485APOS 1 ssdayhagan_485a.htm 485APOS
 
As filed September 27, 2024 Securities Act Registration No. 333-170750
  Investment Company Act Registration No. 811-22497

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

 

FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

         

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

       
Pre-Effective Amendment No.        
Post-Effective Amendment No. 130   x    

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

         
UNDER        
THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940        
Amendment No. 133   x    

 

 

STRATEGY SHARES

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

36 North New York Avenue

Huntington, NY 11743

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

1-631-629-4237

(Registrant’s Telephone Number)

 

The Corporation Trust Company

Corporate Trust Center

1209 Orange Street

Wilmington, DE 19801

(Name and address of Agent for service)

(Notices should be sent to the Agent for Service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

Michael P. O’Hare

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP

2005 Market Street, Suite 2600

Philadelphia, PA 19103-7018

 

 

It is proposed that this filing will become effective:

    immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

 

    On [  ] pursuant to paragraph (b)

 

     X 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(i)  

 

    on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(i)

 

    75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii)

 

    on                      pursuant to paragraph (a)(ii) 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.

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

[ ], 2024 PROSPECTUS

Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF

NYSE Arca Ticker: SSUS

 

 

 

This Prospectus provides important information about the Funds that you should know before investing. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.

 

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

 


 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS [TO BE UPDATED]

FUND SUMMARY – DAY HAGAN/NED DAVIS RESEARCH SMART SECTOR ETF 1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND’S PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS27  
SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION 58
DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUNDS 61
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS 62
DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS 63
TAX CONSEQUENCES 63
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 66
PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION 69
 
 

FUND SUMMARY – DAY HAGAN/NED DAVIS RESEARCH SMART SECTOR ETF

 

Investment Objective: The Fund’s investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation and preservation of capital.

 

Fees and Expenses: This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.

 

Shareholder Fees

(fees paid directly from your investment)

 

None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

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

Management Fee(1) 0.68%
Distribution and/or Service Fee (12b-1) Fees 0.00%
Other Expenses(1) 0.00%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses(2) 0.12%
Total Annual Operating Expenses 0.80%

(1) The management fee is structured as a “unified fee,” out of which the Fund’s adviser pays all routine expenses of the Fund, except for the Fund’s management fee; payments under any 12b-1 plan; taxes; brokerage commissions and trading costs; interest (including borrowing costs and overdraft charges); short sale dividends and interest expenses; acquired fund fees and expenses; and non-routine or extraordinary expenses of the Fund (such as litigation or reorganizational costs), each of which is paid by the Fund.

(2) Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The Total Annual Fund Operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund’s Financial Highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, not the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies.

Example: This 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 or hold all of your shares at the end of those periods. This Example does not reflect the effect of brokerage commissions or other transaction costs you pay in connection with the purchase or sale of Fund shares. 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
$82 $255 $444 $990

 

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 fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 296% of the average value of its portfolio.

 

Principal Investment Strategy

 

The Fund’s investment advisor, Day Hagan Asset Management (the “Advisor”), actively manages the Fund’s portfolio using proprietary investment models co-developed with Ned Davis Research (“NDR”). Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by principally investing in unaffiliated equity exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) that track the performance of the individual sectors (“Sectors”) of the S&P 500 Index (“Index”). While the Fund expects to invest primarily in ETFs, the Fund may also invest directly in the common stocks represented in the Index. The Fund will attempt to enhance returns relative to the Index by overweighting and underweighting its exposure to the Sectors relative to the Index and may reduce its overall exposure to ETFs as determined by its risk management model.

 

1 
 

The Fund utilizes a model to determine its allocation to each Sector. The model combines sector-specific price-based, economic, fundamental and behavioral indicators to form a composite for each Sector. By combining multiple and diverse indicators, which historically have been shown to add value in Sector allocation decisions, the model seeks to objectively assess the weight of the evidence and generate sector allocation recommendations. As of June 30, 2024, the Sectors are real estate, utilities, consumer staples, information technology, health care, financials, energy, consumer discretionary, materials, industrials, and communications services. The Fund’s allocation to a particular Sector may be greater than 25%. Conversely, the Fund’s allocation to a particular Sector may be reduced to 0% if the Sector’s model composite is at low levels.

 

The Fund’s risk management model defines the Fund’s overall equity allocation target. The model reading represents the net percentage of indicators that are bullish. By taking the weight of the evidence of technical, monetary, economic, valuation, and sentiment indicators, the model measures the potential risk level of factors the stock market faces.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund intends to invest predominantly in ETFs and common stock but will reduce its exposure by as much as 50% of its assets during times that the model deems the market to have a low reward-to-risk ratio from a historical perspective. During these times, the Fund may hold up to 50% of its assets in cash and cash equivalents, including U.S. Treasury securities and money market funds. The Fund will increase its equity investments when the risk model returns to levels indicating that major risks have potentially subsided.

 

The Fund’s portfolio is rebalanced monthly, although the Advisor may engage in intra-month trades if the models show substantial changes. The Fund actively trades its portfolio securities in an attempt to achieve its investment objective; trading activity may also be increased in periods of high market volatility.

 

Principal Investment Risks

 

As with any ETF, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. Investment markets are unpredictable and there will be certain market conditions where the Fund will not meet its investment objective and will lose money. The Fund’s net asset value, market price and returns will vary and you could lose money on your investment in the Fund and those losses could be significant.

 

The following summarizes the principal risks of investing in the Fund. These risks could adversely affect the net asset value, market price, total return and the value of the Fund and your investment. These risks affect the Fund directly as well as through the ETFs in which it invests.

 

Active Trading Risk. The Fund may trade securities actively, which could increase its transaction costs (thereby lowering its performance) and could increase the amount of taxes you owe by generating short-term gains, which may be taxed at a higher rate. Under certain market conditions, the Fund’s turnover may be very high and considerably higher than that of other funds.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants. An “Authorized Participant” is a participant in the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation or the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and that has executed a Participant Agreement with the Fund’s distributor (“Distributor”). To the extent these Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to process creation and/or redemption orders, in either of these cases, shares of the Fund may trade like closed-end fund shares at a discount to NAV and possibly face delisting.

2 
 

Basic Materials Sector Risk. Companies operating in the materials sector may be adversely affected by changes in world events, political, environmental and economic conditions, energy conservation, environmental policies, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and labor relations.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk. At times, the Fund may have significant investments in cash or cash equivalents. When a substantial portion of a portfolio is held in cash or cash equivalents, there is the risk that the value of the cash account, including interest, will not keep pace with inflation, thus reducing purchasing power over time. Additionally, in rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Communications Services Sector Risk. Companies in the communications services sector may be affected by industry competition, substantial capital requirements, government regulations and obsolescence of communications products and services due to technological advancement. Companies may encounter cash flow strains due to the need to commit substantial capital to developing new products and services using new technology. Technological innovations may make certain current services obsolete.

 

Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk. The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates, competition, consumer confidence, changes in demographics and consumer preferences. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector depend heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending, and may be strongly affected by social trends and marketing campaigns. These companies may be subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability.

 

Consumer Staples Sector Risk. The consumer staples sector may be affected by the regulation of various product components and production methods, marketing campaigns and other factors affecting consumer demand. Tobacco companies, in particular, may be adversely affected by new laws, regulations and litigation. The consumer staples sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by unpredictable factors.

 

Equity Securities Risk. The net asset value and market price of the Fund will fluctuate based on changes in the value of the equity securities held by the Fund. Equity prices can fall rapidly in response to developments affecting a specific company or industry, or to changing economic, political or market conditions.

 

ETF Structure Risks. The Fund, and the ETFs the Fund invests in, are structured as ETFs and as a result are subject to special risks, including:

 

oNot Individually Redeemable. Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units.” You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Fund shares are typically bought and sold in the secondary market and investors typically pay brokerage commissions or other charges on these transactions.

 

oTrading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. An active trading market for the Fund’s shares may not be developed or maintained. If the Fund’s shares are traded outside a collateralized settlement system, the number of financial institutions that can act as authorized participants that can post collateral on an agency basis is limited, which may limit the market for the Fund’s shares.
3 
 
oMarket Price Variance Risk. The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares and will include a “bid-ask spread” charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a discount to NAV.

 

§In times of market stress, market makers may step away from their role market making in shares of ETFs and in executing trades, which can lead to differences between the market value of Fund shares and the Fund’s net asset value.

 

§The market price for the Fund’s shares may deviate from the Fund’s net asset value, particularly during times of market stress, with the result that investors may pay significantly more or significantly less for Fund shares than the Fund’s net asset value, which is reflected in the bid and ask price for Fund shares or in the closing price.

 

§When all or a portion of an ETF’s underlying securities trade in a market that is closed when the market for the Fund’s shares is open, there may be changes from the last quote of the closed market and the quote from the Fund’s domestic trading day, which could lead to differences between the market value of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s net asset value.

 

§In stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s shares may become less liquid in response to the deteriorating liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio. This adverse effect on the liquidity of the Fund’s shares may, in turn, lead to differences between the market value of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s net asset value.

 

Energy Sector Risk. Companies operating in the energy sector may be adversely affected by changes in worldwide energy prices, exploration and production spending. In addition, changes in government regulation, world events and political and economic conditions can affect these companies. These companies also are at risk of civil liability from accidents resulting in injury, loss of life or property, pollution or other environmental damage claims and risk of loss from terrorism, war and natural disasters. Commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources, development of alternative energy sources, technological developments, geopolitical conflict and related economic sanctions and labor relations also could affect companies in this sector.

 

Fund of Funds Risk. The Fund, as a shareholder of the underlying funds, indirectly bears its proportionate share of any investment management fees and other expenses of the underlying funds. Further due to the fees and expenses paid by the Fund, as well as small variations in the Fund’s actual allocations to the underlying funds and any cash held in the Fund’s portfolio, the performance and income distributions of the Fund will not be the same as the performance and income distributions of the underlying funds allocated according to the target allocations described here.

 

Financial Markets Regulatory Risk. Policy changes by the U.S. government or its regulatory agencies and political events within the U.S. and abroad may, among other things, affect investor and consumer confidence and increase volatility in the financial markets, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree, which may adversely impact the Fund’s operations, universe of potential investment options, and return potential.

 

Financial Sector Risk. Performance of companies in the financial sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. The impact of more stringent capital requirements, recent or future regulation of any individual financial company, or recent or future regulation of the financial sector as a whole cannot be predicted.

 

4 
 

Healthcare Sector Risk. The healthcare sector may be affected by government regulations and government healthcare programs, increases or decreases in the cost of medical products and services and product liability claims, among other factors. Many healthcare companies are heavily dependent on patent protection, and the expiration of a company’s patent may adversely affect that company’s profitability. Healthcare companies are subject to competitive forces that may result in price discounting, and may be thinly capitalized and susceptible to product obsolescence.

 

Industrials Sector Risk. The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this sector rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services.

 

Information Technology Sector Risk. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.

 

Investment Style Risk. The type of securities in which the Fund focuses may underperform other assets or the overall market.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk. The Fund’s investment in larger companies is subject to the risk that larger companies are sometimes unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion; and may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes.

 

Management Risk. The Advisor’s reliance on its sector allocation and risk management strategies and related judgments about the value and potential appreciation of securities in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect. The Advisor may not successfully implement the Fund’s investment strategies and, as a result, the Fund may not meet its investment objective and/or underperform other investment vehicles with similar investment objectives and strategies.

 

Market Risk. The value of securities in the Fund’s portfolio will fluctuate and, as a result, the Fund’s NAV or market price per share may decline suddenly or over a sustained period of time. Factors such as domestic and foreign economic growth rates and market conditions, interest rate levels and political events may adversely affect the securities markets.

 

Model and Data Risk. Like all quantitative analysis, the investment models utilized by the Advisor carry the risk that the ranking system, valuation results and predictions might be based on one or more incorrect assumptions, insufficient historical data, inadequate design, or may not be suitable for the purpose intended. In addition, models may not perform as intended for many reasons including errors, omissions, imperfections or malfunctions. Because the use of models is usually constructed based on data supplied by third parties, the success of the Advisor’s use of such models is dependent on the accuracy and reliability of the supplied data. Historical data inputs may be subject to revision or corrections, which may diminish data reliability and quality of predictive results. Changing and unforeseen market dynamics could also lead to a decrease in the short-term or long-term effectiveness of a model. Models may lose their predictive validity and incorrectly forecast future market behavior and asset prices, leading

5 
 

to potential losses. No assurance can be given that a model will be successful under all or any market conditions.

 

Real Estate Sector Risk. The Fund is subject to the risks of the real estate market as a whole, such as taxation, regulations and economic and political factors that negatively impact the real estate market and the direct ownership of real estate. These may include decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, rising operating costs, interest rates and property taxes. In addition, some real estate related investments are not fully diversified and are subject to the risks associated with financing a limited number of projects.

 

Sector Risk. If the Fund focuses its investments within a particular Sector, it is subject to increased risk. Performance will generally depend on the performance of the Sector, which may differ in direction and degree from that of the overall U.S. stock markets. In addition, financial, economic, business and political developments affecting the Sector may have a greater effect on the Fund than they would if the Fund did not focus on that Sector.

 

Underlying Fund Risk. The ETFs and money market funds (“Underlying Funds”) in which the Fund invests are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in the Underlying Funds and may be higher than other funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Each of the Underlying Funds is subject to its own specific risks.

 

U.S. Government Obligations Risk. U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. government and generally have negligible credit risk. However, due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period shareholders own shares of the Fund. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities and U.S. government-sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The Fund may be subject to such risk to the extent it invests in securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities and U.S. government- sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises.

 

Utilities Sector Risk. Companies in the utilities sector are subject to a variety of factors that may adversely affect their business or operations, including high interest costs associated with capital construction and improvement programs; difficulty in raising adequate capital in periods of high inflation and unsettled capital markets; governmental regulation of rates the issuer can charge to customers; costs associated with compliance with environmental and other regulations; effects of economic slowdowns and surplus capacity; increased competition; and potential losses resulting from a developing deregulatory environment.

 

For more information, please see the section of the Fund’s Prospectus entitled “Additional Information About the Fund’s Principal Investment Strategies and Related Risks.” 

 

Performance:

 

The bar chart and accompanying table shown below provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the total return of its shares for each full calendar year, and by showing how its average annual returns compare over time with those of a broad-based market index. How the Fund has performed in the past (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available at no cost at www.dhfunds.com or by calling 1-800-594-7930.

 

6 
 

 

Annual Total Returns

 

 

 

During the period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a quarter was 11.27% (quarter ended December 31, 2021), and the lowest return for a quarter was -12.08% (quarter ended June 30, 2022).

 

The Fund’s year-to-date return as of September 30, 2024 was [ ]%.

 

Average Annual Total Returns

(For periods ended December 31, 2023)

 

  1 Year Since Inception (January 16, 2020)
Return Before Taxes             17.95%           10.29%
Return After Taxes on Distributions            17.62%           10.10%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares             10.81%           8.08%
S&P 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)            26.29%          11.41%

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rate and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on a shareholder’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant for shareholders who hold Fund shares in tax-advantaged accounts or to shares held by non-taxable entities.

Advisor: Donald L. Hagan, LLC, doing business as Day Hagan Asset Management, is the Fund’s investment advisor.

 

Portfolio Managers: Donald Hagan and Arthur Day, each Managing Members of the Advisor, and Regan Teague, Portfolio Manager of the Advisor, serve as the Fund’s Portfolio Managers and are primarily responsible for the day- to-day management of the Fund. Mr. Hagan is the Lead Portfolio Manager of the Fund. Messrs. Hagan, Day and Teague have served the Fund in this capacity since it commenced operations in January 2020.

 

7 
 

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares: You may purchase and sell individual Fund shares at market prices on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the “Exchange”) through your financial institution on each day that the Exchange is open for business (“Business Day”). Because individual Fund shares trade at market prices rather than at their NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). You may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares of the Fund (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares of the Fund (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”).

 

Recent information, including information on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads, is available online at www.dhfunds.com.

 

Tax Information: The Fund’s distributions are taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through a tax-advantaged account such as an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or you are a tax- exempt investor. Distributions from a tax-advantaged account may be taxed as ordinary income when withdrawn from such account.

 

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 Advisor and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other 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 
 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND’S PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RELATED RISKS

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES

 

The investment objective of Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF is to seek long-term capital appreciation and preservation of capital. The investment objective of the Fund is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without shareholder approval. If the Board decides to change the Fund’s investment objective, shareholders will be given 60 days’ advance notice.

 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

 

Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF

 

The Advisor actively manages the Fund’s portfolio using proprietary investment models co-developed with Ned Davis Research (“NDR”). Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by principally investing in unaffiliated equity exchange traded funds (“ETFs”) that track the performance of the individual sectors (“Sectors”) of the S&P 500 Index (“Index”). The Index is a stock market index that tracks the stocks of the 500 largest U.S. publicly traded companies. While the Fund expects to invest primarily in ETFs, the Fund may also invest directly in the common stocks represented in the Index. The Fund will attempt to enhance returns relative to the Index by overweighting and underweighting its exposure to the Sectors relative to the Index and may reduce its overall exposure to ETFs as determined by its risk management model.

 

The Fund utilizes model to determine its allocation to each Sector. The model combines sector-specific price-based, economic, fundamental and behavioral indicators to form a composite for each Sector. By combining multiple and diverse indicators, which historically have been shown to add value in Sector allocation decisions, the model seeks to objectively assess the weight of the evidence and generate sector allocation recommendations. As of June 30, 2024, the Sectors are real estate, utilities, consumer staples, information technology, health care, financials, energy, consumer discretionary, materials, industrials, and communications services. The Fund’s allocation to a particular Sector may be greater than 25%. Conversely, the Fund’s allocation to a particular Sector may be reduced to 0% if the Sector’s model composite is at low levels.

 

The Fund’s risk management model defines the Fund’s overall equity allocation target. The model reading represents the net percentage of indicators that are bullish. By taking the weight of the evidence of technical, monetary, economic, valuation, and sentiment indicators, the model measures the potential risk level of factors the stock market faces.

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund intends to invest predominantly in ETFs and common stock but will reduce its exposure by as much as 50% of its assets during times that the model deems the market to have a low reward-to-risk ratio from a historical perspective. The risk management model is designed to only reduce exposure when a large, diverse set of long-term market indicators conclusively and decisively turn negative. Short-term market declines, such as a “flash crash,” may not be avoided if the risk management model remains in positive territory. During these times, the Fund may hold up to 50% of its assets in cash and cash equivalents, including U.S. Treasury securities and money market funds. The Fund will increase its equity investments when the risk model returns to levels indicating that major risks have potentially subsided.

 

The Fund’s portfolio is rebalanced monthly, although the Advisor may engage in intra-month trades if the models show substantial changes. The Fund actively trades its portfolio securities in an attempt to achieve its investment objective; trading activity may also be increased in periods of high market volatility.

 

 

9 
 

PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS

 

All ETFs carry a certain amount of risk. As with any ETF, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective. Investment markets are unpredictable and there will be certain market conditions where a Fund will not meet its investment objective and will lose money. The Fund’s net asset value, market price and returns will vary and you could lose money on your investment in the Fund and those losses could be significant. An investment in a Fund is not a complete investment program. An investment in a Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. These risks affect the Funds directly as well as through the Underlying Funds in which the Funds invest. Unless otherwise noted, references in this section of the Prospectus to a single Fund apply to each of the Funds.

 

The following chart summarizes the principal and non-principal risks of the Fund. These risks could adversely affect the net asset value, market price, total return and the value of the Fund and your investment. The risk descriptions below provide a more detailed explanation of the principal investment risks that correspond to the risks described in the Fund’s Fund Summary section of the Prospectus.

 

Key:

 

Principal Risk: ●

Non-Principal Risk: ○

Not Applicable: -

 

  Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF
Active Trading Risk
American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) Risk
ADR Currency Risk
Affiliated Investment Company Risk
Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed Security Risk
Authorized Participant Risk
Bank Loans Risk
Basic Materials Sector Risk
Business Development Companies (“BDC”) Risk
Call Options Risk
Capacity Risk
Cash and Cash Equivalents Risk
Cash Transactions Risk
Changing Fixed Income Market Conditions Risk
Collateralized Bond Obligation Risk
Collateralized Debt Obligations (“CDO”) and Collateralized Loan Obligations (“CLO”) Risk
Commodity Risk
Communications Services Sector Risk
Conflict of Interest – Advisor Risk
Conflict of Interest – Portfolio Manager Risk
Convertible Securities Risk
Counterparty Risk
Credit Default Swap Risk
Credit Risk
Credit Risk (for Floating Rate Loans)
Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk
Consumer Staples Sector Risk
10 
 

 

Currency Risk
Cybersecurity Risk
Derivatives Risk
Dividend Yield Risk
Duration Risk
Emerging Markets Risk
Energy and Infrastructure Industry Risk
Energy Sector Risk
Equity Securities Risk
ETF Structure Risks
Exchange Traded Fund (“ETF”) Risk
Exchange Traded Note (“ETN”) Risk
Extension Risk
Financial Markets Regulatory Risk
Financial Sector Risk
Fixed Income Securities Risk
Floating Rate Loans Risk
Foreign Currency Risk
Foreign Exchanges Risk
Foreign Investment Risk
Forwards Risk
Fund of Funds Risk
Futures Risk
Geographic Concentration Risk
Greater China Investment Risk
Growth Stock Risk
Healthcare Sector Risk
Hedging Risk
Income Risk
Index-Linked Derivative Securities Risk
Industrials Sector Risk
Inflation-Indexed Bond Risk
Inflation Protected Securities Risk
Information Technology Sector Risk
Interest Rate Risk
Inverse ETF and ETN Risk
Investment Style Risk
Issuer Specific Risk
Junk Bond Risk
Large Capitalization Company Risk
Leverage  Risk
Leverage and Volatility Risk
Leveraged ETF Risk
LIBOR Risk
Liquidity Risk
Litigation Risk
Loan Risk
Machinery and Electrical Equipment Industry Risk
Management Risk
Market Risk
Market Price Variance Risk
11 
 

 

Market Volatility-Linked ETFs Risk
Medium Capitalization Company Risk
MBS and CMO Risk
Micro Capitalization Company Risk
MLP and MLP-Related Securities Risk
Model and Data Risk
Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk
Municipal Bond Risk
Non-Diversification Risk -
Options Market Risk
Options Risk
Over-the-Counter (“OTC”) Trading Risk
Preferred Stock Risk
Prepayment Risk
Real Estate Sector Risk
REIT Risk
Regulatory Risk
Repurchase and Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk
Restricted Securities Risk
Risk Management Risk
Sector Risk
Security Risk
Segregation Risk
Short Selling Risk
Small Capitalization Company Risk
Sovereign Debt Risk
Structured Note Risk
Sub-Prime Mortgage Risk
Swaps Risk
Underlying Fund Risk
Utilities Sector Risk
U.S. Government Obligations Risk
Volatility Risk

 

Active Trading Risk. Active trading will cause the Fund to have an increased portfolio turnover rate, which is likely to generate shorter-term gains for its shareholders, which are taxed at a higher rate than longer-term gains. Actively trading portfolio securities increases the Fund’s trading costs and may have an adverse impact on the Fund’s performance.

 

American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) Risk. ADRs, which are typically issued by a bank, are certificates that evidence ownership of shares of a foreign company and are alternatives to purchasing foreign securities directly in their national markets and currencies. ADRs are subject to the same risks as direct investment in foreign companies and involve risks that are not found in investments in U.S. companies. In addition to the risks of investing in foreign securities discussed below, there is no guarantee that an ADR issuer will continue to offer a particular ADR. As a result, the Fund may have difficulty selling the ADR, or selling them quickly and efficiently at the prices at which they have been valued. In a sponsored ADR arrangement, the foreign company assumes the obligation to pay some or all of the depositary’s transaction fees. Under an unsponsored ADR arrangement, the foreign company assumes no obligations and the depositary’s transaction fees are paid directly by the ADR holders. Because unsponsored ADR arrangements are organized independently and without the cooperation of the foreign company, available information concerning the foreign company may not be as current as for sponsored ADRs and voting rights with respect to the deposited securities are not passed through. ADRs may not track the price of the underlying foreign

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securities on which they are based, and their value may change materially at times when U.S. markets are not open for trading. Certain ADRs are not listed on an exchange and therefore may be considered to be illiquid. Because ADRs are denominated in US dollars, they are also subject to currency risk, as movements in the exchange rate of the local currency of the foreign Issuer versus the US dollar are automatically reflected in the price of the ADR in US dollars. Therefore, even if the price of the foreign security does not change on its local market, if the exchange rate of the local currency relative to the US dollar declines, the ADR price would decline by a similar measure.

 

ADR Currency Risk. To establish a value for the shares, the issuer establishes a “conversion rate” equal to one share of an ADR for a certain number of shares of the stock of a foreign company. This “conversion rate” establishes a universal monetary relationship between the value of the ADR and the local currency of the foreign company stock. Although an ADR is priced in the US dollar, in order to preserve the uniformity of the established “conversion rate,” movements in the exchange rate of the local currency versus the US dollar are automatically reflected in the price of the ADR in US dollars. Therefore, even if the price of the foreign security does not change on its market, if the exchange rate of the local currency relative to the US Dollar declines, the ADR price would decline by a similar measure.

 

Affiliated Investment Company Risk. The Fund invest in affiliated underlying funds (the “Affiliated Funds”), unaffiliated underlying funds, or a combination of both. The Advisor, therefore, is subject to conflicts of interest in allocating the Fund’s assets among the underlying funds. The Advisor will receive more revenue to the extent it selects an Affiliated Fund rather than an unaffiliated fund for inclusion in the Fund’s portfolio. In addition, the Advisor may have an incentive to allocate the Fund’s assets to those Affiliated Funds for which the net advisory fees payable to the Advisor are higher than the fees payable by other Affiliated Funds.

 

Asset-Backed and Mortgage-Backed Security Risk. Prepayment risk is associated with mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. If interest rates fall, the underlying debt may be repaid ahead of schedule, reducing the value of the Fund’s investments. If interest rates rise, there may be fewer prepayments, which would cause the average bond maturity to rise, increasing the potential for the Fund to lose money. The value of these securities may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, the market’s perception of issuers, and the creditworthiness of the parties involved. The ability of the Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend on the ability of the Fund’s Advisor to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. These securities may have a structure that makes their reaction to interest rate changes and other factors difficult to predict, making their value highly volatile. Certain mortgage-backed securities may be secured by pools of mortgages on single-family, multi- family properties, as well as commercial properties. Similarly, asset backed securities may be secured by pools of

loans, such as student loans, automobile loans and credit card receivables. The credit risk on such securities is affected by homeowners or borrowers defaulting on their loans. The values of assets underlying mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may decline and, therefore, may not be adequate to cover underlying investors. Mortgage-backed securities and other securities issued by participants in housing and commercial real estate finance, as well as other real estate-related markets have experienced extraordinary weakness and volatility in recent years. Possible legislation in the area of residential mortgages, credit cards and other loans that may collateralize the securities in which the Fund may invest could negatively impact the value of the Fund’s investments. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in particular types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities, the Fund may be more susceptible to risk factors affecting such types of securities.

 

Authorized Participant Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants. An “Authorized Participant” is a participant in the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation or the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and that has executed a Participant Agreement with the Fund’s distributor (“Distributor”). To the extent these Authorized Participants exit the business or are unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to process creation and/or redemption orders, in either of these cases, shares of the Fund may trade like closed-end fund shares at a discount to NAV and possibly face delisting.

 

Bank Loans Risk. The market for bank loans may not be highly liquid and the Fund may have difficulty selling them. These investments expose the Fund to the credit risk of both the financial institution and the underlying

13 
 

borrower. Bank loans settle on a delayed basis, potentially leading to the sale proceeds of such loans not being available to meet redemptions for a substantial period of time after the sale of the bank loans. Certain bank loans may not be considered “securities” under the federal securities laws and purchasers, such as the Fund, therefore may not be entitled to rely on the protections of such laws, including anti-fraud provisions.

 

Basic Materials Sector Risk. World events, political, environmental and economic conditions, energy conservation, environmental policies, commodity price volatility, changes in exchange rates, imposition of import controls, increased competition, depletion of resources and labor relations may adversely affect such issuers. The prices of the securities of basic materials companies also may fluctuate widely in response to such events.

 

Business Development Companies (“BDC”) Risk. BDCs may carry risks similar to those of a private equity or venture capital fund. BDC company securities are not redeemable at the option of the shareholder and they may trade in the market at a discount to their net asset value. A BDC is a form of investment company that is required to invest at least 70% of its total assets in securities (typically debt) of private companies, thinly traded U.S. public companies, or short-term high-quality debt securities. The BDCs held by the Fund may leverage their portfolios through borrowings or the issuance of preferred stock. While leverage often serves to increase the yield of a BDC, this leverage also subjects a BDC to increased risks, including the likelihood of increased volatility and the possibility that a BDC’s common share income will fall if the dividend rate of the preferred shares or the interest rate on any borrowings rises. A significant portion of a BDC’s investments are recorded at fair value as determined by its board of directors which may create uncertainty as to the value of the BDC’s investments. Non-traded BDCs are illiquid and it may not be possible to redeem shares or to do so without paying a substantial penalty. Publicly- traded BDCs usually trade at a discount to their net asset value because they invest in unlisted securities and have limited access to capital markets. BDCs are subject to high failure rates among the companies in which they invest and federal securities laws impose restraints upon the organization and operations of BDCs that can limit or negatively impact the performance of a BDC. However, the Fund does not believe it would be liable for the actions of any entity in which it invests and that only its investment is at risk. Also, BDCs may engage in certain principal and joint transactions that a mutual fund or closed-end fund may not without an exemptive order from the SEC.

 

Capacity Risk. The markets and securities in which the Fund invests may, at times, have limited capacity, and the Advisor may not be able to allocate as much of the Fund’s assets to a particular investment or type of investment as it desires. Under such conditions, the execution of the Fund’s strategy may be affected and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. In addition, the Fund may not be able to purchase or sell securities at favorable market prices.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalent Risk. At times, the Fund may have significant investments in cash or cash equivalents. When a substantial portion of a portfolio is held in cash or cash equivalents, there is the risk that the value of the cash account, including interest, will not keep pace with inflation, thus reducing purchasing power over time. Additionally, in rising markets, holding cash or cash equivalents may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

 

Cash Transactions Risk. ETFs generally are able to make in-kind redemptions and avoid being taxed on gain on the distributed portfolio securities at the Fund level. Because the Fund may effect redemptions partly or entirely in cash, rather than in-kind, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. If the Fund recognizes gain on these sales, this generally will cause the Fund to recognize gain it might not otherwise have recognized, or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise be required if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind. The Fund generally intends to distribute these gains to shareholders to avoid being taxed on this gain at the Fund level and otherwise comply with the special tax rules that apply to it. This strategy may cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be subject to, or at an earlier date than, if they had made an investment in a different ETF. Moreover, cash transactions may have to be carried out over several days if the securities market is relatively illiquid and may involve considerable brokerage fees and taxes. These brokerage fees and taxes, which will be higher than if the Fund sold and redeemed its shares principally in-kind, could be imposed on the Fund and thus decrease the Fund’s NAV to the extent they are not offset by the creation and redemption transaction fees paid by purchasers and redeemers of Creation Units.

14 
 

 

Changing Fixed Income Market Conditions Risk. The historically low interest rate environment observed over the past couple years was created in part by actions taken by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”) to keep the federal funds rate at a low level, including expanding the scope of its repurchase agreement operations, and purchasing large quantities of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities on the open market. In recent years, the Federal Reserve has “tapered” its quantitative easing programs and, in 2022, began implementing increases to the federal funds rate. Further rate increases are expected. As interest rates rise, there is risk that rates across the financial system also may rise. Changes in government intervention may have adverse effects on the Fund’s investments, volatility, and illiquidity in debt markets. Interest rate increases could cause the value of any Fund that invests in fixed income securities to decrease. Federal Reserve policy changes may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility and may reduce liquidity for certain Fund investments, which could cause the value of a Fund’s investments and share price to decline. If a Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income markets, the Fund may be more substantially exposed to these risks than a fund that does not invest in derivatives. To the extent a Fund experiences high redemptions because of these policy changes, the Fund may experience increased portfolio turnover, which will increase the costs the Fund incurs and may lower its performance. Furthermore, if rising interest rates cause a Fund to lose enough value, the Fund could also face increased redemptions, which could force the Fund to liquidate investments at disadvantageous times or prices, therefore adversely affecting the Fund. In addition, decreases in fixed income dealer market-making capacity may persist in the future, potentially leading to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed income markets.

 

Greater China Investment Risk. Investments in companies located or operating in Greater China (normally considered to be the geographical area that includes mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) involve risks and considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. and other Western nations, such as greater government control over the economy; political, legal and regulatory uncertainty; nationalization, expropriation, or confiscation of property; difficulty in obtaining information necessary for investigations into and/or litigation against Chinese companies, as well as in obtaining and/or enforcing judgments; limited legal remedies for shareholders; alteration or discontinuation of economic reforms; military conflicts, either internal or with other countries; inflation, currency fluctuations and fluctuations in inflation and interest rates that may have negative effects on the economy and securities markets of Greater China; and Greater China’s dependency on the economies of other Asian countries, many of which are developing countries. Events in any one country within Greater China may impact the other countries in the region or Greater China as a whole. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China’s rapid economic growth. As a result, a reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, the institution of additional tariffs or other trade barriers (or the threat thereof), including as a result of trade tensions between China and the United States, or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. In addition, actions by the U.S. government, such as delisting of certain Chinese companies from U.S. securities exchanges or otherwise restricting their operations in the U.S., may negatively impact the value of such securities held by the Fund. Further, health events, such as the recent coronavirus outbreak, may cause uncertainty and volatility in the Chinese economy, especially in the consumer discretionary (leisure, retail, gaming, tourism), industrials, and commodities sectors. Additionally, any difficulties of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) to inspect audit work papers and practices of PCAOB-registered accounting firms in China with respect to their audit work of U.S. reporting companies may impose significant additional risks associated with investments in China.

 

Collateralized Bond Obligation Risk. The pool of securities underlying collateralized bond obligations is typically separated in groupings called tranches representing different degrees of credit quality. The higher quality tranches have greater degrees of protection and pay lower interest rates. The lower quality tranches carry greater risk and pay higher interest rates.

 

Collateralized Debt Obligations (“CDO”) and Collateralized Loan Obligations (“CLO”) Risk. CDOs and CLOs are securities backed by an underlying portfolio of debt and loan obligations, respectively. CDOs and CLOs issue classes or “tranches” that vary in risk and yield and may experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, decrease of market value due to collateral defaults and removal of subordinate tranches, market anticipation of

15 
 

defaults and investor aversion to CDO and CLO securities as a class. The risks of investing in CDOs and CLOs depend largely on the tranche invested in and the type of the underlying debts and loans in the tranche of the CDO or CLO, respectively, in which the Fund invests. The risks of investing in CDOs and CLOs depend largely on the tranche held by the Fund and the types of underlying debts and loans in such tranche of the CDO or CLO, respectively. The risks of CDOs and CLOs will be greater if the Fund invests in CDOs and CLOs that hold debt or loans of uncreditworthy borrowers or if the Fund holds subordinate tranches of the CDO or CLO that absorb losses from the defaults before senior tranches. CDOs and CLOs also carry risks including, but not limited to, interest rate risk and credit risk.

 

Commodity Risk. The Fund’s exposure to the commodities futures markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments, commodity-based exchange traded trusts and commodity-based exchange traded funds and notes may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or sectors affecting a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs, and international economic, political, and regulatory developments.

 

Communications Services Sector Risk. Companies in the communications services sector may be affected by industry competition, substantial capital requirements, government regulations and obsolescence of communications products and services due to technological advancement. Companies may encounter cash flow strains due to the need to commit substantial capital to developing new products and services using new technology. Technological innovations may make certain current services obsolete.

 

Conflict of Interest–- Advisor Risk. The Advisor and other individuals associated with the Advisor may have compensation and/or other arrangements that may be in conflict to the interests of the Fund.

 

Conflict of Interest–- Portfolio Manager Risk. Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one fund or other accounts. More specifically, portfolio managers who manage multiple funds are presented with the following potential conflicts:

 

·The management of multiple accounts may result in a portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each account. The management of multiple funds and accounts also may give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and accounts have different objectives, benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts.

 

·With respect to securities transactions for the Fund, the Advisor determines which broker to use to execute each order, consistent with the duty to seek best execution of the transaction. The portfolio manager may execute transactions for another fund or account that may adversely impact the value of securities held by the Fund. Securities selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform the securities selected for the Fund.

 

The appearance of a conflict of interest may arise where the Advisor has an incentive, such as a performance-based management fee. The management of personal accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest; there is no assurance that the Fund’s code of ethics will adequately address such conflicts. One of the portfolio manager’s numerous responsibilities is to assist in the sale of Fund shares. Because the portfolio manager’s compensation is indirectly linked to the sale of Fund shares, they may have an incentive to devote time to marketing efforts designed to increase sales of Fund shares.

 

·The Advisor has adopted a code of ethics that, among other things, permits personal trading by employees under conditions where it has been determined that such trades would not adversely impact client accounts. Nevertheless, the management of personal accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest, and there is no assurance that these codes of ethics will adequately address such conflicts.

 

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Convertible Securities Risk. Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are subject to fixed income security risks and conversion value-related equity risk. Convertible bonds are similar to other fixed-income securities because they usually pay a fixed interest rate and are obligated to repay principal on a given date in the future. The market value of fixed-income securities tends to decline as interest rates increase. Convertible bonds are particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates when their conversion to equity feature is small relative to the interest and principal value of the bond. Convertible issuers may not be able to make principal and interest payments on the bond as they become due. Convertible bonds may also be subject to prepayment or redemption risk. If a convertible bond is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to surrender the security for redemption, convert it into the issuing company’s common stock or cash at a time that may be unfavorable to the Fund. Convertible securities have characteristics similar to common stocks especially when their conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond. If a convertible security’s investment value is greater than its conversion value, its price will likely increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. If the conversion value exceeds the investment value, the price of the convertible security will tend to fluctuate directly with the price of the underlying equity security. The price of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes. Stock prices in general may decline over short or even extended periods of time. Market prices of equity securities in broad market segments may be adversely affected by a prominent issuer having experienced losses or by the lack of earnings or such an issuer’s failure to meet the market’s expectations with respect to new products or services, or even by factors wholly unrelated to the value or condition of the issuer, such as changes in interest rates. When a convertible bond’s value is more closely tied to its conversion to stock feature, it is sensitive to the underlying stock’s price.

 

Counterparty Risk. The Fund may engage in transactions in securities and financial instruments that involve counterparties. Counterparty risk is the risk that a counterparty (the other party to a transaction or an agreement or the party with whom the Fund executes transactions) to a transaction with the Fund may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments, or otherwise honor its obligations and therefore delays or impairs the Fund’s ability to recover its deposits with such counterparty. To limit the counterparty risk associated with such transactions, the Fund conducts business only with financial institutions judged by the Advisor to present acceptable credit risk.

 

Credit Default Swap Risk. Credit default swaps ("CDS") are typically two-party financial contracts that transfer credit exposure between the two parties. Under a typical CDS, one party (the "seller") receives pre-determined periodic payments from the other party (the "buyer"). The seller agrees to make compensating specific payments to the buyer if a negative credit event occurs, such as the bankruptcy or default by the issuer of the underlying debt instrument. The use of CDS involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions, such as potentially heightened counterparty, concentration, and exposure risks.

 

Credit Risk. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a security will fail to pay principal and interest in a timely manner, reducing the Fund’s total return. In addition, the credit quality of fixed income securities held by the Fund may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes. The issuer of a fixed income security may also default on its obligations. The Fund’s exposure to credit risk may be increased through its investments in high-yield securities commonly known as “junk bonds.” Credit risk may be substantial for the Fund.

 

Consumer Discretionary Sector Risk. The success of consumer product manufacturers and retailers is tied closely to the performance of domestic and international economies, interest rates, exchange rates, competition, consumer confidence, changes in demographics and consumer preferences. Companies in the consumer discretionary sector depend heavily on disposable household income and consumer spending and may be strongly affected by social trends and marketing campaigns. These companies may be subject to severe competition, which may have an adverse impact on their profitability.

 

Consumer Staples Sector Risk. The consumer staples sector may be affected by the regulation of various product components and production methods, marketing campaigns and other factors affecting consumer demand. Tobacco companies, in particular, may be adversely affected by new laws, regulations and litigation. The consumer staples sector may also be adversely affected by changes or trends in commodity prices, which may be influenced by

17 
 

unpredictable factors.

 

Currency Risk. Currency trading involves significant risks, including market risk, interest rate risk, country risk, counterparty credit risk and short sale risk. Market risk results from the price movement of foreign currency values in response to shifting market supply and demand. Since exchange rate changes can readily move in one direction, a currency position carried overnight or over a number of days may involve greater risk than one carried a few minutes or hours. Interest rate risk arises whenever a country changes its stated interest rate target associated with its currency. Country risk arises because virtually every country has interfered with international transactions in its currency. Interference has taken the form of regulation of the local exchange market, restrictions on foreign investment by residents or limits on inflows of investment funds from abroad. Restrictions on the exchange market or on international transactions are intended to affect the level or movement of the exchange rate. This risk could include the country issuing a new currency, effectively making the "old" currency worthless. The Fund may also take short positions, through derivatives, if the Advisor believes the value of a currency is likely to depreciate in value. A "short" position is, in effect, similar to a sale in which the Fund sells a currency it does not own, but has borrowed in anticipation that the market price of the currency will decline. The Fund must replace a short currency position by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement, which may be more or less than the price at which the Fund took a short position in the currency.

 

Cybersecurity Risk. The computer systems, networks and devices used by the Fund and its service providers to carry out routine business operations employ a variety of protections designed to prevent damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons and security breaches. Despite the various protections utilized by the Fund and its service providers, systems, networks, or devices potentially can be breached. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of a cybersecurity breach.

 

Cybersecurity breaches can include unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices; infection from computer viruses or other malicious software code; and attacks that shut down, disable, slow, or otherwise disrupt operations, business processes, or website access or functionality. Cybersecurity breaches may cause disruptions and impact the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV; impediments to trading; the inability of the Fund, the Advisor and other service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs; as well as the inadvertent release of confidential information.

 

Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity breaches affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests; counterparties with which the Fund engages in transactions; governmental and other regulatory authorities; exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for the Fund’s shareholders); and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred by these entities in order to prevent any cybersecurity breaches in the future.

 

Derivatives Risk. The Fund may use derivatives including options and futures. The Fund’s use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. These risks include (i) the risk that the counterparty to a derivative transaction may not fulfill its contractual obligations; (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying reference asset. Derivatives may also be less tax efficient and subject to changing government regulation that could impact the Fund’s ability to use certain derivatives or their cost. In addition, changes in government regulation of derivative instruments could affect the character, timing and amount of the Fund’s taxable income or gains and may limit or prevent the Fund from using certain types of derivative instruments as a part of its investment strategy, which could make the investment strategy more costly to implement or require the Fund to change its investment strategy. When a derivative is used for hedging, the change in value of the derivative may also not correlate specifically with the

18 
 

risk of the underlying asset being hedged. Derivative prices are highly volatile and may fluctuate substantially during a short period of time. Such prices are influenced by numerous factors that affect the markets, including, but not limited to changing supply and demand relationships; government programs and policies; national and international political and economic events, and changes in interest rates, inflation and deflation. Trading derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities including:

 

Futures Risk. The Fund’s use of futures involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments and exposes the Fund to the risks associated with derivative instruments described above. These risks include (i) leverage risk (ii) risk of mispricing or improper valuation; and (iii) the risk that changes in the value of the futures contract may not correlate perfectly with the underlying index. Investments in futures contracts involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in futures can have a disproportionately large impact on the Fund. This risk could cause the Fund to lose more than the principal amount invested. In addition, futures contracts may become mispriced or improperly valued relative to the Advisor’s expectations and may not produce the desired investment results. Additionally, changes in the value of futures contracts may not track or correlate perfectly with the underlying reference asset because of temporary, or even long-term, supply and demand imbalances. Most U.S. commodity futures exchanges impose daily limits regulating the maximum amount above or below the previous day’s settlement price which a futures contract price may fluctuate during a single day. During a single trading day, no trades may be executed at prices beyond the daily limit. Once the price of a particular futures contract has increased or decreased to the limit point, it may be difficult, costly or impossible to liquidate a position. It is also possible that an exchange or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), which regulates commodity futures exchanges, may suspend trading in a particular contract, order immediate settlement of a contract or order that trading to the liquidation of open positions only.

 

Hedging Risk. Hedging is a strategy in which the Fund uses a security or derivative to reduce the risks associated with other Fund holdings. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging strategy will reduce risk or that hedging transactions will be either available or cost effective.

 

Leverage and Volatility Risk: Derivative contracts ordinarily have leverage inherent in their terms. The low margin deposits normally required in trading derivatives permit a high degree of leverage. Accordingly, a relatively small price movement may result in an immediate and substantial loss to the Fund. The use of leverage may also cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its obligations or to meet margin requirements. The use of leveraged derivatives can magnify the Fund’s potential for gain or loss and, therefore, amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund’s share price.

 

Liquidity Risk: It is possible that particular derivative investments might be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from executing positions at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.

 

Options Market Risk. Markets for options and options on futures may not always operate on a fair and orderly basis. At times, prices for options and options on futures may not represent fair market value and prices may be subject to manipulation, which may be extreme under some circumstances. The dysfunction and manipulation of volatility and options markets may make it difficult for the Fund to effectively implement its investment strategy and achieve its objectives and could potentially lead to significant losses.

 

Options Risk. There are risks associated with the Fund’s options strategy. Generally, options may not be an effective hedge because they may have imperfect correlation to the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Factors such as differences in supply and demand for certain options may cause their returns to deviate from the Advisor’s expectations. Additionally, the underlying reference instrument on which the option is

19 
 

based may have imperfect correlation to the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. As the buyer of a call option, the Fund risks losing the entire premium invested in the option if the underlying reference instrument does not rise above the strike price, which means the option will expire worthless. As the buyer of a put option, the Fund risks losing the entire premium invested in the option if the underlying reference instrument does not fall below the strike price, which means the option will expire worthless. Additionally, purchased options may decline in value due to changes in the price of the underlying reference instrument, passage of time and changes in volatility. As a seller (writer) of a put option, the Fund will lose money if the value of the underlying reference instrument falls below the strike price. As a seller (writer) of a call option, the Fund will lose money if the value of the underlying reference instrument rises above the strike price. The Fund’s losses are potentially large in a written put transaction and potentially unlimited in a written call transaction. Option premiums are treated as short-term capital gains and when distributed to shareholders, are usually taxable as ordinary income, which may have a higher tax rate than long-term capital gains for shareholders holding Fund shares in a taxable account. Because option premiums paid or received by the Fund are small in relation to the market value of the investments underlying the options, buying and selling put and call options can be more speculative than investing directly in securities.

In general, option prices are highly volatile and may fluctuate substantially during a short period of time. Such prices are influenced by numerous factors that affect the markets, including, but not limited to: changing supply and demand relationships; government programs and policies; national and international political and economic events, changes in interest rates, inflation and deflation and changes in supply and demand relationships.

 

Dividend Yield Risk. While the Fund may hold securities of companies that have historically paid a dividend, those companies may reduce or discontinue their dividends, thus reducing the yield of the Fund. Lower priced securities in the Fund may be more susceptible to these risks. Past dividend payments are not a guarantee of future dividend payments. Also, the market return of high dividend yield securities, in certain market conditions, may be worse than the market return of other investment strategies or the overall stock market.

 

Duration Risk. Longer-term securities may be more sensitive to interest rate changes, particularly in periods of rising interest rates. Effective duration estimates price changes for relatively small changes in rates. If rates rise significantly, effective duration may tend to understate the drop in a security’s price. If rates drop significantly, effective duration may tend to overstate the rise in a security’s price. Duration should not be confused with maturity. The maturity of a fixed income security is a measure of the amount of time left until the security “matures” or repays its face value. In contrast, duration measures the price sensitivity of a fixed income security to changes in interest rates rather than the amount of time remaining to maturity. Longer duration tends to result in greater volatility and a greater sensitivity to interest rate changes. For example, a five- year duration means that the fixed income security will decrease in value by 5% if interest rates rise 1% and increase in value by 5% if interest rates fall 1%.

 

Emerging Markets Risk. The Fund may invest in countries with newly organized or less developed securities markets. There are typically greater risks involved in investing in emerging markets securities. Generally, economic structures in these countries are less diverse and mature than those in developed countries and their political systems tend to be less stable. Emerging markets countries may have a higher degree of corruption and fraud than developed market countries, as well as counterparties and financial institutions with less financial sophistication, creditworthiness and/or resources. Emerging market economies may be based on only a few industries, therefore security issuers, including governments, may be more susceptible to economic weakness and more likely to default. Emerging market countries may also have higher rates of inflation and more rapid and extreme fluctuations in inflation rates and greater sensitivity to interest rate changes. Emerging market countries may have relatively unstable governments, weaker economies, and less-developed legal systems with fewer security holder rights. Therefore, laws regarding foreign investment in emerging market securities, securities regulation, title to securities, and shareholder rights may change quickly and unpredictably. Emerging markets countries also may have less developed legal systems allowing for enforcement of private property rights and/or redress for injuries to private property, such as bankruptcy. The ability to bring and enforce actions in emerging market countries, or to obtain information needed to pursue or enforce such actions, may be limited and shareholder claims may be difficult or impossible to pursue. In addition, the taxation systems at the federal, regional, and local levels in emerging market

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countries may be less transparent and inconsistently enforced, and subject to sudden change. Further, companies in emerging market countries generally may be subject to less stringent regulatory, disclosure, financial reporting, accounting, auditing, and recordkeeping standards than companies in more developed countries and, as a result, the nature and quality of such information may vary. Information about such companies may be less available and reliable and, therefore, the ability to conduct adequate due diligence in emerging markets may be limited which can impede the Fund’s ability to evaluate such companies. In addition, certain emerging market countries may impose material limitations on PCAOB inspection, investigation and enforcement capabilities which hinder the ability to engage in independent oversight or inspection of accounting firms located in or operating in certain emerging markets; there is no guarantee that the quality of financial reporting or the audits conducted by audit firms of emerging market issuers meet PCAOB standards. The potentially smaller size of emerging markets countries’ securities markets and lower trading volumes can make investments relatively illiquid and potentially more volatile than investments in developed countries, and such securities may be subject to abrupt and severe price declines. Due to this relative lack of liquidity, the Fund may have to accept a lower price or may not be able to sell a portfolio security at all. An inability to sell a portfolio position can adversely affect the Fund's value or prevent the Fund from being able to meet cash obligations or take advantage of other investment opportunities. Other risks of investing in emerging markets securities may include additional transaction costs, delays in settlement procedures, unexpected market closures, and lack of timely information.

 

Energy and Infrastructure Industry Risk. Companies in the energy and infrastructure industry are subject to many risks that can negatively impact the revenues and viability of companies in this industry. These risks include, but are not limited to, commodity price volatility risk, supply and demand risk, reserve and depletion risk, operations risk, regulatory risk, environmental risk, terrorism risk and the risk of natural disasters.

 

Energy Sector Risk. Risks of energy related securities include the risks that a decrease in the production of natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil, coal or other energy commodities or a decrease in the volume of such commodities available for transportation, mining, processing, storage or distribution may adversely impact the financial performance of energy related securities. To maintain or grow their revenues, these companies need to maintain or expand their reserves through exploration of new sources of supply, through the development of existing sources, through acquisitions, or through long-term contracts to acquire reserves. The financial performance of energy related securities may be adversely affected if a master limited partnership, or the companies to whom it provides the service, are unable to cost-effectively acquire additional reserves sufficient to replace the natural decline. Various governmental authorities have the power to enforce compliance with regulations and the permits issued under them, and violators are subject to administrative, civil and criminal penalties, including civil fines, injunctions or both. Stricter laws, regulations or enforcement policies could be enacted in the future which would likely increase compliance costs and may adversely affect the financial performance of energy related securities. Volatility of commodity prices, which may lead to a reduction in production or supply, may also negatively impact the performance of energy related securities. energy related securities are also subject to risks that are specific to the industry they serve. Energy related entities that provide crude oil, refined product, natural gas liquids and natural

gas services are subject to supply and demand fluctuations in the markets they serve which will be impacted by a wide range of factors, including fluctuating commodity prices, weather, increased conservation or use of alternative fuel sources, increased governmental or environmental regulation, depletion, rising interest rates, declines in domestic or foreign production, accidents or catastrophic events, and economic conditions, among others.

 

Equity Securities Risk. Equity securities are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value. Equity securities may experience sudden, unpredictable drops in value or long periods of decline in value. This may occur because of factors affecting securities markets generally, the equity securities of a particular sector, or a particular company. 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.

 

ETF Structure Risk. The Fund, and the ETFs the Fund invests in, are structured as ETFs and as a result are subject to special risks, including:

 

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oNot Individually Redeemable. Shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at NAV only in large blocks known as “Creation Units.” You may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough Shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Fund shares are typically bought and sold in the secondary market and investors typically pay brokerage commissions or other charges on these transactions.
oTrading Issues. Trading in Shares on the Exchange may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that Shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. An active trading market for the Fund’s shares may not be developed or maintained. If the Fund’s shares are traded outside a collateralized settlement system, the number of financial institutions that can act as authorized participants that can post collateral on an agency basis is limited, which may limit the market for the Fund’s shares.

oMarket Price Variance Risk. Individual Shares of the Fund that are listed for trading on the Exchange can be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The market prices of Shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for Shares. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly and you may pay more than NAV when buying Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive less than NAV when you sell those Shares. The market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread often increases significantly. This means that Shares may trade at a discount to NAV and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of Shares is falling fastest, which may be the time that you most want to sell your Shares. The Fund’s investment results are measured based upon the daily NAV of the Fund over a period of time. Investors purchasing and selling Shares in the secondary market may not experience investment results consistent with those experienced by those creating and redeeming directly with the Fund.
§In times of market stress, market makers may step away from their role market making in shares of ETFs and in executing trades, which may result in a significantly diminished trading market for the Fund’s shares and can lead to differences between the market value of Fund shares and the Fund’s net asset value, and wider bid-ask spreads.
§The market price for the Fund’s shares may deviate from the Fund’s net asset value, particularly during times of market stress, with the result that investors may pay significantly more or significantly less for Fund shares than the Fund’s net asset value, which is reflected in the bid and ask price for Fund shares or in the closing price.
§When all or a portion of an ETF’s underlying securities trade in a market that is closed when the market for the Fund’s shares is open, there may be changes from the last quote of the closed market and the quote from the Fund’s domestic trading day, which could lead to differences between the market value of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s net asset value.
§In stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s shares may become less liquid in response to the deteriorating liquidity of the Fund’s portfolio. This adverse effect on the liquidity of the Fund’s shares may, in turn, lead to differences between the market value of the Fund’s shares and the Fund’s net asset value. Because bid-ask spreads vary over time based on trading volume and market liquidity (including for the underlying securities held by the Fund), spreads may widen if the Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Conversely, the bid-ask spreads will generally be narrower if the Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity.

 

Exchange Traded Fund (“ETF”) Risk. The Fund may invest in ETFs as part of its principal investment strategy. ETFs are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in ETFs and may be higher than

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other ETFs that invest directly in stocks and bonds. ETFs are listed on national stock exchanges and are traded like stocks listed on an exchange. ETF shares may trade at a discount to or a premium above net asset value if there is a limited market in such shares. ETFs are also subject to brokerage and other trading costs, which could result in greater expenses to the Fund. Because the value of ETF shares depends on the demand in the market, the adviser or sub-adviser (as applicable) may not be able to liquidate the Fund’s holdings at the most optimal time, adversely affecting performance. The ETF is subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of its investment strategy. These risks could include liquidity risk, sector risk and emerging market risk. In addition, ETFs that use derivatives may be subject to counterparty risk, liquidity risk, and other risks commonly associated with investments in derivatives. ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track, if any, because the total return generated by the securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of the securities. In addition, the ETFs in which the Fund invests will incur expenses not incurred by their applicable indices. Certain securities comprising the indices tracked by the ETFs in which the Fund invests may, from time to time, temporarily be unavailable, which may further impede the ETFs’ ability to track their applicable indices.

 

Exchange Traded Note (“ETN”) Risk. Similar to ETFs, owning an ETN generally reflects the risks of owning the assets that comprise the underlying market benchmark or strategy that the ETN is designed to reflect. ETNs also are subject to issuer and fixed income risk. In addition, ETNs are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the broker-dealer or bank that issues the notes will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the Fund. ETNs constitute general unsecured contractual obligations of the banks or broker-dealers that issue them, and the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such banks or broker-dealers. ETNs that are linked to market volatility are subject to default risk of the issuer; may not provide an effective hedge as historical correlation trends between the reference volatility index or measure and other asset classes may not continue or may reverse, limiting or eliminating any potential hedging effect; may become mispriced or improperly valued when compared to expectations and may not produce the desired investment results; may have tracking risk if the ETN does not move in step with its reference index; and may become illiquid.

 

Extension Risk. Extension risk is the risk that if interest rates rise, repayments of principal on certain debt securities, including, but not limited to, floating rate loans and mortgage-related securities, may occur at a slower rate than expected and the expected maturity of those securities could lengthen as a result. Securities that are subject to extension risk generally have a greater potential for loss when prevailing interest rates rise, which could cause their values to fall sharply.

 

Financial Markets Regulatory Risk. Policy changes by the U.S. government or its regulatory agencies and political events within the U.S. and abroad may, among other things, affect investor and consumer confidence and increase volatility in the financial markets, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree, which may adversely impact the Fund’s operations, universe of potential investment options, and return potential.

Financial Sector Risk. Performance of companies in the financial sector may be adversely impacted by many factors, including, among others, government regulations, economic conditions, credit rating downgrades, changes in interest rates, and decreased liquidity in credit markets. The impact of more stringent capital requirements, recent or future regulation of any individual financial company, or recent or future regulation of the financial sector as a whole cannot be predicted.

 

Fixed Income Securities Risk. The value of the Fund’s fixed income securities will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of fixed income securities owned by the Fund. In general, the market price of fixed income securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the risk that the debtor may default), extension risk (the risk that an issuer may exercise its right to repay principal on a fixed rate obligation held by the Fund later than expected), and prepayment risk (the risk that the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments). Lowered credit ratings may cause a drop in a fixed income security’s price and are associated with greater risk of default on interest and principal payments. Certain

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fixed income securities may be paid off early when the issuer can repay the principal prior to a security’s maturity. If interest rates are falling, the Fund may have to reinvest the unanticipated proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income. If interest rates rise, repayments of principal on certain fixed income securities may occur at a slower rate than expected and the expected maturity of those securities could lengthen as a result, which reduces the Fund’s ability to reinvest at higher rates. These risks could affect the value of a particular investment by the Fund, possibly causing the Fund’s share price and total return to be reduced and fluctuate more than other types of investments.

 

Floating Rate Loans Risk. The Fund may invest in floating rate loans that are senior in the capital structure of the borrower or issuer, and that are secured with specific collateral. Loans that are senior and secured generally involve less risk than unsecured or subordinated debt and equity instruments of the same borrower because the payment of principal and interest on senior loans is an obligation of the borrower that, in most instances, takes precedence over the payment of dividends or the return of capital to the borrower’s shareholders, and payments to bond holders; and because of the collateral supporting the repayment of the debt instrument. However, the value of the collateral may not equal the Fund’s investment when the debt instrument is acquired or may decline below the principal amount of the debt instrument subsequent to the Fund’s investment. Also, to the extent that collateral consists of stocks of the borrower, or its subsidiaries or affiliates, the Fund bears the risk that the stocks may decline in value, be relatively illiquid or may lose all or substantially all of their value, causing the Fund’s investment to be under- collateralized. Therefore, the liquidation of the collateral underlying a floating rate loan in which the Fund has invested, may not satisfy the borrower’s obligation to the Fund in the event of non-payment of scheduled interest or principal, and the collateral may not be able to be readily liquidated.

 

In the event of the bankruptcy of a borrower or issuer, the Fund could experience delays and limitations on its ability to realize the benefits of the collateral securing the Fund’s investment. Among the risks involved in a bankruptcy are assertions that the pledge of collateral to secure a loan constitutes a fraudulent conveyance or preferential transfer that would have the effect of nullifying or subordinating the Fund’s rights to the collateral.

 

Floating rate loans are also subject to interest rate risk arising from changes in short-term market interest rates. If short-term market interest rates fall, the yield on the Fund’s shares will also fall. Conversely, when short-term market interest rates rise, because of the lag between changes in such short-term rates and the resetting of the floating rates on the floating rate debt in the Fund’s portfolio, the impact of rising rates will be delayed to the extent of such lag. The impact of market interest rate changes on the Fund’s yield will also be affected by whether, and the extent to which, the floating rate debt in the Fund’s portfolio is subject to floors on the base rate on which interest is calculated for such loans. So long as the base rate for a loan remains under the floor, changes in short-term interest rates will not affect the yield on such loans. In addition, to the extent that the interest rate spreads on floating rate debt in the Fund’s portfolio experience a general decline, the yield on the Fund’s shares will fall and the value of the Fund’s assets may decrease, which will cause the Fund’s net asset value to decrease.

 

The floating rate debt in which the Fund invests may be generally rated lower than investment-grade credit quality, i.e., rated lower than “Baa3” by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or “BBB-” by S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”), or have been made to borrowers who have issued debt securities that are rated lower than investment- grade in quality or, if unrated, would be rated lower than investment-grade credit quality. Investment decisions for the Fund will be based largely on the credit analysis performed by the Advisor, and not entirely on rating agency evaluation. This analysis may be difficult to perform. Information about a loan and its borrower generally is not in the public domain. Many borrowers have not issued securities to the public and are not subject to reporting requirements under federal securities laws. Generally, however, borrowers are required to provide financial information to lenders and information may be available from other loan market participants or agents that originate or administer loans.

Foreign Currency Risk. Currency trading risks include market risk, credit risk and country risk. Market risk results from adverse changes in exchange rates in the currencies the Fund is long or short. Credit risk results because a currency-trade counterparty may default. Country risk arises because a government may interfere with transactions in its currency.

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Foreign Exchanges Risk. Neither existing CFTC regulations nor regulations of any other U.S. governmental agency apply to derivative transactions on foreign markets. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals’ markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a commodity interest transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.

 

Foreign Investment Risk. To the extent the Fund invest in foreign securities, the Fund could be subject to greater risks because the Fund’s performance may depend on issues other than the performance of a particular company or U.S. market sector. Changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund than they would a mutual fund that invests exclusively in U.S. companies. The value of foreign securities is also affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. There may also be less government supervision of foreign markets, resulting in non-uniform accounting practices and less publicly available information. The values of foreign investments may be affected by changes in exchange control regulations, application of foreign tax laws (including withholding tax), changes in governmental administration or economic or monetary policy (in this country or abroad) or changed circumstances in dealings between nations. In addition, foreign brokerage commissions, custody fees and other costs of investing in foreign securities are generally higher than in the United States. Investments in foreign issuers could be affected by other factors not present in the United States, including expropriation, armed conflict, confiscatory taxation, and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations. As a result, the Fund may be exposed to greater risk and will be more dependent on the Advisor’s ability to assess such risk than if the Fund invested solely in more developed countries.

 

Forwards Risk. Foreign currency forward contracts are a type of derivative contract whereby the Fund may agree to buy or sell a country or region’s currency at a specific price on a specific date, usually 30, 60, or 90 days in the future. These contracts are subject to the risk of political and economic factors applicable to the countries issuing the underlying currencies and may fall in value due to foreign market downswings or foreign currency value fluctuations. Forward foreign currency contracts are individually negotiated and privately traded so they are dependent upon the creditworthiness of the counterparty and subject to counterparty risk. The Fund’s investment or hedging strategies may not achieve their objective.

 

Fund of Funds Risk. The Fund, as a shareholder of the underlying funds, indirectly bears its proportionate share of any investment management fees and other expenses of the underlying funds. Further due to the fees and expenses paid by the Fund, as well as small variations in the Fund’s actual allocations to the underlying funds and any cash held in the Fund’s portfolio, the performance and income distributions of the Fund will not be the same as the performance and income distributions of the underlying funds allocated according to the target allocations described here.

 

Futures Risk. The use of futures involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments and exposes the Fund to the risks associated with derivative instruments described above. Changes in the value of futures contracts may not track or correlate perfectly with the underlying reference asset because of temporary, or even long-term, supply and demand imbalances. Most U.S. commodity futures exchanges impose daily limits regulating the maximum amount above or below the previous day’s settlement price which a futures contract price may fluctuate during a single day. During a single trading day no trades may be executed at prices beyond the daily limit. Once the price of a particular futures contract has increased or decreased to the limit point, it may be difficult, costly, or impossible to liquidate a position. It is also possible that an exchange or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), which regulates commodity futures exchanges, may suspend trading in a particular contract, order immediate settlement of a contract or order that trading to the liquidation of open positions only.

 

Geographic Concentration Risk. The Fund may be particularly susceptible to economic, political, regulatory, or other events or conditions affecting countries within the specific geographic regions in which the Fund invests. Currency devaluations could occur in countries that have not yet experienced currency devaluation to date or could

25 
 

continue to occur in countries that have already experienced such devaluations. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value may be more volatile than a more geographically diversified fund.

 

Growth Stock Risk. "Growth" stocks can react differently to issuer, political, market, and economic developments than the market as a whole and other types of stocks. "Growth" stocks also tend to be more expensive relative to their earnings or assets compared to other types of stocks. As a result, "growth" stocks tend to be sensitive to changes in their earnings and more volatile in price than the stock market as a whole. In addition, companies that the Advisor or Advisor believes have significant growth potential are often companies with new, limited, or cyclical product lines, markets or financial resources and the management of such companies may be dependent upon one or a few key people. The stocks of such companies can therefore be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger, more established companies or the stock market in general.

 

Healthcare Sector Risk. The healthcare sector may be affected by government regulations and government healthcare programs, increases or decreases in the cost of medical products and services and product liability claims, among other factors. Many healthcare companies are heavily dependent on patent protection, and the expiration of a company’s patent may adversely affect that company’s profitability. Healthcare companies are subject to competitive forces that may result in price discounting and may be thinly capitalized and susceptible to product obsolescence.

 

Income Risk. The Fund’s distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall, when the Fund experiences deterioration of the underlying debt securities it holds, or when the Fund realizes a loss upon the sale of a debt security.

 

Index-Linked Derivative Securities Risk. If the derivative is linked to the performance of an index, it will be subject to the risks associated with changes in that index.

 

Industrials Sector Risk. The value of securities issued by companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by supply and demand related to their specific products or services and industrials sector products in general. The products of manufacturing companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction. Government regulations, world events, economic conditions and exchange rates may adversely affect the performance of companies in the industrials sector. Companies in the industrials sector may be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage and product liability claims. Companies in the industrials sector, particularly aerospace and defense companies, may also be adversely affected by government spending policies because companies involved in this sector rely to a significant extent on government demand for their products and services.

 

Inflation-Indexed Bond Risk. Inflation-indexed bonds are fixed income securities whose principal values are periodically adjusted according to a measure of inflation. If the index measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these securities (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. Repayment of the original bond principal upon maturity (as adjusted for inflation) is guaranteed in the case of U.S. Treasury inflation indexed bonds. For bonds that do not provide a similar guarantee, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal. With regard to municipal inflation-indexed bonds and certain corporate inflation- indexed bonds, the inflation adjustment is reflected in the semi-annual coupon payment. As a result, the principal value of municipal inflation-indexed bonds and such corporate inflation indexed bonds does not adjust according to the rate of inflation. The value of inflation-indexed bonds is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation. If nominal interest rates increase at a faster rate than inflation, real interest rates may rise, leading to a decrease in value of inflation-indexed bonds. Inflation-indexed bonds may cause a potential cash flow mismatch to investors, because an increase in the principal amount of an inflation-indexed bond will be treated as interest income currently subject to tax at ordinary income rates even though investors will not receive repayment of principal until maturity. If the Fund invests in such bonds, it will be required to distribute such interest income in order to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company and eliminate the Fund-level tax, without a corresponding receipt of

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cash, and therefore may be required to dispose of portfolio securities at a time when it may not be desirable.

 

Inflation Protected Securities Risk. Inflation-protected debt securities tend to react to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates represent nominal (stated) interest rates reduced by the expected impact of inflation. In general, the price of an inflation-protected debt security can fall when real interest rates rise and can rise when real interest rates fall. Interest payments on inflation-protected debt securities can be unpredictable and will vary as the principal and/or interest is adjusted for inflation.

 

Information Technology Sector Risk. Information technology companies face intense competition, both domestically and internationally, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Information technology companies may have limited product lines, markets, financial resources, or personnel. The products of information technology companies may face obsolescence due to rapid technological developments and frequent new product introduction, unpredictable changes in growth rates and competition for the services of qualified personnel. Companies in the information technology sector are heavily dependent on patent and intellectual property rights. The loss or impairment of these rights may adversely affect the profitability of these companies.

 

Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that bond prices overall, including the prices of securities held by the Fund, will decline over short or even long periods of time due to rising interest rates. Bonds with longer maturities tend to be more sensitive to interest rates than bonds with shorter maturities. For example, if interest rates go up by 1.0%, the price of a 4% coupon bond will decrease by approximately 1.0% for a bond with 1 year to maturity and approximately 4.4% for a bond with 5 years to maturity. The maturity and effective duration of the Fund’s investment portfolio may vary materially, from time to time, and there is no assurance that the Fund will achieve or maintain any particular target maturity or effective duration of its investment portfolio.

 

Inverse ETF and ETN Risk. Investing in inverse ETFs and ETNs may result in increased volatility due to the ETF’s or ETN’s possible use of short sales of securities and derivatives such as options and futures. The use of leverage by an ETF or ETN increases risk to the Fund. The more the Fund invests in leveraged instruments, the more the leverage will magnify any gains or losses on those investments. During periods of increased volatility, inverse ETFs and ETNs may not perform in the manner they are designed.

 

Investment Style Risk. The particular type of investments in which the Fund focuses (such as large-capitalization stocks) may underperform other asset classes or the overall market. Individual market segments such as the large- cap U.S. equity market segment tends to go through cycles of performing better or worse than other types of securities. These periods may last as long as several years. Additionally, a particular market segment could fall out of favor with investors, causing the Fund that focuses on that market segment to underperform those that favor other kinds of securities.

 

Issuer Specific Risk. The value of a specific security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of securities of smaller issuers can be more volatile than those of larger issuers. The value of certain types of securities can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market, or economic developments. Certain managers may be dependent upon a single individual or small group of individuals, the loss of which could adversely affect their success.

 

Junk Bond Risk. Lower-quality bonds, known as “high yield” or “junk” bonds are considered to be speculative with respect to the issuer’s ability to pay interest and principal when due and present a significant risk for loss of principal and interest. These bonds offer the potential for higher return, but also involve greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased possibility that the bond’s issuer, obligor, or guarantor may not be able to make its payments of interest and principal (credit quality risk). If that happens, the value of the bond may decrease, and the Fund’s share price may decrease, and its income distribution may be reduced. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates (interest rate risk) could adversely affect the market for these bonds and reduce the Fund’s ability to sell the bonds in its portfolio (liquidity risk). Such securities may also include “Rule 144A”

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securities, which are subject to resale restrictions. The lack of a liquid market for these bonds could decrease the value of the Fund’s portfolio and net asset value per share.

 

Large Capitalization Company Risk. The investments in larger, more established companies are subject to the risk that larger companies are sometimes unable to attain the high growth rates of successful, smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion. Large-capitalization companies may be less able than smaller capitalization companies to adapt to changing market conditions. Larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges such as changes in consumer tastes or innovative smaller competitors potentially resulting in lower markets for their common stock. During different market cycles, the performance of large capitalization companies has trailed the overall performance of the broader securities markets.

 

Leverage Risk. Using derivatives can create leverage, which can amplify the effects of market volatility on the Fund’s share price and make the Fund’s returns more volatile. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it would not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its obligations. The use of leverage may also cause the Fund to have higher expenses than those of funds that do not use such techniques.

 

Leveraged ETF Risk. Investing in leveraged ETFs will amplify the Fund’s gains and losses. Most leveraged ETFs “reset” daily. Due to the effect of compounding, their performance over longer periods of time can differ significantly from the performance of their underlying index or benchmark during the same period of time.

 

Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations. Liquid securities can become illiquid due to political, economic or issuer specific events; supply/demand imbalances; changes in a specific market’s size or structure, including the number of participants; or overall market disruptions.

 

Litigation Risk. The Fund may be named in a lawsuit despite no wrongdoing by the Fund, its Advisor or any other service provider to the Fund. The defense of a lawsuit may detrimentally impact the Fund and its shareholders, including incurring legal defense costs, regulatory costs and increased insurance premiums.

 

Loan Risk. Investments in bank loans may subject the Fund to heightened credit risks because such loans tend to be highly leveraged and potentially more susceptible to the risks of interest deferral, default and/or bankruptcy. Senior floating rate loans are often rated below investment grade, but may also be unrated. The risks associated with these loans can be similar to the risks of below investment grade fixed income instruments. An economic downturn would generally lead to a higher non-payment rate, and a senior floating rate loan may lose significant market value before a default occurs. Moreover, any specific collateral used to secure a senior floating rate loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the loan’s value. Unlike the securities markets, there is no central clearinghouse for loan trades, and the loan market has not established enforceable settlement standards or remedies for failure to settle. Therefore, portfolio transactions in loans may have uncertain settlement time periods. Senior floating rate loans are subject to a number of risks described elsewhere in this Prospectus, including liquidity risk and the risk of investing in below-investment grade fixed income instruments.

 

Machinery and Electrical Equipment Industry Risk. The machinery and electrical equipment industries can be significantly affected by general economic trends, including employment, economic growth, and interest rates; changes in consumer sentiment and spending; overall capital spending levels, which are influenced by an individual company’s profitability and broader factors such as interest rates and foreign competition; commodity prices; technical obsolescence; labor relations legislation; government regulation and spending; import controls; and worldwide competition. Companies in these industries also can be adversely affected by liability for environmental damage, depletion of resources, and mandated expenditures for safety and pollution control.

 

 

Management Risk. The Advisor’s reliance on its sector allocation and risk management strategies and related judgments about the value and potential appreciation of securities in which the Fund invests may prove to be

28 
 

incorrect. The Advisor may not successfully implement the Fund’s investment strategies and, as a result, the Fund may not meet its investment objective and/or underperform other investment vehicles with similar investment objectives and strategies.

 

Market Risk. Overall market risks may also affect the value of the Fund. The market value of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Factors such as economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, exchange rates and political events affect the securities markets. Changes in market conditions and interest rates generally do not have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments. Unexpected local, regional or global events and their aftermath, such as war; acts of terrorism; financial, political or social disruptions; natural, environmental or man-made disasters; the spread of infectious illnesses or other public health issues; recessions and depressions; or other tragedies, catastrophes and events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s net asset value, and may impair market liquidity, thereby increasing liquidity risk. Such events can cause investor fear and panic, which can adversely affect the economies of many companies, sectors, nations, regions, and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. In times of severe market disruptions, you could lose your entire investment.

 

Market Price Variance Risk. Individual shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange and can be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The market prices of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate in response to changes in its NAV and supply and demand for their shares. Differences between secondary market prices and NAV for the Fund’s shares may be due largely to supply and demand forces in the secondary market, which forces may not be the same as those influencing prices for securities or instruments held by the Fund at a particular time. There may, however, be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly and an investor may pay more than NAV when buying Fund shares on the secondary market and receive less than NAV when it sells those Fund shares. The market price of Fund shares includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the market makers that trade the Fund’s shares. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread often increases significantly. This means that the Fund’s shares may trade at a discount to NAV, and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of the Fund’s shares is falling fastest, which may be the time that investors most want to sell the Fund’s shares. However, given that the Fund’s shares can be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units at NAV, and the Fund’s portfolio holdings are fully disclosed on a daily basis, the Advisor believes that large discounts or premiums to the NAV of the Fund’s shares should not be sustained. A disruption in creations and redemptions, however, may cause the market price of the Fund’s shares to deviate significantly from the Fund’s NAV. In addition, the Fund’s investment results are measured based upon the daily NAV of the Fund. Accordingly, investors purchasing and selling the Fund’s shares in the secondary market may not experience investment results consistent with those purchasing from and redeeming Creation Units with the Fund directly.

 

Market Volatility-Linked ETFs Risk. ETFs that are linked to market volatility have the risks associated with investing in futures.

 

Medium (Mid) Capitalization Company Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in the stocks of mid-sized companies, the Fund may be subject to additional risks. The earnings and prospects of these companies are more volatile than larger companies. These companies may experience higher failure rates than larger companies. Mid- sized companies normally have a lower trading volume than larger companies, which may tend to make their market price fall more disproportionately than larger companies in response to selling pressures. Mid-sized companies may also have limited markets, product lines or financial resources and may lack management experience.

 

MBS and CMO Risk. MBS and CMOs are subject to credit risk because underlying loan borrowers may default. MBS and CMO default rates tend to be sensitive to overall economic conditions and to localized property vacancy rates and prices. Borrower default rates may be significantly higher than estimated. Certain individual securities may be more sensitive to default rates because payments may be subordinated to other securities of the same issuer. The Advisor’s assessment, or a rating agency’s assessment, of borrower credit quality, default rates and loss rates

29 
 

may prove to be overly optimistic. Additionally, MBS and CMOs are subject to prepayment risk because the underlying loans held by the issuers may be paid off prior to maturity at faster or lower rates than expected. The value of these securities may go down as a result of changes in prepayment rates on the underlying mortgages or

loans. During periods of declining interest rates, prepayment rates usually increases and the Fund may have to reinvest prepayment proceeds at a lower interest rate. CMOs may be less susceptible to this risk because payment priorities within the CMO may have the effect of a prepayment lock out period.

 

Micro Capitalization Company Risk. Micro capitalization companies may be newly formed or have limited product lines, distribution channels and financial and managerial resources. The risks associated with those investments are generally greater than those associated with investments in the securities of larger, more established companies. This may cause the Fund’s net asset value to be more volatile when compared to investment companies that focus only on large capitalization companies.

 

Generally, securities of micro capitalization companies are more likely to experience sharper swings in market value and generally are more volatile than larger companies. Micro capitalization companies may trade in less liquid markets in which it may be more difficult for the Advisor to sell at times and at prices that the Advisor believes appropriate. Compared to large companies, micro capitalization companies are more likely to have (i) less information publicly available, (ii) more limited product lines or markets and less mature businesses, (iii) fewer capital resources, (iv) more limited management depth and (v) shorter operating histories. Further, the equity securities of micro capitalization companies are often traded over the counter and generally experience a lower trading volume than is typical for securities that are traded on a national securities exchange. Consequently, the Fund may be required to dispose of these securities over a longer period of time (and potentially at less favorable prices) than would be the case for securities of larger companies, offering greater potential for gains and losses and associated tax consequences.

 

MLP and MLP-Related Securities Risk. Investments in MLPs and MLP-related securities involve risks different from those of investing in common stock including risks related to limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP or MLP-related security, risks related to potential conflicts of interest between an MLP and the MLP’s general partner, cash flow risks, dilution risks (which could occur if the MLP raises capital and then invests it in projects whose return fails to exceed the cost of capital raised) and risks related to the general partner’s limited call right. MLPs and MLP-related securities are generally considered interest-rate sensitive investments. During periods of interest rate volatility, these investments may not provide attractive returns. Depending on the state of interest rates in general, the use of MLPs or MLP-related securities could enhance or harm the overall performance of the Fund.

 

MLPs do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level, subject to the application of certain partnership audit rules. Instead, each partner is allocated a share of the partnership’s income, gains, losses, deductions, and expenses. A change in current tax law or in the underlying business mix of a given MLP could result in an MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. The classification of an MLP as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes would have the effect of reducing the amount of cash available for distribution by the MLP. Thus, if any of the MLPs owned by the Fund were treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it could result in a reduction of the value of your investment in the Fund and lower income, as compared to an MLP that is not taxed as a corporation.

 

Model and Data Risk. Like all quantitative analysis, the investment models utilized by the Advisor carry the risk that the ranking system, valuation results and predictions might be based on one or more incorrect assumptions, insufficient historical data, inadequate design, or may not be suitable for the purpose intended. In addition, models may not perform as intended for many reasons including errors, omissions, imperfections or malfunctions. Because the use of models is usually constructed based on data supplied by third parties, the success of the Advisor’s use of such models is dependent on the accuracy and reliability of the supplied data. Historical data inputs may be subject to revision or corrections, which may diminish data reliability and quality of predictive results. Changing and unforeseen market dynamics could also lead to a decrease in the short-term or long-term effectiveness of a model.

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Models may lose their predictive validity and incorrectly forecast future market behavior and asset prices, leading to potential losses. No assurance can be given that a model will be successful under all or any market conditions.

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Mortgage-backed securities represent participating interests in pools of residential mortgage loans, some of which are guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. However, the guarantee of these types of securities relates to the principal and interest payments and not the market value of such securities. In addition, the guarantee only relates to the mortgage-backed securities held by the Fund and not the purchase of shares of the Fund.

 

Mortgage-backed securities do not have a fixed maturity and their expected maturities may vary when interest rates rise or fall. An increased rate of prepayments on the Fund’s mortgage-backed securities will result in an unforeseen loss of interest income to the Fund as the Fund may be required to reinvest assets at a lower interest rate. A decreased rate of prepayments lengthens the expected maturity of a mortgage-backed security, causing the price of the mortgage-backed securities and the Fund’s net asset value per share to fall and making the mortgage-backed securities more sensitive to interest rate changes. The prices of mortgage-backed securities may decrease more than prices of other fixed-income securities when interest rates rise. An unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool will adversely affect the value of mortgage-backed securities and will result in losses to the Fund. The liquidity of mortgage-backed securities, and particularly non-agency non-investment grade mortgage-backed securities, may change over time. Mortgage-backed securities and other securities issued by participants in housing and commercial real estate finance, as well as other real estate-related markets have experienced extraordinary weakness and volatility in certain years.

 

Mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by private issuers are also known as “non-agency mortgage- backed securities.” Non-agency mortgage-backed securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements as those with government or government-sponsored entity guarantees and, therefore, mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics, and wider variances in interest rate, term, size, purpose, and borrower characteristics. The market for non-agency mortgage-backed securities is smaller and less liquid than the market for government-issued mortgage-backed securities.

 

Lower-quality notes, such as those considered "sub-prime" are more likely to default than those considered "prime" by a rating evaluation agency or service provider. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates could adversely affect the market for sub-prime notes and reduce the Fund’s ability to sell these securities. The lack of a liquid market for these securities could decrease the Fund’s share price. Additionally, borrowers may seek bankruptcy protection which would delay resolution of security holder claims and may eliminate or materially reduce liquidity.

 

Municipal Bond Risk. The value of municipal bonds that depend on a specific revenue source or general revenue source to fund their payment obligations may fluctuate as a result of changes in the cash flows generated by the revenue source(s) or changes in the priority of the municipal obligation to receive the cash flows generated by the revenue source(s). In addition, changes in federal tax laws or the activity of an issuer may adversely affect the tax- exempt status of municipal bonds. Investments in inverse floating rate securities typically involve greater risk than investments in municipal bonds of comparable maturity and credit quality and their values are more volatile than municipal bonds due to the leverage they entail.

 

Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the 1940 Act. Accordingly, the Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than if it were a “diversified” fund. To the extent that the Fund invests a higher percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer, the Fund is subject to a higher degree of risk associated with and developments affecting that issuer than a fund that invests more widely.

 

Options Market Risk. Markets for options and options on futures may not always operate on a fair and orderly basis. At times, prices for options and options on futures may not represent fair market value and prices may be

31 
 

subject to manipulation, which may be extreme under some circumstances. The dysfunction and manipulation of volatility and options markets may make it difficult for the fund to effectively implement its investment strategy, achieve its objectives and could potentially lead to significant losses.

 

Options Risk. There are risks associated with the use of options. As the buyer of a call option, the Fund risks losing the entire premium invested in the option if the underlying reference instrument does not rise above the strike price, which means the option will expire worthless. As the buyer of a put option, the Fund risks losing the entire premium invested in the option if the underlying reference instrument does not fall below the strike price, which means the option will expire worthless. Additionally, purchased options may decline in value due to changes in price of the underlying reference instrument, passage of time and changes in volatility. As a seller (writer) of a put option, the Fund will lose money if the value of the underlying reference instrument falls below the strike price. As a seller (writer) of a call option, the Fund will lose money if the value of the underlying reference instrument rises above the strike price. The Fund’s losses are potentially large in a written put transaction and potentially unlimited in a written call transaction.

 

Selling covered call or stock index options will limit the Fund’s gain, if any, on its underlying securities. Losses on stock index options may only be partially offset by gains in the Fund’s portfolio if the portfolio does not track the call-related stock index. The Fund continues to bear the risk of a decline in the value of its underlying stocks. Option premiums are treated as short-term capital gains and when distributed to shareholders, are usually taxable as ordinary income, which may have a higher tax rate than long-term capital gains for shareholders holding Fund shares in a taxable account.

 

Certain hedging strategies known as spreads or straddles expose the Fund to the risk that these sub-strategies may not perform as expected. In a spread transaction the Fund will invest in a combination of long and sold (written) positions on an option on an underlying reference instrument but with, for example, different strike prices. The long option may underperform while the sold option increases in price more than the Advisor expects. In a straddle transaction the Fund will invest in long puts and calls or sell puts and calls on an underlying reference instrument. Long straddle options may expire worthless. Short straddle options expose the Fund to potentially large losses on sold puts and potentially unlimited losses on sold calls.

 

Generally, options may not be an effective hedge or substitute for an underlying reference instrument because they may have imperfect correlation to the value of the securities or other reference instrument that they are intended to hedge or track. Factors such as differences in supply and demand for certain options may cause their returns to deviate from the Advisor’s expectations. Additionally, the underlying reference instrument on which the option is based may have imperfect correlation to the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

 

Markets for options and options on futures may not always operate on a fair and orderly basis. At times, prices for options and options on futures may not represent fair market value and prices may be subject to manipulation, which may be extreme under some circumstances. The dysfunction and manipulation of volatility, options markets

may make it difficult for the fund to effectively implement its investment strategy and achieve its objectives and could potentially lead to significant losses.

 

Option premiums are treated as short-term capital gains and when distributed to shareholders, are usually taxable as ordinary income, which may have a higher tax rate than long-term capital gains for shareholders holding Fund shares in a taxable account. Because option premiums paid or received by the Fund are small in relation to the market value of the investments underlying the options, buying, and selling put and call options can be more speculative than investing directly in securities.

 

Over-the-Counter (“OTC”) Trading Risk. Certain of the derivatives in which the Fund may invest may be traded (and privately negotiated) in the OTC market. While the OTC derivatives market is the primary trading venue for many derivatives, it is largely unregulated. As a result, and similar to other privately negotiated contracts, the Fund is subject to counterparty credit risk with respect to such derivative contracts.

 

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Preferred Stock Risk. The value of preferred stocks will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of preferred stock. Preferred stocks are also subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of preferred stock will fail to make its dividend payments. Preferred stock prices tend to move more slowly upwards than common stock prices. In an issuer bankruptcy, preferred stockholders are subordinate to the claims of debtholders and may receive little or no recovery.

 

Prepayment Risk. The Fund may invest in debt securities that may be paid off early when the issuer of a debt security can repay the principal prior to a security’s maturity. If interest rates are falling, the Fund may have to reinvest the unanticipated proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in the Fund’s income.

 

Real Estate and REIT Risk. The Fund is subject to the risks of the real estate market as a whole, such as taxation, regulations and economic and political factors that negatively impact the real estate market and the direct ownership of real estate. These may include decreases in real estate values, overbuilding, rising operating costs, interest rates and property taxes. In addition, some real estate related investments are not fully diversified and are subject to the risks associated with financing a limited number of projects.

 

Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those associated with the real estate sector generally. REITs whose underlying properties are concentrated in a particular industry or region are also subject to risks affecting such industries and regions. REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risks. By investing in REITs through the Fund, a shareholder will bear expenses of the REITs in addition to Fund expenses. An entity that fails to qualify as a REIT would be subject to a corporate level tax, would not be entitled to a deduction for dividends paid to its shareholders and would not pass through to its shareholders the character of income earned by the entity.

 

Regulatory Risk. Regulatory authorities in the United States or other countries may adopt rules that restrict the ability of the Fund to fully implement its strategy, either generally, or with respect to certain securities, industries or countries, which may impact the Fund’s ability to fully implement its investment strategies. Regulators may interpret rules differently than the Fund or the fund industry generally, and disputes over such interpretations can increase in legal expenses incurred by the Fund.

 

Repurchase and Reverse Repurchase Agreements Risk. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements in which it purchases a security (known as the "underlying security") from a securities dealer or bank. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default by the seller of a repurchase agreement, the Fund could experience delays in liquidating the underlying security. The Fund may also experience losses in the event of a decline in the value of the underlying security while the Fund is seeking to enforce its rights under the repurchase agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund with an agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and interest payment, and involve the risk that (i) the other party may fail to return the

securities in a timely manner, or at all, and (ii) the market value of assets that are required to be repurchased decline below the purchase price of the asset that has to be sold, resulting in losses to the Fund.

 

Restricted Securities Risk. The Fund may hold securities that are restricted as to resale under the U.S. federal securities laws. There can be no assurance that a trading market will exist at any time for any particular restricted security. Limitations on the resale of these securities may prevent the Fund from disposing of them promptly at reasonable prices or at all. The Fund may have to bear the expense of registering the securities for resale and the risk of substantial delays in effecting the registration. Also, restricted securities may be difficult to value because market quotations may not be readily available, and the values of restricted securities may have significant volatility.

 

Risk Management Risk. The measures that the Advisor or portfolio manager use to monitor and manage the risks of the Fund may not accomplish the intended results and the Fund may experience losses significantly greater than expected.

 

Sector Risk. Sector concentration risk is the possibility that securities within the same sector will decline in price due to sector-specific market or economic developments. If the Fund invests more heavily in a particular sector, the

33 
 

value of its shares may be especially sensitive to factors and economic risks that specifically affect that sector. As a result, the Fund’s share price may fluctuate more widely than the value of shares of a mutual fund that invests in a broader range of sectors. Additionally, some sectors could be subject to greater government regulation than other sectors. Therefore, changes in regulatory policies for those sectors may have a material effect on the value of securities issued by companies in those sectors.

 

Security Risk. The value of the Fund may decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual security in the Fund’s portfolio. The net asset value of the Fund will fluctuate based on changes in the value of the securities in which the Fund invests. The Fund may invest in securities that may be more volatile and carry more risk than some other forms of investment. The price of securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes. Security prices in general may decline over short or even extended periods of time. Market prices of securities in broad market segments may be adversely affected by a prominent issuer having experienced losses, lack of earnings, failure to meet the market’s expectations with respect to new products or services, or even by factors wholly unrelated to the value or condition of the issuer, such as changes in interest rates.

 

Segregation Risk. In order to cover its short positions on written options, the Fund will either own the underlying assets, enter into offsetting transactions or set aside cash or readily marketable securities. This requirement may cause the Fund to miss favorable trading opportunities, due to a lack of sufficient cash or readily marketable securities. This requirement may also cause the Fund to realize losses on offsetting or terminated derivative contracts or special transactions.

 

Short Selling Risk. If a security or other instrument sold short increases in price, the Fund may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss. The Fund may have substantial short security positions and must borrow those securities to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund may not be able to borrow a security that it needs to deliver or it may not be able to close out a short position at an acceptable price and may have to sell related long positions before it had intended to do so. Thus, the Fund may not be able to successfully implement its short sale strategy due to limited availability of desired securities or for other reasons.

 

The Fund also may be required to pay a commission and other transaction costs, which would increase the cost of the security sold short. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of the commission, dividends, interest or expenses the Fund may be required to pay in connection with the short sale.

 

Until the Fund replaces a borrowed security, it is required to maintain a segregated account of cash or liquid assets with a broker or custodian to cover the Fund’s short position. Generally, securities held in a segregated account cannot be sold unless they are replaced with other liquid assets. The Fund’s ability to access the pledged collateral may also be impaired in the event the broker fails to comply with the terms of the contract. In such instances the Fund may not be able to substitute or sell the pledged collateral. This may limit the Fund’s investment flexibility and may cause the Fund to miss favorable trading opportunities due to a lack of sufficient cash or readily marketable securities. This may also affect the Fund’s ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations. This requirement may also cause the Fund to realize losses on offsetting or terminated derivative contracts or special transactions.

 

Because losses on short sales arise from increases in the value of the security sold short, such losses are theoretically unlimited. By contrast, a loss on a long position arises from decreases in the value of the security and is limited by the fact that a security’s value cannot go below zero.

 

Small Capitalization Company Risk. To the extent the Fund invests in the stocks of smaller-sized companies, the Fund may be subject to additional risks. The earnings and prospects of these companies are more volatile than larger companies. Smaller-sized companies may experience higher failure rates than do larger companies. The trading volume of securities of smaller-sized companies is normally less than that of larger companies and, therefore, may disproportionately affect their market price, tending to make them fall more in response to selling pressure than is the case with larger companies. Smaller-sized companies may have limited markets, product lines or financial

34 
 

resources and may lack management experience.

 

Sovereign Debt Risk. The issuer of foreign debt or the governmental authorities that control the repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal or interest when due, and the Fund may have limited recourse in the event of a default. The market prices of sovereign debt, and the Fund’s net asset value, may be more volatile than prices of U.S. debt obligations and certain emerging markets may encounter difficulties in servicing their debt obligations.

 

Structured Note Risk. The Fund may seek investment exposure to sectors through structured notes that may be exchange traded or may trade in the over-the-counter market. These notes are typically issued by banks or brokerage firms, and have interest and/or principal payments which are linked to changes in the price level of certain assets or to the price performance of certain indices. The value of a structured note will be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for this type of note, interest rate and market volatility, changes in the issuer’s credit quality rating, and economic, legal, political, events that affect the industry, and adverse changes in the index or reference asset to which the payments are linked. In addition, there may be a lag between a change in the value of the underlying reference asset and the value of the structured note. Structured notes may also be subject to counterparty risk. The Fund may also be exposed to increased transaction costs when it seeks to sell such notes in the secondary market.

 

Sub-Prime Mortgage Risk. Lower-quality notes, such as those considered "sub-prime" are more likely to default than those considered "prime" by a rating evaluation agency or service provider. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates could adversely affect the market for sub-prime notes and reduce the Fund’s ability to sell these securities. The lack of a liquid market for these securities could decrease the Fund’s share price. Additionally, borrowers may seek bankruptcy protection which would delay resolution of security holder claims and may eliminate or materially reduce liquidity.

 

Swaps Risk. The Fund’s use of swaps involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments and exposes the Fund to the risks associated with derivative instruments described herein. Certain derivatives risks are heightened with respect to over-the- counter (“OTC”) derivative instruments like certain swap agreements and may be greater during volatile market conditions. Such risks include the risk of leverage (i.e., the risk that an adverse change in the value of the underlying asset could result in the Fund sustaining a loss that is substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative or the anticipated value of the underlying asset), counterparty risk (i.e., the risk of a counterparty’s unwillingness or inability to perform its obligations, including as a result of bankruptcy), credit risk, and pricing risk (i.e., swaps may be difficult to value). Other heightened risks include the inability to close out a swap position because the trading market becomes illiquid (particularly in the OTC markets) or the availability of counterparties becomes limited for a period of time. In addition, the presence of speculators in a particular market could lead to price distortions. To the extent that the Fund is unable to close out a position because of market illiquidity, the Fund may not be able to prevent further losses of value in its holdings and the Fund’s liquidity may be impaired.

 

Underlying Fund Risk. The ETFs and money market funds (“Underlying Funds”) in which the Fund invests are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in the Underlying Funds and may be higher than other funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. In addition, when the Fund invests in Underlying Funds, there is a risk that the investment advisers of those Underlying Funds may make investment decisions that are detrimental to the performance of the Fund. Each of the Underlying Funds is subject to its own specific risks. Additional risks of investing in the Underlying Funds below:

 

Closed-End Fund Risk. Closed-end funds are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing will be higher than the cost of investing directly in a closed-end fund and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Closed-end funds are also subject to management risk because the adviser to the underlying closed-end fund may be unsuccessful in meeting the fund’s investment objective. These funds

35 
 

may also trade at a discount or premium to their net asset value and may trade at a larger discount or smaller premium subsequent to purchase by the Fund. Since closed-end funds trade on exchanges, the Fund will also incur brokerage expenses and commissions when it buys or sells closed-end fund shares.

ETF Tracking Risk. Investment in the Fund should be made with the understanding that the passive ETFs in which the Fund invests will not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track because the total return generated by the securities will be reduced by transaction costs incurred in adjusting the actual balance of the securities. In addition, the passive ETFs in which the Fund invests will incur expenses not incurred by their applicable indices. Certain securities comprising the indices tracked by the passive ETFs may, from time to time, temporarily be unavailable, which may further impede the passive ETFs’ ability to track their applicable indices.

Inverse Correlation Risk. Underlying Funds that are inverse funds should lose value as the index or security tracked by such fund’s benchmark increases in value; a result that is the opposite from traditional mutual funds. Successful use of inverse funds requires that the adviser correctly predict short term market movements. If the Fund invests in an inverse fund and markets rise, the Fund could lose money. Inverse funds may also employ leverage such that their returns are more than one times that of their benchmark.
Management Risk. When the Fund invests in Underlying Funds there is a risk that the investment advisers of those Underlying Funds may make investment decisions that are detrimental to the performance of the Fund.
Mutual Fund Risk. Mutual funds are subject to investment advisory and other expenses, which will be indirectly paid by the Fund. As a result, your cost of investing will be higher than the cost of investing directly in a mutual fund and may be higher than other mutual funds that invest directly in stocks and bonds. Mutual funds are also subject management risk because the adviser to the underlying mutual fund may be unsuccessful in meeting the fund’s investment objective and may temporarily pursue strategies which are inconsistent with the Fund’s investment objective.
Net Asset Value and Market Price Risk. The market value of ETF shares may differ from their net asset value. This difference in price may be due to the fact that the supply and demand in the market for fund shares at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the underlying basket of securities. Accordingly, there may be times when shares trade at a premium or discount to net asset value.

                      Strategies Risk. Each Underlying Fund is subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the fund. These risks could include liquidity risk, sector risk, and foreign currency risk, as well as risks associated with fixed income securities and commodities.

 

Utilities Sector Risk. Deregulation may subject utility companies to greater competition and may adversely affect their profitability. As deregulation allows utility companies to diversify outside of their original geographic regions and their traditional lines of business, utility companies may engage in riskier ventures. In addition, deregulation may eliminate restrictions on the profits of certain utility companies, but may also subject these companies to greater risk of loss. Companies in the utilities industry may have difficulty obtaining an adequate return on invested capital, raising capital, or financing large construction projects during periods of inflation or unsettled capital markets; face restrictions on operations and increased cost and delays attributable to environmental considerations and regulation; find that existing plants, equipment or products have been rendered obsolete by technological innovations; or be subject to increased costs because of the scarcity of certain fuels or the effects of man-made or natural disasters. Existing and future regulations or legislation may make it difficult for utility companies to operate profitably. Government regulators monitor and control utility revenues and costs, and therefore may limit utility profits. There is no assurance that regulatory authorities will grant rate increases in the future, or that such increases will be adequate to permit the payment of dividends on stocks issued by a utility company. Energy conservation and changes in climate policy may also have a significant adverse impact on the revenues and expenses of utility companies.

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U.S. Government Obligations Risk. U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the U.S. government and generally have negligible credit risk. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies or authorities and U.S. government-sponsored instrumentalities or enterprises may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, which could affect the Fund’s ability to recover should they default. No assurance can be given that the U.S. government will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so.

 

Volatility Risk. The Fund may have investments that appreciate or decrease significantly in value of short periods of time. This may cause the Fund’s net asset value and market price per share to experience significant increases or declines in value over short periods of time, however, all investments long- or short-term are subject to risk of loss.

 

Exclusion of Investment Advisor from Commodity Pool Operator Definition

 

With respect to the Fund, the Advisor has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and the rules of the CFTC and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, with respect to the Fund, the Advisor is relying upon a related exclusion from the definition of “commodity trading advisor” (“CTA”) under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC.

 

The terms of the CPO exclusion require the Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its investments in commodity futures, commodity options and swaps, which in turn include non-deliverable currency forward contracts, as further described in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). Because the Advisor and the Funds intend to comply with the terms of the CPO exclusion, a Fund may, in the future, need to adjust its investment strategies, consistent with its investment goal, to limit its investments in these types of instruments. Neither Fund is intended as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options, or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the Advisor’s reliance on these exclusions, or the Funds, their investment strategies or this Prospectus.

 

SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION

 

Purchasing and Selling Fund Shares on the Secondary Market

 

General. Most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund in secondary market transactions through their financial institution. Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading in the secondary market on the Exchange. The Exchange is currently open for business each day other than weekends and the following national holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

 

The Fund’s shares trade on the Exchange under the following symbols:

 

Fund Symbol
Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF SSUS

 

Shares of the Fund can be bought and sold throughout the trading day at their market price like other publicly traded equity securities. If you purchase shares of a Fund in the secondary market, there is no minimum investment. While shares of the Fund will typically be purchased and sold in the secondary market in “round lots” of 100 shares, your financial institution may permit you to purchase or sell shares in smaller “odd-lots” at no per-share price differential. When purchasing or selling Fund shares through your financial institution, you will pay customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and offer price in the secondary market.

 

The market price of Fund shares may be below (a discount), at, or above (a premium) their most recently calculated

37 
 

NAV and can be affected by market forces of supply and demand for the Fund’s shares, the prices of the Fund’s portfolio securities, economic conditions and other factors.

 

Purchasing Shares from and Redeeming Shares with the Funds

 

General. On each Business Day, you may purchase shares directly from the Funds, and you may tender shares for redemption directly to the Fund in a Creation Unit or multiples thereof. Each Creation Unit is currently comprised of 25,000 shares. The number of shares comprising a Creation Unit may change over time. Once “created,” shares of the Fund will generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit (see “Shareholder Information – Purchasing and Selling Fund Shares on the Secondary Market”).

 

To purchase or redeem Creation Units of the Fund, you must be an Authorized Participant or you must purchase or redeem the shares through a financial institution that is an Authorized Participant. The Distributor will provide a list of Authorized Participants upon request.

 

The Fund processes orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units at the NAV next calculated after an order has been received in proper form by the Distributor.

 

Except where the purchase or redemption will include cash under certain circumstances, investors will generally be required to purchase Creation Units by making an in-kind deposit of specified instruments (“Deposit Instruments”), and shareholders redeeming Creation Units will generally receive an in-kind transfer of specified instruments (“Redemption Instruments”). The name and quantities of the instruments that constitute the Fund’s Deposit Instruments and the names and quantities of the instruments that constitute the Fund’s Redemption Instruments will be specified by the Fund each day, and these instruments are referred to, in the case of either a purchase or a redemption, as the “Creation Basket.” If there is a difference between the net asset value attributable to a Creation Unit and the aggregate market value of the Creation Basket exchanged for the Creation Unit, the party conveying instruments with the lower value will also pay to the other an amount in cash equal to that difference.

 

Neither Fund generally offers or sell its shares outside of the U.S. Also, the Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase request at any time, for any reason, and without notice.

 

Additional information regarding the purchase and redemption of the Fund’s Creation Units may be found in the “Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units” section of the SAI.

 

Continuous Offering. Because new shares may be created and issued on an ongoing basis during the life of the Fund, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933 (“1933 Act”), may be occurring. 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 that could render them statutory underwriters and subject to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the 1933 Act. Any determination of whether one is an underwriter must take into account all the relevant facts and circumstances of each particular case.

 

Broker-dealers should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as compared to ordinary secondary market transactions), and thus dealing with shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the 1933 Act, would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the 1933 Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the 1933 Act is available only with respect to transactions on a national securities exchange.

 

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Book Entry

 

Shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The DTC, or its nominee, will be the record owner or registered owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all such shares. Your beneficial interest in the shares of the Fund will be reflected on the records of the DTC or its participants. Participants in the DTC include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with the DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares of the Fund, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares of the Fund registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of those shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of Fund shares, you must rely on the procedures of the DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other stocks that you hold in book entry or “street name” form through your financial institution.

 

Purchase of Shares by Investment Companies

Rule 12d1-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), permits registered investment companies and unit investment trusts that enter into an agreement with Strategy Shares, of which the Fund is a series (the “Trust”), (“Investing Funds”) to invest in series of the Trust beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act subject to certain terms and conditions. This aspect of Rule 12d1-4 is not applicable to the Funds. Accordingly, Investing Funds must adhere to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act when investing in the Fund.

 

Calculation of Net Asset Value

 

The Fund’s NAV is determined by dividing the total value of the Fund’s portfolio investments and other assets, less any liabilities, by the total number of shares outstanding as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day that the Exchange is open for business. Since the Fund may invest a portion of its investment portfolio in foreign securities that trade on weekends or other days that the Fund does not price it shares, the NAV of the Fund may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem Creation Units.

 

In computing the NAV for the Fund, current market value is used to value portfolio securities with respect to which market quotations are readily available, except short-term investments with remaining maturities of 60 days or less which are valued at amortized cost. Pursuant to Board-approved policies, the Fund relies on certain security pricing services to provide current market value of securities.

 

Securities for which market quotations are not readily available are valued at their “fair value” pursuant to Board- approved procedures. Market quotations may not be readily available if: (1) a portfolio security is not traded in a public market or the principal market in which the security trades are closed: (2) trading in a portfolio security is suspended and not resumed prior to the normal market close; (3) a portfolio security is not traded in significant volume for a substantial period; or (4) the value of a portfolio security has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the market on which the security is principally traded, or (5) the Advisor determines that the quotation or price for a portfolio security provided by an independent pricing source is inaccurate. The securities of smaller companies in which the Fund may invest may be susceptible to fair valuation since these securities may be thinly traded and less liquid than their larger counterparts. Similarly, the Fund’s investments in foreign securities, if any, are more likely to require a fair value determination because, among other things, events may occur between the closure of the foreign market and the time that the Fund calculates its NAV that affect the reported market value of these securities.

 

There can be no assurance that the Fund could purchase or sell a portfolio security at the price used to calculate the Fund’s NAV. In the case of fair valued portfolio securities, lack of information and uncertainty as to the significance of information may lead to a conclusion that a prior valuation is the best indication of a portfolio security’s present value. Fair valuations generally remain unchanged until new information becomes available. Consequently, changes

39 
 

in the fair valuation of portfolio securities may be less frequent and of greater magnitude than changes in the price of portfolio securities valued at their last sale price by an independent pricing service or based on market quotations. Fair valuation determinations often involve the consideration of a number of subjective factors, and the fair value price may be higher or lower than a readily available market quotation.

 

Frequent Purchases and Sales of Fund Shares

 

The Board has not adopted policies and procedures with respect to frequent purchases and sales of Fund shares. Frequent purchases and sales of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market are not expected to subject the Fund to the harmful effects of market timing and excessive trading such as dilution, the disruption of portfolio management, an increase in portfolio trading costs, and/or the realization of capital gains since these transactions do not involve the Fund directly. It is not anticipated that these effects will materialize as a result of the issuance and redemption of Creation Units by the Fund since these transactions will generally be processed on an in-kind basis (that is for a basket of portfolio securities and not for cash). Transaction fees will be imposed on purchases and redemptions of Creation Units, which are intended to offset custodial and other costs to the Fund incurred in processing the transactions in- kind. To the extent that the Fund permits the purchase or redemption of Creation Units in part or wholly in cash, higher transaction fees will be imposed, which are intended to offset the Fund’s increased trading costs to purchase or redeem portfolio securities in connection these transactions.

 

Portfolio Holdings Information

 

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of portfolio securities is available in the SAI.

 

DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUNDS

 

The Fund has adopted but has yet to implement a Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan (the “Plan”), pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. In accordance with the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities and shareholder services.

 

No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by either Fund, and there are no plans to impose these fees. However, in the event that Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because such fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.

 

Additional Payments to Financial Intermediaries

 

The Advisor and its affiliates may pay, out of their own profits and reasonable resources, amounts (including items of material value) to certain financial intermediaries for the sale of Fund shares or related services. The amounts of these payments could be significant, and may create an incentive for the financial intermediaries or their employees or associated persons to recommend or sell Fund shares to you. These payments are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fee table section of this Prospectus because they are not paid by the Funds.

 

These payments are negotiated and may be based on such factors as the number or value of Fund shares that the financial intermediary sells or may sell; the value of client assets invested; or the type and nature of services or support furnished by the financial intermediary. These payments may be in addition to payments made by either Fund to a financial intermediary under the Plan, if implemented. Ask your financial intermediary for information about any payments it receives from the Advisor, their affiliates, or the Fund and any services the financial intermediary provides to the Fund. The SAI contains additional information on the types of additional payments that may be paid.

 

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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS

 

Investment Advisor

 

Donald L. Hagan, LLC, also known as Day Hagan Asset Management, a Florida limited liability company located at 1000 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236, serves as investment advisor to the Funds. The Advisor was formed in 2004 and, as of June 30, 2024, has approximately $1.414 billion in assets under advisement or management for individuals, registered investment companies, institutions and financial advisors around the country. Under the terms of the management agreement, the Advisor is responsible for formulating the Fund’s investment policies, making ongoing investment decisions and directing portfolio transactions.

 

A discussion of the Trustees’ review and renewal of the Advisor’s investment advisory agreement with the Trust with respect to the Fund is available in the Fund’s annual report to shareholders for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024.

 

Portfolio Managers

 

Donald Hagan, Arthur Day, and Regan Teague are jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio. Mr. Hagan is the Lead Portfolio Manager of the Fund.

 

Donald Hagan - Portfolio Manager of the Fund

 

Donald Hagan, Chartered Financial Analyst (“CFA”), is a managing member and co-founder of the Advisor. Mr. Hagan has served in those roles since March 2006 when the Advisor was registered with the SEC. Mr. Hagan served as the chief compliance officer of the Advisor from September 2004 to December 2012. He is a portfolio manager of DH Logix, LLC, a registered investment adviser, since 2017 and was a Partner of DH Logix from 2017 to 2021. Prior to founding the Advisor, from 2001 – 2004, Mr. Hagan was Senior Vice President and Senior Portfolio Manager at Wells Fargo Bank’s Private Client Services. Prior to Wells Fargo, Mr. Hagan served as Director of Research and Portfolio Manager for SCI Capital Management from 1996 – 2001. SCI was acquired by Wells Fargo in early 2001. Prior to being recruited as Director of Research for SCI, Mr. Hagan was Chief Sector Analyst and Editor for Ned Davis Research, Inc. From 1989 through 1996, Mr. Hagan also served as editor for the following institutional research periodicals: Industry Watch; Group Update; Techno-Fundamental Ranks; and Top 30 Picks. Mr. Hagan has a B.A. in Economics and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

 

Arthur Day - Portfolio Manager of the Fund

 

Arthur Day is a managing member and partner of the Advisor. Mr. Day has served in those roles since April 2006. Mr. Day was the senior partner and manager of the marketing department of DH Logix from 2017 to 2021. Prior to joining the Advisor, from 1993 until 2006, Mr. Day served as a First Vice President at PaineWebber, which was acquired by UBS in 2001. From 1987 until 1993, he was a financial adviser at E.F. Hutton. Mr. Day’s investment career began in 1984 as an account executive with Dean Witter Reynolds. Mr. Day has a B.A. in Business.

 

Regan Teague – Portfolio Manager of the Fund

 

Regan Teague is a portfolio manager and analyst of the Advisor since graduation from Ashland University (Ohio) in 2012. During his college career, Mr. Teague interned with the Advisor (summer of 2009) and was a member of the Eagle Investment Group – a team of senior finance students that managed part of the college’s endowment fund. Mr. Teague received a B.A. from Ashland University and earned his CFA designation in 2019 and his Certified Financial Planner (“CFP”) designation in 2021.

 

The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, management of other accounts, and ownership of securities in the Funds.

41 
 

 

Fees Paid to Advisor

 

As full compensation for its services to the Fund, the Advisor receives monthly compensation from the Fund at the annual rate of 0.68% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. In consideration of the fees paid with respect to the Fund, the Advisor has agreed to pay all routine expenses of the Fund (including, without limitation, transfer agent fees, administrative fees and expenses, custodian fees, legal fees, accounting fees, any other expenses (including clerical expenses) of issue, sale, repurchase or redemption of shares, expenses of registering or qualifying shares for sale, transfer taxes, all expenses of preparing the Trust’s registration statement and prospectus for the Fund, and the cost of printing and delivering to shareholders prospectuses and reports), except the Fund’s management fee; taxes; brokerage commissions and trading costs; interest expense (including borrowing costs and overdraft charges); short sale dividends and interest expenses; acquired fund fees and expenses; and non-routine or extraordinary expenses of the Fund (such as litigation or reorganizational costs), each of which is paid by the Fund.

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

Distributions. The Funds do not offer a dividend reinvestment service to facilitate the reinvestment of distributions into additional Fund shares. The Fund intends to declare and pay dividends on investment income, if any, annually. The Fund also intends to make distributions of net capital gains, if any, at least annually. Dividends and capital gains distributions will be paid in cash.

 

Dividend Reinvestment Services. If you hold Fund shares through a broker that offers a dividend reinvestment service, you may elect to reinvest dividends and capital gains distributed by the Fund in additional shares of that Fund. Contact your broker to determine whether a reinvestment service is available and to discuss any related charges associated with the use of the reinvestment service.

 

As with all ETFs, reinvestment of dividend and capital gains distributions in additional shares of the Fund will occur after the ex-dividend date (the date when a distribution of dividends or capital gains is deducted from the price of the Fund’s shares). The exact number of days depends on your broker. During that time, the amount of your distribution will not be invested in the Fund and therefore will not share in the Fund’s income, gains, and losses. A shareholder will have an adjusted basis in the additional shares of the Fund acquired through a reinvest service equal to the amount of the reinvested distribution and the holding for the new shares shall commence on the day after such shares are credited to the shareholder’s account.

 

TAX CONSEQUENCES

 

There are many important tax consequences associated with investment in the Fund offered by this Prospectus. The following is a brief summary of certain federal income tax consequences relating to an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You may also be subject to state and local tax on the Fund’s distributions and the sale of Fund shares. Consult your personal tax adviser about the potential tax consequences of your investment in the Fund under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the SAI section “Taxes.”

 

Taxation of Distributions. The Fund is treated as a separate entity for federal tax purposes. The Fund intends to qualify as a “regulated investment company” (“RIC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If the Fund qualifies as a RIC, and satisfies certain distribution requirements, it will not be required to pay U.S. federal income taxes on income and gains it distributes to its shareholders.

 

The Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income (including net realized capital gains and tax-exempt interest income, if any) to its shareholders at least annually. Generally, distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. Distributions paid in January but declared by the Fund in October, November or December of the previous year may be taxable to shareholders in the previous year.

 

Generally, you are required to pay federal income tax on any dividends and other distributions, including capital

42 
 

gains distributions received, that are paid from the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. This applies whether dividends and other distributions are received in cash or as additional shares. Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of your basis in the Shares and as capital gain thereafter. A written statement will accompany any such distribution informing you that the distribution is a return of capital. If you hold Fund shares in a tax-qualified retirement account, you generally will not be subject to federal taxation on Fund distributions until you begin receiving distributions from your retirement account.

 

Distributions paid out of the Fund’s income and net short-term gains, if any, are taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Distributions representing long-term capital gains, if any, will be taxable to you as long- term capital gains no matter how long you have held the shares. Distributions are taxable to you even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the price paid).

 

Individuals, trusts and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on “net investment income.” Net investment income includes any ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions from the Fund as well as any capital gains recognized on the sale or exchange of Fund shares.

 

Distributions of investment income designated by the Fund as derived from “qualified dividend income” (income from taxable domestic corporations and certain qualified corporations) will be taxed at the rate applicable to long- term capital gains, provided holding period and other requirements are met at both the shareholder and Fund level. Long-term capital gain distributions paid to certain high-income taxpayers are subject to a regular tax rate of 20%. High income taxpayers, for this purpose, are defined, in 2020, as individuals and married couples filing jointly whose taxable income exceeds $441,450 and $496,600, respectively, per year.

 

Backup Withholding. If you fail to furnish the Fund with your correct and certified Social Security or Taxpayer Identification Number, the Fund may be required to withhold federal income tax (backup withholding) from dividends, capital gain distributions and redemptions. You are urged to read the additional information concerning withholding provided in the SAI.

 

Non-U.S. Investors. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S., the Fund’s ordinary income dividends will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies, or such income is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, designate all or portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” that if received by a nonresident alien or foreign entity generally would be exempt from the 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided that certain other requirements are met. The Fund may also, under certain circumstances, designate all or a portion of a dividend as a “short-term capital gain dividend” which if received by a nonresident alien or foreign entity generally would be exempt from the 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless the foreign person is a nonresident alien individual present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year.

 

Taxes on Exchange-Listed Sales and Cash Redemptions of Creation Units. You will recognize a taxable gain or loss upon the sale of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market and upon the cash redemption of the Fund’s Creation Unit. Currently, any capital gain or loss realized from the sale of the Fund’s shares for cash will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if those shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if those shares have been held for one year or less. Any capital loss arising from the sale or disposition of the Fund’s shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received or undistributed capital gain deemed received with respect to the shares. All or a portion of any loss recognized upon the disposition of the Fund’s shares may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules if other shares of the Fund are purchased (whether through reinvestment of distributions or otherwise) within 30 days before or after the disposition. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the shares that you acquired.

 

Taxes on In-Kind Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units. An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities or securities and cash for a Creation Unit will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference

43 
 

between the market value of the Creation Unit at the time of purchase (plus any cash received by the Authorized Participant as part of the issue) and the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the amount of any cash paid for the Creation Unit. An Authorized Participant who exchanges a Creation Unit for securities or securities and cash will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Unit (plus any cash paid by the Authorized Participant as part of the redemption) and the aggregate market value of the securities and cash received for the Creation Unit. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of primarily securities for a Creation Unit cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax adviser with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible. Under current federal tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon redemption of a Creation Unit is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. If you purchase or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many Creation Units of the Fund you purchased and sold and at what price.

 

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

 

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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF

 

The financial highlights table below is intended to help you understand the Fund’s financial performance since its inception. Certain information reflects financial results for a single Share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions). This information has been derived from the Fund’s financial statements, which have been audited by [NAME]., the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the Fund’s financial statements, is included in the Fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, which is available upon request.

 

  Net Asset Value, beginning of period Net investment income (loss)(a) Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) Total from investment activities Distributions from net investment income Total distributions Net Asset Value, end of period Total return at Net Asset Value(b)(c) Total return at market(b)(d) Ratio of Net Expenses to Average Net Assets(e) Ratio of Gross Expenses to Average Net Assets(e) Ratio of Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets(e) Net Assets at end of period (000's) Portfolio turnover(b)(f)
Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF (SSUS)

Year Ended

April 30, 2024

$33.42 0.43 3.31 3.74 (0.38) (0.38) $36.78 11.23% 11.30% 0.68%(g) 0.68%(g) 1.21% $608,770 296%

Year Ended

April 30, 2023

$32.69 0.23 0.69 0.92 (0.19) (0.19) $33.42 2.89% 2.83% 0.68%(g) 0.68%(g) 0.74% $425,303 207%

Year Ended

April 30, 2022

$32.46 0.18 0.25 0.43 (0.20) (0.20) $32.69 1.26% 1.29% 0.68%(g) 0.68%(g) 0.52% $467,407 111%

Year Ended

April 30, 2021

$22.04 0.20 10.36 10.56 (0.14) (0.14) $32.46 48.02% 47.19% 0.68%(g) 0.68%(g) 0.71% $221,537 84%
January 16, 2020(h) through April 30, 2020 $24.86 0.01 (2.83) (2.82) $22.04 (11.34)% (10.90)% 0.68%(g) 0.68%(g) 0.23% $46,278 27%
                             

 

(a) Calculated using the average shares method.

(b) Not annualized for periods less than one year.

(c) Net asset value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the net asset value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions,

including dividends and return of capital, if any, at net asset value during the period, and redemption on the last day of the period at net asset value.  This percentage is

not an indication of the performance of a shareholder's investment in the Fund based on market value due to differences between the market price of the shares and the

net asset value per share of the Fund.

(d) Market value total return is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the market value at the beginning of the period, reinvestment of all distributions, including

dividends and return of capital, if any, at market value during the period, and redemption on the last day of the period at market value.  Market value is determined by

the composite closing price.  Composite closing security price is defined as the last reported sale price from any primary listing market (e.g., NYSE Arca) or participating

regional exchanges or markets.  The composite closing price is the last reported sale price from any of the eligible sources, regardless of volume and not an average price

and may have occurred on a date prior to the close of the reporting period.  Market value may be greater or less than net asset value, depending on the Fund's closing price

on the listing market.

(e) Annualized for periods less than one year.

(f) Portfolio turnover increases/decreases due to change within the portfolio holdings during the period.

(g) The Fund invests in other funds and indirectly bears its proportionate shares of fees and expenses incurred by the underlying funds in which the Fund is invested.

This ratio does not include these indirect fees and expenses.

(h) Commencement of operations.

 

 

 

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PREMIUM/DISCOUNT INFORMATION

 

Information showing the number of days the market price of the Fund’s shares was greater (at a premium) and less (at a discount) than the Fund’s NAV for the most recently completed calendar year, and the most recently completed calendar quarters since that year (or the life of the Fund, if shorter), is available at www.dhfunds.com.

  

More information about the Funds is available free, upon request, including the following:

 

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports

Additional information about the Fund’s investments is available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders and Form N-CSR filed with the SEC. 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 year. In Form N-CSR you will find the Fund’s annual and semi-annual financial statements.

 

Statement of Additional Information (SAI)

The SAI provides more detailed information about the Fund and its policies. A current SAI is on file with the SEC and is incorporated by reference into (considered a legal part of) this Prospectus.

 

Day Hagan Asset Management is the Advisor to the Fund.

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC is the Distributor.

To obtain the SAI, Annual Report, Semi-Annual Report and other information without charge, and to make inquiries:

 

Call

 

1-800-594-7930

 

Write

36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, New York 11743

 

Log on the Internet

You may also access Fund information, including copies of the most current SAI and annual and semi- annual reports, information on the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads, at www.dhfunds.com. Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

Contact the SEC

You may request Fund information from the SEC by e-mail at publicinfo@sec.gov. A duplicating fee will apply. Investment Company Act of 1940 No. 811-22497

 

 

 

STRATEGY SHARES

36 North New York Avenue Huntington, NY 11743

 

 

 

 

Series of the Trust NYSE Arca Ticker Symbol
Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF SSUS

 

 

 

 

 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) contains information that may be of interest to investors in Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF (the “Day Hagan ETF”) a series of Strategy Shares (the “Trust”), but that is not included in the Fund’s combined prospectus dated [ ], 2024 (the “Prospectus”). This SAI is not a prospectus and is only authorized for distribution when accompanied or preceded by the Prospectus. This SAI should be read together with the Prospectus. The SAI incorporates by reference the audited financial statements and Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm in the Fund’s Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024. Investors may obtain a free copy of the Prospectus by writing the Trust at 36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743, or by telephoning toll free 1-800-594-7930. This SAI is also available on the Fund’s website at www.dhfunds.com.

 

 

[ ], 2024

 
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS [TO BE UPDATED]

DEFINITIONS   3 
OVERVIEW OF THE TRUST   4 
EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING   4 
INVESTMENT PRACTICES   5 
INVESTMENT RISKS   21 
INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS   33 
MANAGEMENT   34 
SERVICE PROVIDERS   40 
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS   45 
BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS   54 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST   55 
PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES   57 
BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM   57 
VOTING PROXIES OF FUND PORTFOLIO SECURITIES   58 
PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE PRACTICES   59 
CODE OF ETHICS   59 
PORTFOLIO TURNOVER   59 
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE   60 
TAXES   60 
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS   67 
APPENDIX 1   68 
APPENDIX 2   71 
 
 

DEFINITIONS

For convenience, we will use the following defined terms throughout this SAI.

 

Defined Term Definition
Advisor Day Hagan Asset Management
Authorized Participant An entity that has entered a Participant Agreement with the Distributor that has been accepted by the Custodian with respect to the offer and sale of the Fund’s Creation Units and is either a participant in the CNS System or is a DTC Participant.
Board Board of Trustees of the Trust.
Business Day Any day that the Exchange is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the Exchange observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day (Washington’s Birthday), Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
Citi Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., the financial administrator, fund accountant, and transfer agent of the Trust.
CNS System Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC.
CNS Participant An entity that participates in the CNS System.
Code Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
Creation Unit Block of 25,000 Fund shares.
Custodian Citibank, N.A.
Day Hagan ETF Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF
Distributor Foreside Fund Services, LLC
DTC Depository Trust Company.
DTC Participant An entity for which DTC holds securities and which has access to the DTC system.
ETF Exchange-traded fund.
Exchange NYSE Arca, Inc.
Fund Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF
Independent Trustees Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act.
Interested Trustees Trustees who are “interested persons” of the Trust, as defined in the 1940 Act.
NAV Net asset value.
NRSRO Nationally Recognized Statistical Ratings Organization such as Moody’s Investor Service (“Moody’s”) or S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”).
NSCC National Securities Clearing Corporation, a clearing agency registered with the SEC.
SEC U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Transfer Agent Citi.
1933 Act The Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
1934 Act The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
1940 Act The Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
 
 

OVERVIEW OF THE TRUST

 

The Trust was organized on September 7, 2010, as a Delaware statutory trust and is registered under the 1940 Act as an open-end management investment company.

 

The Declaration of Trust permits the Trust to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest in one or more series representing interests in separate portfolios of securities. The Declaration of Trust also permits the Trust to offer two or more classes of shares. Currently, the Trust offers its shares in several separate series. The Day Hagan ETF is a diversified exchange-traded series of the Trust. The Day Hagan ETF’s investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation and preservation of capital. The Day Hagan ETF commenced operations on January 16, 2020. Additional series may be created from time to time.

 

The Fund only offers, sells, and redeems shares on a continuous basis at NAV in large aggregations or “Creation Units.” The Fund’s shares are not individually redeemable.

 

Currently, the Fund’s Creation Unit is comprised of 25,000 shares. Under the Declaration of Trust, the Board has the unrestricted right and power to alter the number of shares of the Fund that constitute a Creation Unit. Therefore, in the event of a termination of the Fund, the Board, in its sole discretion, could determine to permit the Fund’s shares to be individually redeemable. In such circumstances, the Trust might elect to pay cash redemptions to all shareholders with an “in-kind” election for shareholders owning in excess of a certain stated minimum amount.

 

Generally, the Fund sells and redeems Creation Units on an in-kind basis. Except for the circumstances specified in this SAI (see “Cash Transactions - Generally” and “Custom Transactions,” below), investors will generally be required to purchase Creation Units by making an in-kind deposit of specified instruments (“Deposit Instruments”), and shareholders redeeming their shares will generally receive an in-kind transfer of specified instruments (“Redemption Instruments”). The names and quantities of the instruments that constitute the Deposit Instruments and the names and quantities of the instruments that constitute the Redemption Instruments will be specified by the Fund each day, and these instruments are referred to, in the case of either a purchase or a redemption, as the “Creation Basket.” If there is a difference between the NAV of a Creation Unit and the aggregate market value of the Creation Basket exchanged for a Creation Unit, the party conveying instruments with the lower value will also pay to the other an amount in cash equal to that difference (“Cash Amount”).

 

The Fund may impose a transaction fee in connection with the purchase and redemption of its Creation Units. Such fees will be limited in accordance with the requirements of the SEC applicable to management investment companies offering redeemable securities.

 

Once “created,” the Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market at market prices that change throughout the day.

 

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

 

Shares of the Fund is approved for listing and trading on the Exchange, subject to notice of issuance, and will be available for purchase and sale through a broker-dealer at market price on each day that the Exchange is open for business. The market price of the Fund’s shares may trade below, at, or above the most recently calculated NAV per share of the Fund. As is the case of other publicly traded securities, your purchase or sale of Fund shares in the secondary market will be subject to brokerage commissions which will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

 

There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of shares of the Fund will continue to be met. The Exchange maintains certain listing standards and requires listed companies like the Fund to continue to comply with such standards while their shares are available for trading on the Exchange. The Exchange may, but is not required to, remove the shares of the Fund from listing if: (1)following the initial twelve-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of the shares, there are fewer than 50 beneficial holders of the shares; (2) the Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act; (3) the Fund fails to meet certain continued listing standards of the Exchange; or (4) such other event shall occur or condition exists that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable. In addition, the Exchange will remove the shares from listing and trading upon termination of the Trust or the Fund.

1 
 

The base and trading currencies of the Fund is the U.S. dollar. The base currency is the currency in which the Fund’s NAV is calculated and the trading currency is the currency in which shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the Exchange.

 

The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share price 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.

 

INVESTMENT PRACTICES

The Prospectus discusses the Fund’s principal investment strategies. Below you will find more detail about the types of investments and investment practices permitted by the Fund, including those which are not part of the Fund’s principal investment strategy. These investment practices affect the Fund directly as well as through the underlying ETFs in which it invests.

 

EQUITY SECURITIES

 

Equity securities include both foreign and domestic common stocks, preferred stocks, exchange-traded funds, other business organizations, real estate investment trusts, and other securities which the Advisor believes have equity characteristics.

 

Common Stock

 

Common stock is a type of equity security which represents an ownership interest in a corporation (including real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) discussed below) and the right to a portion of the assets of the corporation in the event of liquidation. This right, however, is subordinate to that of preferred stockholders and any creditors, including holders of debt issued by a corporation. Owners of common stock are generally entitled to vote on important matters. A corporation may pay dividends on common stock.

 

Preferred Stock

 

Preferred stock is a type of equity security which represents an ownership interest in a corporation and the right to a portion of the assets of the corporation in the event of a liquidation. This right, however, is subordinate to that of any creditors, including holders of debt issued by the corporation. Owners of preferred stock ordinarily do not have voting rights, but are entitled to dividends at a specified rate if the corporation has the financial ability to pay such dividends.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds

 

ETFs are traded on stock exchanges or on the over-the-counter market at their market price. Certain ETFs track the performance of a designated index or benchmark and invest in the securities comprising that index or benchmark. Other ETFs do not attempt to track the performance of an index and hold portfolio securities that are actively managed by their investment advisor. ETFs generally issue and redeem shares in creation units (large aggregations of shares) at their NAV per share, generally in exchange for: (1) a portfolio of securities that correspond pro rata to the securities comprising the product’s investment portfolio; and (2) a specified amount of cash.

 

Generally, shares of ETFs are not individually redeemable. To redeem, the Fund must accumulate enough shares to reconstitute a creation unit of the ETF. The liquidity of small holdings of an ETF, therefore, will depend upon the existence of a secondary market.

2 
 

Interests in Other Business Organizations

 

Entities such as limited partnerships, limited liability companies, and companies organized outside the U.S. (see “Foreign Securities” below) may issue securities comparable to common or preferred stock. Limited partnerships are partnerships consisting of one or more general partners, by whom the business is conducted, and one or more limited partners who contribute capital to the partnership. Limited liability companies frequently consist of one or more managing members, by whom the business is conducted, and other members who contribute capital to the company. Limited partners and members of limited liability companies generally are not liable for the debts of the partnership beyond their capital contributions or commitments. Limited partners and non-managing members are not involved in the day-to-day management of the partnership or limited liability company. They receive income and capital gains from the partnership or limited liability company in accordance with the terms established in the partnership or operating agreement. Typical limited partnerships and limited liability companies are involved in real estate, oil and gas, and equipment leasing, but they also finance movies, research and development, and other projects.

 

For an organization classified as a partnership under the Code (including most limited partnerships and limited liabilities companies), each item of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit is not taxed at the partnership level but flows through with the same character to the partners or members. This allows the partnership to avoid double taxation.

 

A master limited partnership (“MLP”) is a publicly traded limited partnership or limited liability company. MLPs combine the tax advantages of a partnership with the liquidity of a publicly traded security. MLPs must limit their operations to avoid being taxed as corporations under the Code.

 

REITs

 

REITs, or real estate investment trusts, are pooled investment vehicles which invest primarily in income producing real estate or real estate related loans or interests. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive income primarily from the collection of rents. Equity REITs can also realize capital gains by selling property that has appreciated in value. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive income from the collection of interest payments. The real property and mortgages serving as investment vehicles for REITs may be either residential or commercial in nature and may include healthcare facilities. Similar to investment companies, REITs are not taxed on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with several requirements of the Code. Such tax requirements may limit a REIT’s ability to respond to changes in the commercial real estate market.

 

FIXED INCOME SECURITIES

 

Fixed income securities include convertible securities (other than preferred stock), corporate debt securities, money market instruments, U.S. Government securities, and zero-coupon securities, which provide a stream of fixed payments to the holder.

 

Convertible Securities

 

Convertible securities include certain fixed income securities that may be exchanged or converted into a predetermined number of shares of an issuer’s underlying common stock at the option of the holder during a specified period. Convertible securities may take the form of convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds or debentures, units consisting of “usable” bonds and warrants, or a combination of the features of several of these securities. The investment characteristics of each convertible security vary widely, which allows convertible securities to be employed for a variety of investment strategies. The Fund will exchange or convert the convertible securities held in its portfolio into shares of the underlying common stock when, in the Advisor’s opinion, the investment characteristics of the underlying common stock will assist the Fund in achieving its investment objective. Otherwise, the Fund may hold or trade convertible securities.

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Corporate Debt Securities (Including Bonds, Notes, and Debentures)

 

Corporate debt includes any obligation of a corporation to repay a borrowed amount at maturity and usually to pay the holder interest at specific intervals. Corporate debt can have a long or short maturity and is often rated by one or more NRSROs. See the Appendix 1 to this SAI for a description of these ratings.

 

The credit risk of an issuer’s debt security may vary based on its priority for repayment. For example, higher ranking (senior) debt securities have a higher priority than lower ranking (subordinated) securities. This means that the issuer might not make payments on subordinated securities while continuing to make payments on senior securities. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, holders of senior securities may receive amounts otherwise payable to the holders of subordinated securities. Some subordinated securities, such as trust preferred and capital securities notes, also permit the issuer to defer payments under certain circumstances. For example, insurance companies issue securities known as surplus notes that permit the insurance company to defer any payment that would reduce its capital below regulatory requirements.

 

Money Market Instruments

 

Except where otherwise noted, the Fund may, pending investment or for liquidity purposes, invest its assets in money market instruments.

 

Bank Obligations. Bank obligations are short-term obligations issued by U.S. and foreign banks, including bankers’ acceptances, certificates of deposit, time deposits, and similar securities.

 

Bankers’ acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange typically drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise that are “accepted” by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the issuing bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Investments in bankers’ acceptances will be limited to those guaranteed by domestic and foreign banks having, at the time of investment, total assets of $1 billion or more (as of the date of the institution’s most recently published financial statements).

 

Certificates of deposit and time deposits represent funds deposited in a commercial bank or a savings and loan association for a definite period of time and earn a specified return.

 

Investments in certificates of deposit and time deposits may include Eurodollar Certificates of Deposit, which are U.S. dollar denominated certificates of deposit issued by offices of foreign and domestic banks located outside the U.S., Yankee Certificates of Deposit, which are certificates of deposit issued by a U.S. branch of a foreign bank denominated in U.S. dollars and held in the U.S., Eurodollar Time Deposits, which are U.S. dollar denominated deposits in a foreign branch of a U.S. bank or a foreign bank, and Canadian Time Deposits, which are U.S. dollar denominated certificates of deposit issued by Canadian offices of major Canadian banks. All investments in certificates of deposit and time deposits will be limited to those (a) of domestic and foreign banks and savings and loan associations which, at the time of investment, have total assets of $1 billion or more (as of the date of the institution’s most recently published financial statements) or (b) the principal amount of which is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

 

Commercial Paper and Variable Amount Master Demand Notes. Commercial paper (including Section 4(2) commercial paper) consists of unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations normally having maturities of 270 days or less and rates of return which are fixed. These investments may include Canadian Commercial Paper, which is U.S. dollar denominated commercial paper issued by a Canadian corporation or a Canadian counterpart of a U.S. corporation, and europaper, which is U.S. dollar denominated commercial paper of a foreign issuer.

 

Variable amount master demand notes are unsecured demand notes that permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary and provide for periodic adjustments in the interest rate according to the terms of the instrument. Because master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and the issuer, they are not normally traded. Although there is no secondary market in the notes, the Fund may demand payment of principal and accrued interest at any time. A variable amount master demand note will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the longer of the period of time remaining until the next readjustment of its interest rate or the period of time remaining until the principal amount can be recovered from the issuer through demand.

4 
 

Variable Rate Demand Notes. Variable rate demand notes (“VRDNs”) are unsecured, direct lending arrangements between the Fund, as the lender, and a corporation, financial institution, government agency, municipality or other entity.

 

VRDNs have interest rates which float or which are adjusted at regular intervals ranging from daily to annually. Although VRDNs are not generally traded, the Fund may demand payment of principal and accrued interest according to its arrangement with the borrower (usually upon no more than seven days’ notice). VRDNs are, therefore, treated as maturing on the later of the next interest adjustment or the date on which the Fund may next demand payment. Some VRDNs are backed by bank letters of credit.

 

The Fund may only invest in VRDNs which satisfy its credit requirements for commercial paper.

 

Other Money Market Instruments. These instruments may include: obligations (certificates of deposit, time deposits, bank master notes, and bankers’ acceptances) of thrift institutions, and savings and loans, provided that such institutions have total assets of $1 billion or more as shown on their last published financial statements at the time of investment; short-term corporate obligations rated within the three highest rating categories by an NRSRO (e.g., at least A by S&P or A by Moody’s) at the time of investment, or, if not rated, determined by the Advisor to be of comparable quality; general obligations issued by the U.S. Government and backed by its full faith and credit, and obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government (e.g., obligations issued by Farmers Home Administration, Government National Mortgage Association, Federal Farm Credit Bank, and Federal Housing Administration); receipts, including Treasury Receipts, Treasury Income Growth Receipts, and Certificates of Accrual on Treasuries; repurchase agreements involving such obligations; money market funds, and foreign commercial paper.

 

U.S. Government Securities

 

U.S. Government securities are securities that are either issued or guaranteed as to payment of principal and interest by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. Government securities are limited to: direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury, such as bills, notes, and bonds of the U.S. Treasury, and notes, bonds, and discount notes of U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities, including certain mortgage securities.

 

Agency securities are issued or guaranteed by a federal agency or other government sponsored entity (“GSE”) acting under federal authority. Some GSE securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government and some GSE securities are not. GSE securities backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government include securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association, Small Business Administration, Farm Credit System Financial Assistance Corporation, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Financing Bank, General Services Administration, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Export- Import Bank, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Bonds.

 

GSE securities, which not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government but receive support through federal subsidies, loans or other benefits include securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Bank System, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal National Mortgage Association and Tennessee Valley Authority.

 

Certain other GSE securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government and have no explicit financial support, including securities issued by the Farm Credit System, Financing Corporation, and Resolution Funding Corporation.

 

Investors regard agency securities as having low credit risks, but not as low as Treasury securities. The Fund treats mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by a GSE as if issued or guaranteed by a federal agency. Although such a guarantee protects against credit risks, it does not reduce market and prepayment risks.

 

From time to time uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the U.S. Government to increase the statutory debt limit, commonly called the “debt ceiling,” could increase the risk that the U.S. Government may default on payments on certain U.S. Government securities, cause the credit rating of the U.S. Government to

5 
 

be downgraded, increase volatility in the stock and bond markets, result in higher interest rates, reduce prices of

U.S. Treasury securities, and/or increase the costs of various kinds of debt. If the Fund holds securities of a U.S. Government-sponsored entity that is negatively impacted by legislative or regulatory action, is unable to meet its obligations, or its creditworthiness declines, the performance of the Fund will be adversely impacted.

 

Zero Coupon Securities

 

Zero-coupon securities are debt obligations which are generally issued at a discount, are payable in full at maturity, and do not provide for current payments of interest prior to maturity. Zero-coupon securities usually trade at a deep discount from their face or par value and are subject to greater market value fluctuations from changing interest rates than debt obligations of comparable maturities which make current distributions of interest. As a result, the NAV of shares of the Fund investing in zero-coupon securities may fluctuate over a greater range than shares of other investment companies investing in securities making current distributions of interest and having similar maturities.

 

Zero-coupon securities may include U.S. Treasury bills issued directly by the U.S. Treasury or other short-term debt obligations, and longer-term bonds or notes and their unmatured interest coupons which have been separated by their holder, typically a custodian bank or investment brokerage firm. A number of securities firms and banks have stripped the interest coupons from the underlying principal (the “corpus”) of U.S. Treasury securities and resold them in custodial receipt programs with a number of different names, including TIGRS and CATS. The underlying U.S. Treasury bonds and notes themselves are held in book-entry form at the Federal Reserve Bank or, in the case of bearer securities (i.e., unregistered securities that are owned ostensibly by the bearer or holder thereof), in trust on behalf of the owners thereof.

 

In addition, the U.S. Treasury has facilitated transfers of ownership of zero-coupon securities by accounting separately for the beneficial ownership of particular interest coupons and corpus payments on U.S. Treasury securities through the Federal Reserve book-entry record-keeping system. The Federal Reserve program, as established by the U.S. Treasury Department, is known as “STRIPS” or “Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities.” Under the STRIPS program, the Fund will be able to have its beneficial ownership of U.S. Treasury zero-coupon securities recorded directly in the book-entry record-keeping system in lieu of having to hold certificates or other evidence of ownership of the underlying U.S. Treasury securities.

 

When debt obligations have been stripped of their unmatured interest coupons by the holder, the stripped coupons are sold separately. The principal or corpus is sold at a deep discount because the buyer receives only the right to receive a future fixed payment on the security and does not receive any rights to periodic cash interest payments. Once stripped or separated, the corpus and coupons may be sold separately. Typically, the coupons are sold separately or grouped with other coupons with like maturity dates and sold in such bundled form. Purchasers of stripped obligations acquire, in effect, discount obligations that are economically identical to the zero-coupon securities issued directly by the obligor.

 

FOREIGN SECURITIES (including emerging markets)

 

Generally, foreign securities are those securities which are issued by companies organized outside the U.S. and principally traded in foreign markets (“Foreign Companies”). This includes equity and fixed income securities of Foreign Companies and obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks and foreign or U.S. branches of foreign banks, including European Certificates of Deposit, European Time Deposits, Canadian Time Deposits, Canadian Yankee Bonds, Canadian Certificates of Deposit, investments in Canadian Commercial Paper, and europaper. In addition, the Fund may invest in depositary receipts. The Fund may also invest in securities issued or guaranteed by Foreign Companies or foreign governments, their political subdivisions, agencies or instrumentalities, and obligations of supranational entities such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.

 

Foreign securities are normally denominated and traded in foreign currencies. Although foreign exchange dealers do not charge a fee for currency conversion, they do realize a profit based on the difference (the “spread”) between prices at which they buy and sell various currencies. Thus, a dealer may offer to sell a foreign currency

6 
 

to the Fund at one rate, while offering a lesser rate of exchange should the Fund desire to resell that currency to the dealer. For additional information see “Foreign Currency Transactions” above.

 

The Fund may also invest in securities of emerging markets issuers. A nation's economy that is progressing toward becoming advanced, as shown by some liquidity in local debt and equity markets and the existence of some form of market exchange and regulatory body is considered to be an emerging market.

 

Emerging markets generally do not have the level of market efficiency and strict standards in accounting and securities regulation to be on par with advanced economies (such as the United States, Europe and Japan), but emerging markets will typically have a physical financial infrastructure including banks, a stock exchange and a unified currency. Emerging markets may be sought by investors for the prospect of high returns, as they often experience faster economic growth as measured by GDP. Investments in emerging markets may involve greater risk due to political instability, domestic infrastructure problems, currency volatility and limited equity opportunities. Also, local stock exchanges may not offer liquid markets for outside investors.

 

Some emerging markets countries may have fixed or managed currencies that are not free-floating against the

U.S. dollar. Further, certain currencies may not be traded internationally. Certain of these currencies have experienced a steady devaluation relative to the U.S. dollar. Any devaluation in the currencies in which the Fund’s securities are denominated may have a detrimental impact on the Fund.

 

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. Developing or emerging market countries may also have a higher degree of corruption and fraud than developed market countries, as well as counterparties and financial institutions with less financial sophistication, creditworthiness and/or resources. Emerging markets countries may have less developed legal systems allowing for enforcement of private property rights and/or redress for injuries to private property, such as bankruptcy. The ability to bring and enforce actions in developing or emerging market countries, or to obtain information needed to pursue or enforce such actions, may be limited and shareholder claims may be difficult or impossible to pursue.

 

Emerging markets countries may also have less stringent regulatory, disclosure, financial reporting, accounting, auditing and recordkeeping standards than companies in more developed countries and, as a result, the nature and quality of such information may vary. Information about such companies may be less available and reliable and, therefore, the ability to conduct adequate due diligence in developing or emerging markets may be limited which can impede the Fund’s ability to evaluate such companies. In addition, certain developing or emerging market countries may impose material limitations on Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) inspection, investigation and enforcement capabilities which hinder the ability to engage in independent oversight or inspection of accounting firms located in or operating in certain developing or emerging markets; there is no guarantee that the quality of financial reporting or the audits conducted by audit firms of developing or emerging market issuers meet PCAOB standards.

 

Some countries with emerging securities markets have experienced substantial, and in some periods, extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuation in inflation rates have had and may continue to have negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain countries. Moreover, the economies of some countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as rate of growth of gross domestic product, the rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, number and depth of industries forming the economy’s base, governmental controls and investment restrictions that are subject to political change and balance of payments position. Further, there may be greater difficulties or restrictions with respect to investments made in emerging markets countries.

 

Emerging markets typically have substantially less volume than U.S. markets. In addition, securities in many such markets are less liquid, and their prices often are more volatile, than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Such markets often have different clearance and settlement procedures for securities transactions, and in some markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of transactions, making it difficult to conduct transactions. Delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when assets may be uninvested. Settlement problems in emerging markets countries also could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Satisfactory custodial services may not be available in some

7 
 

emerging markets countries, which may result in the Fund incurring additional costs and delays in the transportation and custody of such securities. Emerging securities markets may also be subject to unexpected market closures.

 

For more information regarding the risks associated with investing in emerging markets, please see “Emerging Markets Risk” below.

 

Depositary Receipts

 

American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) are securities, typically issued by a U.S. financial institution (a “depositary”), that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities issued by a foreign issuer and deposited with the depositary. ADRs include American Depositary Shares and New York Shares. European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), which are sometimes referred to as Continental Depositary Receipts (“CDRs”), are securities, typically issued by a non-U.S. financial institution, that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities issued by either a U.S. or foreign issuer. Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”) are issued globally and evidence a similar ownership arrangement. Generally, ADRs are designed for trading in the U.S. securities markets, EDRs are designed for trading in European securities markets and GDRs are designed for trading in non-U.S. securities markets. The Fund will only invest in ADRs, EDRs, CDRs, and GDRs available for investment through “sponsored facilities.” A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and a depositary.

 

Foreign Government Securities

 

Foreign government securities generally consist of fixed income securities supported by national, state or provincial governments or similar political subdivisions. Foreign government securities also include debt obligations of supranational entities, such as international organizations designed or supported by governmental entities to promote economic reconstruction or development, international banking institutions and related government agencies. Examples of these include, but are not limited to, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the “World Bank”), the Asian Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the Inter-American Development Bank.

 

Foreign government securities also include fixed income securities of quasi-governmental agencies that are either issued by entities owned by a national, state or equivalent government or are obligations of a political unit that are not backed by the national government’s full faith and credit.

 

Foreign Currency Transactions

 

Foreign currency transactions include purchasing and selling foreign currencies, entering into forward or futures contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies (see “Forward Foreign Currency Contracts and Foreign Currency Futures Contracts,” below), and purchasing and selling options on foreign currencies (see “Foreign Currency Options,” below). Foreign currency transactions may be used to hedge against uncertainty in the level of future foreign currency exchange rates and to increase current return.

 

Purchases and sales of foreign currencies on a spot basis are used to increase current return. They are also used in connection with both “transaction hedging” and “position hedging.”

 

Transaction hedging involves entering into foreign currency transactions with respect to specific receivables or payables generally arising in connection with the purchase or sale of portfolio securities. Transaction hedging is used to “lock in” the U.S. dollar price of a security to be purchased or sold, or the U.S. dollar equivalent of a dividend or interest payment in a foreign currency. The goal is to protect against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the applicable foreign currency during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold or on which the dividend or interest payment is declared, and the date on which such payments are made or received.

 

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Position hedging involves entering into foreign currency transactions either to protect against: (1) a decline in the value of a foreign currency in which a security held or to be sold is denominated; or (2) an increase in the

value of a foreign currency in which a security to be purchased is denominated. In connection with position hedging, the Fund may purchase put or call options on foreign currency and foreign currency futures contracts and buy or sell forward contracts and foreign currency futures contracts.

 

Neither transaction nor position hedging eliminates fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities that the Fund owns or intends to purchase or sell. They simply establish a rate of exchange that can be achieved at some future point in time. Additionally, although these techniques tend to minimize the risk of loss due to a decline in the value of the hedged currency, they also tend to limit any potential gain that might result from the increase in the value of such currency.

 

Hedging transactions are subject to correlation risk due to the fact that the amounts of foreign currency exchange transactions and the value of the portfolio securities involved will not generally be perfectly matched. This is because the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the values of those securities between the dates the currency exchange transactions are entered into and the dates they mature.

 

DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS

 

Derivative contracts are financial instruments that require payments based upon changes in the values of designated (or underlying) securities, currencies, commodities, financial indices or other assets. Some derivative contracts (such as futures, forwards and options) require payments relating to a future trade involving the underlying asset. Other derivative contracts (such as swaps) require payments relating to the income or returns from the underlying asset. The other party to a derivative contract is referred to as a counterparty.

 

Depending upon how the Fund uses derivative contracts and the relationships between the market value of a derivative contract and the underlying asset, derivative contracts may increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to interest rate and currency risks, and may also expose the Fund to liquidity and leverage risks. Over-the-counter (“OTC”) contracts also expose the Fund to credit risks in the event that a counterparty defaults on the contract.

 

Options on Equities, Fixed Income Securities, and Stock Indices

 

A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy a security at a stated price from the writer (seller) of the option. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a security at a stated price to the writer of the option. In a covered call option and during the option period, the writer owns the security (or a comparable security sufficient to satisfy securities exchange requirements) which may be sold pursuant to the option. In a covered put option, the writer holds cash and/or short-term debt instruments in an amount equal to the exercise price of the option. In addition, a call or put will be considered covered if and to the extent that some or all of the risk of the option has been offset by another position. The Fund may write combinations of covered puts and calls on the same underlying security. In general, the Fund may write options in an attempt to increase returns or purchase options for hedging purposes.

 

The premium received from writing a put or call option increases the Fund’s return on the underlying security in the event that the option expires unexercised or is closed out at a profit. The amount of the premium reflects, among other things, the relationship between the exercise price and the current market value of the underlying security, the volatility of the underlying security, the amount of time remaining until expiration, current interest rates, and the effect of supply and demand in the options market and in the market for the underlying security. A put option locks in the price at which the Fund may sell a security it holds, thus hedging against market declines. Such protection is provided during the life of the put option since the Fund, as holder of the option, is able to sell the underlying security at the option’s exercise price regardless of any decline in the underlying security’s market price. A call option locks in the price at which the Fund may purchase a security, thus hedging against an increase in the market price of a security.

 

By writing a call option, the Fund limits its opportunity to profit from any increase in the market value of the underlying security above the exercise price of the option but continues to bear the risk of a decline in the value of the underlying security. By writing a put option, the Fund assumes the risk that it may be required to purchase

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the underlying security for an exercise price higher than its then current market value, resulting in a potential capital loss unless the security subsequently appreciates in value.

 

The Fund may terminate an option that it has written prior to its expiration by entering into a closing purchase transaction, in which it purchases an offsetting option. The Fund realizes a profit or loss from a closing transaction if the cost of the transaction (option premium plus transaction costs) is less or more than the premium received from writing the option. Because increases in the market price of a call option generally reflect increases in the market price of the security underlying the option, any loss resulting from a closing purchase transaction may be offset in whole or in part by unrealized appreciation of the underlying security owned by the Fund.

 

In order for a put option to be profitable, the value of the underlying security/index must decline sufficiently below the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs. By using put options in this manner, the Fund will reduce any profit it might otherwise have realized from appreciation of the underlying security/index by the premium paid for the put option and by transaction costs.

 

In order for a call option to be profitable, the market price of the underlying security/index must rise sufficiently above the exercise price to cover the premium and transaction costs. The successful use of options depends on the ability of the Advisor to forecast interest rate and market movements. For example, if the Fund were to write a call option based on the Advisor’s expectation that the price of the underlying security will fall, but the price rises instead, the Fund could be required to sell the security upon exercise at a price below the current market price. Similarly, if the Fund were to write a put option based on the Advisor’s expectations that the value of the underlying security will rise, but the price falls instead, the Fund could be required to purchase the security upon exercise at a price higher than the current market price.

 

Foreign Currency Options

 

Options on foreign currencies operate similarly to options on securities and are traded primarily in the over-the- counter market (“OTC options”), although options on foreign currencies may also be listed on several exchanges. Options will be purchased or written only when the Advisor believes that a liquid secondary market exists for such options. There can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for a particular option at any specific time. Options on foreign currencies are affected by all of those factors which influence exchange rates and investments generally.

 

Purchases and sales of options may be used to increase current return. They are also used in connection with hedging transactions. (See “Foreign Currency Transactions,” above).

 

Writing covered call options on currencies may offset some of the costs of hedging against fluctuations in currency exchange rates. For transaction hedging purposes the Fund may also purchase exchange-listed and OTC put and call options on foreign currency futures contracts and on foreign currencies. A put option on a futures contract gives the Fund the right to assume a short position in the futures contract until expiration of the option. A call option on a futures contract gives the Fund the right to assume a long position in the futures contract until the expiration of the option.

 

The value of a foreign currency option is dependent upon the value of the foreign currency and the U.S. dollar, and may have no relationship to the investment merits of a foreign security. Because foreign currency transactions occurring in the interbank market involve substantially larger amounts than those that may be involved in the use of foreign currency options, investors may be disadvantaged by having to deal in an odd lot market (generally consisting of transactions of less than $1 million) for the underlying foreign currencies at prices that are less favorable than for round lots.

 

There is no systematic reporting of last sale information for foreign currencies and there is no regulatory requirement that quotations available through dealers or other market sources be firm or revised on a timely basis. Available quotation information is generally representative of very large transactions in the interbank market and thus may not reflect relatively smaller transactions (less than $1 million) where rates may be less favorable. The interbank market in foreign currencies is a global, around-the-clock market. To the extent that

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the U.S. options markets are closed while the markets for the underlying currencies remain open, significant price and rate movements may take place in the underlying markets that cannot be reflected in the U.S. options markets. Options contracts are generally valued at the mean of the bid and asked price as reported on the highest- volume exchange (in terms of the number of option contracts traded for that issue) on which such options are traded.

 

Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts

 

A futures contract is a binding contractual commitment which, if held to maturity, will result in an obligation to make or accept delivery of a security at a specified future time and price. By purchasing futures (assuming a “long” position), the Fund will legally obligate itself to accept the future delivery of the underlying security and pay the agreed price. By selling futures (assuming a “short” position), it will legally obligate itself to make the future delivery of the security against payment of the agreed price. Positions taken in the futures markets are not normally held to maturity, but are instead liquidated through offsetting transactions which may result in a profit or a loss. While futures positions taken by the Fund will usually be liquidated in this manner, the Fund may instead make or take delivery of the underlying securities whenever it appears economically advantageous to the Fund to do so. Futures contracts in the U.S. have been designed by exchanges that have been designated “contract markets” by the CFTC and must be executed through a futures commission merchant (“FCM”), which is a brokerage firm that is a member of the relevant contract market. Each exchange guarantees performance of the contracts as between the clearing members of the exchange, thereby reducing the risk of counterparty default. Futures contracts may also be entered into on certain exempt markets, including exempt boards of trade and electronic trading facilities, available to certain market participants. Because all transactions in the futures market are made, offset or fulfilled by an FCM through a clearinghouse associated with the exchange on which the contracts are traded, the Fund will incur brokerage fees when it buys or sells futures contracts. A clearing corporation associated with the exchange on which futures are traded assumes responsibility for such closing transactions and guarantees that the Fund’s sale and purchase obligations under closed-out positions will be performed at the termination of the contract. Futures contracts are considered to be commodity contracts.

 

The Fund may purchase and write put and call options on futures contracts, as they become available. Such options are similar to options on securities except that options on futures contracts give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put) at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. As with options on securities, the holder or writer of an option may terminate its position by selling or purchasing an option of the same series. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected. The Fund will be required to deposit initial margin and variation margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it pursuant to brokers’ requirements, and, in addition, net option premiums received will be included as initial margin deposits. See “Margin Payments” below. Compared to the purchase or sale of futures contracts, the purchase of call or put options on futures contracts involves less potential risk to the Fund because the maximum amount at risk is the premium paid for the options plus transactions costs. However, there may be circumstances when the purchases of call or put options on a futures contract would result in a loss to the Fund when the purchase or sale of the futures contracts would not, such as when there is no movement in the prices of debt securities. The writing of a put or call option on a futures contract involves risks similar to those risks relating to the purchase or sale of futures contracts.

Futures contracts and options thereon may also be used for non-hedging purposes, including to seek to increase liquidity, provide efficient portfolio management, broaden investment opportunities, implement a tax or cash management strategy, gain exposure to a particular security or segment of the market, modify the effective duration of the Fund’s portfolio investments and/or enhance total return. However, these instruments are used, their successful use is not assured and will depend upon, among other factors the Advisor’s ability to predict and understand relevant market movements.

 

Margin Payments. When the Fund purchases or sells a futures contract, it is required to deposit with the Custodian an amount of cash, U.S. Treasury bills, or other permissible collateral equal to a small percentage of the amount of the futures contract. This amount is known as “initial margin.” The nature of initial margin is different from that of margin in security transactions in that it does not involve borrowing money to finance transactions. Rather, initial margin is similar to a performance bond or good faith deposit that is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming the Fund satisfies its contractual obligations.

 

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Subsequent payments to and from the broker occur on a daily basis in a process known as “marking to market.” These payments are called “variation margin,” and are made as the value of the underlying futures contract fluctuates. For example, when the Fund sells a futures contract and the price of the underlying security rises above the delivery price, the Fund’s position declines in value. The Fund then pays a broker a variation margin payment equal to the difference between the delivery price of the futures contract and the market price of the securities underlying the futures contract. Conversely, if the price of the underlying security falls below the delivery price of the contract, the Fund’s futures position increases in value. The broker then must make a variation margin payment equal to the difference between the delivery price of the futures contract and the market price of the currency underlying the futures contract.

 

When the Fund terminates a position in a futures contract, a final determination of variation margin is made, additional cash is paid by or to the Fund, and the Fund realizes a loss or gain. Such closing transactions involve additional commission costs.

 

Index Futures Contracts and Options on Index Futures Contracts

 

A stock index futures contract is a contract to buy or sell units of a stock index at a specified future date at a price agreed upon when the contract is made. A debt index futures contract is a contract to buy or sell units of a specified debt index at a specified future date at a price agreed upon when the contract is made. A unit is the current value of the index.

 

The following example illustrates generally the manner in which index futures contracts operate. The Standard & Poor’s 100 Stock Index (“S&P 100”) is composed of 100 selected common stocks, most of which are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”). The S&P 100 assigns relative weightings to the common stocks included in the Index, and the Index fluctuates with changes in the market values of those common stocks. In the case of the S&P 100, contracts are to buy or sell 100 units. Thus, if the value of the S&P 100 were $180, one contract would be worth $18,000 (100 units x $180). The stock index futures contract specifies that no delivery of the actual stocks making up the index will take place. Instead, settlement in cash must occur upon the termination of the contract, with the settlement being the difference between the contract price and the actual level of the stock index at the expiration of the contract. For example, if the Fund enters into a futures contract to buy 100 units of the S&P 100 at a specified future date at a contract price of $180 and the S&P 100 is at $184 on that future date, the Fund will gain $400 (100 units x gain of $4).

 

If the Fund enters into a futures contract to sell 100 units of the stock index at a specified future date at a contract price of $180 and the S&P 100 is at $182 on that future date, the Fund will lose $200 (100 units x loss of $2). The Fund may purchase or sell futures contracts with respect to any stock index. Positions in index futures may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade which provides a secondary market for such futures. Purchases and sales of index futures may be used to hedge an investment. To hedge an investment successfully, however, the Fund must invest in futures contracts with respect to indices or sub-indices the movements of which will have a significant correlation with movements in the prices of the Fund’s securities.

 

Options on index futures contracts are similar to options on securities except that options on index futures contracts give the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in an index futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put) at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the holder assumes the underlying futures position and receives a variation margin payment of cash or securities approximating the increase in the value of the holder’s option position. If an option is exercised on the last trading day prior to the expiration date of the option, the settlement is made entirely in cash based on the difference between the exercise price of the option and the closing level of the index on which the futures contract is based on the expiration date. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the exercise date suffer a loss of the premium paid. As an alternative to purchasing call and put options on index futures contracts, the Fund may purchase put and call options on the underlying indices themselves to the extent that such options are traded on national securities exchanges. Index options are similar to options on individual securities in that the purchaser of an index option acquires the right to buy, and the writer undertakes the obligation to sell, an index at a stated exercise price during the term of the option. Instead of giving the right to take or make actual delivery of securities, the holder of an index option has the right to receive a cash “exercise settlement amount.” This amount is equal to the amount by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a put) or is less than (in the case of a call) the closing value of the underlying index

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on the date of the exercise, multiplied by a fixed “index multiplier.” The Fund will enter into an option position only if there appears to be a liquid secondary market for such options.

 

The aggregate premium paid on all options on stock indices will not exceed 20% of any Fund’s total assets.

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts and Foreign Currency Futures Contracts

 

A forward foreign 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 as agreed by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. In the case of a cancelable forward contract, the holder has the unilateral right to cancel the contract at maturity by paying a specified fee. The contracts are traded in the interbank market conducted directly

between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement, and no commissions are charged at any stage for trades.

 

A foreign currency futures contract is a standardized contract for the future delivery of a specified amount of a foreign currency at a future date at a price set at the time of the contract. Foreign currency futures contracts traded in the U.S. are designed by and traded on exchanges regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”), such as the New York Mercantile Exchange.

 

Forward foreign currency contracts differ from foreign currency futures contracts in certain respects. For example, the maturity date of a forward contract may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, rather than a predetermined date in a given month. Forward contracts may be in any amounts agreed upon by the parties rather than predetermined amounts. Also, forward foreign currency contracts are traded directly between currency traders so that no intermediary is required. A forward contract generally requires no margin or other deposit.

 

At the maturity of a forward or futures contract, the Fund may either accept or make delivery of the currency specified in the contract, or at or prior to maturity enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. Closing transactions with respect to forward contracts are usually effected with the currency trader who is a party to the original forward contract. Closing transactions with respect to futures contracts are effected on a commodities exchange; a clearing corporation associated with the exchange assumes responsibility for closing out such contracts.

 

Forward foreign currency contracts and foreign currency futures contracts can be used to increase current return. They are also used in connection with both “transaction hedging” and “position hedging.” (“Foreign Currency Transactions,” above).

 

Swap Agreements

 

The Fund may enter into interest rate, index and currency exchange rate swap agreements in an attempt to obtain a particular desired return at a lower cost to the Fund than if it had been invested directly in an instrument that yielded that desired return. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of returns) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments. The gross returns to be exchanged or “swapped” between the parties are calculated with respect to a “notional amount,” i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index. The “notional amount” of the swap agreement is only a fictive basis on which to calculate the obligations the parties to a swap agreement have agreed to exchange. The Fund’s obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement will generally be equal only to the amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the “net amount”). The Fund’s obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owing to the Fund).

 

Whether the Fund’s use of swap agreements enhance the Fund’s total return will depend on the Advisor’s ability correctly to predict whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Because they are two-party contracts and may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. The Advisor will

13 
 

cause the Fund to enter into swap agreements only with counterparties that would be eligible for consideration as repurchase agreement counterparties under the Fund’s repurchase agreement guidelines. The swap market is a relatively new market and is largely unregulated. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including potential government relation, could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

 

Certain swap agreements are exempt from most provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act and, therefore, are not regulated as futures or commodity option transactions under the Commodity Exchange Act., pursuant to regulations of the CFTC. To qualify for this exemption, a swap agreement must be entered into by “eligible participants,” which include the following, provided the participants’ total assets exceed established levels: a bank or trust company, savings association or credit union, insurance company, investment company subject to regulation under the 1940 Act, commodity pool, corporation, partnership, proprietorship, organization, trust or foreign person. To be eligible, natural persons and most other entities must have total assets exceeding $10 million; commodity pools and employee benefit plans must have assets exceeding $5 million. In addition, an eligible swap transaction must meet three conditions. First, the swap agreement may not be part of a fungible class of agreements that are standardized as to their material economic terms. Second, the creditworthiness of parties with actual or potential obligations under the swap agreement must be a material consideration in entering into or determining the terms of the swap agreement, including pricing, cost or credit enhancement terms. Third, swap agreements may not be entered into and traded on or through multilateral transaction execution facility.

 

Exclusion of Investment Advisor from Commodity Pool Operator Definition

 

With respect to the Fund, the Advisor has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (CPO) under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) and the rules of the CFTC and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, with respect to the Fund, the Advisor is relying upon a related exclusion from the definition of “commodity trading advisor” (“CTA”) under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC.

 

The terms of the CPO exclusion require the Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its investments in “commodity interests.” Commodity interests include commodity futures, commodity options and swaps, which in turn include non-deliverable currency forward contracts, as further described below. Because the Advisor and the Fund intend to comply with the terms of the CPO exclusion, the Fund may, in the future, need to adjust its investment strategies, consistent with its investment objective, to limit its investments in these types of instruments. The Fund is not intended as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the Advisor’s reliance on these exclusions, or the Fund, its investment strategies or this SAI.

 

Generally, the exclusion from CPO regulation on which the Advisor relies requires the Fund to meet one of the following tests for its commodity interest positions, other than positions entered into for bona fide hedging purposes (as defined in the rules of the CFTC): either (1) the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish the Fund’s positions in commodity interests may not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions); or (2) the aggregate net notional value of the Fund’s commodity interest positions, determined at the time the most recent such position was established, may not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). In addition to meeting one of these trading limitations, none of the Fund may be marketed as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps markets. If, in the future, the Fund can no longer satisfy these requirements, the Advisor would withdraw its notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of a CPO, and the Advisor would be subject to registration and regulation as a CPO with respect to the Fund, in accordance with CFTC rules that apply to CPOs of registered investment companies. Generally, these rules allow for substituted compliance with CFTC disclosure and shareholder reporting requirements, based on the Advisor’s compliance with comparable SEC requirements. However, as a result of CFTC regulation with respect to the Fund, the Fund may incur additional compliance and other expenses.

 

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OTHER TRANSACTIONS/INVESTMENTS

 

Exchange-Traded Notes

 

The Fund may invest in exchange-traded notes (“ETNs”). ETNs are generally notes representing the debt of the issuer, usually a financial institution. ETNs combine both aspects of bonds and ETFs. An ETN’s returns are based on the performance of one or more underlying assets, reference rate or indexes, minus fees and expenses. Similar to ETFs, ETNs are listed on an exchange and traded in the secondary market. However, unlike an ETF, an ETN can be held until the ETN’s maturity, at which time the issuer will pay a return linked to the performance of the specific asset, index or rate (“reference instrument”) to which the ETN is lined minus certain fees. Unlike regular bonds, ETNs do not make periodic interest payments, and principal is not protected.

The value of an ETN may be influenced by, among other things, time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in underlying markets, changes in the applicable interest rates, the performance of the reference instrument, changes in the issuer’s credit rating and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the reference instrument. ETNs also incur certain expenses not incurred by their applicable reference instrument. Some ETNs that use leverage can, at times, be relatively illiquid and, thus, they may be difficult to purchase or sell at a fair price. Levered ETNs are subject to the same risk as other instruments that use leverage in any form. While leverage allows for greater potential return, the potential for loss is also greater. Finally, additional losses may be incurred if the investment loses value because, in addition to the money lost on the investment, the loan still needs to be repaid.

 

Other Investment Company Securities

 

The Fund may invest in securities of other investment companies (“Acquired Funds”), including ETFs and traditional mutual funds, as an efficient means of carrying out its investment policies and managing their uninvested cash. The Fund’s shareholders indirectly bear the expenses of the Acquired Funds in which the Fund invests.

 

Except under exemptive rules or relief from the SEC, including Rule 12d1-4 discussed below, the Fund may not invest more than 10% of its total assets at any one time in the shares of Acquired Funds, 5% of its total assets in the shares of any one Acquired Fund, or own more than 3% of the shares of any one Acquired Fund. When the Fund invests in the shares of Acquired Funds, investment advisory and other fees will apply, and the investment’s yield will be reduced accordingly.

 

Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act allows a fund to acquire the securities of another investment company in excess of the limitations imposed by Section 12 of the 1940 Act without obtaining an exemptive order from the SEC, subject to certain terms and conditions. Among other conditions, the rule generally requires that, prior to acquiring the securities of another fund in reliance on the rule, the acquiring fund must enter into a fund of funds investment agreement with the acquired fund.

 

Rule 12d1-4 also is designed to limit the use of complex fund structures. Under Rule 12d1-4, an acquired fund is prohibited from purchasing or otherwise acquiring the securities of another investment company or private fund if, immediately after the purchase, the securities of investment companies and private funds owned by the acquired fund have an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the acquired fund’s total assets, subject to certain limited exceptions.

 

In addition to Rule 12d1-4, the 1940 Act and related rules provide other exemptions from these restrictions. For example, these limitations do not apply to investments by the Fund in investment companies that are money market funds, including money market funds that have the Advisor or an affiliate of the Advisor as an investment adviser.

 

Repurchase Agreements

 

Repurchase agreements are agreements through which banks, broker-dealers, and other financial institutions approved by the Trustees, sell securities (usually U.S. Government securities) to the Fund and agree to repurchase those securities at a specified price and time (usually not more than seven days from the original sale). The seller’s obligation to pay the repurchase price is secured by the securities to be repurchased. These securities are required to be held by the Fund, the Custodian, or a third-party custodian. In order to protect the Fund’s interest, collateral securities must have a value of at least 100% of the resale price at all times. (The seller

15 
 

must provide additional collateral in the event that this condition is not met). In general, the Advisor will require collateral securities to have a value of at least 102% of the resale price at the time the repurchase agreement is made. The collateral is marked to market on a daily basis, thus enabling the Advisor to determine when to request additional collateral from the seller.

 

If a seller defaults on its repurchase obligation, the Fund could realize a loss on the sale of the underlying securities to the extent that the proceeds of the sale (including accrued interest) are less than the resale price. In addition, even though the U.S. Bankruptcy Code provides protection to the Fund if the seller becomes bankrupt or insolvent, the Fund may suffer losses in such event.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

 

The Fund may borrow funds for temporary purposes by entering into reverse repurchase agreements, provided such action is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and fundamental investment restrictions. As a matter of non-fundamental policy, the Fund intends to limit total borrowings under reverse repurchase agreements to no more than 10% of the value of its total assets. Pursuant to a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund will sell portfolio securities to financial institutions such as banks or to broker-dealers, and agree to repurchase the securities at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. The Fund intends to enter into reverse repurchase agreements only to avoid otherwise selling securities during unfavorable market conditions to meet redemptions. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price at which the Fund is obligated to repurchase the securities. Reverse repurchase agreements and certain other financing transactions that involve a future payment obligation are subject to Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act.

 

Restricted and Illiquid Securities

 

Generally, an “illiquid security” or “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. Illiquid investments generally include investments for which no market exists or which are legally restricted as to their transfer (such as those issued pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the federal securities laws). Restricted securities are generally sold in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to an exemption from registration under the 1933 Act. If registration of a security previously acquired in a private transaction is required, the Fund, as the holder of the security, may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expense and a considerable period may elapse between the time it decides to seek registration and the time it will be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to seek registration of the security. To the extent it is determined that there is a liquid institutional or other market for certain restricted securities, the Fund would consider them to be liquid securities. An example is a restricted security that may be freely transferred among qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, and for which a liquid institutional market has developed. Rule 144A securities may be subject, however, to a greater possibility of becoming illiquid than securities that have been registered with the SEC.

 

The following factors may be taken into account in determining whether a restricted security is properly considered a liquid security: (i) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (ii) the number of dealers willing to buy or sell the security and the number of other potential buyers; (iii) any dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (iv) the nature of the security and of the marketplace trades (e.g., any demand, put or tender features, the method of soliciting offers, the mechanics and other requirements for transfer, and the ability to assign or offset the rights and obligations of the security). The nature of the security and its trading includes the time needed to sell the security, the method of soliciting offers to purchase or sell the security, and the mechanics of transferring the security including the role of parties such as foreign or U.S. custodians, subcustodians, currency exchange brokers, and depositories.

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The sale of illiquid investments often requires more time and results in higher brokerage charges or dealer discounts and other selling expenses than the sale of investments eligible for trading on national securities exchanges or in the OTC markets. Illiquid investments often sell at a price lower than similar investments that are not subject to restrictions on resale.

 

The risk to the Fund in holding illiquid investments is that they may be more difficult to sell if the Fund wants to dispose of the investment in response to adverse developments or in order to raise money for redemptions or other investment opportunities. Illiquid trading conditions may also make it more difficult for the Fund to realize an investment's fair value.

 

The Fund may also be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain investment, issuer, or sector due to overall limitations on its ability to invest in illiquid investments and the difficulty in purchasing such investments.

 

No 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. Because illiquid investments may not be readily marketable, the portfolio managers and/or investment personnel 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 net asset value or market price of the Fund to decline.

 

Securities Lending

 

In order to generate additional income, the Fund may lend its portfolio securities on a short-term basis to certain brokers, dealers or other financial institutions. In determining whether to lend to a particular broker, dealer or financial institution, the Advisor will consider all relevant facts and circumstances, including the size, creditworthiness and reputation of the borrower. Any loans made will be continuously secured by collateral in cash at least equal to 100% of the value of the securities on loan for the Fund. The Fund may lend up to 33 ⅓% of its total assets. Such loans must be fully collateralized by cash or U.S. government obligations and marked to market daily. Although the loan is fully collateralized, if the borrower defaults, the Fund could lose money.

 

While portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower will pay to the lending Fund any dividends or interest received on the securities. In addition, the Fund retains all or a portion of the interest received on investment of the collateral or receives a fee from the borrower. Although voting rights, or rights to consent, with respect to the loaned securities pass to the borrower, the lending Fund retains the right to call the loans at any time on reasonable notice, and it will do so to enable the Fund to exercise voting rights on any matters materially affecting the investment. The Fund may also call such loans in order to sell the securities.

 

One of the risks in lending portfolio securities, as with other extensions of credit, is the possible delay in recovery of the securities or possible loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. There is also the risk that, when lending portfolio securities, the securities may not be available to the Fund on a timely basis and the Fund may, therefore, lose the opportunity to sell the securities at a desirable price. In addition, in the event that a borrower of securities would file for bankruptcy or become insolvent, disposition of the securities may be delayed pending court action.

 

When-issued and Delayed Delivery Transactions

 

When-issued securities are securities purchased for delivery beyond the normal settlement date at a stated price and yield and thereby involve risk that the yield obtained in the transaction will be less than that available in the market when the delivery takes place or that the seller will fail to complete the transaction. In addition, because of delayed settlement, the Fund may pay more than market value on the settlement date. The Advisor may choose to dispose of a commitment prior to settlement. The Fund will not pay for such securities or start earning interest on them until they are received.

 

None of the Fund intends to engage in when-issued and delayed delivery transactions unless it can physically settle the transaction within 35 days of its trade date.

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INVESTMENT RISKS

 

The Prospectus discusses the Fund’s principal investment risks. Below you will find more detail about the risks associated with the types of investments and investment practices permitted by the Fund, including those which are not principal investment risks of the Fund.

 

EQUITY SECURITIES RISK

 

General Risk

 

Equity risk is the risk that stock prices will fall quickly and dramatically over short or extended periods of time. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. Often, dramatic movements in prices occur in response to the overall market environment or reports of a company’s earnings, economic statistics, or other factors that affect an issuer’s profitability. The price of equity securities can decline and reduce the value of the Fund investing in equities. Stock markets are volatile.

 

To the extent that the Fund invests in smaller capitalization stocks, it may be subject to greater risks than those associated with investment in larger, more established companies. Smaller companies tend to have limited product lines, markets, or financial resources, and may be dependent on a small management group. Smaller company stocks may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements, for reasons such as lower trading volumes, greater sensitivity to changing conditions, and less certain growth prospects. Additionally, there are fewer market makers for these stocks and wider spreads between quoted bid and ask prices in the over-the-counter market for these stocks. Small cap stocks also tend to be subject to greater liquidity risk, particularly during periods of market disruption, and there is often less publicly available information concerning these securities. The Fund that invests in high quality or “blue chip” equity securities or securities of established companies with large market capitalizations (which generally have strong financial characteristics) can also be negatively impacted by overall market and economic conditions.

 

Exchange-Traded Funds Risk

 

ETFs generally present the same primary risks as an investment in a conventional fund (e.g., one that is not exchange traded) that has the same investment objectives, strategies, and policies. The price of an ETF can fluctuate up or down, and the Fund could lose money investing in the ETF if the prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down. In addition, an investment in an ETF may be subject to the following risks that do not apply to conventional funds: (1) the market price of the ETF’s shares may trade above or below their NAV; (2) an active trading market for the ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; or (3) trading of the ETF’s shares may be halted if the listing exchange’s officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange, or the activation of market-wide “circuit breakers” (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts stock trading generally.

 

Market Price Variance Risk (ETFs). ETFs are listed for trading on a securities exchange and can be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The market prices of ETF shares will fluctuate in response to changes in their respective NAVs and supply and demand for their shares. Differences between secondary market prices and the NAV for an ETF’s shares may be due largely to supply and demand forces in the secondary market, which forces may not be the same as those influencing prices for securities or instruments held by the Fund at a particular time. There may, however, be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly and an investor may pay more than NAV when buying ETF shares on the secondary market, and receive less than NAV when it sells those ETF shares. The market price of ETF shares includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the lead market maker, market makers or other participants that trade ETF shares. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread often increases significantly. This means that an ETF’s shares may trade at a discount to NAV, and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of the ETF’s shares is falling fastest, which may be the time that investors most want to sell the ETF’s shares. An ETF’s investment results are measured based upon the daily NAV of the ETF.

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Accordingly, the Fund purchasing and selling ETFs in the secondary market may not experience investment results consistent with those purchasing from and redeeming Creation Units with an ETF directly.

 

Securities Linked to the Real Estate Market and REIT Risk

 

Investing in securities of companies in the real estate industry subjects the Fund to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate. These risks include:

 

declines in the value of real estate;
risks related to local, regional, and national economic conditions;
possible lack of availability of mortgage funds;
overbuilding;
extended vacancies of properties;
increased competition;
increases in property taxes and operating expenses;
change 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 the appeal of properties to tenants; and
changes in interest rates.

 

Securities of companies in the real estate industry include equity REITs and mortgage REITs. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. Further, equity and mortgage REITs are dependent upon management skills and generally may not be diversified. Equity and mortgage REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, and self-liquidations. In addition, equity and mortgage REITs could possibly fail to qualify for tax free pass-through of income under the Code, or to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. The above factors may also adversely affect a borrower’s or a lessee’s ability to meet its obligations to the REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments.

 

In addition, even the larger REITs in the industry tend to be small to medium-sized companies in relation to the equity markets as a whole. See “Small and Medium Size Company Risk” (below) for a discussion of the risks associated with investments in these companies.

 

Small and Medium Size Company Risk

 

Companies that are small or unseasoned (e.g., less than three years of operating history) are more likely than larger or established companies to fail or not to accomplish their goals. As a result, the value of their securities could decline significantly. These companies are less likely to survive since they are often dependent upon a small number of products and may have limited financial resources and a small management group. Small or unseasoned companies often have a greater degree of change in earnings and business prospects than larger or established companies, resulting in more volatility in the price of their securities. The securities of small or unseasoned companies may have limited marketability. This factor could cause the value of the Fund’s investments to decrease if it needs to sell such securities when there are few interested buyers. Small or unseasoned companies usually have fewer outstanding shares than larger or established companies. Therefore, it may be more difficult to buy or sell large amounts of these shares without unfavorably impacting the price of the security. There may be less publicly available information about small or unseasoned companies. Therefore, when making a decision to purchase a security for the Fund, the Advisor may not be aware of problems associated with the company issuing the security. Investments in the securities of medium-sized companies present risks similar to those associated with small or unseasoned companies, although to a lesser degree due to the larger size of the companies.

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FOREIGN SECURITIES RISK

 

General Risk

 

Compared with investing in the U.S., investing in foreign markets involves a greater degree and variety of risk. Investors in international or foreign markets may face delayed settlements, currency controls, and adverse economic developments as well as higher overall transaction costs. Foreign governments may expropriate assets, impose capital or currency controls, impose punitive taxes, impose limits on ownership, or nationalize a company or industry. Any of these actions could have a severe effect on security prices and impair the Fund’s ability to bring its capital or income back to the U.S. The value of foreign securities may be affected by incomplete, less frequent or inaccurate financial information about their issuers, social upheavals or political actions ranging from tax code changes to governmental collapse. Foreign Companies may also receive less coverage than U.S. companies by market analysts and the financial press. In addition, foreign countries may lack uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards or regulatory requirements comparable to those applicable to U.S. companies.

 

The securities of some Foreign Companies are less liquid and at times more volatile than securities of comparable

U.S. companies. Foreign brokerage commissions and other fees are also generally higher than in the U.S.

 

In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of nationalization or expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, political or financial instability, and diplomatic developments which could affect the value of investments in those countries. In certain countries, legal remedies available to investors may be more limited than those available with respect to investments in the U.S. or other countries. The laws of some foreign countries may limit the Fund’s ability to invest in securities of certain issuers located in those countries. Special tax considerations apply to foreign securities.

 

ADRs and Domestically Traded Foreign Securities Risk

 

Because the Fund may invest in ADRs and other domestically traded securities of Foreign Companies, the Fund’s share prices may be more affected by foreign economic and political conditions, taxation policies, and accounting and auditing standards than if the Fund did not invest in such securities.

 

Currency Risk

 

Exchange rates for currencies fluctuate daily. Fluctuations in the U.S. dollar’s value versus other currencies may erode or reverse gains from investments denominated in foreign currencies or widen losses. The combination of currency risk and market risk tends to make securities traded in foreign markets more volatile than securities traded exclusively in the U.S. Exchange rates for currencies fluctuate daily. Foreign securities are normally denominated and traded in foreign currencies. As a result, the value of the Fund’s foreign investments and the value of its shares may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency exchange rates relative to the U.S. dollar. The combination of currency risk and market risks tends to make securities traded in foreign markets more volatile than securities traded exclusively in the U.S. Exchange rate fluctuations also may impair an issuer’s ability to repay U.S. dollar denominated debt, thereby increasing credit risk of such debt.

 

Foreign Custodial Services and Related Investment Costs Risk

 

Foreign custodial services and other costs relating to investment in international securities markets are generally more expensive than in the U.S. Foreign markets have settlement and clearance procedures that differ from those in the U.S. Foreign settlement procedures and trade regulations also may involve certain risks such as delays in payment or delivery of securities or in the recovery of the Fund’s assets held abroad. In certain markets, particularly emerging markets, there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Inability of the Fund to make intended securities purchases due to settlement problems could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Inability to dispose of a portfolio security caused by settlement problems could result in losses to the Fund due to a subsequent decline in value of the portfolio security. In addition, security settlement and clearance procedures in some emerging market countries may not fully protect the Fund against loss or theft of its assets.

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Certain foreign companies may be subject to sanctions, embargoes, or other governmental actions that may impair or otherwise limit the ability to invest in, receive, hold or sell the securities of such companies. These factors may affect the value of investments in those companies. In addition, certain companies may operate in, or have dealings with, countries that the U.S. Government has identified as state sponsors of terrorism. As a result, such companies may be subject to specific constraints or regulations under U.S. law and, additionally, may be subject to negative investor perception, either of which could adversely affect such companies’ performance.

 

Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the resulting responses by the United States and other countries, and the potential for wider conflict could increase volatility and uncertainty in the financial markets and adversely affect regional and global economies. The United States and other countries have imposed broad- ranging economic sanctions on Russia, certain Russian individuals, banking entities and corporations, and Belarus as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and may impose sanctions on other countries that provide military or economic support to Russia. The extent and duration of Russia’s military actions and the repercussions of such actions (including any retaliatory actions or countermeasures that may be taken by those subject to sanctions, including cyber-attacks) are impossible to predict, but could result in significant market disruptions, including in particular industries or sectors, such as the oil and natural gas markets, and may negatively affect global supply chains, inflation and global economic growth. These and any related events could significantly impact the Fund’s performance and the value of an investment in the Fund, even if the Fund does not have direct exposure to Russian issuers or issuers in other countries affected by the invasion. Additionally, due to current and potential future sanctions or potential market closures impacting the ability to trade Russian securities, the Fund may experience higher transaction costs, difficulty in valuing affected securities and losses in the value of the Fund's investments.

 

Emerging Markets Risk

 

Investing in emerging market securities involves risks which are in addition to the usual risks inherent in foreign investments. Some emerging markets countries may have fixed or managed currencies that are not free-floating against the U.S. dollar. Further, certain currencies may not be traded internationally. Certain of these currencies have experienced a steady devaluation relative to the U.S. dollar. Any devaluation in the currencies in which the Fund’s securities are denominated may have a detrimental impact on the Fund.

 

Some countries with emerging securities markets have experienced substantial, and in some periods, extremely high, rates of inflation for many years. Inflation and rapid fluctuation in inflation rates have had and may continue to have negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain countries. Moreover, the economies of some countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as rate of growth of gross domestic product, the rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, number and depth of industries forming the economy’s base, governmental controls, and investment restrictions that are subject to political change and balance of payments position. Further, there may be greater difficulties or restrictions with respect to investments made in emerging markets countries.

 

Emerging markets typically have substantially less volume than U.S. markets. In addition, securities in many such markets are less liquid, and their prices often are more volatile, than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Such markets often have different clearance and settlement procedures for securities transactions, and in some markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of transactions, making it difficult to conduct transactions. Delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when assets may not be invested. Settlement problems in emerging markets countries also could cause the Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities. Satisfactory custodial services may not be available in some emerging markets countries, which may result in the Fund incurring additional costs and delays in the transportation and custody of such securities.

 

Greater China Investment Risk. Investments in companies located or operating in Greater China (normally considered to be the geographical area that includes mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) involve risks and considerations not typically associated with investments in the U.S. and other Western nations, such as greater government control over the economy; political, legal and regulatory uncertainty; nationalization, expropriation, or confiscation of property; difficulty in obtaining information necessary for investigations into and/or litigation against Chinese companies, as well as in obtaining and/or enforcing judgments; limited legal remedies for shareholders; alteration or discontinuation of economic reforms; military conflicts, either internal or with other

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countries; inflation, currency fluctuations and fluctuations in inflation and interest rates that may have negative effects on the economy and securities markets of Greater China; and Greater China’s dependency on the economies of other Asian countries, many of which are developing countries. Events in any one country within Greater China may impact the other countries in the region or Greater China as a whole. For example, changes to their political and economic relationships with mainland China could adversely impact the Fund’s investments in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Further, health events, such as the recent coronavirus outbreak, may cause uncertainty and volatility in the Chinese economy, especially in the consumer discretionary (leisure, retail, gaming, tourism), industrials, and commodities sectors. Additionally, any difficulties of the PCAOB to inspect audit work papers and practices of PCAOB-registered accounting firms in China with respect to their audit work of U.S. reporting companies may impose significant additional risks associated with investments in China.

 

Investments in Chinese companies may be made through a special structure known as a variable interest entity (“VIE”) that is designed to provide foreign investors, such as the Fund, with exposure to Chinese companies that operate in certain sectors in which China restricts or prohibits foreign investments. Investments in VIEs may pose additional risks because the investment is made through an intermediary shell company that has entered into service and other contracts with the underlying Chinese operating company in order to provide investors with exposure to the operating company, but does not represent equity ownership in the operating company. As a result, such investment may limit the rights of an investor with respect to the underlying Chinese operating company. VIEs allow the shell company to exert a degree of control and obtain economic benefits arising from the operating company without formal legal ownership. However, the contractual arrangements between the shell company and the operating company may not be as effective in providing operational control as direct equity ownership, and a foreign investor’s rights may be limited by, for example, actions of the Chinese government which could determine that the underlying contractual arrangements on which control of the VIE is based are invalid. The contractual arrangement on which the VIE structure is based would likely be subject to Chinese law and jurisdiction, which could raise questions about how recourse is sought. Investments through VIEs may be affected by conflicts of interest and duties between the legal owners of the VIE and the stockholders of the listed holding company, which could adversely impact the value of investments. VIEs historically have not been formally recognized under Chinese law. Recently, the Chinese government provided new guidance to and placed restrictions on China-based companies raising capital offshore, including through VIEs, and investors face uncertainty about future actions by the Chinese government that could significantly affect the operating company’s financial performance and the enforceability of the contractual arrangements underlying the VIE structure.

 

Certain securities issued by companies located or operating in Greater China, such as China A-shares, are subject to trading restrictions and suspensions, quota limitations and sudden changes in those limitations, and operational, clearing and settlement risks. Significant portions of the Chinese securities markets may become rapidly illiquid, as Chinese issuers have the ability to suspend the trading of their equity securities and have shown a willingness to exercise that option in response to market volatility and other events. The liquidity of Chinese securities may shrink or disappear suddenly and without warning as a result of adverse economic, market or political events, or adverse investor perceptions, whether or not accurate. Export growth continues to be a major driver of China’s rapid economic growth. As a result, a reduction in spending on Chinese products and services, the institution of tariffs or other trade barriers (or the threat thereof), or a downturn in any of the economies of China’s key trading partners may have an adverse impact on the Chinese economy. The ongoing trade dispute and imposition of tariffs between China and the United States continues to introduce uncertainty into the Chinese economy and may result in reductions 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 China’s export industry, which could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance. Events such as these and their consequences are difficult to predict and it is unclear whether further tariffs may be imposed or other escalating actions may be taken in the future. In addition, actions by the U.S. government, such as delisting of certain Chinese companies from U.S. securities exchanges or otherwise restricting their operations in the U.S., may negatively impact the value of such securities held by the Fund.

 

From time to time, certain companies in which the Fund invests may operate in, or have dealings with, countries subject to sanctions or embargoes imposed by the U.S. Government and the United Nations and/or in countries the U.S. Government identified as state sponsors of terrorism. One or more of these companies may be subject to constraints under U.S. law or regulations that could negatively affect the company’s performance. Additionally, developing countries, such as those in Greater China, may subject the Fund’s investments to a number of tax rules, and the application of many of those rules may be uncertain. Moreover, China has implemented a number of tax reforms in recent years and may amend or revise its existing tax laws and/or procedures in the future, possibly with

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retroactive effect. Changes in applicable Chinese tax law could reduce the after-tax profits of the Fund, directly or indirectly, including by reducing the after-tax profits of companies in China in which the Fund invests. Chinese taxes that may apply to the Fund’s investments include income tax or withholding tax on dividends, interest or gains earned by the Fund, business tax and stamp duty. Uncertainties in Chinese tax rules could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund.

 

 

FIXED INCOME SECURITIES RISK

 

Counterparty Credit Risk

 

The value of the Fund’s investments may be adversely affected if a security’s credit rating is downgraded; an issuer of an investment held by the Fund fails to pay an obligation on a timely basis, otherwise defaults, or is perceived by other investors to be less creditworthy; or a counterparty to a derivatives or other transaction with the Fund files for bankruptcy, becomes insolvent, or otherwise becomes unable or unwilling to honor its obligation to the Fund.

 

Credit Risk

 

Credit risk is the possibility that an issuer may default on a security by failing to pay interest or principal when due. If an issuer defaults, the Fund will lose money.

 

Many fixed income securities receive credit ratings from services such as S&P and Moody’s. These services assign ratings to securities by assessing the likelihood of issuer default. Lower credit ratings correspond to higher credit risk. If a security has not received a rating, the Fund must rely entirely upon the Advisor’s credit assessment.

 

Fixed income securities generally compensate for greater credit risk by paying interest at a higher rate. The difference between the yield of a security and the yield of a U.S. Treasury security with a comparable maturity (the spread) measures the additional interest paid for risk. Spreads may increase generally in response to adverse economic or market conditions. A security’s spread may also increase if the security’s rating is lowered, or the security is perceived to have an increased credit risk. An increase in the spread will cause the price of the security to decline.

 

Interest Rate Risk

 

Prices of fixed income securities rise and fall in response to changes in the interest rate paid by similar securities. Generally, when interest rates rise, prices of fixed income securities fall. However, market factors, such as the demand for particular fixed income securities, may cause the price of certain fixed income securities to fall while the prices of other securities rise or remain unchanged. Interest rate changes have a greater effect on the price of fixed income securities with longer durations. Duration measures the price sensitivity of a fixed income security to changes in interest rates.

 

Changing interest rates may have unpredictable effects on markets, may result in heightened market volatility and increased redemptions, and may detract from the Fund's performance to the extent Fund is exposed to such interest rates and/or volatility. An increase in prevailing interest rates typically causes the value of existing debt securities to fall and often has a greater impact on longer-duration debt securities and higher quality debt securities. A general rise in interest rates may cause investors to move out of fixed income securities on a large scale, which could adversely affect the price and liquidity of fixed income securities and could also result in increased redemptions for the Fund. During periods when inflation rates are high or rising, the Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates.

 

 

In a low or negative interest rate environment, debt securities may trade at, or be issued with, negative yields, which means the purchaser of the security may receive at maturity less than the total amount invested. In addition, in a negative interest rate environment, if a bank charges negative interest, instead of receiving interest on deposits, a depositor must pay the bank fees to keep money with the bank. To the extent the Fund holds a negatively-yielding debt security or has a bank deposit with a negative interest rate, the Fund would generate a negative return on that investment. Cash positions may also subject the Fund to increased counterparty risk to the Fund’s bank. Debt market conditions are highly unpredictable and some parts of the market are subject to dislocations.

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If low or negative interest rates become more prevalent in the market and/or if low or negative interest rates persist for a sustained period of time, some investors may seek to reallocate assets to other income-producing assets. This may cause the price of such higher yielding instruments to rise, could further reduce the value of instruments with a negative yield, and may limit the Fund’s ability to locate fixed income instruments containing the desired risk/return profile. Changing interest rates, including, rates that fall below zero, could have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose fixed income markets to heightened volatility, increased redemptions, and potential illiquidity. In recent years, the Federal Reserve began implementing increases to the federal funds interest rate and there may be further rate increases. As the federal funds rate rises, interest rates across the financial system also may rise. To the extent interest rates increase substantially and/or rapidly, the Fund may be subject to significant losses.

 

The low interest rate environment observed in prior years was created in part by actions taken by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”) to keep the federal funds rate at a low level, including expanding the scope of its repurchase agreement operations, and purchasing large quantities of securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities on the open market. In recent years, the Federal Reserve has “tapered” its quantitative easing programs and, in 2022, began implementing increases to the federal funds rate. Further rate increases are expected. As interest rates rise, there is risk that rates across the financial system also may rise. Changes in government intervention may have adverse effects on the Fund’s investments, volatility, and illiquidity in debt markets. Interest rate increases could cause the value of any Fund that invests in fixed income securities to decrease to the extent that it invests in fixed income securities. Federal Reserve policy changes may expose fixed-income and related markets to heightened volatility and may reduce liquidity for certain Fund investments, which could cause the value of the Fund’s investments and share price to decline. If the Fund invests in derivatives tied to fixed-income markets, the Fund may be more substantially exposed to these risks than the fund that does not invest in derivatives. To the extent the Fund experiences high redemptions because of these policy changes, the Fund may experience increased portfolio turnover, which will increase the costs the Fund incurs and may lower its performance. Furthermore, if rising interest rates cause the Fund to lose enough value, the Fund could also face increased shareholder redemptions, which could force the Fund to liquidate investments at disadvantageous times or prices, therefore adversely affecting the Fund. In addition, decreases in fixed income dealer market-making capacity may persist in the future, potentially leading to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed income markets.

 

ETN Investment Risk

 

Because the return on the ETN is dependent on the issuer’s ability or willingness to meet its obligations, the value of the ETN may change due to a change in the issuer’s credit rating, despite no change in the underlying reference instrument. The market value of ETN shares may differ from the value of the reference instrument.

This difference in price may be due to the fact that the supply and demand in the market for ETN shares at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the assets underlying the reference instrument that the ETN seeks to track.

 

There may be restrictions on the Fund’s right to redeem its investment in an ETN, which are generally meant to be held until maturity. The Fund’s decision to sell its ETN holdings may be limited by the availability of a secondary market. An investor in an ETN could lose some or all of the amount invested.

 

DERIVATIVE CONTRACTS RISK

 

General Risk

 

The use of derivative contracts involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. First, changes in the value of the derivative contracts in which the Fund invests may not be correlated with changes in the value of the underlying asset or if they are correlated, may move in the opposite direction than originally anticipated.

 

Second, while some strategies involving derivatives may reduce the risk of loss, they may also reduce potential gains or, in some cases, result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in portfolio holdings. Third, there is a risk that derivative contracts may be mispriced or improperly valued and, as a result, a Fund may need to make increased cash payments to the counterparty. Fourth, derivative contracts may cause the Fund to realize increased ordinary income or short-term capital gains (which are treated as ordinary income for Federal income

24 
 

tax purposes) and, as a result, may increase taxable distributions to shareholders. Fifth, a common provision in OTC derivative contracts permits the counterparty to terminate any such contract between it and the Fund, if the value of the Fund’s total net assets declines below a specified level over a given time period. Factors that may contribute to such a decline (which usually must be substantial) include significant shareholder redemptions and/or a marked decrease in the market value of the Fund’s investments. Any such termination of the Fund’s OTC derivative contracts may adversely affect the Fund (for example, by increasing losses and/or costs, and/or preventing the Fund from fully implementing its investment strategies). Finally, derivative contracts may also involve other risks described in this SAI, such as stock market, interest rate, credit, currency, liquidity and leverage risks.

 

When a derivative is used as a hedge against an offsetting position that the Fund also holds, any loss generated by that derivative will be substantially offset by the gains on the hedged security, and vice versa. To the extent the Fund uses a derivative security for purposes other than as a hedge, or if the Fund hedges imperfectly, the Fund is directly exposed to the risks of that derivative or other instrument and any loss generated by that derivative or other instrument will not be offset by a gain.

 

Options Risk

 

When the Fund purchases an option, it runs the risk that it will lose its entire investment in the option in a relatively short period of time, unless the Fund exercises the option or enters into a closing sale transaction with respect to the option during the life of the option. If the price of the underlying security does not rise (in the case of a call) or fall (in the case of a put) to an extent sufficient to cover the option premium and transaction costs, the Fund will lose part or all of its investment in the option. This contrasts with an investment by the Fund in the underlying security, since the Fund will not lose any of its investment in such security if the price does not change.

 

The use of options also involves the risk of imperfect correlation between movements in option prices and movements in the value of the underlying securities.

 

The effective use of options also depends on the Fund’s ability to terminate option positions at times when the Advisor deems it desirable to do so. Although the Fund will take an option position only if the Advisor believes there is a liquid secondary market for the option, there is no assurance that the Fund will be able to effect closing transactions at any particular time or at an acceptable price.

 

The Fund generally expects that its options transactions will be conducted on recognized exchanges. In certain instances, however, the Fund may purchase and sell options in the OTC markets. The Fund’s ability to terminate options in the OTC market may be more limited than for exchange-traded options and may also involve the risk that securities dealers participating in such transactions would be unable to meet their obligations to the Fund.

 

The Fund will, however, engage in OTC market transactions only when appropriate exchange-traded transactions are unavailable and when, in the opinion of the Advisor, the pricing mechanism and liquidity of the OTC market is satisfactory and the participants are responsible parties likely to meet their contractual obligations.

 

If a secondary trading market in options were to become unavailable, the Fund could no longer engage in closing transactions. Lack of investor interest might adversely affect the liquidity of the market for particular options or series of options. A market may discontinue trading of a particular option or options generally. In addition, a market could become temporarily unavailable if unusual events, such as, volume in excess of trading or clearing capability, were to interrupt its normal operations.

 

A market may at times find it necessary to impose restrictions on particular types of options transactions, such as opening transactions. For example, if an underlying security ceases to meet qualifications imposed by the market or the Options Clearing Corporation, new series of options on that security will no longer be opened to replace expiring series, and opening transactions in existing series may be prohibited. If an options market were to become unavailable, the Fund as a holder of an option would be able to realize profits or limit losses only by exercising the option, and the Fund, as option writer, would remain obligated under the option until expiration.

 

25 
 

 

Disruptions in the markets for the securities underlying options purchased or sold by the Fund could result in losses on the options. If trading is interrupted in an underlying security, the trading of options on that security is normally halted as well. As a result, the Fund as purchaser or writer of an option will be unable to close out its positions until options trading resumes, and it may be faced with considerable losses if trading in the security reopens at a substantially different price. In addition, the Options Clearing Corporation or other options markets may impose exercise restrictions. If a prohibition on exercise is imposed at the time when trading in the option has also been halted, the Fund as a purchaser or writer of an option will be locked into its position until one of the two restrictions has been lifted. If the Options Clearing Corporation were to determine that the available supply of an underlying security appears insufficient to permit delivery by the writers of all outstanding calls in the event of exercise, it may prohibit indefinitely the exercise of put options by holders who would be unable to deliver the underlying interest. The Fund, as holder of such a put option, could lose its entire investment if the prohibition remained in effect until the put option’s expiration and the Fund was unable either to acquire the underlying security or to sell the put option in the market.

 

Special risks are presented by internationally-traded options. Because of time differences between the U.S. and various foreign countries, and because different holidays are observed in different countries, foreign options markets may be open for trading during hours or on days when U.S. markets are closed. As a result, option premium may not reflect the current prices of the underlying interest in the U.S.

 

An exchange-listed option may be closed out only on an exchange which provides a secondary market for an option of the same series. There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular option or at any particular time. If no secondary market were to exist, it would be impossible to enter into a closing transaction to close out an option position. As a result, the Fund may be forced to continue to hold, or to purchase at a fixed price, a security on which it has sold an option at a time when the Advisor believes it is inadvisable to do so.

 

Higher than anticipated trading activity or order flow or other unforeseen events might cause the Options Clearing Corporation or an exchange to institute special trading procedures or restrictions that might restrict the Fund’s use of options. The exchanges have established limitations on the maximum number of calls and puts of each class that may be held or written by an investor or group of investors acting in concert. It is possible that the Trust and other clients of the Advisor may be considered such a group. These position limits may restrict the Trust’s ability to purchase or sell options on particular securities. Options that are not traded on national securities exchanges may be closed out only with the other party to the option transaction. For that reason, it may be more difficult to close out unlisted options than listed options. Furthermore, unlisted options are not subject to the protection afforded purchasers of listed options by the Options Clearing Corporation.

 

Liquidity Risk

 

Positions in futures contracts may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade which provides a secondary market for such futures. Although the Fund intends to purchase or sell futures only on exchanges or boards of trade where there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange or board of trade will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. If there is not a liquid secondary market at a particular time, it may not be possible to close a futures position at such time and, in the event of adverse price movements, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin. However, in the event financial futures are used to hedge portfolio securities, such securities will not generally be sold until the financial futures can be terminated. In such circumstances, an increase in the price of the portfolio securities, if any, may partially or completely offset losses on the financial futures. In addition to the risks that apply to all options transactions, here are several special risks relating to options on futures contracts. The ability to establish and close out positions in such options will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid secondary market. It is not certain that such a market will develop. Although the Fund generally will purchase only those options for which there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on an exchange will exist for any particular option or at any particular time. In the event no such market exists for particular options, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions in such options, with the result that the Fund would have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit.

 

26 
 

 

Hedging Risk

 

There are several risks in connection with the use by the Fund of futures contracts and related options as a hedging device. One risk arises because of the imperfect correlation between movements in the prices of the futures contracts and options and movements in the prices of securities that are the subject of the hedge. The Advisor will, however, attempt to reduce this risk by purchasing and selling, to the extent possible, futures contracts and related options on securities and indices, the movements of which will, in its judgment, correlate closely with movements in the prices of the portfolio securities sought to be hedged.

 

Successful use of futures contracts and options by the Fund for hedging purposes is also subject to the Advisor’s ability to predict correctly movements in the direction of the market. It is possible that, where the Fund has purchased puts on futures contracts to hedge its portfolio against a decline in the market, the securities or index on which the puts are purchased may increase in value and the value of securities held in the portfolio may decline. If this occurred, the Fund would lose money on the puts and also experience a decline in value in its portfolio securities. In addition, the prices of futures, for a number of reasons, may not correlate perfectly with movements in the underlying securities or index due to certain market distortions. First, all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit requirements. Such requirements may cause investors to close futures contracts through offsetting transactions which could distort the normal relationship between the underlying security or index and futures markets. Second, the margin requirements in the futures markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities markets in general, and as a result the futures markets may attract more speculators than the securities markets do. Increased participation by speculators in the futures markets may also cause temporary price distortions. Due to the possibility of price distortion, even a correct forecast of general market trends by the Advisor may still not result in a successful hedging transaction over a very short time period.

 

Other Risks

 

The Fund will incur brokerage fees in connection with its futures and options transactions. In addition, while futures contracts and options on futures will be purchased and sold to reduce certain risks, those transactions themselves entail certain other risks. Thus, while the Fund may benefit from the use of futures and related options, unanticipated changes in interest rates or stock price movements may result in a poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not entered into any futures contracts or options transactions. Moreover, in the event of an imperfect correlation between the futures position and the portfolio position that is intended to be protected, the desired protection may not be obtained and the Fund may be exposed to risk of loss.

 

Forward Foreign Currency and Foreign Currency Futures Contracts Risk

 

Among the risks of using foreign currency futures contracts is the fact that positions in these contracts (and any related options) may be closed out only on an exchange or board of trade which provides a secondary market. Although it is intended that the Fund using foreign currency futures contracts and related options will only purchase or sell them on exchanges or boards of trade where there appears to be an active secondary market, there is no assurance that a secondary market on an exchange or board of trade will exist for any particular contract or option or at any particular time. In such event, it may not be possible to close a futures or related option position and, in the event of adverse price movements, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin on its futures positions.

 

In addition, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of a security at the expiration or maturity of a forward or futures contract. Accordingly, it may be necessary to purchase additional foreign currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such purchase) if the market value of the security being hedged is less than the amount of foreign the Fund is obligated to deliver and if a decision is made to sell the security and make delivery of the foreign currency. Conversely, it may be necessary to sell on the spot market some of the foreign currency received upon the sale of the hedged portfolio security if the market value of such security exceeds the amount of foreign currency the Fund is obligated to deliver.

 

27 
 

 

Swaps

 

The Fund may enter into swap contracts to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of securities in various circumstances, including circumstances where direct investment in the securities is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. Swaps may also be used for hedging purposes or to seek to increase total return. Swap contracts may be structured in different ways. For example, a counterparty may agree to pay the Fund the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the swap contract would have increased in value had it been invested in the particular stocks (or a group of stocks), plus the dividends that would have been received on those stocks. In these cases, the Fund may agree to pay to the counterparty a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the swap contract plus the amount, if any, by which that notional amount would have decreased in value had it been invested in such stocks. Therefore, the return to the Fund on the swap contract should be the gain or loss on the notional amount plus dividends on the stocks less the interest paid by the Fund on the notional amount. In other cases, the counterparty and the Fund may each agree to pay the other the difference between the relative investment performances that would have been achieved if the notional amount of the swap contract had been invested in different stocks (or a group of stocks).

 

The Fund will generally enter into swaps on a net basis, which means that the two payment streams are netted out, with the Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments. Payments may be made at the conclusion of a swap contract or periodically during its term. Swaps normally do not involve the delivery of securities or other underlying assets. Accordingly, the risk of loss with respect to swaps is normally limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make. If the other party to a swap defaults, the Fund’s risk of loss consists of the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually entitled to receive, if any.

 

Regulatory Risk

 

The regulation of derivatives is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action. In addition, the SEC, 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, such as speculative position limits on certain types of derivatives, or limits or restrictions on the counterparties with which the Fund engages in derivative transactions, may limit or prevent the Fund from using or limit the Fund’s use of these instruments effectively as a part of its investment strategy, and could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. The Trust will continue to monitor developments in the area. New requirements, even if not directly applicable to the Fund, may increase the cost of the Fund’s investments and cost of doing business.

 

OTHER TRANSACTIONS/INVESTMENT RISKS

 

Government Intervention and Extreme Volatility Risk

 

In the past, instability in the financial markets led the U.S. Government and other governments to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases lack of liquidity. Federal, state, and other governments, their regulatory agencies, or self-regulatory organizations could take actions that affect the regulation of the instruments in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Fund itself is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

 

Reduced liquidity in credit and fixed-income markets may adversely affect many issuers worldwide. Reduced liquidity may result in less money being available to purchase raw materials, goods and services from emerging markets, which may, in turn, bring down the prices of these economic staples. It may also result in emerging market issuers having more difficulty obtaining financing, which may, in turn, cause a decline in their stock prices. If they arise, these issues may have an adverse effect on the Fund.

 

28 
 

Leverage Risk

 

Leverage risk is created when an investment exposes the Fund to a level of risk that exceeds the amount invested. Changes in the value of such an investment magnify the Fund’s risk of loss and potential for gain.

 

Some transactions may give rise to a form of leverage. These transactions may include, among others, derivatives and reverse repurchase agreements, and may expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. When transactions create leverage, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivatives or other instruments themselves. Certain transactions have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investments. Increases and decreases in the value of the securities held by the Fund and therefore in the Fund’s NAV will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage because leverage tends to increase the Fund’s exposure to market risk, interest rate risk or other risks by, in effect, increasing assets available for investment.

 

 

LIBOR Transition Risk

 

The Fund may invest in financial instruments (including variable or floating rate loans, debt securities, and derivatives such as interest rate futures) that recently transitioned from, or continue to have exposure to LIBOR, which was the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. LIBOR was a common benchmark interest rate index used to make adjustments to variable-rate loans and to determine interest rates for a variety of financial instruments and borrowing arrangements.

 

The United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) has ceased publication of the majority of LIBOR rates. FCA has announced that some U.S. dollar LIBOR rates will be available exclusively for non-U.S. contracts that previously referenced LIBOR until September 2024, but any such rates would be considered non-representative of the underlying market. Regulators and financial industry working groups have worked to identify alternative reference rates (“ARRs”) to replace LIBOR and to assist with the transition to new ARRs. The continued transition away from LIBOR could result in increased volatility and uncertainty in markets tied to LIBOR. The elimination of LIBOR may adversely affect the market for, or value of, specific securities or payments linked to LIBOR rates, the availability or terms of borrowing or refinancing, or the effectiveness of hedging strategies. These risks may also apply with respect to changes in connection with other interbank offering rates (e.g., Euribor or SOFR) and a wide range of other index levels, rates and values that are treated as “benchmarks” and are the subject of recent regulatory reform. There is no assurance that the composition or characteristics of any ARR will be similar to or produce the same value or economic equivalence as LIBOR or that instruments using an alternative rate will have the same volume or liquidity. While the transition process away from LIBOR has become increasingly well-defined, the transition might lead to increased volatility and reduced liquidity in markets that historically relied on LIBOR to determine interest rates; a reduction in the value of some LIBOR-based investments; increased difficulty in borrowing or refinancing and diminished effectiveness of any applicable hedging strategies against instruments whose terms previously included LIBOR; and/or costs incurred in connection with temporary borrowings and closing out positions and entering into new agreements. Additionally, while some “legacy” LIBOR-based instruments may have contemplated a scenario where LIBOR is no longer available by providing for an alternative or “fallback” rate-setting methodology, there may be significant uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any such alternative methodologies to replicate LIBOR. Not all LIBOR-based instruments had such fallback provisions and there remains uncertainty regarding the willingness and ability of issuers to add alternative rate-setting provisions in certain existing instruments.

 

On December 16, 2022, the Federal Reserve Board adopted regulations implementing the Adjustable Interest Rate Act. The regulations provide a statutory fallback mechanism to replace LIBOR in certain financial contracts after June 30, 2023, by identifying benchmark rates based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), which is a broad measure of the cost of overnight borrowing of cash through repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities. These regulations apply only to contracts governed by U.S. law, among other limitations. The regulations include provisions that (i) provide a safe harbor for selection or use of a replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board; (ii) clarify who may choose the replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board; and (iii) ensure that contracts adopting a replacement benchmark rate selected by the Federal Reserve Board will not be interrupted or terminated following the replacement of LIBOR; however there remains significant uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any such legislation. Irrespective of the statutory fallback mechanism, SOFR has been used increasingly on a voluntary basis in new instruments and transactions.

29 
 

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

 

FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

The Fund has adopted the following fundamental investment restrictions that may not be changed without approval by a “majority of the outstanding shares” of the Fund which, as used in this SAI, means the vote of the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund represented at a meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are present or represented by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The investment restrictions pertain to the Fund unless otherwise noted.

 

The Fund:

 

(1)May not invest 25% or more of its total assets in a particular industry or group of industries. This limitation is not applicable to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the

U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities.

 

(2)May not issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and as may be amended from time to time.

 

(3)May not borrow money, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC and as may be amended from time to time.

 

(4)May not purchase or sell commodities, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC and as may be amended from time to time.

 

(5)May not purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC and as may be amended from time to time. This restriction does not prevent the Fund from (i) investing in issuers that invest, deal, or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or interests therein, or investing in securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein, or (ii) making, purchasing or selling real estate mortgage loans.
(6)May not act as an underwriter, except to the extent the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter when disposing of securities it owns or when selling its own shares.

 

(7)May not make loans, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC and as may be amended from time to time. This limitation does not apply to (i) the lending of portfolio securities, (ii) the purchase of debt securities, other debt instruments, loan participations and/or engaging in direct corporate loans in accordance with its investment goals and policies, and (iii) repurchase agreements to the extent the entry into a repurchase agreement is deemed to be a loan.

 

If a restriction on the Fund’s investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of Fund assets invested in certain securities or other instruments resulting from changes in the value of the Fund’s total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction, with the exception of the Fund’s limitations on borrowing as described herein or unless otherwise noted herein.

 

With respect to the Fund’s fundamental restriction on concentration, to the extent sufficient information is reasonably available, the Fund will consider the investments of underlying investment companies when determining its compliance with this policy.

 

30 
 

With respect to the Fund’s fundamental restriction on borrowing, the 1940 Act limits the Fund’s ability to borrow money, except that the Fund may borrow from any bank provided that immediately after any such borrowing there is an asset coverage of at least 300% for all borrowings by the Fund and provided further, that in the event that such asset coverage shall at any time fall below 300%, the Fund shall, within three days thereafter or such longer period as the SEC may prescribe by rules and regulations, reduce the amount of its borrowings to such an extent that the asset coverage of such borrowing shall be at least 300%.

 

In addition to borrowings that are subject to 300% asset coverage and are considered by the SEC to be permitted “senior securities,” the Fund is also permitted under the 1940 Act to borrow for temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of its total assets at the time when the loan is made. A loan will be presumed to be for temporary purposes if it is repaid within 60 days and is not extended or renewed.

 

Regulatory Compliance. The Fund may follow non-fundamental operational policies that are more restrictive than its fundamental investment limitations, as set forth in the Prospectus and this SAI, in order to comply with applicable laws and regulations, including the provisions of and regulations under the 1940 Act. The Fund may change these operational policies to reflect changes in the laws and regulations without the approval of its shareholders.

 

NON-FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

 

The Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to the Fund’s shareholders.

 

MANAGEMENT

 

Trustees and Officers

The following tables provide information about the Board and the senior officers of the Trust. The Board is composed of three Trustees, two of whom are not “interested persons” of the Trust, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (each an “Independent Trustee” and collectively, the “Independent Trustees”). Each Trustee oversees all portfolios of the Trust and serves for an indefinite term (subject to mandatory retirement provisions). Information about each Trustee is provided below and includes each person’s: name, address, age (as of the date of the Trust’s most recent fiscal year end), present position(s) held with the Trust, principal occupations for the past five years, and total compensation received as a Trustee for the most recent fiscal year. Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each person listed below is c/o Strategy Shares, 36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743. Unless otherwise noted, each officer is elected annually by the Board. Each Trustee and several officers also serve in the same capacity for Mutual Fund and Variable Insurance Trust, an open-end investment company whose series are managed by Rational Advisors, Inc. (“Rational”). Collectively, the Trust, Mutual Fund and Variable Insurance Trust, Mutual Fund Series Trust and Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund constitute the “Fund Complex.”

 

 

 

 

 

31 
 

 

Independent Trustees Background

 

 

 

 

 

Name, Address and Age

 

 

 

Position with the Trust

 

Term of Office and Length of

Time Served*

 

 

Principal

Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen

by Trustee

 

 

 

Other Directorships Held by Trustee

Tobias Caldwell Year of Birth: 1967 Chairman of the Board and Trustee Since 2016

Manager, Genovese Family Enterprises, LLC (and affiliates, family office) 1999-present, Managing Member, Bear Properties, LLC (real estate firm) (2006-present).

 

[  ] Chairman of the Board, Mutual Fund and Variable Insurance Trust since 2016; Lead independent Trustee and Chairman of Audit Committee, Mutual Fund Series Trust since 2006; Trustee of IDX Funds Trust (formerly, M3Sixty Funds Trust) since 2016; Chairman of the Board, Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund since April 2024; Chairman of the Board of AlphaCentric Prime Meridian Income Fund from 2018 to August 2023.
Stephen P. Lachenauer Year of Birth: 1967 Trustee and Chair of the Audit, Risk and Compliance, and Investment Committees

Trustee and Chair of Audit, Risk and Compliance Committees since 2016

Chair of Investment Committee since November 2020

Attorney, private practice since 2010. [  ] Trustee and Chair of the Audit and Risk and Compliance Committees since 2016, and Chair of the Investment Committee since November 2020, Mutual Fund and Variable Insurance Trust; Trustee and Chair of the Audit and Risk and Compliance Committees from 2018 to 2023, and Chair of the Investment Committee from 2020 to 2023, AlphaCentric Prime Meridian Income Fund; Trustee, Mutual Fund Series Trust since April 2022; Trustee and Chairman of the Audit Committee, Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund since April 2024.

* The term of office of each Trustee is indefinite.

 

 

32 
 

Interested Trustee Background

Name, Address and Age Position with the Trust Term of Office and
Length of Time Served*
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Trustee Other Directorships
Held by Trustee

Donald McIntosh**

Year of Birth: 1967

Trustee Since 2016

Internal Audit Supervisor, Santander Bank, since 2021; Commercial Banking Business Control Officer, Santander Bank, 2017-2021.

 

[  ] Trustee, Mutual Fund and Variable Insurance Trust since 2016; Trustee, AlphaCentric Prime Meridian Income Fund 2018 to 2023.

* The term of office of each Trustee is indefinite.

** Mr. McIntosh is considered an interested person of the Trust by reason of a financial connection between certain of his family members and management personnel of the Advisor.

 

Officers*

 

 

Name, Address, Year of Birth

Position(s) Held with Trust Term and Length Served

 

 

Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years

Michael Schoonover

53 Palmeras St. Suite 601 San Juan, PR 00901

Year of Birth: 1983

President Since 2022 Vice President of the Trust, 2018-2021; Chief Operating Officer (“COO”), Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC and Rational Advisors, Inc. since 2017; Portfolio Manager, Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC, 2013 – May 2021; President, MFund Distributors LLC since January 2020; COO, Catalyst International Advisors LLC, since 2019; COO, Insights Media LLC since 2019; COO, MFund Management LLC since 2019; COO, AlphaCentric Advisors LLC since January 2021.

Alex Merino

53 Palmeras St. Suite 601 San Juan, PR 00901

Year of Birth: 1985

Vice President Since 2022 Investment Operations Manager, MFund Management LLC since 2022; Investment Operations Analyst, MFund Management LLC, 2020--2021; Tax Senior Associate, PwC Asset & Wealth Management NY Metro, 2016—2019.

 

James Szilagyi Year of Birth: 1963

 

Treasurer

 

Since 2016

 

Product Manager, Rational Advisors, Inc., since 2016.

 

 

Frederick J. Schmidt Year of Birth: 1959

 

 

Chief Compliance Officer

 

 

Since 2016

 

 

Director of Compliance Services, MFund Services LLC since 2015.

 

Jennifer A. Bailey Year of Birth: 1968

 

Secretary

 

Since 2016

 

Director of Legal Services, MFund Services LLC since 2012.

* Officers do not receive any compensation from the Trust.

 

33 
 

Compensation of the Board

 

The Trustees are paid a quarterly retainer, and receive compensation for each committee meeting, telephonic Board meeting, and special in-person Board meeting attended. Officers receive no compensation from the Trust. The Trust reimburses each of the Trustees for travel and other expenses incurred in connection with attendance at such meetings. The Trust has no retirement or pension plans.

 

The following table describes the compensation that the Trust and the Fund Complex paid to the Trustees of the Trust during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024.

 

 

Name of Trustee

 

Compensation from the Trust

Compensation from the Fund Complex2
Tobias Caldwell $41,100 $305,950
Stephen Lachenauer $43,100 $261,950
Donald McIntosh $25,300 $60,3001

1 Does not include compensation from Mutual Fund Series Trust or Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund, of which he does not serve on the Board.

2 During the period reflected in the table above, the “Fund Complex” also included the AlphaCentric Prime

Meridian Income Fund (“ACPMIF”). ACPMIF was deregistered as a closed-end investment company with

the SEC on August 23, 2023 and liquidated on September 1, 2023.  

 

 

TRUSTEE OWNERSHIP OF SHARES IN THE FUND AND IN THE FUND COMPLEX AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2023

 

 

 

Name of Trustee

 

Dollar Range of Shares Owned

in the Day Hagan ETF

   

 

Dollar Range of Shares Owned

in the Fund Complex

Tobias Caldwell None     Over $100,000
Stephen Lachenauer None     Over $100,000
Donald McIntosh None     None 1

1 Does not include ownership of shares in Mutual Fund Series Trust or Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund, of which he does not serve on the Board.

 

As of December 31, 2023, none of the Trustees (including their immediate family members) owned beneficially or of record securities of the Advisor or the Distributor or any entity directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Advisor or Distributor.

 

Qualifications and Experience of the Trustees

 

The following provides an overview of the considerations that led the Board to conclude that each individual serving as a Trustee of the Trust should so serve. Generally, no one factor was decisive in the original selection of an individual to join the Board. Among the factors the Board considered when concluding that an individual should serve on the Board were the following: (1) the individual’s business and professional experience and accomplishments; (2) the individual’s prior experience serving on the boards of public companies, and other complex enterprises and organizations; and (3) how the individual’s skills, experience, and attributes would contribute to an appropriate mix of relevant skills and experience on the Board.

 

In respect of each current Trustee, the individual’s substantial professional accomplishments and prior experience, including, in some cases, in fields related to the operations of the Trust, were a significant factor in the determination that the individual should serve as a Trustee of the Trust.

 

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In addition to the information set forth above, the following sets forth additional information about the qualifications and experience of each of the Trustees that lead to the conclusion that each Trustee should serve as Trustee of the Trust.

Tobias Caldwell

 

Mr. Caldwell is the manager of a real estate investment firm. Mr. Caldwell has served on the boards of mutual funds for over ten years, including as chair of the audit committee for over ten years. Mr. Caldwell also serves as a Trustee of other registered investment companies in the Fund Complex. His experience in the real estate and investment industries provides the Board with an additional perspective and understanding of investment strategies used by advisors to the funds.

 

Stephen Lachenauer

 

Mr. Lachenauer has been an attorney in private practice for over fifteen years, providing advice and counsel to small businesses and individuals on real estate, commercial contracts, general business and financial matters. Mr. Lachenauer’s previous experience at large law firms and as an attorney at a large investment bank provides the Board with knowledge of financial and investment regulatory matters. Mr. Lachenauer also serves as a Trustee of other registered investment companies in the Fund Complex.

 

Donald McIntosh

 

Mr. McIntosh is a Business Control & Risk Management Officer for a large international financial services company, and he has many years of credit analysis and loan servicing experience. Mr. McIntosh’s experience in evaluating companies’ financial condition would provide the Board with knowledge about investment strategies used by the advisors of the funds. Mr. McIntosh also serves as a Trustee of other registered investment companies in the Fund Complex.

 

Board Structure

 

The Board is responsible for overseeing the management and operations of the Trust. The Board consists of three Trustees, two of whom are Independent Trustees. The Chairperson of the Trust, Tobias Caldwell, is an Independent Trustee.

 

The Board holds four regular meetings each year to consider and address matters involving the Fund. The Board also may hold special meetings to address matters arising between regular meetings. In addition, the Trustees regularly meet outside the presence of management and are advised by independent legal counsel. These meetings may take place in-person or by telephone.

 

The Board reviews its structure regularly and believes that its leadership structure, including two Independent Trustees is appropriate and in the best interests of the Trust, given its specific characteristics. The Board also believes its leadership structure facilitates the orderly and efficient flow of information to the Trustees from Trust management.

 

When considering potential nominees to fill vacancies on the Board, and as part of its annual self-evaluation, the Board reviews the mix of skills and other relevant experiences of the Trustees.

 

Committees of the Board

 

The Board has three standing committees, the Audit Committee, the Risk and Compliance Committee, and the Investment Committee.

 

Audit Committee. The Audit Committee is currently comprised of Mr. Caldwell and Mr. Lachenauer. The primary function of the Audit Committee is to assist the full Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities to the shareholders and the investment community relating to fund accounting, reporting practices and the quality and integrity of the financial reports. To satisfy these responsibilities, the Audit Committee reviews with the independent auditors the audit plan and results and recommendations following independent audits, reviews the performance of the independent auditors and recommends engagement or discharge of the auditors to the full Board, reviews the independence of the independent auditors, reviews the adequacy of the Fund’s internal

35 
 

controls and prepares and submits Committee meeting minutes and supporting documentation to the full Board. The Audit Committee met three times during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024.

 

Risk and Compliance Committee. The Risk and Compliance Committee is comprised of each of the Trustees. The Risk and Compliance Committee is responsible for general oversight of the Trust’s compliance with the legal and regulatory requirements of the Trust’s operations. The Risk and Compliance Committee also serves as a means to provide feedback and guidance to the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) and assists the Board in identifying and managing risks. The Risk and Compliance Committee met four times during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024.

 

Investment Committee. The Investment Committee is comprised of each of the Trustees. The primary purpose of the Investment Committee is to oversee and guide the process by which the Board evaluates the investment performance of each of the Trust’s series. The Investment Committee also considers and evaluates each investment advisor or sub-advisor (including unaffiliated sub-advisors) or portfolio manager framework for identifying, prioritizing, and managing investment risk. The Investment Committee met twice during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024.

 

Board Oversight of Risk

 

An integral part of the Board’s overall responsibility for overseeing the management and operations of the Trust is the Board’s oversight of the risk management of the Trust’s investment programs and business affairs. The Fund is subject to a number of risks, such as investment risk, valuation risk, risk of operational failure or lack of business continuity, and legal, compliance and regulatory risk. The Fund, the Advisor, and other service providers to the Trust have implemented various processes, procedures, and controls to identify risks to the Fund, to lessen the probability of their occurrence, and to mitigate any adverse effect should they occur. Different processes, procedures, and controls are employed with respect to different types of risks.

 

The Board exercises oversight of the risk management process through the Risk and Compliance Committee and through oversight by the Board itself. The Board holds four regular meetings each year to consider and address matters involving the Fund.

 

In addition to adopting, and periodically reviewing, policies and procedures designed to address risks to the Fund, the Board requires management of the Advisor and the Trust, including the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”), to report to the Board and the Risk and Compliance Committee of the Board on a variety of matters, including matters relating to risk management, at regular and special meetings. The Board and the Audit Committee receive regular reports from the Trust’s independent public accountants on internal control and financial reporting matters. On at least a quarterly basis, the Independent Trustees meet with the Trust’s CCO, including outside the presence of management, to discuss issues related to compliance. Furthermore, the Board receives a quarterly report from the Trust’s CCO regarding the operation of the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust and its primary service providers. The Board monitors the Fund’s investment policies and procedures as well as valuation of the Fund’s securities. The Board also receives quarterly reports from the Advisor on the investments and securities trading of the Fund, including their investment performance and asset weightings compared to appropriate benchmarks, as well as reports regarding the valuation of the Fund’s securities. The Board also receives reports from the Trust’s primary service providers regarding their operations as they relate to the Fund.

 

The Board also considers liquidity risk management issues as part of its general oversight responsibilities and oversees the Fund’s liquidity risk through, among other things, receiving periodic reporting and presentations by the Liquidity Risk Management (“LRM”) Program Administrator that address liquidity matters. As required by Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act, the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, has approved the Trust’s LRM Program, which is reasonably designed to assess and manage the Trust’s liquidity risk, and has appointed the LRM Program Administrator that is responsible for administering the LRM Program. The Board also reviews, no less frequently than annually, a written report prepared by the LRM Program Administrator that addresses, among other items, the operation of the program and assesses its adequacy and effectiveness of implementation.

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SERVICE PROVIDERS

INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES

Investment Advisor

 

Donald L. Hagan, LLC, also known as Day Hagan Asset Management, a Florida limited liability company located at 1000 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236, serves as advisor to the Fund. The Advisor was formed in 2004 and, as of June 30, 2024, has approximately $1.414 billion in assets under advisement or management for individuals, institutions and financial advisors around the country. Under the terms of the management agreement, the Advisor is responsible for formulating the Fund’s investment policies, making ongoing investment decisions and directing portfolio transactions. The Advisor is controlled by Donald Hagan and Arthur Day.

 

The Management Agreement provides that the Advisor will provide the Fund with investment advice and supervision and will continuously furnish an investment program for the Fund consistent with the investment objectives and policies of the Fund. The Advisor is responsible for the payment of the salaries and expenses of all of its personnel, office rent and the expenses of providing investment advisory and related clerical expenses.

 

Under the terms of the Management Agreement, the Advisor manages the investment of the assets of the Fund in conformity with the investment objectives and policies of the Fund. It is the responsibility of the Advisor to make investment decisions for the Fund and to provide continuous supervision of the investment portfolio of the Fund.

 

As full compensation for its services to the Fund, the Advisor receives monthly compensation from the Fund at the annual rate of 0.68% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. In consideration of the fees paid with respect to the Fund, the Advisor has agreed to pay all routine expenses of the Fund (including, without limitation, transfer agent fees, administrative fees and expenses, custodian fees, legal fees, accounting fees, any other expenses (including clerical expenses) of issue, sale, repurchase or redemption of shares, expenses of registering or qualifying shares for sale, transfer taxes, all expenses of preparing the Trust’s registration statement and prospectus for the Fund, and the cost of printing and delivering to shareholders prospectuses and reports), except the Fund’s management fees; taxes; brokerage commissions and trading costs; interest (including borrowing costs and overdraft charges); short sale dividends and interest expenses; acquired fund fees and expenses; and non-routine or extraordinary expenses of the Fund (such as litigation or reorganizational costs), each of which is paid by the Fund. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022, the fiscal year ended April 30, 2023, and the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, the Day Hagan ETF paid $2,276,860, $3,077,462, and $3,854,816, respectively, to the Advisor pursuant to the Management Agreement.

 

The Management Agreement with respect to the Fund continues in effect for an initial two-year term and then from year to year as long as its continuation is approved at least annually by the Board, including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons,” or by the shareholders of the Fund. The Management Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Fund at any time upon 60 days’ written notice by the Fund or by a majority vote of the outstanding shares or 90 days’ written notice by the Advisor and will terminate automatically upon assignment. A discussion of the matters considered by the Board in connection with the renewal of the Management Agreement with respect to the Fund is available in the Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024.

 

The Management Agreement provides that the Advisor shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the performance of its duties, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on the part of the Advisor in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard of its duties and obligations thereunder.

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From time to time, the Advisor may use a portion of its reasonable resources and profits to pay for certain administrative services provided by financial institutions for Shares of the Fund.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

 

Donald Hagan, Arthur Day and Regan Teague are the portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Mr. Hagan is the Lead Portfolio Manager of the Fund.

 

Other Accounts Under Management

 

As of April 30, 2024, the number of, and total assets in all other registered investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles, and other accounts overseen by the Fund’s portfolio managers were as follows:

 

Donald Hagan Total Number of Other Accounts Managed/Total Assets
Registered Investment Companies 3/$685 million
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 0
Other Accounts 6,365/$733 million

 

Arthur Day Total Number of Other Accounts Managed/Total Assets
Registered Investment Companies 3/$685 million
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 0
Other Accounts 6,365/$733 million

 

Regan Teague Total Number of Other Accounts Managed/Total Assets
Registered Investment Companies 3/$685 million
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 0
Other Accounts 6,365/$733 million

 

None of the accounts above are subject to performance-based fees.

 

Ownership of Fund Shares

 

The tables below show the portfolio managers’ ownership of the Fund’s shares as of April 30, 2024.

 

Donald Hagan

 

Fund Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund
Day Hagan ETF $100,001 - $500,000

 

Arthur Day

 

Fund Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund
Day Hagan ETF $50,001 - $100,000

 

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Regan Teague

 

Fund Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund
Day Hagan ETF None

 

Compensation

 

Mr. Hagan and Mr. Day’s compensation from the Advisor is based on a base salary plus a share of the net income of the Advisor and is paid monthly. They are also entitled to a portion of the proceeds if the Advisor sells all or a portion of the Advisor’s business. They do not receive bonuses or participate in a pension plan. They do participate in the Advisor’s 401k plan.

 

Mr. Teague receives a salary plus a bonus based on the profitability of the firm and participates in the Advisor’s 401k plan.

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

Actual or apparent conflicts of interest may arise when a portfolio manager has day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to more than one fund or other accounts. The management of multiple accounts may result in a portfolio manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each account. The management of multiple funds and accounts also may give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and accounts have different objectives, benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as the portfolio manager must allocate his time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts.

 

With respect to securities transactions for the Fund, the Advisor determines which broker to use to execute each order, consistent with the duty to seek best execution of the transaction. The portfolio manager may execute transactions for another fund or account that may adversely impact the value of securities held by the Fund. Securities selected for funds or accounts other than the Fund may outperform the securities selected for the Fund.

 

The appearance of a conflict of interest may arise where the Advisor has an incentive, such as a performance- based management fee. The management of personal accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest; there is no assurance that the Fund’s code of ethics will adequately address such conflicts. One of the portfolio manager's numerous responsibilities is to assist in the sale of Fund shares. Because the portfolio manager’s compensation is indirectly linked to the sale of Fund shares, they may have an incentive to devote time to marketing efforts designed to increase sales of Fund shares.

 

The Fund has adopted a code of ethics that, among other things, permits personal trading by employees under conditions where it has been determined that such trades would not adversely impact client accounts. Nevertheless, the management of personal accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest, and there is no assurance that these codes of ethics will adequately address such conflicts.

 

The Fund may invest in affiliated funds advised by the Advisor. The Advisor is subject to conflicts of interest in allocating the Fund’s assets among the affiliated funds. The Advisor will receive more revenue when it selects an affiliated fund rather than an unaffiliated fund for inclusion in the Fund’s portfolio. This conflict may provide an incentive for the Advisor to invest Fund assets in affiliated funds that perform less well than unaffiliated funds. The Advisor may have an incentive to allocate the Fund’s assets to those affiliated funds for which the net advisory fees payable to the Advisor are higher than the fees payable by other affiliated funds.

 

The Advisor and the Fund has each adopted certain compliance procedures which are designed to address these types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.

 

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DISTRIBUTION SERVICES

 

Distributor

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC, located at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101, serves as the distributor in connection with the continuous offering of the Fund’s shares. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The Trust offers Shares of the Fund for sale through the Distributor in Creation Units. The Distributor will not accept purchase or sell orders in quantities less than Creation Units. The Distributor will deliver a Prospectus to Authorized Participants that purchase Creation Units and will maintain records of Creation Unit orders placed and confirmations furnished by it. Pursuant to a Distribution Services Agreement, the Advisor pays the Distributor for distribution-related services.

 

Distribution Services Agreement

 

The Distributor has entered into a Distribution Services Agreement with the Advisor pursuant to which it provides the Fund and the Advisor with the distribution support services set forth in a Distribution Agreement between the Fund and the Distributor.

 

Rule 12b-1 Plan

 

The Trust has adopted but has yet to implement a Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan (the “Plan”). Under the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average annual daily net assets for certain distribution-related services.

 

The Plan is designed to compensate financial intermediaries (including the Advisor, and their affiliates) for activities principally intended to result in the sale of Fund shares such as advertising and marketing of shares (including printing and disseminating prospectuses and sales literature to prospective shareholders and financial intermediaries) and providing incentives to financial intermediaries to sell shares. The Plan is also designed to cover the cost of administrative services performed in conjunction with the sale of shares, including, but not limited to, shareholder services, recordkeeping services, and educational services, as well as the costs of implementing and operating the Plan. In accordance with the Plan, the Distributor may enter into agreements with financial intermediaries and dealers to provide these distribution and distribution-related services with respect to the Fund.

The Plan could benefit the Fund by helping the Fund attract and retain assets, thus providing securities and cash for orderly portfolio management.

 

Under the Plan, the Fund may compensate a financial intermediary more or less than its actual marketing and administrative expenses. In no event will the Fund pay for any expenses of a financial intermediary that exceed the maximum Plan fee.

 

No distribution fees are currently charged to the Fund and there are no plans to impose these fees. To the extent that the Plan is implemented in the future with respect to the Fund, the Prospectus will be updated to reflect the implementation and the implementation will also be disclosed on the Fund’s website. The Board will pre- approve the implementation of the Plan.

 

FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION, TRANSFER AGENCY, AND FUND ACCOUNTING SERVICES

 

Pursuant to a Services Agreement with Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., located at 4400 Easton Commons, Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43219, Citi provides financial administration, transfer agency, and fund accounting services to the Trust. As financial administrator, Citi performs certain services on behalf of the Trust including but not limited to: (1) preparing the Trust’s periodic financial reports on forms prescribed by the SEC and filing those reports with the SEC upon review and approval of the Trust and Trust counsel; (2) calculating Fund expenses and making required disbursements; (3) calculating Fund performance data; and (4) providing certain compliance support services.

 

As fund accountant, Citi maintains certain financial records of the Trust and provides accounting services to the Fund that include the daily calculation of the Fund’s NAV. Citi also performs certain other services on behalf of the Trust including providing financial information for the Trust’s federal and state tax returns and financial

40 
 

reports required to be filed with the SEC. As Transfer Agent, Citi issues shares of the Fund in Creation Units to fill purchase orders for Fund shares, maintains records of the issuance and redemption of the Fund’s shares, and acts as the Fund’s dividend disbursing agent.

 

For the financial administration and fund accounting services provided to the Trust, the Trust has agreed to pay an annual fee equal to 0.04% of the aggregate net assets of the Fund, subject to certain breakpoints and minimum fee requirements.

Support Services Agreement. Citi has entered into a Support Services Agreement with the Advisor pursuant to which it prepares and provides facts sheets for the Fund and certain information required by the Advisor to determine the Fund’s Creation Basket and estimated Cash Amount for each Business Day.

 

MANAGEMENT AND LEGAL ADMINISTRATION SERVICES

 

MFund Services LLC (“MFund”), located at 36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743, provides the Fund with various management and legal administrative services. For these services, MFund receives a $30,000 annual fee, plus an annual asset-based fee equal to 0.03% of the first $1 billion of net assets of the Fund and 0.02% thereafter. In addition, MFund is reimbursed for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the performance of its duties under the Management Services Agreement. Jerry Szilagyi is the managing member of MFund and the controlling member of Rational Advisors, Inc., the investment advisor to other series of the Trust.

 

Compliance Services

 

Pursuant to a Compliance Services Agreement, MFund provides chief compliance officer services to the Trust and each of its series. For these services, MFund receives a monthly base fee plus an asset-based fee. In addition, MFund is reimbursed for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the performance of its duties under the Compliance Services Agreement. MFund receives compensation for chief compliance officer services at the contractual rate of $1,200/month for the first series of the Trust, $400 for each additional series, $400 for each advisor, plus 0.0025% of the assets of each series per calendar year. Jerry Szilagyi is the managing member of MFund and the controlling member of Rational Advisors, Inc., the investment advisor to other series of the Trust.

 

OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

Custodian

 

Pursuant to a Custodial and Agency Services Agreement with the Trust, Citibank, N.A. (“Citibank”), located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10048 serves as Custodian for the Fund and safeguards and holds the Fund’s cash and securities, settles the Fund’s securities transactions and collects income on Fund investments. Under the agreement, Citibank also: (1) provides data required by the Advisor to determine the Fund’s Creation Basket and estimated Cash Amount for each Business Day (this services is paid for by the Advisor directly pursuant to the Support Services Agreement between Citi and the Advisor (see “Support Services Agreement,” above)); (2) monitors the settlement of securities comprising the Creation Basket and any cash in connection with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units and requests the issuance of related Creation Units; (3) deposits securities comprising the Creation Basket and/or cash received from Authorized Participants in connection with purchases of Creation Units into the Fund’s custody and cash accounts; (4) disburses securities comprising the Creation Basket and/or cash from the Fund custody and cash accounts to Authorized Participants in connection with the redemptions of Creation Units; and (5) performs certain other related services (see “Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units,” below).

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm is [NAME AND ADDRESS]. Shareholders will receive annual financial statements, together with a report of independent accountants, and semiannual unaudited financial statements of the Fund. [NAME] will report on the Fund’s annual financial statements, review certain regulatory reports and the Fund’s income tax returns, and perform other professional accounting, auditing, tax and advisory services when engaged to do so by the Fund.

 

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Legal Counsel

 

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP, 2005 Market Street, Suite 2600, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7018, serves as counsel for the Trust and the Independent Trustees.

SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES

 

Financial intermediaries that promote the sale of Fund shares may be paid fees out of the assets of, the Advisor and their affiliates (but not out of Fund assets).

 

Financial intermediaries who solicit the sale of Fund shares may receive fees for providing distribution-related, recordkeeping or shareholder services such as sponsoring sales, providing sales literature, conducting training seminars for employees, and engineering sales-related computer software programs and systems. Also, these financial intermediaries may be paid cash or promotional incentives, such as reimbursement of certain expenses relating to attendance at informational meetings about the Fund or other special events at recreational-type facilities, or items of material value. These payments will be based upon the amount of Fund shares the financial intermediary sells or may sell and/or upon the type and nature of sales or marketing support furnished by the financial intermediary.

From time to time, the Advisor and its affiliates, at their expense, may provide additional compensation to financial intermediaries that sell or arrange for the sale of Fund shares. Such compensation may include financial assistance to financial intermediaries that enable the Advisor and its affiliates to participate in or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited employees, client and investor events and other financial intermediary-sponsored events.

 

The Advisor and its affiliates also may hold or sponsor, at their expense, sales events, conferences, and programs for employees or associated persons of financial intermediaries in order to facilitate the sale of Fund shares and may pay the travel and lodging expenses of attendees. The Advisor and its affiliates also may provide, at their expense, meals and entertainment in conjunction with meetings with these financial intermediaries. Other compensation may be offered to the extent not prohibited by applicable laws, regulations or the rules of any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA.

 

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

The Fund only offers and redeems its shares in Creation Units. The Fund will offer and sell Creation Units through the Distributor on a continuous basis, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees), at the NAV per share next determined after an order in proper form is received by the Distributor. The NAV of the Fund is expected to be determined as of the close of regular trading on the Exchange (ordinarily 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each Business Day (“NAV Calculation Time”). The Fund will sell and redeem Creation Units only on a Business Day.

 

The Trust generally does not offer its shares outside of the U.S.

 

IN-KIND TRANSACTIONS - GENERALLY

 

In order to keep costs low and permit the Fund to be as fully invested as possible, shares of the Fund will be purchased and redeemed in Creation Units and generally on an in-kind basis. Accordingly, except where the purchase or redemption will include cash under the circumstances described in this SAI (see “Cash Transactions – Generally,” below), investors will generally be required to purchase Creation Units by making an in-kind deposit of Deposit Instruments, and shareholders redeeming their shares will generally receive an in-kind transfer of Redemption Instruments. The names and quantities of the instruments that constitute the Deposit Instruments and the names and quantities of the instruments that constitute the Redemption Instruments will be specified by the Fund each day, and these instruments may be referred to, in the case of either a purchase or a redemption, as the “Creation Basket.” In addition, under normal circumstances, the Creation Basket will generally correspond pro rata to the securities, assets or other positions held by the Fund on a Trade Date + 1 (“T+1”) settlement basis (including cash positions), except:1

 

1.in the case of bonds, for minor differences when it is impossible to break up bonds beyond certain minimum sizes needed for transfer and settlement;

 

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1 The portfolio used for this purpose will be the same portfolio used to calculate the Fund’s NAV for that Business Day.

2.for minor differences when rounding is necessary to eliminate fractional shares or lots that are not tradable round lots;2 or

 

3.positions that cannot be transferred in-kind will be excluded from the Creation Basket.3

 

If there is a difference between the NAV attributable to a Creation Unit and the aggregate market value of the Creation Basket exchanged for the Creation Unit (the “Difference”), the party conveying instruments with the lower value will also pay to the other cash equal in value to the Difference.

 

Each Business Day, before the open of trading on the Exchange (ordinarily 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the Fund will cause to be published through the NSCC the names and quantities of the instruments comprising the Creation Basket (based on Fund portfolio information as of the end of the prior Business Day), as well as the estimated Cash Amount (if any, effective through and including the previous Business Day), for that day.

 

CASH TRANSACTIONS – GENERALLY

 

Purchases and redemptions of Creation Units may be made in whole or in part on a cash basis, rather than in kind, under certain circumstances, including:

 

1.to the extent there is a Cash Amount;

 

2.if, on a given Business Day, the Fund announces before the open of trading that all purchases, all redemptions, or all purchases and redemptions on that day will be made entirely in cash;

 

3.if, upon receiving a purchase or redemption order from an Authorized Participant, the Fund determines to require the purchase or redemption, as applicable, to be made entirely in cash;

 

4.if, on a given Business Day, the Fund requires all Authorized Participants purchasing or redeeming Fund shares on that day to deposit or receive (as applicable) cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Instruments or Redemption Instruments, respectively, solely because: (i) such instruments are not eligible for transfer through either the Clearing Process (defined below) or DTC Process; or (ii) in the case of the Fund holding foreign instruments, such instruments are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar circumstances; or

 

5.if the Fund permits an Authorized Participant to deposit or receive (as applicable) cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Instruments or Redemption Instruments, respectively, solely because: (i) such instruments are, in the case of the purchase of a Creation Unit, not available in sufficient quantity;

(ii) such instruments are not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting; or (iii) a holder of shares of the Fund holding foreign instruments would be subject to unfavorable income tax treatment if the holder receives redemption proceeds in kind.

 

CUSTOM TRANSACTIONS

 

Under certain circumstances, the Fund may utilize custom Creation Baskets, including (i) all cash baskets;

(ii) baskets that substitute cash in lieu of certain securities that would otherwise be included in the Fund’s Creation or Basket; (iii) a basket that is different from the initial basket used in transactions on the same Business Day; or (iv) a non-representative basket that consists of a selection of instruments that are already included in the Fund’s portfolio holdings (each, a “Custom Order”). Custom Orders typically clear outside the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”) and, therefore, like other orders outside the Clearing Process, may need to be transmitted early on the relevant Business Day to be effectuated at that day’s NAV. Custom Orders may be required to be received by the Distributor by 3:00 p.m. Eastern time to be effectuated based on the Fund’s NAV on that Business Day. A Custom Order may be placed when, for example,

 

 

 

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2 A tradable round lot for a security will be the standard unit of trading in that particular type of security in its primary market.

3 This includes instruments that can be transferred in-kind only with the consent of the counterparty to the extent the Fund does not intend to seek such consents.

an Authorized Participant cannot transact in a security in the in-kind Creation Basket and therefore has additional cash included in a Creation Basket in lieu of such security.

Persons placing or effectuating custom orders should be mindful of time deadlines imposed by intermediaries, which may impact the successful processing of such orders.

Shares of the Fund will only be issued against full payment, as further described in the Prospectus and this SAI.

 

PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASE OF CREATION UNITS

 

All orders to purchase Creation Units must be placed with the Distributor by or through an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant is a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Clearing Process or a DTC Participant and in each case, must have an executed agreement with the Distributor with respect to the creations and redemption of the Fund’s Creation Units (“Participant Agreement”). The Participant Agreement must also be accepted by the Transfer Agent.

 

An investor does not have to be an Authorized Participant, but must place an order to purchase or redeem Creation Units through an Authorized Participant. All shares of the Fund purchased through the creation process will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of the applicable DTC Participant.

 

There may be a limited number of Authorized Participants at any one point in time and only certain of these entities may be eligible to purchase and transmit non-U.S. instruments comprising a Creation Basket. To the extent that your financial institution is not an Authorized Participant, you may have to purchase Creation Units directly through an Authorized Participant or indirectly through your financial institution. If you opt to purchase Creation Units indirectly through your financial institution, you may incur additional transaction fees.

 

An order to purchase Creation Units of the Fund must be transmitted to the Distributor on a Business Day and received in proper form no later than the NAV Calculation Time (no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, for Custom Orders if required by the Distributor) in order for the purchase order to be processed at the NAV of the Fund’s shares calculated on the date of transmittal (“Transmittal Date”). An order to purchase the Fund’s Creation Units is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. On Business Days that the Exchange closes early, the Fund may require an order for the purchase of Creation Units to be submitted earlier during the day. An Authorized Participant must deliver a Custom Order to the Distributor sufficiently in advance of the NAV Calculation Time in order to help ensure that the order is effected at the NAV calculated on that date.

 

Orders must be transmitted by the Authorized Participant to the Distributor by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to the procedures set forth in the applicable Participant Agreement. All orders to purchase Creation Units must be submitted consistent with the processing requirements set forth in the applicable Participant Agreement (see “Placement of Creation Orders Outside the Clearing Process” and “Placement of Creation Orders Using the Clearing Process,” below).

 

An investor must place orders to purchase the Fund’s Creation Units in the form required by the Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the placement of an order to purchase the Fund’s shares (e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required).

 

Severe economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Distributor or an Authorized Participant. If an investor is submitting an order to purchase Creation Units through an Authorized Participant, the investor should ensure that an appropriate amount of time is provided for submission of such order by the Authorized Participant to the Distributor prior to the NAV Calculation Time.

 

All questions as to the composition of Deposit Instruments and the amount of any cash to be delivered, as applicable, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered

44 
 

securities or cash, as applicable, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The Authorized Participant shall be solely responsible for any loss, liability, cost, and expense (including

reasonable attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Fund or the Distributor related to the cancellation of an order to purchase or redeem Creation Units.

 

Placement of Purchase Orders Outside the Clearing Process

 

To settle a purchase order outside the Clearing Process, the Authorized Participant must instruct the transfer of the relevant Deposit Instruments and/or any applicable cash in a timely fashion so as to ensure the timely delivery of the Deposit Instruments and/or any cash on the Settlement Date. The “Settlement Date” for the Fund is generally the first Business Day after an order to purchase or redeem shares is received by the Distributor (except as otherwise agreed by the Fund and an Authorized Participant.

 

A purchase order shall be deemed received on the Transmittal Date if the order is received by the Distributor in proper form no later than the NAV Calculation Time on the Transmittal Date (no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, for Custom Orders if required by the Distributor). Purchase orders received on time on the Transmittal Date will be processed at the NAV calculated on the Transmittal Date.

 

The delivery of any Deposit Instruments must be made by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Settlement Date. Any cash, including the applicable transaction fee (see “Transaction Fees on Purchases of Creation Units,” below), shall be payable by 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Settlement Date. If the Custodian does not receive the Deposit Instruments and/or the applicable cash by the designated times on the Settlement Date, the purchase order may be cancelled. A canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day based on the Creation Basket and estimated Cash Amount for that Business Day. The delivery of Creation Units will take place no later than the Settlement Date.

 

Generally, an Authorized Participant shall deliver cash and any Deposit Instruments that are U.S. government or U.S. government agency securities to the Fund through the Federal Reserve System. An Authorized Participant may deliver Deposit Instruments that are DTC eligible domestic equity or fixed income securities through the DTC manual clearing process (“DTC Process”). Shares of the Fund shall settle and clear through the DTC Process. The DTC Process involves the manual line-by-line transfer of multiple securities. Because the DTC Process involves the movement of multiple securities while the Clearing Process (see below) involves the movement of one unitary basket that automatically processes the movement of numerous securities, the DTC will charge the Fund more than the NSCC to settle a purchase of Creation Units.

 

Foreign securities cannot currently be processed through either the Clearing Process or the DTC Process. With respect to foreign Deposit Instruments, once a purchase order for Creation Units has been placed with the Distributor, the Distributor will inform the Advisor and the Custodian. The Custodian will then inform the appropriate sub-custodians, as applicable. The Authorized Participant must then timely deliver the relevant Deposit Instruments and/or any cash, including the transaction fee, to the Fund’s account maintained with the relevant local custodian(s) by the Settlement Date. If applicable, the sub-custodians will confirm to the Custodian that the Deposit Instruments and/or any applicable cash have been delivered, and the Custodian will notify the Advisor of the same.

 

After the Distributor has receive a purchase order and the Custodian has received delivery of the Deposit Instruments and/or any applicable cash, including the transaction fee, delivery of the appropriate number of Fund shares will be made to the book-entry account designated by the Authorized Participant. Except as provided herein, a Creation Unit of the Fund will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of any Deposit Instruments has been completed and/or the applicable cash has been received.

 

Placement of Purchase Orders Using the Clearing Process

 

Authorized Participants that are CNS Participants will be able to use the Clearing Process to purchase the Fund’s Creation Units when Deposit Instruments are limited to DTC eligible domestic equity and fixed income securities and a Cash Amount or an all-cash payment. Under certain circumstances, a CNS Participant that tenders a Custom Order to purchase the Fund’s Creation Units will be required to process the order outside the Clearing Process because the Clearing Process can only handle non-conforming deposits in specified situations. Additionally, Creation Units created in advance of receipt by the Custodian of all or a portion of the Deposit Instruments must be processed outside the Clearing Process (see “Additional Purchase Procedures,” below).

45 
 

The Clearing System has been specifically enhanced to effect purchases and redemptions of ETF securities such as the Fund’s shares. The Clearing Process simplifies the settlement and delivery process by transferring a basket of securities between two parties and treating all of the securities that comprise the basket as a single position. By contrast, the DTC Process, which is available to all Authorized Participants, involves a manual line-by-line movement of each security position. To the extent that the Clearing Process is available for use, the Participant Agreement will authorize the Distributor to transmit through the Custodian to the NSCC, on behalf of the CNS Participant, applicable trade instructions as are necessary to affect a purchase order for the Fund’s Creation Units. Pursuant to the trade instruction, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the Deposit Instruments and any/or any cash (including the transaction fee) to the Fund, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor.

 

An order to purchase Creation Units through the Clearing Process is deemed received on the Transmittal Date if such order is received by the Distributor in proper form no later than the NAV Calculation Time on the Transmittal Date (no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, for Custom Orders if required by the Distributor); and these Creation Units will be priced at Transmittal Date NAV. The delivery of any Deposit Instruments must be made by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Settlement Date. Any cash, including the applicable transaction fee (see “Transaction Fees on Purchases of Creation Units,” below), shall be payable by 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Settlement Date. If the Custodian does not receive the Deposit Instruments and/or the applicable cash by the designated times on the Settlement Date, the purchase order may be cancelled. A canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day based on the Creation Basket and estimated Cash Amount for that Business Day. The delivery of Creation Units will take place no later than the Settlement Date.

 

After the Distributor has received a purchase order and the Custodian has received delivery of the Deposit Instruments and/or any applicable cash, including the transaction fee, delivery of the appropriate number of Fund shares will be made to the book-entry account designated by the Authorized Participant. Except as provided herein (except as otherwise agreed by the Fund and an Authorized Participant), a Creation Unit of the Fund will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of any Deposit Instruments has been completed and/or the applicable cash has been received.

 

Rejection of Purchase Orders

 

The Distributor may reject a purchase order for Creation Units if the order is not submitted in proper form consistent with the requirements set forth in the Participant Agreement.

 

The SEC has expressed the view that a suspension of creations that impairs the arbitrage mechanism applicable to the trading of ETF shares in the secondary market is inconsistent with Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act. The SEC’s position does not prohibit the suspension or rejection of creations in all instances. The Trust reserves the right, to the extent consistent with the provisions of Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act and the SEC’s position, to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Distributor in respect to the Fund, including instances in which: (1) the order is not in proper form; (2) the securities delivered do not conform with the Deposit Instruments for the relevant date; (3) an investor, upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (4) the acceptance of the Deposit Instruments and/or any applicable cash would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; (5) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (6) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Fund, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent, and/or the Advisor make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process creation orders.

 

Examples of such circumstances include natural disasters or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions, and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy, and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, the Custodian, the Transfer Agent, the DTC, the NSCC, the Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify an Authorized Participant of the rejection of any order. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Deposit Instruments and/or any cash nor shall either of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, and the Distributor shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units.

46 
 

Additional Purchase Procedures

 

Creation Units may be issued to an Authorized Participant in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Instruments provided that the Authorized Participant deposits an initial deposit of cash with the Trust having a value greater than the NAV of the requisite Fund shares on the date the order is received. In addition to available Deposit Instruments, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of the Cash Amount plus 115% of the market value of the Deposit Instruments not delivered (“Additional Cash Deposit”).

 

An order will be deemed received on the Transmittal Date if: (1) the order is received by the Distributor in proper form no later than the NAV Calculation Time on that date (no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time if required by the Distributor); and (2) federal funds equal to the sum of the Cash Amount, the Additional Cash Deposit, and the applicable transaction fee are received by the Custodian by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Business Day following the Transmittal Date.

 

Pending delivery of the undelivered Deposit Instruments, the Authorized Participant shall be required to deposit additional cash, as needed, to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit at an amount equal to 115% of the value of undelivered Deposit Instruments, which shall be marked to market daily by the Fund until the outstanding securities are received. Under these circumstances, the shares of the Fund shall be delivered no later than the Settlement Date.

 

If an order is not received in proper form by the NAV Calculation Time on the Transmittal Date (no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, if required by the Distributor) or the required cash deposit is not timely received on the Settlement Date by the Custodian, then the order may be cancelled or deemed not received and the Authorized Participant effecting the transaction will be liable to the Fund for any losses resulting therefrom.

 

To the extent that the undelivered Deposit Instruments are not received by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Settlement Date, the Fund may utilize the Additional Cash Deposit to buy the missing Deposit Instruments at any time and the Authorized Participant effecting the transaction will be liable to the Fund for the costs incurred by the Fund in connection with such purchases and any shortfall between the cost to the Fund of purchasing such securities and the value of the Additional Cash Deposit. Costs to purchase the outstanding Deposit Instruments shall include, but not be limited to, any applicable transaction fee imposed by the Fund in connection with the purchase of the undelivered Deposit Instruments, the amount by which the actual purchase price of the undelivered Deposit Instruments exceeds the Additional Cash Deposit or the market value of such Deposit Instruments on the day the purchase order was received by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Fund will return the remaining Additional Cash Deposit once the undelivered Deposit Instruments are received by the Custodian or purchased by and deposited into the Fund.

 

The Participant Agreement may contain further information relating to this collateral process.

 

Transaction Fees on Purchases of Creation Units

 

The Fund charges a transaction fee, which is intended to cover the transfer and other transactional costs it incurs to issue Creation Units. A per transaction fee charge will be charged by the Fund (“Standard Charge”), regardless of the number of Creation Units purchased. The Fund reserves the right to charge additional transactions fees of up to three (3) times the Standard Charge for: (1) purchase orders processed outside the Clearing Process; (2) purchase orders involve cash in lieu amounts; and (3) cash purchases (“Additional Charges”). The Fund also reserves the right to adjust the Standard Charge and/or the Additional Charges at any time in order to ensure that the Fund is able to continue to recoup the costs it actually incurs to issue Creation Units. Authorized Participants are responsible for paying the costs to transfer Deposit Instruments to the Fund. Authorized Participants may also charge investors a fee to purchase Creation Units on their behalf.

The Standard Charge and maximum transaction fee for the Fund are $250 and $1,000, respectively. An investor purchasing Creation Units outside the Clearing Process may be required to pay higher transaction fees than if the purchase is processed through the Clearing Process.

47 
 

Risks of Purchasing Creation Units

 

The proposed method by which the Fund’s Creation Units will be purchased and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of the Fund’s shares may be issued and sold on an ongoing basis, a “distribution” of that Fund’s shares may be occurring at any time. Certain activities that a shareholder performs as a dealer 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 and liability provisions of the 1933 Act.

 

For example, a shareholder could be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units from the Fund, breaks them down into the constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers. A shareholder may also be deemed to be a statutory underwriter if the shareholder chooses to couple the purchase of a supply of new shares of the Fund with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for the shares.

 

Whether a person is an underwriter depends on all the facts and circumstances pertaining to that person’s activities and the examples set forth here are not intended to depict all circumstances under which a shareholder may be deemed to be a statutory underwriter.

 

Dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as opposed to ordinary secondary market transactions), and thus dealing with the Fund’s shares as part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the 1933 Act, will be unable to rely on the prospectus-delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the 1933 Act.

 

Pursuant to Rule 153 under the 1933 Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the 1933 Act owed to a member of the Exchange in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that a Prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. This prospectus delivery mechanism is only available with respect to transactions on the Exchange.

 

REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

Redemption requests must be placed by or through an Authorized Participant. Shares of the Fund may only be redeemed in Creation Units except upon liquidation of the Fund. To redeem shares with the Fund, an investor must accumulate enough shares of that Fund to constitute one or more Creation Units. An investor may accumulate the shares necessary to comprise a Creation Unit of the Fund on the Exchange. However, there is no assurance that there will be sufficient liquidity in the market to enable the purchase of a sufficient number of shares of the Fund to complete a Creation Unit. An investor should expect to incur brokerage commissions and other costs to purchase the required number of shares to complete a Creation Unit.

 

Creation Units of the Fund may be redeemed on any Business Day at their NAV next calculated after a redemption request in proper form is received by the Distributor. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed.

 

The redemption of the Fund’s Creation Units will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws. An Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer” or “QIB” as such term is defined in Rule 144A of the 1933 Act will not be able to receive Redemption Instruments that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. An Authorized Participant may be required by the Fund to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status in order to receive Redemption Instruments. An Authorized Participant may request a redeeming investor on whose behalf it is acting to enter into agreements outlining the terms under which cash must be substituted for one or more Redemption Instruments in order to comply with applicable securities laws and other legal restrictions relevant to the investor.

 

All orders to redeem Creation Units of the Fund must be received by the Distributor in proper form no later than the NAV Calculation on a Business Day (no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, for orders involving cash in lieu requests by Authorized Participants if required by the Distributor) in order to receive the NAV calculated on that date (“Transmittal Date”). On Business Days that the Exchange closes early, the Fund may require orders for the redemption of a Creation Unit(s) to be submitted earlier during the day. An Authorized Participant must deliver a Custom Order to the Distributor sufficiently in advance of the NAV Calculation Time in order to help ensure that the order is effected at the NAV calculated on the Transmittal Date.

48 
 

An investor redeeming the Fund’s Creation Units should submit the redemption order in the form required by the Authorized Participant selected to process the transaction. An investor intending to redeem the Fund’s Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit a timely submission of the redemption request to the Distributor and transfer of the Creation Units to the Fund.

 

There may be a limited number of Authorized Participants at any one point in time and only certain of these entities may be eligible to receive foreign securities on your behalf as part of the in-kind redemption process. To the extent that your financial institution is not an Authorized Participant, you may redeem Creation Units directly through an Authorized Participant or indirectly through your financial institution. If you opt to redeem Creation Units indirectly through your financial institution, you may incur additional transaction fees. You should also allow additional time to effect redemptions through your financial intermediary if the financial intermediary is not an Authorized Participant.

 

Although the Settlement Date for the redemption of Fund shares is generally the first Business Day after an order to redeem shares is received by the Distributor (except as otherwise agreed by the Fund and an Authorized Participant), the Settlement Date may be up to seven days after the Transmittal Date.

 

Placement of Redemption Orders Outside the Clearing Process

 

An order to redeem Creation Units is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if: (1) the order is received by the Distributor in proper form no later than the NAV Calculation Time (no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, for orders involving cash in lieu requests by Authorized Participants if required by the Distributor) on the Transmittal Date; (2) the order is accompanied or followed by the delivery of the requisite Creation Units, which delivery must be made through the DTC to the Custodian no later than 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Settlement Date; and (3) the order is accompanied or followed by the delivery of any Cash Amount and the applicable transaction fee to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve System no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Settlement Date.

 

After a redemption request is received by the Distributor, the Custodian shall initiate procedures for the transfer of the Redemption Instruments and any Cash Amount, less any transaction fee, which is expected to be delivered by the Settlement Date.

 

The value of the Redemption Instruments and any Cash Amount will be calculated in accordance with the Trust’s procedures for calculation of the Fund’s NAV as summarized in the Prospectus and this SAI. Therefore, if a redemption in proper form is submitted to the Distributor by an Authorized Participant no later than the NAV Calculation Time on the Transmittal Date (no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, for orders involving cash in lieu requests from Authorized Participants if required by the Distributor), and the requisite number of Fund shares are timely delivered to the Custodian no later than 12:00 P.M. on the Settlement Date, then the value of the Redemption Instruments and any Cash Amount will be determined by the Fund Accountant as of the Transmittal Date. If a redemption order is submitted to the Distributor on the Transmission Date not later than the NAV Calculation Time on the Transmittal Date (no later than to 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, for Custom Orders if required by the Distributor) but either: (1) the requisite number of shares of Fund shares are not timely delivered or (2) the redemption order is not submitted in proper form, then the redemption order will not be deemed received as of the Transmittal Date. In such case, the value of the Redemption Instruments and any Cash Amount will be computed as of the Business Day that an order in proper form is received by the Distributor.

 

Placement of Redemption Orders Using the Clearing Process

 

Shareholders redeeming Creation Units pursuant to Custom Orders may be required to settle their redemptions outside of the Clearing Process. Redemptions of Creation Units in advance of receipt by the Custodian of all Fund shares (see “Additional Redemption Procedures,” below) must be processed outside of the Clearing Process.

 

An order to redeem Creation Units using the Clearing Process is deemed received on the Transmittal Date if such order is received by the Distributor in proper form no later than the NAV Calculation Time on such Transmittal Date. An order deemed received after the NAV Calculation Time on the Transmittal date (after 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, for orders involving cash in lieu requests from Authorized Participants if required by the

49 
 

Distributor) will be effected at the NAV calculated on the next Business Day. The Redemption Instruments and any Cash Amount, less the transaction fee, will be transmitted by the Settlement Date.

 

If a redemption order is submitted to the Distributor not later than the NAV Calculation Time on the Transmittal Date (no later than to 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, for Custom Orders if required by the Distributor) but either:

(1) the requisite number of shares of Fund shares are not timely delivered or (2) the redemption order is not submitted in proper form, then the redemption order will not be deemed received as of the Transmittal Date. In such case, the value of the Redemption Instruments and any Cash Amount will be computed as of the Business Day that an order in proper form is received by the Distributor.

 

Additional Redemption Procedures

 

Creations Units may be redeemed in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of Fund shares provided that the Authorized Participant deposits an initial deposit of cash with the Trust in an amount equal to the sum of any Cash Amount plus 115% of the market value of the missing Fund shares not delivered (“Redemption Deposit”).

 

An order will be deemed received on the Transmittal Date if: (1) the Distributor received the order in proper form no later than the NAV Calculation Time on that date (no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, if required by the Distributor); and (2) the federal funds equal to the sum of any Cash Amount, the Redemption Deposit, and the applicable transaction fee are received by the Custodian by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the Business Day following the Transmittal Date. Pending delivery of the undelivered Fund shares, the Authorized Participant shall be required to deposit additional cash, as needed, to maintain the Redemption Deposit at an amount equal to 115% of the value of undelivered Fund shares, which shall be marked to market daily by the Fund until the outstanding shares are delivered. Under these circumstances, the Redemption Instruments, and any Cash Amount, less the applicable transaction fee, shall be delivered no later than the Settlement Date.

 

If an order is not received in proper form by the NAV Calculation Time on the Transmittal Date (no later than 3:00 p.m., Eastern Time, if required by the Distributor) or the required cash deposit is not timely received on the next Business Day following the date the order was received by the Distributor, then the order may be cancelled and deemed not received and the Authorized Participant affecting the transaction will be liable to the Fund for any losses resulting therefrom.

 

To the extent that the undelivered Fund shares are not received by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, the Fund may use the Redemption Deposit to purchase the undelivered shares at any time and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for the costs incurred by the Fund in connection with such purchases and any shortfall between the cost to the Fund to acquire the shares and the value of the Redemption Deposit. Costs to purchase the outstanding Fund shares shall include, but not be limited to, the amount by which the actual purchase price of the undelivered Fund shares exceeds the Redemption Deposit or the market value of such shares on the day the purchase order was received by the Distributor plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Fund will return the remaining Redemption Deposit once the undelivered shares are received by the Custodian.

 

The Participant Agreement may contain further information relating to this collateral process.

 

Transaction Fees on Redemptions of Creation Units

 

The Fund charges a transaction fee, which is intended to cover the transfer and other transactional costs it incurs to redeem Creation Units. A transaction fee will be charged by the Fund to Authorized Participants per redemption (“Standard Redemption Fee”). The Fund reserves the right to charge additional transactions fees not to exceed three (3) times the Standard Redemption Fee for: (1) orders processed outside of the Clearing Process; (2) orders involving cash in lieu amounts; and (3) cash redemptions (“Additional Redemption Charges”). The Fund also reserves the right to adjust the Standard Charge and/or the Additional Redemption Charges at any time in order to ensure that the Fund is able to continue to recoup the costs it actually incurs to issue Creation Units. Authorized Participants are responsible for paying the costs to transfer the Redemption

50 
 

Instruments from the Fund. Authorized Participants may charge investors a fee to redeem Creation Units on their behalf.

 

The standard transaction fee and maximum transaction fee for the Fund are $250 and $1,000, respectively.

 

Suspension of Redemption Rights

 

The right of redemption may be suspended with respect to the Fund for: (1) any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holidays); (2) any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) any period which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of Fund shares or determination of the Fund’s NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (4) such other periods as the SEC may permit.

 

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

 

While changes to the Fund’s investment portfolio will generally be implemented through the issuance and redemption of the Fund’s Creation Units in exchange for a Creation Basket, there may be occasions wherein the Advisor will purchase or sell securities directly on behalf of the Fund. To the extent that the Fund issues or redeems Creation Units partly or solely for cash, the Advisor may have to execute portfolio transactions on behalf of the Fund. The Day Hagan ETF paid $71,875, $86,504 and $144,307 in brokerage commissions for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2022, April 30, 2023, and April 30, 2024, respectively. The increase in the Day Hagan ETF’s brokerage commissions from $86, 504 for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2023 to $144, 307 for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024 is due to the Fund’s use of multiple custom basket rebalances, rather than agency trades, for tax purposes during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024 and the higher trading cost of custom basket rebalances.

 

TRADE ALLOCATION

 

Investment decisions for the Fund and other clients of the Advisor are made with a view to achieving their respective investment objectives and after consideration of such factors as their current holdings, availability of cash for investment, and the size of their investments generally.

 

A security may be bought or sold by the Advisor for only one client or in different amounts and at different times for more than one but less than all clients. Likewise, a particular security may be bought for one or more clients when one or more other clients are selling the security. In addition, purchases or sales of the same security may be made for two or more clients of the Advisor on the same day. To the extent that multiple clients are purchasing or selling a specific security at the same time, such transactions will be allocated among the clients in a manner believed by the Advisor to be equitable to each. In some cases, this procedure could have an adverse effect on the price or amount of the securities purchased or sold by the Fund. Purchase and sale orders for the Fund may be combined with those of other clients of the Advisor in the interest of achieving the most favorable net results for the Fund.

 

BROKERAGE ALLOCATION

 

The Advisor may place orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities for the Fund through numerous brokers and dealers. In so doing, it uses its best efforts to obtain for the Fund the best price and execution available. In seeking the best price and execution, the Advisor, having in mind the Fund’s best interests, considers all factors it deems relevant, including, by way of illustration, price, the size of the transaction, the nature of the market for the security, the amount of the commission, the timing of the transaction taking into account market prices and trends, the reputation, experience, and financial stability of the broker-dealer involved, and the quality of service rendered by the broker-dealer in other transactions.

 

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Transactions on U.S. stock exchanges and other agency transactions involve the payment by the Fund of negotiated brokerage commissions. Such commissions vary among brokers. Also, a particular broker may charge different commissions according to such factors as the difficulty and size of the transaction. Transactions in foreign securities often involve the payment of fixed brokerage commissions, which are generally higher than those in the U.S. There is generally no stated commission in the case of securities traded in the over-the-counter markets, but the price paid by the Fund usually includes an undisclosed dealer commission or mark-up. Purchases and sales of fixed income securities (for instance, money market instruments and bonds, notes, and bills) usually are principal transactions. In a principal transaction, the party from whom the Fund purchases, or to whom the Fund sells, is acting on its own behalf (and not as the agent of some other party such as its customers). These securities normally are purchased directly from the issuer or from an underwriter or market maker for the securities. The prices of securities purchased from dealers serving as market makers reflect the spread between the bid and asked price. In underwritten offerings, the price paid by the Fund includes a disclosed, fixed commission or discount retained by the underwriter or dealer.

 

SOFT DOLLAR PRACTICES

 

It has for many years been a common practice in the investment advisory business for advisors of investment companies and other institutional investors to receive research, statistical, and quotation services from broker- dealers that execute portfolio transactions for their clients. Consistent with this practice, the Advisor may receive research, statistical, and quotation services from broker-dealers with which it places the Fund’s portfolio transactions. These services, which in some cases may also be purchased for cash, include general economic and security market reviews, industry and company reviews, evaluations of securities, and recommendations as to the purchase and sale of securities. Some of these services are of value to the Advisor and its affiliates in advising various of its clients (including the Fund), although not all of these services are necessarily useful and of value in managing the Fund. The investment advisory fee paid by the Fund to the Advisor is not reduced because the Advisor and its affiliates receive such services.

 

As permitted by Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act and by the Trust’s Management Agreement with the Advisor, the Advisor may cause the Fund to pay a broker-dealer that provides the brokerage and research services described above an amount of disclosed commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the commission which another broker-dealer may charge for effecting that transaction. The Advisor’s authority to cause the Fund to pay any such greater commissions is also subject to such policies as the Trustees may adopt from time to time.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRUST SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS

All shareholders are entitled to one vote for the Fund share held on the record date for any action requiring a vote by the shareholders. Shareholders of the Trust will vote in the aggregate and not by series except as otherwise expressly required by law or when the Trustees determine that the matter to be voted upon affects only the interests of the shareholders of a particular series of the Trust.

 

Each share of the Fund represents a pro rata interest in the assets of the Fund. Fund shares have no preemptive, exchange, subscription or conversion rights and there are no restrictions on the transfer of Fund shares. The Fund share participates pro rata in all dividends and distributions of the Fund and in the net distributable assets upon liquidation.

 

The Trust is not required to hold annual meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees except that (1) the Trust is required to hold a shareholder meeting for the election of Trustees at such time as less than a majority of the Trustees holding office have been elected by shareholders and (2) if, as a result of a vacancy on the Board, less than two-thirds of the Trustees holding office have been elected by the shareholders, that vacancy may only be filled by a vote of the shareholders. Except as set forth above, a Trustee may continue to hold office and may appoint successor Trustees.

 

The Declaration of Trust provides a process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders for claims beyond the process otherwise required by law. This derivative actions process is intended to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction, and other harm that can be caused to the Fund

52 
 

or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder demands and derivative actions. Prior to bringing a derivative action, a pre-suit demand by the complaining shareholder must first be made on the Board of Trustees, unless such action is excused because a majority of the members of the Board have a material personal financial interest in the action at issue. Following receipt of the demand, the Trustees must be afforded a reasonable amount of time to investigate and consider the demand.

 

Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power to liquidate any series of the Trust without shareholder approval. While the Trustees have no present intent to exercise this power, they may do so if a series fails to reach a viable size within a reasonable amount of time or for such other reasons as may be determined by the Board.

 

The rights of shareholders cannot be modified without a majority vote of the Shareholders.

 

FEES PAID FOR SERVICES

 

As described above under “Service Providers—Investment Advisory Services—Investment Advisor,” the Advisor receives compensation from the Fund at the annual rate of 0.68% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. In consideration of such fees, the Advisor pays all routine expenses of the Fund. The following tables show the amounts that the Advisor paid to the Fund’s other service providers for administration, transfer agency, and compliance services for the fiscal periods shown below.

 

Day Hagan ETF

 

 

 

 

 

Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2022

Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2023 Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2024
Administration Fee Paid to Citi $15,570 $15,840 $14,240

Management and Legal

Administration Fee Paid to MFund

$130,843 $167,208 $194,660
Fund Accounting Fee Paid to Citi $103,679 $140,449 $168,004

Compliance Services Fees Paid to

MFund

$23,519 $22,967

 

$24,326

 

PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

 

From time to time, certain shareholders, including Authorized Participants, may own, of record, beneficially, or both, more than 25% of the Fund’s shares and those shareholders may be able to control the outcome of a shareholder vote.

 

As of August 1, 2024, the Trustees and officers of the Trust in the aggregate owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of the Fund.

Although the Trust does not have information concerning the beneficial ownership of shares held in the names of the Depository Trust Company (DTC) participants, as of August 1, 2024, the name, address and percentage ownership of each DTC participant that owned of record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund were as follows:

 

Shareholder Name and Address Percentage Owned

Cede & Co.

55 Water Street, 25th Floor New York, NY, 10041

 

[ ]

 

53 
 

 

BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM

 

The information below supplements disclosure in the Prospectus regarding the book entry system. This information should be read in conjunction with the disclosure included in the Prospectus.

 

DTC acts as securities depositary for the Fund’s shares. Shares of the Fund are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC. Generally, certificates will not be issued for shares.

 

DTC is a limited-purpose trust company that was created to hold securities of the DTC Participants and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of its DTC Participants and by the Exchange and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers, and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).

 

Beneficial ownership of the Fund’s shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants, and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in the Fund’s shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of the Fund’s shares. The Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the record owner of the Fund’s shares for all purposes. Beneficial Owners of the Fund’s shares are not entitled to have Fund shares registered in their names and will not receive or be entitled to physical delivery of share certificates. Each Beneficial Owner must rely on the procedures of DTC and any DTC Participant and/or Indirect Participant through which such Beneficial Owner holds its interests, to exercise any rights of a holder of the Fund’s shares.

 

Conveyance of all notices, statements, and other communications to Beneficial Owners is affected as follows. DTC will make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee a listing of the Fund’s shares held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall obtain from each such DTC Participant the number of Beneficial Owners holding the Fund’s shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement, or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners.

 

In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

 

Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of the Fund’s shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of the Fund’s shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

 

The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in the Fund’s shares, or for maintaining, supervising, or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.

 

DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to the Fund at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Fund and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Fund shall take action either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a

54 
 

comparable cost or, if such replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of the Fund’s shares, unless the Trust makes other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Exchange. The DTC Participants’ rules and policies are made publicly available through its website at www.dtcc.com.

 

VOTING PROXIES OF FUND PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

 

The Board has delegated responsibilities for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by the Fund to the Advisor. The Advisor may further delegate such proxy voting to a third-party proxy voting service provider. The Advisor will vote such proxies in accordance with their proxy policies and procedures. In some instances, the Advisor may be asked to cast a proxy vote that presents a conflict between its interests and the interests of the Fund’s shareholders. In such a case, the Trust’s policy requires that the Advisor abstain from making a voting decision and to forward all necessary proxy voting materials to the Trust to enable the Board to make a voting decision. When the Board is required to make a proxy voting decision, only the Trustees without a conflict of interest with regard to the security in question or the matter to be voted upon shall be permitted to participate in the decision of how the Fund’s vote will be cast. The Advisor has developed a detailed proxy voting policy that has been approved by the Board. A copy of the proxy voting policies and procedures are attached hereto as Appendix 2.

 

Information on how the Fund voted proxies for the most recent year ended June 30, relating to portfolio securities is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-594-7930 or on the SEC's Internet site at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Fund’s proxy voting policies and procedures is also available by calling 1-800-594-7930 and will be sent within three business days of receipt of a request.

 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE PRACTICES

 

The Board has adopted policies and procedures for the public and nonpublic disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

 

Each day the Fund is open for business, before the opening of regular trading on the Exchange, the Fund will publicly disclose on the Fund’s website at www.dhfunds.com the Fund’s full portfolio holdings that will form the basis of the next calculation of current NAV, which are based on the Fund’s portfolio holdings as of the close of business on the prior Business Day. In addition, each Business Day, a portfolio composition file, which displays the names and quantities of the instruments comprising the Creation Basket(s), as well as the estimated Cash Amount (if any), for that day, is publicly disseminated prior to the opening of the Exchange via the NSCC.

 

In addition, as a general matter, no information concerning the portfolio holdings of the Fund may be disclosed to any unaffiliated third party except (1) to service providers that require such information in the course of performing their duties (for example, the Fund’s custodian, administrator, the Advisor, any sub-advisor, independent public accountants, attorneys, officers and trustees) and are subject to a duty of confidentiality including a duty not to trade on non-public information, and (2) pursuant to certain exceptions that serve a legitimate business purpose. These exceptions may include: (1) disclosure of portfolio holdings only after such information has been publicly disclosed on the Fund’s website, in marketing materials or through filings with the SEC as described below and (2) to third-party vendors, that (a) agree to not distribute the portfolio holdings or results of the analysis to third parties, other departments or persons who are likely to use the information for purposes of purchasing or selling the Fund before the portfolio holdings or results of the analysis become publicly available; and (b) sign a written confidentiality agreement. The confidentiality agreement must provide, but is not limited to, that the recipient of the portfolio holdings information agrees to limit access to the portfolio holdings information to its employees who, on a need to know basis are (1) authorized to have access to the portfolio holdings information and (2) subject to confidentiality obligations, including duties not to trade on non- public information, no less restrictive that the confidentiality obligations contained in the confidentiality agreement.

 

The Fund’s portfolio holdings are currently disclosed to the public through filings with the SEC. The Fund discloses its portfolio holdings by mailing the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders approximately two months after the end of the fiscal year and semi-annual period, respectively. In addition, the Fund’s portfolio holdings are publicly available on the SEC’s EDGAR website in the Fund’s reports on Form N-CSR two months after the end of each semi-annual period and on Form N-PORT two months after each quarter.

 

55 
 

Neither the Fund nor the Advisor may enter into any arrangement providing for the disclosure of non-public portfolio holding information for the receipt of compensation or benefit of any kind. Any exceptions to the policies and procedures may only be made by the consent of the Trust’s chief compliance officer upon a determination that such disclosure serves a legitimate business purpose and is in the best interests of the Fund and will be reported to the Board at the Board’s next regularly scheduled meeting.

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

The Trust, the Advisor, and the Distributor have adopted codes of ethics under Rule 17j-1(c) of the 1940 Act. The purpose of each code is to avoid potential conflicts of interest and to prevent fraud, deception or misconduct with respect to the Fund. Such codes of ethics permit personnel covered by the codes to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund, subject to the restrictions of the codes. The codes are filed as exhibits to the Trust’s registration statement.

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER

 

The portfolio turnover rate of the Fund is defined by the SEC as the ratio of the lesser of annual sales or purchases to the monthly average value of the portfolio, excluding from both the numerator and the denominator securities with maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less. Portfolio turnover generally involves some expense to the Fund, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups and other transactions costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2023, and the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, the portfolio turnover rates for the Day Hagan ETF were 207% and 296%, respectively. The significant increase in the portfolio turnover of the the Day Hagan ETF was due to signals generated by the Fund’s risk management models, and the sale of direct sector ETF holdings and investment of the proceeds in a broader-based index.

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

The Fund calculates its NAV per share as of the close of the Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time) on each Business Day. The NAV per share is calculated by dividing the value of the net assets of the Fund (e.g. value of total assets less total liabilities) by the total number of shares outstanding.

 

To calculate the Fund’s NAV per share, the Trust follows valuation procedures approved by the Board. Pursuant to these procedures, the Trust relies on certain security pricing services to provide current market values for the Fund’s portfolio securities. These security pricing services value equity securities (including foreign equity securities) traded on a securities exchange at the last reported sales price on the principal exchange. Equity securities quoted by NASDAQ are valued at the NASDAQ Official Closing Price. If there is no reported sale on the principal exchange and in the case of over-the-counter securities, equity securities are valued at a bid price estimated by the security pricing service. Debt securities traded on a national securities exchange or in the over the-counter market are valued at the last reported sales price on the principal exchange. If there is no reported sale on the principal exchange, and for all other debt securities, including zero-coupon securities, debt securities are valued at a bid price estimated by the security pricing service. Foreign securities quoted in foreign currencies are translated in U.S. dollars at the foreign exchange rate in effect as of the close of the Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on the day the value of the foreign security is determined.

 

Options contracts are generally valued at the mean of the bid and asked price as reported on the highest-volume exchange (in terms of the number of option contracts traded for that issue) on which such options are traded. Short-term investments with remaining maturities of 60 days or less at the time of purchase may be valued at amortized cost. Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued at NAV (except ETFs, which are valued consistent with the pricing process for equity securities). In certain limited circumstances such as when a security’s closing price versus the prior day’s closing price exceeds a defined variance tolerance, or when a security’s closing price is unchanged as compared to the prior day’s closing price, a financial intermediary’s good faith determination of the fair value of a security or option may be used instead of its current market value, even if the security’s market price is readily available.

 

In cases where market prices for portfolio securities are not readily available, a Pricing Committee established and appointed by the Trustees determines in good faith, subject to Trust procedures, the fair value of portfolio securities held by the Fund.

 

56 
 

TAXES

 

This following information is a summary of certain key federal income tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders and is in addition to the information provided in the Prospectus. No attempt has been made to present a complete explanation of the federal, state, local or foreign tax treatment of the Fund or the tax implications to its shareholders. The discussions here and in the Prospectus are not intended as substitutes for careful tax planning.

 

FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION

 

The Fund is treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes. The Fund has elected to be treated, and intends to qualify each year, as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Code. Qualification as a RIC requires, among other things, that the Fund:

 

(1)derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from: (a) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sales or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gain from options, futures, and forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or foreign currencies; and

(b) net income derived from interests in certain publicly traded partnerships that are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and that derive less than 90% of their gross income from the items described in (a) above (each a “Qualified Publicly Traded Partnership”); and

 

(2)diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of each taxable year: (a) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by (I) cash and cash items, U.S. Government securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies and (II) other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (b) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities and the securities of other regulated investment companies) of (I) any one issuer, (II) any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or (III) any one or more Qualified Publicly Traded Partnerships.

As a RIC, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on its “net investment income” (i.e., its investment company taxable income, as that term is defined in the Code, determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and “net capital gain” (the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it distributes in each taxable year to its shareholders, provided that it distributes at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income for such taxable year and its net tax-exempt interest income for such taxable year. However, the Fund will be subject to federal corporate income tax (currently at a maximum rate of 35%) on any undistributed income other than tax-exempt income.

 

If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company accorded special tax treatment in any taxable year, the Fund would be subject to tax on its income at corporate rates, and all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distribution of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize net unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest, and make substantial distributions before requalifying as a regulated investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.

 

If the Fund fails to distribute in a calendar year substantially all of its ordinary income for such year and substantially all of its net capital gains for the year ending October 31 (or later if the Fund is permitted so to elect and so elects), plus any retained amount from the prior year, the Fund will be subject to a 4% excise tax on the under-distributed amounts. A dividend paid to shareholders by the Fund in January is generally deemed to have been paid by the Fund on December 31 of the preceding year, if the dividend was declared and payable to shareholders of record on a date in October, November, or December of that preceding year. The Fund intends generally to make distributions sufficient to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax, although there can be no

57 
 

assurance that it will be able to do so.

 

FUND DISTRIBUTIONS

 

Distributions from the Fund (other than exempt-interest dividends, as discussed below) will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income to the extent derived from the Fund’s investment income and net short-term gains. Distributions of net capital gains (that is, the excess of net gains from capital assets held more than one year over net losses from capital assets held by the Fund for not more than one year) will be taxable to shareholders as such, regardless of how long a shareholder has held the shares in the Fund. Distributions are taxable to shareholders even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before a shareholder’s investment (and thus were included in the price the shareholder paid). Distributions from capital gains are generally made after applying any available capital loss carryovers. Distributions reinvested in additional shares of the Fund through a dividend reinvestment service will be taxable to the same extent as if the distributions had been received in cash.

Individuals, trusts and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts will be subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on “net investment income.” Net investment income includes any ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions from the Fund as well as any capital gains recognized on the sale or exchange of Fund shares.

Distributions of investment income properly designated by the Fund as derived from “qualified dividend income” are taxed at the rates applicable to long-term capital gains. Long-term capital gain distributions paid to certain high-income taxpayers will be subject to a regular tax rate of 20%. High income taxpayers, for this purpose, are defined as individuals and married couples filing jointly whose taxable income exceeds $441,450 and $496,600, respectively, per year.

In order for some portion of the dividends received by the Fund shareholder to be “qualified dividend income,” the Fund must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to some portion of the dividend-paying stocks in its portfolio and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund’s shares. Generally, dividends paid by REITs do not qualify for the lower tax rates that apply to certain other “qualified investment income.” A dividend will not be treated as qualified dividend income (at either the Fund or shareholder level): (1) if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held for fewer than 61 days during the 120-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (or, in the case of certain preferred stock, 91 days during the 180-day period beginning 90 days before such date); (2) to the extent that the recipient is 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; (3) if the recipient elects to have the dividend income treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest, or (4) if the dividend is received from a foreign corporation that is (a) not eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the U.S. (with the exception of dividends paid on stock of such a foreign corporation readily tradable on an established securities market in the U.S.) or (b) treated as a foreign personal holding company, foreign investment company, or passive foreign investment company.

In general, distributions of investment income designated by the Fund as derived from qualified dividend income will be treated as qualified dividend income by non-corporate taxpayers provided the shareholder meets the holding period and other requirements described above with respect to the Fund’s shares. If the aggregate qualified dividends received by the Fund during any taxable year are 95% or more of its gross income, then 100% of the Fund’s dividends (other than properly designated capital gain dividends) will be eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income. For this purpose, the only gain included in the term “gross income” is the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss.

Dividends of net investment income received by corporate shareholders of the Fund will qualify for the 70% dividends received deduction generally available to corporations to the extent of the amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations for the taxable year. A dividend received by the Fund will not be treated as a qualifying dividend: (1) if the stock on which the dividend is paid is considered to be “debt-financed” (generally, acquired with borrowed funds); (2) if it has been received with respect to any share of stock that the Fund has held for less than 46 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 90-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (during the 180-day period beginning 90 days before such date in the case of certain preferred stock); or (3) to the extent that the Fund is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property.

58 
 

Moreover, the dividends received deduction may be disallowed or reduced: (1) if the corporate shareholder fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its shares of the Fund; or (2) by application of the Code.

If the Fund distributes amounts in excess of the Fund’s “earnings and profits” (which provide a measure of the Fund’s dividend paying capacity for tax purposes), such excess distributions to shareholders will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of a shareholder’s basis in his or her shares, and thereafter as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. A return of capital is not taxable to a shareholder but has the effect of reducing the shareholder’s basis in the relevant shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by a shareholder of his or her shares. However, because the Fund’s expenses attributable to earning tax exempt income do not reduce the Fund’s current earnings and profits, a portion of any distribution in excess of the Fund’s net tax exempt and taxable income may be considered paid out of the Fund’s earnings and profits and may therefore be treated as a taxable dividend (even though that portion economically represents a return of the Fund’s capital).

Dividends and distributions on the Fund’s shares are generally subject to federal income tax as described herein to the extent they do not exceed the Fund’s realized income and gains, even though such dividends and distributions may economically represent a return of a particular shareholder’s investment. Such distributions are likely to occur in respect of shares purchased at a time when the Fund’s NAV reflects gains that are either unrealized or realized but not distributed.

 

QUALIFIED REIT DIVIDENDS

 

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 report the special character of qualified REIT dividends to its shareholders, provided both the Fund and the shareholder meet certain holding period requirements. The amount of a RIC’s dividends eligible for the 20% deduction for a taxable year is limited to the excess of the RIC’s qualified REIT dividends for the taxable year over allocable expenses. A noncorporate shareholder receiving such dividends would treat them as eligible for the 20% deduction, provided the shareholder meets certain holding period requirements for its shares in the RIC (i.e., generally, RIC shares must be held by the shareholder 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).

 

CAPITAL LOSS CARRYOVERS

 

The capital losses of the Fund, if any, do not flow through to shareholders. Rather, the Fund may use its capital losses, subject to applicable limitations, to offset its capital gains without being required to pay taxes on or distribute to shareholders such gains that are offset by the losses. If the Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains), the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year. Any such net capital losses of the Fund that are not used to offset capital gains may be carried forward indefinitely to reduce any future capital gains realized by the Fund in succeeding taxable years. The amount of capital losses that can be carried forward and used in any single year is subject to an annual limitation if there is a more than 50% “change in ownership” of the Fund. An ownership change generally results when shareholders owning 5% or more of the Fund increase their aggregate holdings by more than 50% over a three-year lookback period. An ownership change could result in capital loss carryovers being used at a slower rate, thereby reducing the Fund’s ability to offset capital gains with those losses. An increase in the amount of taxable gains distributed to the Fund’s shareholders could result from an ownership change. No Fund undertakes any obligation to avoid or prevent an ownership change, which can occur in the normal course of shareholder purchases and redemptions or as a result of engaging in a tax-free reorganization with another fund. Moreover, because of circumstances beyond the Fund’s control, there can be no assurance that the Fund will not experience, or has not already experienced, an ownership change. Additionally, if the Fund engages in a tax-free reorganization with another fund, the effect of these and other rules not discussed herein may be to disallow or postpone the use by the Fund of its capital loss carryovers (including any current year losses and built-in losses when realized) to offset its own gains or those of the other fund, or vice versa, thereby reducing the tax benefits Fund shareholders would otherwise have enjoyed from use of such capital loss carryovers. As of April 30, 2024, the Day Hagan Smart Sector ETF had $92,018,021

59 
 

in short-term capital loss carryforwards and $3,364,569 in long-term capital loss carryforwards. These capital loss carryforwards do not expire.

 

HEDGING TRANSACTIONS

 

Certain investment and hedging activities of the Fund, including transactions in options, futures contracts, forward contracts, foreign currencies, foreign securities, or other similar transactions, will be subject to special tax rules. In a given case, these rules may accelerate income to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund’s assets, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains or convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing, and character of the Fund’s income and distributions to shareholders. Income earned as a result of these transactions would, in general, not be eligible for the dividends received deduction or for treatment as exempt-interest dividends when distributed to shareholders. The Fund will endeavor to make any available elections pertaining to such transactions in a manner believed to be in the best interests of the Fund.

 

Certain of the Fund’s hedging activities (including its transactions, if any, in foreign currencies or foreign currency-denominated instruments) are likely to produce a difference between its book income and its taxable income. If the Fund’s book income exceeds its taxable income the distribution (if any) of such excess will be treated as: (1) a dividend to the extent of the Fund’s remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income); (2) thereafter as a return of capital to the extent of the recipient’s basis in the shares; and (3) thereafter as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. If the Fund’s book income in less than its taxable income, the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regulated investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.

 

FOREIGN CURRENCY-DENOMINATED SECURITIES AND RELATED HEDGING TRANSACTIONS

 

The Fund’s transactions in foreign currency-denominated debt securities, certain foreign currency options, futures contracts, and forward contracts may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned.

 

FOREIGN INVESTMENTS

 

If the Fund purchases foreign securities, its investment income may be subject to foreign withholding or other taxes that could reduce the return on these securities. Tax treaties between the U.S. and foreign countries, however, may reduce or eliminate the amount of foreign taxes to which the Fund would be subject. The effective rate of foreign tax cannot be predicted since the amount of Fund assets to be invested within various countries is uncertain. However, the Fund intends to operate so as to qualify for treaty-reduced tax rates when applicable.

 

Distributions from the Fund may be based on estimates of book income for the year. Book income generally consists solely of the coupon income generated by the portfolio, whereas tax-basis income includes gains or losses attributable to currency fluctuation. Due to differences in the book and tax treatment of fixed income securities denominated in foreign currencies, it is difficult to project currency effects on an interim basis.

 

Therefore, to the extent that currency fluctuations cannot be anticipated, a portion of distributions to shareholders could later be designated as a return of capital, rather than income, for income tax purposes, which may be of particular concern to simple trusts.

 

FOREIGN TAX CREDIT

 

Investment by the Fund in “passive foreign investment companies” could subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax or other charge on the proceeds from the sale of its investment in such a company; however, this tax can be avoided by making an election to mark such investments to market annually or to treat the passive foreign investment company as a “qualified electing fund.”

 

A “passive foreign investment company” is any foreign corporation: (1) 75 percent or more of the income of which for the taxable year is passive income; or (2) the average percentage of the assets of which (generally by value, but by adjusted tax basis in certain cases) produce or are held for the production of passive income is at

60 
 

least 50 percent. Generally, passive income for this purpose means dividends, interest (including income equivalent to interest), royalties, rents, annuities, the excess of gain over losses from certain property transactions and commodities transactions, and foreign currency gains. Passive income for this purpose does not include rents and royalties received by the foreign corporation from active business and certain income received from related persons. The Fund’s investments in foreign securities may be subject to withholding taxes at the source on dividends or interest payments.

 

SALE OR REDEMPTION OF SHARES

 

The sale, exchange or redemption of the Fund’s shares may give rise to a gain or loss. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise the gain or loss on the sale, exchange, or redemption of the Fund’s shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. However, if a shareholder sells the Fund’s shares at a loss within six months of purchase, any loss will be disallowed for Federal income tax purposes to the extent of any exempt-interest dividends received on such shares. In addition, any loss (not already disallowed as provided in the preceding sentence) realized upon a taxable disposition of the Fund’s shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received by the shareholder with respect to the Fund’s shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of the Fund’s shares will be disallowed if other shares of the same Fund are purchased within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased Fund shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

 

IN-KIND PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

 

To the extent that the Fund sells shares in exchange for securities and/or cash, the investor will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Unit at the time and the investor’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and/or the amount of any cash paid for the Creation Unit. An investor who redeems a Creation Unit for securities or securities and cash will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the investor’s basis in the Creation Unit and the aggregate market value of the securities and/or cash received for the Creation Unit. The Internal Revenue Service, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of primarily securities for a Creation Unit cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

 

Under current federal tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon redemption of a Creation Unit is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for 12 months or less.

 

If you purchase or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many Creation Units of the Fund you purchased and sold and at what price.

 

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

 

INVESTMENTS IN PARTNERSHIPS AND QPTPS

 

For purposes of the Income Requirement, income derived by a fund from a partnership that is not a QPTP will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership that would be qualifying income if realized directly by the fund. While the rules are not entirely clear with respect to a fund investing in a partnership outside a master feeder structure, for purposes of testing whether a fund satisfies the Asset Diversification Test, the fund generally is treated as owning a pro rata share of the underlying assets of a partnership. See, “Taxation of the Fund.” In contrast, different rules apply to a partnership that is a QPTP. A QPTP is a partnership (a) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market, (b) that is treated as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, and (c) that derives less than 90% of its income from sources that satisfy the Income Requirement (e.g., because it invests in commodities). All of the net income derived by a fund from an interest in a QPTP will be treated as qualifying income but the fund may

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not invest more than 25% of its total assets in one or more QPTPs. However, there can be no assurance that a partnership classified as a QPTP in one year will qualify as a QPTP in the next year. Any such failure to annually qualify as a QPTP might, in turn, cause a fund to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company. Although, in general, the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a fund with respect to items attributable to an interest in a QPTP. Fund investments in partnerships, including in QPTPs, may result in the fund being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

 

If an MLP is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes (whether or not a QPTP), all or portion of the dividends received by a fund from the MLP likely will be treated as a return of capital for U.S. federal income tax purposes because of accelerated deductions available with respect to the activities of such MLPs. Further, because of these accelerated deductions, on the disposition of interests in such an MLP, the Fund likely will realize taxable income in excess of economic gain with respect to those MLP interests (or if the Fund does not dispose of the MLP, the Fund could realize taxable income in excess of cash flow with respect to the MLP in a later period), and the Fund must take such income into account in determining whether the Fund has satisfied its Distribution Requirement. The Fund may have to borrow or liquidate securities to satisfy its Distribution Requirement and to meet its redemption requests, even though investment considerations might otherwise make it undesirable for the Fund to sell securities or borrow money at such time. In addition, any gain recognized, either upon the sale of the Fund’s MLP interest or sale by the MLP of property held by it, including in excess of economic gain thereon, treated as so-called “recapture income,” will be treated as ordinary income. Therefore, to the extent the Fund invests in MLPs, Fund shareholders might receive greater amounts of distributions from the Fund taxable as ordinary income than they otherwise would in the absence of such MLP investments.

 

Recent legislation (which by its terms became effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017) generally requires that taxes, penalties, and interest associated with an audit of a partnership be assessed and collected at the partnership level. Therefore, an adverse federal income tax audit of a partnership that the Fund invests in (including MLPs taxed as partnerships) could result in the Fund being required to pay federal income tax. The Fund may have little input in any audit asserted against a partnership and may be contractually or legally obligated to make payments in regard to deficiencies asserted without the ability to put forward an independent defense. Accordingly, even if a partnership in which the Fund invests were to remain classified as a partnership (instead of as a corporation), it could be required to pay additional taxes, interest and penalties as a result of an audit adjustment, and the Fund, as a direct or indirect partner of such partnership, could be required to bear the economic burden of those taxes, interest and penalties, which would reduce the value of Fund shares.

 

Although MLPs are generally expected to be treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, some MLPs may be treated as PFICs or “regular” corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The treatment of particular MLPs for U.S. federal income tax purposes will affect the extent to which a fund can invest in MLPs and will impact the amount, character, and timing of income recognized by the Fund.

 

BACKUP WITHHOLDING

 

By law, a portion of your taxable dividends and sales proceeds may be withheld unless you:

 

·provide your correct social security or taxpayer identification number,
·certify that this number is correct,
·certify that you are not subject to backup withholding, and
·certify that you are a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien).

 

Withholding is also imposed if the IRS requires it. When withholding is required, the amount will be 24% of any distributions or proceeds paid. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the IRS. Certain payees and payments are exempt from backup withholding and information reporting. The special U.S. tax certification requirements applicable to non-U.S. investors to avoid backup withholding are described under the “Non-U.S. Investors” heading. below.

 

SECURITIES ISSUED OR PURCHASED AT A DISCOUNT

 

The Fund’s investment in securities issued at a discount and certain other obligations will (and investments in securities purchased at a discount may) require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. In

62 
 

order to generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio that it otherwise would have continued to hold.

 

SHARES PURCHASED THROUGH TAX-QUALIFIED PLANS

 

Special tax rules apply to investments purchased though defined contribution plans and other tax-qualified plans. Shareholders should consult their tax adviser to determine the suitability of shares of the Fund as an investment through such plans and the precise effect of an investment on their particular tax situation.

 

UNRELATED BUSINESS TAXABLE INCOME

 

Under current law, the Fund generally serves to block unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in the Fund if either: (1) the Fund invests in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”); or (2) shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b).

 

If a charitable remainder trust (as defined in Code Section 664) realizes any UBTI for a taxable year, it will be subject to an excise tax equal to the amount of the UBTI.

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

The Fund’s most recent financial statements are incorporated herein by reference to the Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024, a copy of which may be obtained without charge by calling 1-800-594-7930.

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APPENDIX 1 INVESTMENT RATINGS

The NRSROs that may be utilized by the Fund with regard to portfolio investments for the Fund include Moody’s, S&P, Fitch, and A.M. Best. Set forth below is a description of the relevant ratings of each such NRSRO. The NRSROs that may be utilized by the Fund and the description of each NRSRO’s ratings is as of the date of this SAI and may subsequently change.

 

A.M. BEST

 

LONG-TERM DEBT RATINGS

Investment Grade Aaa: Exceptional aa: Very Strong

a: Strong

bbb: Adequate

 

Non-Investment Grade Bb: Speculative

b: Very Speculative

ccc, cc, c: Extremely Speculative

d: In Default

 

SHORT-TERM DEBT RATINGS

 

Investment Grade AMB-1+: Strongest AMB-1: Outstanding AMB-2: Satisfactory AMB-3: Adequate

 

Non-Investment Grade AMB-4: Speculative

D: In Default

 

FITCH

 

LONG-TERM DEBT RATINGS

Investment grade

AAA: the best quality companies, reliable and stable AA: quality companies, a bit higher risk than AAA A: economic situation can affect finance

BBB: medium class companies, which are satisfactory at the moment

 

Non-investment grade

BB: more prone to changes in the economy

B: financial situation varies noticeably

CCC: currently vulnerable and dependent on favorable economic conditions to meet its commitments

CC: highly vulnerable, very speculative bonds

C: highly vulnerable, perhaps in bankruptcy or in arrears but still continuing to pay out on obligations D: has defaulted on obligations and Fitch believes that it will generally default on most or all obligations NR: not publicly rated

 

SHORT-TERM DEBT RATINGS

Fitch's short-term ratings indicate the potential level of default within a 12-month period.

F1+ : best quality grade, indicating exceptionally strong capacity of obligor to meet its financial commitment

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F1: best quality grade, indicating strong capacity of obligor to meet its financial commitment

F2: good quality grade with satisfactory capacity of obligor to meet its financial commitment

F3: fair quality grade with adequate capacity of obligor to meet its financial commitment but near term adverse conditions could impact the obligor's commitments

B: of speculative nature and obligor has minimal capacity to meet its commitment and vulnerability to short term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions

C: possibility of default is high and the financial commitment of the obligor are dependent upon sustained, favorable business and economic conditions

D: the obligor is in default as it has failed on its financial commitments.

 

Fitch also uses intermediate +/- modifiers for each category between AA and CCC (e.g., AA+, AA, AA-, A+, A, A-, BBB+, BBB, BBB-, etc.).

 

MOODY’S

 

GLOBAL LONG-TERM RATING SCALE

Aaa: Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.

Aa: Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

A: Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa: Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

Ba: Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

B: Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

Caa: Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

Ca: Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

C: Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or 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. Additionally, a “(hyb)” indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms.

 

Moody’s differentiates structured finance ratings from fundamental ratings (i.e., ratings on nonfinancial corporate, financial institution, and public sector entities) on the global long-term scale by adding (sf ) to all structured finance ratings. The (sf ) indicator was introduced on August 11, 2010 and explained in a special comment entitled, “Moody’s Structured Finance Rating Scale.” The addition of (sf ) to structured finance ratings should eliminate any presumption that such ratings and fundamental ratings at the same letter grade level will behave the same. The (sf ) indicator for structured finance security ratings indicates that otherwise similarly rated structured finance and fundamental securities may have different risk characteristics.

 

GLOBAL SHORT-TERM RATING SCALE

P-1  Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1: have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-2  Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2: have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-3  Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3: have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

NP Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime: do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

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US MUNICIPAL SHORT-TERM DEBT OBLIGATION RATINGS

 

MIG 1: This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

MIG 2: This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

MIG 3: This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established. SG This designation denotes

speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

 

S&P GLOBAL RATINGS (“S&P”)

 

AAA: An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

AA: An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

A: An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

BBB: An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

BB; B; CCC; CC; and C: Obligations rated ‘BB’, ‘B’, ‘CCC’, ‘CC’, and ‘C’ are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. ‘BB’ indicates the least degree of speculation and ‘C’ the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

BB: An obligation rated ‘BB’ is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B: An obligation rated ‘B’ is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated ‘BB’, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CCC: An obligation rated ‘CCC’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CC An obligation rated ‘CC’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

C: A 'C' rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents, or obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have not experienced a payment default. Among others, the 'C' rating may be assigned to subordinated debt, preferred stock or other obligations on which cash payments have been suspended in accordance with the instrument's terms or when preferred stock is the subject of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.

D: An obligation rated 'D' is in payment default. The 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made within five business days, irrespective of any grace period. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized. An obligation's rating is lowered to 'D' upon completion of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par. NR: This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

 

*The ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

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APPENDIX 2

 

DAY HAGAN ASSET MANAGEMENT

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

(Adopted September 16, 2009)

 

 

Pursuant to the recent adoption by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of Rule 206(4)-6 (17 CFR 275.206(4)-6) and amendments to Rule 204-2 (17 CFR 275.204-2) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Act”), it is a fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative act, practice or course of business, within the meaning of Section 206(4) of the Act, for an investment adviser to exercise voting authority with respect to client securities, unless (i) the adviser has adopted and implemented written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that the adviser votes proxies in the best interests of its clients, (ii) the adviser describes its proxy voting procedures to its clients and provides copies on request, and (iii) the adviser discloses to clients how they may obtain information on how the adviser voted their proxies.

 

In order to fulfill its responsibilities under the Act, Day Hagan Asset Management (hereinafter “we” or “our”) has adopted the following policies and procedures for proxy voting with regard to companies in investment portfolios of our clients.

 

KEY OBJECTIVES

 

The key objectives of these policies and procedures recognize that a company’s management is entrusted with the day-to-day operations and longer term strategic planning of the company, subject to the oversight of the company’s board of directors. While “ordinary business matters” are primarily the responsibility of management and should be approved solely by the corporation’s board of directors, these objectives also recognize that the company’s shareholders must have final say over how management and directors are performing, and how shareholders’ rights and ownership interests are handled, especially when matters could have substantial economic implications to the shareholders.

 

Therefore, we will pay particular attention to the following matters in exercising our proxy voting responsibilities as a fiduciary for our clients:

 

Accountability. Each company should have effective means in place to hold those entrusted with running a company’s business accountable for their actions. Management of a company should be accountable to its board of directors and the board should be accountable to shareholders.

 

Alignment of Management and Shareholder Interests. Each company should endeavor to align the interests of management and the board of directors with the interests of the company’s shareholders. For example, we generally believe that compensation should be designed to reward management for doing a good job of creating value for the shareholders of the company.

 

Transparency. Promotion of timely disclosure of important information about a company’s business operations and financial performance enables investors to evaluate the performance of a company and to make informed decisions about the purchase and sale of a company’s securities.

 

DECISION METHODS

 

No set of proxy voting guidelines can anticipate all situations that may arise. In special cases, we may seek insight from our managers and analysts on how a particular proxy proposal may impact the financial prospects of a company and vote accordingly.

 

We believe that we invest in companies with strong management. Therefore, we will tend to vote proxies consistent with management’s recommendations. However, we will vote contrary to management’s recommendations if we believe those recommendations are not consistent with increasing shareholder value.

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SUMMARY OF PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES

 

Election of the Board of Directors

 

We believe that good corporate governance generally starts with a board composed primarily of independent directors, unfettered by significant ties to management, all of whose members are elected annually. We also believe that turnover in board composition promotes independent board action, fresh approaches to governance, and generally has a positive impact on shareholder value. We will generally vote in favor of non-incumbent independent directors.

 

The election of a company’s board of directors is one of the most fundamental rights held by shareholders. Because a classified board structure prevents shareholders from electing a full slate of directors annually, we will generally support efforts to declassify boards or other measures that permit shareholders to remove a majority of directors at any time and will generally oppose efforts to adopt classified board structures.

 

Approval of Independent Auditors

 

We believe that the relationship between a company and its auditors should be limited primarily to the audit engagement, although it may include certain closely related activities that do not raise an appearance of impaired independence.

 

We will evaluate on a case-by-case basis instances in which the audit firm has a substantial non-audit relationship with a company to determine whether we believe independence has been, or could be, compromised.

 

Equity-based compensation plans

 

We believe that appropriately designed equity-based compensation plans, approved by shareholders, can be an effective way to align the interests of shareholders and the interests of directors, management, and employees by providing incentives to increase shareholder value. Conversely, we are opposed to plans that substantially dilute ownership interests in the company, provide participants with excessive awards, or have inherently objectionable structural features.

 

We will generally support measures intended to increase stock ownership by executives and the use of employee stock purchase plans to increase company stock ownership by employees. These may include:

 

1.Requiring senior executives to hold stock in a company.

2.         Requiring stock acquired through option exercise to be held for a certain period of time.

 

These are guidelines, and we consider other factors, such as the nature of the industry and size of the company, when assessing a plan’s impact on ownership interests.

 

Corporate Structure

 

We view the exercise of shareholders’ rights, including the rights to act by written consent, to call special meetings and to remove directors, to be fundamental to good corporate governance.

 

Because classes of common stock with unequal voting rights limit the rights of certain shareholders, we generally believe that shareholders should have voting power equal to their equity interest in the company and should be able to approve or reject changes to a company’s by-laws by a simple majority vote.

 

We will generally support the ability of shareholders to cumulate their votes for the election of directors.

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Shareholder Rights Plans

 

While we recognize that there are arguments both in favor of and against shareholder rights plans, also known as poison pills, such measures may tend to entrench current management, which we generally consider to have a negative impact on shareholder value. Therefore, while we will evaluate such plans on a case by case basis, we will generally oppose such plans.

 

CLIENT INFORMATION

 

A copy of these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures is available to our clients, without charge, upon request, by calling 1-800-594-7930. We will send a copy of these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures within three business days of receipt of a request, by first-class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery.

 

In addition, we will provide each client, without charge, upon request, information regarding the proxy votes cast by us with regard to the client’s securities.

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PART C: OTHER INFORMATION

 

   

Item 28.

Exhibits

(a)(1) Certificate of Trust of Huntington Strategy Shares (now known as Strategy Shares) (the “Trust” or the “Registrant”) – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on November 22, 2010.
   
(a)(2) Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on November 22, 2010.
   
(a)(3) Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Trust - Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 filed on June 8, 2016.
   
(b) Registrant’s By-Laws – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on November 22, 2010.
   
(c)

Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders:

None (other than in the Declaration of Trust and By-laws of the Registrant).

   
(d)(1) Management Agreement between Registrant and Rational Advisors, Inc. dated January 1, 2016 - Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 filed on June 8, 2016.
   
(d)(2) Exhibit to Management Agreement between Registrant and Rational Advisors, Inc. dated January 1, 2016, with respect to the Strategy Shares Nasdaq 5HANDL™ Index ETF- Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 91 filed on December 13, 2021. 
   
(d)(3) Management Agreement between Registrant and Day Hagan Asset Management – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 filed on January 10, 2020.
   
(d)(4) Exhibit to Management Agreement between Registrant and Day Hagan Asset Management – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(d)(5) Management Agreement dated February 19, 2021, between Registrant and Rational Advisors, Inc. - Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 76 filed on February 19, 2021.
   
(d)(6) Investment Advisory Agreement dated March 26, 2024, between Registrant and Eventide Asset Management, LLC – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 127 filed on August 26, 2024.
   
(e)(1) ETF Distribution Agreement between Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC dated May 1, 2016 - Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 filed on June 8, 2016.
   
(e)(2) Novation of ETF Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, effective as of September 30, 2021 - Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 filed on December 28, 2021. 
   
(e)(3) First Amendment to ETF Distribution Agreement, as novated, between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, effective as of December 10, 2021 - Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 filed on December 28, 2021. 
   
(e)(4) Second Amendment to ETF Distribution Agreement, as novated, between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 filed on June 22, 2022.
   
(e)(5) Third Amendment to ETF Distribution Agreement, as novated, between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 127 filed on August 26, 2024.
   
 
 

 

(e)(6) Fourth Amendment to ETF Distribution Agreement, as novated, between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 127 filed on August 26, 2024.
   
(e)(7) Fifth Amendment to ETF Distribution Agreement, as novated, between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(e)(8) Form of Authorized Participant Agreement – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 filed on August 26, 2016.
   
(f) Not applicable.
   
(g)(1) Custodial and Agency Services Agreement between the Registrant and Citibank, N.A. (“Custody Agreement”) – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 filed on June 1, 2012.
   
(g)(2) Amendment to Custody and Agency Services Agreement – to be filed by subsequent amendment.  
   
(h)(1) Services Agreement between the Registrant and Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. (“Citi”)– Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 18 filed on September 21, 2016.
   
(h)(2) Amendment to Services Agreement between the Registrant and Citi – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(h)(3) Expense Limitation Agreement dated September 1, 2021, between Registrant and Rational Advisors, Inc. with respect to Strategy Shares Nasdaq 7HANDL™ Index ETF, Strategy Shares Nasdaq 5HANDL™ Index ETF, Strategy Shares Newfound/ReSolve Robust Momentum ETF, and Strategy Shares Nasdaq 10HANDL™ Index ETF - Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 filed on December 28, 2021. 
   
(h)(4) Amended and Restated Management Services Agreement between the Registrant, on behalf of Day Hagan/Ned Davis Smart Sector Fixed Income ETF, Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF, and Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector International ETF, and MFund Services LLC dated September 16, 2022 – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 122 filed on June 30, 2023.
   
(h)(5) Amended Exhibit A to Amended and Restated Management Services Agreement between the Registrant, on behalf of Day Hagan/Ned Davis Smart Sector Fixed Income ETF, Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF, Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector International ETF, and Eventide High Dividend ETF, and MFund Services LLC dated March 26, 2024 – to be filed by subsequent amendment
   
(h)(6) Amended and Restated Management Services Agreement between the Registrant, on behalf of Strategy Shares Nasdaq 7HANDL™ Index ETF, Strategy Shares Nasdaq 5HANDL™ Index ETF, Strategy Shares Newfound/ReSolve Robust Momentum ETF, Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF, and Strategy Shares Halt Climate Change ETF, and MFund Services LLC dated September 16, 2022 – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 122 filed on June 30, 2023. 
   
(h)(7) Amended Exhibit A to Amended and Restated Management Services Agreement between the Registrant, on behalf of Strategy Shares Nasdaq 7HANDL™ Index ETF, Strategy Shares Nasdaq 5HANDL™ Index ETF, Strategy Shares Newfound/ReSolve Robust Momentum ETF, Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF, and Strategy Shares Halt Climate Change ETF, and MFund Services LLC dated September 16, 2022 – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 127 filed on August 26, 2024.
   
(h)(8) Amended and Restated Compliance Services Agreement between the Registrant and MFund Services LLC dated June 24, 2022 – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 filed on August 25, 2023. 
   
(h)(9) Sub-License Agreement between Nasdaq, Inc. and Rational Advisors, Inc. with respect to Strategy Shares 7HANDL Index ETF – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 filed on January 12, 2018.
   
(h)(10) Form of Sub-License Agreement between Nasdaq, Inc. and Rational Advisors, Inc. with respect to Strategy Shares Nasdaq 5HANDL™ Index ETF- Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 filed on December 28, 2021. 
   
 
 

 

(h)(11) Index Licensing Agreement between and among the Registrant, Solactive AG, and Rational Advisors, Inc. with respect to Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF — Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 78 filed on July 14, 2021.
   
(h)(12) Management Agreement between Rational Advisors, Inc. and SSGBI Fund Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF (the “Subsidiary”) - Incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 76 filed on February 19, 2021.
   
(h)(13) Index Licensing Agreement between and among the Registrant, Newfound Research LLC, ReSolve Asset Management SEZC (Cayman), and Rational Advisors, Inc. with respect to Strategy Shares Newfound/ReSolve Robust Momentum ETF – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 80 filed on August 26, 2021.
   
(h)(14) Form of Rule 12d1-4 Agreement Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 filed on June 22, 2022.
   
(i)(1) Opinion and Consent of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP with respect to Strategy Shares Nasdaq 7HANDL™ Index ETF — Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 filed on August 28, 2019.
   
(i)(2) Opinion and Consent of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP with respect to Strategy Shares Newfound/ReSolve Robust Momentum ETF — Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 filed on October 28, 2019.
   
(i)(3) Opinion and Consent of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP with respect to Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector ETF — Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 filed on January 10, 2020.
   
(i)(4) Opinion and Consent of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP with respect to Strategy Shares Gold-Hedged Bond ETF — Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 76 filed on February 19, 2021.
   
(i)(5) Opinion and Consent of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP with respect to Strategy Shares Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector Fixed Income ETF – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 82 filed on September 27, 2021.  
   
(i)(6) Opinion and Consent of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP with respect to Strategy Shares Nasdaq 5HANDL™ ETF-Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 filed on December 28, 2021.  
   
(i)(7) Opinion and Consent of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP with respect to Strategy Shares Day Hagan/Ned Davis Research Smart Sector International ETF – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 filed on June 22, 2022.  
   
(i)(8) Opinion and Consent of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young LLP with respect to Eventide High Dividend ETF  – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 127 filed on August 26, 2024.
   
(j) Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm –  to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(k) Not applicable.
   
(l) Subscription Agreement between the Registrant and The Huntington National Bank – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 filed on June 1, 2012.
   
(m)(1) Amended and Restated Distribution Plan - Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 filed on September 10, 2018. 
   
(m)(2) Exhibit A to the Amended and Restated Distribution Plan – to be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
(n) Not applicable.
   
(o)(1) Power of Attorney of Donald McIntosh, Trustee of the Trust – Incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 filed on August 28, 2019.
   
 
 

 

(o)(2) Power of Attorney of Tobias Caldwell, Trustee of the Trust – Incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 filed on August 28, 2019.
   
(o)(3) Power of Attorney of Stephen Lachenauer, Trustee of the Trust - Incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 filed on August 28, 2019.
   
(o)(4) Power of Attorney of James Szilagyi, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the Trust - Incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 filed on August 28, 2019.
   
(p)(1) Code of Ethics for the Registrant – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 filed on August 27, 2014.
   
(p)(2) Code of Ethics for Rational Advisors, Inc. - Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 filed on June 8, 2016.
   
(p)(3) Code of Ethics of Foreside Fund Services, LLC - Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 filed on June 8, 2016.
   
(p)(4) Code of Ethics of Vident Investment Advisory, LLC - Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 filed on December 9, 2016.
   
(p)(5) Code of Ethics of Day Hagan Asset Management – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 filed on January 10, 2020.
   
(p)(6) Code of Ethics of Eventide Asset Management, LLC – Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 127 filed on August 26, 2024.
   

 

 Item 29. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with the Fund

None.

 

Item 30. Indemnification

Pursuant to Article VII, Section 4 of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, each of the Registrant’s Trustees, officers, and agents may be eligible to receive reimbursement from the Trust for certain losses incurred as a result of serving in such capacities. Each of the Trustees and officers may also be eligible to receive reimbursement from a Trust service provider for losses incurred in connection with services rendered by the provider under the following service contracts: (i) Management Agreement between the Trust and Rational Advisors, Inc. (“Rational”); (ii) Management Services Agreement between the Trust and MFund Services LLC; (iii) Distribution Agreement between the Trust and the Distributor; (iv) Services Agreement between the Trust and Citi Fund Services, Ohio, Inc. (“Citi”); (vi) Custodial and Agency Services Agreement between the Trust and Citibank, N.A. (“Citibank”); and (vii) the form of Authorized Participant Agreement. The Trustees and Officers are covered by the Trust’s Errors and Omissions Policy.

Under the Management Agreement and the Distribution Agreement, Rational and the Distributor, respectively, are eligible to receive reimbursement from the Trust for certain losses incurred under those agreements. Under the Services Agreement, the Custody and Agency Services Agreement, and the Management Services Agreement, the Trust’s agents and representatives, including Rational and Distributor, are eligible to receive reimbursement of certain losses from Citi, Citibank, and MFund Services LLC, respectively, in connection with services rendered by such providers under the agreements. Under the form of Authorized Participant Agreement, the Trust’s agents are eligible  for reimbursement of losses resulting from certain activities of authorized participants. As a potential control person of a Fund (affiliate of a Fund), Rational may also be eligible for reimbursement of losses incurred in connection with services provided by the Distributor under the Distribution Agreement.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities may be permitted pursuant to Section 17 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 for Trustees, Officers, and controlling persons of the Registrant by the Registrant pursuant to the Declaration of Trust or otherwise, the Registrant is aware of the position of the Securities and Exchange Commission as set forth in Investment Company Act Release No. IC-11330. Therefore, the Registrant undertakes that in addition to complying with the applicable provisions of the Declaration of Trust or otherwise, in the absence of a final decision on the merits by a court or other body before which the proceeding was brought, that an indemnification payment will not be made unless in the absence of such a decision, a reasonable determination based upon factual review has been made (i) by a majority vote of a quorum of non-party Trustees who are not interested persons of the Registrant or (ii) by independent legal counsel in a written opinion that the indemnitee was not liable for an act of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of duties. The Registrant further undertakes that advancement of expenses incurred in the defense of a proceeding (upon

 
 

undertaking for repayment unless it is ultimately determined that indemnification is appropriate) against an officer, trustee, or controlling person of the Registrant will not be made absent the fulfillment of at least one of the following conditions: (i) the indemnitee provides security for his undertaking; (ii) the Registrant is insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances; or (iii) a majority of a quorum of disinterested non-party trustees or independent legal counsel in a written opinion makes a factual determination that there is reason to believe the indemnitee will be entitled to indemnification.

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

 

Item 31. Business and other Connections of the Investment Adviser

 

(a)      Rational Advisors, Inc. (“Rational”), 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901, is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an investment adviser, file number 801-60176. Rational is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rational Capital LLC.

  (i) Rational has engaged in no other business during the past two fiscal years.

 

(ii) Jerry Szilagyi is the President of Rational, and has been engaged within the last two fiscal years in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner, or trustee of the following other companies:

Trustee, Mutual Fund Series Trust, 4221 N. 203rd Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, NE  68022;

Trustee, Variable Insurance Trust, 4221 N. 203rd Street, Suite 100, Elkhorn, NE  68022;

President and Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst Capital Advisors, 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901, a registered investment. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC serves as advisor to certain series of Mutual Fund Series Trust (“MFST”), a registered investment company;

Managing Member, MFund Services LLC, 36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743, an administrator to mutual funds (including each series of the Trust);

Managing Member, MFund Distributors LLC, 36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743, (TBP), a provider of marketing services to mutual funds;

Managing Member of AlphaCentric Advisors LLC, 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901, a registered investment advisor. AlphaCentric serves as an advisor to AlphaCentric Prime Meridian Income Fund and certain series of MFST; and

CEO of Catalyst Capital International, LLC, 36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743; 

CEO of Catalyst International Advisors, LLC, 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901; 

CEO of Insights Media LLC, 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901; and

CEO, MFund Management LLC, 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901.

 

(b) Donald L. Hagan, LLC, a.k.a. Day Hagan Asset Management (“Day Hagan”), 330 South Orange Avenue, Sarasota, FL, 34236, is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser file number 801-66337.

 
 

 

(i) Day Hagan has engaged in no other substantial business activities during the past two fiscal years.

(ii) Donald Hagan a Managing Member and Partner of Day Hagan has been engaged within the last two fiscal years in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner, or trustee of the following other companies: 

 Partner and Portfolio Manager of DH Logix, LLC, a registered investment adviser (“DH Logix”).

 (iii) Art Day, a Managing Member and Partner of Day Hagan has been engaged within the last two fiscal years in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner, or trustee of the following other companies:

 Senior Partner and Manager of the Marketing Department of DH Logix.

 Consultant to Liquid Culture, Inc., an apparel company.

 (iv) Linda Brown, Chief Compliance Officer of Day Hagan, has been engaged within the last two fiscal years in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner, or trustee of the following other companies:

Chief Compliance Officer of DH Logix.

(c)     Eventide Asset Management, LLC (“Eventide”), One International Place, Suite 4210, Boston, Massachusetts 02110, is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser file number 801-69154.

 

(i) Eventide has engaged in no other business since its inception.

 

  Item 32. Foreside Fund Services, LLC

 

  Item 32(a) Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:

 

  1. AB Active ETFs, Inc.

 

  2. ABS Long/Short Strategies Fund

 

  3. Absolute Shares Trust

 

  4. ActivePassive Core Bond ETF, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

 

  5. ActivePassive Intermediate Municipal Bond ETF, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

 

  6. ActivePassive International Equity ETF, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

 

  7. ActivePassive U.S. Equity ETF, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

 

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

 

  9. AdvisorShares Trust

 

  10. AFA Private Credit Fund

 

  11. AGF Investments Trust

 

  12. AIM ETF Products Trust

 

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

 

  14. AlphaCentric Prime Meridian Income Fund

 

  15. American Century ETF Trust

 

  16. Amplify ETF Trust

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  20. ARK ETF Trust

 

  21. ARK Venture Fund

 

  22. Bitwise Funds Trust

 

  23. Bluestone Community Development Fund

 

  24. BondBloxx ETF Trust

 

  25. Bramshill Multi-Strategy Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

 

 
 

 

  26. Bridgeway Funds, Inc.

 

  27. Brinker Capital Destinations Trust

 

  28. Brookfield Real Assets Income Fund Inc.

 

  29. Build Funds Trust

 

  30. Calamos Convertible and High Income Fund

 

  31. Calamos Convertible Opportunities and Income Fund

 

  32. Calamos Dynamic Convertible and Income Fund

 

  33. Calamos ETF Trust

 

  34. Calamos Global Dynamic Income Fund

 

  35. Calamos Global Total Return Fund

 

  36. Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund

 

  37. Carlyle Tactical Private Credit Fund

 

  38. Cascade Private Capital Fund

 

  39. Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund

 

  40. Center Coast Brookfield MLP & Energy Infrastructure Fund

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  44. Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

 

  45. Cliffwater Enhanced Lending Fund

 

  46. Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund, Inc.

 

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

 

  48. CornerCap Small-Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  52. CYBER HORNET S&P 500® and Bitcoin 75/25 Strategy ETF, Series of ONEFUND Trust

 

  53. Davis Fundamental ETF Trust

 

  54. Defiance Connective Technologies ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

 

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

 

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

 

  57. Defiance Quantum ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

 

  58. Denali Structured Return Strategy Fund

 

  59. Direxion Funds

 

  60. Direxion Shares ETF Trust

 

  61. Dividend Performers ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

  62. Dodge & Cox Funds

 

  63. DoubleLine ETF Trust

 

  64. DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund

 

  65. DoubleLine Opportunistic Credit Fund

 

  66. DoubleLine Yield Opportunities Fund

 

  67. DriveWealth ETF Trust

 

  68. EIP Investment Trust

 

  69. Ellington Income Opportunities Fund

 

  70. ETF Opportunities Trust

 

  71. Evanston Alternative Opportunities Fund

 

  72. Exchange Listed Funds Trust

 

  73. Exchange Place Advisors Trust

 

  74. FlexShares Trust

 

  75. Forum Funds

 

  76. Forum Funds II

 

  77. Forum Real Estate Income Fund

 

  78. Goose Hollow Enhanced Equity ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

 

  79. Goose Hollow Multi-Strategy Income ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

 

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

 

  81. Gramercy Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

 

 
 

 

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

 

  83. Guinness Atkinson Funds

 

  84. Harbor ETF Trust

 

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

 

  86. Horizon Kinetics Energy and Remediation ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

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

 

  88. Horizon Kinetics Medical ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

  89. Horizon Kinetics SPAC Active ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

  90. IDX Funds

 

  91. Innovator ETFs Trust

 

  92. Ironwood Institutional Multi-Strategy Fund LLC

 

  93. Ironwood Multi-Strategy Fund LLC

 

  94. Jensen Quality Growth ETF, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

 

  95. John Hancock Exchange-Traded Fund Trust

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  101. Manor Investment Funds

 

  102. Milliman Variable Insurance Trust

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  106. Mohr Industry Nav ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

 

  107. Mohr Sector Nav ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

 

  108. Morgan Stanley ETF Trust

 

  109. Morningstar Funds Trust

 

  110. Mutual of America Investment Corporation

 

  111. NEOS ETF Trust

 

  112. Niagara Income Opportunities Fund

 

  113. NXG Cushing® Midstream Energy Fund

 

  114. Opal Dividend Income ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  123. Palmer Square Opportunistic Income Fund

 

  124. Partners Group Private Income Opportunities, LLC

 

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

 

  126. Performance Trust Short Term Bond ETF, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

 

  127. Perkins Discovery Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

 

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

 

  129. Plan Investment Fund, Inc.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  135. Rareview Total Return Bond ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

 

  136. Renaissance Capital Greenwich Funds

 

  137. Reynolds Funds, Inc.

 

 
 

 

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

 

  139. RiverNorth Patriot ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

  140. RMB Investors Trust

 

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

 

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

 

  143. Roundhill Alerian LNG ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

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

 

  145. Roundhill Cannabis ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

  146. Roundhill ETF Trust

 

  147. Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

  148. Roundhill S&P Global Luxury ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

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

 

  150. Roundhill Video Games ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

  151. Rule One Fund, Series of World Funds Trust

 

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

 

  153. Six Circles Trust

 

  154. Sound Shore Fund, Inc.

 

  155. SP Funds Trust

 

  156. Sparrow Funds

 

  157. Spear Alpha ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

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

 

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

 

  160. Strategic Trust

 

  161. Strategy Shares

 

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

 

  163. Syntax ETF Trust

 

  164. Tekla World Healthcare Fund

 

  165. Tema ETF Trust

 

  166. The 2023 ETF Series Trust

 

  167. The 2023 ETF Series Trust II

 

  168. The Community Development Fund

 

  169. The Finite Solar Finance Fund

 

  170. The Private Shares Fund

 

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

 

  172. Third Avenue Trust

 

  173. Third Avenue Variable Series Trust

 

  174. Tidal ETF Trust

 

  175. Tidal Trust II

 

  176. Tidal Trust III

 

  177. TIFF Investment Program

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  181. Timothy Plan Market Neutral ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  185. Total Fund Solution

 

  186. Touchstone ETF Trust

 

  187. T-Rex 2X Inverse Bitcoin Daily Target ETF, Series of World Funds Trust

 

  188. T-Rex 2X Long Bitcoin Daily Target ETF, Series of World Funds Trust

 

  189. TrueShares Active Yield ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

  190. TrueShares Eagle Global Renewable Energy Income ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 
 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  204. U.S. Global Investors Funds

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  212. VictoryShares Core Intermediate Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

  213. VictoryShares Core Plus Intermediate Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

  214. VictoryShares Corporate Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

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

 

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

 

  217. VictoryShares Emerging Markets Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

  218. VictoryShares Free Cash Flow ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

  219. VictoryShares Hedged Equity Income ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

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

 

  221. VictoryShares International Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

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

 

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

 

  224. VictoryShares Short-Term Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

  225. VictoryShares THB Mid Cap ESG ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  234. VictoryShares US Small Mid Cap Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

  235. VictoryShares US Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

  236. VictoryShares WestEnd Economic Cycle Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

  237. VictoryShares WestEnd Global Equity ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

  238. VictoryShares WestEnd US Sector ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

 

  239. Volatility Shares Trust

 

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

 

  241. Wilshire Mutual Funds, Inc.

 

  242. Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust

 

  243. WisdomTree Digital Trust

 

  244. WisdomTree Trust

 

  245. WST Investment Trust

 

  246. XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Term Trust

 

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

 

Name Address Position with Underwriter

Position with Registrant

 

Teresa Cowan Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101 President/Manager None

Chris Lanza

 

Kate Macchia

 

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101

Vice President

 

Vice President

None

 

None

Nanette K. Chern Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101 Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer None

Kelly B. Whetstone

 

Susan L. LaFond

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101

Secretary

 

Treasurer

None

 

None

Weston Sommers Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME  04101 Financial and Operations Principal and Chief Financial Officer None

 

  Item 32(c) Not applicable.

 

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records

All accounts and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of 1940 Act and rules 31a-1 through 31a-3 promulgated thereunder are maintained at one of the following locations:

 

Service Provider Address
Registrant: 36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743
Rational: 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901
Distributor: Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101
Citi: 3435 Stelzer Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219
Citibank: 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10048
Day Hagan Asset Management: Donald L. Hagan, LLC, d.b.a. Day Hagan Asset Management, 1000 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida, 34236
Eventide Asset Management, LLC One International Place, Suite 4210, Boston, MA 02110
   
Item 34. Management Services
     

Not Applicable.

 

Item 35. Undertakings

The Registrant undertakes that the Subsidiary and each Director of the Subsidiary hereby consents to service of process within the United States at the address provided in the Registrant’s Statement of Additional Information. The Registrant further undertakes that the Subsidiary maintains its books and records consistently with the requirements of Section 31 of Investment Company Act of 1940 and rules thereunder, and submits to the examination of its books and records by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

 

 

 
 

 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant has duly caused this Amendment to its registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized, in the City of Huntington and State of New York, and City of San Juan, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, on September 27, 2024.

     
STRATEGY SHARES
   
By:  

/s/ Michael Schoonover

   

Michael Schoonover

President and Principal Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date(s) indicated:

/s/ Michael Schoonover September 27, 2024
Michael Schoonover, President and Principal Executive Officer Date
   
/s/ James Szilagyi* September 27, 2024
James Szilagyi, Treasurer, Principal Financial Officer,
and Principal Accounting Officer
Date
   
/s/ Tobias Caldwell* September 27, 2024
Tobias Caldwell, Trustee Date
   
/s/ Stephen Lachenauer* September 27, 2024
Stephen Lachenauer, Trustee Date
   
/s/ Donald McIntosh* September 27, 2024
Donald McIntosh, Trustee Date

 

  *By: /s/ Jennifer Bailey

Jennifer Bailey

Attorney-in-Fact

(Pursuant to Powers of Attorney previously filed: POA-James Szilagyi, POA-Caldwell,
POA-Lachenauer, POA-McIntosh)