, without charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, at janushenderson.com/info, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434.

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Classification, Investment Policies and Restrictions, and Investment Strategies and Risks

2

Investment Adviser

19

Custodian, Transfer Agent, and Certain Affiliations

24

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

25

Shares of the Trust

30

Securities Lending

39

Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status

40

Trustees and Officers

45

Principal Shareholders

53

Miscellaneous Information

54

Shares of the Trust

54

Shareholder Meetings

54

Voting Rights

55

Investments By Other Investment Companies

55

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

55

Registration Statement

55

Financial Statements

56

Appendix A — Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

57

 

 

Classification, Investment Policies and Restrictions,
and Investment Strategies and Risks

 

 

JANUS DETROIT STREET TRUST

 

This Statement of Additional Information includes information about the Fund, which operates as an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) and is a series of the Trust, an open-end, management investment company.

 

The Fund offers and issues shares at its net asset value (“NAV”) per share only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (“Creation Unit”), in exchange for a designated portfolio of securities, assets or other positions and/or cash (the “Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”). Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Listing Exchange”), a national securities exchange. Shares of the Fund are traded in the secondary market and elsewhere at market prices that may be at, above or below the Fund’s NAV. Unlike mutual funds, the Fund’s shares are not individually redeemable securities. Rather, the Fund’s shares are redeemable only in Creation Units, and, generally, in exchange for portfolio investments and a Cash Component. The size of a Creation Unit to purchase shares of the Fund may differ from the size of a Creation Unit required to redeem shares of the Fund. The size of a Creation Unit may be modified by Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) with prior notification to the Fund’s Authorized Participants. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. In the event of liquidation of the Fund, the number of shares in a Creation Unit may be significantly reduced.

 

The Fund may charge creation/redemption transaction fees for each creation and redemption. In all cases, transaction fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. Some of the information in this SAI and the Prospectus, such as information about purchasing and redeeming shares from the Fund and transaction fees, is not relevant to most retail investors because it applies only to transactions for Creation Units. Refer to “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” below.

 

Once created, the Fund’s shares generally trade in the secondary market, at market prices that change throughout the day, in amounts less than a Creation Unit. Investors purchasing the Fund’s shares in the secondary market through a brokerage account or with the assistance of a broker may be subject to brokerage commissions and charges.

 

Unlike index-based ETFs, the Fund is “actively managed” and does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index.

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Listing Exchange and other secondary markets. Shares of the Fund may also be listed on certain foreign (non U.S.) exchanges. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Listing Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares of the Fund will continue to be met. The Listing Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of the Fund from listing under the following circumstances, as may be applicable: (i) if the Listing Exchange becomes aware that the Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); (ii) if the Fund fails to meet certain continuing listing standards of the Listing Exchange; (iii) if following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of Fund shares, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of shares of the Fund; or (iv) if any other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Listing Exchange, makes further dealings on the Listing Exchange inadvisable. The Listing Exchange will remove the shares of the Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund. In the event the Fund ceases to be listed on an exchange, the Fund may cease operating as an “exchange-traded” fund and operate as a mutual fund, provided that shareholders are given advance notice.

 

As in the case of other publicly-traded securities, when you buy or sell shares through a financial intermediary you will incur a brokerage commission determined by that financial intermediary.

 

In order to provide additional information regarding the intra-day value of shares of the Fund (the "iNAV"), the Listing Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other widely disseminated means an updated iNAV for the Fund as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Trust is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the iNAV and makes no

 

2

 

 

representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the iNAV. Shares of the Fund trade on the Listing Exchange or in the secondary market at prices that may differ from their NAV because such prices may be affected by market forces (such as supply and demand for the Fund’s shares). The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share prices of the Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

 

The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the Listing Exchange. The Listing Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives. The Listing Exchange has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the Fund.

 

CLASSIFICATION

 

The 1940 Act classifies funds as either diversified or nondiversified. The Fund is classified as nondiversified.

 

ADVISER

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) is the investment adviser for the Fund.

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS APPLICABLE TO THE FUND

 

The Fund is subject to certain fundamental policies and restrictions that may not be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholder approval means approval by the lesser of: (i) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund if a matter affects just the Fund) or (ii) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund) are present or represented by proxy. The following policies are fundamental policies of the Fund.

 

The Fund may not:

 

(1) Invest 25% or more of the value of its net assets in any particular industry or group of industries (other than U.S. Government securities, including those issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, and securities of other investment companies) except that the Fund will invest 25% or more of the value of its net assets in the real estate industry and real estate-related industries.

 

(2) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this limitation shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling foreign currencies, options, futures, swaps, forward contracts, or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

(3) Lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than one-third of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties (but this limitation does not apply to investments in repurchase agreements, commercial paper, debt securities, or loans, including assignments and participation interests).

 

(4) Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities.

 

(5) Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules or regulations thereunder or other governing statute, or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or otherwise as permitted by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund. This policy shall not prohibit short sales transactions, or futures, options, swaps, repurchase transactions (including reverse repurchase agreements), or forward transactions. The Fund may not issue “senior securities” in contravention of the 1940 Act.

 

(6) Invest directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, the Fund may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses.

 

3

 

 

As a fundamental policy, the Fund may, notwithstanding any other investment policy or limitation (whether or not fundamental), invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies, and limitations as the Fund.

 

The Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) has adopted additional investment restrictions for the Fund. These restrictions are operating policies of the Fund and may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval. The additional restrictions adopted by the Trustees to date include the following:

 

(1) If the Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

(2) The Fund may sell securities short if it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor (“short sales against the box”). In addition, the Fund may engage in short sales other than against the box, which involve selling a security that the Fund borrows and does not own. The Trustees may impose limits on the Fund’s investments in short sales, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. Transactions in futures, options, swaps, and forward contracts not involving short sales are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

 

(3) The Fund does not intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in connection with transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swaps, forward contracts, “to be announced” commitments, and other permitted investment techniques shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.

 

(4) The Fund may not mortgage or pledge any securities owned or held by the Fund in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s NAV, provided that this limitation does not apply to: reverse repurchase agreements; deposits of assets to margin; guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps, or forward contracts; or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.

 

(5) The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets.

 

(6) The Fund may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.

 

Under the terms of an exemptive order received from the SEC, the Fund may borrow money from or lend money to other funds that permit such transactions and for which the Adviser or one of its affiliates serves as investment adviser. All such borrowing and lending will be subject to the above limits and to the limits and other conditions in such exemptive order. The Fund will borrow money through the program only when the costs are equal to or lower than the cost of bank loans. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. The Fund will lend through the program only when the returns are higher than those available from other short-term instruments (such as repurchase agreements). The Fund may have to borrow from a bank at a higher interest rate if an interfund loan is called or not renewed. Any delay in repayment to the lending Fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional borrowing costs, and interfund loans are subject to the risk that the borrowing fund may be unable to repay the loan when due. While it is expected that the Fund may borrow money through the program to satisfy redemption requests or to cover unanticipated cash shortfalls, the Fund may elect to not participate in the program during times of market uncertainty or distress or for other reasons.

 

For purposes of the Fund’s fundamental policy related to investments in real estate, the policy does not prohibit the purchase of securities directly or indirectly secured by real estate or interests therein, or issued by entities that invest in real estate or interests therein, such as, but not limited to, corporations, partnerships, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), and other REIT-like entities, such as foreign entities that have REIT characteristics.

 

Except for the Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments and borrowing, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this SAI and/or the Fund’s Prospectus normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if the Fund exceeds a limit as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

4

 

 

For purposes of the Fund’s policies on investing in particular industries, the Fund utilizes any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized third-party providers and/or as defined by the Adviser. The policy will be interpreted to give broad authority to the Fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries. The Fund may change any source used for determining industry classifications and sub-classifications without prior shareholder notice or approval.

 

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

 

A discussion of the principal strategies and risks associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Fund’s Prospectus under the headings “Principal Investment Strategy”, “Principal Investment Risks”, and “Risks of the Fund.” The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

As a fundamental policy, the Fund will concentrate in securities of issuers in the real estate industry and real estate-related industries.

 

General Considerations and Risks

Investments in the Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the portfolio of securities held by the Fund may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of common stocks generally and other factors.

 

An investment in the Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the securities markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Fund shares). Securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic and banking crises.

 

The principal trading market for some of the securities held by the Fund may be in the over-the-counter market. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of the Fund’s shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent or if bid/ask spreads are wide.

 

Diversification

Funds are classified as either diversified or nondiversified. To be classified as diversified under the 1940 Act, a fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any issuer and may not own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer. A fund that is classified as nondiversified under the 1940 Act is not subject to the same restrictions and therefore has the ability to take larger positions in more securities than a fund that is classified as diversified. This gives a fund that is classified as nondiversified flexibility to focus its investments in companies that portfolio management has identified as the most attractive for the investment objective and strategy of the fund. However, because the appreciation or depreciation of a single security may have a greater impact on the NAV of a fund which is classified as nondiversified, its share price can be expected to fluctuate more than a comparable fund which is classified as diversified. This fluctuation, if significant, may affect the performance of a fund.

 

Cash Position

As discussed in the Prospectus, the Fund’s cash position may temporarily increase under various circumstances. Securities that the Fund may invest in as a means of receiving a return on uninvested cash include U.S. treasury securities, domestic commercial paper, certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, or other short-term debt obligations. These securities may include U.S. cash instruments and cash equivalent securities. The Fund may also invest in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds (including private funds operating as money market funds that are not registered under the 1940 Act) (refer to “Investment Company Securities”).

 

Illiquid Investments

The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. Illiquid investments, which include certain securities that are purchased in private placements, are securities that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current

 

5

 

 

market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the security. Certain securities previously deemed liquid may become illiquid over time, particularly in periods of economic distress.

 

If illiquid investments that are assets exceed 15% of the Fund’s net assets, the Fund will take steps to reduce its holdings of such illiquid investments to or below 15% of its net assets within a reasonable period of time. Because illiquid investments may not be readily marketable, portfolio management may not be able to dispose of them in a timely manner. As a result, the Fund may be forced to hold illiquid investments while their price depreciates. Depreciation in the price of illiquid investments may cause the NAV of the Fund to decline.

 

Equity Securities

The Fund may invest in equity securities, which include, but are not limited to, common and preferred stocks, and securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock.

 

Common Stock. Common stock represents a proportionate share of the ownership of a company. Common stocks sometimes are divided into several classes, with each class having different voting rights, dividend rights, or other differences in their rights and priorities. The value of a stock is based on the market’s assessment of the current and future success of a company’s business, any income paid to stockholders, the value of the company’s assets, and general market conditions. The value of a stock may also be adversely affected by other factors such as accounting irregularities, actual or perceived weaknesses in corporate governance practices of a company’s board or management, and changes in company management. Common stock values can fluctuate dramatically over short periods.

 

Preferred Stock. A preferred stock represents an ownership interest in a company, but pays dividends at a specific rate and has priority over common stock in payment of dividends and liquidation claims. Preferred stock dividends are generally cumulative, noncumulative, or participating. “Cumulative” dividend provisions require all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends can be paid to the issuer’s common stock. “Participating” preferred stock may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. Like debt securities, the value of a preferred stock often fluctuates more in response to changes in interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer, rather than in response to changes in the issuer’s profitability and business prospects. Preferred stock is subject to similar risks as common stock and debt securities.

 

Convertible Security. A convertible security is generally a debt obligation or preferred stock that may be converted within a specified period of time into a certain amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security, such as a “convertible preferred stock,” provides a fixed-income stream and the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation resulting from a market price advance in its underlying common stock. Like a common stock, the value of a convertible security tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock rises, and it tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying stock declines. As with a fixed-income security, a convertible security tends to increase in market value when interest rates decline and decrease in value when interest rates rise. Because both interest rate and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security is not as sensitive to interest rates as a similar fixed-income security, nor is it as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying stock.

 

Convertible securities generally have less potential for gain or loss than common stocks. Convertible securities generally provide yields higher than the underlying common stocks, but generally lower than comparable non-convertible securities. Because of this higher yield, convertible securities generally sell at prices above their “conversion value,” which is the current market value of the stock to be received upon conversion. The difference between this conversion value and the price of convertible securities will vary over time depending on changes in the value of the underlying common stocks and interest rates.

 

A convertible security may also be called for redemption or conversion by the issuer after a particular date and under certain circumstances (including a specified price) established upon issue. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption or conversion, the Fund could be required to tender it for redemption, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third party.

 

Synthetic convertible securities are created by combining separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics of a traditional convertible security, i.e., an income-producing security (“income-producing component”) and the right to acquire an equity security (“convertible component”). The income-producing component is achieved by investing in non-convertible, income-producing securities such as bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments, which may be represented by derivative instruments. The convertible component is achieved by investing in securities or instruments such as warrants or

 

6

 

 

options to buy common stock at a certain exercise price, or options on a stock index. Unlike a traditional convertible security, which is a single security having a single market value, a synthetic convertible security is comprised of two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the “market value” of a synthetic convertible security is the sum of the values of its income-producing component and its convertible component. For this reason, the values of a synthetic convertible security and a traditional convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations.

 

More flexibility is possible in the assembly of a synthetic convertible security than in the purchase of a convertible security. Although synthetic convertible securities may be selected where the two components are issued by a single issuer, thus making the synthetic convertible security similar to the traditional convertible security, the character of a synthetic convertible security allows the combination of components representing distinct issuers. A synthetic convertible security also is a more flexible investment in that its two components may be purchased separately. For example, the Fund may purchase a warrant for inclusion in a synthetic convertible security but temporarily hold short-term investments while postponing the purchase of a corresponding bond pending development of more favorable market conditions.

 

A holder of a synthetic convertible security faces the risk of a decline in the price of the security or the level of the index involved in the convertible component, causing a decline in the value of the security or instrument, such as a call option or warrant, purchased to create the synthetic convertible security. Should the price of the stock fall below the exercise price and remain there throughout the exercise period, the entire amount paid for the convertible component would be lost. Because a synthetic convertible security includes the income-producing component as well, the holder of a synthetic convertible security also faces the risk that interest rates will rise, causing a decline in the value of the income-producing instrument.

 

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies

The Fund may invest in securities issued by special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) or similar entities that pool funds to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC typically invests its assets (less a portion retained to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities, and cash. If an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a pre-established period of time, the invested funds are returned to the SPAC’s shareholders. Because SPACs and similar entities are in essence blank check companies without an operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of a SPAC’s securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the SPAC’s management to timely identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities while awaiting an acquisition opportunity, the Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective may be negatively impacted. In addition, SPACs, which are typically traded in the over-the-counter market, may be considered illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale.

 

Securities Lending

The Fund may lend its securities to approved borrowers. Any gain or loss on the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the Fund. These loans cannot exceed one-third of the Fund’s total assets in accordance with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Approved borrowers are financial institutions that meet the Fund’s securities lending program requirements, which require that (i) the borrowers pledge and maintain with the Fund collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit issued by a bank, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government having a value at all times of not less than 102% of the value of the securities loaned (on a “mark-to-market” basis); (ii) the loan be made subject to termination by the Fund at any time; and (iii) the Fund receives reasonable interest on the loan. From time to time, the Fund may return a part of the interest earned on the investment of collateral received from securities loaned to the borrower and/or a third party that is unaffiliated with the Fund and that is acting as a finder.

 

To the extent the Fund engages in securities lending, there is the risk of a delay in recovering loaned securities. If the Fund is unable to recover a security on loan, the Fund may use the collateral to purchase a replacement security in the market. There is a risk that the value of the collateral could be insufficient to cover the cost of the replacement security, resulting in a loss to the Fund. In certain circumstances, individual loan transactions could yield negative returns.

 

The Adviser invests the collateral in time deposit and/or in cash management vehicles for which the Adviser serves as investment adviser or other unaffiliated cash management vehicles. An investment in a cash management vehicle is generally subject to the same risks that shareholders experience when investing directly in similarly structured vehicles. As Adviser to the Fund and the affiliated cash management vehicle, the Adviser has an inherent conflict of interest as a result of its fiduciary duties to both the Fund and the cash management vehicle. Additionally, the Adviser receives an investment advisory fee for

 

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managing the affiliated cash management vehicle and therefore may have an incentive to allocate collateral to the affiliated cash management vehicle, rather than to other collateral management options for which the Adviser does not receive compensation.

 

Cyber Security Risk

The Fund is susceptible to operational and information security risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, infection by computer viruses or other malicious software code, gaining unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices that are used to service the Fund’s operations through “hacking” or other means for the purpose of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on the Fund’s websites or a service provider’s systems, which renders them inoperable to intended users until appropriate actions are taken. In addition, authorized persons could inadvertently or intentionally release confidential or proprietary information stored on the Fund’s systems.

 

Cyber security failures or breaches by the Fund’s service providers (including, but not limited to, the Adviser, custodians, transfer agents, sub administrators, and financial intermediaries) may subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security failures or breaches, and may cause disruptions and impact the service providers’ and the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and the Fund to process transactions, inability to calculate the Fund’s net asset value, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. The Fund may incur incremental costs to prevent cyber incidents in the future. The Fund could be negatively impacted as a result. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans and risk management systems designed to prevent or reduce the impact of such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems due in part to the ever-changing nature of technology and cyber-attack tactics. As such, there is a possibility that certain risks have not been adequately identified or prepared for. Furthermore, the Fund cannot directly control any cyber security plans and systems put in place by third party service providers or their service providers. Cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund’s investment in such securities to lose value. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence ("AI") could increase the effectiveness of cyber-attacks and exacerbate the risks.

 

Operational Risk

An investment in the Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Foreign Securities

The Fund may invest in foreign securities either indirectly (e.g., depositary receipts, depositary shares, and passive foreign investment companies) or directly in foreign markets, including emerging markets. The Fund may also engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time. Investments in foreign securities, including securities of foreign and emerging market governments, may involve greater risks than investing in domestic securities because the Fund’s performance may depend on factors other than the performance of a particular company. These risks may include:

 

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Currency Risk. As long as the Fund holds a foreign currency denominated security, its value will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When the Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

Foreign Market Risk. Foreign securities markets, particularly those of emerging markets countries, may be less liquid and more volatile than domestic markets. These securities markets may trade a small number of securities, may have a limited number of issuers and a high proportion of shares, or may be held by a relatively small number of persons or institutions. Local securities markets may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of substantial holdings difficult or impossible at times. It is also possible that certain markets may require payment for securities before delivery, and delays may be encountered in settling securities transactions. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required approval for repatriation of capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, securities of issuers located in or economically tied to countries with emerging markets may have limited marketability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements which could also have a negative effect on the Fund. Such factors may hinder the Fund’s ability to buy and sell emerging market securities in a timely manner, affecting the Fund’s investment strategies and potentially affecting the value of the Fund.

 

Geographic Investment Risk. To the extent the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a particular country or geographic region, the Fund will generally have more exposure to certain risks due to possible political, economic, social, regulatory events, and conflicts in that country or region. Adverse developments in certain regions could also adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated and could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance. The foregoing may result in a negative impact on Fund performance and the value of an investment in the Fund, even beyond any direct investment exposure the Fund may have to issuers located in or with significant exposure to an impacted country or geographic region.

 

Similarly, a particular country or geographic region may be more prone to and economically sensitive to environmental events such as, but not limited to, hurricanes, earthquakes, typhoons, flooding, tidal waves, tsunamis, erupting volcanoes, wildfires or droughts, tornadoes, mudslides, or other weather-related phenomena. Such disasters, and the resulting physical or economic damage, could have a severe and negative impact on the Fund’s investment portfolio and, in the longer term, could impair the ability of issuers in which the Fund invests to conduct their businesses as they would under normal conditions. Adverse weather conditions may also have a particularly significant negative effect on issuers in the agricultural sector and on insurance and reinsurance companies that insure or reinsure against the impact of natural disasters.

 

Political and Economic Risk. Foreign investments may be subject to heightened political and economic risks, particularly in emerging markets which may have relatively unstable governments, immature economic structures, national policies restricting investments by foreigners, social instability, trade disputes, and different and/or developing legal systems. In some countries, there is the risk that the government may take over the assets or operations of a company or that the government may impose withholding and other taxes or limits on the removal of the Fund’s assets from that country. Further, acts of terrorism in the United States or other countries may cause uncertainty in the financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which the Fund has exposure. In addition, the economies of emerging markets may be predominantly based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates.

 

Regulatory Risk. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets. As a result, foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices applicable to domestic issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers.

 

Transaction Costs. Costs of buying, selling, and holding foreign securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, may be higher than those involved in domestic transactions.

 

Investment Company Securities

From time to time, the Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act or as otherwise permitted by the SEC. Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act prohibits the Fund from acquiring: (i) more than 3% of another investment company’s voting stock; (ii) securities of another investment company with a value in excess

 

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of 5% of the Fund’s total assets; or (iii) securities of such other investment company and all other investment companies owned by the Fund having a value in excess of 10% of the Fund’s total assets. In addition, Section 12(d)(1) prohibits another investment company from selling its shares to the Fund if, after the sale: (i) the Fund owns more than 3% of the other investment company’s voting stock or (ii) the Fund and other investment companies, and companies controlled by them, own more than 10% of the voting stock of such other investment company. To the extent the Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds managed by the Adviser, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G). The Fund may invest in other investment companies beyond these statutory limits to the extent the Fund abides by certain conditions of Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. The Fund may invest its cash holdings in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate pursuant to the provision of the 1940 Act that governs the operation of money market funds as part of a cash sweep program. The Fund may purchase unlimited shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds and of other funds managed by the Adviser, whether registered or unregistered entities, as permitted by the 1940 Act and rules promulgated thereunder.

 

To the extent the Fund invests in money market funds or other funds, the Fund will be subject to the same risks that investors experience when investing in such other funds. These risks may include the impact of significant fluctuations in assets as a result of the cash sweep program or purchase and redemption activity by affiliated or non-affiliated shareholders in such other funds. Additionally, to the extent that the Adviser serves as the investment adviser to underlying funds or investment vehicles in which the Fund may invest, the Adviser may have conflicting interests in fulfilling its fiduciary duties to both the Fund and the underlying funds or investment vehicles. Money market funds are open-end registered investment companies. Money market funds that meet the definition of a retail money market fund or government money market fund compute their price per share using the amortized cost method of valuation to seek to maintain a stable $1.00 price per share, and money market funds that do not meet the definitions of a retail money market fund or government money market fund transact at a floating NAV per share (similar to all other non-money market mutual funds). Money market funds may impose liquidity fees because of market conditions or other factors. Amendments to money market fund regulation could impact the trading and value of money market instruments, which may negatively affect the Fund’s return potential.

 

As a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the expenses the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation. The market prices of ETFs and closed-end funds will fluctuate in accordance with both changes in the market value of their underlying portfolio investments and due to supply and demand for the instruments on the exchanges on which they are traded (which may result in their trading at a discount or premium to their NAVs). If the market price of shares of an ETF or closed-end fund decreases below the price that the Fund paid for the shares and the Fund were to sell its shares of such investment company at a time when the market price is lower than the price at which it purchased the shares, the Fund would experience a loss.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in affiliated or unaffiliated ETFs to gain exposure to a particular portion of the market, to assist with cash management, and/or for other purposes. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of the Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the net asset value of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Fund’s adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Depositary Receipts

American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) are receipts issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets. Unsponsored ADRs may be created without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these ADRs generally bear all the costs of the ADR facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored ADR. The bank or trust company depositary of an unsponsored ADR may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. The Fund may invest in American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”), which

 

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are U.S. dollar-denominated equity shares of a foreign-based company available for purchase on an American stock exchange. ADSs are issued by depository banks in the United States under an agreement with the foreign issuer, and the entire issuance is called an ADR and the individual shares are referred to as ADSs.

 

Depositary receipts are generally subject to the same sort of risks as direct investments in a foreign country, such as currency risk, political and economic risk, regulatory risk, market risk, and geographic investment risk, because their values depend on the performance of a foreign security denominated in its home currency. The risks of foreign investing are addressed in some detail in the Fund’s Prospectuses, as applicable.

 

U.S. Government Securities

The 1940 Act defines U.S. Government securities to include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies, and its instrumentalities. U.S. Government securities may also include repurchase agreements collateralized by and municipal securities escrowed with or refunded with U.S. Government securities. U.S. Government securities in which the Fund may invest include U.S. Treasury securities, including Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, Treasury bills, notes, and bonds, and obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities that are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. In addition, U.S. Government securities in which the Fund may invest include securities backed only by the rights of the issuers to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, such as those issued by the members of the Federal Farm Credit System, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, Tennessee Valley Authority, and Freddie Mac. Securities issued by Fannie Mae, the Federal Home Loan Banks, and the Student Loan Marketing Association are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase the obligations. There is no guarantee that the U.S. Government will support securities not backed by its full faith and credit. They may involve more risk than securities backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government because the Fund must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the securities for repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States if the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment.

 

Because of the rising U.S. Government debt burden, it is possible that the U.S. Government may not be able to meet its financial obligations or that securities issued or backed by the U.S. Government may experience credit downgrades. Such a credit event may adversely affect the financial markets.

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) and Real Estate Operating Companies (“REOCs”)

Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund invests in REITs and REIT-like entities, including REOCs. REITs are sometimes informally characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. In addition, the Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Investments in publicly traded REITs and real estate-linked investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value, fluctuations in rental income, possible environmental liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent, and other risks related to local or general economic conditions. Equity REITs generally experience these risks directly through fee or leasehold interests, whereas mortgage REITs generally experience these risks indirectly through mortgage interests, unless the mortgage REIT forecloses on the underlying real estate. Changes in interest rates may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in publicly traded REITs. For instance, during periods of declining interest rates, certain mortgage REITs may hold mortgages that the mortgagors elect to prepay, and prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by those REITs.

 

Certain REITs have relatively small market capitalizations, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of their securities. Furthermore, publicly traded REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. Publicly traded REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code and to maintain exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act. By investing in publicly traded REITs indirectly through the Fund, a shareholder will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the publicly traded REITs. In addition, publicly traded REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders.

 

REOCs are publicly traded real estate companies that typically engage in the development, management or financing of real estate that have not elected (or are not eligible) to be taxed as a REIT. Instead, REOCs are generally structured as “C” corporations under the Internal Revenue Code and, as a result, are not required to distribute any portion of their income. In this regard, although REOCs do not receive the same favorable tax treatment that is accorded to REITs, REOCs are typically

 

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subject to fewer restrictions than REITs, including the ability to retain and/or reinvest funds from operations. The value of investments in REOCs will generally be affected by the same factors that adversely affect REIT investments; however, REOCS may also be adversely affected by income streams derived from businesses other than real estate ownership.

 

Bank Obligations

Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds 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. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

 

Confidential Information

With respect to certain transactions, including but not limited to private placements, the Fund may determine not to receive confidential information. Such a decision may place the Fund at a disadvantage relative to other investors who determine to receive confidential information, as the Fund may be limited in its available investments or unable to make accurate assessments related to certain investments.

 

In cases where the Adviser receives material, nonpublic information about the issuers of securities that may be held in the Fund’s holdings, the Adviser’s ability to trade in these securities for the account of the Fund could potentially be limited by its possession of such information, to the extent necessary to comply with certain regulatory restrictions. Such limitations on the ability to trade in the securities of the issuer could have an adverse effect on the Fund by, for example, preventing the Fund from selling security that is experiencing a material decline in value. In some instances, these trading restrictions could continue in effect for a substantial period of time.

 

In addition, because the Fund becomes a creditor of an security when holding a bond, the Adviser may from time to time participate on creditor committees on behalf of the Fund. These are committees formed by creditors to negotiate with management of the issuer and are intended to protect the rights of bondholders in the event of bankruptcy, bond covenant default, or other issuer-related financial problems. Participation on creditor committees may expose the Adviser or the Fund to material non-public information of the issuer, restricting the Fund’s ability to trade in or acquire additional positions in a particular security or other securities of the issuer when it might otherwise desire to do so. Participation on creditor committees may also expose the Fund to federal bankruptcy laws or other laws governing rights of debtors and creditors. Additionally, such participation may subject the Fund to expenses such as legal fees. The Adviser will only participate on creditor committees on behalf of the Fund when it believes such participation is necessary or desirable to protect the value of portfolio securities or enforce the Fund’s rights as a creditor.

 

ESG Exclusions Policy

The Adviser has adopted a firmwide environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) exclusions policy that generally applies to the accounts it manages, including the Fund. Using third-party inputs, the Adviser applies exclusionary criteria to seek to avoid investing in securities of issuers that, in the determination of the Adviser, manufacture cluster munitions, anti-personnel mines, chemical weapons, and biological weapons.

 

Regulatory Changes and Market Events and Risks

Federal, state, and foreign governments, regulatory agencies, and self regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the regulation of the Fund or the instruments in which the Fund invest, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Future legislation or regulation or other governmental actions could limit or preclude the Fund’s abilities to achieve their investment objectives or otherwise adversely impact an investment in the Fund. Furthermore, worsened market conditions, including as a result of U.S. government shutdowns or the perceived creditworthiness of the United States, could have a negative impact on securities markets.

 

Economic downturns can prompt various economic, legal, budgetary, tax, and regulatory reforms across the globe. In the aftermath of the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the financial sector experienced reduced liquidity in credit and other fixed income markets, and an unusually high degree of volatility, both domestically and internationally. In response to the crisis, the United States and certain foreign governments, along with the U.S. Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks,

 

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took a number of unprecedented steps designed to support the financial markets, which provided for widespread regulation of the financial industry, including expanded federal oversight in the financial sector. The U.S. government and the Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and central banks took extraordinary actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets may not work as intended.

 

Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries continue to impact many aspects of financial regulation. For example, some countries, including the United States, could adopt more protectionist trade policies and may affect the global economy in ways that cannot be presently foreseen.

 

The value and liquidity of the Fund’s holdings are also generally subject to the risk of significant future local, national, or global economic or political disruptions or slowdowns in the markets in which the Fund invests, especially given that the economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected and reliant on each other. In the event of such an occurrence, the issuers of securities held by the Fund may experience significant declines in the value of their assets and even cease operations, or may require government assistance that is contingent on increased restrictions on their business operations or their government interventions. In addition, it is not certain that the U.S. government or foreign governments will intervene in response to a future market disruption and the effect of any such future intervention cannot be predicted.

 

Widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, and natural or environmental disasters, including those which may be attributable to global climate change, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and weather-related phenomena generally have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. Economies and financial markets throughout the world have become increasingly interconnected, which increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or country will adversely affect markets or issuers in other regions or countries, including the United States. These disruptions could prevent the Fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner and negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective(s). Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s assets. In addition, these disruptions could also impair the information technology and other operational systems upon which the Fund’s service providers, including the Adviser, rely, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of employees of the Fund’s service providers to perform essential tasks on behalf of the Fund’s.

 

Issuer Concentration

The Fund’s portfolio may be comprised of a relatively small number of issuers in comparison to other funds. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater risks than a fund that invests in a greater number of issuers. A change in the value of any single investment held by the Fund may affect the overall value of the Fund more than it would affect a fund that holds more investments. In particular, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments affecting any single issuer held by the Fund and may be susceptible to greater losses because of these developments. A portfolio of a small number of issuers may also have elevated risks to changes in general economic conditions, cyclical market patterns, adverse labor relations, political events, obsolescence of technologies, and increased competition that may negatively affect the profitability or viability of an issuer. The Fund’s investment strategy to concentrate its portfolio on a smaller number of holdings could result in more volatility in the Fund’s performance and share price.

 

Derivative Instruments

A derivative is a financial instrument whose performance is derived from the performance of another, underlying asset.

 

Subject to its investment objective and policies, the Fund may use derivative instruments for hedging purposes (to manage and mitigate risks associated with an investment, currency exposure, or market conditions), to manage duration (i.e., sensitivity of the portfolio to changes in interest rates), or to seek to enhance returns or earn income by, for example, using put or call options to receive income based on portfolio management’s view of the future direction of interest rates, credit or a specific currency. The Fund’s derivative investments will be primarily in instruments that are exchange-traded and cleared and which, as a result, tend to be more liquid and less susceptible to counterparty risk than derivatives that are not exchange-traded and cleared.

 

The Fund may not use any derivative to gain exposure to an asset or class of assets that it would be prohibited by its investment restrictions from purchasing directly. The Fund’s ability to use derivative instruments may also be limited by tax considerations (see “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status”).

 

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Investments in derivatives in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Investments in derivatives may not directly correlate with the price movements of the underlying instrument. As a result, the use of derivatives may expose the Fund to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than otherwise would be the case. Derivatives can be volatile and may involve significant risks, including:

 

Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that the counterparty (the party on the other side of the transaction) on a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation to the Fund.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that changes in the exchange rate between currencies will adversely affect the value (in U.S. dollar terms) of an investment.

 

Leverage Risk. Leverage risk is the risk associated with certain types of leveraged investments or trading strategies pursuant to which relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of an investment. The Fund creates leverage by investing in instruments where the investment loss can exceed the original amount invested. The use of investment techniques, such as short sales and certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect on the Fund, which can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested.

 

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that the seller would like or at the price that the seller believes the security is currently worth.

 

Index Risk. Index risk is the risk that the derivative linked to the performance of an index, will also be subject to the risks associated with changes in that index. If the index changes, the Fund could receive lower interest payments or experience a reduction in the value of the derivative to below what the Fund paid. Certain indexed securities, including inverse securities (which move in an opposite direction to the index), may create leverage, to the extent that they increase or decrease in value at a rate that is a multiple of the changes in the applicable index.

 

Derivatives may generally be traded over-the-counter (“OTC”) or on an exchange. Derivatives traded OTC are agreements that are individually negotiated between parties and can be tailored to meet a purchaser’s needs. OTC derivatives are not guaranteed by a clearing agency and may be subject to increased counterparty risk.

 

In an effort to mitigate counterparty risk associated with derivatives traded OTC, the Fund may enter into collateral agreements with certain counterparties whereby, subject to certain minimum exposure requirements, the Fund may require the counterparty to post collateral if the Fund has a net aggregate unrealized gain on all OTC derivative contracts with a particular counterparty. There is no guarantee that counterparty exposure is reduced by using collateral and these arrangements are dependent on the Adviser’s ability to establish and maintain appropriate systems and trading.

 

The Adviser has filed a notice of eligibility for exemption from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” with respect to the Fund in accordance with Rule 4.5 of the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (“Commodity Exchange Act”) and, therefore, the Adviser is not subject to regulation as a commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act with respect to the Fund. The Fund may enter into futures contracts and related options as permitted under Rule 4.5. Amendments to Rule 4.5 adopted in 2012, however, narrowed the exemption from the definition of commodity pool operator and effectively imposed additional restrictions on the Fund’s use of futures, options, and swaps. The Adviser will become subject to increased Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulation if the Fund invests more than a prescribed level of its assets in such instruments, or if the Fund markets itself as providing investment exposure to these instruments. If the Fund cannot meet the requirements of Rule 4.5, the Adviser and the Fund would need to comply with certain disclosure, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements. Such additional requirements would potentially increase the Fund’s expenses, which could negatively impact the Fund’s returns.

 

Risk of Government Regulation. Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act governs the Fund’s use of derivative instruments and certain other transactions that create future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. Rule 18f-4 permits the Fund to enter into derivatives and certain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of “senior securities” under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Section 18 of the 1940 Act, among other things, prohibits open-end funds, including the Fund, from issuing or selling any “senior security,” other than borrowing from a bank (subject to a requirement to maintain 300% “asset coverage”). In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC eliminated the asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering derivatives transactions and certain financial instruments. Pursuant to Rule 18f-4, the Fund has adopted and implemented a derivatives risk management program (“DRMP”) designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with derivatives and certain other transactions. The DRMP is administered

 

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by a “derivatives risk manager,” who is approved by the Trustees, and who periodically reviews the DRMP and reports to the Trustees. While the Fund is not required to segregate assets to cover derivatives transactions and certain financial instruments pursuant to Rule 18f-4, the Fund will continue to do so for other instruments as required under applicable federal securities laws.

 

In addition, the SEC, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading. It is not possible to predict fully the effects of current or future regulation. However, it is possible that developments in government regulation of various types of derivative instruments may limit or prevent the Fund from using these instruments effectively as a part of its investment strategies, and could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund will continue to monitor developments in the area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the ability to enter into derivative transactions. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to the Fund, may increase the cost of the Fund’s investments and cost of doing business.

 

Forward Contracts

A forward contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specific security, currency or other instrument for an agreed price at a future date that is individually negotiated and privately traded by traders and their customers. Unlike contracts traded on an exchange (such as futures contracts), forward contracts trade “over-the-counter” and are not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse. Forward contracts are subject to the risk that the counterparty will default on its obligations. Forward contracts are highly leveraged and highly volatile, and a relatively small price movement in a forward contract may result in substantial losses to the Fund. Depending on the asset underlying the forward contract, forward contracts can be influenced by, among other things, changing supply and demand relationships, changing interest rates, governmental trade policies and/or sanctions, national and international political and economic events, governmental intervention in currency markets, armed conflicts, weather, and severe and unanticipated natural phenomenon outside of human control.

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts. A forward foreign currency contract (“forward currency contract”) involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the forward currency contract. Forward currency contracts are principally traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. These contracts typically are settled by physical delivery of the underlying currency or currencies in the amount of the full contract value.

 

A non-deliverable forward contract is a forward contract where there is no physical settlement of two currencies at maturity. Non-deliverable forward currency contracts will usually be done on a net basis, with the Fund receiving or paying only the net amount of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each non-deliverable forward contract is accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid securities having an aggregate value at least equal to the accrued excess is maintained to cover such obligations. The risk of loss with respect to non-deliverable forward contracts generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make or receive.

 

Currency exchange transactions involve a significant degree of risk and the markets in which currency exchange transactions are effected are highly volatile, highly specialized and highly technical. Significant changes, including changes in liquidity and prices, can occur in such markets within very short periods of time, often within minutes. Currency exchange trading risks include, but are not limited to, exchange rate risk, interest rate risk, and potential interference by foreign governments through regulation of local exchange markets, foreign investment or particular transactions in foreign currency. If the Fund utilizes foreign currency transactions at an inappropriate time, such transactions may not serve their intended purpose and may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV. The Fund could experience losses if the value of any forward currency contract is poorly correlated with its other investments or if it could not close out its positions because of an illiquid market. In addition, the Fund will incur transaction costs, including trading commissions, in connection with certain foreign currency transactions.

 

Futures Contracts

In purchasing a futures contract, the buyer agrees to purchase a specified underlying instrument at a specified future date. In selling a futures contract, the seller agrees to sell a specified underlying instrument at a specified date. Futures contracts are standardized, exchange-traded contracts and the price at which the purchase and sale will take place is fixed when the buyer and seller enter into the contract. Some currently available futures contracts are based on specific securities or baskets

 

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of securities, some are based on commodities or commodities indexes (for funds that seek commodities exposure), and some are based on indexes of securities prices (including foreign indexes for funds that seek foreign exposure). Futures on indexes and futures not calling for physical delivery of the underlying instrument will be settled through cash payments rather than through delivery of the underlying instrument. Futures can be held until their delivery dates, or can be closed out by offsetting purchases or sales of futures contracts before the delivery date if a liquid market is available. The Fund may realize a gain or loss by closing out its futures contracts.

 

The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of its underlying instrument. Therefore, purchasing futures contracts will tend to increase a fund’s exposure to positive and negative price fluctuations in the underlying instrument, much as if it had purchased the underlying instrument directly. When a fund sells a futures contract, by contrast, the value of its futures position will tend to move in a direction contrary to the market for the underlying instrument. Selling futures contracts, therefore, will tend to offset both positive and negative market price changes.

 

The purchaser or seller of a futures contract is not required to deliver or pay for the underlying instrument or the final cash settlement price, as applicable, unless the contract is held until the delivery date. However, both the purchaser and seller are required to deposit “initial margin” with a futures broker, known as a futures commission merchant, when the contract is entered into. If the value of either party’s position declines, that party will be required to make additional payments to settle the change in value on a daily basis. This process of “marking to market” will be reflected in the daily calculation of open positions computed in a fund’s NAV. The party that has a gain is entitled to receive all or a portion of this amount.

 

Although futures exchanges generally operate similarly in the United States and abroad, foreign futures exchanges may follow trading, settlement, and margin procedures that are different from those for U.S. exchanges. Futures contracts traded outside the United States may not involve a clearing mechanism or related guarantees and may involve greater risk of loss than U.S.-traded contracts, including potentially greater risk of losses due to insolvency of a futures broker, exchange member, or other party that may owe marking to market payments to a fund. Because initial and variation margin payments may be measured in foreign currency, a futures contract traded outside the United States may also involve the risk of foreign currency fluctuation.

 

There is no assurance a liquid market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time. Exchanges may establish daily price fluctuation limits for futures contracts, and may halt trading if a contract’s price moves upward or downward more than the limit in a given day. On volatile trading days when the price fluctuation limit is reached or a trading halt is imposed, it may be impossible to enter into new positions or close out existing positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

 

Because there are a limited number of types of exchange-traded futures contracts, it is possible that the standardized contracts available will not match a fund’s current or anticipated investments exactly. A fund may invest in futures contracts based on securities with different issuers, maturities, or other characteristics from the securities in which the fund typically invests, which involves a risk that the futures position will not track the performance of the fund’s other investments.

 

Futures prices can also diverge from the prices of their underlying instruments, even if the underlying instruments match a fund’s investments well. Futures prices are affected by such factors as current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility of the underlying instrument, and the time remaining until expiration of the contract, which may not affect security prices the same way. Imperfect correlation may also result from differing levels of demand in the futures markets and the securities markets, from structural differences in how futures and securities are traded, or from imposition of daily price fluctuation limits or trading halts. If price changes in a fund’s futures positions are poorly correlated with its other investments, the positions may fail to produce anticipated gains or result in losses that are not offset by gains in other investments.

 

Furthermore, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets, and the participation of speculators in such markets.

 

Options on Futures Contracts. The Fund reserves the right to buy or sell options on futures contracts. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in exchange for payment of a premium, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security or instrument at any time during the

 

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option period. A call option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer of the option the obligation to sell, the underlying security or instrument at any time during the option period. A premium is paid to the writer of an option as consideration for undertaking the obligation in the contract.

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

 

The portfolio turnover rate of the Fund is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities (exclusive of purchases or sales of U.S. Government securities and all other securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less) by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the year. Proceeds from short sales and assets used to cover short positions undertaken are included in the amounts of securities sold and purchased, respectively, during the fiscal year. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities held by the Fund were replaced once during the fiscal year. The Fund cannot accurately predict its turnover rate. Variations in portfolio turnover rates shown may be due to market conditions, changes in the size of the Fund, fluctuating volume of shareholder purchase and redemption orders, the nature of the Fund’s investments, the investment style and/or outlook of portfolio management, or due to a restructuring of the Fund’s portfolio as a result of a change in portfolio management. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher when the Fund finds it necessary to significantly change its portfolio to adopt a temporary defensive position or respond to economic or market events. Higher levels of portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in Fund performance.

 

The following table summarizes the portfolio turnover rates for the Fund for the last two fiscal years.

 

Fund Name

Portfolio
Turnover Rate for the
Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2024

Portfolio
Turnover Rate for the
Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2023

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

102%

73%

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

The ETF Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures adopted by the Adviser and the series of the Trust (the “Janus Henderson funds”) are designed to ensure that the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is disclosed in a manner that (i) is consistent with applicable legal requirements and in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders; (ii) does not put the interests of the Adviser, ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS” or the “Distributor”), or any affiliated person of the Adviser or ALPS, above those of Fund shareholders; (iii) does not advantage any current or prospective Fund shareholders over any other current or prospective Fund shareholders; and (iv) does not provide selective access to portfolio holdings information except pursuant to the procedures outlined below and to the extent appropriate confidentiality arrangements limiting the use of such information are in effect. Item (iii) above does not preclude the provision of portfolio holdings information not available to other current or prospective Fund shareholders to certain Entities to the extent such information is necessary to facilitate Creation Unit transactions. These “Entities” are generally limited to National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) members, subscribers to various fee-based subscription services, large institutional investors (known as “Authorized Participants”) that have been authorized by the Distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of shares pursuant to legal requirements and market makers and other institutional market participants and entities that provide information for transactional services.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings in Accordance with Regulatory Requirements. Each business day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided to the Fund’s custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. This information typically reflects the Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following business day. In addition, on each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Listing Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV.

 

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Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings as Required by Applicable Law. The Fund is also required to disclose its complete holdings as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT within 60 days of the end of the first and third fiscal quarters, and on Form N-CSR in connection with the annual report and semiannual report to Fund shareholders. These reports (i) are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov; and (ii) are available without charge, upon request, by calling a Janus Henderson representative at 1-800-668-0434 (toll free).

 

Daily access to information concerning the Fund’s portfolio holdings is permitted (i) to certain personnel of those service providers that are involved in portfolio management and in providing administrative, operational, risk management, or other support to portfolio management; and (ii) to other personnel of the Adviser, ALPS and its affiliates, and the administrator, custodian, and fund accountant who deal directly with, or assist in, functions related to investment management, distribution, administration, custody, securities lending, and fund accounting, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with federal securities laws and regulations thereunder.

 

Portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Fund in the ordinary course of business after it has been disseminated to the NSCC. From time to time, information concerning portfolio holdings other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Fund, including rating or ranking organizations, in the ordinary course of business, no earlier than one business day following the date of the information.

 

Nonpublic portfolio holdings information may be disclosed to certain third parties upon a good faith determination made by the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate in consultation with the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer or a designee, that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for such disclosure and the recipient agrees to maintain confidentiality. The Chief Compliance Officer reports to the Fund’s Trustees regarding material compliance matters with respect to the portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures.

 

Under extraordinary circumstances, the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate, in consultation with the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, has the authority to waive one or more provisions of, or make exceptions to, the ETF Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures when in the best interest of the Fund and when such waiver or exception is consistent with federal securities laws and applicable fiduciary duties.

 

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Investment Adviser

 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER – JANUS HENDERSON INVESTORS US LLC

 

As stated in the Prospectus, the Fund has an Investment Advisory Agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) with Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805. The Adviser is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Janus Henderson Group plc (“JHG”). Janus Henderson US (Holdings) Inc., the direct parent of the Adviser, completed a strategic combination with Henderson Group plc on May 30, 2017 to form JHG, doing business as Janus Henderson Investors.

 

The Fund’s Advisory Agreement continues in effect for an initial term of two years and from year to year thereafter so long as such continuance is approved at least annually by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust (the “Trustees”) who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined by the 1940 Act) of any such party (the “Independent Trustees”), and by either the Trustees or the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Advisory Agreement: (i) may be terminated, without the payment of any penalty, by the Trustees, or the vote of at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or the Adviser, on at least 60 days’ advance written notice; (ii) terminates automatically in the event of its assignment; and (iii) generally, may not be amended without the approval by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Fund, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, and, to the extent required by the 1940 Act, the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.

 

The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser will furnish continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Fund’s investments, provide office space for the Fund and certain other advisory-related services. Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, under the unitary fee structure, the Fund pays the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Fund. The fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Fund’s expenses. However, the Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest, dividends, taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

The Adviser has received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that the Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight and supervision by the Trustees, would have responsibility to oversee such subadviser to the Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for the Fund. The order also permits the Fund to disclose subadvisers’ fees only in the aggregate. In the event that the Adviser hires a new subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for the Fund.

 

The Adviser also provides certain administration services necessary for the operation of the Fund, including, but not limited to, preparation of prospectuses.

 

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The Fund pays a monthly Management Fee to the Adviser for its services. The fee is based on the daily net assets of the Fund at the following annual rate.

 

Fund Name

Daily Net
Assets of the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

$0-$250 Million

0.65

 

Next $750 Million

0.60

 

Over $1 Billion

0.50

 

The following table summarizes the Management Fees paid by the Fund for the last three fiscal years ended October 31.

 

Fund Name

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

  $ 80,488     $ 31,939     $ 54,217  

 

EXPENSE LIMITATIONS

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of Fund assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES BY THE ADVISER OR ITS AFFILIATES

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients or for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to one or more intermediaries for operational and/or platform set-up and maintenance fees on a per fund basis, often referred to as CUSIP fees. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates to intermediaries may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser or its affiliates, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. Other factors may include, but are not limited to, the distribution capabilities of the intermediary, the overall quality of the relationship, expected gross and/or net sales generated by the relationship, disposition and retention rates of assets held through the intermediary, the willingness to cooperate with the Adviser’s marketing efforts, access to sales personnel, and the anticipated profitability of sales through the institutional relationship. These factors and their weightings varies from one intermediary to another and may change from time to time. As of February 5, 2025, the broker-dealer firms with which the Adviser or its affiliates have agreements or are currently negotiating agreements to make payments out of their own assets related to the acquisition or retention of certain Janus Henderson ETFs are E*Trade Securities LLC; Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC; LPL Financial LLC; Morgan

 

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Stanley Smith Barney, LLC; National Financial Services LLC; Pershing LLC; Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.; and Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Any additions, modifications, or deletions to the broker-dealer firms identified that have occurred since that date are not reflected.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates may also pay intermediaries for the development of technology platforms and reporting systems. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements, and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-investment company investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of Janus Henderson funds. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ADVISER

 

The Adviser has adopted procedures (including trade allocation procedures described in the “Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage” section of this SAI) that it believes are reasonably designed to mitigate potential conflicts and risks. For example, the Adviser manages long and short portfolios. The simultaneous management of long and short portfolios creates potential conflicts of interest in fund management and creates potential risks such as the risk that short sale activity could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more Janus Henderson funds (and vice versa), the risk arising from the sequential orders in long and short positions, and the risks associated with the trade desk receiving opposing orders in the same security at the same time. To mitigate this potential conflict, the Adviser has procedures that prohibit portfolio management from executing a short sale on a security held long in any other portfolio that he or she manages but is not held

 

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long in the account in which portfolio management is placing the short. Note this does not prohibit shorting against the box. The procedures also require approvals of the Adviser’s senior management in other situations that raise potential conflicts of interest, as well as periodic monitoring of long and short trading activity of the Janus Henderson funds and accounts.

 

The Fund and other funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates may also transfer daily uninvested cash balances into one or more joint trading accounts. Assets in the joint trading accounts are invested in money market instruments and the proceeds are allocated to the participating funds on a pro rata basis.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of the 1940 Act, Janus Henderson funds may participate in an affiliated or non-affiliated cash sweep program. In the cash sweep program, uninvested cash balances of Janus Henderson funds may be used to purchase shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate pursuant to the provisions of the 1940 Act that govern the operation of money market funds. All Janus Henderson funds are eligible to participate in the cash sweep program (the “Investing Funds”). The Adviser has an inherent conflict of interest because of its fiduciary duties to the affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles and the Investing Funds. In addition, the Adviser receives an investment advisory fee for managing proprietary money market funds and the cash management vehicle used for its securities lending program, but it may not receive a fee for managing other certain affiliated cash management vehicles, and therefore may have an incentive to allocate preferred investment opportunities to investment vehicles for which it is receiving a fee.

 

Each account managed by the Adviser has its own investment objective and policies and is managed accordingly by the respective portfolio management. As a result, from time to time, two or more different managed accounts may pursue divergent investment strategies with respect to investments or categories of investments.

 

The officers and Trustees of the Janus Henderson funds may also serve as officers and Trustees of ETFs, hedge funds, private funds, and other Janus Henderson financial products managed by the Adviser. Conflicts may arise as the officers and Trustees seek to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities to both the Fund and other Janus Henderson financial products. The Trustees intend to address any such conflicts as deemed appropriate.

 

ALPS Distributors, Inc.’s Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the Trustees have approved a Code of Ethics adopted by ALPS. The Code of Ethics is intended to ensure that the interests of shareholders and other clients are placed ahead of any personal interest, that no undue personal benefit is obtained from the person’s employment activities and that actual and potential conflicts of interest are avoided.

 

The Code of Ethics applies to the personal investing activities of ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“Access Persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Code of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by Access Persons. Under the 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 Code of Ethics permits personnel subject to the Code to invest in securities subject to certain limitations, 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. The Code of Ethics is on file with and available from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Janus Henderson Personal Code of Ethics

The Adviser currently has in place the Personal Code of Ethics, which is comprised of the Personal Account Dealing Policy, the Gifts, Entertainment and Meals Received Policy, the Outside Business Activities Policy, and the Political Activities Policy. The Personal Code of Ethics is designed to ensure the Adviser’s personnel: (i) observe applicable legal (including compliance with applicable federal securities laws) and ethical standards in the performance of their duties; (ii) at all times place the interests of the Fund’s shareholders first; (iii) disclose all actual or potential conflicts; (iv) adhere to the highest standards of loyalty, candor, and care in all matters relating to the Fund’s shareholders; (v) conduct all personal trading, including transactions in the Funds and other securities, consistent with the Personal Code of Ethics and in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of their position of trust and responsibility; and (vi) refrain from using any material nonpublic information in securities trading. The Personal Code of Ethics is on file with and available from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Under the Personal Account Dealing Policy, all the Adviser personnel, as well as the Trustees and Officers of the Fund, are required to conduct their personal investment activities in a manner that the Adviser believes is not detrimental to the Fund. In addition, the Adviser personnel are not permitted to transact in securities held by the Fund for their personal accounts

 

22

 

 

except under circumstances specified in the Personal Account Dealing Policy. All personnel of the Adviser, and the Fund, as well as certain other designated employees deemed to have access to current trading information, are required to pre-clear all transactions in securities not otherwise exempt. Requests for trading authorization will be denied when, among other reasons, the proposed personal transaction would be contrary to the provisions of the Personal Account Dealing Policy.

 

In addition to the pre-clearance requirement described above, the Personal Account Dealing Policy subjects such personnel to various trading restrictions and reporting obligations. All reportable transactions are reviewed for compliance with the Personal Account Dealing Policy and under certain circumstances the Adviser personnel may be required to forfeit profits made from personal trading.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

 

The Trustees of the Trust have delegated to the Adviser the authority to vote all proxies relating to the Fund’s portfolio securities in accordance with the Adviser’s own policies and procedures. The Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures, including specific voting guidelines, are included in Appendix A of this SAI and are also available at janushenderson.com/proxyvoting.

 

The Adviser or its affiliates will publicly disclose vote reporting in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in the Adviser’s view, it is appropriate. The Fund’s proxy voting record for the one-year period ending each June 30th is available, free of charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-525-1093, through janushenderson.com/proxyvoting, or from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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Custodian, Transfer Agent, and Certain Affiliations

 

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JP Morgan” or the “Custodian”), 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10179 is the custodian of the domestic securities and cash of the Fund. JP Morgan is the designated Foreign Custody Manager (as the term is defined in Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act) of the Fund’s securities and cash held outside the United States. The Fund’s Trustees have delegated to JP Morgan certain responsibilities for such assets, as permitted by Rule 17f-5. JP Morgan and the foreign subcustodians selected by it hold the Fund’s assets in safekeeping and collect and remit the income thereon, subject to the instructions of the Fund. JP Morgan also serves as transfer agent for the shares of the Fund (“Transfer Agent”).

 

JP Morgan also provides certain fund administration services to the Fund, including services related to the Fund’s accounting, including calculating the daily NAV, audit, tax, and reporting obligations, pursuant to an Agreement with the Adviser, on behalf of the Fund. The Adviser may cancel this Agreement at any time with 90 days’ notice. As compensation for such services, the Adviser pays JP Morgan a fee based on a percentage of the Fund’s assets, and a flat fee, for certain services. The Adviser serves as administrator to the Fund, providing oversight and coordination of the Fund’s service providers, recordkeeping and other administrative services. The Adviser does not receive any additional compensation, beyond the unitary fee, for serving as administrator. Pursuant to agreements with the Fund, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, an affiliate of JP Morgan, may execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, including but not limited to, in connection with cash in lieu transactions (as described under Fund Deposit and Redemption of Creation Units).

 

The following table summarizes the fees received by JP Morgan for custodian, transfer agent and sub-administrative services for the fiscal years ended October 31.

 

Fund Name

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

  $ 41,832     $ 38,916     $ 35,996  

 

ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS” or the “Distributor”), 1290 Broadway, #1000, Denver, Colorado 80203-5603 is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). ALPS acts as the agent of the Fund in connection with the sale of its shares in all states in which such shares are registered and in which ALPS is qualified as a broker-dealer. Under the Distribution Agreement, ALPS offers Creation Units of the Fund’s shares on an ongoing basis.

 

Pursuant to an agreement with ALPS, Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Adviser, and a member of FINRA, may provide marketing and promotional services on behalf of the Fund. Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC does not receive any compensation from the Fund or ALPS for such services.

 

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Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

 

 

The Adviser or its affiliates, acting pursuant to the Global Execution Agreement mentioned below, initiate all portfolio transactions of the Funds solely upon the direction of the relevant portfolio management. The Adviser is party to a Global Execution Agreement with certain Janus Henderson affiliates (the “Trading Affiliates”) that allow trades in foreign markets to be executed by personnel in the relevant market through such Trading Affiliates. Personnel of the Trading Affiliates providing trade execution services are subject to brokerage policies and procedures and oversight by Janus Henderson Investors’ Front Offices Governance and Risk Committee. As used in this Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage section, the terms “Adviser” also includes its Trading Affiliates.

 

The Adviser selects broker-dealers for the Fund as part of its discretionary responsibilities under the Advisory Agreement and broker selection is determined by the Adviser’s duty to seek best execution. Brokers may include Authorized Participants and/or market makers for the Funds. Janus Henderson’s Best Execution Committee will periodically review the quality of execution that the Adviser receives from broker-dealers and the Adviser will continually evaluate the effectiveness of the executing brokers and trading tools utilized. The Adviser does not consider a broker-dealer’s sale of shares of the Fund or gifts and entertainment received from registered representatives of broker-dealers when choosing a broker-dealer to effect transactions.

 

The Adviser has a duty to seek to obtain “best execution” for its portfolio transactions by reasonably seeking to obtain the best possible result under the circumstances. The Adviser considers a number of factors including but not limited to: an understanding of prices of securities currently available and commission rates and other costs associated with various trading tools, channels and venues; the nature, liquidity, size and type of the security being traded and the character of the markets in which the security will be purchased or sold; the activity, existing and expected, in the market for the particular security; the potential impact of the trade in such market and the desired timing or urgency of the trade pursuant to the investment decision; and any portfolio restrictions associated with asset types; the ability of a broker-dealer to maintain confidentiality, including trade anonymity; the quality of the execution, clearance, and settlement services of a broker-dealer; the financial stability of the broker-dealer and the existence of actual or apparent operational problems of the broker-dealer; principal commitment by the broker-dealer to facilitate the transaction; and for accounts that do not utilize a research charge collection agreement, as discussed below, the research services provided by a broker-dealer.

 

The Fund may trade foreign securities in foreign countries because the best available market for these securities is often on foreign exchanges. In transactions on foreign stock exchanges, brokers’ commissions are frequently fixed and are often higher than in the United States, where commissions are negotiated.

 

The Fund generally buys and sells fixed-income securities in principal and agency transactions in which no brokerage commissions are paid. However, the Fund may engage an agent and pay commissions for such transactions if the Adviser believes that the net result of the transaction to the Fund will be no less favorable than that of contemporaneously available principal transactions. The implied cost of executing fixed-income securities transactions for the Fund primarily will consist of bid-offer spreads at which brokers will transact. The spread is the difference between the prices at which the broker is willing to purchase and sell the specific security at the time.

 

When the Fund purchases or sells a security in the over-the-counter market, the transaction takes place directly with a principal market-maker, without the use of a broker, except in those circumstances where, in the opinion of the Adviser, better prices and executions will be achieved through the use of a broker.

 

The Adviser unbundles equity commissions globally. More specifically, the Adviser defines an execution commission component (“ECC”) and a research commission component (“RCC”). The ECC is standard across all brokers by region and broker class. Generally, the ECC is not negotiated on an order-by-order basis, but is determined by an established rate card that is reviewed by the Janus Henderson Best Execution Committee. Those rates are established to be competitive with industry standards and aligned with the service level the Adviser expects from brokers. With respect to the RCC, consistent with its best execution obligation for accounts that do not utilize an RCCA (as defined below), and as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and subsequent SEC guidance and no-action relief, the Adviser may place portfolio transactions with a broker-dealer for a higher commission than another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the Adviser determines, in good faith, that the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer or provided by third parties viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or of the overall responsibilities of the Adviser with respect to all client accounts. Funds that

 

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utilize RCCAs are prohibited from using research charges for brokerage services and are subject to additional restrictions on what constitutes eligible research as provided by the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (“MiFID II”) and Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) regulations.

 

The Adviser has client commission agreements (“CCAs”) and, for certain funds, RCC Agreements (“RCCAs”) with certain broker-dealers. These agreements allow the Adviser to instruct broker-dealers to pool commissions or research charges, respectively, generated from equity security orders executed at that broker-dealer. RCCAs are utilized for accounts for which Janus Henderson is subject to MiFID II and instead of using a portion of the commission for research, an additional research charge is added to the execution commission for equity transactions. Pursuant to these agreements, the broker-dealer retains the execution component of the brokerage commission as compensation for execution services and segregates the other portion of the commission (or additional research charge for RCCAs) for research services. Such commissions (and charges) are then used, upon the Adviser’s direction, to pay such broker-dealers for such broker-dealers’ proprietary research or to pay third parties that provide the Adviser with brokerage or research services, as permitted under Section 28(e), and for RCCAs, as permitted under MiFID II and FCA regulation. All portfolio transactions directed to these broker-dealers are subject to the Adviser’s best execution obligations.

 

The Adviser establishes a research budget annually for each investment strategy, and the research portion of the commission (or additional research charge for RCCAs) is collected until the Fund’s pro rata portion of the research budget for its investment strategy is reached. Typically, it is expected that the Fund’s proportionate share of the budget for its strategy will be based on the amount of assets held in its account relative to overall assets in the strategy. Once the pro rata budget of any account within an investment strategy is reached, such account will transact at the execution only rate for the remainder of the applicable period. If the costs for external research or brokerage services for an investment strategy exceed the amount collected from accounts within that strategy, the Adviser or its affiliates may adjust the research portion of commissions (or research charges) up or down within such strategy, continue to acquire external research for such accounts using its own resources, or cease to purchase external research for such accounts until the next applicable period. If research commissions (or research charges) collected by accounts within an investment strategy exceed the research or brokerage services costs for such investment strategy, the Adviser may rebate the accounts within such strategy all or a portion of their pro rata portion of such excess (subject to de minimis amounts as determined by the Adviser) or (for CCAs only) rollover such amounts to be used for research during the next applicable period.

 

The Adviser oversees the consumption, valuation and appropriate remuneration of third-party investment research consumed by the Adviser. Research budgets are set annually based on the needs of each investment strategy and are not otherwise linked to the volume or value of transactions executed on behalf of any accounts within that strategy. Research budgets may be adjusted by the Adviser throughout the calendar year.

 

The Adviser intends that all client equity transactions will be included within its CCAs and RCCAs, except to the extent the Adviser manages a strategy in which portfolio management solely uses market data or in which portfolio management and the clients are located in Europe, the Middle East, or Asia, the Adviser may determine to pay for research for such strategies and/or accounts consistent with the methods available pursuant to MiFID II, including by use of an RCCA or Janus Henderson’s own resources. Therefore, whether and to what extent clients pay for research through commissions differs among clients. However, subject to applicable law, research may be used to service any or all clients, including clients that do not pay commissions to the broker-dealer relating to the CCA. As a result, clients that do not directly pay for research or pay for research to a lesser extent, including in connection with the establishment of research budgets (switching to execution only rates when research budgets are met), may be considered to disproportionately benefit from research payments of other clients.

 

The Adviser may receive statistical, research and other factual information or services from broker-dealers that it would otherwise have to pay for with cash, or use its own resources to produce, for no consideration other than the brokerage or underwriting commissions that they obtain from the Adviser’s execution of trades with the broker-dealers.

 

The Adviser may also use step-out or sponsorship transactions in order to receive research products and related services. In step-out or sponsorship transactions, the Adviser directs trades to a broker-dealer with the instruction that the broker-dealer execute the transaction, but direct all or a portion of the transaction or commission in favor of a second broker-dealer that provides such products and/or services. The second broker-dealer may clear and settle and receive commissions for the remaining portion.

 

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The Adviser may also use broker sponsorship programs in order to pay for research. The Adviser may receive research from a sponsored broker but choose to execute with an executing agent on behalf of the sponsored broker. The executing agent executes the trade and then sends it to the sponsored broker for settlement. The Adviser pays the sponsored broker the commissions on the trade and the sponsored broker then pays the executing agent a predetermined fee.

 

The Adviser maintains prime brokerage arrangements to facilitate short sale transactions. A prime broker may provide services and products to the Adviser in connection with the short selling facilities and related services the prime broker provides. The Adviser typically uses technology and personalized client services, but additional services such as capital introduction, business consulting services and portfolio analytics may also be available from prime brokers.

 

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2024, the total brokerage commissions paid by the Fund to brokers and dealers in transactions identified for execution primarily on the basis of research and other services provided to the Fund are summarized below.

 

Fund Name

 

Commissions

   

Transactions

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

  $ 3,436     $ 24,458,920  

 

The Adviser may have an incentive to use broker-dealers who offer the above services to effect transactions instead of other broker-dealers who do not provide such services, but who may execute transactions at a lower price. The Adviser does not guarantee any broker the placement of a predetermined amount of securities transactions in return for the research or brokerage services it provides. The Adviser does, however, have an internal procedure for allocation transactions in a manner consistent with its execution policy to brokers that it has identified as providing research or brokerage services. Any transactions with such brokers are always subject to the Adviser’s best execution obligations.

 

In order for client commissions to be used to pay for these services, the Adviser must determine that the services are permitted research or brokerage services under Section 28(e). Additionally, all broker-dealers and all vendors of research and/or brokerage services paid with client commissions will be approved pursuant to the Adviser’s policies and procedures. In instances when the above services may include components not eligible under Section 28(e), the Adviser makes a reasonable allocation of the cost of the research and/or brokerage services according to its use and all non-eligible research and/or brokerage services are separately invoiced and paid for with cash from the Adviser and not with client commissions.

 

Research received from broker-dealers is supplemental to the Adviser’s own research efforts. The brokerage and research products and services furnished by broker-dealers may be used in servicing any or all of the Adviser’s clients and may not necessarily be used by the Adviser in connection with the accounts that actually paid commissions, nor in proportion to the amount of commissions paid by accounts, to the broker-dealer providing the products and services.

 

The Adviser may engage in “cross trades” whereby the Adviser causes its clients or accounts to engage in a purchase and sale of a security with each other. The Adviser may engage in cross trades where it determines such transaction is in the best interests of both accounts and consistent with the Adviser’s best execution obligations. Although the use of cross trades may be beneficial to clients, it also creates opportunities for conflicts of interest to adversely affect clients. For instance, the Adviser could prefer one account over the other in determining price or otherwise executing a cross trade due to the existence of a more favorable fee structure or proprietary interest in one account. To address these potential conflicts, the Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which require that all cross trades are effected at a readily available fair market price, which may be based on independent dealer bids or quotes depending on the type of security. In addition, cross trades involving a registered investment company must be consistent with Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act. The Adviser may execute cross trades among any eligible funds and accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. The Adviser does not permit cross trades with the Fund for fixed-income securities, with accounts subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or where prohibited by client restrictions.

 

The Adviser makes investment decisions for each of its clients, including proprietary accounts, independently from those of any other account that is or may become managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. Because the Adviser generally invests in similar strategies for clients, numerous clients could have similar investment objectives and thus, similar portfolios. As a result, the Adviser may be trading the same security for multiple clients at the same time. In order to seek efficiencies that may be available for larger transactions, or help allocate execution fills and prices fairly, the Adviser may aggregate the orders for its clients for execution in circumstances where the Adviser determines that the investment is eligible and appropriate for each participating account. Clients participating in an aggregated trade are generally charged the same price and execution rate or execution portion of the commission except in circumstances where doing otherwise is deemed fair and consistent

 

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with applicable law. Instances can occur in which not all clients are charged a research portion (or the same research portion) of the commission in an aggregated trade, including where clients have a different research rate, have already met the research budget established by the Adviser or are subject to regulatory or other restrictions on the use of client commissions to pay for research services and may transact at lower commissions or execution only rates. In addition to, or instead of, aggregating orders of accounts that would be trading the same security at the same time, the Adviser may average the price of the transactions of these accounts and allocate trades to each account in accordance with the Adviser’s allocation procedures. Pursuant to these procedures, partial fills will be allocated pro rata under procedures adopted by Janus Henderson. The Adviser seeks to allocate the opportunity to purchase or sell a security or other investment among accounts on an equitable basis by taking into consideration certain factors. These factors include, but are not limited to: size of the portfolio, concentration of holdings, investment objectives and guidelines, position weightings, duration targets, consistency of portfolio characteristics across similar accounts, purchase costs, issuer restrictions, price targets, ESG jurisdictional requirements, and cash availability. Due to such factors, the Adviser cannot assure equality of allocations among all of its accounts, nor can it assure that the opportunity to purchase or sell a security or other investment will be proportionally allocated among accounts according to any particular or predetermined standards or criteria which could cause performance divergence from similar accounts. In some cases, these allocation procedures may adversely affect the price paid or received by an account or the size of the position obtained or liquidated for an account. In others, however, the accounts’ ability to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions and prices for the accounts. The Adviser may adjust allocations to eliminate fractional shares or odd lots, or to account for minimum trade size requirements and has the discretion to deviate from its allocation procedures in certain circumstances.

 

Funds may from time to time participate in initial public offerings (“IPOs”) or other types of limited offerings such as secondary placements of common stock, private equity offerings, or other private placement offerings. To the extent that a fund, such as a new fund, has only affiliated shareholders, such as portfolio management or an adviser, and the fund wishes to participate in an IPO, those shareholders may be perceived as receiving a benefit and, as a result, may have a conflict with management of the fund and thus may not be eligible to participate in the offering. Funds may also, from time to time, participate as an anchor or Cornerstone Investor in an IPO. A Cornerstone Investor agrees, prior to a company’s IPO, to acquire a certain dollar amount of the IPO securities. Such agreement provides the Cornerstone Investor with an agreed and known allocation in the IPO. Shares allocated to the Cornerstone Investor in such IPOs may be restricted from trading for up to six months post the IPO and participation by any Adviser account as a Cornerstone Investor could preclude any other account from participating in the IPO as a non-Cornerstone Investor. The Adviser utilizes a dual book IPO indication process. More specifically, in order to provide issuers with a level of flexibility to address the diverse styles, needs, and relationships of our global investment teams, the Adviser has assigned each investment team to either a U.S. or EMEA/APAC IPO indication group (each an “IPO Indication Group”) and places two separate indications with a broker for any one limited offering. The Adviser’s allocation procedures generally require all securities of an offering allocated to an IPO Indication Group be allocated to all accounts based on portfolio management's participation in such IPO Indication Group based on their initial indications and on a pro rata basis to all participating eligible accounts based on the total assets of each account. When more than one portfolio management across the firm indicates interest in a primary or secondary limited offering, a limit on the allowable bid will be applied. In addition, with respect to private equity offerings, the Adviser limits the amount that any one fund can own, in the aggregate, of all private companies. Deviations from these procedures are permitted provided such deviations are documented and approved by an Asset Class Head or a delegate. A deviation could occur, for example, in order to allocate additional securities to ensure that accounts receive sufficient securities to satisfy specialized investment objectives or policies, to account for allocation sizes that are deemed by the Adviser to be de minimis for certain eligible accounts, to address market conditions, to address situations specific to individual accounts (e.g., cash limitations, position weightings, liquidity profiles of the investment, redemption history of the account, etc.). Additionally, for primary and secondary offerings of common stock, additional shares may be allocated to the applicable accounts of portfolio management with a preexisting position in that security. Deviations from pro rata allocations may contribute to differences in performance among eligible accounts within the same strategy. The Adviser cannot assure in all instances, participations in IPOs or limited offerings by all eligible accounts. In the event an eligible account does not participate in an offering, the Adviser generally does not reimburse for opportunity costs.

 

Creation or redemption transactions, to the extent consisting of cash, may require the Fund to contemporaneously transact with broker-dealers for purchases of Deposit Securities (as defined under Fund Deposit) or sales of Fund Securities (as defined under Redemption of Creation Units), including any foreign exchange, as applicable. Such transactions with a

 

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particular broker-dealer may be conditioned upon the broker-dealer’s agreement to transact at guaranteed price levels in order to reduce transaction costs the Fund would otherwise incur as a consequence of settling creation or redemption baskets in cash rather than in-kind.

 

The following table summarizes the total amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the fiscal years ended October 31.

 

Fund Name

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

  $ 7,086     $ 1,060     $ 4,847  

 

As of October 31, 2024, the Fund did not own any securities of its regular broker-dealer (or parents).

 

Brokerage commissions paid by the Fund may vary significantly from year to year because of portfolio turnover rates, shareholder, broker-dealer, or other financial intermediary purchase/redemption activity, varying market conditions, changes to investment strategies or processes, and other factors.

 

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Shares of the Trust

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE DETERMINATION

 

As stated in the Fund’s Prospectus, the net asset value (“NAV”) of the shares of the Fund is determined once each day the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open, as of the close of its trading session (normally 4:00 p.m., New York time, Monday through Friday). The per share NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the net assets by the number of the Fund’s shares outstanding.

 

Securities held by the Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (the “Valuation Procedures”). In determining NAV, equity securities traded on a domestic securities exchange are generally valued at the readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. If such price is lacking for the trading period immediately preceding the time of determination, such securities are valued at their current bid price. If applicable, equity securities that are traded on a foreign exchange are generally valued at the closing prices on such markets. In the event that there is no current trading volume on a particular security in such foreign exchange, the bid price from the primary exchange is generally used to value the security. Securities that are traded on the over-the-counter markets are generally valued at their closing or latest bid prices as available. Foreign securities and currencies are converted to U.S. dollars using the applicable exchange rate in effect at the close of the London Stock Exchange. The Adviser will determine the market value of individual securities held by it by using prices provided by one or more Adviser-approved professional pricing services or, as needed, by obtaining market quotations from independent broker-dealers. Most debt securities are valued in accordance with the evaluated bid price supplied by the pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price supplied by the pricing service is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term securities maturing within 60 days or less may be valued on an amortized cost basis.

 

Securities for which market quotations or evaluated prices are not readily available or are deemed unreliable are valued at fair value determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Circumstances in which fair valuation may be utilized include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a nonsignificant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a nonvalued security and a restricted or nonpublic security. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position.

 

The Fund calculates its NAV per share, and therefore effects sales, redemptions, and repurchases of its shares, as of the close of the NYSE once each day on which the NYSE is open. Such calculation may not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the foreign portfolio securities used in such calculation. If an event that is expected to affect the value of a portfolio security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which that security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, then that security may be valued in good faith under the Valuation Procedures.

 

DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING PLAN

 

Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, as amended, (the “Rule”) provides that an investment company may bear expenses of distributing its shares only pursuant to a plan adopted in accordance with the Rule. The Trustees have adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan (“Rule 12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to which the Fund may pay certain expenses incurred in the distribution of its shares and the servicing and maintenance of existing shareholder accounts. ALPS, as the Fund’s principal underwriter, and the Adviser may have a direct or indirect financial interest in the Rule 12b-1 Plan or any related agreement. Pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Fund may pay a fee of up to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. No Rule 12b-1 fee is currently being charged to the Fund.

 

The Rule 12b-1 Plan was approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Fund. In approving each Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Trustees determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Rule 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Fund and its shareholders.

 

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The Rule 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The Rule 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

The Trust issues and sells shares of the Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form as described in the Authorized Participant Agreement (as defined below), on any Business Day (as defined below). The size of a Creation Unit to purchase shares of the Fund may differ from the size of a Creation Unit required to redeem shares of the Fund. The size of a Creation Unit may be modified by the Adviser with prior notification to the Fund’s Authorized Participants. The Fund’s current Creation Unit size may be found on the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website.

 

A “Business Day” with respect to the Fund is each day the Listing Exchange is open, which excludes weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Orders from Authorized Participants to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day.

 

Fund Deposit

The consideration for purchase of Creation Units of the Fund may consist of cash or securities (plus an amount of cash). If creations are not conducted in cash, the consideration for purchase of Creation Units of the Fund generally consists of “Deposit Securities” and the Cash Component computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to creation requests received in proper form. The Fund Deposit represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund.

 

The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the “Deposit Amount,” which is an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities, and serves to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount. Payment of any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing the Creation Unit.

 

The Adviser makes available through the NSCC on each Business Day prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange, the list of names and the required number or par value of each Deposit Security, if any, and the amount of the Cash Component to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information as of the end of the previous Business Day for the Fund). Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units of shares of the Fund until such time as the next-announced Fund Deposit is made available.

 

The identity and number or par value of the Deposit Securities change pursuant to changes in the composition of the Fund’s portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities constituting the Fund’s portfolio.

 

The Fund reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or the Clearing Process (as discussed below). The Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which (i) the delivery of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant (as described below) would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws or (ii) the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations. In the case of transactions involving “cash in lieu” amounts, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser. If a purchase or redemption consists solely or partially of cash and the Fund places a brokerage transaction for portfolio securities with a third party

 

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broker, an Authorized Participant or its affiliated broker-dealer, the broker or the Authorized Participant (or an affiliated broker-dealer of the Authorized Participant) may be required, in its capacity as broker-dealer with respect to that transaction, to cover certain brokerage, tax, execution, and market impact costs through a brokerage execution guarantee.

 

Procedures for Creating Creation Units

To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be: (i) a “Participating Party,” i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”) or (ii) a DTC Participant, and must have executed an agreement with the Distributor, with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Units (“Authorized Participant Agreement”) (discussed below). A Participating Party or DTC Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement is referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” All shares of the Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.

 

Role of the Authorized Participant

Creation Units may be purchased only by or through a DTC Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor. Such Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of such Authorized Participant Agreement and on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that such Authorized Participant will make available in advance of each purchase of shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component, once the net asset value of a Creation Unit is next determined after receipt of the purchase order in proper form, together with the transaction fees described below. An Authorized Participant, acting on behalf of an investor, may require the investor to enter into an agreement with such Authorized Participant with respect to certain matters, including payment of the Cash Component. Investors who are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be a DTC Participant or may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that orders to purchase Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant. As a result, purchase orders placed through a non-Authorized Participant may result in additional charges to such investor. The Trust does not expect to enter into an Authorized Participant Agreement with more than a small number of DTC Participants. The Distributor and Transfer Agent have adopted guidelines regarding Authorized Participants’ transactions in Creation Units that are made available to all Authorized Participants. These guidelines set forth the processes and standards for Authorized Participants to transact with the Distributor, Transfer Agent, and their agents in connection with creation and redemption transactions, as applicable.

 

Placement of Creation Orders

Fund Deposits must be delivered through the Federal Reserve System (for cash and U.S. government securities), through DTC (for corporate and municipal securities) or through a central depository account, such as with Euroclear or DTC, maintained by the Custodian or a subcustodian (a “Central Depository Account”). Any portion of a Fund Deposit that may not be delivered through the Federal Reserve System or DTC must be delivered through a Central Depository Account. The Fund Deposit transfers made through DTC must be ordered by the DTC Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities through DTC to the account of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. Fund Deposit transfers made through the Federal Reserve System must be deposited by the participant institution in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number or amount of Deposit Securities or cash through the Federal Reserve System to the account of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. Fund Deposit transfers made through a Central Depository Account must be completed pursuant to the requirements established by the Custodian or subcustodian for such Central Depository Account generally before 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. The “Settlement Date” for all funds is generally the first Business Day after the Transmittal Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities to be delivered, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash equal to the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities are not received by 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date, the creation order may be canceled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the first Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor, provided that the relevant Fund Deposit has been received by the Fund prior to such time.

 

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Purchase Orders

To initiate an order for a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit to the Distributor or its agent an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Fund, in proper form, by the Cutoff Time (as defined below). The Distributor or its agent will notify the Adviser and the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to any appropriate subcustodian. Procedures and requirements governing the delivery of the Fund Deposit are set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement and may change from time to time. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a creation request to be made through an Authorized Participant. Those placing orders to purchase Creation Units through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor or its agent by the Cutoff Time (as defined below) on such Business Day.

 

The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to the Fund, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable purchase transaction fees. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit. Those placing orders should ascertain the deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the Cash Component. This deadline is likely to be significantly earlier than the Cutoff Time of the Fund. Investors should be aware that an Authorized Participant may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in the particular form required by the individual Authorized Participant.

 

The Authorized Participant is responsible for any and all expenses and costs incurred by the Fund, including any applicable cash amounts, in connection with any purchase order.

 

Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders

An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m. (for negotiated custom baskets) or 4:00 p.m. (for standard orders), Eastern time on any Business Day in order to receive that day’s NAV, or until the market closes (in the event the Listing Exchange closes early). On days when the Listing Exchange close earlier than normal), the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day.

 

Creation Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor or its agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement, as described below. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or its agent or an Authorized Participant. Orders to create shares of the Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the equity markets in the relevant foreign market are closed may be charged the maximum additional charge for Creation Unit transactions as set forth in this SAI to account for transaction costs incurred by the Fund. The Fund’s deadline specified above for the submission of purchase orders is referred to as the Fund’s “Cutoff Time.” The Distributor or its agent, in their discretion, may permit the submission of such orders and requests by or through an Authorized Participant at any time (including on days on which the Listing Exchange is not open for business) via communication through the facilities of the Distributor’s or its Transfer Agent’s proprietary website maintained for this purpose. Purchase orders and redemption requests, if accepted by the Trust, will be processed based on the NAV next determined after such acceptance. However, to account for transaction costs otherwise incurred by the Fund, an Authorized Participant that submits an order to the Distributor after the Cutoff Time stated above, may be charged the maximum additional charge for Creation Unit transactions as set forth in this SAI.

 

Acceptance of Orders for Creation Units

Subject to the conditions that (i) an irrevocable purchase order has been submitted by the Authorized Participant (either on its own or another investor’s behalf) and (ii) arrangements satisfactory to the Fund are in place for payment of the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due, the Fund will accept the order, subject to the Fund’s right (and the right of the Distributor and the Adviser) to reject any order until acceptance, as set forth below.

 

Once the Fund has accepted an order, upon the next determination of the net asset value of the shares, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such net asset value. The Distributor or its agent will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.

 

The Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor or its agent if (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identity and number of shares specified, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences

 

33

 

 

to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the discretion of the Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (vii) circumstances outside the control of the Fund, the Distributor or its agent and the Adviser make it impracticable to process purchase orders. The Distributor or its agent shall notify a prospective purchaser of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such purchaser of its rejection of such order. The Fund, Transfer Agent, subcustodian, and Distributor or their agents are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.

 

Issuance of a Creation Unit

Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Fund of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the custodian that the securities included in the Fund Deposit (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Distributor or its agent and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery and the Fund will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit. Creation Units for the Fund typically are issued on a “T+1 basis” (i.e., one Business Day after trade date). However, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1, including a shorter settlement period, if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law. For example, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1, in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets, as applicable, of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (i.e., the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security) and in certain other circumstances.

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement with the Distributor, the Fund will issue Creation Units to such Authorized Participant, notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral having a value at least equal to 105%, which percentage the Adviser may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing Deposit Securities in accordance with the Fund’s then-effective procedures. The only collateral that is acceptable to the Fund is cash in U.S. dollars. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the contractual settlement date. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. Information concerning the Fund’s current procedures for collateralization of missing Deposit Securities is available from the Distributor or its agent. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit the Fund to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Fund of purchasing such securities and the cash collateral.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date and in these instances, the Fund reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participants that the creation and redemption transactions are for separate beneficial owners. All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Fund and the Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.

 

Redemption of Creation Units

Shares of the Fund may be redeemed by Authorized Participants only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Transfer Agent or its agent and only on a Business Day. The Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the secondary market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares to constitute a Creation Unit that could be redeemed by an Authorized Participant. Beneficial owners also may sell shares in the secondary market.

 

The Fund generally redeems Creation Units in-kind plus any Cash Amount due.

 

In-Kind Redemption Method

The Adviser will make available through the NSCC, prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each Business Day, the designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”), and an amount of cash (the “Cash Amount,”

 

34

 

 

as described below). Such Fund Securities and the corresponding Cash Amount (each subject to possible amendment or correction) are applicable in order to effect redemptions of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next announced composition of the Fund Securities and Cash Amount is made available. Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Units. Procedures and requirements governing redemption transactions are set forth in the handbook for Authorized Participants and may change from time to time.

 

The redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of Fund Securities, plus the Cash Amount, which is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the shares being redeemed, as next determined after the receipt of a redemption request in proper form, and the value of Fund Securities, less a redemption transaction fee (as described below).

 

The Fund may, in its sole discretion, substitute a “cash in lieu” amount to replace any Fund Security. The Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; or (ii) the delivery of a Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Fund Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations. The amount of cash paid out in such cases will be equivalent to the value of the substituted security listed as a Fund Security. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder.

 

Cash Redemption Method

When partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units are authorized by the Fund, a custom redemption will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of partial or full cash redemption, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.

 

Costs Associated with Creation and Redemption Transactions

The standard transaction fee (“Standard Fee”) is imposed to offset the transfer and other transaction costs incurred by the Fund associated with the issuance or redemption of Creation Units. The Standard Fee will be charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates or redeems a Creation Unit, and is the same, regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction. For creations, Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the Fund. The Adviser may adjust the Standard Fee from time to time to account for changes in transaction fees associated with in-kind transactions.

 

In addition to the Standard Fees discussed above, the Fund charges an additional variable fee (“Variable Fee”) for creations and redemptions in whole or partial cash to offset brokerage and impact expenses associated with the cash portion of the transaction. The amount of the Variable Fee payable to the Fund by the Authorized Participant is determined by the Adviser based on analysis of historical transaction cost data and the Adviser’s view of current market conditions, among other factors. The actual Variable Fee charged for a given transaction may be lower or higher than the trading expenses incurred by the Fund with respect to that transaction. The total transaction fees charged (i.e. the Standard Fee plus the Variable Fee) will not exceed the maximum amounts reflected in the table below. From time to time, the Adviser, in its sole discretion, may adjust a Fund’s transaction fees or reimburse an Authorized Participant for all or a portion of the transaction fees.

 

The following table shows as of the date of this SAI (i) the Standard Fee, and (ii) the maximum total transaction fee charges for creations and redemptions (as described above):

 

 

Standard Fee*

Maximum Total
Transaction Fee**

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

$500

3.00%(Create)

   

2.00%(Redeem)

 

*

Flat fee charged per transaction for one or more Creation Units.

**

As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit, inclusive of the Standard Fee.

 

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Placement of Redemption Orders

Redemption requests for Creation Units of the Fund must be submitted to the Transfer Agent by or through an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable request to redeem shares of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m. (for negotiated custom baskets) or 4:00 p.m. (for standard orders), Eastern time on any Business Day, or until the market closes (in the event the Listing Exchange closes early), in order to receive that day’s NAV. On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a redemption request to be made through an Authorized Participant.

 

The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption in the form required by the Fund to the Transfer Agent or its agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. At any time, only a limited number of broker-dealers will have an Authorized Participant Agreement in effect. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the shares to the Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.

 

A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Transfer Agent the Creation Unit redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the Listing Exchange closing time on the applicable Business Day, (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Fund is received by the Transfer Agent or its agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified above and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement are properly followed. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s shares through DTC’s facilities by 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the Business Day next following the day that the redemption request is received, the redemption request may be rejected. Investors should be aware that the deadline for such transfers of shares through the DTC system may be significantly earlier than the close of business on the Listing Exchange. Those making redemption requests should ascertain the deadline applicable to transfers of shares through the DTC system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effecting the transfer of the shares.

 

Upon receiving a redemption request, the Transfer Agent or its agent shall notify the Fund of such redemption request. The tender of an investor’s shares for redemption and the distribution of the securities and/or cash included in the redemption payment made in respect of Creation Units redeemed will be made through DTC and the relevant Authorized Participant to the Beneficial Owner thereof as recorded on the book-entry system of DTC or the DTC Participant through which such investor holds, as the case may be, or by such other means specified by the Authorized Participant submitting the redemption request.

 

A redeeming Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the portfolio securities are customarily traded, to which account such portfolio securities will be delivered.

 

Deliveries of redemption proceeds by the Fund generally will be made within one Business Day (i.e., “T+1”). Further, consistent with applicable law, the Fund reserves the right to settle redemption transactions and deliver redemption proceeds on another basis to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, including to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (i.e., the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold) and in certain other circumstances.

 

If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Fund may in its discretion exercise the option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In such case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the net asset value of its shares based on the NAV of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charges specified above, to offset the Fund’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be

 

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subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund cannot lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or cannot do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws.

 

In the event that cash redemptions are permitted or required by the Fund, proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares as soon as practicable after the date of redemption (generally within seven calendar days thereafter, except as described in “Regular Holidays” below).

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement with the Distributor or its agent, in the event an Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to the Fund, at or prior to 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the Listing Exchange business day after the date of submission of such redemption request, the Transfer Agent or its agent will accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash, in U.S. dollars in immediately available funds, having a value at least equal to 105%, which percentage the Adviser may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing shares. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the day after the date of submission of such redemption request and shall be held by the Custodian and marked-to-market daily. The fees of the Custodian and any subcustodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant Agreement permits the Fund to acquire shares of the Fund at any time and subjects the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the aggregate of the cost to the Fund of purchasing such shares, plus the value of the Cash Amount, and the value of the cash collateral.

 

Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on exchange(s) on days that the Listing Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Listing Exchange on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

 

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund: (i) for any period during which the Listing Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the Listing Exchange is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.

 

Custom Baskets

The securities and other assets that are required for the issuance of a Creation Unit, or are provided upon redemption of a Creation Unit (a “basket”) may differ and the Fund may permit or require the submission of a portfolio of securities or cash that differs from the composition of the published portfolio(s) (a “Custom Basket”). A Custom Basket may include any of the following: (i) a basket that is composed of a nonrepresentative selection of the Fund’s portfolio holdings; or (ii) a representative basket that is different from the initial basket used in transactions on the same business day. The Fund has adopted policies and procedures that govern the construction and acceptance of baskets, including heightened requirements for certain types of custom baskets intended to be protective to the Fund and its shareholders. Such policies and procedures, among other items, establish (i) parameters for the construction and acceptance of custom baskets, and (ii) processes for revisions to or deviations from such parameters. The Adviser has established a governance process to oversee basket compliance for the Fund, as set forth in the Fund’s policies and procedures.

 

Taxation on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units

An Authorized Participant generally will recognize either gain or loss upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units. This gain or loss is calculated by taking the market value of the Creation Units purchased (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) over the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the Deposit Securities exchanged therefor (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for Deposit Securities generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the Authorized Participant’s basis in the Creation Units (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and the aggregate market value of the Deposit Securities (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant

 

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as part of the redemption). However, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) may apply the wash sales rules to determine that any loss realized upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units is not currently deductible. Authorized Participants should consult their own tax advisors.

 

Current U.S. federal tax laws dictate that capital gain or loss realized from the redemption of Creation Units will generally create long-term capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the Creation Units for more than one year, or short-term capital gain or loss if the Creation Units were held for one year or less, if the Creation Units are held as capital assets.

 

Regular Holidays

For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within the normal settlement period.

 

The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with foreign market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days, in certain circumstances. Under normal circumstances, the Fund expects to pay out redemption proceeds within one Business Day after the redemption request is received, in accordance with the process set forth in the Fund’s SAI and in the agreement between the Authorized Participant and the Fund’s Distributor. However, the Fund reserves the right, including under stressed market conditions, to take up to seven days after the receipt of a redemption request to pay the Authorized Participant, all as permitted by the 1940 Act. With respect to the Fund’s foreign investments, in a country where local market holiday(s) prevent the Fund from delivering such foreign investments to an Authorized Participant in response to a redemption request, the Fund may take up to 15 days after the receipt of the redemption request to deliver such investments to the Authorized Participant.

 

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Securities Lending

 

 

The Fund may seek to earn additional income through lending its securities to certain qualified broker-dealers and institutions. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. acts as securities lending agent and custodian or subcustodian to receive and disburse cash balances and cash collateral, hold short-term investments, and perform other custodian functions in accordance with the Securities Lending Agreement.

 

During the Fund’s last fiscal year, the securities lending services provided by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., included negotiating the terms of loans; monitoring approved borrowers; recalling and arranging the return of loaned securities to the Fund upon termination of the loan; marking to market loans; providing recordkeeping services; reporting on the Fund’s securities lending activities; and related services. The following table summarizes the income and fees from securities lending activities for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2024 for the Fund.

 

Fees and/or compensation for securities lending activities and related services:

 

 

Gross
income from
securities
lending
activities

   

Fees Paid
to securities
lending
agent from
revenue split

   

Fees paid
for any cash
collateral
management
services
(including
fees
deducted
from a
pooled cash
collateral
reinvestment
vehicle)
that are not
included in
the revenue
split

   

Administrative
fees not
included in
the revenue
split

   

Indemnification
fees not
included in
the revenue
split

   

Rebate (paid
to borrower)

   

Other fees
not included
in revenue
split

   

Aggregate
fees and/or
compensation
for securities
lending
activities

   

Net income
from
securities
lending
activities

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

  $ 2,497     $ (25 )   $ (17 )               $ (2,171 )         $ (2,213 )   $ 284  

 

 

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Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status

 

 

The following is intended to be a general summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. It is not intended to be a complete discussion of all such federal income tax consequences, nor does it purport to deal with all categories of investors. This summary assumes that investors hold shares of the Fund as capital assets (within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code). This summary does not apply to investors that are not “United States persons” (as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code) or investors subject to special tax treatment (such as a partnership, financial institution, real estate investment trust, regulated investment company, insurance company, tax-advantaged, tax-qualified and retirement plans (or any other tax-exempt entity), or dealer in securities), except as otherwise specifically indicated below. This discussion reflects applicable tax laws of the United States as of the date of this SAI. However, tax laws may change or be subject to new interpretation by the courts or the IRS, possibly with retroactive effect. Investors are therefore advised to consult with their own tax advisers before making an investment in the Fund.

 

It is a policy of the Fund to make distributions of substantially all of their respective net investment income and any realized net capital gains at least annually. Any net capital gains realized during each fiscal year, as defined by the Internal Revenue Code, are normally declared and payable to shareholders in December but, if necessary, may be distributed at other times as well. Additional information regarding the frequency of the Fund’s distribution of dividend payments from net investment income can be found at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Fund Taxation

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company as such term is defined under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code (a “regulated investment company”). If the Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company in any taxable year, the Fund may be subject to federal income tax on its taxable income at the applicable corporate tax rate. In addition, all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would generally be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income but may, at least in part, qualify for the dividends received deduction applicable to corporations or the reduced rate of taxation applicable to noncorporate holders for “qualified dividend income.” In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay taxes and interest, and make distributions before requalifying as a regulated investment company that is accorded special federal income tax treatment.

 

A federal excise tax at the rate of 4% will be imposed on the excess, if any, of the Fund’s “required distribution” over actual distributions in any calendar year. Generally, the “required distribution” is 98% of the Fund’s ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of its capital gain net income recognized during the one-year period ending on October 31 plus undistributed amounts from prior years. The Fund intends to make distributions sufficient to avoid imposition of the excise tax.

 

Certain transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, if any, may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, may affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders. The Fund will monitor their transactions and may make certain tax elections where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions, if possible.

 

In certain circumstances, such as if the Fund invests in certain pay-in-kind securities, zero coupon securities, deferred interest securities or, in general, any other securities with original issue discount (or with market discount if the Fund elects to include market discount in income currently), the Fund must accrue income on such investments for each taxable year, which generally will be prior to the receipt of the corresponding cash payments. However, in order to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code and to avoid federal income tax and the 4% federal excise tax, the Fund must distribute to shareholders, at least annually, all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net tax-exempt income, including such accrued income. Therefore, the Fund may have to dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate cash, or may have to leverage itself by borrowing the cash, to satisfy these distribution requirements.

 

The Fund may acquire market discount bonds. A market discount bond is a security acquired in the secondary market at a price below its redemption value (or its adjusted issue price if it is also an original issue discount bond). If the Fund invests in a market discount bond, it generally will be required to treat any gain recognized on the disposition of such market discount bond as ordinary income (instead of capital gain) to the extent of the accrued market discount, unless the Fund elects to include the market discount in income as it accrues.

 

40

 

 

The Fund’s investments in lower-rated or unrated debt securities may present issues for the Fund if the issuers of these securities default on their obligations because the federal income tax consequences to a holder of such securities are not certain.

 

The Fund may purchase securities of certain foreign corporations considered to be passive foreign investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code. In order to avoid taxes and interest that must be paid by the Fund, the Fund may make various elections permitted by the Internal Revenue Code. However, these elections could require that the Fund recognize taxable income, which in turn must be distributed even though the Fund may not have received any income upon such an event.

 

Some foreign securities purchased by the Fund may be subject to foreign taxes which could reduce the yield on such securities. If the amount of foreign taxes is significant in a particular year and the Fund qualifies under Section 853 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund may elect to pass through such taxes to shareholders. If the Fund makes such an election, foreign taxes paid by the Fund will be reported to shareholders as income and shareholders may claim either a foreign tax credit or deduction for such taxes, subject to certain limitations. If such election is not made by the Fund, any foreign taxes paid or accrued will represent an expense to the Fund, which will reduce its investment company taxable income.

 

Under the Internal Revenue Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time the Fund accrues income or receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on disposition of certain other instruments, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition also may be treated as ordinary gain or loss. These gains and losses, referred to under the Internal Revenue Code as “Section 988” gains or losses, may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund’s investment company taxable income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.

 

The Fund may utilize foreign currency contracts in an effort to limit foreign currency risk. The value of foreign currency contracts can vary widely from month-to-month, which may result in gains one month and losses the next month. If the Fund distributes such gains during a monthly distribution (if applicable) and subsequently realizes foreign currency losses due to exchange rate fluctuations, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

 

If the Fund elects to invest in REIT equity securities, such investments may require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. In order to generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales. The Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may result in the receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings. If the Fund distributes such amounts, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

 

Some REITs are permitted to hold “residual interests” in Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”). Pursuant to an IRS notice, a portion of the Fund’s income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT’s residual interest in a REMIC (referred to in the Internal Revenue Code as an “excess inclusion”) may be subject to federal income tax in all events. Excess inclusion income will normally be allocated to shareholders in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest directly. There may be instances in which the Fund may be unaware of a REIT’s excess inclusion income. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders: (a) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions); (b) will constitute unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan, or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on unrelated business income, thereby potentially requiring such an entity that is allocated excess inclusion income, and otherwise might not be required to file a federal income tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income; and (c) in the case of a foreign shareholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. Tax-exempt investors sensitive to UBTI are strongly encouraged to consult their tax advisers prior to investment in the Fund. In addition, if at any time during any taxable year a “disqualified organization” (as defined by the Internal Revenue Code) is a record holder of a share in a regulated investment company, then the regulated investment company will be subject to a tax equal to that portion of its excess inclusion income for the taxable year that is allocable to the disqualified organization, multiplied by the applicable corporate tax rate. This may impact the Fund’s performance.

 

41

 

 

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, ordinary REIT dividends are treated as “qualified business income” that is eligible for a 20% federal income tax deduction in the case of individuals, trusts and estates. Regulations enable the Fund to pass through the special character of “qualified REIT dividends” to its shareholders. The amount of a regulated investment company’s dividends eligible for the 20% deduction for a taxable year is limited to the excess of the regulated investment company’s qualified REIT dividends for the taxable year over allocable expenses. To be eligible to treat distributions from the Fund as qualified REIT dividends, a shareholder must hold shares of the Fund for more than 45 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend and the shareholder must not be under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. If the Fund does not elect to pass the special character of this income through to shareholders or if a shareholder does not satisfy the above holding period requirements, the shareholder will not be entitled to the 20% deduction for the shareholder’s share of the Fund’s qualified REIT dividend income.

 

The application of certain requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company and the application of certain other federal income tax rules may be unclear in some respects in connection with investments in certain derivatives and other investments. As a result, the Fund may be required to limit the extent to which it invests in such investments and it is also possible that the IRS may not agree with the Fund’s treatment of such investments. In addition, the tax treatment of derivatives and certain other investments may be affected by future legislation, treasury regulations, and guidance issued by the IRS (which could apply retroactively) that could affect the timing, character, and amount of the Fund’s income and gains and distributions to shareholders, affect whether the Fund has made sufficient distributions and otherwise satisfied the requirements to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid federal income and excise taxes, or limit the extent to which the Fund may invest in certain derivatives and other investments in the future.

 

Generally, the character of the income or capital gains that the Fund receives from another investment company will pass through to the Fund’s shareholders as long as the Fund and the other investment company each qualify as regulated investment companies. However, to the extent that another investment company that qualifies as a regulated investment company realizes net losses on its investments for a given taxable year, the Fund will not be able to recognize its share of those losses until it disposes of shares of such investment company. Moreover, even when the Fund does make such a disposition, a portion of its loss may be recognized as a long-term capital loss. As a result of the foregoing rules, and certain other special rules, it is possible that the amounts of net investment income and net capital gains that the Fund will be required to distribute to shareholders will be greater than such amounts would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests, rather than investing in shares of the investment companies. For similar reasons, the character of distributions from the Fund (e.g., long-term capital gain, qualified dividend income, etc.) will not necessarily be the same as it would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests.

 

The Fund may treat a portion of the amount paid to redeem shares as a distribution of investment company taxable income and realized capital gains that are reflected in the net asset value. This practice, commonly referred to as “equalization,” has no effect on the redeeming shareholder or the Fund’s total return, but may reduce the amounts that would otherwise be required to be paid as taxable dividends to the remaining shareholders. It is possible that the IRS could challenge the Fund’s equalization methodology or calculations, and any such challenge could result in additional tax, interest, or penalties to be paid by the Fund or disqualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company.

 

Shareholder Taxation

Shareholders will be subject to federal income taxes on distributions made by the Fund whether received in cash or additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from the Fund’s net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, net short-term capital gains, and net gains from foreign currency transactions), if any, generally are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income, unless such distributions are attributable to “qualified dividend income” eligible in the case of noncorporate investors for the reduced federal income tax rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received from REITs and certain foreign corporations generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

In addition, if the Fund participates in a securities lending transaction and receives a payment in lieu of dividends with respect to securities on loan (a “substitute payment”), such income generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long shares of the Fund were held. Long-term capital gains are taxable to noncorporate investors at a maximum federal income tax rate of 20%. In addition, certain non-corporate

 

42

 

 

investors may be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax discussed below. Dividends paid by the Fund may also qualify in part for the dividends-received deduction available to corporate shareholders, provided that certain holding period and other requirements under the Internal Revenue Code are satisfied. Generally, however, dividends received from REITs and on stocks of foreign issuers are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction when distributed to the Fund’s corporate shareholders. In addition, a substitute payment received with respect to a securities lending transaction will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction when distributed to the Fund’s corporate shareholders. Distributions from the Fund may also be subject to foreign, state, and local income taxes. Please consult a tax adviser regarding the tax consequences of the Fund distributions and to determine whether you will need to file a tax return.

 

If the Fund makes a distribution in excess of its current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his, her, or its shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder’s basis in his, her, or its shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of such shares. If the Fund produces income primarily derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid by the Fund is anticipated to be qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions declared by the Fund during October, November, or December to shareholders of record during such month and paid by January 31 of the following year will be taxable in the year they are declared, rather than the year in which they are received. The Fund will notify its shareholders each year of the amount and type of dividends and distributions it paid.

 

Gain or loss realized upon a redemption or other disposition (such as an exchange) of shares of the Fund by a shareholder will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and, if not held for such period, as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss on the sale or exchange of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain distributions paid to the shareholder with respect to such shares. Any loss a shareholder realizes on a sale or exchange of shares of the Fund will be disallowed if the shareholder acquires other shares of the Fund (whether through the automatic reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) or substantially identical stock or securities within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shareholder’s sale or exchange of the shares. In such case, the shareholder’s tax basis in the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Capital losses may be subject to limitations on their use by a shareholder.

 

When a shareholder opens an account, IRS regulations require that the shareholder provide a taxpayer identification number (“TIN”), certify that it is correct, and certify that he, she, or it is not subject to backup withholding. If a shareholder fails to provide a TIN or the proper tax certifications, the Fund is required to withhold 24% of all distributions (including dividends and capital gain distributions) and redemption proceeds paid to the shareholder. The Fund is also required to begin backup withholding on an account if the IRS instructs it to do so. Amounts withheld may be applied to the shareholder’s federal income tax liability and the shareholder may obtain a refund from the IRS if withholding results in an overpayment of federal income tax for such year.

 

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount.

 

Non-U.S. Investors

Non-U.S. investors (shareholders that are not “United States persons,” as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code, or partnerships) may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements. Non-U.S. investors should consult their tax advisors as to the consequences of these and other state and local tax rules affecting investment in the Fund and about the applicability of U.S. tax withholding and the use of the appropriate forms to certify their status.

 

Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a 30% or lower treaty rate and U.S. estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are provided for certain capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from net long-term capital gains, interest related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, if such amounts are reported by the Fund. However, notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding at the source, any such dividends and distributions of income and capital gains may be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 24% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a United States person (as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code).

 

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Under Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), a 30% withholding tax is imposed on income dividends made by the Fund to certain foreign entities, referred to as foreign financial institutions or nonfinancial foreign entities, that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. After December 31, 2018, FATCA withholding also would have applied to certain capital gain distributions, return of capital distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares; however, based on proposed regulations issued by the IRS which can be relied on currently, such withholding is not required unless final regulations provide otherwise. 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 or similar laws. 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.

 

44

 

 

Trustees and Officers

 

 

The following are the Trustees and officers of the Trust together with a brief description of their principal occupations during the last five years (principal occupations for certain Trustees may include periods over five years).

 

Each Trustee has served in that capacity since he or she was originally elected or appointed. The Trustees do not serve a specified term of office. Each Trustee will hold office until the termination of the Trust or his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, incapacity, or removal. Under the Fund’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, the policy is for Trustees to retire no later than the end of the calendar year in which the Trustee turns 75. The Trustees review the Fund’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines from time to time and may make changes they deem appropriate. The Fund’s Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees for the position of Trustee recommended by shareholders. Shareholders may submit the name of a candidate for consideration by the Committee by submitting their recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary. Each Trustee is currently a Trustee of one other registered investment company advised by the Adviser: Clayton Street Trust. As of the date of this SAI, collectively, the two registered investment companies consist of 17 series or funds. The Trust’s officers are elected annually by the Trustees for a one-year term. Certain officers also serve as officers of Clayton Street Trust. Certain officers of the Fund may also be officers and/or directors of the Adviser. Except as otherwise disclosed, Fund officers receive no compensation from the Fund.

 

TRUSTEES

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions
Held with
the Trust

Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios/
Funds
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee*

Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past Five Years

Independent Trustees

Clifford J. Weber
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1963

Chairman Trustee

2/16-Present
2/16-Present

Owner, Financial Products Consulting Group LLC (consulting services to financial institutions) (since 2015).

17

Chairman, Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Chairman, Clough Global Opportunities Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Chairman, Clough Global Equity Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Opportunities Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Equity Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017) and Independent Trustee, Global X Funds (investment company) (since 2018). Formerly, Chairman, Clough Funds Trust (investment company) (2016-2023), Independent Trustee , Clough Funds Trust (2015-2023).

Maureen T. Upton
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1965

Trustee

2/16-Present

Executive Director, National Association of Corporate Directors Colorado Chapter (since 2024); Principal, Maureen Upton Ltd. (consulting services to multinational companies) (since 2017).

17

Independent Director, Cascadia Minerals Ltd. (mineral exploration company); Independent Director, ATAC Resources Ltd. (mineral exploration company) (since 2022).

 

45

 

 

TRUSTEES

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions
Held with
the Trust

Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios/
Funds
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee*

Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past Five Years

Jeffrey B. Weeden
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1956

Trustee

2/16-Present

Senior Advisor, Bay Boston Capital LP (investment fund in finance companies, banks and bank holdings companies) (since 2015).

17

Director, West Travis County Municipal Utility District No. 6. (municipal utility) (since 2020). Formerly, Director, State Farm Bank (banking) (2014-2021).

Interested Trustee

Gregory Trinks**
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1977

Trustee

7/24-Present

Head of US Product, Janus Henderson Investors (since 2023); Formerly, Managing Director, UBS Wealth Management USA, (2002- 2022).

17

 

 

*

Each Trustee also serves as a trustee to the Clayton Street Trust, which is currently comprised of three portfolios.

**

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee because of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors.

 

OFFICERS

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions Held with the Trust

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Nicholas Cherney
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1981

President and Chief Executive Officer

10/22-Present

Head of Innovation at Janus Henderson Investors (since 2023), Head of Exchange Traded Products at Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, Velocity Shares Holdings Inc. (since 2019). Formerly, Head of Exchange Traded Products Janus Henderson Indices LLC (2019-2023), Senior Vice President, Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, Janus Henderson Indices LLC (2015-2019), Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (2015-2017), and Velocity Shares Holdings Inc. (2014-2019).

Kristin Mariani
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1966

Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer

7/20-Present

Head of Compliance, North America at Janus Henderson Investors (since September 2020) and Chief Compliance Officer at Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since September 2017). Formerly, Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust (July 2020-December 2022), and Global Head of Investment Management Compliance at Janus Henderson Investors (February 2019-August 2020).

Jesper Nergaard
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1962

Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Principal Accounting Officer

2/16-Present

Head of U.S. Fund Administration, Janus Henderson Investors and Janus Henderson Services US LLC (since 2005).

 

46

 

 

OFFICERS

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions Held with the Trust

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Cara Owen
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1981

Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal Officer

1/23-Present

Senior Legal Counsel of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2021). Formerly, Assistant Secretary of the Trust and Clayton Street Trust (2021-2023); Vice President and Principal Legal Counsel, ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (2019-2021) (fund administrator); and Senior Counsel, Corporate & Investments, Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company (insurance company) (2014-2019).

Ciaran Askin
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1978

Anti-Money Laundering Officer

1/23-Present

Global Head of Financial Crime, Janus Henderson Investors (since 2022). Formerly, Global Head of Financial Crime at Invesco Ltd. (2017-2022).

Jay Mensah
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1994

Assistant Secretary

10/24-Present

Legal Counsel of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2024). Formerly, Associate, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP (law firm) (2022-2024); Associate, Finn Dixon & Herling LLP (law firm)(2021-2022); Associate Counsel, CBRE Global Investors (asset management firm) (2020–2021).

J. Tison Cory
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1969

Assistant Secretary

1/23-Present

Senior Legal Manger of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2020).

Dawn Cotten
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1977

Assistant Treasurer

7/23-Present

Director – Head of Fund Oversight of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2023). Formerly, Client Solutions Group Director, S&P Global (financial data information provider) (2022-2023); and Senior Vice President SS&C ALPS (fund administrator) (2017-2021).

Allen Welch
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1974

Assistant Treasurer

2/16-Present

Director, Head of Fund Tax of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2017).

 

*

Officers are elected at least annually by the Trustees for a one-year term and may also be elected from time to time by the Trustees for an interim period.

 

The Board’s Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for identifying and recommending candidates for nomination or election by the Board based on a variety of diverse criteria. In its most recent evaluation of the qualifications of each Trustee as part of the Board’s annual self-evaluation process and in connection with candidate assessment prior to the appointment of a new Trustee, effective July 11, 2024, the Committee and the Board considered the totality of the information available to them, including the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills, as noted below, and determined that each of the Trustees should serve as members of the Board of Trustees based on the Trust’s business structure. In reaching these conclusions, the Committee and the Board, in the exercise of their reasonable business judgment, evaluated each Trustee based on his or her specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills on an individual basis and in combination with the other Trustees, none of which by itself was considered dispositive. Each member is listed below.

 

Maureen T. Upton: Service as a consultant to global mining, energy and water resource industries, founder of sustainability consultancy, director of public affairs of a NYSE-listed mining corporation, and experience with the financial services industry.

 

Clifford J. Weber: Service as a senior executive of stock exchanges with responsibilities including exchange-traded fund and exchange-traded product issues, experience with the structure and operations of exchange-traded funds, experience with secondary market transactions involving exchange-traded funds, and service as a mutual fund independent director.

 

47

 

 

Jeffrey B. Weeden: Service as a senior executive and CFO of NYSE-listed financial services companies, and as a director of a bank.

 

Gregory Trinks: Service as a senior executive at Janus Henderson Investors and experience as a senior executive in the financial services industry.

 

General Information Regarding the Board of Trustees and Leadership Structure

The Trust is governed by the Board of Trustees, which is responsible for and oversees the management and operations of the Trust and the Fund on behalf of Fund shareholders. A majority of the Board is considered Independent of the Adviser and the Distributor. The Board’s Chair is also an Independent Trustee and each Committee is comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Board’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, oversight of the Fund’s officers and service providers, including the Adviser, which is responsible for the Trust’s day-to-day operations. The Trustees approve all of the agreements entered into with the Fund’s service providers, including the investment management agreements with the Adviser and distribution agreement with ALPS. The Trustees are also responsible for determining or changing the Fund’s investment objective(s), policies, and available investment techniques, as well as for overseeing the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Trustees are assisted by the Trust’s independent auditor (who reports directly to the Trust’s Audit Committee) and independent counsel, each of whom is selected by the Trustees. The Trustees also may engage specialists or consultants from time to time to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities. The Trustees also meet regularly without representatives of the Adviser or its affiliates present.

 

The Trustees discharge their responsibilities collectively as a Board, as well as through Board committees, each of which operates pursuant to a Board-approved charter that delineates the specific responsibilities of that committee. For example, the Board will oversee the annual process by which the Board will consider for approval the renewal of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with the Adviser. Specific matters may be delegated to a committee, such as oversight of the Fund’s independent auditor, which has been delegated by the Board to its Audit and Pricing Committee, subject to approval of the Audit Committee’s recommendations by the Board. The members and responsibilities of each Board committee are summarized below. In addition to serving on certain committees, the Chair of the Board (“Board Chair”) is responsible for presiding at all meetings of the Board, and has other duties as may be assigned by the Trustees from time to time. The Board Chair also serves as the Board’s liaison to the Adviser with respect to all matters related to the Fund that are not otherwise delegated to the chair of a Board committee. The Board has determined that this leadership structure is appropriate based on (i) the number of funds overseen and the various investment objectives of those funds; (ii) the distribution model of the Fund, and (iii) the responsibilities entrusted to the Adviser and its affiliates to oversee the Trust’s day-to-day operations, among other considerations. On an annual basis, the Board conducts a self-evaluation that considers, among other matters, whether the Board and its committees are functioning effectively and whether, given the size and composition of the Board and each of its committees, the Trustees are able to oversee effectively the funds in the complex.

 

Committees of the Board

The Board of Trustees has two standing committees that each performs specialized functions: an Audit and Pricing Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee. The table below shows the committee members. Each committee is comprised entirely of Independent Trustees. Information about each committee’s functions is provided in the following table:

 

 

Summary of Functions

Members (Independent
Trustees)

Number of Meetings Held
During Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2024

Audit and Pricing Committee

Reviews the financial reporting process, the system of internal controls over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures, and the audit process. The Committee’s review of the audit process includes, among other things, the appointment, compensation, and oversight of the Trust’s independent auditor and preapproval of all audit and nonaudit services.

 

Oversees the Adviser as valuation designee and reviews reports on fair valuation determinations and valuation methodologies regarding securities and investments held by the Fund pursuant to valuation procedures established by the Adviser and approved by the Board of Trustees, reviews other matters related to the pricing of securities, and approves changes to the valuation procedures.

Jeffrey B. Weeden (Chair) Maureen T. Upton

Clifford J. Weber

6

 

48

 

 

 

Summary of Functions

Members (Independent
Trustees)

Number of Meetings Held
During Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2024

Nominating and Governance Committee

Identifies and recommends individuals for election as Trustee, consults with Management in planning Trustee meetings, and oversees the administration of, and ensures compliance with, the Trust’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, which includes review of proposed changes to Trustee compensation.

Maureen T. Upton (Chair) Clifford J. Weber

Jeffrey B. Weeden

4

 

Board Oversight of Risk Management

The Adviser, as part of its responsibilities for the day-to-day operations of the Fund, is responsible for day-to-day risk management. The Board, as part of its overall oversight responsibilities for the Fund’s operations, oversees the Adviser’s risk management efforts with respect to the Fund. The Board, in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment, also separately considers potential risks that may impact the Fund. Information considered by the Board is provided by the Adviser and the Fund’s service providers, as deemed appropriate from time to time. The Board and its Committees will analyze the risks of the Fund and request information they deem appropriate. The Audit and Pricing Committee considers valuation risk as part of its regular oversight responsibilities as well as enterprise risk. The Board is apprised of particular risk management matters in connection with its general oversight and approval of various Fund matters brought before the Board. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer for the Fund (“Fund CCO”) who reports directly to the Board. The Fund CCO, who also serves as Chief Compliance Officer of other Janus Henderson funds, discusses relevant risk issues that may impact the Janus Henderson funds and/or the Adviser’s services to the funds, and also discusses matters related to the Fund’s compliance policies and procedures.

 

Additional Information About Trustees

Under the Trust’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, the Trustees are expected to make efforts to invest in one or more (but not necessarily all) funds advised by the Adviser for which they serve as Trustee, to the extent it is practicable and reasonable to do so. Such investments, including the amount and which funds, are dictated by each Trustee’s individual financial circumstances and investment goals.

 

As of December 31, 2024, the Trustees owned securities of the Fund described in this SAI in the dollar range shown in the following table. The last column of the following table reflects each Trustee’s aggregate dollar range of securities of all funds advised by the Adviser and overseen by the Trustees (collectively, the “Janus Henderson Funds”).

 

Name of Trustee

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in All Registered
Investment Companies
Overseen by Trustee in
Janus Henderson Funds

Independent Trustees

     

Clifford J. Weber

 

None

$10,001-$50,000

Maureen T. Upton

 

$1-$10,000

Over $100,000

Jeffrey B. Weeden

 

$10,001-$50,000

Over $100,000

Interested Trustee

     

Gregory Trinks(1)

 

$10,001-$50,000

Over $100,000

 

(1)

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee by virtue of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors. Effective July 11, 2024, Gregory Trinks became a Trustee of the Trust.

 

Trustee Compensation

Each Independent Trustee receives an annual retainer plus a fee for each in-person or telephonic meeting of the Trustees attended. Given the unitary fee structure, the Adviser pays the compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees. Each Independent Trustee receives fees from other Janus Henderson funds for serving as Trustee of those funds. The Adviser pays persons who are directors, officers, or employees of the Adviser or any affiliate thereof, or any Trustee considered an

 

49

 

 

“interested” Trustee, for their services as Trustees or officers. The Trust and other funds managed by the Adviser may pay all or a portion of the compensation and related expenses of the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer and compliance staff, as authorized from time to time by the Trustees.

 

The following table shows the aggregate compensation paid by the Adviser to each Independent Trustee for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2024. None of the Independent Trustees receives any pension or retirement benefits from the Fund or the Adviser.

 

Name of Person, Position

Aggregate
Compensation from
the Trust
(1)

Total Compensation
from the Janus
Henderson Funds
Overseen by Trustees
(2)

Independent Trustees

Clifford J. Weber, Chairman and Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Maureen T. Upton, Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Jeffrey B. Weeden, Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Interested Trustee

Gregory Trinks, Trustee(3)

$0

$0

 

(1)

As of October 31, 2024, there were 12 series of the Trust.

(2)

For each Independent Trustee, includes compensation for service on the boards of two Janus Henderson trusts comprised of 15 portfolios as of October 31, 2024.

(3)

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee by virtue of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors. Effective July 11, 2024, Mr. Trinks became a Trustee of the Trust.

 

JANUS HENDERSON PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

 

Other Accounts Managed

To the best knowledge of the Trust, the following table provides information relating to other accounts managed by portfolio management as of October 31, 2024. For any co-managed fund or account, the assets reflect total fund assets. If applicable, accounts included under Other Registered Investment Companies only include U.S. registered investment companies. To the extent that any of the accounts pay advisory fees based on account performance, information on those accounts is separately listed.

 

 

Other Registered
Investment
Companies

Other Pooled
Investment
Vehicles

Other
Accounts

Greg Kuhl

Number of Other Accounts Managed

2(1)

3(2)

5

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$442.95M

$1,434.30M

$592.98M

Danny Greenberger

Number of Other Accounts Managed

None

None

2

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

None

None

$103.69M

 

(1)

One account included in the total, consisting of $391.12M of the total assets in the category, has a performance-based advisory fee.

(2)

One account included in the total, consisting of $1,236.30M of the total assets in the category, has a performance-based advisory fee.

 

Material Conflicts

As shown in the table above, portfolio management generally manages other accounts, including accounts that may hold the same securities as or pursue investment strategies similar to the Fund. Those other accounts may include separately managed accounts, model or emulation accounts, Janus Henderson mutual funds and ETFs, private-label funds for which the Adviser or an affiliate serves as subadviser, or other Janus Henderson pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, which may have different fee structures or rates than the Fund or may have a performance-based management fee. The Adviser or an affiliate may also proprietarily invest in or provide seed capital to some but not all of these accounts. In addition, portfolio management may personally invest in or provide seed capital to some but not all of these accounts, and certain of these accounts may have a greater impact on their compensation than others. Further, portfolio management (or their family members) may beneficially own or transact in the same securities as those held in the Fund’s portfolio. Moreover, portfolio management may also have other roles at Janus Henderson (e.g., research analyst) and receive compensation attributable to the other roles. Portfolio management may also have roles with an affiliate of the Adviser, and provide advice on behalf of the Adviser through participating affiliate agreements, and receive compensation attributable to other roles. These factors could

 

50

 

 

create conflicts of interest between portfolio management and the Fund because portfolio management may have incentives to favor one or more accounts over others or one role over another in the allocation of time, resources, or investment opportunities and the sequencing of trades, resulting in the potential for the Fund to be disadvantaged relative to one or more other accounts.

 

A conflict of interest between the Fund and other clients, including one or more funds, may arise if portfolio management identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be appropriate for the Fund, but the Fund is not able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to the need to allocate that opportunity among other accounts also managed by such portfolio management. A conflict may also arise if portfolio management executes transactions in one or more accounts that adversely impact the value of securities held by the Fund.

 

Investments made by the Fund and results achieved by the Fund at any given time are not expected to be the same as those made by other funds for which the Adviser acts as investment adviser, including funds with names, investment objectives and policies, and/or portfolio management teams, similar to the Fund. The Adviser believes that these and other conflicts are mitigated by policies, procedures, and practices in place, including those governing personal trading, proprietary trading and seed capital deployment, aggregation and allocation of trades, allocation of limited offerings, cross trades, and best execution. In addition, the Adviser generally requires portfolio management to manage accounts with similar investment strategies in a similar fashion, subject to a variety of exceptions, including, but not limited to, investment restrictions or policies applicable only to certain accounts, certain portfolio holdings that may be transferred in-kind when an account is opened, differences in cash flows and account sizes, and similar factors. The Adviser monitors accounts with similar strategies for any holdings, risk, or performance dispersion or unfair treatment.

 

The Adviser and its affiliates generate trades throughout the day, depending on the volume of orders received from portfolio management, for all of its clients using trade system software. Trades are pre-allocated to individual clients and submitted to selected brokers via electronic files, in alignment with the Adviser’s best execution policy. If an order is not completely filled, executed shares are allocated to client accounts in proportion to the order. In addition, the Adviser has adopted trade allocation procedures that govern allocation of securities among various Janus Henderson accounts. Trade allocation and personal trading are described in further detail under “Additional Information About the Adviser.”

 

JANUS HENDERSON PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT COMPENSATION INFORMATION

 

The following describes the structure and method of calculating portfolio management’s compensation as of the date of this SAI.

 

Portfolio management is compensated for managing the Fund and any other funds, portfolios, or accounts for which they have exclusive or shared responsibilities through two components: fixed compensation and variable compensation. Compensation (both fixed and variable) is determined on a pre-tax basis.

 

Fixed Compensation: Fixed compensation is paid in cash and is comprised of an annual base salary. The base salary is based on factors such as performance, scope of responsibility, skills, knowledge, experience, ability, and market competitiveness.

 

Variable Compensation: Portfolio management’s variable compensation is discretionary and is determined by investment team management. The overall investment team variable compensation pool is funded by an amount equal to a percentage of Janus Henderson’s pre-incentive operating income. In determining individual awards, both quantitative and qualitative factors are considered. Such factors include, among other things, consistent short-term and long-term fund performance (i.e., one-, three-, and five-year performance), client support and investment team support through the sharing of ideas, leadership, development, mentoring, and teamwork.

 

Performance fees: The firm receives performance fees in relation to certain funds depending on outperformance of the fund against pre-determined benchmarks. Performance fees are shared directly with the investment professional in two instances; on a discretionary basis, if the fees were generated by certain products, and on a formulaic basis, if there is a contractual agreement in place.

 

The discretionary performance fee sharing incentives are funded from within the profit pools and subject to the same risk adjustment, review, and standard deferral arrangements that apply to the discretionary funding frameworks.

 

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Deferrals/Firm Ownership: All employees are subject to Janus Henderson’s standard deferral arrangements which apply to variable incentive awards. Deferral rates apply to awards that exceed a minimum threshold, rates of deferral increase for larger incentive awards. Deferred awards vest in three equal installments over a 3-year period and are delivered into JHG restricted stock and/or funds.

 

Portfolio management may be eligible to defer payment of a designated percentage of their fixed compensation and/or up to all of their variable compensation in accordance with JHG’s Executive Income Deferral Program.

 

OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

 

As of October 31, 2024, portfolio management of the Fund described in this SAI beneficially owned securities of the Fund they manage in the dollar range shown in the following table. Beneficial ownership may include amounts invested through contingent compensation plans.

 

Investment Personnel

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund Managed

Greg Kuhl

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

$10,001-$50,000

Danny Greenberger

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

$10,001-$50,000

 

 

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Principal Shareholders

 

 

To the best knowledge of Janus Detroit Street Trust, as of January 31, 2025, the officers and Trustees as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. As of January 31, 2025, the percentage ownership of any person or entity owning 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund is listed below. Any person or entity that beneficially owns, directly or through one or more controlled companies, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company is presumed to “control” such company. Accordingly, to the extent that a person or entity is identified as the beneficial owner of more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund, or is identified as the record owner of more than 25% of the Fund and has voting and/or investment powers, that person or entity may be presumed to control the Fund. A controlling shareholder’s vote could have a more significant effect on matters presented to shareholders for approval than the vote of other Fund shareholders.

 

An Authorized Participant (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of the Fund) may hold of record more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. From time to time, Authorized Participants (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of the Fund) may be a beneficial and/or legal owner of the Fund, may be affiliated with an index provider, may be deemed to have control of the Fund and/or may be able to affect the outcome of matters presented for a vote of the shareholders of the Fund. Authorized Participants (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of the Fund) may execute an irrevocable proxy granting the Distributor or the Adviser (or an affiliate) power to vote or abstain from voting such Authorized Participant’s beneficially or legally owned shares of the Fund. In such cases, the agent shall mirror vote (or abstain from voting) such shares in the same proportion as all other beneficial owners of the Fund.

 

To the best knowledge of the Trust, entities shown as owning more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are not the beneficial owners of such shares, unless otherwise indicated. The following chart lists each shareholder or group of shareholders who beneficially (or of record) owned more than 5% of the Fund as of January 31, 2025:

 

Fund Name

Shareholder and Address of Record

Percentage Ownership

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

Principal Bank
Des Moines, IA

83.72%

 

National Financial Services LLC
New York, NY

7.91%

 

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Miscellaneous Information

 

 

The Fund is a series of the Trust, an open-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act and organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 6, 2015. As of the date of this SAI, the Trust offers 14 series of shares, known as “Funds.” The other series of the Trust are described in separate statements of additional information.

 

Fund Name

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

Janus Henderson Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Transformational Growth ETF

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

The Adviser reserves the right to the name “Janus Henderson.” In the event that the Adviser does not continue to provide investment advice to the Funds, the Funds must cease to use the name “Janus Henderson” as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

It is important to know that, pursuant to the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the authority to merge, liquidate, consolidate and/or reorganize the Fund into another fund without seeking shareholder vote or consent. Any such consolidation, merger, or reorganization may be authorized at any time by a vote of a majority of the Trustees then in office. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising their authority to liquidate the Fund, they may do so if the Fund fails to reach or maintain viable size or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board in its discretion.

 

Shares of the Trust

 

The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $0.001 per share for each series of the Trust. Shares of each series of the Trust are fully paid and nonassessable when issued. Shares of the Fund participate equally in dividends and other distributions by the shares of the Fund, and in residual assets of the Fund in the event of liquidation. Shares of the Fund have no preemptive, conversion, or subscription rights. Shares of the Fund may be transferred by endorsement or stock power as is customary, but the Fund is not bound to recognize any transfer until it is recorded on its books.

 

Shareholder Meetings

 

The Trust does not intend to hold annual or regular shareholder meetings unless otherwise required by the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act. Special meetings may be called for a specific fund or for the Trust as a whole for purposes such as changing fundamental policies, electing or removing Trustees, making any changes to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust that would affect shareholders’ voting rights (as specified in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust), determining whether to bring certain derivative actions, or for any other purpose requiring a shareholder vote under applicable law or the Trust’s governing documents, or as the Trustees consider necessary or desirable. Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, special meetings of shareholders of the Trust or of the Fund shall be called subject to certain

 

54

 

 

conditions, upon written request of shareholders owning shares representing at least 25% (or 10% to the extent required by the 1940 Act) of the shares then outstanding. The Fund will assist these shareholders in communicating with other shareholders in connection with such a meeting similar to that referred to in Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act.

 

Voting Rights

 

Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each Trustee of the Trust will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his or her earlier death, retirement, resignation, incapacity, or removal. Vacancies will be filled by appointment by a majority of the remaining Trustees, subject to the 1940 Act.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Participant Agreement, an Authorized Participant, to the extent that it is a beneficial owner of Fund shares, will irrevocably appoint the Distributor as its agent and proxy with full authorization and power to vote (or abstain from voting) its beneficially owned Fund shares. From time to time, other broker dealers making markets in shares of the Fund may execute similar, standalone agreements resulting in irrevocable assignment of proxy voting rights to the Adviser (or an affiliate), to the extent that such broker dealer beneficially owns Fund shares. The Distributor intends to vote such shares in accordance with its written supervisory procedures. The Adviser (or its affiliate) intends to vote such shares either by voting in proportion to the votes of other shareholders on a given matter (echo vote) or abstain from voting.

 

As a shareholder, you are entitled to one vote per share (with proportionate voting for fractional shares). Generally, each fund votes together as a single group, except where a separate vote of one or more funds is required by law or where the interests of one or more funds are affected differently from other funds.

 

Shares of all series of the Trust have noncumulative voting rights, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the value of shares of all series of the Trust voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of the Trustees if they choose to do so. In such event, the holders of the remaining value of shares will not be able to elect any Trustees.

 

Investments By Other Investment Companies

 

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for the purpose of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 1900 16th Street, Suite 1600, Denver, Colorado 80202, the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Fund, audits the Fund’s annual financial statements and performs tax services for the Fund.

 

Registration Statement

 

The Trust has filed with the SEC, Washington, D.C., a Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to the securities to which this SAI relates. If further information is desired with respect to the Fund or such securities, reference is made to the Registration Statement and the exhibits filed as a part thereof.

 

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Financial Statements

 

 

The financial statements and Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024 are hereby incorporated into this SAI by reference from the Fund’s Form N-CSR dated October 31, 2024.

 

56

 

 

Appendix A — Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

 

 

Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

 

Last Review Date: February 2024

 

57

 

 

Contents

1

Overview

60

1.1

Policy Statement

60

1.2

Key Principles

60

1.3

Scope

60

1.4

Roles and Responsibilities

60

1.5

References

61

2

Additional Definitions

61

3

Proxy Voting Procedures

61

3.1

Voting Generally

61

3.2

Abstentions

62

3.3

Funds of Funds

62

3.4

Conflicts of Interest

63

4

Reporting, Oversight and Recordkeeping

63

4.1

Client and Regulatory Reporting

63

4.2

Proxy Voting and Proxy Voting Service Oversight

64

4.3

Record Retention

64

5

Amendments

64

Proxy Voting Guidelines

64

Directors and Boards

65

Auditors and Accounting Issues

67

Compensation Issues

67

Capitalization, Issuances, Transactions, Shareholder Rights, and Other Corporate Matters

68

Environmental and Social Issues

69

Miscellaneous, Administrative and Routine Items

70

Proposals Outside the Guidelines

70

 

 

58

 

 

1 Overview

 

1.1 Policy Statement

 

Where Janus Henderson Investors has been provided voting discretion, it has a responsibility to vote proxies in the best interest of each client. Janus Henderson Investors has adopted this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients without regard to any relationship that Janus Henderson Investors or any affiliated person of Janus Henderson Investors may have with the issuer or personnel of the issuer. Subject to specific provisions in a client’s account documentation related to exception voting, Janus Henderson Investors will generally only accept direction from a client to vote proxies for that client’s account pursuant to: 1) the JHI Voting Guidelines; 2) the ISS Benchmark Policy; or 3) the ISS Taft-Hartley Voting Guidelines.

 

1.2 Key Principles

 

 

Janus Henderson Investors will vote proxies in the best interest of each client.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will identify and manage any conflicts of interest which might affect a voting decision.

 

Upon request, Janus Henderson Investors will provide clients with the proxy voting record for their accounts.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will publicly disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in Janus Henderson Investors’ view, it is appropriate.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will maintain records supporting its voting decisions.

 

1.3 Scope

 

This Policy applies to Janus Henderson Investors and each of the client accounts for which it has proxy voting responsibilities, other than those advised or sub-advised by Kapstream Capital Pty Ltd.

 

1.4 Roles and Responsibilities

 

Portfolio Management. Portfolio Management is responsible for determining how to vote proxies with respect to securities held in the client accounts they manage with input and support from the Responsible Investment and Governance Team, other representatives of Janus Henderson, and the Proxy Voting Service, as applicable. Where Portfolio Management chooses to vote contrary to the Guidelines and as otherwise specified herein, Portfolio Management is required to provide a written rationale sufficient to show why Portfolio Management reasonably believes the voting instruction is in the best interest of the client.

 

Asset Servicing. Asset Servicing is responsible for administering the proxy voting process as set forth in this Policy. Asset Servicing works with the Proxy Voting Service and is responsible for ensuring that all meeting notices are reviewed against the Guidelines, the ISS Benchmark Policy or the Taft-Hartley Guidelines, and proxy matters are communicated to Portfolio Management for consideration pursuant to this Policy.

 

Proxy Voting Committee. The Proxy Voting Committee develops Janus Henderson Investors’ positions on all major corporate issues, maintains and updates the Guidelines, manages conflicts of interest related to proxy voting and oversees the voting process generally, including by reviewing results of diligence on the Proxy Voting Service.

 

Proxy Voting Service. The Proxy Voting Service provides research services relating to proxy issues. The Proxy Voting Service also assists in certain functions relating to the voting of proxies. Among other things, the Proxy Voting Service is responsible for coordinating with clients’ custodians to ensure that all proxy materials received by the custodians relating to the clients’ portfolio securities are processed in a timely fashion. In addition, the Proxy Voting Service is responsible for submitting Janus Henderson Investors’ votes in accordance with the Guidelines or as otherwise instructed by Janus Henderson Investors and is responsible for maintaining copies of all proxy statements received from issuers and promptly providing such materials to Janus Henderson Investors upon request. The Proxy Voting Service also provides voting disclosure services, including preparing Form N-PX for Janus Henderson Investors and the Proprietary U.S. Funds.

 

 

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1.5 References

 

Rule 206(4)-7 of the Investment Advisers Act Rule 30b1-4 of the Investment Company Act

 

Rule 239.15 et seq. of the Investment Company Act

 

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)

 

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 231/2013, Article 37

 

Commission Directive 2010/43/EU, Article 21

 

FCA COLL 6.6A.6

 

CSSF Regulation 10-04, Article 23

 

UN Principles for Responsible Investment

 

IMAS Singapore Stewardship Principles

 

SFC Principles of Responsible Ownership

 

FRC UK Stewardship Code

 

2 Additional Definitions

 

Janus Henderson Investors includes all investment advisory subsidiaries of Janus Henderson Group plc, including, but not limited to, Janus Henderson Investors (Australia) Institutional Funds Management Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Singapore) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Japan) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Jersey) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors UK Limited, and Janus Henderson Investors US LLC.1

 

JHI Proxy Voting Guidelines or the Guidelines refers to the voting guidelines adopted by Janus Henderson Investors and outlined at Appendix A.

 

Policy means this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures.

 

Portfolio Management refers to the portfolio managers, assistant portfolio managers, and analysts supporting a given client account.

 

Proxy Voting Committee or the Committee refers to the Janus Henderson Investors Proxy Voting Committee. The Committee is comprised of representatives from the Asset Servicing, Compliance, Operational Risk as well as the Responsible Investment and Governance Team and equity portfolio management who provide input on behalf of the investment team. Internal legal counsel serves as a consultant to the Committee and is a non-voting member.

 

Proprietary U.S Funds refer to the series of Janus Investment Fund, Janus Aspen Series, Clayton Street Trust, and Janus Detroit Street Trust.

 

Proxy Voting Service or ISS refers to Institutional Shareholder Services Inc.

 

3 Proxy Voting Procedures

 

3.1 Voting Generally

 

Where the Guidelines address the proxy matter being voted on, votes will be cast in accordance with the Guidelines unless directed otherwise. Portfolio Management may vote contrary to the Guidelines at their discretion and with a written rationale sufficient to show why Portfolio Management reasonably believes the voting instruction is in the best interest of the client. Where the (1) Guidelines call for Portfolio Management input and/or (2) the proxy matter being voted on relates to a company and/or issue for which the Proxy Voting Service does not have research, analysis and/or a recommendation

 

 

1

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC has been designated by the Boards of Trustees of Janus Investment Fund, Janus Aspen Series, Clayton Street Trust, and Janus Detroit Street Trust to vote proxies for the Proprietary U.S. Funds, as applicable.

 

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available, the Proxy Voting Service will refer proxy questions to portfolio management for further instruction. In the event Portfolio Management is unable to provide input on a referred proxy item, Janus Henderson Investors will vote the proxy item consistent with the ISS Benchmark Policy.

 

Notwithstanding the above, with respect to clients who have instructed Janus Henderson Investors to vote proxies in accordance with the Taft-Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy, the Proxy Voting Service will cast all proxy votes in strict accordance with those policies.

 

Janus Henderson relies on pre-populated and/or automated voting. That means the Proxy Voting Service will automatically populate the proxy voting system in accordance with the Guidelines, the Taft- Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy. For those proxy proposals with a default policy position, the votes will be cast as populated in the system by the Proxy Voting Service unless directed otherwise by Janus Henderson Investors.

 

From time to time, issuers and/or ballot issue sponsors may publicly report additional information that may be relevant to the application of the Guidelines, the Taft-Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy or the exercise of discretion by Portfolio Management (“supplemental materials”). To the extent the Proxy Voting Service identifies such supplemental materials, it will review that information and determine whether it has a material effect on the application of the Guidelines, the Taft-Hartley Guidelines, or the ISS Benchmark Policy. The Proxy Voting Service is then responsible for ensuring that any votes pre-populated in the proxy voting system are appropriately updated and Janus Henderson is provided appropriate notice of such changes, including through availability of an updated research report. In all events, the Proxy Voting Service will notify Janus Henderson Investors of any supplemental materials identified so that they can be considered as part of the voting process, including with respect to items requiring Portfolio Management input.

 

3.2 Abstentions

 

Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that in certain circumstances the cost to clients associated with casting a proxy vote may exceed the benefits received by clients from doing so. In those situations, Janus Henderson Investors may decide to abstain from voting. For instance, in many countries, shareholders who vote proxies for shares of an issuer are not able to trade in that company’s stock within a given period of time on or around the shareholder meeting date (“share blocking”). In countries where share blocking is practiced, Janus Henderson Investors will only vote proxies if Janus Henderson Investors determines that the benefit of voting the proxies outweighs the risk of not being able to sell the securities. Similarly, in some instances, Janus Henderson Investors may participate in a securities lending program. Generally, if shares of an issuer are on loan, the voting rights are transferred and the lending party cannot vote the shares. In deciding whether to recall securities on loan, Janus Henderson Investors will evaluate whether the benefit of voting the proxies outweighs the cost of recalling them consistent with requirements of applicable securities lending procedures. Furthermore, in circumstances where a client held a security as of record date, but the holdings were sold prior to the shareholder meeting, Janus Henderson Investors may abstain from voting that proxy.

 

3.3 Funds of Funds

 

Janus Henderson Investors advises certain accounts that invest in other funds (“funds of funds”) advised by Janus Henderson Investors or its affiliated persons (“underlying funds”). From time to time, a fund of funds may be required to vote proxies for the underlying funds in which it is invested. In those circumstances, there may be a conflict of interest between Janus Henderson Investors and its clients. Except as noted below, to mitigate that conflict, whenever an underlying fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders which would otherwise require portfolio manager discretion under the Guidelines, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote shares in accordance with the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service. Janus Henderson Investors will generally abstain from voting shares where the Proxy Voting Service does not have a recommendation; although, it may alternatively vote in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders in the underlying fund (“echo vote”) in limited cases. Whenever an underlying fund that is a Proprietary U.S. Fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders, Janus Henderson Investors will echo vote shares held by a fund-of-funds account or refrain from voting such shares to the extent that cost or other considerations outweigh the benefits of voting such shares.

 

In addition, certain Proprietary U.S. Funds may invest in exchange-traded funds and other funds advised by unaffiliated persons (“acquired funds,” and each, an “acquired fund”) pursuant to Rule 12d1-4 under the Investment Company Act (“Rule 12d1-4”). To the extent a Proprietary U.S. Fund and its advisory group, as defined in Rule 12d1-4 (“advisory group”), individually or in the aggregate become the holders of (i) more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired open- end fund or unit investment trust as a result of a decrease in the outstanding securities of that acquired open-end fund or unit investment trust or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired registered closed-

 

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end management investment company or business development company, Janus Henderson Investors will ensure that the Proprietary U.S. Fund and other funds and accounts in the advisory group echo vote the shares of the acquired fund; provided, however, that in circumstances where all holders of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired fund are required to echo vote pursuant to Rule 12d1-4, a Proprietary U.S. Fund and other funds and accounts in the advisory group will solicit voting instructions from its shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies with respect to such acquired fund securities and vote such proxies only in accordance with such instructions.

 

3.4 Conflicts of Interest

 

Because the Guidelines, the ISS Benchmark Policy and the Taft-Hartley Guidelines pre-establish voting positions, application of those rules to default positions should, in most cases, adequately address any possible conflicts of interest. For situations where Portfolio Management seeks to exercise discretion when voting proxies, Janus Henderson Investors has implemented additional policies and controls described below to mitigate any conflicts of interest.

 

Portfolio Management is required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may affect its exercise of voting discretion. Actual or potential conflicts of interest include but are not limited to the existence of any communications from the issuer, proxy solicitors or others designed to improperly influence Portfolio Management in exercising its discretion or the existence of significant relationships with the issuer.

 

Janus Henderson Investors also proactively monitors and tests proxy votes for any actual or potential conflicts of interest. Janus Henderson Investors maintains a list of significant relationships for purposes of assessing potential conflicts with respect to proxy voting, which may include significant intermediaries, vendors or service providers, clients, and other relationships. In the event Portfolio Management votes against the Guidelines with respect to an issuer on the significant relationships list, Asset Servicing will notify the Committee which will review the rationale provided by Portfolio Management. In the event Portfolio Management votes contrary to Proxy Voting Service’s recommendations and with management as to an issuer on the significant relationships list, Asset Servicing will notify the Committee, which will review the rationale provided by Portfolio Management. If the Committee determines the rationale is inadequate, the proxy vote will be cast as in accordance with the Guidelines or as instructed by the Committee. In addition, on a quarterly basis, the Committee reviews all votes that deviate from the Guidelines and assesses the adequacy of Portfolio Management’s stated rationale.

 

Any personal conflict of interest related to a specific proxy vote should be reported to the Committee prior to casting a vote. In the event a personal conflict of interest is disclosed or identified, the Committee will determine whether that person should recuse himself or herself from the voting determination process. In such circumstances, the proxy vote will be cast in accordance with the Guidelines or as instructed by the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate. Compliance also reviews all refer votes contrary to the ISS recommendations and with management to identify any undisclosed personal conflicts of interest.

 

If a proxy vote is referred to the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate or to the Committee, the decision made and basis for the decision will be documented by the Committee.

 

To mitigate perceived or potential conflicts of interest, in instances where a proxy is for a Janus Henderson managed fund in which seed or other proprietary capital is invested, Janus Henderson Investors will generally instruct that such shares be voted in the same proportion as other shares are voted with respect to a proposal, subject to applicable legal, regulatory and operational requirements.

 

4 Reporting, Oversight and Recordkeeping

 

4.1 Client and Regulatory Reporting

 

Janus Henderson Investors will provide clients with such information on proxy voting in their accounts as contractually agreed or reasonably requested. Janus Henderson Investors will present this Policy and the Guidelines to the boards of trustees of the Proprietary U.S. Funds at least annually and shall provide such other information and reports requested by such boards to fulfill their oversight function.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will provide other third parties with such information on proxy voting as set forth herein. Janus Henderson Investors will publicly disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in Janus Henderson Investors’ view, it is appropriate. On an annual basis, Janus Henderson

 

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Investors will provide proxy voting records for each Proprietary U.S. Fund for the one-year period ending on June 30th on Janus Henderson Investors’ website at www.janushenderson.com/proxyvoting. Such voting record, on Form N-PX, is also available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov no later than August 31 of each year.2 Janus Henderson Investors may also privately disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending where appropriate and consistent with other applicable policy, legal, and regulatory requirements.

 

Except as noted in this Policy or required by law, Janus Henderson Investors generally does not provide information to anyone on how it voted or intends to vote on any matters still pending. Unless that information has otherwise been made public, Janus Henderson Investors may only confirm to issuers, their agents or other third parties that votes have been cast but not how or how many votes were cast. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Portfolio Management may indicate to issuers, proxy solicitors and proxy advisory firms how they voted or intend to vote in the context of the engagement and investment analysis process. Portfolio Management also may indicate to other shareholders how they voted or intend to vote subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

 

A complete copy of the Policy is available at www.janushenderson.com.

 

4.2 Proxy Voting and Proxy Voting Service Oversight

 

The Committee will ensure sufficient oversight of proxy voting through periodic review of voting decisions, operational issues and conflicts of interest as discussed herein. The Committee will review such information as it deems appropriate to discharge these responsibilities.

 

In addition, Janus Henderson Investors will conduct periodic due diligence reviews of the Proxy Voting Service via on-site, video, or telephonic meetings and by written questionnaires. As part of this periodic due diligence process, Janus Henderson Investors shall collect information that is reasonably sufficient to support the conclusion that the Proxy Voting Service has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze the matters for which they provide research and voting recommendations. In connection with the periodic due diligence review, Janus Henderson Investors shall consider, among other things, (1) the adequacy and quality of the Proxy Voting Service’s staffing, personnel, and/or technology; (2) disclosure from the Proxy Voting Service regarding its methodologies in formulating voting recommendations; and (3) whether the Proxy Voting Service has adequate policies and procedures to identify, disclose, and address actual and potential conflicts of interest. In further exercise of its oversight responsibility, Janus Henderson Investors shall periodically sample the proxy votes cast on behalf of clients to ensure whether the Guidelines were applied correctly to such votes.

 

4.3 Record Retention

 

Janus Henderson Investors will retain proxy statements received regarding client securities, records of votes cast on behalf of clients, records of client requests for proxy voting information and all documents prepared by Janus Henderson Investors regarding votes cast in contradiction to the Guidelines. In addition, Janus Henderson Investors will retain internally-generated documents that are material to a proxy voting decision, such as the Guidelines, Committee materials and other internal research relating to voting decisions. Proxy statements received from issuers are generally available from the issuer’s, the relevant regulatory authority’s and/or the market place’s websites. They may also be available from the third-party voting service upon request. All materials discussed above will be retained in accordance with any applicable record retention obligations.

 

5 Amendments

 

This Policy is subject to review on an annual or more frequent basis by the Committee. In reviewing the Policy, the Committee reviews Janus Henderson Investors’ proxy voting record over the prior year, including exceptions to the Guidelines requested by Portfolio Management to determine whether any adjustments should be made. The Committee also reviews changes to the Guidelines recommended by the Proxy Voting Service, discusses such changes with the Proxy Voting Service, and solicits feedback from Portfolio Management on such changes. Once the Guidelines have been approved by the Committee and clients where required, they are distributed to Asset Servicing and the Proxy Voting Service for implementation.

 

 

2

Janus Henderson Investors will also provide proxy voting records on say-on-pay issues consistent with requirements of Rule 14Ad-1.

 

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Proxy Voting Guidelines

 

Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote all proxies relating to portfolio securities held in client accounts for which it has been delegated voting authority in accordance with the Policy, including these Guidelines, and the implementation instructions provided to the Proxy Voting Service. Nonetheless, because proxy issues and the circumstances of individual companies are varied, there may be instances when Janus Henderson Investors may not vote in strict adherence to the Guidelines. Portfolio Management is responsible for monitoring significant corporate developments, including proxy proposals submitted to shareholders, and instructing votes contrary to the Guidelines where they reasonably believe that is in the best interest of clients.

 

Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that corporate governance systems vary a great deal between jurisdictions according to factors such as cultural issues, laws and regulations, the extent of shareholder rights, the level of dispersed ownership and the stage of development more generally. In formulating our approach to corporate governance, we are conscious that a “one size fits all” policy is not appropriate. We will therefore seek to vary our voting activities according to the local market and its standards of best practices.

 

While Janus Henderson Investors has attempted to address the most common issues through the Guidelines, there will be various proxy voting proposals that are not addressed by the Guidelines or that require case-by-case resolution under the Guidelines. In addition, it may not be appropriate to apply certain Guidelines to investment types such as mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and closed-end funds, in which case Janus Henderson Investors will generally rely on the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service unless otherwise specified in the Policy. Moreover, there may be various proxy voting proposals as to which the Proxy Voting Service does not have or provide research, analysis and recommendations. For example, the Proxy Voting Service may not provide research, analysis and recommendations for proxy voting proposals of privately-held companies. In such instances, those proposals will be referred to Portfolio Management for resolution. In exercising discretion, Janus Henderson Investors may take into consideration the information and recommendations of the Proxy Voting Service but will vote all proxies based on its own conclusions regarding the best interests of its clients.

 

In many cases, a security may be held by client accounts managed by multiple portfolio managers. While Janus Henderson Investors generally casts votes consistently across client accounts it manages, different portfolio managers may vote differently on the same matter in the exercise of their discretion. For example, different portfolio managers may reasonably reach different conclusions as to what is in the best interest of their clients based on their independent judgments. In addition, in rare circumstances, an individual portfolio manager may reasonably reach different conclusions as to what is in the best interests of different clients depending on each individual client account’s investment strategy or its objectives.

 

Directors and Boards

Janus Henderson Investors recognises the diversity of corporate governance models across different markets and does not advocate any one form of board structure. However, it also recognises there are certain key functions which are or should be common across all markets:

 

 

Reviewing and guiding corporate strategy, major plans of action, risk policy, annual budgets and business plans; setting performance objectives; monitoring implementation and corporate performance; and overseeing major capital expenditures, acquisitions and divestitures;

 

Monitoring the effectiveness of the company’s governance practices and making changes as needed; Selecting, compensating, monitoring and, where necessary, replacing key executives and overseeing succession planning;

 

Aligning key executive and board compensation with the longer-term interests of the company and its shareholders;

 

Ensuring a formal and transparent board nomination and election process;

 

Monitoring and managing potential conflicts of interest of management, board members and shareholders, including misuse of corporate assets and abuse in related party transactions;

 

Ensuring the integrity of the corporation’s accounting and financial reporting systems, including the independent audit, and that appropriate systems of control are in place, in particular, systems for risk management, financial and operational control, and compliance with the law and relevant standards;

 

Monitoring the quality of relationships with key stakeholders; and

 

Overseeing the process of disclosure and communications.

 

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Boards of directors should include the number and types of qualified directors sufficient to ensure effective discharge of these responsibilities, including independent non-executive directors with appropriate skills, experience, and knowledge. The responsibilities of such non-executive directors should include monitoring and contributing effectively to the strategy and performance of management, staffing key committees of the board, and influencing the conduct of the board as a whole. Consistent with this principle of independence, a board of directors should generally have a non-executive chairperson.

 

The board of directors should establish audit, compensation, and nomination/succession committees. These should be composed wholly or predominantly of independent directors. Companies should publicly disclose the terms of reference of these committees and give an account to shareholders in an annual report or other regulatory filing of how their responsibilities have been discharged. The chairpersons and members of these committees should be appointed by the board as a whole according to a transparent procedure.

 

Janus Henderson Investors believes the board of directors, or supervisory board, as an entity, and each of its members, as an individual, is a fiduciary for all shareholders, and should be accountable to the shareholder body as a whole. Each director should therefore generally stand for election on an annual basis.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Board Classification – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to classify boards of directors and for proposals to declassify boards of directors.

 

Board Size – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to increase the size of a board of directors so long as the board would retain a majority of independent directors. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to decrease the size of a board of directors which are intended as anti-takeover measures.

 

Director Independence – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to increase the minimum number of independent directors. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to separate the role of the chairman from the role of the CEO.

 

Director Indemnification – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals regarding director or officer indemnification arrangements provided such provisions are not deemed excessive or inappropriate.

 

Uncontested Elections –Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of director candidates that result in the board having a majority of independent directors and oppose director candidates that result in the board not having a majority of independent directors. After taking into consideration country-specific practices, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of individual director candidates unless:

 

 

they attend less than 75% of the board and committee meetings without a valid excuse;

 

they ignore or otherwise fail to respond appropriately to shareholder proposals receiving majority shareholder support;

 

they are not responsive to advisory votes on executive compensation matters;

 

they fail to provide appropriate oversight of company’s risk management practices;

 

they are non-independent directors and sit on the audit, compensation or nominating committees;

 

they are non-independent directors and the board does not have an audit, compensation, or nominating committee;

 

they are audit committee members and the non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive;

 

they are audit committee members and poor accounting practices rise to a level of serious concern, or other serious issues surrounding the audit process or arrangement exist;

 

they serve as directors on an excessive number of boards;

 

they are compensation committee members and the company has poor compensation practices;

 

they adopt a long term poison pill without shareholder approval or make material adverse changes to an existing poison pill;

 

they are the chair of the nominating committee, or are otherwise responsible for the nomination process, of a board that does not have a minimum level of female directors, and the company has not provided a sufficient explanation for its lack of gender diversity;

 

they are the chair of the nominating committee, or are otherwise responsible for the nomination process, of a board that does not have any apparent racial/ethnic diversity, and the company has not provided a sufficient explanation for its lack of racial/ethnic diversity;

 

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they are the chair of the responsible committee of a company that is a significant greenhouse gas emitter3 where such company is not taking minimum steps needed to understand, assess, and mitigate risks related to climate change;

 

they amend the company’s bylaws or charter without shareholder approval in a manner that materially diminishes shareholders’ rights or that could adversely impact shareholders; and/or

 

the company employs a capital structure with unequal voting rights.

 

Contested Elections – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals relating to contested director candidates on case-by-case basis.

 

Cumulative Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to adopt cumulative voting unless otherwise recommended by the Proxy Voting Service.

 

Auditors and Accounting Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes boards of directors should maintain robust structures and processes to ensure sound internal controls and to oversee all aspects of relationships with auditors. Boards of directors should generally have appropriately constituted audit committees with sufficient levels of financial expertise in accordance with prevailing legislation or best practice. The audit committee should ensure that the company gives a balanced and clear presentation of its financial position and prospects and clearly explains its accounting principles and policies. The audit committee should ensure that the independence of the external auditors is not compromised by conflicts of interest (e.g., financial conflicts arising from the award of non-audit assignments).

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Uncontested Auditors – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to approve external or statutory auditors and auditor compensation unless:

 

 

the auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company and is therefore not independent;

 

fees for non-audit services are excessive;

 

there is reason to believe the auditor has rendered an opinion which may be neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position;

 

the auditor is being changed without explanation; or

 

the auditor is not identified by name.

 

Contested Auditors – Janus Henderson Investors will evaluate proposals relating to contested auditors on a case-by-case basis.

 

Compensation Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes compensation of executive directors and key executives should be aligned with the interests of shareholders. Performance criteria attached to share-based compensation should be demanding. Requirements for directors and senior executives to acquire and retain company shares that are meaningful in the context of their cash compensation are also appropriate. The design of senior executives’ contracts should not commit companies to ‘payment for failure’. Boards should pay attention to minimising this risk when drawing up contracts and to resist pressure to concede excessively generous severance conditions. Any share-based compensation should be subject to shareholder approval.

 

Companies should disclose in each annual report or proxy statement the board’s policies on executive compensation (and preferably the compensation of individual board members and top executives), as well as the composition of such compensation so that investors can judge whether corporate pay policies and practices are appropriately designed.

 

Broad-based employee share ownership plans or other profit-sharing programs are effective market mechanisms that promote employee participation. When reviewing whether to support proposed new share schemes, we place particular importance on the following factors:

 

 

The overall potential cost of the scheme, including the level of dilution;

 

The issue price of share options relative to the market price;

 

The use of performance conditions aligning the interests of participants with shareholders;

 

 

3

Janus Henderson Investors will apply the same definition as used by the Proxy Voting Service.

 

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The holding period (i.e., the length of time from the award date to the earliest date of exercise); and

 

The level of disclosure.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Executive and Director Equity-Based Compensation Plans – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of equity-based compensation plans unless they create an inconsistent relationship between long-term share performance and compensation, do not demonstrate good stewardship of investors’ interests, or contain problematic features. Janus Henderson Investors considers the following, non-exhaustive list of practices to be problematic and generally votes against plans or amendments to plans that:

 

 

provide for re-pricing of underwater options;

 

provide for automatic replenishment (“evergreen”) or reload options;

 

create an inconsistent relationship between long term share performance and compensation increases; and/or

 

are proposed by management and do not demonstrate good stewardship of investors’ interests regarding executive compensation or are a vehicle for poor compensation practices.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals permitting material amendments to equity-based compensation plans without shareholder approval.

 

Long-Term Ownership – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals intended to increase long-term stock ownership by executives, officers, and directors. These may include:

 

 

requiring executive officers and directors to hold a minimum amount of stock in the company;

 

requiring stock acquired through exercised options to be held for a certain period of time; and

 

using restricted stock grants instead of options.

 

Director and Officer Loans – Janus Henderson Investors will generally oppose proposals requesting approval of loans to officers, executives, and board members of an issuer.

 

Say-on-Pay – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of annual advisory votes on executive compensation (say-on-pay frequency). Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote with management on advisory votes on executive compensation (say-on-pay) unless Janus Henderson Investors determines problematic pay practices are maintained.

 

Executive Severance Agreements – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals to approve or cancel executive severance agreements on a case-by-case basis. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to require executive severance agreements to be submitted for shareholder approval unless the proposal requires shareholder approval prior to entering into employment contracts.

 

Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOP) and Stock Purchase Plans (ESPP) – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals relating to ESOPs and ESPPs unless the shares purchased through the plans are discounted more than the market norm, the shares allocated to the plans are excessive, and/or the plans contain other problematic features.

 

Option Expensing and Repricing – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals requiring the expensing of options. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals providing for the repricing of options.

 

Capitalization, Issuances, Transactions, Shareholder Rights, and Other Corporate Matters

Janus Henderson Investors believes all shareholders should be treated equitably. Companies’ ordinary shares should provide one vote for each share, and companies should act to ensure the owners’ rights to vote.

 

Any major strategic modifications to the core businesses of a company should not be made without prior shareholder approval. Equally, any major corporate changes, which in substance or effect, materially dilute the equity or erode the economic interests or share ownership rights of existing shareholders should not be made without prior shareholder approval of the proposed change. Such changes may include but are not limited to modifications to articles or bylaws and the implementation of shareholder rights plans or so called “poison pills.”

 

We will not support proposals that have the potential to reduce shareholder rights, such as significant open-ended authorities to issue shares without pre-emption rights or anti-takeover proposals, unless companies provide a compelling rationale for why they are in shareholder interests.

 

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In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Capital Stock – Subject to local market standards, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals seeking to increase the number of shares of common or preferred stock authorized for issue unless the company does not adequately justify the need for the additional shares. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to authorize preferred stock whose voting, conversion, dividend, and other rights are determined at the discretion of the board of directors when the stock is issued (“blank check stock”). Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals for different classes of stock with different voting rights.

 

Stock Splits – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to split shares unless they negatively affect the ability to trade shares or the economic value of a share.

 

Share Issuances - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals related to share issuances with and without preemptive rights, provided that voting in favor of such proposals is consistent with local market standards, such proposals are not considered excessive in the context of the issuer and such proposals do not provide for different levels of voting rights.

 

Debt Issuances – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals regarding the issuance of debt, including convertible debt, on a case- by-case basis.

 

Mergers, Acquisitions and Other Significant Corporate Transactions – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals regarding acquisitions, mergers, related party transactions, tender offers, or changes in control on a case-by-case basis, including any related proposals such as share issuances or advisory votes on golden parachutes.

 

Reorganization, Restructuring and Liquidation – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate plans of reorganization, restructuring and liquidation on a case-by-case basis.

 

Shareholder Rights Plans and Other Anti-Takeover Mechanisms – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against shareholder rights plans or other proposals designed to prevent or obstruct corporate takeovers (includes poison pills), unless such measures are proposed in a transparent and independent fashion and designed primarily as a short-term means to protect a tax benefit, or are structured in such a way that they give shareholders the ultimate decision on any proposal or offer. This general policy supersedes any other more specific policy to the contrary.

 

Change in Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals regarding changes in the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of an issuer.

 

Confidential Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to provide for confidential voting and independent tabulation of voting results.

 

Supermajority Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to provide for supermajority voting (e.g., to approve acquisitions or mergers).

 

Special Meetings – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals to allow shareholders to call special meetings. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of shareholder proposals to allow shareholders to call special meetings, unless such right is already provided at a level consistent with local best practice and the shareholder proposal would further reduce the required threshold. Such proposals will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

 

Written Consents – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent. Where supported by the Proxy Voting Service, Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent on a case-by-case basis; otherwise, Janus Henderson will generally vote against proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent.

 

Proxy Access – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals related to proxy access on a case-by-case basis.

 

Environmental and Social Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes that good management of stakeholder relationships contributes to business success and long-term shareholder value. These stakeholders include not only shareholders but also employees, consumers, debtholders, business partners, neighbors, and the wider global community. Janus Henderson Investors also recognises the importance of environmental issues such as climate change and social issues such as diversity & inclusion to all these stakeholder groups.

 

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As a fiduciary for its clients, Janus Henderson Investors is primarily concerned with the impact of proposals on a company’s performance and economic value. Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that environmental and social issues are associated with risks, costs and benefits which can have a significant impact on company performance over the short and long term. When evaluating the merits of proposals on environmental and social issues, Janus Henderson Investors will weigh the risks, costs, and benefits of supporting the proposals against those presented by alternatives, including potentially seeking similar outcomes through direct engagement activities with management. Janus Henderson Investors will generally support management proposals addressing environmental and social issues unless we identify significant weaknesses relative to market practice or peers. Janus Henderson Investors will generally support shareholder proposals addressing environmental and social issues where we identify significant areas of weakness or deficiency relative to peers and/or industry best practices or feel that management has failed to adequately respond to shareholder concerns.

 

Miscellaneous, Administrative and Routine Items

Janus Henderson Investors believes that management should generally have discretion to make certain types of decisions, including how to use existing capital. In addition, in certain jurisdictions, shareholder approval of certain routine or administrative matters may be required. On these types of issues, Janus Henderson Investors will generally defer to management unless it believes these decisions are not being made, or these actions are not being taken, in good faith.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Dividends – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals relating to the issuance of dividends. Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals relating to the issuance of dividends on a case-by-case basis.

 

Share Repurchase Plans - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals regarding share repurchases. Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals relating to share repurchases on a case-by-case basis.

 

“Other Business” – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to approve “other business” when it appears as a voting item.

 

Designation of Exclusive Forum - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals designating an exclusive forum in federal court or Delaware state court (for companies organized in Delaware). Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals designating an exclusive forum in other jurisdictions on a case- by-case basis.

 

Proposals Outside the Guidelines

For proposals outside the scope of the Guidelines or instructions otherwise provided to the Proxy Voting Service, Janus Henderson Investors will generally rely on the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service.

 

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janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, Colorado 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

 

 

 

February 28, 2025

 

 

Ticker

Listing Exchange

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

SSPX

NYSE Arca, Inc.

 

 

 

 

Janus Detroit Street Trust

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) expands upon and supplements the information contained in the current Prospectus for Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF (the “Fund”), which is a separate series of Janus Detroit Street Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”). This series of the Trust represents shares of beneficial interest in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets with its own objective and policies.

 

This SAI is not a Prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s Prospectus dated February 28, 2025, and any supplements thereto, which are incorporated by reference into this SAI and may be obtained by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, at janushenderson.com/info, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434. This SAI contains additional and more detailed information about the Fund’s operations and activities than the Prospectus. The audited financial statements for the Fund, the notes relating thereto, and the related reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, are incorporated by reference into this SAI from the Trust's most recent Form N-CSR, which contains important financial information about the Fund. The Annual and Semiannual Reports (as they become available) are available, without charge, by contacting your broker-dealer, plan sponsor, or financial intermediary, at janushenderson.com/info, or by contacting a representative at 1-800-668-0434.

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

   

Classification, Investment Policies and Restrictions, and Investment Strategies and Risks

2

Investment Adviser

20

Custodian, Transfer Agent, and Certain Affiliations

25

Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

26

Shares of the Trust

31

Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status

40

Trustees and Officers

45

Principal Shareholders

53

Miscellaneous Information

54

Shares of the Trust

54

Shareholder Meetings

54

Voting Rights

55

Investments By Other Investment Companies

55

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

55

Registration Statement

55

Financial Statements

56

Appendix A — Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

57

 

1

 

 

Classification, Investment Policies and Restrictions,
and Investment Strategies and Risks

 

 

JANUS DETROIT STREET TRUST

 

This Statement of Additional Information includes information about the Fund, which operates as an actively managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) and is a series of the Trust, an open-end, management investment company.

 

The Fund offers and issues shares at its net asset value (“NAV”) per share only in aggregations of a specified number of shares (“Creation Unit”), in exchange for a designated portfolio of securities, assets or other positions and/or cash (the “Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”). Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Listing Exchange”), a national securities exchange. Shares of the Fund are traded in the secondary market and elsewhere at market prices that may be at, above or below the Fund’s NAV. Unlike mutual funds, the Fund’s shares are not individually redeemable securities. Rather, the Fund’s shares are redeemable only in Creation Units, and, generally, in exchange for portfolio investments and a Cash Component. The size of a Creation Unit to purchase shares of the Fund may differ from the size of a Creation Unit required to redeem shares of the Fund. The size of a Creation Unit may be modified by Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) with prior notification to the Fund’s Authorized Participants. See the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website for the Fund’s current Creation Unit size. In the event of liquidation of the Fund, the number of shares in a Creation Unit may be significantly reduced.

 

The Fund may charge creation/redemption transaction fees for each creation and redemption. In all cases, transaction fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities. Some of the information in this SAI and the Prospectus, such as information about purchasing and redeeming shares from the Fund and transaction fees, is not relevant to most retail investors because it applies only to transactions for Creation Units. Refer to “Creation and Redemption of Creation Units” below.

 

Once created, the Fund’s shares generally trade in the secondary market, at market prices that change throughout the day, in amounts less than a Creation Unit. Investors purchasing the Fund’s shares in the secondary market through a brokerage account or with the assistance of a broker may be subject to brokerage commissions and charges.

 

Unlike index-based ETFs, the Fund is “actively managed” and does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index.

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on the Listing Exchange and other secondary markets. Shares of the Fund may also be listed on certain foreign (non U.S.) exchanges. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Listing Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares of the Fund will continue to be met. The Listing Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of the Fund from listing under the following circumstances, as may be applicable: (i) if the Listing Exchange becomes aware that the Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11, under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”); (ii) if the Fund fails to meet certain continuing listing standards of the Listing Exchange; (iii) if following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of Fund shares, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of shares of the Fund; or (iv) if any other event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of the Listing Exchange, makes further dealings on the Listing Exchange inadvisable. The Listing Exchange will remove the shares of the Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund. In the event the Fund ceases to be listed on an exchange, the Fund may cease operating as an “exchange-traded” fund and operate as a mutual fund, provided that shareholders are given advance notice.

 

As in the case of other publicly-traded securities, when you buy or sell shares through a financial intermediary you will incur a brokerage commission determined by that financial intermediary.

 

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In order to provide additional information regarding the intra-day value of shares of the Fund (the "iNAV"), the Listing Exchange or a market data vendor disseminates every 15 seconds through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association or other widely disseminated means an updated iNAV for the Fund as calculated by an information provider or market data vendor. The Trust is not involved in or responsible for any aspect of the calculation or dissemination of the iNAV and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the iNAV.

 

Shares of the Fund trade on the Listing Exchange or in the secondary market at prices that may differ from their NAV because such prices may be affected by market forces (such as supply and demand for the Fund’s shares). The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share prices of the Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

 

The Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the Listing Exchange. The Listing Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives. The Listing Exchange has no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the Fund.

 

CLASSIFICATION

 

The 1940 Act classifies funds as either diversified or nondiversified. The Fund is classified as diversified.

 

ADVISER

 

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”) is the investment adviser for the Fund.

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RESTRICTIONS APPLICABLE TO THE FUND

 

The Fund is subject to certain fundamental policies and restrictions that may not be changed without shareholder approval. Shareholder approval means approval by the lesser of: (i) more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund if a matter affects just the Fund) or (ii) 67% or more of the voting securities present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust (or the Fund) are present or represented by proxy. The following policies are fundamental policies of the Fund.

 

The Fund may not:

 

(1) Invest 25% or more of the value of its net assets in any particular industry or group of industries (other than U.S. Government securities, including those issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies, instrumentalities or authorities, and securities of other investment companies).

 

(2) Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this limitation shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling foreign currencies, options, futures, swaps, forward contracts, or other derivative instruments, or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

 

(3) Lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than one-third of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties (but this limitation does not apply to investments in repurchase agreements, commercial paper, debt securities, or loans, including assignments and participation interests).

 

(4) Act as an underwriter of securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter in connection with the disposition of its portfolio securities.

 

(5) Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, the rules or regulations thereunder or other governing statute, or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or otherwise as permitted by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund. This policy shall not prohibit short sales transactions, or futures, options, swaps, repurchase transactions (including reverse repurchase agreements), or forward transactions. The Fund may not issue “senior securities” in contravention of the 1940 Act.

 

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(6) Invest directly in real estate or interests in real estate; however, the Fund may own debt or equity securities issued by companies engaged in those businesses.

 

As a fundamental policy, the Fund may, notwithstanding any other investment policy or limitation (whether or not fundamental), invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company with substantially the same fundamental investment objectives, policies, and limitations as the Fund.

 

The Board of Trustees (“Trustees”) has adopted additional investment restrictions for the Fund. These restrictions are operating policies of the Fund and may be changed by the Trustees without shareholder approval. The additional restrictions adopted by the Trustees to date include the following:

 

(1) If the Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

(2) The Fund may sell securities short if it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short without the payment of any additional consideration therefor (“short sales against the box”). In addition, the Fund may engage in short sales other than against the box, which involve selling a security that the Fund borrows and does not own. The Trustees may impose limits on the Fund’s investments in short sales, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. Transactions in futures, options, swaps, and forward contracts not involving short sales are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

 

(3) The Fund does not intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the Fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments and other deposits in connection with transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swaps, forward contracts, “to be announced” commitments, and other permitted investment techniques shall not be deemed to constitute purchasing securities on margin.

 

(4) The Fund may not mortgage or pledge any securities owned or held by the Fund in amounts that exceed, in the aggregate, 15% of the Fund’s NAV, provided that this limitation does not apply to: reverse repurchase agreements; deposits of assets to margin; guarantee positions in futures, options, swaps, or forward contracts; or the segregation of assets in connection with such contracts.

 

(5) The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets.

 

(6) The Fund may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control of management.

 

Under the terms of an exemptive order received from the SEC, the Fund may borrow money from or lend money to other funds that permit such transactions and for which the Adviser or one of its affiliates serves as investment adviser. All such borrowing and lending will be subject to the above limits and to the limits and other conditions in such exemptive order. The Fund will borrow money through the program only when the costs are equal to or lower than the cost of bank loans. Interfund loans and borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. The Fund will lend through the program only when the returns are higher than those available from other short-term instruments (such as repurchase agreements). The Fund may have to borrow from a bank at a higher interest rate if an interfund loan is called or not renewed. Any delay in repayment to the lending Fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional borrowing costs, and interfund loans are subject to the risk that the borrowing fund may be unable to repay the loan when due. While it is expected that the Fund may borrow money through the program to satisfy redemption requests or to cover unanticipated cash shortfalls, the Fund may elect to not participate in the program during times of market uncertainty or distress or for other reasons.

 

For purposes of the Fund’s fundamental policy related to investments in real estate, the policy does not prohibit the purchase of securities directly or indirectly secured by real estate or interests therein, or issued by entities that invest in real estate or interests therein, such as, but not limited to, corporations, partnerships, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), and other REIT-like entities, such as foreign entities that have REIT characteristics.

 

Except for the Fund’s policies with respect to investments in illiquid investments and borrowing, the percentage limitations included in these policies and elsewhere in this SAI and/or the Fund’s Prospectus normally apply only at the time of purchase of a security. So, for example, if the Fund exceeds a limit as a result of market fluctuations or the sale of other securities, it will not be required to dispose of any securities.

 

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For purposes of the Fund’s policies on investing in particular industries, the Fund utilizes any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized third-party providers and/or as defined by the Adviser. The policy will be interpreted to give broad authority to the Fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries. The Fund may change any source used for determining industry classifications and sub-classifications without prior shareholder notice or approval.

 

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

 

A discussion of the principal strategies and risks associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Fund’s Prospectus under the headings “Principal Investment Strategy”, “Principal Investment Risks”, and “Risks of the Fund.” The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such sections of the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

General Considerations and Risks

Investments in the Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the portfolio of securities held by the Fund may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of the issuers of the portfolio securities, the value of common stocks generally and other factors.

 

An investment in the Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the securities markets may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the portfolio securities and thus in the value of Fund shares). Securities are susceptible to general market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence in and perceptions of their issuers change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic and banking crises.

 

The principal trading market for some of the securities held by the Fund may be in the over-the-counter market. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of the Fund’s shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent or if bid/ask spreads are wide.

 

Diversification

Funds are classified as either diversified or nondiversified. To be classified as diversified under the 1940 Act, a fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any issuer and may not own more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer. A fund that is classified as nondiversified under the 1940 Act is not subject to the same restrictions and therefore has the ability to take larger positions in securities than a fund that is classified as diversified. This gives a fund that is classified as nondiversified more flexibility to focus its investments in companies that portfolio management has identified as the most attractive for the investment objective and strategy of the fund. However, because the appreciation or depreciation of a single security may have a greater impact on the NAV of a fund which is classified as nondiversified, its share price can be expected to fluctuate more than a comparable fund which is classified as diversified. This fluctuation, if significant, may affect the performance of a fund.

 

Cash Position

As discussed in the Prospectus, the Fund’s cash position may temporarily increase under various circumstances. Securities that the Fund may invest in as a means of receiving a return on uninvested cash include U.S. treasury securities, domestic commercial paper, certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, or other short-term debt obligations. These securities may include U.S. cash instruments and cash equivalent securities. The Fund may also invest in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds (including private funds operating as money market funds that are not registered under the 1940 Act) (refer to “Investment Company Securities”).

 

Illiquid Investments

The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments that are assets. Illiquid investments, which include certain securities that are purchased in private placements, are securities that the Fund 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. Certain securities previously deemed liquid may become illiquid over time, particularly in periods of economic distress.

 

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If illiquid investments that are assets exceed 15% of the Fund’s net assets, the Fund will take steps to reduce its holdings of such illiquid investments to or below 15% of its net assets within a reasonable period of time. Because illiquid investments may not be readily marketable, portfolio management may not be able to dispose of them in a timely manner. As a result, the Fund may be forced to hold illiquid investments while their price depreciates. Depreciation in the price of illiquid investments may cause the NAV of the Fund to decline.

 

Environmental, Social, and Governance Data

Within the parameters of the Fund’s specific investment policies, portfolio management may consider environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) data inputs from third-party data providers. As of the date of this SAI, portfolio management receives such inputs provided by MSCI, Vigeo Eiris, Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. (“ISS”) and Sustainalytics. A description of the ESG data provided is noted below. The third-party data providers used by the Adviser are subject to change over time. The use and reliance on such information will vary depending on the strategy employed by the Fund.

 

MSCI – Provides ESG and government ratings, corporate impact data including ESG-related controversies, business involvement screening and thematic alignment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and climate change solutions consisting of climate data, risk reporting and scenario analysis. A description of MSCI’s ESG ratings methodology can be found on their website at www.msci.com. As of February 6, 2025, MSCI uses a rules-based methodology to identify industry leaders and laggards according to their exposure to ESG risks and how well they manage those risks relative to peers, and their ESG ratings range from leader (AAA, AA), average (A, BBB, BB), to laggard (B, CCC).

 

Vigeo Eiris, a part of Moody’s ESG Solutions – Provides activity-based exclusion classifications.

 

ISS – Provides climate risk data and reporting on carbon emissions, warming potential, alignment with Paris Agreement on Climate Change, physical risk information, transition risk information, scenario analysis, and voting governance analysis.

 

Sustainalytics, a Morningstar Company – Provides absolute ESG risk scoring, general activity-based and norms-based exclusion classifications, and information regarding certain ESG metrics to support focused evaluation or screening.

 

Equity Securities

The Fund may invest in equity securities, which include, but are not limited to, common and preferred stocks, and securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock, and warrants.

 

Common Stock. Common stock represents a proportionate share of the ownership of a company. Common stocks sometimes are divided into several classes, with each class having different voting rights, dividend rights, or other differences in their rights and priorities. The value of a stock is based on the market’s assessment of the current and future success of a company’s business, any income paid to stockholders, the value of the company’s assets, and general market conditions. The value of a stock may also be adversely affected by other factors such as accounting irregularities, actual or perceived weaknesses in corporate governance practices of a company’s board or management, and changes in company management. Common stock values can fluctuate dramatically over short periods.

 

Preferred Stock. A preferred stock represents an ownership interest in a company, but pays dividends at a specific rate and has priority over common stock in payment of dividends and liquidation claims. Preferred stock dividends are generally cumulative, noncumulative, or participating. “Cumulative” dividend provisions require all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends can be paid to the issuer’s common stock. “Participating” preferred stock may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. Like debt securities, the value of a preferred stock often fluctuates more in response to changes in interest rates and the creditworthiness of the issuer, rather than in response to changes in the issuer’s profitability and business prospects. Preferred stock is subject to similar risks as common stock and debt securities.

 

Convertible Security. A convertible security is generally a debt obligation or preferred stock that may be converted within a specified period of time into a certain amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer. A convertible security, such as a “convertible preferred stock,” provides a fixed-income stream and the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation resulting from a market price advance in its underlying common stock. Like a common stock, the value of a convertible security tends to increase as the market value of the underlying stock rises, and it tends to decrease as the market value of the underlying stock declines. As with a fixed-income security, a convertible security tends to increase in market value when interest rates decline and decrease in value when interest rates rise. Because both interest rate and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security is not as sensitive to interest rates as a similar fixed-income security, nor is it as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying stock.

 

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Convertible securities generally have less potential for gain or loss than common stocks. Convertible securities generally provide yields higher than the underlying common stocks, but generally lower than comparable non-convertible securities. Because of this higher yield, convertible securities generally sell at prices above their “conversion value,” which is the current market value of the stock to be received upon conversion. The difference between this conversion value and the price of convertible securities will vary over time depending on changes in the value of the underlying common stocks and interest rates.

 

A convertible security may also be called for redemption or conversion by the issuer after a particular date and under certain circumstances (including a specified price) established upon issue. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption or conversion, the Fund could be required to tender it for redemption, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell it to a third party.

 

Synthetic convertible securities are created by combining separate securities that possess the two principal characteristics of a traditional convertible security, i.e., an income-producing security (“income-producing component”) and the right to acquire an equity security (“convertible component”). The income-producing component is achieved by investing in non-convertible, income-producing securities such as bonds, preferred stocks and money market instruments, which may be represented by derivative instruments. The convertible component is achieved by investing in securities or instruments such as warrants or options to buy common stock at a certain exercise price, or options on a stock index. Unlike a traditional convertible security, which is a single security having a single market value, a synthetic convertible security is comprised of two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the “market value” of a synthetic convertible security is the sum of the values of its income-producing component and its convertible component. For this reason, the values of a synthetic convertible security and a traditional convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations.

 

More flexibility is possible in the assembly of a synthetic convertible security than in the purchase of a convertible security. Although synthetic convertible securities may be selected where the two components are issued by a single issuer, thus making the synthetic convertible security similar to the traditional convertible security, the character of a synthetic convertible security allows the combination of components representing distinct issuers. A synthetic convertible security also is a more flexible investment in that its two components may be purchased separately. For example, the Fund may purchase a warrant for inclusion in a synthetic convertible security but temporarily hold short-term investments while postponing the purchase of a corresponding bond pending development of more favorable market conditions.

 

A holder of a synthetic convertible security faces the risk of a decline in the price of the security or the level of the index involved in the convertible component, causing a decline in the value of the security or instrument, such as a call option or warrant, purchased to create the synthetic convertible security. Should the price of the stock fall below the exercise price and remain there throughout the exercise period, the entire amount paid for the convertible component would be lost. Because a synthetic convertible security includes the income-producing component as well, the holder of a synthetic convertible security also faces the risk that interest rates will rise, causing a decline in the value of the income-producing instrument.

 

Warrants. Warrants constitute options to purchase equity securities at a specific price and are valid for a specific period of time. They do not represent ownership of the equity securities, but only the right to buy them. Warrants have no voting rights, pay no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. Warrants differ from call options in that warrants are issued by the issuer of the security that may be purchased on their exercise, whereas call options may be issued by anyone. The prices of warrants do not necessarily move parallel to the prices of the underlying equity securities. The price usually represents a premium over the applicable market value of the common stock at the time of the warrant’s issuance. Investments in warrants involve certain risks, including the possible lack of a liquid market for the resale of the warrants, potential price fluctuations as a result of speculation or other factors, and failure of the price of the common stock to rise. The price of a warrant may be more volatile than the price of its underlying security. A warrant becomes worthless if it is not exercised within the specified time period.

 

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies

The Fund may invest in securities issued by special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) or similar entities that pool funds to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC typically invests its assets (less a portion retained to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities, and cash. If an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a pre-established period of time, the invested funds are returned to the SPAC’s shareholders. Because SPACs and similar entities are in essence blank check companies without an operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of a SPAC’s securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the SPAC’s management to timely identify and complete a profitable acquisition.

 

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Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities while awaiting an acquisition opportunity, the Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective may be negatively impacted. In addition, SPACs, which are typically traded in the over-the-counter market, may be considered illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale.

 

Cyber Security Risk

The Fund is susceptible to operational and information security risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber-attacks include, but are not limited to, infection by computer viruses or other malicious software code, gaining unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices that are used to service the Fund’s operations through “hacking” or other means for the purpose of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyber-attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on the Fund’s websites or a service provider’s systems, which renders them inoperable to intended users until appropriate actions are taken. In addition, authorized persons could inadvertently or intentionally release confidential or proprietary information stored on the Fund’s systems.

 

Cyber security failures or breaches by the Fund’s service providers (including, but not limited to, the Adviser, custodians, transfer agents, sub administrators, and financial intermediaries) may subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cyber security failures or breaches, and may cause disruptions and impact the service providers’ and the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and the Fund to process transactions, inability to calculate the Fund’s net asset value, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. The Fund may incur incremental costs to prevent cyber incidents in the future. The Fund could be negatively impacted as a result. While the Adviser has established business continuity plans and risk management systems designed to prevent or reduce the impact of such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems due in part to the ever-changing nature of technology and cyber-attack tactics. As such, there is a possibility that certain risks have not been adequately identified or prepared for. Furthermore, the Fund cannot directly control any cyber security plans and systems put in place by third party service providers or their service providers. Cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund’s investment in such securities to lose value. The rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence ("AI") could increase the effectiveness of cyber-attacks and exacerbate the risks.

 

Operational Risk

An investment in the Fund can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel, and errors caused by third party service providers. Among other things, these errors or failures, as well as other technological issues, may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value in a timely manner, including over a potentially extended period of time. These errors or failures may also result in a loss or compromise of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through internal controls and oversight of third party service providers, there is no guarantee that the Fund will not suffer losses if such events occur.

 

Foreign Securities

The Fund may invest in foreign securities either indirectly (e.g., depositary receipts, depositary shares, and passive foreign investment companies) or directly in foreign markets, including emerging markets. The Fund may also engage in foreign currency transactions either on a spot (cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market at the time. Investments in foreign securities, including securities of foreign and emerging market governments, may involve greater risks than investing in domestic securities because the Fund’s performance may depend on factors other than the performance of a particular company. These risks may include:

 

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Currency Risk. As long as the Fund holds a foreign currency denominated security, its value will be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. When the Fund sells a foreign currency denominated security, its value may be worth less in U.S. dollars even if the security increases in value in its home country. U.S. dollar-denominated securities of foreign issuers may also be affected by currency risk, as the value of these securities may also be affected by changes in the issuer’s local currency.

 

Foreign Market Risk. Foreign securities markets, particularly those of emerging market countries, may be less liquid and more volatile than domestic markets. These securities markets may trade a small number of securities, may have a limited number of issuers and a high proportion of shares, or may be held by a relatively small number of persons or institutions. Local securities markets may be unable to respond effectively to increases in trading volume, potentially making prompt liquidation of substantial holdings difficult or impossible at times. It is also possible that certain markets may require payment for securities before delivery, and delays may be encountered in settling securities transactions. In some foreign markets, there may not be protection against failure by other parties to complete transactions. The Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required approval for repatriation of capital, dividends, interest, and other income from a particular country or governmental entity. In addition, securities of issuers located in or economically tied to countries with emerging markets may have limited marketability and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements which could also have a negative effect on the Fund. Such factors may hinder the Fund’s ability to buy and sell emerging market securities in a timely manner, affecting the Fund’s investment strategies and potentially affecting the value of the Fund.

 

Geographic Investment Risk. To the extent the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a particular country or geographic region, the Fund will generally have more exposure to certain risks due to possible political, economic, social, regulatory events, and conflicts in that country or region. Adverse developments in certain regions could also adversely affect securities of other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated and could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance. The foregoing may result in a negative impact on Fund performance and the value of an investment in the Fund, even beyond any direct investment exposure the Fund may have to issuers located in or with significant exposure to an impacted country or geographic region.

 

Similarly, a particular country or geographic region may be more prone to and economically sensitive to environmental events such as, but not limited to, hurricanes, earthquakes, typhoons, flooding, tidal waves, tsunamis, erupting volcanoes, wildfires or droughts, tornadoes, mudslides, or other weather-related phenomena. Such disasters, and the resulting physical or economic damage, could have a severe and negative impact on the Fund’s investment portfolio and, in the longer term, could impair the ability of issuers in which the Fund invests to conduct their businesses as they would under normal conditions. Adverse weather conditions may also have a particularly significant negative effect on issuers in the agricultural sector and on insurance and reinsurance companies that insure or reinsure against the impact of natural disasters.

 

Political and Economic Risk. Foreign investments may be subject to heightened political and economic risks, particularly in emerging markets which may have relatively unstable governments, immature economic structures, national policies restricting investments by foreigners, social instability, trade disputes, and different and/or developing legal systems. In some countries, there is the risk that the government may take over the assets or operations of a company or that the government may impose withholding and other taxes or limits on the removal of the Fund’s assets from that country. Further, acts of terrorism in the United States or other countries may cause uncertainty in the financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which the Fund has exposure. In addition, the economies of emerging markets may be predominantly based on only a few industries, may be highly vulnerable to changes in local or global trade conditions, and may suffer from extreme and volatile debt burdens or inflation rates.

 

Regulatory Risk. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets. As a result, foreign issuers may not be subject to the uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices applicable to domestic issuers, and there may be less publicly available information about foreign issuers.

 

Transaction Costs. Costs of buying, selling, and holding foreign securities, including brokerage, tax, and custody costs, may be higher than those involved in domestic transactions.

 

Risk of Investing in Emerging Markets

Developing countries or emerging market countries include, but are not limited to, countries included in the International Monetary Fund’s (“IMF’s”) list of Emerging and Developing Economies. Investing in emerging markets involves certain risks not typically associated with investing in the United States and imposes risks greater than, or in addition to, the

 

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risks associated with investing in securities of more developed foreign countries as previously discussed under “Foreign Securities.” The prices of investments in emerging markets can experience sudden and sharp price swings. In many developing markets, there is less government supervision and regulation of business and industry practices (including the potential lack of strict finance and accounting controls and standards), stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in more developed markets. Similarly, issuers in such markets may not be subject to regulatory, disclosure, accounting, auditing, and financial reporting and recordkeeping standards comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject. Information about emerging markets companies, including financial information, may be less available or reliable and the Fund’s ability to conduct due diligence with respect to such companies may be limited. In addition, certain emerging market jurisdictions may materially restrict the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board’s (“PCAOB”) inspection, investigation and enforcement capabilities which impairs the ability to conduct independent oversight or inspection of accounting firms located in or operating in certain emerging markets; therefore, there is no guarantee that the quality of financial reporting or the audits conducted by audit firms of emerging market issuers meet PCAOB standards. Accordingly, these investments may be potentially more volatile in price and less liquid than investments in developed securities markets, resulting in greater risk to investors. There is a risk in developing countries that a current or future economic or political crisis could lead to price controls, forced mergers of companies, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, imposition or enforcement of foreign ownership limits, seizure, nationalization, sanctions or imposition of restrictions by various governmental entities on investment and trading, or creation of government monopolies, any of which may have a detrimental effect on the Fund’s investments.

 

Many emerging market countries have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation or deflation for many years, and future inflation may adversely affect the economies and securities markets of such countries. In addition, the economies of developing countries tend to be heavily dependent upon international trade and, as such, have been, and may continue to be, adversely impacted by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values, and other protectionist measures. Developing countries may also experience a higher level of exposure and vulnerability to the adverse effects of climate change. This may be attributed to both the geographic location of emerging market countries and/or a country’s lack of access to technology or resources to adjust and adapt to its effects. An increased occurrence and severity of natural disasters and extreme weather events such as droughts and decreased crop yields, heat waves, flooding and rising sea levels, and increased spread of disease, could cause harmful effects to the performance of affected economies. These economies also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they do business. Emerging markets may be subject to a higher degree of corruption and fraud than developed markets, and financial institutions and transaction counterparties may have less financial sophistication, creditworthiness and/or resources than participants in developed markets.

 

The securities markets of many of the emerging market countries in which the Fund may invest may also be smaller, less liquid, and subject to greater price volatility than those in the United States. Moreover, the legal remedies for investors in emerging markets or other legal systems to ensure orderly enforcement of property interests such as bankruptcy may be more limited than the remedies available in the United States. Additionally, the ability of U.S. authorities (e.g., the SEC and the U.S. Department of Justice) to bring actions against bad actors may be limited. A shareholder’s ability to bring and enforce legal actions in emerging market countries, or to obtain information needed to pursue or enforce such actions, may be limited and as a result such claims may be difficult or impossible to pursue. In the event of a default on any investments in foreign debt obligations, it may be more difficult for the Fund to obtain or to enforce a judgment against the issuers of such securities.

 

In addition, there may be little financial or accounting information available with respect to issuers of emerging market securities, and it may be difficult as a result to assess the value of an investment in such securities. Further, the Fund’s ability to participate fully in the smaller, less liquid emerging markets may be limited by the policy restricting its investments in illiquid securities. In addition, the taxation systems at the federal, regional and local levels in developing or emerging market countries may be less transparent and inconsistently enforced, and subject to sudden change. The Fund may be subject to emerging markets risk to the extent that it invests in securities of issuers or companies which are not considered to be from emerging markets, but which have customers, products, or transactions associated with emerging markets. Emerging market countries in which the Fund may invest include frontier market countries, which generally have smaller economies and even less developed capital markets than traditional developing markets, and, as a result, the risks of investing in developing market countries are magnified in frontier market countries. The magnification of risks are the result of: potential for extreme price volatility and illiquidity in frontier markets; government ownership or control of parts of private sector and of certain companies; trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist

 

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measures imposed or negotiated by the countries with which frontier market countries trade; and the relatively new and unsettled securities laws in many frontier market countries. Frontier market countries typically are located in the Asia-Pacific region, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central and South America, and Africa.

 

Risk of Investing in Europe

Investing in European countries may expose the Fund to the economic and political risks associated with Europe in general and the specific European countries in which it invests. The economies and markets of European countries are often closely connected and interdependent, and events in one European country can have an adverse impact on other European countries. A majority of western European and a number of eastern European countries are members of the European Union (“EU”). A number of countries in the EU have experienced, and may continue to experience, severe economic and financial difficulties. In particular, many EU nations are susceptible to economic risks associated with high levels of debt. Many non-governmental issuers, and even certain governments, have defaulted on, or been forced to restructure, their debts. Many other issuers have faced difficulties obtaining credit or refinancing existing obligations. Financial institutions have in many cases required government or central bank support, have needed to raise capital, and/or have been impaired in their ability to extend credit. As a result, financial markets in the EU have experienced extreme volatility and declines in asset values and liquidity. These difficulties may continue, worsen, or spread further within the EU. The Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (“EMU”) is comprised of EU members that have adopted the euro currency (the “Eurozone”). By adopting the euro as its currency, a member state relinquishes control of its own monetary policies and is subject to fiscal and monetary controls imposed by the EMU. As a result, European countries may also be significantly affected by fiscal and monetary policies implemented by the EMU and European Central Bank. As economic conditions across the Eurozone may vary widely, it is possible that these controls may not adequately address the needs of all Eurozone members from time to time. These controls remove the Eurozone’s flexibility in implementing monetary policies to address regional economic conditions, which may impair their ability to respond to crises. The euro currency may not fully reflect the strengths and weaknesses of the various economies that comprise the Eurozone and Europe generally.

 

Certain countries in the EU have had to accept assistance from supra-governmental agencies such as the International Monetary Fund and the European Financial Service Facility. The European Central Bank has also been intervening to purchase Eurozone debt in an attempt to stabilize markets and reduce borrowing costs. Responses to these financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest, and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets, and asset valuations around the world.

 

In addition, certain European countries have at times experienced negative interest rates on certain fixed-income instruments. A negative interest rate policy is an unconventional central bank monetary policy tool where nominal target interest rates are set with a negative value (i.e., below zero percent) intended to help create self-sustaining growth in the local economy. Negative interest rates may result in heightened market volatility and may detract from the Fund’s performance to the extent the Fund is exposed to such interest rates.

 

One or more countries could abandon the euro and/or withdraw from the EU, which could weaken the EU and, by extension, its remaining members. In the event of one or more countries’ exit from the euro, it may be difficult to value investments denominated in euros or in a replacement currency. The United Kingdom formally left the EU in January 2020 (commonly known as “Brexit”) and entered into a new trade agreement with the EU, which became effective in January 2021. Significant economic and regulatory uncertainty caused by the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU has resulted in volatile markets for the United Kingdom and broader international financial markets. In addition, financial markets may experience among other things, greater illiquidity, currency fluctuations, and decline in cross-border investment between the United Kingdom and the EU, and lower economic growth for companies that relied significantly on the United Kingdom and/or the EU for their business activities and revenues. Accordingly, there remains a risk that the aftermath of Brexit, including its ongoing effect on the United Kingdom’s relations with other countries, including the United States, and with the EU, may negatively impact the value of investments held by the Fund. In addition, any further exits from the EU, or an increase in the belief that such exits are likely or possible, would likely cause additional market disruption globally and introduce new legal and regulatory uncertainties.

 

Among other things, these developments have adversely affected the value and exchange rate of the euro and pound sterling, and may continue to significantly affect the economies of all EU countries, which in turn may have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s investments in such countries, other countries that depend on EU countries for significant amounts of trade or investment, or issuers with exposure to debt issued by certain EU countries. While many countries in western Europe

 

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are considered to have developed markets, many eastern European countries are less developed. Investments in eastern European countries, even if denominated in euros, may involve special risks associated with investments in emerging markets. Securities markets of emerging market economies may be less efficient and may have lower trading volume, lower liquidity, and higher volatility than more developed markets. Many eastern European economies remain particularly sensitive to social, political, and economic conditions within the region and may, in particular, given its proximity and historical ties, be adversely affected by events in Russia, including changes to the Russian economy or currency (including as the result of sanctions), or attempts by Russia to assert its influence through economic, political, or military measures (such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine beginning in late February 2022). Many eastern European countries are also highly dependent on exports to western Europe, making them particularly vulnerable to demand in that region. Many eastern European countries had centrally planned socialist economies for a substantial period of time, and there can be no assurance that more recent political and economic efforts to transition to market-based economies will be successful. As a result, investments in eastern European countries may involve heightened risks of expropriation or nationalization. Many eastern European countries are heavily reliant on credit from western Europe, and those countries have faced significant challenges in the wake of the global economic crisis.

 

Settlement Risk

Global markets have different clearance and settlement procedures and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of transactions. Delays in settlement may increase credit risk to the Fund, limit the ability of the Fund to reinvest the proceeds of a sale of securities, and potentially subject the Fund to penalties for its failure to deliver to subsequent purchasers of securities whose delivery to the Fund was delayed. Delays in the settlement of securities purchased by the Fund may limit the ability of the Fund to sell those securities at times and prices it considers desirable, and may subject the Fund to losses and costs due to its own inability to settle with subsequent purchasers of the securities from it. The Fund may be required to borrow monies it had otherwise expected to receive in connection with the settlement of securities.

 

Investment Company Securities

From time to time, the Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies, subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act or as otherwise permitted by the SEC. Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act prohibits the Fund from acquiring: (i) more than 3% of another investment company’s voting stock; (ii) securities of another investment company with a value in excess of 5% of the Fund’s total assets; or (iii) securities of such other investment company and all other investment companies owned by the Fund having a value in excess of 10% of the Fund’s total assets. In addition, Section 12(d)(1) prohibits another investment company from selling its shares to the Fund if, after the sale: (i) the Fund owns more than 3% of the other investment company’s voting stock or (ii) the Fund and other investment companies, and companies controlled by them, own more than 10% of the voting stock of such other investment company. To the extent the Fund is an underlying fund in a fund of funds managed by the Adviser, the Fund may not acquire securities of other investment companies in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and securities of open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G). The Fund may invest in other investment companies beyond these statutory limits to the extent the Fund abides by certain conditions of Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. The Fund may invest its cash holdings in affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate pursuant to the provision of the 1940 Act that governs the operation of money market funds as part of a cash sweep program. The Fund may purchase unlimited shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds and of other funds managed by the Adviser, whether registered or unregistered entities, as permitted by the 1940 Act and rules promulgated thereunder.

 

To the extent the Fund invests in money market funds or other funds, the Fund will be subject to the same risks that investors experience when investing in such other funds. These risks may include the impact of significant fluctuations in assets as a result of the cash sweep program or purchase and redemption activity by affiliated or non-affiliated shareholders in such other funds. Additionally, to the extent that the Adviser serves as the investment adviser to underlying funds or investment vehicles in which the Fund may invest, the Adviser may have conflicting interests in fulfilling its fiduciary duties to both the Fund and the underlying funds or investment vehicles. Money market funds are open-end registered investment companies. Money market funds that meet the definition of a retail money market fund or government money market fund compute their price per share using the amortized cost method of valuation to seek to maintain a stable $1.00 price per share, and money market funds that do not meet the definitions of a retail money market fund or government money market fund transact at a floating NAV per share (similar to all other non-money market mutual funds). Money market funds may impose liquidity fees because of market conditions or other factors. Amendments to money market fund regulation could impact the trading and value of money market instruments, which may negatively affect the Fund’s return potential.

 

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As a shareholder of another investment company, the Fund would bear its pro rata portion of the other investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the expenses the Fund bears directly in connection with its own operation. The market prices of ETFs and closed-end funds will fluctuate in accordance with both changes in the market value of their underlying portfolio investments and due to supply and demand for the instruments on the exchanges on which they are traded (which may result in their trading at a discount or premium to their NAVs). If the market price of shares of an ETF or closed-end fund decreases below the price that the Fund paid for the shares and the Fund were to sell its shares of such investment company at a time when the market price is lower than the price at which it purchased the shares, the Fund would experience a loss.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in affiliated or unaffiliated ETFs to gain exposure to a particular portion of the market, to assist with cash management, and/or for other purposes. ETFs are typically open-end investment companies that are traded on a national securities exchange. ETFs typically incur fees, such as investment advisory fees and other operating expenses that are separate from those of the Fund, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund may be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs. Since ETFs are traded on an exchange at market prices that may vary from the net asset value of their underlying investments, there may be times when ETFs trade at a premium or discount. In the case of affiliated ETFs, unless waived, the Fund’s adviser will earn fees both from the Fund and from the underlying ETF, with respect to assets of the Fund invested in the underlying ETF. The Fund is also subject to the risks associated with the securities in which the ETF invests.

 

Depositary Receipts

American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) are receipts issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets. Unsponsored ADRs may be created without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these ADRs generally bear all the costs of the ADR facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored ADR. The bank or trust company depositary of an unsponsored ADR may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. The Fund may also invest in European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), and in other similar instruments representing securities of foreign companies. EDRs and GDRs are securities that are typically issued by foreign banks or foreign trust companies, although U.S. banks or U.S. trust companies may issue them. EDRs and GDRs are structured similarly to the arrangements of ADRs. EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets.

 

Depositary receipts are generally subject to the same sort of risks as direct investments in a foreign country, such as currency risk, political and economic risk, regulatory risk, market risk, and geographic investment risk, because their values depend on the performance of a foreign security denominated in its home currency. The risks of foreign investing are addressed in some detail in the Fund’s Prospectuses, as applicable.

 

Private Placements and Other Exempt Securities

Private placements are securities that are subject to legal and/or contractual restrictions on their sales. These securities may also include initial public offerings (“IPO”) where the Fund participates as an anchor or cornerstone investor (“Cornerstone Investor”) wherein it agrees, prior to a company’s IPO, to acquire a certain dollar amount of the IPO securities (“Cornerstone IPOs”). Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may not be sold to the public unless certain conditions are met, which may include registration under the applicable securities laws. These securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, the prices of these securities may be more volatile and more difficult to determine than publicly traded securities and these securities may involve heightened risk as compared to investments in securities of publicly traded companies. Further, companies whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that would be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. Accordingly, private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may involve a high degree of business and financial risk and may result in substantial losses.

 

Private placements and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements may be illiquid, and it frequently can be difficult to sell them at a time when it may otherwise be desirable to do so or the Fund may be able to sell them only at prices that are less than what the Fund regards as their fair market value. A security that was liquid at the time of purchase may subsequently become illiquid. In addition, transaction costs may be higher for private placements. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering such securities for sale and there may be substantial delays in effecting the registration. If,

 

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during such a delay, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed at the time it decided to seek registration of the securities. In addition, the Fund may get only limited information about the issuer of a private placement or other security exempt from certain registration requirements, so it may be less able to anticipate a loss. Also, if portfolio management receives material non-public information about the issuer, the Fund may, as a result, be legally prohibited from selling the securities.

 

Investments in securities exempt from certain registration requirements may include securities issued through private offerings without registration with the SEC pursuant to Regulation S or Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Offerings of Regulation S securities may be conducted outside of the United States. Although Regulation S and Rule 144A securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the amounts received from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund.

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITs”) and Real Estate Operating Companies (“REOCs”)

Within the parameters of its specific investment policies, the Fund may invest in REITs and REIT-like entities, including REOCs. REITs are sometimes informally characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, and hybrid REITs. In addition, the Fund may gain exposure to the real estate sector by investing in common, preferred and convertible securities of issuers in real estate-related industries. Investments in publicly traded REITs and real estate-linked investments are subject to risks similar to those associated with direct ownership of real estate, including loss to casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, zoning law amendments, changes in interest rates, overbuilding and increased competition, variations in market value, fluctuations in rental income, possible environmental liabilities, regulatory limitations on rent, and other risks related to local or general economic conditions. Equity REITs generally experience these risks directly through fee or leasehold interests, whereas mortgage REITs generally experience these risks indirectly through mortgage interests, unless the mortgage REIT forecloses on the underlying real estate. Changes in interest rates may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in publicly traded REITs. For instance, during periods of declining interest rates, certain mortgage REITs may hold mortgages that the mortgagors elect to prepay, and prepayment may diminish the yield on securities issued by those REITs.

 

Certain REITs have relatively small market capitalizations, which may tend to increase the volatility of the market price of their securities. Furthermore, publicly traded REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills, have limited diversification and are, therefore, subject to risks inherent in operating and financing a limited number of projects. Publicly traded REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Internal Revenue Code and to maintain exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act. By investing in publicly traded REITs indirectly through the Fund, a shareholder will bear not only his or her proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly, similar expenses of the publicly traded REITs. In addition, publicly traded REITs depend generally on their ability to generate cash flow to make distributions to shareholders.

 

REOCs are publicly traded real estate companies that typically engage in the development, management or financing of real estate that have not elected (or are not eligible) to be taxed as a REIT. Instead, REOCs are generally structured as “C” corporations under the Internal Revenue Code and, as a result, are not required to distribute any portion of their income. In this regard, although REOCs do not receive the same favorable tax treatment that is accorded to REITs, REOCs are typically subject to fewer restrictions than REITs, including the ability to retain and/or reinvest funds from operations. The value of investments in REOCs will generally be affected by the same factors that adversely affect REIT investments; however, REOCS may also be adversely affected by income streams derived from businesses other than real estate ownership.

 

Bank Obligations

Bank obligations in which the Fund may invest include certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, and fixed time deposits. Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds 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. Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties which vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation. There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

 

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Confidential Information

With respect to certain loan transactions, including but not limited to private placements, the Fund may determine not to receive confidential information. Such a decision may place the Fund at a disadvantage relative to other investors who determine to receive confidential information, as the Fund may be limited in its available investments or unable to make accurate assessments related to certain investments.

 

In cases where the Adviser receives material, nonpublic information about the issuers of securities that may be held in the Fund’s holdings, the Adviser’s ability to trade in these securities for the account of the Fund could potentially be limited by its possession of such information, to the extent necessary to comply with certain regulatory restrictions. Such limitations on the ability to trade in the securities of the issuer could have an adverse effect on the Fund by, for example, preventing the Fund from selling a security that is experiencing a material decline in value. In some instances, these trading restrictions could continue in effect for a substantial period of time.

 

In addition, because the Fund becomes a creditor of an issuer when holding a security, the Adviser may from time to time participate on creditor committees on behalf of the Fund. These are committees formed by creditors to negotiate with management of the issuer and are intended to protect the rights of bondholders in the event of bankruptcy, bond covenant default, or other issuer-related financial problems. Participation on creditor committees may expose the Adviser or the Fund to material non-public information of the issuer, restricting the Fund’s ability to trade in or acquire additional positions in a particular security or other securities of the issuer when it might otherwise desire to do so. Participation on creditor committees may also expose the Fund to federal bankruptcy laws or other laws governing rights of debtors and creditors. Additionally, such participation may subject the Fund to expenses such as legal fees. The Adviser will only participate on creditor committees on behalf of the Fund when it believes such participation is necessary or desirable to protect the value of portfolio securities or enforce the Fund’s rights as a creditor.

 

Regulatory Changes and Market Events and Risks

Federal, state, and foreign governments, regulatory agencies, and self regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the regulation of the Fund or the instruments in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Future legislation or regulation or other governmental actions could limit or preclude the Fund’s abilities to achieve their investment objectives or otherwise adversely impact an investment in the Fund. Furthermore, worsened market conditions, including as a result of U.S. government shutdowns or the perceived creditworthiness of the United States, could have a negative impact on securities markets.

 

Economic downturns can prompt various economic, legal, budgetary, tax, and regulatory reforms across the globe. In the aftermath of the 2007-2008 financial crisis, the financial sector experienced reduced liquidity in credit and other fixed income markets, and an unusually high degree of volatility, both domestically and internationally. In response to the crisis, the United States and certain foreign governments, along with the U.S. Federal Reserve and certain foreign central banks, took a number of unprecedented steps designed to support the financial markets, which provided for widespread regulation of the financial industry, including expanded federal oversight in the financial sector. The U.S. government and the Federal Reserve, as well as certain foreign governments and central banks took extraordinary actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This and other government intervention into the economy and financial markets may not work as intended.

 

Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries continue to impact many aspects of financial regulation. For example, some countries, including the United States, could adopt more protectionist trade policies and may affect the global economy in ways that cannot be presently foreseen.

 

The value and liquidity of the Fund’s holdings are also generally subject to the risk of significant future local, national, or global economic or political disruptions or slowdowns in the markets in which the Fund invests, especially given that the economies and financial markets throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected and reliant on each other. In the event of such an occurrence, the issuers of securities held by the Fund may experience significant declines in the value of their assets and even cease operations, or may require government assistance that is contingent on increased restrictions on their business operations or their government interventions. In addition, it is not certain that the U.S. government or foreign governments will intervene in response to a future market disruption and the effect of any such future intervention cannot be predicted.

 

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Widespread disease, including pandemics and epidemics, and natural or environmental disasters, including those which may be attributable to global climate change, such as earthquakes, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and weather-related phenomena generally have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund’s investments. Economies and financial markets throughout the world have become increasingly interconnected, which increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or country will adversely affect markets or issuers in other regions or countries, including the United States. These disruptions could prevent the Fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner and negatively impact the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective(s). Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s assets. In addition, these disruptions could also impair the information technology and other operational systems upon which the Fund’s service providers, including the Adviser, rely, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of employees of the Fund’s service providers to perform essential tasks on behalf of the Fund.

 

Derivative Instruments

A derivative is a financial instrument whose performance is derived from the performance of another, underlying asset.

 

Subject to its investment objective and policies, the Fund may use derivative instruments for hedging purposes (to manage and mitigate risks associated with an investment, currency exposure, or market conditions), to manage duration (i.e., sensitivity of the portfolio to changes in interest rates), or to seek to enhance returns or earn income by, for example, using put or call options to receive income based on portfolio management’s view of the future direction of interest rates, credit or a specific currency. The Fund’s derivative investments will be primarily in instruments that are exchange-traded and cleared and which, as a result, tend to be more liquid and less susceptible to counterparty risk than derivatives that are not exchange-traded and cleared.

 

The Fund may not use any derivative to gain exposure to an asset or class of assets that it would be prohibited by its investment restrictions from purchasing directly. The Fund’s ability to use derivative instruments may also be limited by tax considerations (see “Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status”).

 

Investments in derivatives in general are subject to market risks that may cause their prices to fluctuate over time. Investments in derivatives may not directly correlate with the price movements of the underlying instrument. As a result, the use of derivatives may expose the Fund to additional risks that it would not be subject to if it invested directly in the securities underlying those derivatives. The use of derivatives may result in larger losses or smaller gains than otherwise would be the case. Derivatives can be volatile and may involve significant risks, including:

 

Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that the counterparty (the party on the other side of the transaction) on a derivative transaction will be unable to honor its financial obligation to the Fund.

 

Currency Risk. Currency risk is the risk that changes in the exchange rate between currencies will adversely affect the value (in U.S. dollar terms) of an investment.

 

Leverage Risk. Leverage risk is the risk associated with certain types of leveraged investments or trading strategies pursuant to which relatively small market movements may result in large changes in the value of an investment. The Fund creates leverage by investing in instruments where the investment loss can exceed the original amount invested. The use of investment techniques, such as short sales and certain derivative transactions, can create a leveraging effect on the Fund, which can result in losses that greatly exceed the amount originally invested.

 

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that certain securities may be difficult or impossible to sell at the time that the seller would like or at the price that the seller believes the security is currently worth.

 

Index Risk. Index risk is the risk that the derivative linked to the performance of an index, will also be subject to the risks associated with changes in that index. If the index changes, the Fund could receive lower interest payments or experience a reduction in the value of the derivative to below what the Fund paid. Certain indexed securities, including inverse securities (which move in an opposite direction to the index), may create leverage, to the extent that they increase or decrease in value at a rate that is a multiple of the changes in the applicable index.

 

Derivatives may generally be traded over-the-counter (“OTC”) or on an exchange. Derivatives traded OTC are agreements that are individually negotiated between parties and can be tailored to meet a purchaser’s needs. OTC derivatives are not guaranteed by a clearing agency and may be subject to increased counterparty risk.

 

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In an effort to mitigate counterparty risk associated with derivatives traded OTC, the Fund may enter into collateral agreements with certain counterparties whereby, subject to certain minimum exposure requirements, the Fund may require the counterparty to post collateral if the Fund has a net aggregate unrealized gain on all OTC derivative contracts with a particular counterparty. There is no guarantee that counterparty exposure is reduced by using collateral and these arrangements are dependent on the Adviser’s ability to establish and maintain appropriate systems and trading.

 

The Adviser has filed a notice of eligibility for exemption from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” with respect to the Fund in accordance with Rule 4.5 of the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (“Commodity Exchange Act”) and, therefore, the Adviser is not subject to regulation as a commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act with respect to the Fund. The Fund may enter into futures contracts and related options as permitted under Rule 4.5. Amendments to Rule 4.5 adopted in 2012, however, narrowed the exemption from the definition of commodity pool operator and effectively imposed additional restrictions on the Fund’s use of futures, options, and swaps. The Adviser will become subject to increased Commodity Futures Trading Commission regulation if the Fund invests more than a prescribed level of its assets in such instruments, or if the Fund markets itself as providing investment exposure to these instruments. If the Fund cannot meet the requirements of Rule 4.5, the Adviser and the Fund would need to comply with certain disclosure, reporting, and recordkeeping requirements. Such additional requirements would potentially increase the Fund’s expenses, which could negatively impact the Fund’s returns.

 

Risk of Government Regulation. Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act governs the Fund’s use of derivative instruments and certain other transactions that create future payment and/or delivery obligations by the Fund. Rule 18f-4 permits the Fund to enter into derivatives and certain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of “senior securities” under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Section 18 of the 1940 Act, among other things, prohibits open-end funds, including the Fund, from issuing or selling any “senior security,” other than borrowing from a bank (subject to a requirement to maintain 300% “asset coverage”). In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC eliminated the asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering derivatives transactions and certain financial instruments.

 

Pursuant to Rule 18f-4, the Fund has adopted and implemented a derivatives risk management program (“DRMP”) designed to identify, assess, and reasonably manage the risks associated with derivatives and certain other transactions. The DRMP is administered by a “derivatives risk manager,” who is approved by the Trustees, and who periodically reviews the DRMP and reports to the Trustees. While the Fund is not required to segregate assets to cover derivatives transactions and certain financial instruments pursuant to Rule 18f-4, the Fund will continue to do so for other instruments as required under applicable federal securities laws.

 

In addition, the SEC, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading. It is not possible to predict fully the effects of current or future regulation. However, it is possible that developments in government regulation of various types of derivative instruments may limit or prevent the Fund from using these instruments effectively as a part of its investment strategies, and could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. The Fund will continue to monitor developments in the area, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect the ability to enter into derivative transactions. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to the Fund, may increase the cost of the Fund’s investments and cost of doing business.

 

Issuer Concentration

The Fund’s portfolio may be comprised of a relatively small number of issuers in comparison to other funds. As a result, the Fund may be subject to greater risks than a fund that invests in a greater number of issuers. A change in the value of any single investment held by the Fund may affect the overall value of the Fund more than it would affect a fund that holds more investments. In particular, the Fund may be more susceptible to adverse developments affecting any single issuer held by the Fund and may be susceptible to greater losses because of these developments. A portfolio of a small number of issuers may also have elevated risks to changes in general economic conditions, cyclical market patterns, adverse labor relations, political events, obsolescence of technologies, and increased competition that may negatively affect the profitability or viability of an issuer. The Fund’s investment strategy to concentrate its portfolio on a smaller number of holdings could result in more volatility in the Fund’s performance and share price.

 

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PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

 

The portfolio turnover rate of the Fund is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities (exclusive of purchases or sales of U.S. Government securities and all other securities whose maturities at the time of acquisition were one year or less) by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the year. Proceeds from short sales and assets used to cover short positions undertaken are included in the amounts of securities sold and purchased, respectively, during the fiscal year. A 100% portfolio turnover rate would occur, for example, if all of the securities held by the Fund were replaced once during the fiscal year. The Fund cannot accurately predict its turnover rate. Variations in portfolio turnover rates shown may be due to market conditions, changes in the size of the Fund, fluctuating volume of shareholder purchase and redemption orders, the nature of the Fund’s investments, the investment style and/or outlook of portfolio management, or due to a restructuring of the Fund’s portfolio as a result of a change in portfolio management. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may be higher when the Fund finds it necessary to significantly change its portfolio to adopt a temporary defensive position or respond to economic or market events. Higher levels of portfolio turnover may result in higher costs for brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups, and other transaction costs, and may also result in taxable capital gains. Higher costs associated with increased portfolio turnover may offset gains in Fund performance.

 

The following table summarizes the portfolio turnover rates for the Fund for the last two fiscal years.

 

Fund Name

Portfolio
Turnover Rate for the
Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2024

Portfolio
Turnover Rate for the
Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2023

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

20%

17%

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

The ETF Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures adopted by the Adviser and the series of the Trust (the “Janus Henderson funds”) are designed to ensure that the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is disclosed in a manner that (i) is consistent with applicable legal requirements and in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders; (ii) does not put the interests of the Adviser, ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS” or the “Distributor”), or any affiliated person of the Adviser or ALPS, above those of Fund shareholders; (iii) does not advantage any current or prospective Fund shareholders over any other current or prospective Fund shareholders; and (iv) does not provide selective access to portfolio holdings information except pursuant to the procedures outlined below and to the extent appropriate confidentiality arrangements limiting the use of such information are in effect. Item (iii) above does not preclude the provision of portfolio holdings information not available to other current or prospective Fund shareholders to certain Entities to the extent such information is necessary to facilitate Creation Unit transactions. These “Entities” are generally limited to National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) members, subscribers to various fee-based subscription services, large institutional investors (known as “Authorized Participants”) that have been authorized by the Distributor to purchase and redeem large blocks of shares pursuant to legal requirements and market makers and other institutional market participants and entities that provide information for transactional services.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings in Accordance with Regulatory Requirements. Each business day, the Fund’s portfolio holdings information is provided to the Fund’s custodian or other agent for dissemination through the facilities of the NSCC and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of the Fund in the secondary market. This information typically reflects the Fund’s anticipated holdings on the following business day. In addition, on each business day before commencement of trading in shares on the Listing Exchange, the Fund will disclose on janushenderson.com/info the identities and quantities of each portfolio position held by the Fund that will form the basis for the Fund’s next calculation of the NAV.

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings as Required by Applicable Law. The Fund is also required to disclose its complete holdings as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT within 60 days of the end of the first and third fiscal quarters, and on Form N-CSR in connection with the annual report and semiannual report to Fund shareholders. These reports (i) are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov; and (ii) are available without charge, upon request, by calling a Janus Henderson representative at 1-800-668-0434 (toll free).

 

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Daily access to information concerning the Fund’s portfolio holdings is permitted (i) to certain personnel of those service providers that are involved in portfolio management and in providing administrative, operational, risk management, or other support to portfolio management; and (ii) to other personnel of the Adviser, ALPS and its affiliates, and the administrator, custodian, and fund accountant who deal directly with, or assist in, functions related to investment management, distribution, administration, custody, and fund accounting, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with federal securities laws and regulations thereunder.

 

Portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Fund in the ordinary course of business after it has been disseminated to the NSCC. From time to time, information concerning portfolio holdings other than portfolio holdings information made available in connection with the creation/redemption process, as discussed above, may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Fund, including rating or ranking organizations, in the ordinary course of business, no earlier than one business day following the date of the information.

 

Nonpublic portfolio holdings information may be disclosed to certain third parties upon a good faith determination made by the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate, in consultation with the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer or a designee, that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for such disclosure and the recipient agrees to maintain confidentiality. The Chief Compliance Officer reports to the Fund’s Trustees regarding material compliance matters with respect to the portfolio holdings disclosure policies and procedures.

 

Under extraordinary circumstances, the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate, in consultation with the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, has the authority to waive one or more provisions of, or make exceptions to, the ETF Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures when in the best interest of the Fund and when such waiver or exception is consistent with federal securities laws and applicable fiduciary duties.

 

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Investment Adviser

 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER – JANUS HENDERSON INVESTORS US LLC

 

As stated in the Prospectus, the Fund has an Investment Advisory Agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) with Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (the “Adviser”), 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805. The Adviser is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Janus Henderson Group plc (“JHG”). Janus Henderson US (Holdings) Inc., the direct parent of the Adviser, completed a strategic combination with Henderson Group plc on May 30, 2017 to form JHG, doing business as Janus Henderson Investors.

 

The Fund’s Advisory Agreement continues in effect for an initial term of two years and from year to year thereafter so long as such continuance is approved at least annually by the vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust (the “Trustees”) who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined by the 1940 Act) of any such party (the “Independent Trustees”), and by either the Trustees or the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The Advisory Agreement: (i) may be terminated, without the payment of any penalty, by the Trustees, or the vote of at least a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or the Adviser, on at least 60 days’ advance written notice; (ii) terminates automatically in the event of its assignment; and (iii) generally, may not be amended without the approval by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Fund, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, and, to the extent required by the 1940 Act, the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.

 

The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser will furnish continuous advice and recommendations concerning the Fund’s investments, provide office space for the Fund and certain other advisory-related services. Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, under the unitary fee structure, the Fund pay the Adviser a “Management Fee” in return for providing certain investment advisory, supervisory, and administrative services to the Fund. The fee structure is designed to pay substantially all of the Fund’s expenses. However, the Fund bears other expenses which are not covered under the Management Fee, such as distribution fees (if any), brokerage expenses or commissions, interest, dividends, taxes, litigation expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (if any), and extraordinary expenses.

 

In rendering investment advisory services to the Fund, the Adviser may use services provided by Janus Henderson Investors (Jersey) Limited (“HIJL”) a foreign (non-U.S.) affiliates of the Adviser. One or more HIJL employees may provide services to the Fund through a “participating affiliate” arrangement, as that term is used in guidance issued by the Staff allowing U.S. registered investment advisers to use portfolio management or research resources of advisory affiliates subject to the regulatory supervision of the registered investment adviser. Under the participating affiliate arrangement, Janus Henderson employees, acting for HIJL, are considered “associated persons” of the Adviser (as that term is defined in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended) and in this capacity, such Janus Henderson employees, acting for HIJL, are subject to supervision of the Adviser and may provide portfolio management, research, and other services to the Fund. The responsibilities of both the Adviser and HIJL, under the participating affiliate arrangement, are documented in a memorandum of understanding between the two entities.

 

The Adviser has received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits the Adviser, subject to the approval of the Trustees, to appoint or replace certain subadvisers to manage all or a portion of the Fund’s assets and enter into, amend, or terminate a subadvisory agreement with certain subadvisers without obtaining shareholder approval (a “manager-of-managers structure”). The manager-of-managers structure applies to subadvisers that are not affiliated with the Trust or the Adviser (“non-affiliated subadvisers”), as well as any subadviser that is an indirect or direct “wholly-owned subsidiary” (as such term is defined by the 1940 Act) of the Adviser or of another company that, indirectly or directly, wholly owns the Adviser (collectively, “wholly-owned subadvisers”).

 

Pursuant to the order, the Adviser, with the approval of the Trustees, has the discretion to terminate any subadviser and allocate and reallocate the Fund’s assets among the Adviser and any other non-affiliated subadvisers or wholly-owned subadvisers (including terminating a non-affiliated subadviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned subadviser). To the extent that the Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more subadvisers, the Adviser, subject to oversight and supervision by the Trustees, would have responsibility to oversee such subadviser to the Fund and to recommend for approval by the Trustees, the hiring, termination, and replacement of a subadviser for the Fund. The order also permits the Fund to disclose

 

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subadvisers’ fees only in the aggregate. In the event that the Adviser hires a new subadviser pursuant to the manager-of-managers structure, the affected Janus Henderson fund would provide shareholders with information about the subadviser and subadvisory agreement within 90 days.

 

The Trustees and the initial shareholder of the Fund have approved the use of a manager-of-managers structure for the Fund.

 

The Adviser also provides certain administration services necessary for the operation of the Fund, including, but not limited to, the preparation of prospectuses.

 

The Fund pays a monthly Management Fee to the Adviser for its services. The fee is based on the daily net assets of the Fund and is calculated at the following annual rate.

 

Fund Name

Daily Net
Assets of the Fund

Contractual
Management Fee (%)
(annual rate)

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

$0–$250 Million
Over $250 Million

0.55
0.50

 

The following table summarizes the Management Fees paid by the Fund for the last three fiscal years ended October 31.

 

Fund Name

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

  $ 45,566     $ 86,572     $ 197,616  

 

EXPENSE LIMITATIONS

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse a portion of the Fund’s management fee in an amount equal to the management fee it earns as an investment adviser to any affiliated ETFs in which the Fund invests. Pursuant to this agreement, the waiver amount is equal to the amount of the Fund’s assets invested in the affiliated ETF, multiplied by an amount equal to the current daily unitary management fee of the affiliated ETF less certain asset-based operating fees and expenses incurred on a per-fund basis and paid by the Adviser with respect to the affiliated ETF (including, but not limited to custody, sub-administration and transfer agency fees, and fees paid to the distributor). The fee waiver agreement will remain in effect at least until February 28, 2026. The Adviser will not recover amounts previously waived or reimbursed that are related to investments in affiliated ETFs. The fee waiver agreement may be modified or terminated prior to this date only at the discretion of the Trustees.

 

PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES BY THE ADVISER OR ITS AFFILIATES

 

From their own assets, the Adviser or its affiliates pay selected brokerage firms or other financial intermediaries for making Janus Henderson funds available to their clients or for distribution, marketing, promotional, data, or related services and/or for providing transaction processing and other shareholder or administrative services. The Adviser or its affiliates also make payments to one or more intermediaries for information about transactions and holdings in the funds, such as the amount of fund shares purchased, sold or held through the intermediary and or its salespersons, the intermediary platform(s) on which shares are transacted and other information related to the funds. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to one or more intermediaries for operational and/or platform set-up and maintenance fees on a per fund basis, often referred to as CUSIP fees. Payments made by the Adviser and its affiliates to intermediaries may eliminate or reduce trading commissions that the intermediary would otherwise charge its customers or its salespersons in connection with the purchase or sale of certain funds. Payment by the Adviser or its affiliates to eliminate or reduce a trading commission creates an incentive for salespersons of the intermediary to sell the Janus Henderson funds over other funds for which a commission would be charged. The amount of these payments is determined from time to time by the Adviser or its affiliates, may be substantial, and may differ for different intermediaries. The Adviser may determine to make payments based on any number of factors or metrics. For example, the Adviser may make payments at year-end and/or other intervals in a fixed amount, an amount based upon an intermediary’s services at defined levels, an amount based upon the total assets represented by funds subject to arrangements with the intermediary, an amount based on the intermediary’s net sales of one or more funds in a year or other period, or a fee based on the management fee received by the Adviser, any of which arrangements may include an agreed-upon minimum or maximum payment, or any combination of the foregoing. Payments based primarily on sales create an incentive to make new sales of shares, while payments based on assets create an incentive to retain previously sold shares. The Adviser currently maintains asset-based agreements with certain intermediaries on behalf of the Trust. Other factors may include, but are not limited to, the distribution capabilities of the intermediary, the overall quality of the relationship, expected gross and/or net sales generated by the relationship, disposition and retention rates of assets held through the intermediary, the willingness to cooperate with the Adviser’s marketing efforts, access to sales personnel, and the anticipated profitability of sales through the

 

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institutional relationship. These factors and their weightings varies from one intermediary to another and may change from time to time. As of February 5, 2025, the broker-dealer firms with which the Adviser or its affiliates have agreements or are currently negotiating agreements to make payments out of their own assets related to the acquisition or retention of certain Janus Henderson ETFs are E*Trade Securities LLC; Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC; LPL Financial LLC; Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, LLC; National Financial Services LLC; Pershing LLC; Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.; and Raymond James & Associates, Inc. Any additions, modifications, or deletions to the broker-dealer firms identified that have occurred since that date are not reflected.

 

With respect to non-exchange-traded Janus Henderson funds, the Adviser or its affiliates may pay fees, from their own assets, to selected brokerage firms, banks, financial advisors, retirement plan service providers, and other financial intermediaries that sell the Janus Henderson funds for distribution, marketing, promotional, or related services, and/or for providing recordkeeping, subaccounting, transaction processing, and other shareholder or administrative services (including payments for processing transactions via National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or other means), and the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures (“CUSIP”) and fund setup fees in connection with investments in the Janus Henderson funds. These fees are in addition to any fees that may be paid by the Janus Henderson funds for these types of services or other services. Shareholders investing through an intermediary should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary.

 

In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may also share certain marketing expenses with selected intermediaries, or pay for or sponsor informational meetings, seminars, client awareness events, and support for marketing materials, sales reporting, or business building programs for such intermediaries to raise awareness of the Janus Henderson funds. The Adviser or its affiliates may also pay intermediaries for the development of technology platforms and reporting systems. The Adviser or its affiliates make payments to participate in selected intermediary marketing support programs which may provide the Adviser or its affiliates with one or more of the following benefits: attendance at sales conferences, participation in meetings or training sessions, access to or information about intermediary personnel, use of an intermediary’s marketing and communication infrastructure, fund analysis tools, data, business planning and strategy sessions with intermediary personnel, information on industry- or platform-specific developments, trends and service providers, and other marketing-related services. Such payments may be in addition to, or in lieu of, the payments described above. These payments are intended to promote the sales of Janus Henderson funds and to reimburse financial intermediaries, directly or indirectly, for the costs that they or their salespersons incur in connection with educational seminars, meetings, and training efforts about the Janus Henderson funds to enable the intermediaries and their salespersons to make suitable recommendations, provide useful services, and maintain the necessary infrastructure to make the Janus Henderson funds available to their customers.

 

The receipt of (or prospect of receiving) payments, reimbursements, and other forms of compensation described above may provide a financial intermediary and its salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of Janus Henderson funds’ shares over sales of other funds (or non-investment company investments), with respect to which the financial intermediary does not receive such payments or receives them in a lower amount. The receipt of these payments may cause certain financial intermediaries to elevate the prominence of the Janus Henderson funds within such financial intermediary’s organization by, for example, placement on a list of preferred or recommended funds and/or the provision of preferential or enhanced opportunities to promote the Janus Henderson funds in various ways within such financial intermediary’s organization.

 

From time to time, certain financial intermediaries approach the Adviser to request that the Adviser make contributions to certain charitable organizations. In these cases, the Adviser’s contribution may result in the financial intermediary, or its salespersons, recommending Janus Henderson funds over other funds (or non-mutual fund investments).

 

The payment arrangements described above will not change the price an investor pays for shares nor the amount that a Janus Henderson fund receives to invest on behalf of the investor. You should consider whether such arrangements exist when evaluating any recommendations from an intermediary to purchase or sell shares of the Janus Henderson funds. Please contact your financial intermediary or plan sponsor for details on such arrangements.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ADVISER

 

The Adviser has adopted procedures (including trade allocation procedures described in the “Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage” section of this SAI) that it believes are reasonably designed to mitigate potential conflicts and risks. For example, the Adviser manages long and short portfolios. The simultaneous management of long and short portfolios creates potential conflicts of interest in fund management and creates potential risks such as the risk that short sale activity could adversely affect the market value of long positions in one or more Janus Henderson funds (and vice versa), the risk arising from the sequential orders in long and short positions, and the risks associated with the trade desk receiving opposing orders in

 

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the same security at the same time. To mitigate this potential conflict, the Adviser has procedures that prohibit portfolio management from executing a short sale on a security held long in any other portfolio that he or she manages but is not held long in the account in which portfolio management is placing the short. Note this does not prohibit shorting against the box. The procedures also require approvals of the Adviser’s senior management in other situations that raise potential conflicts of interest, as well as periodic monitoring of long and short trading activity of the Janus Henderson funds and accounts.

 

The Fund and other funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates may also transfer daily uninvested cash balances into one or more joint trading accounts. Assets in the joint trading accounts are invested in money market instruments and the proceeds are allocated to the participating funds on a pro rata basis.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of the 1940 Act, Janus Henderson funds may participate in an affiliated or non-affiliated cash sweep program. In the cash sweep program, uninvested cash balances of Janus Henderson funds may be used to purchase shares of affiliated or non-affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles that operate pursuant to the provisions of the 1940 Act that govern the operation of money market funds. All Janus Henderson funds are eligible to participate in the cash sweep program (the “Investing Funds”). The Adviser has an inherent conflict of interest because of its fiduciary duties to the affiliated money market funds or cash management pooled investment vehicles and the Investing Funds. In addition, the Adviser receives an investment advisory fee for managing proprietary money market funds and the cash management vehicle used for its securities lending program, but it may not receive a fee for managing certain other affiliated cash management vehicles, and therefore may have an incentive to allocate preferred investment opportunities to investment vehicles for which it is receiving a fee.

 

Each account managed by the Adviser has its own investment objective and policies and is managed accordingly by the respective portfolio management. As a result, from time to time, two or more different managed accounts may pursue divergent investment strategies with respect to investments or categories of investments.

 

The officers and Trustees of the Janus Henderson funds may also serve as officers and Trustees of ETFs, hedge funds, private funds, and other Janus Henderson financial products managed by the Adviser. Conflicts may arise as the officers and Trustees seek to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities to both the Fund and other Janus Henderson financial products. The Trustees intend to address any such conflicts as deemed appropriate.

 

ALPS Distributors, Inc.’s Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the Trustees have approved a Code of Ethics adopted by ALPS. The Code of Ethics is intended to ensure that the interests of shareholders and other clients are placed ahead of any personal interest, that no undue personal benefit is obtained from the person’s employment activities and that actual and potential conflicts of interest are avoided.

 

The Code of Ethics applies to the personal investing activities of ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“Access Persons”). Rule 17j-1 and the Code of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by Access Persons. Under the 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 Code of Ethics permits personnel subject to the Code to invest in securities subject to certain limitations, 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. The Code of Ethics is on file with and available from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Janus Henderson Personal Code of Ethics

The Adviser currently has in place the Personal Code of Ethics, which is comprised of the Personal Account Dealing Policy, the Gifts, Entertainment and Meals Received Policy, the Outside Business Activities Policy, and the Political Activities Policy. The Personal Code of Ethics is designed to ensure the Adviser’s personnel: (i) observe applicable legal (including compliance with applicable federal securities laws) and ethical standards in the performance of their duties; (ii) at all times place the interests of the Fund’s shareholders first; (iii) disclose all actual or potential conflicts; (iv) adhere to the highest standards of loyalty, candor, and care in all matters relating to the Fund’s shareholders; (v) conduct all personal trading, including transactions in the Fund and other securities, consistent with the Personal Code of Ethics and in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of their position of trust and responsibility; and (vi) refrain from using any material nonpublic information in securities trading. The Personal Code of Ethics is on file with and available from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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Under the Personal Account Dealing Policy, all the Adviser personnel, as well as the Trustees and Officers of the Fund, are required to conduct their personal investment activities in a manner that the Adviser believes is not detrimental to the Fund. In addition, the Adviser personnel are not permitted to transact in securities held by the Fund for their personal accounts except under circumstances specified in the Personal Account Dealing Policy. All personnel of the Adviser, and the Fund, as well as certain other designated employees deemed to have access to current trading information, are required to pre-clear all transactions in securities not otherwise exempt. Requests for trading authorization will be denied when, among other reasons, the proposed personal transaction would be contrary to the provisions of the Personal Account Dealing Policy.

 

In addition to the pre-clearance requirement described above, the Personal Account Dealing Policy subjects such personnel to various trading restrictions and reporting obligations. All reportable transactions are reviewed for compliance with the Personal Account Dealing Policy and under certain circumstances the Adviser personnel may be required to forfeit profits made from personal trading.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES

 

The Trustees of the Trust have delegated to the Adviser the authority to vote all proxies relating to the Fund’s portfolio securities in accordance with the Adviser’s own policies and procedures. The Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures, including specific voting guidelines, are included in Appendix A of this SAI and are also available at janushenderson.com/proxyvoting.

 

The Adviser or its affiliates will publicly disclose vote reporting in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in the Adviser’s view, it is appropriate. The Fund’s proxy voting record for the one-year period ending each June 30th is available, free of charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-525-1093, through janushenderson.com/proxyvoting, or from the SEC through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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Custodian, Transfer Agent, and Certain Affiliations

 

 

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JP Morgan” or the “Custodian”), 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10179 is the custodian of the domestic securities and cash of the Fund. JP Morgan is the designated Foreign Custody Manager (as the term is defined in Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act) of the Fund’s securities and cash held outside the United States. The Fund’s Trustees have delegated to JP Morgan certain responsibilities for such assets, as permitted by Rule 17f-5. JP Morgan and the foreign subcustodians selected by it hold the Fund’s assets in safekeeping and collect and remit the income thereon, subject to the instructions of the Fund. JP Morgan also serves as transfer agent for the shares of the Fund (“Transfer Agent”).

 

JP Morgan also provides certain fund administration services to the Fund, including services related to the Fund’s accounting, including calculating the daily NAV, audit, tax, and reporting obligations, pursuant to an Agreement with the Adviser, on behalf of the Fund. The Adviser may cancel this Agreement at any time with 90 days’ notice. As compensation for such services, the Adviser pays JP Morgan a fee based on a percentage of the Fund’s assets, and a flat fee, for certain services. The Adviser serves as administrator to the Fund, providing oversight and coordination of the Fund’s service providers, recordkeeping and other administrative services. The Adviser does not receive any additional compensation, beyond the unitary fee, for serving as administrator. Pursuant to agreements with the Fund, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, an affiliate of JP Morgan, may execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, including but not limited to, in connection with cash in lieu transactions (as described under Fund Deposit and Redemption of Creation Units).

 

The following table summarizes the fees received by JP Morgan for custodian, transfer agent and sub-administrative services for the fiscal years ended October 31.

 

Fund Name

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

  $ 40,137     $ 41,084     $ 33,385  

 

ALPS Distributors, Inc. (“ALPS” or the “Distributor”), 1290 Broadway, #1000, Denver, Colorado 80203-5603 is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). ALPS acts as the agent of the Fund in connection with the sale of its shares in all states in which such shares are registered and in which ALPS is qualified as a broker-dealer. Under the Distribution Agreement, ALPS offers Creation Units of the Fund’s shares on an ongoing basis.

 

Pursuant to an agreement with ALPS, Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Adviser, and a member of FINRA, may provide marketing and promotional services on behalf of the Fund. Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC does not receive any compensation from the Fund or ALPS for such services.

 

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Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage

 

 

The Adviser, or its affiliates, acting pursuant to the Global Execution Agreement mentioned below, initiate all portfolio transactions of the Fund, solely upon the direction of the relevant portfolio management. The Adviser is party to a Global Execution Agreement with certain Janus Henderson affiliates (the “Trading Affiliates”) that allow trades in foreign markets to be executed by personnel in the relevant market through such Trading Affiliates. Personnel of the Trading Affiliates providing trade execution services are subject to brokerage policies and procedures and oversight by Janus Henderson Investors’ Front Offices Governance and Risk Committee. As used in this Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage section, the term “Adviser” also includes its Trading Affiliates.

 

The Adviser selects broker-dealers for the Fund as part of its discretionary responsibilities under the Advisory Agreement and broker selection is determined by the Adviser’s duty to seek best execution. Brokers may include Authorized Participants and/or market makers for the Fund. Janus Henderson’s Best Execution Committee will periodically review the quality of execution that the Adviser receives from broker-dealers and the Adviser will continually evaluate the effectiveness of the executing brokers and trading tools utilized. The Adviser does not consider a broker-dealer’s sale of shares of the Fund or gifts and entertainment received from registered representatives of broker-dealers when choosing a broker-dealer to effect transactions.

 

The Adviser has a duty to seek to obtain “best execution” for its portfolio transactions by reasonably seeking to obtain the best possible result under the circumstances. The Adviser considers a number of factors including but not limited to: an understanding of prices of securities currently available and commission rates and other costs associated with various trading tools, channels and venues; the nature, liquidity, size and type of the security being traded and the character of the markets in which the security will be purchased or sold; the activity, existing and expected, in the market for the particular security; the potential impact of the trade in such market and the desired timing or urgency of the trade pursuant to the investment decision; any portfolio restrictions associated with asset types; the ability of a broker-dealer to maintain confidentiality, including trade anonymity; the quality of the execution, clearance, and settlement services of a broker-dealer; the financial stability of the broker-dealer and the existence of actual or apparent operational problems of the broker-dealer; principal commitment by the broker-dealer to facilitate the transaction; and for accounts that do not utilize a research charge collection agreement, as discussed below, the research services provided by a broker-dealer.

 

The Fund may trade foreign securities in foreign countries because the best available market for these securities is often on foreign exchanges. In transactions on foreign stock exchanges, brokers’ commissions are frequently fixed and are often higher than in the United States, where commissions are negotiated.

 

The Fund generally buys and sells fixed-income securities in principal and agency transactions in which no brokerage commissions are paid. However, the Fund may engage an agent and pay commissions for such transactions if the Adviser believes that the net result of the transaction to the Fund will be no less favorable than that of contemporaneously available principal transactions. The implied cost of executing fixed-income securities transactions for the Fund primarily will consist of bid-offer spreads at which brokers will transact. The spread is the difference between the prices at which the broker is willing to purchase and sell the specific security at the time.

 

When the Fund purchases or sells a security in the over-the-counter market, the transaction takes place directly with a principal market-maker, without the use of a broker, except in those circumstances where, in the opinion of the Adviser, better prices and executions will be achieved through the use of a broker.

 

The Adviser unbundles equity commissions globally. More specifically, the Adviser defines an execution commission component (“ECC”) and a research commission component (“RCC”). The ECC is standard across all brokers by region and broker class. Generally, the ECC is not negotiated on an order-by-order basis, but is determined by an established rate card that is reviewed by the Janus Henderson Best Execution Committee. Those rates are established to be competitive with industry standards and aligned with the service level the Adviser expects from brokers. With respect to the RCC, consistent with its best execution obligation for accounts that do not utilize an RCCA (as defined below), and as permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and subsequent SEC guidance and no-action relief, the Adviser may place portfolio transactions with a broker-dealer for a higher commission than another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that transaction if the Adviser determines, in good faith, that the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer or provided by third parties viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or of the overall responsibilities of the Adviser with respect to all client accounts. Funds that

 

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utilize RCCAs are prohibited from using research charges for brokerage services and are subject to additional restrictions on what constitutes eligible research as provided by the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (“MiFID II”) and Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) regulations.

 

The Adviser has client commission agreements (“CCAs”) and, for certain funds, RCC Agreements (“RCCAs”) with certain broker-dealers. These agreements allow the Adviser to instruct broker-dealers to pool commissions or research charges, respectively, generated from equity security orders executed at that broker-dealer. RCCAs are utilized for accounts for which Janus Henderson is subject to MiFID II and instead of using a portion of the commission for research, an additional research charge is added to the execution commission for equity transactions. Pursuant to these agreements, the broker-dealer retains the execution component of the brokerage commission as compensation for execution services and segregates the other portion of the commission (or additional research charge for RCCAs) for research services. Such commissions (and charges) are then used, upon the Adviser’s direction, to pay such broker-dealers for such broker-dealers’ proprietary research or to pay third parties that provide the Adviser with brokerage or research services, as permitted under Section 28(e), and for RCCAs, as permitted under MiFID II and FCA regulation. All portfolio transactions directed to these broker-dealers are subject to the Adviser’s best execution obligations.

 

The Adviser establishes a research budget annually for each investment strategy, and the research portion of the commission (or additional research charge for RCCAs) is collected until the Fund’s pro rata portion of the research budget for its investment strategy is reached. Typically, it is expected that the Fund’s proportionate share of the budget for its strategy will be based on the amount of assets held in its account relative to overall assets in the strategy. Once the pro rata budget of any account within an investment strategy is reached, such account will transact at the execution only rate for the remainder of the applicable period. If the costs for external research or brokerage services for an investment strategy exceed the amount collected from accounts within that strategy, the Adviser or its affiliates may adjust the research portion of commissions (or research charges) up or down within such strategy, continue to acquire external research for such accounts using its own resources, or cease to purchase external research for such accounts until the next applicable period. If research commissions (or research charges) collected by accounts within an investment strategy exceed the research or brokerage services costs for such investment strategy, the Adviser may rebate the accounts within such strategy all or a portion of their pro rata portion of such excess (subject to de minimis amounts as determined by the Adviser) or (for CCAs only) rollover such amounts to be used for research during the next applicable period.

 

The Adviser oversees the consumption, valuation and appropriate remuneration of third-party investment research consumed by the Adviser. Research budgets are set annually based on the needs of each investment strategy and are not otherwise linked to the volume or value of transactions executed on behalf of any accounts within that strategy. Research budgets may be adjusted by the Adviser throughout the calendar year.

 

The Adviser intends that all client equity transactions will be included within its CCAs and RCCAs, except to the extent the Adviser manages a strategy in which portfolio management solely uses market data or in which portfolio management solely uses market data or in which portfolio management and the clients are located in Europe, the Middle East, or Asia, the Adviser may determine to pay for research for such strategies and/or accounts consistent with the methods available pursuant to MiFID II, including by use of an RCCA or Janus Henderson’s own resources. Therefore, whether and to what extent clients pay for research through commissions differs among clients. However, subject to applicable law, research may be used to service any or all clients, including clients that do not pay commissions to the broker-dealer relating to the CCA. As a result, clients that do not directly pay for research or pay for research to a lesser extent, including in connection with the establishment of research budgets (switching to execution only rates when research budgets are met), may be considered to disproportionately benefit from research payments of other clients.

 

The Adviser may receive statistical, research and other factual information or services from broker-dealers that it would otherwise have to pay for with cash, or use its own resources to produce, for no consideration other than the brokerage or underwriting commissions that they obtain from the Adviser’s execution of trades with the broker-dealers.

 

The Adviser may also use step-out or sponsorship transactions in order to receive research products and related services. In step-out or sponsorship transactions, the Adviser directs trades to a broker-dealer with the instruction that the broker-dealer execute the transaction, but direct all or a portion of the transaction or commission in favor of a second broker-dealer that provides such products and/or services. The second broker-dealer may clear and settle and receive commissions for the remaining portion.

 

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The Adviser may also use broker sponsorship programs in order to pay for research. The Adviser may receive research from a sponsored broker but choose to execute with an executing agent on behalf of the sponsored broker. The executing agent executes the trade and then sends it to the sponsored broker for settlement. The Adviser pays the sponsored broker the commissions on the trade and the sponsored broker then pays the executing agent a predetermined fee.

 

The Adviser maintains prime brokerage arrangements to facilitate short sale transactions. A prime broker may provide services and products to the Adviser in connection with the short selling facilities and related services the prime broker provides. The Adviser typically uses technology and personalized client services, but additional services such as capital introduction, business consulting services and portfolio analytics may also be available from prime brokers.

 

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2024, the total brokerage commissions paid by the Fund to brokers and dealers in transactions identified for execution primarily on the basis of research and other services provided to the Fund are summarized below.

 

Fund Name

 

Commissions

   

Transactions

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

  $ 277     $ 3,314,516  

 

The Adviser may have an incentive to use broker-dealers who offer the above services to effect transactions instead of other broker-dealers who do not provide such services, but who may execute transactions at a lower price. The Adviser does not guarantee any broker the placement of a predetermined amount of securities transactions in return for the research or brokerage services it provides. The Adviser does, however, have an internal procedure for allocation transactions in a manner consistent with its execution policy to brokers that it has identified as providing research or brokerage services. Any transactions with such brokers are always subject to the Adviser’s best execution obligations.

 

In order for client commissions to be used to pay for these services, the Adviser must determine that the services are permitted research or brokerage services under Section 28(e). Additionally, all broker-dealers and all vendors of research and/or brokerage services paid with client commissions will be approved pursuant to the Adviser’s policies and procedures. In instances when the above services may include components not eligible under Section 28(e), the Adviser makes a reasonable allocation of the cost of the research and/or brokerage services according to its use and all non-eligible research and/or brokerage services are separately invoiced and paid for with cash from the Adviser and not with client commissions.

 

Research received from broker-dealers is supplemental to the Adviser’s own research efforts. The brokerage and research products and services furnished by broker-dealers may be used in servicing any or all of the Adviser’s clients and may not necessarily be used by the Adviser in connection with the accounts that actually paid commissions, nor in proportion to the amount of commissions paid by accounts, to the broker-dealer providing the products and services.

 

The Adviser may engage in “cross trades” whereby the Adviser causes its clients or accounts to engage in a purchase and sale of a security with each other. The Adviser may engage in cross trades where it determines such transaction is in the best interests of both accounts and consistent with the Adviser’s best execution obligations. Although the use of cross trades may be beneficial to clients, it also creates opportunities for conflicts of interest to adversely affect clients. For instance, the Adviser could prefer one account over the other in determining price or otherwise executing a cross trade due to the existence of a more favorable fee structure or proprietary interest in one account. To address these potential conflicts, the Adviser has adopted policies and procedures which require that all cross trades are effected at a readily available fair market price, which may be based on independent dealer bids or quotes depending on the type of security. In addition, cross trades involving a registered investment company must be consistent with Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act. The Adviser may execute cross trades among any eligible funds and accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. The Adviser does not permit cross trades with the Fund for fixed-income securities, with accounts subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or where prohibited by client restrictions.

 

The Adviser makes investment decisions for each of its clients, including proprietary accounts, independently from those of any other account that is or may become managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. Because the Adviser generally invests in similar strategies for clients, numerous clients could have similar investment objectives and thus, similar portfolios. As a result, the Adviser may be trading the same security for multiple clients at the same time. In order to seek efficiencies that may be available for larger transactions, or help allocate execution fills and prices fairly, the Adviser may aggregate the orders for its clients for execution in circumstances where the Adviser determines that the investment is eligible and appropriate for each participating account. Clients participating in an aggregated trade are generally charged the same price and execution rate or execution portion of the commission except in circumstances where doing otherwise is deemed fair and consistent

 

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with applicable law. Instances can occur in which not all clients are charged a research portion (or the same research portion) of the commission in an aggregated trade, including where clients have a different research rate, have already met the research budget established by the Adviser or are subject to regulatory or other restrictions on the use of client commissions to pay for research services and may transact at lower commissions or execution only rates. In addition to, or instead of, aggregating orders of accounts that would be trading the same security at the same time, the Adviser may average the price of the transactions of these accounts and allocate trades to each account in accordance with the Adviser’s allocation procedures. Pursuant to these procedures, partial fills will be allocated pro rata under procedures adopted by Janus Henderson. The Adviser seeks to allocate the opportunity to purchase or sell a security or other investment among accounts on an equitable basis by taking into consideration certain factors. These factors include, but are not limited to: size of the portfolio, concentration of holdings, investment objectives and guidelines, position weightings, duration targets, consistency of portfolio characteristics across similar accounts, purchase costs, issuer restrictions, price targets, ESG jurisdictional requirements, and cash availability. Due to such factors, the Adviser cannot assure equality of allocations among all of its accounts, nor can it assure that the opportunity to purchase or sell a security or other investment will be proportionally allocated among accounts according to any particular or predetermined standards or criteria which could cause performance divergence from similar accounts. In some cases, these allocation procedures may adversely affect the price paid or received by an account or the size of the position obtained or liquidated for an account. In others, however, the accounts’ ability to participate in volume transactions may produce better executions and prices for the accounts. The Adviser may adjust allocations to eliminate fractional shares or odd lots, or to account for minimum trade size requirements and has the discretion to deviate from its allocation procedures in certain circumstances.

 

Funds may from time to time participate in initial public offerings (“IPOs”) or other types of limited offerings such as secondary placements of common stock, private equity offerings, or other private placement offerings. To the extent that a fund, such as a new fund, has only affiliated shareholders, such as portfolio management or an adviser, and the fund wishes to participate in an IPO, those shareholders may be perceived as receiving a benefit and, as a result, may have a conflict with management of the fund and thus may not be eligible to participate in the offering. Funds may also, from time to time, participate as an anchor or Cornerstone Investor in an IPO. A Cornerstone Investor agrees, prior to a company’s IPO, to acquire a certain dollar amount of the IPO securities. Such agreement provides the Cornerstone Investor with an agreed and known allocation in the IPO. Shares allocated to the Cornerstone Investor in such IPOs may be restricted from trading for up to six months post the IPO and participation by any Adviser account as a Cornerstone Investor could preclude any other account from participating in the IPO as a non-Cornerstone Investor. The Adviser utilizes a dual book IPO indication process. More specifically, in order to provide issuers with a level of flexibility to address the diverse styles, needs, and relationships of our global investment teams, the Adviser has assigned each investment team to either a U.S. or EMEA/APAC IPO indication group (each an “IPO Indication Group”) and places two separate indications with a broker for any one limited offering. The Adviser’s allocation procedures generally require all securities of an offering allocated to an IPO Indication Group be allocated to all accounts based on portfolio management's participation in such IPO Indication Group based on their initial indications and on a pro rata basis to all participating eligible accounts based on the total assets of each account. When more than one portfolio management across the firm indicates interest in a primary or secondary limited offering, a limit on the allowable bid will be applied. In addition, with respect to private equity offerings, the Adviser limits the amount that any one fund can own, in the aggregate, of all private companies. Deviations from these procedures are permitted provided such deviations are documented and approved by an Asset Class Head or a delegate. A deviation could occur, for example, in order to allocate additional securities to ensure that accounts receive sufficient securities to satisfy specialized investment objectives or policies, to account for allocation sizes that are deemed by the Adviser to be de minimis for certain eligible accounts, to address market conditions, to address situations specific to individual accounts (e.g., cash limitations, position weightings, liquidity profiles of the investment, redemption history of the account, etc.), or to address certain jurisdictional requirements relating to Cornerstone IPOs. Additionally, for primary and secondary offerings of common stock, additional shares may be allocated to the applicable accounts of portfolio management with a preexisting position in that security. Deviations from pro rata allocations may contribute to differences in performance among eligible accounts within the same strategy. The Adviser cannot assure in all instances, participations in IPOs or limited offerings by all eligible accounts. In the event an eligible account does not participate in an offering, the Adviser generally does not reimburse for opportunity costs.

 

Creation or redemption transactions, to the extent consisting of cash, may require the Fund to contemporaneously transact with broker-dealers for purchases of Deposit Securities (as defined under Fund Deposit) or sales of Fund Securities (as defined under Redemption of Creation Units), including any foreign exchange, as applicable. Such transactions with a

 

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particular broker-dealer may be conditioned upon the broker-dealer’s agreement to transact at guaranteed price levels in order to reduce transaction costs the Fund would otherwise incur as a consequence of settling creation or redemption baskets in cash rather than in-kind.

 

The following table summarizes the total amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the fiscal years ended October 31.

 

Fund Name

 

2024

   

2023

   

2022

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

  $ 483     $ 1,112     $ 784  

 

As of October 31, 2024, the Fund did not own any securities of its regular broker-dealer (or parents).

 

Brokerage commissions paid by the Fund may vary significantly from year to year because of portfolio turnover rates, shareholder, broker-dealer, or other financial intermediary purchase/redemption activity, varying market conditions, changes to investment strategies or processes, and other factors.

 

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Shares of the Trust

 

 

NET ASSET VALUE DETERMINATION

 

As stated in the Fund’s Prospectus, the net asset value (“NAV”) of the shares of the Fund is determined once each day the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) is open, as of the close of its trading session (normally 4:00 p.m., New York time, Monday through Friday). The per share NAV of the Fund is computed by dividing the net assets by the number of the Fund’s shares outstanding.

 

Securities held by the Fund are valued in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Adviser pursuant to Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act and approved by and subject to the oversight of the Trustees (the “Valuation Procedures”). In determining NAV, equity securities traded on a domestic securities exchange are generally valued at the readily available market quotations, which are (i) the official close prices or (ii) last sale prices on the primary market or exchange in which the securities trade. If such price is lacking for the trading period immediately preceding the time of determination, such securities are valued at their current bid price. If applicable, equity securities that are traded on a foreign exchange are generally valued at the closing prices on such markets. In the event that there is no current trading volume on a particular security in such foreign exchange, the bid price from the primary exchange is generally used to value the security. Securities that are traded on the over-the-counter markets are generally valued at their closing or latest bid prices as available. Foreign securities and currencies are converted to U.S. dollars using the applicable exchange rate in effect at the close of the London Stock Exchange. The Adviser will determine the market value of individual securities held by it by using prices provided by one or more Adviser-approved professional pricing services or, as needed, by obtaining market quotations from independent broker-dealers. Most debt securities are valued in accordance with the evaluated bid price supplied by the pricing service that is intended to reflect market value. The evaluated bid price supplied by the pricing service is an evaluation that may consider factors such as security prices, yields, maturities, and ratings. Certain short-term securities maturing within 60 days or less may be valued on an amortized cost basis.

 

Securities for which market quotations or evaluated prices are not readily available or are deemed unreliable are valued at fair value determined in good faith by the Adviser pursuant to the Valuation Procedures. Circumstances in which fair valuation may be utilized include, but are not limited to: (i) a significant event that may affect the securities of a single issuer, such as a merger, bankruptcy, or significant issuer-specific development; (ii) an event that may affect an entire market, such as a natural disaster or significant governmental action; (iii) a nonsignificant event such as a market closing early or not opening, or a security trading halt; and (iv) pricing of a nonvalued security and a restricted or nonpublic security. Special valuation considerations may apply with respect to “odd-lot” fixed-income transactions which, due to their small size, may receive evaluated prices by pricing services which reflect a large block trade and not what actually could be obtained for the odd-lot position.

 

The Fund calculates its NAV per share, and therefore effects sales, redemptions, and repurchases of its shares, as of the close of the NYSE once each day on which the NYSE is open. Such calculation may not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the foreign portfolio securities used in such calculation. If an event that is expected to affect the value of a portfolio security occurs after the close of the principal exchange or market on which that security is traded, and before the close of the NYSE, then that security may be valued in good faith under the Valuation Procedures.

 

DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICING PLAN

 

Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, as amended, (the “Rule”) provides that an investment company may bear expenses of distributing its shares only pursuant to a plan adopted in accordance with the Rule. The Trustees have adopted a Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan (“Rule 12b-1 Plan”) pursuant to which the Fund may pay certain expenses incurred in the distribution of its shares and the servicing and maintenance of existing shareholder accounts. ALPS, as the Fund’s principal underwriter, and the Adviser may have a direct or indirect financial interest in the Rule 12b-1 Plan or any related agreement. Pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Fund may pay a fee of up to 0.25% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. No Rule 12b-1 fee is currently being charged to the Fund.

 

The Rule 12b-1 Plan was approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Fund. In approving the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Trustees determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Rule 12b-1 Plan will benefit the Fund and its shareholders.

 

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The Rule 12b-1 fee may only be imposed or increased when the Trustees determine that it is in the best interests of shareholders to do so. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, to the extent that a fee is authorized, over time they will increase the cost of an investment in the Fund. The Rule 12b-1 fee may cost an investor more than other types of sales charges.

 

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

The Trust issues and sells shares of the Fund only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form as described in the Authorized Participant Agreement (as defined below), on any Business Day (as defined below). The size of a Creation Unit to purchase shares of the Fund may differ from the size of a Creation Unit required to redeem shares of the Fund. The size of a Creation Unit may be modified by the Adviser with prior notification to the Fund’s Authorized Participants. The Fund’s current Creation Unit size may be found on the ETF portion of the Janus Henderson website.

 

A “Business Day” with respect to the Fund is each day the Listing Exchange is open, which excludes weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Orders from Authorized Participants to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day.

 

Fund Deposit

The consideration for purchase of Creation Units of the Fund may consist of cash or securities (plus an amount of cash). If creations are not conducted in cash, the consideration for purchase of Creation Units of the Fund generally consists of “Deposit Securities” and the Cash Component computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to creation requests received in proper form. The Fund Deposit represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund.

 

The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the “Deposit Amount,” which is an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities, and serves to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount. Payment of any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing the Creation Unit.

 

The Adviser makes available through the NSCC on each Business Day prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange, the list of names and the required number or par value of each Deposit Security, if any, and the amount of the Cash Component to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information as of the end of the previous Business Day for the Fund). Such Fund Deposit is applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units of shares of the Fund until such time as the next-announced Fund Deposit is made available.

 

The identity and number or par value of the Deposit Securities change pursuant to changes in the composition of the Fund’s portfolio and as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser with a view to the investment objective of the Fund. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities constituting the Fund’s portfolio.

 

The Fund reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or the Clearing Process (as discussed below). The Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which (i) the delivery of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant (as described below) would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws or (ii) the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations. In the case of transactions involving “cash in lieu” amounts, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser. If a purchase or redemption consists solely or partially of cash and the Fund places a brokerage transaction for portfolio securities with a third party

 

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broker, an Authorized Participant or its affiliated broker-dealer, the broker or the Authorized Participant (or an affiliated broker-dealer of the Authorized Participant) may be required, in its capacity as broker-dealer with respect to that transaction, to cover certain brokerage, tax, execution, and market impact costs through a brokerage execution guarantee.

 

Procedures for Creating Creation Units

To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be: (i) a “Participating Party,” i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”) or (ii) a DTC Participant, and must have executed an agreement with the Distributor, with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Units (“Authorized Participant Agreement”) (discussed below). A Participating Party or DTC Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement is referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” All shares of the Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.

 

Role of the Authorized Participant

Creation Units may be purchased only by or through a DTC Participant that has entered into an Authorized Participant Agreement with the Distributor. Such Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of such Authorized Participant Agreement and on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that such Authorized Participant will make available in advance of each purchase of shares an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component, once the net asset value of a Creation Unit is next determined after receipt of the purchase order in proper form, together with the transaction fees described below. An Authorized Participant, acting on behalf of an investor, may require the investor to enter into an agreement with such Authorized Participant with respect to certain matters, including payment of the Cash Component. Investors who are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be a DTC Participant or may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that orders to purchase Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant. As a result, purchase orders placed through a non-Authorized Participant may result in additional charges to such investor. The Trust does not expect to enter into an Authorized Participant Agreement with more than a small number of DTC Participants. The Distributor and Transfer Agent have adopted guidelines regarding Authorized Participants’ transactions in Creation Units that are made available to all Authorized Participants. These guidelines set forth the processes and standards for Authorized Participants to transact with the Distributor, Transfer Agent, and their agents in connection with creation and redemption transactions, as applicable.

 

Placement of Creation Orders

Fund Deposits must be delivered through the Federal Reserve System (for cash and U.S. government securities), through DTC (for corporate and municipal securities) or through a central depository account, such as with Euroclear or DTC, maintained by the Custodian or a subcustodian (a “Central Depository Account”). Any portion of a Fund Deposit that may not be delivered through the Federal Reserve System or DTC must be delivered through a Central Depository Account. The Fund Deposit transfers made through DTC must be ordered by the DTC Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities through DTC to the account of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. Fund Deposit transfers made through the Federal Reserve System must be deposited by the participant institution in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number or amount of Deposit Securities or cash through the Federal Reserve System to the account of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. Fund Deposit transfers made through a Central Depository Account must be completed pursuant to the requirements established by the Custodian or subcustodian for such Central Depository Account generally before 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. The “Settlement Date” for all funds is generally the first Business Day after the Transmittal Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities to be delivered, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash equal to the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian generally before 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities are not received by 3:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date, the creation order may be canceled. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the first Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Distributor, provided that the relevant Fund Deposit has been received by the Fund prior to such time.

 

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Purchase Orders

To initiate an order for a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit to the Distributor or its agent an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Fund, in proper form, by the Cutoff Time (as defined below). The Distributor or its agent will notify the Adviser and the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to any appropriate subcustodian. Procedures and requirements governing the delivery of the Fund Deposit are set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement and may change from time to time. Investors, other than Authorized Participants, are responsible for making arrangements for a creation request to be made through an Authorized Participant. Those placing orders to purchase Creation Units through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Distributor or its agent by the Cutoff Time (as defined below) on such Business Day.

 

The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to the Fund, immediately available or same day funds estimated by the Fund to be sufficient to pay the Cash Component next determined after acceptance of the purchase order, together with the applicable purchase transaction fees. Any excess funds will be returned following settlement of the issue of the Creation Unit. Those placing orders should ascertain the deadline for cash transfers by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effectuating the transfer of the Cash Component. This deadline is likely to be significantly earlier than the Cutoff Time of the Fund. Investors should be aware that an Authorized Participant may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in the particular form required by the individual Authorized Participant.

 

The Authorized Participant is responsible for any and all expenses and costs incurred by the Fund, including any applicable cash amounts, in connection with any purchase order.

 

Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders

An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable order to purchase shares of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m. (for negotiated custom baskets) or 4:00 p.m. (for standard orders), Eastern time on any Business Day in order to receive that day’s NAV, or until the market closes (in the event the Listing Exchange closes early). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may, but is not required to, permit orders after the Cutoff Time, as defined below. On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day.

 

Creation Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor or its agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement, as described below. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or its agent or an Authorized Participant. Orders to create shares of the Fund that are submitted on the Business Day immediately preceding a holiday or a day (other than a weekend) when the equity markets in the relevant foreign market are closed may be charged the maximum additional charge for Creation Unit transactions as set forth in this SAI to account for transaction costs incurred by the Fund. The Fund’s deadline specified above for the submission of purchase orders is referred to as the Fund’s “Cutoff Time.” The Distributor or its agent, in their discretion, may permit the submission of such orders and requests by or through an Authorized Participant at any time (including on days on which the Listing Exchange is not open for business) via communication through the facilities of the Distributor’s or its Transfer Agent’s proprietary website maintained for this purpose. Purchase orders and redemption requests, if accepted by the Trust, will be processed based on the NAV next determined after such acceptance. However, to account for transaction costs otherwise incurred by the Fund, an Authorized Participant that submits an order to the Distributor after the Cutoff Time stated above, may be charged the maximum additional charge for Creation Unit transactions as set forth in this SAI.

 

Acceptance of Orders for Creation Units

Subject to the conditions that (i) an irrevocable purchase order has been submitted by the Authorized Participant (either on its own or another investor’s behalf) and (ii) arrangements satisfactory to the Fund is in place for payment of the Cash Component and any other cash amounts which may be due, the Fund will accept the order, subject to the Fund’s right (and the right of the Distributor and the Adviser) to reject any order until acceptance, as set forth below.

 

Once the Fund has accepted an order, upon the next determination of the net asset value of the shares, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit, against receipt of payment, at such net asset value. The Distributor or its agent will then transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.

 

The Fund reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor or its agent if (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the identity and number of

 

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shares specified, as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the discretion of the Fund or the Adviser, have an adverse effect on the Fund or the rights of beneficial owners; or (vii) circumstances outside the control of the Fund, the Distributor or its agent and the Adviser make it impracticable to process purchase orders. The Distributor or its agent shall notify a prospective purchaser of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such purchaser of its rejection of such order. The Fund, Transfer Agent, subcustodian, and Distributor or their agents are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for failure to give such notification.

 

Issuance of a Creation Unit

Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Fund of the Deposit Securities and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the custodian that the securities included in the Fund Deposit (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Distributor or its agent and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery and the Fund will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Unit. Creation Units for the Fund typically are issued on a “T+1 basis” (i.e., one Business Day after trade date). However, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1, including a shorter settlement period, if necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and compliant with applicable law. For example, the Fund reserves the right to settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1, in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets, as applicable, of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (i.e., the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security) and in certain other circumstances.

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement with the Distributor, the Fund will issue Creation Units to such Authorized Participant, notwithstanding the fact that the corresponding Fund Deposits have not been received in part or in whole, in reliance on the undertaking of the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking shall be secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral having a value at least equal to 105%, which percentage the Adviser may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing Deposit Securities in accordance with the Fund’s then-effective procedures. The only collateral that is acceptable to the Fund is cash in U.S. dollars. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the contractual settlement date. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. Information concerning the Fund’s current procedures for collateralization of missing Deposit Securities is available from the Distributor or its agent. The Authorized Participant Agreement will permit the Fund to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Fund of purchasing such securities and the cash collateral.

 

In certain cases, Authorized Participants may create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date and in these instances, the Fund reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis or require a representation from the Authorized Participants that the creation and redemption transactions are for separate beneficial owners. All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Fund and the Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.

 

Redemption of Creation Units

Shares of the Fund may be redeemed by Authorized Participants only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Transfer Agent or its agent and only on a Business Day. The Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the secondary market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares to constitute a Creation Unit that could be redeemed by an Authorized Participant. Beneficial owners also may sell shares in the secondary market.

 

The Fund generally redeems Creation Units in-kind plus any Cash Amount due.

 

In-Kind Redemption Method

The Adviser will make available through the NSCC, prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m. Eastern time) on each Business Day, the designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests

 

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received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”), and an amount of cash (the “Cash Amount,” as described below). Such Fund Securities and the corresponding Cash Amount (each subject to possible amendment or correction) are applicable in order to effect redemptions of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next announced composition of the Fund Securities and Cash Amount is made available. Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Units. Procedures and requirements governing redemption transactions are set forth in the handbook for Authorized Participants and may change from time to time.

 

The redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit generally consist of Fund Securities, plus the Cash Amount, which is an amount equal to the difference between the net asset value of the shares being redeemed, as next determined after the receipt of a redemption request in proper form, and the value of Fund Securities, less a redemption transaction fee (as described below).

 

The Fund may, in its sole discretion, substitute a “cash in lieu” amount to replace any Fund Security. The Fund also reserves the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount in certain circumstances, including circumstances in which: (i) the delivery of the Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would be restricted under applicable securities or other local laws; or (ii) the delivery of the Fund Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Fund Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under applicable securities or other local laws, or in certain other situations. The amount of cash paid out in such cases will be equivalent to the value of the substituted security listed as the Fund Security. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder.

 

Cash Redemption Method

When partial or full cash redemptions of Creation Units are authorized by the Fund, a custom redemption will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions thereof. In the case of partial or full cash redemption, the Authorized Participant receives the cash equivalent of the Fund Securities it would otherwise receive through an in-kind redemption, plus the same Cash Amount to be paid to an in-kind redeemer.

 

Costs Associated with Creation and Redemption Transactions

The standard transaction fee (“Standard Fee”) is imposed to offset the transfer and other transaction costs incurred by the Fund associated with the issuance or redemption of Creation Units. The Standard Fee will be charged to the Authorized Participant on the day such Authorized Participant creates or redeems a Creation Unit, and is the same, regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased by the Authorized Participant on the applicable Business Day. The Authorized Participant may also be required to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction. For creations, Authorized Participants will also bear the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the Fund. The Adviser may adjust the Standard Fee from time to time to account for changes in transaction fees associated with in-kind transactions.

 

In addition to the Standard Fees discussed above, the Fund charges an additional variable fee (“Variable Fee”) for creations and redemptions in whole or partial cash to offset brokerage and impact expenses associated with the cash portion of the transaction. The amount of the Variable Fee payable to the Fund by the Authorized Participant is determined by the Adviser based on analysis of historical transaction cost data and the Adviser’s view of current market conditions, among other factors. The actual Variable Fee charged for a given transaction may be lower or higher than the trading expenses incurred by the Fund with respect to that transaction. The total transaction fees charged (i.e. the Standard Fee plus the Variable Fee) will not exceed the maximum amounts reflected in the table below. From time to time, the Adviser, in its sole discretion, may adjust the Fund’s transaction fees or reimburse an Authorized Participant for all or a portion of the transaction fees.

 

The following table shows as of the date of this SAI (i) the Standard Fee, and (ii) the maximum total transaction fee charges for creations and redemptions (as described above):

 

Fund Name

Standard Fee*

Maximum Total
Transaction Fee**

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

$500

3.00% (Create)

   

2.00% (Redeem)

 

*

Flat fee charged per transaction for one or more Creation Units.

** As a percentage of the net asset value per Creation Unit, inclusive of the Standard Fee.

 

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Placement of Redemption Orders

Redemption requests for Creation Units of the Fund must be submitted to the Transfer Agent by or through an Authorized Participant.

 

An Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable request to redeem shares of the Fund generally before 3:00 p.m. (for negotiated custom baskets) or 4:00 p.m. (for standard orders), Eastern time on any Business Day, or until the market closes (in the event the Listing Exchange closes early), in order to receive that day’s NAV. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may, but is not required to, permit orders after the Cutoff Time, as defined below. On days when the Listing Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day.

 

The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption in the form required by the Fund to the Transfer Agent or its agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed an Authorized Participant Agreement and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed an Authorized Participant Agreement. At any time, only a limited number of broker-dealers will have an Authorized Participant Agreement in effect. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of the shares to the Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.

 

A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Transfer Agent the Creation Unit redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the Listing Exchange closing time on the applicable Business Day, (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Fund is received by the Transfer Agent or its agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified above and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Authorized Participant Agreement are properly followed. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s shares through DTC’s facilities by 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the Business Day next following the day that the redemption request is received, the redemption request may be rejected. Investors should be aware that the deadline for such transfers of shares through the DTC system may be significantly earlier than the close of business on the Listing Exchange. Those making redemption requests should ascertain the deadline applicable to transfers of shares through the DTC system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depositary institution effecting the transfer of the shares.

 

Upon receiving a redemption request, the Transfer Agent or its agent shall notify the Fund of such redemption request. The tender of an investor’s shares for redemption and the distribution of the securities and/or cash included in the redemption payment made in respect of Creation Units redeemed will be made through DTC and the relevant Authorized Participant to the Beneficial Owner thereof as recorded on the book-entry system of DTC or the DTC Participant through which such investor holds, as the case may be, or by such other means specified by the Authorized Participant submitting the redemption request.

 

A redeeming Beneficial Owner or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such Beneficial Owner must maintain appropriate security arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the portfolio securities are customarily traded, to which account such portfolio securities will be delivered.

 

Deliveries of redemption proceeds by the Fund generally will be made within one Business Day (i.e., “T+1”). Further, consistent with applicable law, the Fund reserves the right to settle redemption transactions and deliver redemption proceeds on another basis to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, including to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and dividend ex-dates (i.e., the last date the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security sold) and in certain other circumstances.

 

If neither the redeeming Beneficial Owner nor the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such redeeming Beneficial Owner has appropriate arrangements to take delivery of Fund Securities in the applicable foreign jurisdiction and it is not possible to make other such arrangements, or if it is not possible to effect deliveries of Fund Securities in such jurisdiction, the Fund may in its discretion exercise the option to redeem such shares in cash, and the redeeming Beneficial Owner will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In such case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the net asset value of its shares based on the NAV of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charges specified above, to offset the Fund’s brokerage and other

 

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transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Fund cannot lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or cannot do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws.

 

In the event that cash redemptions are permitted or required by the Fund, proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares as soon as practicable after the date of redemption (generally within seven calendar days thereafter, except as described in “Regular Holidays” below).

 

To the extent contemplated by an Authorized Participant’s agreement with the Distributor or its agent, in the event an Authorized Participant has submitted a redemption request in proper form but is unable to transfer all or part of the Creation Unit to be redeemed to the Fund, at or prior to 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the Listing Exchange business day after the date of submission of such redemption request, the Transfer Agent or its agent will accept the redemption request in reliance on the undertaking by the Authorized Participant to deliver the missing shares as soon as possible. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participant’s delivery and maintenance of collateral consisting of cash, in U.S. dollars in immediately available funds, having a value at least equal to 105%, which percentage the Adviser may change at any time, in its sole discretion, of the value of the missing shares. Such cash collateral must be delivered no later than 10:00 a.m., Eastern time on the day after the date of submission of such redemption request and shall be held by the Custodian and marked-to-market daily. The fees of the Custodian and any subcustodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the cash collateral shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The cash collateral posted by the Authorized Participant may be invested at the risk of the Authorized Participant, and income, if any, on invested cash collateral will be paid to that Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant Agreement permits the Fund to acquire shares of the Fund at any time and subjects the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the aggregate of the cost to the Fund of purchasing such shares, plus the value of the Cash Amount, and the value of the cash collateral.

 

Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on exchange(s) on days that the Listing Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or purchase or sell shares of the Fund on the Listing Exchange on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

 

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund: (i) for any period during which the Listing Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the Listing Exchange is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.

 

Custom Baskets

The securities and other assets that are required for the issuance of a Creation Unit, or are provided upon redemption of a Creation Unit (a “basket”) may differ and the Fund may permit or require the submission of a portfolio of securities or cash that differs from the composition of the published portfolio(s) (a “Custom Basket”). A Custom Basket may include any of the following: (i) a basket that is composed of a nonrepresentative selection of the Fund’s portfolio holdings; or (ii) a representative basket that is different from the initial basket used in transactions on the same business day. The Fund has adopted policies and procedures that govern the construction and acceptance of baskets, including heightened requirements for certain types of custom baskets intended to be protective to the Fund and their shareholders. Such policies and procedures, among other items, establish (i) parameters for the construction and acceptance of custom baskets, and (ii) processes for revisions to or deviations from such parameters. The Adviser has established a governance process to oversee basket compliance for the Fund, as set forth in the Fund’s policies and procedures.

 

Taxation on Creations and Redemptions of Creation Units

An Authorized Participant generally will recognize either gain or loss upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units. This gain or loss is calculated by taking the market value of the Creation Units purchased (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) over the Authorized Participant’s aggregate basis in the Deposit Securities exchanged therefor (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue). An Authorized Participant who exchanges Creation Units for Deposit Securities generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the Authorized Participant’s basis in the Creation Units (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and the aggregate market value of the Deposit Securities (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant

 

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as part of the redemption). However, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) may apply the wash sales rules to determine that any loss realized upon the exchange of Deposit Securities for Creation Units is not currently deductible. Authorized Participants should consult their own tax advisors.

 

Current U.S. federal tax laws dictate that capital gain or loss realized from the redemption of Creation Units will generally create long-term capital gain or loss if the Authorized Participant holds the Creation Units for more than one year, or short-term capital gain or loss if the Creation Units were held for one year or less, if the Creation Units are held as capital assets.

 

Regular Holidays

For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within the normal settlement period.

 

The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with foreign market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days, in certain circumstances. Under normal circumstances, the Fund expect to pay out redemption proceeds within one Business Day after the redemption request is received, in accordance with the process set forth in the Fund’s SAI and in the agreement between the Authorized Participant and the Fund’s Distributor. However, the Fund reserve the right, including under stressed market conditions, to take up to seven days after the receipt of a redemption request to pay the Authorized Participant, all as permitted by the 1940 Act. With respect to the Fund’s foreign investments, in a country where local market holiday(s) prevent the Fund from delivering such foreign investments to an Authorized Participant in response to a redemption request, the Fund may take up to 15 days after the receipt of the redemption request to deliver such investments to the Authorized Participant.

 

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Income Dividends, Capital Gains Distributions, and Tax Status

 

 

The following is intended to be a general summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund. It is not intended to be a complete discussion of all such federal income tax consequences, nor does it purport to deal with all categories of investors. This summary assumes that investors hold shares of the Fund as capital assets (within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code). This summary does not apply to investors that are not “United States persons” (as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code) or investors subject to special tax treatment (such as a partnership, financial institution, real estate investment trust, regulated investment company, insurance company, tax-advantaged, tax-qualified and retirement plans (or any other tax-exempt entity), or dealer in securities), except as otherwise specifically indicated below. This discussion reflects applicable tax laws of the United States as of the date of this SAI. However, tax laws may change or be subject to new interpretation by the courts or the IRS, possibly with retroactive effect. Investors are therefore advised to consult with their own tax advisers before making an investment in the Fund.

 

It is a policy of the Fund to make distributions of substantially all of their respective net investment income and any realized net capital gains at least annually. Any net capital gains realized during each fiscal year, as defined by the Internal Revenue Code, are normally declared and payable to shareholders in December but, if necessary, may be distributed at other times as well. Additional information regarding the frequency of the Fund’s distribution of dividend payments from net investment income can be found at janushenderson.com/info.

 

Fund Taxation

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company as such term is defined under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code (a “regulated investment company”). If the Fund failed to qualify as a regulated investment company in any taxable year, the Fund may be subject to federal income tax on its taxable income at the applicable corporate tax rate. In addition, all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would generally be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income but may, at least in part, qualify for the dividends received deduction applicable to corporations or the reduced rate of taxation applicable to noncorporate holders for “qualified dividend income.” In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay taxes and interest, and make distributions before requalifying as a regulated investment company that is accorded special federal income tax treatment.

 

A federal excise tax at the rate of 4% will be imposed on the excess, if any, of the Fund’s “required distribution” over actual distributions in any calendar year. Generally, the “required distribution” is 98% of the Fund’s ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98.2% of its capital gain net income recognized during the one-year period ending on October 31 plus undistributed amounts from prior years. The Fund intends to make distributions sufficient to avoid imposition of the excise tax.

 

Certain transactions involving short sales, futures, options, swap agreements, hedged investments, and other similar transactions, if any, may be subject to special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that, among other things, may affect the character, amount, and timing of distributions to shareholders. The Fund will monitor their transactions and may make certain tax elections where applicable in order to mitigate the effect of these provisions, if possible.

 

In certain circumstances, such as if the Fund invests in certain pay-in-kind securities, zero coupon securities, deferred interest securities or, in general, any other securities with original issue discount (or with market discount if the Fund elects to include market discount in income currently), the Fund must accrue income on such investments for each taxable year, which generally will be prior to the receipt of the corresponding cash payments. However, in order to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code and to avoid federal income tax and the 4% federal excise tax, the Fund must distribute to shareholders, at least annually, all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net tax-exempt income, including such accrued income. Therefore, the Fund may have to dispose of its portfolio securities under disadvantageous circumstances to generate cash, or may have to leverage itself by borrowing the cash, to satisfy these distribution requirements.

 

The Fund may acquire market discount bonds. A market discount bond is a security acquired in the secondary market at a price below its redemption value (or its adjusted issue price if it is also an original issue discount bond). If the Fund invests in a market discount bond, it generally will be required to treat any gain recognized on the disposition of such market discount bond as ordinary income (instead of capital gain) to the extent of the accrued market discount, unless the Fund elects to include the market discount in income as it accrues.

 

40

 

 

The Fund’s investments in lower-rated or unrated debt securities may present issues for the Fund if the issuers of these securities default on their obligations because the federal income tax consequences to a holder of such securities are not certain.

 

The Fund may purchase securities of certain foreign corporations considered to be passive foreign investment companies under the Internal Revenue Code. In order to avoid taxes and interest that must be paid by the Fund, the Fund may make various elections permitted by the Internal Revenue Code. However, these elections could require that the Fund recognize taxable income, which in turn must be distributed even though the Fund may not have received any income upon such an event.

 

Some foreign securities purchased by the Fund may be subject to foreign taxes which could reduce the yield on such securities. If the amount of foreign taxes is significant in a particular year and the Fund qualifies under Section 853 of the Internal Revenue Code, the Fund may elect to pass through such taxes to shareholders. If the Fund makes such an election, foreign taxes paid by the Fund will be reported to shareholders as income and shareholders may claim either a foreign tax credit or deduction for such taxes, subject to certain limitations. If such election is not made by the Fund, any foreign taxes paid or accrued will represent an expense to the Fund, which will reduce its investment company taxable income.

 

Under the Internal Revenue Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time the Fund accrues income or receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or pays such liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on disposition of certain other instruments, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition also may be treated as ordinary gain or loss. These gains and losses, referred to under the Internal Revenue Code as “Section 988” gains or losses, may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund’s investment company taxable income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.

 

The Fund may utilize foreign currency contracts in an effort to limit foreign currency risk. The value of foreign currency contracts can vary widely from month-to-month, which may result in gains one month and losses the next month. If the Fund distributes such gains during a monthly distribution (if applicable) and subsequently realizes foreign currency losses due to exchange rate fluctuations, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

 

If the Fund elects to invest in REIT equity securities, such investments may require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. In order to generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities at a time when fundamental investment considerations would not favor such sales. The Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may result in the receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings. If the Fund distributes such amounts, such distribution could constitute a return of capital to shareholders for federal income tax purposes.

 

Some REITs are permitted to hold “residual interests” in Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (“REMICs”). Pursuant to an IRS notice, a portion of the Fund’s income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT’s residual interest in a REMIC (referred to in the Internal Revenue Code as an “excess inclusion”) may be subject to federal income tax in all events. Excess inclusion income will normally be allocated to shareholders in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest directly. There may be instances in which the Fund may be unaware of a REIT’s excess inclusion income. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders: (a) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions); (b) will constitute unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan, or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on unrelated business income, thereby potentially requiring such an entity that is allocated excess inclusion income, and otherwise might not be required to file a federal income tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income; and (c) in the case of a foreign shareholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. Tax-exempt investors sensitive to UBTI are strongly encouraged to consult their tax advisers prior to investment in the Fund. In addition, if at any time during any taxable year a “disqualified organization” (as defined by the Internal Revenue Code) is a record holder of a share in a regulated investment company, then the regulated investment company will be subject to a tax equal to that portion of its excess inclusion income for the taxable year that is allocable to the disqualified organization, multiplied by the applicable corporate tax rate. This may impact the Fund’s performance.

 

41

 

 

For taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, ordinary REIT dividends are treated as “qualified business income” that is eligible for a 20% federal income tax deduction in the case of individuals, trusts and estates. Regulations enable the Fund to pass through the special character of “qualified REIT dividends” to its shareholders. The amount of a regulated investment company’s dividends eligible for the 20% deduction for a taxable year is limited to the excess of the regulated investment company’s qualified REIT dividends for the taxable year over allocable expenses. To be eligible to treat distributions from the Fund as qualified REIT dividends, a shareholder must hold shares of the Fund for more than 45 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which the shares become ex-dividend with respect to such dividend and the shareholder must not be under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. If the Fund does not elect to pass the special character of this income through to shareholders or if a shareholder does not satisfy the above holding period requirements, the shareholder will not be entitled to the 20% deduction for the shareholder’s share of the Fund’s qualified REIT dividend income.

 

The application of certain requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company and the application of certain other federal income tax rules may be unclear in some respects in connection with investments in certain derivatives and other investments. As a result, the Fund may be required to limit the extent to which it invests in such investments and it is also possible that the IRS may not agree with the Fund’s treatment of such investments. In addition, the tax treatment of derivatives and certain other investments may be affected by future legislation, treasury regulations, and guidance issued by the IRS (which could apply retroactively) that could affect the timing, character, and amount of the Fund’s income and gains and distributions to shareholders, affect whether the Fund has made sufficient distributions and otherwise satisfied the requirements to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid federal income and excise taxes, or limit the extent to which the Fund may invest in certain derivatives and other investments in the future.

 

Generally, the character of the income or capital gains that the Fund receives from another investment company will pass through to the Fund’s shareholders as long as the Fund and the other investment company each qualify as regulated investment companies. However, to the extent that another investment company that qualifies as a regulated investment company realizes net losses on its investments for a given taxable year, the Fund will not be able to recognize its share of those losses until it disposes of shares of such investment company. Moreover, even when the Fund does make such a disposition, a portion of its loss may be recognized as a long-term capital loss. As a result of the foregoing rules, and certain other special rules, it is possible that the amounts of net investment income and net capital gains that the Fund will be required to distribute to shareholders will be greater than such amounts would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests, rather than investing in shares of the investment companies. For similar reasons, the character of distributions from the Fund (e.g., long-term capital gain, qualified dividend income, etc.) will not necessarily be the same as it would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment companies in which it invests.

 

The Fund may treat a portion of the amount paid to redeem shares as a distribution of investment company taxable income and realized capital gains that are reflected in the net asset value. This practice, commonly referred to as “equalization,” has no effect on the redeeming shareholder or the Fund’s total return, but may reduce the amounts that would otherwise be required to be paid as taxable dividends to the remaining shareholders. It is possible that the IRS could challenge the Fund’s equalization methodology or calculations, and any such challenge could result in additional tax, interest, or penalties to be paid by the Fund or disqualification of the Fund as a regulated investment company.

 

Shareholder Taxation

Shareholders will be subject to federal income taxes on distributions made by the Fund whether received in cash or additional shares of the Fund. Distributions from the Fund’s net investment income (which includes dividends, interest, net short-term capital gains, and net gains from foreign currency transactions), if any, generally are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income, unless such distributions are attributable to “qualified dividend income” eligible in the case of noncorporate investors for the reduced federal income tax rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided certain holding period and other requirements are satisfied. Dividends received from REITs and certain foreign corporations generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

In addition, if the Fund participates in a securities lending transaction and receives a payment in lieu of dividends with respect to securities on loan (a “substitute payment”), such income generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

 

42

 

 

Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), if any, are taxable as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long shares of the Fund were held. Long-term capital gains are taxable to noncorporate investors at a maximum federal income tax rate of 20%. In addition, certain non-corporate investors may be subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax discussed below. Dividends paid by the Fund may also qualify in part for the dividends-received deduction available to corporate shareholders, provided that certain holding period and other requirements under the Internal Revenue Code are satisfied. Generally, however, dividends received from REITs and on stocks of foreign issuers are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction when distributed to the Fund’s corporate shareholders. In addition, a substitute payment received with respect to a securities lending transaction will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction when distributed to the Fund’s corporate shareholders. Distributions from the Fund may also be subject to foreign, state, and local income taxes. Please consult a tax adviser regarding the tax consequences of the Fund distributions and to determine whether you will need to file a tax return.

 

If the Fund makes a distribution in excess of its current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his, her, or its shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder’s basis in his, her, or its shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of such shares. If the Fund produces income primarily derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, generally none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid by the Fund is anticipated to be qualified dividend income.

 

Distributions declared by the Fund during October, November, or December to shareholders of record during such month and paid by January 31 of the following year will be taxable in the year they are declared, rather than the year in which they are received. The Fund will notify its shareholders each year of the amount and type of dividends and distributions it paid.

 

Gain or loss realized upon a redemption or other disposition (such as an exchange) of shares of the Fund by a shareholder will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and, if not held for such period, as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss on the sale or exchange of shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain distributions paid to the shareholder with respect to such shares. Any loss a shareholder realizes on a sale or exchange of shares of the Fund will be disallowed if the shareholder acquires other shares of the Fund (whether through the automatic reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) or substantially identical stock or securities within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shareholder’s sale or exchange of the shares. In such case, the shareholder’s tax basis in the shares acquired will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss. Capital losses may be subject to limitations on their use by a shareholder.

 

When a shareholder opens an account, IRS regulations require that the shareholder provide a taxpayer identification number (“TIN”), certify that it is correct, and certify that he, she, or it is not subject to backup withholding. If a shareholder fails to provide a TIN or the proper tax certifications, the Fund is required to withhold 24% of all distributions (including dividends and capital gain distributions) and redemption proceeds paid to the shareholder. The Fund is also required to begin backup withholding on an account if the IRS instructs it to do so. Amounts withheld may be applied to the shareholder’s federal income tax liability and the shareholder may obtain a refund from the IRS if withholding results in an overpayment of federal income tax for such year.

 

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds a threshold amount.

 

Non-U.S. Investors

Non-U.S. investors (shareholders that are not “United States persons,” as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code, or partnerships) may be subject to U.S. withholding and estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements. Non-U.S. investors should consult their tax advisors as to the consequences of these and other state and local tax rules affecting investment in the Fund and about the applicability of U.S. tax withholding and the use of the appropriate forms to certify their status.

 

Non-U.S. investors may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a 30% or lower treaty rate and U.S. estate tax and are subject to special U.S. tax certification requirements to avoid backup withholding and claim any treaty benefits. Exemptions from U.S. withholding tax are provided for certain capital gain dividends paid by the Fund from net long-term capital gains, interest related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, if such amounts are reported by the Fund. However,

 

43

 

 

notwithstanding such exemptions from U.S. withholding at the source, any such dividends and distributions of income and capital gains may be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 24% if you fail to properly certify that you are not a United States person (as such term is defined under Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code).

 

Under Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), a 30% withholding tax is imposed on income dividends made by the Fund to certain foreign entities, referred to as foreign financial institutions or nonfinancial foreign entities, that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. After December 31, 2018, FATCA withholding also would have applied to certain capital gain distributions, return of capital distributions and the proceeds arising from the sale of Fund shares; however, based on proposed regulations issued by the IRS which can be relied on currently, such withholding is not required unless final regulations provide otherwise. 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 or similar laws. 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.

 

44

 

 

Trustees and Officers

 

 

The following are the Trustees and officers of the Trust together with a brief description of their principal occupations during the last five years (principal occupations for certain Trustees may include periods over five years).

 

Each Trustee has served in that capacity since he or she was originally elected or appointed. The Trustees do not serve a specified term of office. Each Trustee will hold office until the termination of the Trust or his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, incapacity, or removal. Under the Fund’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, the policy is for Trustees to retire no later than the end of the calendar year in which the Trustee turns 75. The Trustees review the Fund’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines from time to time and may make changes they deem appropriate. The Fund’s Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominees for the position of Trustee recommended by shareholders. Shareholders may submit the name of a candidate for consideration by the Committee by submitting their recommendations to the Trust’s Secretary. Each Trustee is currently a Trustee of one other registered investment company advised by the Adviser: Clayton Street Trust. As of the date of this SAI, collectively, the two registered investment companies consist of 17 series or funds. The Trust’s officers are elected annually by the Trustees for a one-year term. Certain officers also serve as officers of Clayton Street Trust. Certain officers of the Fund may also be officers and/or directors of the Adviser. Except as otherwise disclosed, Fund officers receive no compensation from the Fund.

 

TRUSTEES

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions
Held with
the Trust

Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios/
Funds
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee*

Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past Five Years

Independent Trustees

Clifford J. Weber
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1963

Chairman Trustee

2/16-Present
2/16-Present

Owner, Financial Products Consulting Group LLC (consulting services to financial institutions) (since 2015).

17

Chairman, Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Chairman, Clough Global Opportunities Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Chairman, Clough Global Equity Fund (closed-end fund) (since April 2024), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Dividend and Income Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Opportunities Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017), Independent Trustee, Clough Global Equity Fund (closed-end fund) (since 2017) and Independent Trustee, Global X Funds (investment company) (since 2018). Formerly, Chairman, Clough Funds Trust (investment company) (2016-2023), Independent Trustee, Clough Funds Trust (2015-2023).

 

45

 

 

TRUSTEES

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions
Held with
the Trust

Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios/
Funds
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee*

Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During the Past Five Years

Maureen T. Upton
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1965

Trustee

2/16-Present

Executive Director, National Association of Corporate Directors Colorado Chapter (since 2024); Principal, Maureen Upton Ltd. (consulting services to multinational companies) (since 2017).

17

Independent Director, Cascadia Minerals Ltd. (mineral exploration company); Independent Director, ATAC Resources Ltd. (mineral exploration company) (since 2022).

Jeffrey B. Weeden
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1956

Trustee

2/16-Present

Senior Advisor, Bay Boston Capital LP (investment fund in finance companies, banks and bank holdings companies) (since 2015).

17

Director, West Travis County Municipal Utility District No. 6. (municipal utility) (since 2020). Formerly, Director, State Farm Bank (banking) (2014-2021).

Interested Trustee

Gregory Trinks**
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1977

Trustee

7/24-Present

Head of US Product, Janus Henderson Investors (since 2023); Formerly, Managing Director, UBS Wealth Management USA, (2002- 2022).

17

 

 

*

Each Trustee also serves as a trustee to the Clayton Street Trust, which is currently comprised of three portfolios.

**

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee because of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors.

 

OFFICERS

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions Held with the Trust

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Nicholas Cherney
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1981

President and Chief Executive Officer

10/22-Present

Head of Innovation at Janus Henderson Investors (since 2023), Head of Exchange Traded Products at Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, Velocity Shares Holdings Inc. (since 2019). Formerly, Head of Exchange Traded Products Janus Henderson Indices LLC (2019-2023), Senior Vice President, Janus Henderson Distributors US LLC, Janus Henderson Indices LLC (2015-2019), Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (2015-2017), and Velocity Shares Holdings Inc. (2014-2019).

Kristin Mariani
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1966

Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer

7/20-Present

Head of Compliance, North America at Janus Henderson Investors (since September 2020) and Chief Compliance Officer at Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since September 2017). Formerly, Anti-Money Laundering Officer for the Trust (July 2020-December 2022), and Global Head of Investment Management Compliance at Janus Henderson Investors (February 2019-August 2020).

 

46

 

 

OFFICERS

Name, Address,
and Age

Positions Held with the Trust

Term of
Office* and
Length of
Time Served

Principal Occupations
During the Past Five Years

Jesper Nergaard
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1962

Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Principal Accounting Officer

2/16-Present

Head of U.S. Fund Administration, Janus Henderson Investors and Janus Henderson Services US LLC (since 2005).

Cara Owen
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1981

Vice President, Secretary and Chief Legal Officer

1/23-Present

Senior Legal Counsel of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2021). Formerly, Assistant Secretary of the Trust and Clayton Street Trust (2021-2023); Vice President and Principal Legal Counsel, ALPS Fund Services, Inc. (2019-2021) (fund administrator); and Senior Counsel, Corporate & Investments, Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company (insurance company) (2014-2019).

Ciaran Askin
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1978

Anti-Money Laundering Officer

1/23-Present

Global Head of Financial Crime, Janus Henderson Investors (since 2022). Formerly, Global Head of Financial Crime at Invesco Ltd. (2017-2022).

Jay Mensah
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1994

Assistant Secretary

10/24-Present

Legal Counsel of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2024). Formerly, Associate, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP (law firm) (2022-2024); Associate, Finn Dixon & Herling LLP (law firm)(2021-2022); Associate Counsel, CBRE Global Investors (asset management firm) (2020–2021).

J. Tison Cory
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1969

Assistant Secretary

1/23-Present

Senior Legal Manger of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2020).

Dawn Cotten
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1977

Assistant Treasurer

7/23-Present

Director – Head of Fund Oversight of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2023). Formerly, Client Solutions Group Director, S&P Global (financial data information provider) (2022-2023); and Senior Vice President SS&C ALPS (fund administrator) (2017-2021).

Allen Welch
151 Detroit Street
Denver, CO 80206
DOB: 1974

Assistant Treasurer

2/16-Present

Director, Head of Fund Tax of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC (since 2017).

 

*

Officers are elected at least annually by the Trustees for a one-year term and may also be elected from time to time by the Trustees for an interim period.

 

The Board’s Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for identifying and recommending candidates for nomination or election by the Board based on a variety of diverse criteria. In its most recent evaluation of the qualifications of each Trustee as part of the Board’s annual self-evaluation process and in connection with candidate assessment prior to the appointment of a new Trustee, effective July 11, 2024, the Committee and the Board considered the totality of the information available to them, including the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills, as noted below, and determined that each of the Trustees should serve as members of the Board of Trustees based on the Trust’s business structure. In reaching these conclusions, the Committee and the Board, in the exercise of their reasonable business judgment, evaluated each Trustee based on his or her specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills on an individual basis and in combination with the other Trustees, none of which by itself was considered dispositive. Each member is listed below.

 

47

 

 

Maureen T. Upton: Service as a consultant to global mining, energy and water resource industries, founder of sustainability consultancy, director of public affairs of a NYSE-listed mining corporation, and experience with the financial services industry.

 

Clifford J. Weber: Service as a senior executive of stock exchanges with responsibilities including exchange-traded fund and exchange-traded product issues, experience with the structure and operations of exchange-traded funds, experience with secondary market transactions involving exchange-traded funds, and service as a mutual fund independent director.

 

Jeffrey B. Weeden: Service as a senior executive and CFO of NYSE-listed financial services companies, and as a director of a bank.

 

Gregory Trinks: Service as a senior executive at Janus Henderson Investors and experience as a senior executive in the financial services industry.

 

General Information Regarding the Board of Trustees and Leadership Structure

The Trust is governed by the Board of Trustees, which is responsible for and oversees the management and operations of the Trust and the Fund on behalf of Fund shareholders. A majority of the Board is considered Independent of the Adviser and the Distributor. The Board’s Chair is also an Independent Trustee and each Committee is comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Board’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, oversight of the Fund’s officers and service providers, including the Adviser, which is responsible for the Trust’s day-to-day operations. The Trustees approve all of the agreements entered into with the Fund’s service providers, including the investment management agreements with the Adviser and distribution agreement with ALPS. The Trustees are also responsible for determining or changing the Fund’s investment objective(s), policies, and available investment techniques, as well as for overseeing the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Trustees are assisted by the Trust’s independent auditor (who reports directly to the Trust’s Audit Committee) and independent counsel, each of whom is selected by the Trustees. The Trustees also may engage specialists or consultants from time to time to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities. The Trustees also meet regularly without representatives of the Adviser or its affiliates present.

 

The Trustees discharge their responsibilities collectively as a Board, as well as through Board committees, each of which operates pursuant to a Board-approved charter that delineates the specific responsibilities of that committee. For example, the Board will oversee the annual process by which the Board will consider for approval the renewal of the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with the Adviser. Specific matters may be delegated to a committee, such as oversight of the Fund’s independent auditor, which has been delegated by the Board to its Audit and Pricing Committee, subject to approval of the Audit Committee’s recommendations by the Board. The members and responsibilities of each Board committee are summarized below. In addition to serving on certain committees, the Chair of the Board (“Board Chair”) is responsible for presiding at all meetings of the Board, and has other duties as may be assigned by the Trustees from time to time. The Board Chair also serves as the Board’s liaison to the Adviser with respect to all matters related to the Fund that are not otherwise delegated to the chair of a Board committee. The Board has determined that this leadership structure is appropriate based on (i) the number of funds overseen and the various investment objectives of those funds; (ii) the distribution model of the Fund, and (iii) the responsibilities entrusted to the Adviser and its affiliates to oversee the Trust’s day-to-day operations, among other considerations. On an annual basis, the Board conducts a self-evaluation that considers, among other matters, whether the Board and its committees are functioning effectively and whether, given the size and composition of the Board and each of its committees, the Trustees are able to oversee effectively the funds in the complex.

 

48

 

 

Committees of the Board

The Board of Trustees has two standing committees that each performs specialized functions: an Audit and Pricing Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee. The table below shows the committee members. Each committee is comprised entirely of Independent Trustees. Information about each committee’s functions is provided in the following table:

 

 

Summary of Functions

Members (Independent
Trustees)

Number of Meetings Held
During Fiscal Year Ended
October 31, 2024

Audit and Pricing Committee

Reviews the financial reporting process, the system of internal controls over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures, and the audit process. The Committee’s review of the audit process includes, among other things, the appointment, compensation, and oversight of the Trust’s independent auditor and preapproval of all audit and nonaudit services.

 

Oversees the Adviser as valuation designee and reviews reports on fair valuation determinations and valuation methodologies regarding securities and investments held by the Fund pursuant to valuation procedures established by the Adviser and approved by the Board of Trustees, reviews other matters related to the pricing of securities, and approves changes to the valuation procedures.

Jeffrey B. Weeden (Chair)
Maureen T. Upton
Clifford J. Weber

6

Nominating and Governance Committee

Identifies and recommends individuals for election as Trustee, consults with Management in planning Trustee meetings, and oversees the administration of, and ensures compliance with, the Trust’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, which includes review of proposed changes to Trustee compensation.

Maureen T. Upton (Chair)
Clifford J. Weber
Jeffrey B. Weeden

4

 

Board Oversight of Risk Management

The Adviser, as part of its responsibilities for the day-to-day operations of the Fund, is responsible for day-to-day risk management. The Board, as part of its overall oversight responsibilities for the Fund’s operations, oversees the Adviser’s risk management efforts with respect to the Fund. The Board, in the exercise of its reasonable business judgment, also separately considers potential risks that may impact the Fund. Information considered by the Board is provided by the Adviser and the Fund’s service providers, as deemed appropriate from time to time. The Board and its Committees will analyze the risks of the Fund and request information they deem appropriate. The Audit and Pricing Committee considers valuation risk as part of its regular oversight responsibilities as well as enterprise risk. The Board is apprised of particular risk management matters in connection with its general oversight and approval of various Fund matters brought before the Board. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer for the Fund (“Fund CCO”) who reports directly to the Board. The Fund CCO, who also serves as Chief Compliance Officer of other Janus Henderson funds, discusses relevant risk issues that may impact the Janus Henderson funds and/or the Adviser’s services to the funds, and also discusses matters related to the Fund’s compliance policies and procedures.

 

Additional Information About Trustees

Under the Trust’s Governance Procedures and Guidelines, the Trustees are expected to make efforts to invest in one or more (but not necessarily all) funds advised by the Adviser for which they serve as Trustee, to the extent it is practicable and reasonable to do so. Such investments, including the amount and which funds, are dictated by each Trustee’s individual financial circumstances and investment goals.

 

49

 

 

As of December 31, 2024, the Trustees owned securities of the Fund described in this SAI in the dollar range shown in the following table. The last column of the following table reflects each Trustee’s aggregate dollar range of securities of all funds advised by the Adviser and overseen by the Trustees (collectively, the “Janus Henderson Funds”).

 

Name of Trustee

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund

Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All
Registered Investment Companies
Overseen by Trustee in
Janus Henderson Funds

Independent Trustees

   

Clifford J. Weber

None

$10,001-$50,000

Maureen T. Upton

$1-$10,000

Over $100,000

Jeffrey B. Weeden

$1-$10,000

Over $100,000

Interested Trustee

   

Gregory Trinks(1)

None

Over $100,000

 

(1)

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee by virtue of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors. Effective July 11, 2024, Gregory Trinks became a Trustee of the Trust.

 

Trustee Compensation

Each Independent Trustee receives an annual retainer plus a fee for each in-person or telephonic meeting of the Trustees attended. Given the unitary fee structure, the Adviser pays the compensation and expenses of the Independent Trustees. Each Independent Trustee receives fees from other Janus Henderson funds for serving as Trustee of those funds. The Adviser pays persons who are directors, officers, or employees of the Adviser or any affiliate thereof, or any Trustee considered an “interested” Trustee, for their services as Trustees or officers. The Trust and other funds managed by the Adviser may pay all or a portion of the compensation and related expenses of the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer and compliance staff, as authorized from time to time by the Trustees.

 

The following table shows the aggregate compensation paid by the Adviser to each Independent Trustee for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2024. None of the Independent Trustees receives any pension or retirement benefits from the Fund or the Adviser.

 

Name of Person, Position

Aggregate
Compensation from
the Trust
(1)

Total Compensation
from the Janus
Henderson Funds
Overseen by Trustees
(2)

Independent Trustees

Clifford J. Weber, Chairman and Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Maureen T. Upton, Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Jeffrey B. Weeden, Trustee

$56,500

$112,500

Interested Trustee

Gregory Trinks, Trustee(3)

$0

$0

 

(1)

As of October 31, 2024, there were 12 series of the Trust.

(2)

For each Independent Trustee, includes compensation for service on the boards of two Janus Henderson trusts comprised of 15 portfolios as of October 31, 2024.

(3)

Gregory Trinks is an Interested Trustee by virtue of his employment with Janus Henderson Investors. Effective July 11, 2024, Mr. Trinks became a Trustee of the Trust.

 

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JANUS HENDERSON Portfolio Management

 

Other Accounts Managed

To the best knowledge of the Trust, the following table provides information relating to other accounts managed by portfolio management as of October 31, 2024. For any co-managed fund or account, the assets reflect total fund assets. If applicable, accounts included under Other Registered Investment Companies only include U.S. registered investment companies. No accounts included in the totals listed below have a performance-based advisory fee.

 

 

Other Registered
Investment
Companies

Other Pooled
Investment
Vehicles

Other
Accounts

Hamish Chamberlayne

Number of Other Accounts Managed

2

6

7

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$46.52M

$ 4,701.85M

$1,484.36M

Aaron Scully

Number of Other Accounts Managed

2

5

6

 

Assets in Other Accounts Managed

$46.52M

$4,075.44M

$1,413.73M

 

Material Conflicts

As shown in the table above, portfolio management generally manages other accounts, including accounts that may hold the same securities as or pursue investment strategies similar to the Fund. Those other accounts may include separately managed accounts, model or emulation accounts, Janus Henderson mutual funds and ETFs, private-label funds for which the Adviser or an affiliate serves as subadviser, or other Janus Henderson pooled investment vehicles, such as hedge funds, which may have different fee structures or rates than the Fund or may have a performance-based management fee. The Adviser or an affiliate may also proprietarily invest in or provide seed capital to some but not all of these accounts. In addition, portfolio management may personally invest in or provide seed capital to some but not all of these accounts, and certain of these accounts may have a greater impact on their compensation than others. Further, portfolio management (or their family members) may beneficially own or transact in the same securities as those held in the Fund’s portfolio. Moreover, portfolio management may also have other roles at Janus Henderson (e.g., research analyst) and receive compensation attributable to the other roles. Portfolio management may also have roles with an affiliate of the Adviser, and provide advice on behalf of the Adviser through participating affiliate agreements, and receive compensation attributable to other roles. These factors could create conflicts of interest between portfolio management and the Fund because portfolio management may have incentives to favor one or more accounts over others or one role over another in the allocation of time, resources, or investment opportunities and the sequencing of trades, resulting in the potential for the Fund to be disadvantaged relative to one or more other accounts.

 

A conflict of interest between the Fund and other clients, including one or more funds, may arise if portfolio management identifies a limited investment opportunity that may be appropriate for the Fund, but the Fund is not able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to the need to allocate that opportunity among other accounts also managed by such portfolio management. A conflict may also arise if portfolio management executes transactions in one or more accounts that adversely impact the value of securities held by the Fund.

 

Investments made by the Fund and results achieved by the Fund at any given time are not expected to be the same as those made by other funds for which the Adviser acts as investment adviser, including funds with names, investment objectives and policies, and/or portfolio management teams, similar to the Fund. The Adviser believes that these and other conflicts are mitigated by policies, procedures, and practices in place, including those governing personal trading, proprietary trading and seed capital deployment, aggregation and allocation of trades, allocation of limited offerings, cross trades, and best execution. In addition, the Adviser generally requires portfolio management to manage accounts with similar investment strategies in a similar fashion, subject to a variety of exceptions, including, but not limited to, investment restrictions or policies applicable only to certain accounts, certain portfolio holdings that may be transferred in-kind when an account is opened, differences in cash flows and account sizes, and similar factors. The Adviser monitors accounts with similar strategies for any holdings, risk, or performance dispersion or unfair treatment.

 

The Adviser and its affiliates generate trades throughout the day, depending on the volume of orders received from portfolio management, for all of its clients using trade system software. Trades are pre-allocated to individual clients and submitted to selected brokers via electronic files, in alignment with the Adviser’s best execution policy. If an order is not completely

 

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filled, executed shares are allocated to client accounts in proportion to the order. In addition, the Adviser has adopted trade allocation procedures that govern allocation of securities among various Janus Henderson accounts. Trade allocation and personal trading are described in further detail under “Additional Information About the Adviser.”

 

JANUS HENDERSON Portfolio Management Compensation INFORMATION

 

The following describes the structure and method of calculating portfolio management’s compensation as of the date of this SAI.

 

Portfolio management is compensated for managing the Fund and any other funds, portfolios, or accounts for which they have exclusive or shared responsibilities through two components: fixed compensation and variable compensation. Compensation (both fixed and variable) is determined on a pre-tax basis.

 

Fixed Compensation: Fixed compensation is paid in cash and is comprised of an annual base salary. The base salary is based on factors such as performance, scope of responsibility, skills, knowledge, experience, ability, and market competitiveness.

 

Variable Compensation: Portfolio management’s variable compensation is discretionary and is determined by investment team management. The overall investment team variable compensation pool is funded by an amount equal to a percentage of Janus Henderson’s pre-incentive operating income. In determining individual awards, both quantitative and qualitative factors are considered. Such factors include, among other things, consistent short-term and long-term fund performance (i.e., one-, three-, and five-year performance), client support and investment team support through the sharing of ideas, leadership, development, mentoring, and teamwork.

 

Performance fees: The firm receives performance fees in relation to certain funds depending on outperformance of the fund against pre-determined benchmarks. Performance fees are shared directly with the investment professional in two instances; on a discretionary basis, if the fees were generated by certain products, and on a formulaic basis, if there is a contractual agreement in place.

 

The discretionary performance fee sharing incentives are funded from within the profit pools and subject to the same risk adjustment, review, and standard deferral arrangements that apply to the discretionary funding frameworks.

 

Deferrals/Firm Ownership: All employees are subject to Janus Henderson’s standard deferral arrangements which apply to variable incentive awards. Deferral rates apply to awards that exceed a minimum threshold, rates of deferral increase for larger incentive awards. Deferred awards vest in three equal installments over a 3-year period and are delivered into JHG restricted stock and/or funds.

 

Portfolio management may be eligible to defer payment of a designated percentage of their fixed compensation and/or up to all of their variable compensation in accordance with JHG’s Executive Income Deferral Program.

 

OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

 

As of October 31, 2024, portfolio management of the Fund described in this SAI beneficially owned securities of the Fund they manage in the dollar range shown in the following table. Beneficial ownership may include amounts invested through contingent compensation plans. The portfolio managers may own shares of certain other Janus Henderson funds domiciled outside of the United States which have comparable investment objectives and strategies to the Fund.

 

Investment Personnel

Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund Managed

Hamish Chamberlayne

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

None

Aaron Scully

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

None

 

 

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Principal Shareholders

 

 

To the best knowledge of Janus Detroit Street Trust, as of January 31, 2025, the officers and Trustees as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. As of January 31, 2025, the percentage ownership of any person or entity owning 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund is listed below. Any person or entity that beneficially owns, directly or through one or more controlled companies, more than 25% of the voting securities of a company is presumed to “control” such company. Accordingly, to the extent that a person or entity is identified as the beneficial owner of more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund, or is identified as the record owner of more than 25% of the Fund and has voting and/or investment powers, that person or entity may be presumed to control the Fund. A controlling shareholder’s vote could have a more significant effect on matters presented to shareholders for approval than the vote of other Fund shareholders.

 

An Authorized Participant (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of the Fund) may hold of record more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. From time to time, Authorized Participants (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of the Fund) may be a beneficial and/or legal owner of the Fund, may be affiliated with an index provider, may be deemed to have control of the Fund and/or may be able to affect the outcome of matters presented for a vote of the shareholders of the Fund. Authorized Participants (or other broker-dealers making markets in shares of the Fund) may execute an irrevocable proxy granting the Distributor or the Adviser (or an affiliate) power to vote or abstain from voting such Authorized Participant’s beneficially or legally owned shares of the Fund. In such cases, the agent shall mirror vote (or abstain from voting) such shares in the same proportion as all other beneficial owners of the Fund.

 

To the best knowledge of the Trust, entities shown as owning more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are not the beneficial owners of such shares, unless otherwise indicated. The following chart lists each shareholder or group of shareholders who beneficially (or of record) owned more than 5% of the Fund as of January 31, 2025:

 

Fund Name

Shareholder and Address of Record

Percentage of Ownership

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

Principal Bank
Des Moines, IA

75.00%

 

Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.
San Francisco, CA

13.04%

 

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Miscellaneous Information

 

 

The Fund is a series of the Trust, an open-end management investment company registered under the 1940 Act and organized as a Delaware statutory trust on August 6, 2015. As of the date of this SAI, the Trust offers 14 series of shares, known as “Funds.” The other series of the Trust are described in separate statements of additional information.

 

Fund Name

 

Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF

 

Janus Henderson B-BBB CLO ETF

 

Janus Henderson Corporate Bond ETF

 

Janus Henderson Emerging Markets Debt Hard Currency ETF

 

Janus Henderson Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

 

Janus Henderson Securitized Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF

 

Janus Henderson Small Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Small/Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF

 

Janus Henderson Transformational Growth ETF

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Real Estate ETF

 

Janus Henderson U.S. Sustainable Equity ETF

 

 

The Adviser reserves the right to the name “Janus Henderson.” In the event that the Adviser does not continue to provide investment advice to the Fund, the Fund must cease to use the name “Janus Henderson” as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

It is important to know that, pursuant to the Trust’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the authority to merge, liquidate, consolidate and/or reorganize the Fund into another fund without seeking shareholder vote or consent. Any such consolidation, merger, or reorganization may be authorized at any time by a vote of a majority of the Trustees then in office. While the Trustees have no present intention of exercising their authority to liquidate the Fund, they may do so if the Fund fails to reach or maintain viable size or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board in its discretion.

 

Shares of the Trust

 

The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $0.001 per share for each series of the Trust. Shares of each series of the Trust are fully paid and nonassessable when issued. Shares of the Fund participate equally in dividends and other distributions by the shares of the Fund, and in residual assets of the Fund in the event of liquidation. Shares of the Fund have no preemptive, conversion, or subscription rights. Shares of the Fund may be transferred by endorsement or stock power as is customary, but the Fund is not bound to recognize any transfer until it is recorded on its books.

 

Shareholder Meetings

 

The Trust does not intend to hold annual or regular shareholder meetings unless otherwise required by the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act. Special meetings may be called for a specific fund or for the Trust as a whole for purposes such as changing fundamental policies, electing or removing Trustees, making any changes to the Agreement and Declaration of Trust that would affect shareholders’ voting rights (as specified in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust), determining whether to bring certain derivative actions, or for any other purpose requiring a shareholder vote under applicable law or the Trust’s governing documents, or as the Trustees consider necessary or desirable. Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, special meetings of shareholders of the Trust or of the Fund shall be called subject to certain

 

54

 

 

conditions, upon written request of shareholders owning shares representing at least 25% (or 10% to the extent required by the 1940 Act) of the shares then outstanding. The Fund will assist these shareholders in communicating with other shareholders in connection with such a meeting similar to that referred to in Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act.

 

Voting Rights

 

Under the Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each Trustee of the Trust will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his or her earlier death, retirement, resignation, incapacity, or removal. Vacancies will be filled by appointment by a majority of the remaining Trustees, subject to the 1940 Act.

 

Pursuant to the terms of the Participant Agreement, an Authorized Participant, to the extent that it is a beneficial owner of Fund shares, will irrevocably appoint the Distributor as its agent and proxy with full authorization and power to vote (or abstain from voting) its beneficially owned Fund shares. From time to time, other broker dealers making markets in shares of the Fund may execute similar, standalone agreements resulting in irrevocable assignment of proxy voting rights to the Adviser (or an affiliate), to the extent that such broker dealer beneficially owns Fund shares. The Distributor intends to vote such shares in accordance with its written supervisory procedures. The Adviser (or its affiliate) intends to vote such shares either by voting in proportion to the votes of other shareholders on a given matter (echo vote) or abstain from voting.

 

As a shareholder, you are entitled to one vote per share (with proportionate voting for fractional shares). Generally, each fund votes together as a single group, except where a separate vote of one or more funds is required by law or where the interests of one or more funds are affected differently from other funds. Shares of all series of the Trust have noncumulative voting rights, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the value of shares of all series of the Trust voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of the Trustees if they choose to do so. In such event, the holders of the remaining value of shares will not be able to elect any Trustees.

 

Investments By Other Investment Companies

 

The Trust and Janus Investment Fund are part of the same “group of investment companies” for the purpose of Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act.

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 1900 16th Street, Suite 1600, Denver, Colorado 80202, the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the Fund, audits the Fund’s annual financial statements and performs tax services for the Fund.

 

Registration Statement

 

The Trust has filed with the SEC, Washington, D.C., a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to the securities to which this SAI relates. If further information is desired with respect to the Fund or such securities, reference is made to the Registration Statement and the exhibits filed as a part thereof.

 

55

 

 

Financial Statements

 

 

The financial statements and Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2024 are hereby incorporated into this SAI by reference from the Fund’s Form N-CSR dated October 31, 2024.

 

56

 

 

Appendix A — Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

 

 

Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

 

Last Review Date: February 2024

 

57

 

 

Contents

1

Overview

59

1.1

Policy Statement

59

1.2

Key Principles

59

1.3

Scope

59

1.4

Roles and Responsibilities

59

1.5

References

60

2

Additional Definitions

60

3

Proxy Voting Procedures

60

3.1

Voting Generally

60

3.2

Abstentions

61

3.3

Funds of Funds

61

3.4

Conflicts of Interest

62

4

Reporting, Oversight and Recordkeeping

62

4.1

Client and Regulatory Reporting

62

4.2

Proxy Voting and Proxy Voting Service Oversight

63

4.3

Record Retention

63

5

Amendments

63

Proxy Voting Guidelines

64

Directors and Boards

64

Auditors and Accounting Issues

66

Compensation Issues

66

Capitalization, Issuances, Transactions, Shareholder Rights, and Other Corporate Matters

67

Environmental and Social Issues

68

Miscellaneous, Administrative and Routine Items

69

Proposals Outside the Guidelines

69

 

 

58

 

 

1 Overview

 

1.1 Policy Statement

 

Where Janus Henderson Investors has been provided voting discretion, it has a responsibility to vote proxies in the best interest of each client. Janus Henderson Investors has adopted this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients without regard to any relationship that Janus Henderson Investors or any affiliated person of Janus Henderson Investors may have with the issuer or personnel of the issuer. Subject to specific provisions in a client’s account documentation related to exception voting, Janus Henderson Investors will generally only accept direction from a client to vote proxies for that client’s account pursuant to: 1) the JHI Voting Guidelines; 2) the ISS Benchmark Policy; or 3) the ISS Taft-Hartley Voting Guidelines.

 

1.2 Key Principles

 

 

Janus Henderson Investors will vote proxies in the best interest of each client.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will identify and manage any conflicts of interest which might affect a voting decision.

 

Upon request, Janus Henderson Investors will provide clients with the proxy voting record for their accounts.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will publicly disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in Janus Henderson Investors’ view, it is appropriate.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will maintain records supporting its voting decisions.

 

1.3 Scope

 

This Policy applies to Janus Henderson Investors and each of the client accounts for which it has proxy voting responsibilities, other than those advised or sub-advised by Kapstream Capital Pty Ltd.

 

1.4 Roles and Responsibilities

 

Portfolio Management. Portfolio Management is responsible for determining how to vote proxies with respect to securities held in the client accounts they manage with input and support from the Responsible Investment and Governance Team, other representatives of Janus Henderson, and the Proxy Voting Service, as applicable. Where Portfolio Management chooses to vote contrary to the Guidelines and as otherwise specified herein, Portfolio Management is required to provide a written rationale sufficient to show why Portfolio Management reasonably believes the voting instruction is in the best interest of the client.

 

Asset Servicing. Asset Servicing is responsible for administering the proxy voting process as set forth in this Policy. Asset Servicing works with the Proxy Voting Service and is responsible for ensuring that all meeting notices are reviewed against the Guidelines, the ISS Benchmark Policy or the Taft-Hartley Guidelines, and proxy matters are communicated to Portfolio Management for consideration pursuant to this Policy.

 

Proxy Voting Committee. The Proxy Voting Committee develops Janus Henderson Investors’ positions on all major corporate issues, maintains and updates the Guidelines, manages conflicts of interest related to proxy voting and oversees the voting process generally, including by reviewing results of diligence on the Proxy Voting Service.

 

Proxy Voting Service. The Proxy Voting Service provides research services relating to proxy issues. The Proxy Voting Service also assists in certain functions relating to the voting of proxies. Among other things, the Proxy Voting Service is responsible for coordinating with clients’ custodians to ensure that all proxy materials received by the custodians relating to the clients’ portfolio securities are processed in a timely fashion. In addition, the Proxy Voting Service is responsible for submitting Janus Henderson Investors’ votes in accordance with the Guidelines or as otherwise instructed by Janus Henderson Investors and is responsible for maintaining copies of all proxy statements received from issuers and promptly providing such materials to Janus Henderson Investors upon request. The Proxy Voting Service also provides voting disclosure services, including preparing Form N-PX for Janus Henderson Investors and the Proprietary U.S. Funds.

 

 

59

 

 

1.5 References

 

Rule 206(4)-7 of the Investment Advisers Act Rule 30b1-4 of the Investment Company Act

 

Rule 239.15 et seq. of the Investment Company Act

 

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)

 

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 231/2013, Article 37

 

Commission Directive 2010/43/EU, Article 21

 

FCA COLL 6.6A.6

 

CSSF Regulation 10-04, Article 23

 

UN Principles for Responsible Investment

 

IMAS Singapore Stewardship Principles

 

SFC Principles of Responsible Ownership

 

FRC UK Stewardship Code

 

2 Additional Definitions

 

Janus Henderson Investors includes all investment advisory subsidiaries of Janus Henderson Group plc, including, but not limited to, Janus Henderson Investors (Australia) Institutional Funds Management Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Singapore) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Japan) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors (Jersey) Limited, Janus Henderson Investors UK Limited, and Janus Henderson Investors US LLC.1

 

JHI Proxy Voting Guidelines or the Guidelines refers to the voting guidelines adopted by Janus Henderson Investors and outlined at Appendix A.

 

Policy means this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures.

 

Portfolio Management refers to the portfolio managers, assistant portfolio managers, and analysts supporting a given client account.

 

Proxy Voting Committee or the Committee refers to the Janus Henderson Investors Proxy Voting Committee. The Committee is comprised of representatives from the Asset Servicing, Compliance, Operational Risk as well as the Responsible Investment and Governance Team and equity portfolio management who provide input on behalf of the investment team. Internal legal counsel serves as a consultant to the Committee and is a non-voting member.

 

Proprietary U.S Funds refer to the series of Janus Investment Fund, Janus Aspen Series, Clayton Street Trust, and Janus Detroit Street Trust.

 

Proxy Voting Service or ISS refers to Institutional Shareholder Services Inc.

 

3 Proxy Voting Procedures

 

3.1 Voting Generally

 

Where the Guidelines address the proxy matter being voted on, votes will be cast in accordance with the Guidelines unless directed otherwise. Portfolio Management may vote contrary to the Guidelines at their discretion and with a written rationale sufficient to show why Portfolio Management reasonably believes the voting instruction is in the best interest of the client. Where the (1) Guidelines call for Portfolio Management input and/or (2) the proxy matter being voted on relates to a company and/or issue for which the Proxy Voting Service does not have research, analysis and/or a recommendation

 

 

1

Janus Henderson Investors US LLC has been designated by the Boards of Trustees of Janus Investment Fund, Janus Aspen Series, Clayton Street Trust, and Janus Detroit Street Trust to vote proxies for the Proprietary U.S. Funds, as applicable.

 

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available, the Proxy Voting Service will refer proxy questions to portfolio management for further instruction. In the event Portfolio Management is unable to provide input on a referred proxy item, Janus Henderson Investors will vote the proxy item consistent with the ISS Benchmark Policy.

 

Notwithstanding the above, with respect to clients who have instructed Janus Henderson Investors to vote proxies in accordance with the Taft-Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy, the Proxy Voting Service will cast all proxy votes in strict accordance with those policies.

 

Janus Henderson relies on pre-populated and/or automated voting. That means the Proxy Voting Service will automatically populate the proxy voting system in accordance with the Guidelines, the Taft- Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy. For those proxy proposals with a default policy position, the votes will be cast as populated in the system by the Proxy Voting Service unless directed otherwise by Janus Henderson Investors.

 

From time to time, issuers and/or ballot issue sponsors may publicly report additional information that may be relevant to the application of the Guidelines, the Taft-Hartley Guidelines or the ISS Benchmark Policy or the exercise of discretion by Portfolio Management (“supplemental materials”). To the extent the Proxy Voting Service identifies such supplemental materials, it will review that information and determine whether it has a material effect on the application of the Guidelines, the Taft-Hartley Guidelines, or the ISS Benchmark Policy. The Proxy Voting Service is then responsible for ensuring that any votes pre-populated in the proxy voting system are appropriately updated and Janus Henderson is provided appropriate notice of such changes, including through availability of an updated research report. In all events, the Proxy Voting Service will notify Janus Henderson Investors of any supplemental materials identified so that they can be considered as part of the voting process, including with respect to items requiring Portfolio Management input.

 

3.2 Abstentions

 

Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that in certain circumstances the cost to clients associated with casting a proxy vote may exceed the benefits received by clients from doing so. In those situations, Janus Henderson Investors may decide to abstain from voting. For instance, in many countries, shareholders who vote proxies for shares of an issuer are not able to trade in that company’s stock within a given period of time on or around the shareholder meeting date (“share blocking”). In countries where share blocking is practiced, Janus Henderson Investors will only vote proxies if Janus Henderson Investors determines that the benefit of voting the proxies outweighs the risk of not being able to sell the securities. Similarly, in some instances, Janus Henderson Investors may participate in a securities lending program. Generally, if shares of an issuer are on loan, the voting rights are transferred and the lending party cannot vote the shares. In deciding whether to recall securities on loan, Janus Henderson Investors will evaluate whether the benefit of voting the proxies outweighs the cost of recalling them consistent with requirements of applicable securities lending procedures. Furthermore, in circumstances where a client held a security as of record date, but the holdings were sold prior to the shareholder meeting, Janus Henderson Investors may abstain from voting that proxy.

 

3.3 Funds of Funds

 

Janus Henderson Investors advises certain accounts that invest in other funds (“funds of funds”) advised by Janus Henderson Investors or its affiliated persons (“underlying funds”). From time to time, a fund of funds may be required to vote proxies for the underlying funds in which it is invested. In those circumstances, there may be a conflict of interest between Janus Henderson Investors and its clients. Except as noted below, to mitigate that conflict, whenever an underlying fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders which would otherwise require portfolio manager discretion under the Guidelines, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote shares in accordance with the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service. Janus Henderson Investors will generally abstain from voting shares where the Proxy Voting Service does not have a recommendation; although, it may alternatively vote in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders in the underlying fund (“echo vote”) in limited cases. Whenever an underlying fund that is a Proprietary U.S. Fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders, Janus Henderson Investors will echo vote shares held by a fund-of-funds account or refrain from voting such shares to the extent that cost or other considerations outweigh the benefits of voting such shares.

 

In addition, certain Proprietary U.S. Funds may invest in exchange-traded funds and other funds advised by unaffiliated persons (“acquired funds,” and each, an “acquired fund”) pursuant to Rule 12d1-4 under the Investment Company Act (“Rule 12d1-4”). To the extent a Proprietary U.S. Fund and its advisory group, as defined in Rule 12d1-4 (“advisory group”), individually or in the aggregate become the holders of (i) more than 25% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired open- end fund or unit investment trust as a result of a decrease in the outstanding securities of that acquired open-end fund or unit investment trust or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired registered closed-

 

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end management investment company or business development company, Janus Henderson Investors will ensure that the Proprietary U.S. Fund and other funds and accounts in the advisory group echo vote the shares of the acquired fund; provided, however, that in circumstances where all holders of the outstanding voting securities of an acquired fund are required to echo vote pursuant to Rule 12d1-4, a Proprietary U.S. Fund and other funds and accounts in the advisory group will solicit voting instructions from its shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies with respect to such acquired fund securities and vote such proxies only in accordance with such instructions.

 

3.4 Conflicts of Interest

 

Because the Guidelines, the ISS Benchmark Policy and the Taft-Hartley Guidelines pre-establish voting positions, application of those rules to default positions should, in most cases, adequately address any possible conflicts of interest. For situations where Portfolio Management seeks to exercise discretion when voting proxies, Janus Henderson Investors has implemented additional policies and controls described below to mitigate any conflicts of interest.

 

Portfolio Management is required to disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may affect its exercise of voting discretion. Actual or potential conflicts of interest include but are not limited to the existence of any communications from the issuer, proxy solicitors or others designed to improperly influence Portfolio Management in exercising its discretion or the existence of significant relationships with the issuer.

 

Janus Henderson Investors also proactively monitors and tests proxy votes for any actual or potential conflicts of interest. Janus Henderson Investors maintains a list of significant relationships for purposes of assessing potential conflicts with respect to proxy voting, which may include significant intermediaries, vendors or service providers, clients, and other relationships. In the event Portfolio Management votes against the Guidelines with respect to an issuer on the significant relationships list, Asset Servicing will notify the Committee which will review the rationale provided by Portfolio Management. In the event Portfolio Management votes contrary to Proxy Voting Service’s recommendations and with management as to an issuer on the significant relationships list, Asset Servicing will notify the Committee, which will review the rationale provided by Portfolio Management. If the Committee determines the rationale is inadequate, the proxy vote will be cast as in accordance with the Guidelines or as instructed by the Committee. In addition, on a quarterly basis, the Committee reviews all votes that deviate from the Guidelines and assesses the adequacy of Portfolio Management’s stated rationale.

 

Any personal conflict of interest related to a specific proxy vote should be reported to the Committee prior to casting a vote. In the event a personal conflict of interest is disclosed or identified, the Committee will determine whether that person should recuse himself or herself from the voting determination process. In such circumstances, the proxy vote will be cast in accordance with the Guidelines or as instructed by the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate. Compliance also reviews all refer votes contrary to the ISS recommendations and with management to identify any undisclosed personal conflicts of interest.

 

If a proxy vote is referred to the head of the applicable investment unit or a delegate or to the Committee, the decision made and basis for the decision will be documented by the Committee.

 

To mitigate perceived or potential conflicts of interest, in instances where a proxy is for a Janus Henderson managed fund in which seed or other proprietary capital is invested, Janus Henderson Investors will generally instruct that such shares be voted in the same proportion as other shares are voted with respect to a proposal, subject to applicable legal, regulatory and operational requirements.

 

4 Reporting, Oversight and Recordkeeping

 

4.1 Client and Regulatory Reporting

 

Janus Henderson Investors will provide clients with such information on proxy voting in their accounts as contractually agreed or reasonably requested. Janus Henderson Investors will present this Policy and the Guidelines to the boards of trustees of the Proprietary U.S. Funds at least annually and shall provide such other information and reports requested by such boards to fulfill their oversight function.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will provide other third parties with such information on proxy voting as set forth herein. Janus Henderson Investors will publicly disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending in line with local market requirements or practices and/or where, in Janus Henderson Investors’ view, it is appropriate. On an annual basis, Janus Henderson

 

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Investors will provide proxy voting records for each Proprietary U.S. Fund for the one-year period ending on June 30th on Janus Henderson Investors’ website at www.janushenderson.com/proxyvoting. Such voting record, on Form N-PX, is also available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov no later than August 31 of each year.2 Janus Henderson Investors may also privately disclose proxy votes on matters no longer pending where appropriate and consistent with other applicable policy, legal, and regulatory requirements.

 

Except as noted in this Policy or required by law, Janus Henderson Investors generally does not provide information to anyone on how it voted or intends to vote on any matters still pending. Unless that information has otherwise been made public, Janus Henderson Investors may only confirm to issuers, their agents or other third parties that votes have been cast but not how or how many votes were cast. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Portfolio Management may indicate to issuers, proxy solicitors and proxy advisory firms how they voted or intend to vote in the context of the engagement and investment analysis process. Portfolio Management also may indicate to other shareholders how they voted or intend to vote subject to applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

 

A complete copy of the Policy is available at www.janushenderson.com.

 

4.2 Proxy Voting and Proxy Voting Service Oversight

 

The Committee will ensure sufficient oversight of proxy voting through periodic review of voting decisions, operational issues and conflicts of interest as discussed herein. The Committee will review such information as it deems appropriate to discharge these responsibilities.

 

In addition, Janus Henderson Investors will conduct periodic due diligence reviews of the Proxy Voting Service via on-site, video, or telephonic meetings and by written questionnaires. As part of this periodic due diligence process, Janus Henderson Investors shall collect information that is reasonably sufficient to support the conclusion that the Proxy Voting Service has the capacity and competency to adequately analyze the matters for which they provide research and voting recommendations. In connection with the periodic due diligence review, Janus Henderson Investors shall consider, among other things, (1) the adequacy and quality of the Proxy Voting Service’s staffing, personnel, and/or technology; (2) disclosure from the Proxy Voting Service regarding its methodologies in formulating voting recommendations; and (3) whether the Proxy Voting Service has adequate policies and procedures to identify, disclose, and address actual and potential conflicts of interest. In further exercise of its oversight responsibility, Janus Henderson Investors shall periodically sample the proxy votes cast on behalf of clients to ensure whether the Guidelines were applied correctly to such votes.

 

4.3 Record Retention

 

Janus Henderson Investors will retain proxy statements received regarding client securities, records of votes cast on behalf of clients, records of client requests for proxy voting information and all documents prepared by Janus Henderson Investors regarding votes cast in contradiction to the Guidelines. In addition, Janus Henderson Investors will retain internally-generated documents that are material to a proxy voting decision, such as the Guidelines, Committee materials and other internal research relating to voting decisions. Proxy statements received from issuers are generally available from the issuer’s, the relevant regulatory authority’s and/or the market place’s websites. They may also be available from the third-party voting service upon request. All materials discussed above will be retained in accordance with any applicable record retention obligations.

 

5 Amendments

 

This Policy is subject to review on an annual or more frequent basis by the Committee. In reviewing the Policy, the Committee reviews Janus Henderson Investors’ proxy voting record over the prior year, including exceptions to the Guidelines requested by Portfolio Management to determine whether any adjustments should be made. The Committee also reviews changes to the Guidelines recommended by the Proxy Voting Service, discusses such changes with the Proxy Voting Service, and solicits feedback from Portfolio Management on such changes. Once the Guidelines have been approved by the Committee and clients where required, they are distributed to Asset Servicing and the Proxy Voting Service for implementation.

 

 

2

Janus Henderson Investors will also provide proxy voting records on say-on-pay issues consistent with requirements of Rule 14Ad-1.

 

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Proxy Voting Guidelines

 

Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote all proxies relating to portfolio securities held in client accounts for which it has been delegated voting authority in accordance with the Policy, including these Guidelines, and the implementation instructions provided to the Proxy Voting Service. Nonetheless, because proxy issues and the circumstances of individual companies are varied, there may be instances when Janus Henderson Investors may not vote in strict adherence to the Guidelines. Portfolio Management is responsible for monitoring significant corporate developments, including proxy proposals submitted to shareholders, and instructing votes contrary to the Guidelines where they reasonably believe that is in the best interest of clients.

 

Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that corporate governance systems vary a great deal between jurisdictions according to factors such as cultural issues, laws and regulations, the extent of shareholder rights, the level of dispersed ownership and the stage of development more generally. In formulating our approach to corporate governance, we are conscious that a “one size fits all” policy is not appropriate. We will therefore seek to vary our voting activities according to the local market and its standards of best practices.

 

While Janus Henderson Investors has attempted to address the most common issues through the Guidelines, there will be various proxy voting proposals that are not addressed by the Guidelines or that require case-by-case resolution under the Guidelines. In addition, it may not be appropriate to apply certain Guidelines to investment types such as mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and closed-end funds, in which case Janus Henderson Investors will generally rely on the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service unless otherwise specified in the Policy. Moreover, there may be various proxy voting proposals as to which the Proxy Voting Service does not have or provide research, analysis and recommendations. For example, the Proxy Voting Service may not provide research, analysis and recommendations for proxy voting proposals of privately-held companies. In such instances, those proposals will be referred to Portfolio Management for resolution. In exercising discretion, Janus Henderson Investors may take into consideration the information and recommendations of the Proxy Voting Service but will vote all proxies based on its own conclusions regarding the best interests of its clients.

 

In many cases, a security may be held by client accounts managed by multiple portfolio managers. While Janus Henderson Investors generally casts votes consistently across client accounts it manages, different portfolio managers may vote differently on the same matter in the exercise of their discretion. For example, different portfolio managers may reasonably reach different conclusions as to what is in the best interest of their clients based on their independent judgments. In addition, in rare circumstances, an individual portfolio manager may reasonably reach different conclusions as to what is in the best interests of different clients depending on each individual client account’s investment strategy or its objectives.

 

Directors and Boards

Janus Henderson Investors recognises the diversity of corporate governance models across different markets and does not advocate any one form of board structure. However, it also recognises there are certain key functions which are or should be common across all markets:

 

 

Reviewing and guiding corporate strategy, major plans of action, risk policy, annual budgets and business plans; setting performance objectives; monitoring implementation and corporate performance; and overseeing major capital expenditures, acquisitions and divestitures;

 

Monitoring the effectiveness of the company’s governance practices and making changes as needed; Selecting, compensating, monitoring and, where necessary, replacing key executives and overseeing succession planning;

 

Aligning key executive and board compensation with the longer-term interests of the company and its shareholders;

 

Ensuring a formal and transparent board nomination and election process;

 

Monitoring and managing potential conflicts of interest of management, board members and shareholders, including misuse of corporate assets and abuse in related party transactions;

 

Ensuring the integrity of the corporation’s accounting and financial reporting systems, including the independent audit, and that appropriate systems of control are in place, in particular, systems for risk management, financial and operational control, and compliance with the law and relevant standards;

 

Monitoring the quality of relationships with key stakeholders; and

 

Overseeing the process of disclosure and communications.

 

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Boards of directors should include the number and types of qualified directors sufficient to ensure effective discharge of these responsibilities, including independent non-executive directors with appropriate skills, experience, and knowledge. The responsibilities of such non-executive directors should include monitoring and contributing effectively to the strategy and performance of management, staffing key committees of the board, and influencing the conduct of the board as a whole. Consistent with this principle of independence, a board of directors should generally have a non-executive chairperson.

 

The board of directors should establish audit, compensation, and nomination/succession committees. These should be composed wholly or predominantly of independent directors. Companies should publicly disclose the terms of reference of these committees and give an account to shareholders in an annual report or other regulatory filing of how their responsibilities have been discharged. The chairpersons and members of these committees should be appointed by the board as a whole according to a transparent procedure.

 

Janus Henderson Investors believes the board of directors, or supervisory board, as an entity, and each of its members, as an individual, is a fiduciary for all shareholders, and should be accountable to the shareholder body as a whole. Each director should therefore generally stand for election on an annual basis.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Board Classification – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to classify boards of directors and for proposals to declassify boards of directors.

 

Board Size – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to increase the size of a board of directors so long as the board would retain a majority of independent directors. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to decrease the size of a board of directors which are intended as anti-takeover measures.

 

Director Independence – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to increase the minimum number of independent directors. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to separate the role of the chairman from the role of the CEO.

 

Director Indemnification – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals regarding director or officer indemnification arrangements provided such provisions are not deemed excessive or inappropriate.

 

Uncontested Elections –Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of director candidates that result in the board having a majority of independent directors and oppose director candidates that result in the board not having a majority of independent directors. After taking into consideration country-specific practices, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of individual director candidates unless:

 

 

they attend less than 75% of the board and committee meetings without a valid excuse;

 

they ignore or otherwise fail to respond appropriately to shareholder proposals receiving majority shareholder support;

 

they are not responsive to advisory votes on executive compensation matters;

 

they fail to provide appropriate oversight of company’s risk management practices;

 

they are non-independent directors and sit on the audit, compensation or nominating committees;

 

they are non-independent directors and the board does not have an audit, compensation, or nominating committee;

 

they are audit committee members and the non-audit fees paid to the auditor are excessive;

 

they are audit committee members and poor accounting practices rise to a level of serious concern, or other serious issues surrounding the audit process or arrangement exist;

 

they serve as directors on an excessive number of boards;

 

they are compensation committee members and the company has poor compensation practices;

 

they adopt a long term poison pill without shareholder approval or make material adverse changes to an existing poison pill;

 

they are the chair of the nominating committee, or are otherwise responsible for the nomination process, of a board that does not have a minimum level of female directors, and the company has not provided a sufficient explanation for its lack of gender diversity;

 

they are the chair of the nominating committee, or are otherwise responsible for the nomination process, of a board that does not have any apparent racial/ethnic diversity, and the company has not provided a sufficient explanation for its lack of racial/ethnic diversity;

 

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they are the chair of the responsible committee of a company that is a significant greenhouse gas emitter3 where such company is not taking minimum steps needed to understand, assess, and mitigate risks related to climate change;

 

they amend the company’s bylaws or charter without shareholder approval in a manner that materially diminishes shareholders’ rights or that could adversely impact shareholders; and/or

 

the company employs a capital structure with unequal voting rights.

 

Contested Elections – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals relating to contested director candidates on case-by-case basis.

 

Cumulative Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to adopt cumulative voting unless otherwise recommended by the Proxy Voting Service.

 

Auditors and Accounting Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes boards of directors should maintain robust structures and processes to ensure sound internal controls and to oversee all aspects of relationships with auditors. Boards of directors should generally have appropriately constituted audit committees with sufficient levels of financial expertise in accordance with prevailing legislation or best practice. The audit committee should ensure that the company gives a balanced and clear presentation of its financial position and prospects and clearly explains its accounting principles and policies. The audit committee should ensure that the independence of the external auditors is not compromised by conflicts of interest (e.g., financial conflicts arising from the award of non-audit assignments).

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Uncontested Auditors – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to approve external or statutory auditors and auditor compensation unless:

 

 

the auditor has a financial interest in or association with the company and is therefore not independent;

 

fees for non-audit services are excessive;

 

there is reason to believe the auditor has rendered an opinion which may be neither accurate nor indicative of the company’s financial position;

 

the auditor is being changed without explanation; or

 

the auditor is not identified by name.

 

Contested Auditors – Janus Henderson Investors will evaluate proposals relating to contested auditors on a case-by-case basis.

 

Compensation Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes compensation of executive directors and key executives should be aligned with the interests of shareholders. Performance criteria attached to share-based compensation should be demanding. Requirements for directors and senior executives to acquire and retain company shares that are meaningful in the context of their cash compensation are also appropriate. The design of senior executives’ contracts should not commit companies to ‘payment for failure’. Boards should pay attention to minimising this risk when drawing up contracts and to resist pressure to concede excessively generous severance conditions. Any share-based compensation should be subject to shareholder approval.

 

Companies should disclose in each annual report or proxy statement the board’s policies on executive compensation (and preferably the compensation of individual board members and top executives), as well as the composition of such compensation so that investors can judge whether corporate pay policies and practices are appropriately designed.

 

Broad-based employee share ownership plans or other profit-sharing programs are effective market mechanisms that promote employee participation. When reviewing whether to support proposed new share schemes, we place particular importance on the following factors:

 

 

The overall potential cost of the scheme, including the level of dilution;

 

The issue price of share options relative to the market price;

 

The use of performance conditions aligning the interests of participants with shareholders;

 

The holding period (i.e., the length of time from the award date to the earliest date of exercise); and

 

 

3

Janus Henderson Investors will apply the same definition as used by the Proxy Voting Service.

 

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The level of disclosure.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Executive and Director Equity-Based Compensation Plans – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of equity-based compensation plans unless they create an inconsistent relationship between long-term share performance and compensation, do not demonstrate good stewardship of investors’ interests, or contain problematic features. Janus Henderson Investors considers the following, non-exhaustive list of practices to be problematic and generally votes against plans or amendments to plans that:

 

 

provide for re-pricing of underwater options;

 

provide for automatic replenishment (“evergreen”) or reload options;

 

create an inconsistent relationship between long term share performance and compensation increases; and/or

 

are proposed by management and do not demonstrate good stewardship of investors’ interests regarding executive compensation or are a vehicle for poor compensation practices.

 

Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals permitting material amendments to equity-based compensation plans without shareholder approval.

 

Long-Term Ownership – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals intended to increase long-term stock ownership by executives, officers, and directors. These may include:

 

 

requiring executive officers and directors to hold a minimum amount of stock in the company;

 

requiring stock acquired through exercised options to be held for a certain period of time; and

 

using restricted stock grants instead of options.

 

Director and Officer Loans – Janus Henderson Investors will generally oppose proposals requesting approval of loans to officers, executives, and board members of an issuer.

 

Say-on-Pay – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of annual advisory votes on executive compensation (say-on-pay frequency). Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote with management on advisory votes on executive compensation (say-on-pay) unless Janus Henderson Investors determines problematic pay practices are maintained.

 

Executive Severance Agreements – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals to approve or cancel executive severance agreements on a case-by-case basis. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to require executive severance agreements to be submitted for shareholder approval unless the proposal requires shareholder approval prior to entering into employment contracts.

 

Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOP) and Stock Purchase Plans (ESPP) – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals relating to ESOPs and ESPPs unless the shares purchased through the plans are discounted more than the market norm, the shares allocated to the plans are excessive, and/or the plans contain other problematic features.

 

Option Expensing and Repricing – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals requiring the expensing of options. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals providing for the repricing of options.

 

Capitalization, Issuances, Transactions, Shareholder Rights, and Other Corporate Matters

Janus Henderson Investors believes all shareholders should be treated equitably. Companies’ ordinary shares should provide one vote for each share, and companies should act to ensure the owners’ rights to vote.

 

Any major strategic modifications to the core businesses of a company should not be made without prior shareholder approval. Equally, any major corporate changes, which in substance or effect, materially dilute the equity or erode the economic interests or share ownership rights of existing shareholders should not be made without prior shareholder approval of the proposed change. Such changes may include but are not limited to modifications to articles or bylaws and the implementation of shareholder rights plans or so called “poison pills.”

 

We will not support proposals that have the potential to reduce shareholder rights, such as significant open-ended authorities to issue shares without pre-emption rights or anti-takeover proposals, unless companies provide a compelling rationale for why they are in shareholder interests.

 

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In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Capital Stock – Subject to local market standards, Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals seeking to increase the number of shares of common or preferred stock authorized for issue unless the company does not adequately justify the need for the additional shares. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to authorize preferred stock whose voting, conversion, dividend, and other rights are determined at the discretion of the board of directors when the stock is issued (“blank check stock”). Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals for different classes of stock with different voting rights.

 

Stock Splits – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to split shares unless they negatively affect the ability to trade shares or the economic value of a share.

 

Share Issuances - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals related to share issuances with and without preemptive rights, provided that voting in favor of such proposals is consistent with local market standards, such proposals are not considered excessive in the context of the issuer and such proposals do not provide for different levels of voting rights.

 

Debt Issuances – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals regarding the issuance of debt, including convertible debt, on a case- by-case basis.

 

Mergers, Acquisitions and Other Significant Corporate Transactions – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals regarding acquisitions, mergers, related party transactions, tender offers, or changes in control on a case-by-case basis, including any related proposals such as share issuances or advisory votes on golden parachutes.

 

Reorganization, Restructuring and Liquidation – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate plans of reorganization, restructuring and liquidation on a case-by-case basis.

 

Shareholder Rights Plans and Other Anti-Takeover Mechanisms – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against shareholder rights plans or other proposals designed to prevent or obstruct corporate takeovers (includes poison pills), unless such measures are proposed in a transparent and independent fashion and designed primarily as a short-term means to protect a tax benefit, or are structured in such a way that they give shareholders the ultimate decision on any proposal or offer. This general policy supersedes any other more specific policy to the contrary.

 

Change in Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals regarding changes in the jurisdiction of incorporation or organization of an issuer.

 

Confidential Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals to provide for confidential voting and independent tabulation of voting results.

 

Supermajority Voting – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to provide for supermajority voting (e.g., to approve acquisitions or mergers).

 

Special Meetings – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals to allow shareholders to call special meetings. Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of shareholder proposals to allow shareholders to call special meetings, unless such right is already provided at a level consistent with local best practice and the shareholder proposal would further reduce the required threshold. Such proposals will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

 

Written Consents – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent. Where supported by the Proxy Voting Service, Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent on a case-by-case basis; otherwise, Janus Henderson will generally vote against proposals to allow action by shareholders’ written consent.

 

Proxy Access – Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals related to proxy access on a case-by-case basis.

 

Environmental and Social Issues

Janus Henderson Investors believes that good management of stakeholder relationships contributes to business success and long-term shareholder value. These stakeholders include not only shareholders but also employees, consumers, debtholders, business partners, neighbors, and the wider global community. Janus Henderson Investors also recognises the importance of environmental issues such as climate change and social issues such as diversity & inclusion to all these stakeholder groups.

 

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As a fiduciary for its clients, Janus Henderson Investors is primarily concerned with the impact of proposals on a company’s performance and economic value. Janus Henderson Investors recognizes that environmental and social issues are associated with risks, costs and benefits which can have a significant impact on company performance over the short and long term. When evaluating the merits of proposals on environmental and social issues, Janus Henderson Investors will weigh the risks, costs, and benefits of supporting the proposals against those presented by alternatives, including potentially seeking similar outcomes through direct engagement activities with management. Janus Henderson Investors will generally support management proposals addressing environmental and social issues unless we identify significant weaknesses relative to market practice or peers. Janus Henderson Investors will generally support shareholder proposals addressing environmental and social issues where we identify significant areas of weakness or deficiency relative to peers and/or industry best practices or feel that management has failed to adequately respond to shareholder concerns.

 

Miscellaneous, Administrative and Routine Items

Janus Henderson Investors believes that management should generally have discretion to make certain types of decisions, including how to use existing capital. In addition, in certain jurisdictions, shareholder approval of certain routine or administrative matters may be required. On these types of issues, Janus Henderson Investors will generally defer to management unless it believes these decisions are not being made, or these actions are not being taken, in good faith.

 

In recognition of these principles, Janus Henderson Investors has adopted the following default policy positions among others:

 

Dividends – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals relating to the issuance of dividends. Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals relating to the issuance of dividends on a case-by-case basis.

 

Share Repurchase Plans - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of management proposals regarding share repurchases. Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate shareholder proposals relating to share repurchases on a case-by-case basis.

 

“Other Business” – Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote against proposals to approve “other business” when it appears as a voting item.

 

Designation of Exclusive Forum - Janus Henderson Investors will generally vote in favor of proposals designating an exclusive forum in federal court or Delaware state court (for companies organized in Delaware). Janus Henderson Investors will generally evaluate proposals designating an exclusive forum in other jurisdictions on a case- by-case basis.

 

Proposals Outside the Guidelines

For proposals outside the scope of the Guidelines or instructions otherwise provided to the Proxy Voting Service, Janus Henderson Investors will generally rely on the recommendation of the Proxy Voting Service.

 

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janushenderson.com/info

 

151 Detroit Street
Denver, Colorado 80206-4805
1-800-668-0434

 

 

 

JANUS DETROIT STREET TRUST

(the “Trust”)

 

PART C – Other Information

 

ITEM 28. Exhibits

 

Exhibit (a) – Articles of Incorporation
   
(a)(1) Certificate of Trust, dated August 6, 2015, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (a)(1) to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on February 18, 2016.
   
(a)(2) Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Trust, dated August 6, 2015, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (a)(2) to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 18, 2016.
   
(a)(3) Amended and Restated Trust Instrument, dated August 6, 2015, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (a)(3) to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 18, 2016.
   
(a)(3)(a) Amended Schedule A, dated October 24, 2024, to Amended and Restated Trust Instrument dated August 6, 2015, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (a)(3)(n) to Post-Effective Amendment No.62 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on November 19, 2024.
   
Exhibit (b) – By-laws
   
(b)(1) Amended and Restated Bylaws, dated February 3, 2016, are incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (b)(2) to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 18, 2016.
 
Exhibit (c) – Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders
   
(c)(1) Amended and Restated Trust Instrument, dated August 6, 2015, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (a)(3) to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 18, 2016.
   
(c)(2) Amended and Restated Bylaws, dated February 3, 2016, are incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (b)(2) to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 18, 2016.
 
Exhibit (d) – Investment Advisory Contracts
   
(d)(1) Investment Advisory and Management Agreement by and between Janus Detroit Street Trust and Janus Henderson Investors US LLC, dated May 30, 2017, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (d)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on December 29, 2017.
   
(d)(1)(a) Amendment to Investment Advisory and Management Agreement by and between Janus Detroit Street Trust and Janus Henderson Investors US LLC, dated October 24, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (d)(12) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 3, 2025.

 

 

Exhibit (e) – Underwriting Contracts
   
(e)(1) Distribution Agreement by and between Janus Detroit Street Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc., dated April 16, 2018, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (e)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on September 12, 2018.
   
(e)(1)(a) Amendment to Distribution Agreement by and between Janus Detroit Street Trust and ALPS Distributors, Inc., dated October 24, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (e)(12) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 3, 2025.
   
Exhibit (f) – Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts (Not Applicable)
   
Exhibit (g) – Custodian Agreements
   
(g)(1) Amended and Restated Global Custody Agreement by and among Janus Detroit Street Trust, Janus Henderson Investors US LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., dated June 8, 2021, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (g)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to the Trust's Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on June 21, 2021.
   
(g)(1)(a) Amendment to Amended and Restated Global Custody Agreement by and among Janus Detroit Street Trust, Janus Henderson Investors US LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., dated October 24, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (g)(1)(e) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 3, 2025.
   
Exhibit (h) – Other Material Contracts
   
(h)(1) Administration Agreement by and between Janus Detroit Street Trust and Janus Henderson Investors US LLC, dated February 22, 2016, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (h)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 28, 2018.
   
(h)(2) Amended and Restated Fund Services Agreement by and between Janus Henderson Investors US LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., with respect to the Janus Detroit Street Trust, dated June 8, 2021, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (h)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to the Trust's Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on June 21, 2021.
   
(h)(2)(a) Amendment to Amended and Restated Fund Services Agreement by and between Janus Henderson Investors US LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., with respect to the Janus Detroit Street Trust, dated October 24, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (h)(2)(e) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 3, 2025.
   
(h)(3) Amended and Restated Agency Services Agreement by and among Janus Detroit Street Trust, Janus Henderson Investors US LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., dated June 8, 2021, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (h)(3) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to the Trust's Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on June 21, 2021.

 

 

(h)(3)(a) Amendment to Amended and Restated Agency Services Agreement by and among Janus Detroit Street Trust, Janus Henderson Investors US LLC and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., dated October 24, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (h)(3)(e) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 3, 2025.
   
(h)(4) Form of Securities Lending Agreement by and among Janus Detroit Street Trust and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., dated June 11, 2021, is filed herein as Exhibit (h)(4).
   
(h)(4)(a) Amendment to Securities Lending Agreement by and among Janus Detroit Street Trust and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., dated February 9, 2024, for each series listed therein, is filed herein as Exhibit (h)(4)(a).
   
(h)(5) Form of Fund of Funds Investment Agreement is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (h)(8) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to the Trust's Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 28, 2022.
   
(h)(6) Expense Limitation Agreement by and between Janus Henderson Investors US LLC and Janus Detroit Street Trust, dated January 22, 2025, for Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF, is filed herein as Exhibit (h)(6).
   
(h)(7) Expense Limitation Agreement by and between Janus Henderson Investors US LLC and Janus Detroit Street Trust, dated January 22, 2025, for Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF, is filed herein as Exhibit (h)(7).
   
(h)(8) Expense Limitation Agreement by and between Janus Henderson Investors US LLC and Janus Detroit Street Trust, dated January 22, 2025, for Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF, is filed herein as Exhibit (h)(8).
   
(h)(9) Expense Limitation Agreement by and between Janus Henderson Investors US LLC and Janus Detroit Street Trust, dated January 22, 2025, for each series listed therein, is filed herein as Exhibit (h)(9).
   
(h)(10) Expense Limitation Agreement by and between Janus Henderson Investors US LLC and Janus Detroit Street Trust, dated October 24, 2024, for Janus Henderson Transformational Growth ETF, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (h)(11) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 3, 2025.
   
Exhibit (i) – Legal Opinion
   
(i)(1) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated February 15, 2016, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(1) to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 18, 2016.
   
(i)(2) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated June 6, 2016, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on June 7, 2016.

 

 

(i)(3) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated November 15, 2016, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(3) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on November 16, 2016.
   
 (i)(4) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated December 2, 2016, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(4) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 16 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on December 5, 2016.
   
(i)(5) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated September 12, 2018, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(5) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on September 12, 2018.
   
(i)(6) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated October 15, 2020, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(6) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 37 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on October 16, 2020.
   
(i)(7) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated June 18, 2021, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(7) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to the Trust's Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on June 21, 2021.
   
(i)(8) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated September 2, 2021, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(8) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 44 to the Trust's Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on September 7, 2021.
   
(i)(9) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated January 6, 2022, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(9) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 48 to the Trust's Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on January 7, 2022.
   
(i)(10) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated November 2, 2023, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(10) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on November 6, 2023.
   
(i)(11) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated August 8, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(11) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 58 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on August 12, 2024.
   
(i)(12) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated September 12, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(12) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with SEC on September 16, 2024.
   
(i)(13) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated November 7, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(13) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on November 8, 2024.
   
(i)(14) Opinion and Consent of Fund Counsel, dated January 30, 2025, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (i)(14) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 3, 2025.

 

 

Exhibit (j) – Other Opinions
 
(j)(1) Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm is filed herein as Exhibit (j)(1).  
 
Exhibit (k) – Omitted Financial Statements (Not Applicable)
 
Exhibit (l) – Initial Capital Agreements (Not Applicable)
 
Exhibit (m) – Rule 12b-1 Plan
   
(m)(1) Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan, dated September 12, 2018, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (m)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on September 12, 2018.
   
(m)(1)(a) Amendment to Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan, dated October 24, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (m)(7) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 3, 2025.
   
Exhibit (n) – Rule 18f-3 Plan (Not Applicable)
 
Exhibit (o) – Reserved
 
Exhibit (p) – Codes of Ethics
   
(p)(1) ALPS Distributors, Inc. Code of Ethics, dated April 1, 2023, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (p)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 52 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on November 6, 2023.
   
(p)(2) Janus Henderson Code of Ethics, dated January 1, 2025, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (p)(2) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on February 3, 2025.
   
Exhibit (q) – Power of Attorney
   
(q)(1) Pursuant to Powers of Attorney, dated October 24, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (q)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on November 8, 2024.

 

ITEM 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant

 

In addition to serving as the investment adviser of Janus Detroit Street Trust, Janus Henderson Investors US LLC serves as the investment adviser of Clayton Street Trust, Janus Aspen Series, and Janus Investment Fund, three registered open-end investment management companies. Additionally, certain officers of Clayton Street Trust and Janus Detroit Street Trust also serve as officers of Janus Aspen Series and Janus Investment Fund. Nonetheless, Janus Detroit Street Trust takes the position that it is not under common control with such other Trusts because the power residing in the respective officers arises as a result of an official position with each respective Trust.

 

 

ITEM 30. Indemnification

 

A Delaware business trust may provide in its governing instrument for indemnification of its officers and trustees from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever. Article IX, Section 2 of the Trust Instrument provides that the Registrant shall indemnify any present or former trustee, member of the Trust’s advisory board, officer or employee of the Registrant (“Covered Person”) to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding (“Action”) in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been a Covered Person and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the settlement thereof, whether or not he is a Covered Person at the time such expenses are incurred. Indemnification will not be provided to a Covered Person adjudged by a court or other body to be liable to the Registrant or its shareholders by reason of “willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office” (“Disabling Conduct”), or not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Registrant. In the event of a settlement, no indemnification may be provided unless there has been a determination that such Covered Person did not engage in Disabling Conduct (i) by the court or other body approving the settlement; (ii) by at least a majority of those trustees who are neither interested persons, as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”), of the Registrant (“Independent Trustees”), nor parties to the matter based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial type inquiry); or (iii) by written opinion of independent legal counsel based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial type inquiry).

 

Pursuant to Article IX, Section 3 of the Trust Instrument, if any present or former shareholder of any series (“Series”) of the Registrant shall be held personally liable solely by reason of his being or having been a shareholder and not because of his acts or omissions or for some other reason, the present or former shareholder (or his or her heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives or in the case of any entity, its general successor) may be entitled out of the assets belonging to the applicable Series to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Registrant, on behalf of the affected Series, shall, upon request by such shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against such shareholder for any act or obligation of the Series and satisfy any judgment thereon from the assets of the Series.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (“1933 Act”) may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person, 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 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

ITEM 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser

 

The only business of Janus Henderson Investors US LLC is to serve as the investment adviser and administrator of the Registrant and as investment adviser or subadviser to several other mutual funds, unregistered investment companies, and for individual, charitable, corporate, private, and retirement accounts. Business backgrounds of the principal executive officers and directors of the adviser that also hold positions with the Registrant are included under “Trustees and Officers” in the Statement(s) of Additional Information included in this Registration Statement. Business backgrounds of the principal executive officers of the investment adviser and their position(s) with the adviser and affiliated entities (in the last two years) are listed in Schedule A of the adviser’s Form ADV as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 801-13991, dated November 27, 2024), which information from such schedule is incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

ITEM 32. Principal Underwriters

 

(a) ALPS Distributors, Inc. acts as the distributor for the Registrant and the following investment companies: 1290 Funds, 1WS Credit Income Fund, abrdn ETFs, Accordant ODCE Index Fund, Alpha Alternative Assets Fund, ALPS Series Trust, Alternative Credit Income Fund, Apollo Diversified Credit Fund, Apollo Diversified Real Estate Fund, AQR Funds, Axonic Alternative Income Fund, Axonic Funds, BBH Trust, Bluerock High Income Institutional Credit Fund, Bluerock Total Income+ Real Estate Fund, Bridge Builder Trust, Cambria ETF Trust, Centre Funds, CION Ares Diversified Credit Fund, Columbia ETF Trust, Columbia ETF Trust I, Columbia ETF Trust II, CRM Mutual Fund Trust, DBX ETF Trust, ETF Series Solutions (Vident Series), Financial Investors Trust, Firsthand Funds, Flat Rock Core Income Fund, Flat Rock Opportunity Fund, FS Credit Income Fund, FS Energy Total Return Fund, FS Multi-Alternative Income Fund, FS Series Trust, FS MVP Private Markets Fund, Goehring & Rozencwajg Investment Funds, Goldman Sachs ETF Trust, Goldman Sachs ETF Trust II, GraniteShares ETF Trust, Hartford Funds Exchange-Traded Trust, Heartland Group, Inc., IndexIQ Active ETF Trust, IndexIQ ETF Trust, Investment Managers Series Trust II (AXS-Advised Funds), Janus Detroit Street Trust, Lattice Strategies Trust, Litman Gregory Funds Trust, Manager Directed Portfolios (Spyglass Growth Fund), Meridian Fund, Inc., Natixis ETF Trust, Natixis ETF Trust II, Opportunistic Credit Interval Fund, PRIMECAP Odyssey Funds, Principal Exchange-Traded Funds, RiverNorth Funds, RiverNorth Opportunities Fund, Inc., RiverNorth/DoubleLine Strategic Opportunity Fund, Inc., RiverNorth Opportunistic Municipal Income Fund Inc., RiverNorth Managed Duration Municipal Income Fund, Inc., RiverNorth Flexible Municipal Income Fund, Inc., RiverNorth Capital and Income Fund, Inc., RiverNorth Flexible Municipal Income Fund II, Inc., RiverNorth Managed Duration Municipal Income Fund II, Inc., SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust, SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust, SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF Trust, Sprott Funds Trust, Stone Ridge Trust, Stone Ridge Trust II, Stone Ridge Trust IV, Stone Ridge Trust V, Stone Ridge Trust VIII, The Arbitrage Funds, Themes ETF Trust, Thrivent ETF Trust, USCF ETF Trust, Valkyrie ETF Trust II, Wasatch Funds, WesMark Funds, Wilmington Funds, X-Square Balanced Fund, and X-Square Series Trust.

 

(b) To the best of Registrant’s knowledge, the directors and executive officers of ALPS Distributors, Inc., are as follows:

 

Name* Position with Underwriter Positions with the Funds
Stephen J. Kyllo President, Chief Operating Officer, Director, Chief Compliance Officer  
Brian Schell** Vice President and Treasurer  
Eric Parsons Vice President, Controller and Assistant Treasurer  
Jason White*** Secretary  
Richard C. Noyes Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Assistant Secretary  
Eric Theroff^ Assistant Secretary  
Adam Girard^^ Tax Officer  
Liza Price Vice President, Managing Counsel  
Jed Stahl Vice President, Managing Counsel  
Terence Digan Vice President  
James Stegall Vice President  
Gary Ross Senior Vice President  
Hilary Quinn Vice President  

 

*Except as otherwise noted, the principal business address for each of the above directors and executive officers is 1290 Broadway, Suite 1000, Denver, Colorado 80203.
**The principal business address for Mr. Schell is 100 South Wacker Drive, 19th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606.
***The principal business address for Mr. White is 4 Times Square, New York, NY 10036.
^The principal business address for Mr. Theroff is 1055 Broadway Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64105.
^^The principal business address for Mr. Girard is 80 Lamberton Road, Windsor, CT 06095.

 

 

(c) Not Applicable.

 

ITEM 33. Location of Accounts and Records

 

The accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder are maintained by Janus Henderson Investors US LLC, 151 Detroit Street, Denver, Colorado 80206-4805, and 520 Newport Center Drive, Suite 1420, Newport Beach, CA 92660; Janus Henderson Investors US LLC, 17 Old Kings Hwy S, Suite 100, Darien, CT 06820; Iron Mountain, 5151 E. 46th Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80216, 11333 E. 53rd Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80239, 3576 Moline Street, Aurora, Colorado 80010; ALPS Distributors Inc., 1290 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, Colorado 80203; BNP Paribas Financial Services, 720 S. Colorado Boulevard, Suite 8005, Denver, CO 80246; JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association, 383 Madison Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, New York 10179 and 70 Fargo Street, Boston, MA 02110.

 

ITEM 34. Management Services

 

The Registrant has no management-related service contracts that are not discussed in Part A or Part B of this form.

 

ITEM 35. Undertakings

 

Not Applicable.

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement meets all the requirements for effectiveness pursuant to Rule 485(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Registrant has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Denver, and State of Colorado, on the 27th day of February, 2025.

 

JANUS DETROIT STREET TRUST

 

By:  

/s/Nicholas Cherney

 
  Nicholas Cherney, President and  
  Chief Executive Officer  

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following person(s) in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature   Title Date
       
/s/Nicholas Cherney   President and Chief Executive Officer February 27, 2025
Nicholas Cherney   (Principal Executive Officer)  
       
/s/Jesper Nergaard   Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Principal February 27, 2025
Jesper Nergaard   Accounting Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)  
       
Clifford J. Weber*   Chairman and Trustee February 27, 2025
Clifford J. Weber      
       
Maureen T. Upton*   Trustee February 27, 2025
Maureen T. Upton      
       
Jeffrey B. Weeden*   Trustee February 27, 2025
Jeffrey B. Weeden      
       
Gregory R. Trinks*   Trustee February 27, 2025
Gregory R. Trinks      

 

/s/ Jesper Nergaard  

*By:   Jesper Nergaard  
  Attorney-in-Fact  

 

*Pursuant to Powers of Attorney, dated October 24, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference as Exhibit (q)(1) to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to the Trust’s Registration Statement, filed on Form N-1A with the SEC on November 8, 2024.

 

 

INDEX OF EXHIBITS

 

Exhibit Number Exhibit Title
Exhibit (h)(4) Form of Securities Lending Agreement
Exhibit (h)(4)(a) Amendment to Securities Lending Agreement
Exhibit (h)(6) Expense Limitation Agreement for Janus Henderson Short Duration Income ETF
Exhibit (h)(7) Expense Limitation Agreement for Janus Henderson Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF
Exhibit (h)(8) Expense Limitation Agreement for Janus Henderson AAA CLO ETF
Exhibit (h)(9) Expense Limitation Agreement for DST Affiliated ETFs
Exhibit (j)(1) Consent of Independent Public Accounting Firm