485APOS 1 optimizeaismartsentimenteva.htm 485APOS Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF 485A
Filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on December 29, 2021
1933 Act Registration File No. 333-206240
1940 Act File No. 811-23084
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933[X]
Pre-Effective Amendment No.[]
Post-Effective Amendment No.126[X]

and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940[X]
Amendment No.129[X]

(Check appropriate box or boxes.)

SERIES PORTFOLIOS TRUST
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(Address of Principal Executive Offices, including Zip Code)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (414) 765-6115
Ryan L. Roell, President and Principal Executive Officer
Series Portfolios Trust
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Copy to:
Marco Adelfio
Goodwin Procter LLP
1900 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036

It is proposed that this filing will become effective
immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
on pursuant to paragraph (b)
60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
on pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
on pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box

[ ]    this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

Explanatory Note: This Post-Effective Amendment No. 126 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Series Portfolios Trust (the “Trust”) is being filed to introduce one new series to the Trust’s series: Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF.



SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
Dated December 29, 2021

THE INFORMATION HEREIN IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SEC IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.



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Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF


Listed on [EXCHANGE]



Prospectus

__________, 2022





The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.



Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF
A series of Series Portfolios Trust (the “Trust”)


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF
1
Book Entry    
Investing in the Fund
17
Distribution    




Summary Section
Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF

Investment Objective
The Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF (the “Fund”) seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. 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.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees1.00%
Distribution and Service (Rule 12b-1) Fees0.00%
Other Expenses(1)
0.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1.00%
(1)“Other Expenses” are estimated for the Fund’s current fiscal year.

Example
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

One YearThree Years
$[ ]$[ ]

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 the annual Fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. No portfolio turnover rate is provided for the Fund because the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.

Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund is an actively-managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that pursues its investment objective by investing primarily in the equity securities of U.S. listed companies on which weekly options are available. The Fund’s investments in equity securities will consist primarily of common stocks with upcoming events. The events that typically drive stock and other security selection are largely based around earnings events, but the quantitative analytics may also be used to speculate on any corporate, regulatory, sector, market or macro-economic events. The Fund will also invest in the securities of other investment companies, including other ETFs and mutual funds, that invest in equity securities. The Fund’s investments in other investment companies will typically be U.S. listed ETFs that have weekly options; however, the Fund may also invest in ETFs and mutual funds on which weekly options are not available. While the Fund may invest in securities of companies of any market capitalization, the Fund will typically invest in the securities of large-
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capitalization companies. The Fund considers large capitalization companies to be companies with market capitalization in excess of $10 billion at the time of purchase.

To construct the Fund’s portfolio, Optimize Advisors LLC (the “Adviser”), the Fund’s investment adviser, uses a quantitative process that uses the prices of the weekly and other options available on a security to assess the overall market’s expectations for the possible price movements of the underlying security. The Fund, however, will only invest directly in equity securities and the securities of other investment companies. The Adviser’s quantitative metrics are combined for each security to capture the risk/reward of a long-only equity trade of a security, and are the basis for event-driven security selection. Under normal market conditions, the Fund’s portfolio will be composed of the equity securities of approximately 10 to 40 issuers.

The Fund may sell a security if its value becomes unattractive, such as when the Adviser’s quantitative investment process suggests the value of the security may deteriorate, or when other investment opportunities exist that may have more attractive return potential.

The Fund is “non-diversified,” meaning that a relatively high percentage of its assets are invested in a limited number of issuers of securities. The Adviser will engage in active trading with high portfolio turnover of the Fund’s portfolio investments to achieve the Fund’s investment objective.

The Fund will be concentrated in a single industry or group of industries to the extent the Adviser’s quantitative strategy indicates that such concentration is appropriate from an investment perspective; the Fund is considered concentrated if more than 25% of the Fund's total assets are invested in an industry or group of industries.

Principal Risks
As with any fund, there are risks to investing. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency. In addition to possibly not achieving your investment goals, you could lose all or a portion of your investment in the Fund over short or even long periods of time. The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below.

ETF Risks. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of its structure, it is exposed to the following risks:
Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has only a limited number of institutional investors (known as “Authorized Participants” or “APs”) that are authorized to purchase and redeem shares directly from the Fund. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, shares of the Fund may trade at a material discount to the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Due to the costs of buying or selling shares of the Fund, including brokerage commissions imposed by brokers and bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, shares of the Fund may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of shares of the Fund will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines, and periods when there is limited trading activity for shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant.
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Trading. Although shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the [...] (the “Exchange”), there can be no assurance that an active trading market for shares will develop or be maintained or that shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the market for shares of the Fund may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. This adverse effect on liquidity for the Fund’s shares, in turn, can lead to differences between the market price of the Fund’s shares and the underlying value of those shares. In addition, trading in Fund shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares of the Fund inadvisable.
New Fund Risk. The Fund is a recently organized investment company with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have no track record or history on which to base their investment decision.
New Adviser Risk. The Adviser has not previously served as an adviser to a registered fund. As a result, there is no long-term track record against which an investor may judge the Adviser and it is possible the Adviser may not achieve the Fund’s intended investment objective.
Management Risk. The Fund is actively-managed and may not meet its investment objective based on the Adviser’s success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund. The Adviser’s evaluations and assumptions regarding issuers, securities, and other factors may not successfully achieve the Fund’s investment objective given actual market conditions.
Reliance on Technology Risk. The Fund’s trading strategies are highly reliant on technology, including hardware, software and telecommunications systems. In addition, data gathering, research, forecasting, order execution, trade allocation, risk management, operational, back office and accounting systems are all highly automated and computerized. Such automation and computerization relies on an extensive amount of both proprietary software and third-party hardware and software.
Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it may invest a high percentage of its assets in a limited number of securities. Since the Fund is non-diversified, its NAV and total returns may fluctuate or fall more than a diversified mutual fund. Gains or losses on a single stock may have a greater impact on the Fund.
Concentration Risk. The Fund’s investments will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Adviser’s quantitative strategy indicates that such concentration is appropriate from an investment perspective. In such event, the value of Shares may rise and fall more than the value of shares that invest in securities of companies in a broader range of industries.
Equity Risk. The prices of equity securities will fluctuate and can decline and reduce the value of a portfolio investing in equities. The value of equity securities purchased by the Fund could decline if the financial condition of the companies the Fund invests in decline or if overall market and economic conditions deteriorate.
Large Capitalization Risk. Larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges such as changes in technology and consumer tastes. Larger companies also may not be able to attain the high growth rates of successful smaller companies.
Other Investment Companies Risk. The Fund may invest in shares of investment companies, including shares of ETFs. The risks of investment in these securities typically reflect the risks of the types of instruments in which the investment company invests. When the Fund invests in investment company securities, shareholders of the Fund bear indirectly their proportionate share of their fees and expenses, as well as their share of the Fund’s fees and expenses. As a result, an investment by the Fund in an investment company could cause the Fund’s operating expenses (taking into account indirect expenses such as the fees and expenses of the investment company) to be higher and, in turn, performance to be lower than if it were to invest directly in the instruments underlying the investment company.
Event-Driven Strategies Risk. Event-driven investing requires the Adviser to make predictions about the likelihood that an event or transaction will occur and the impact such event or transaction will have on the value of a security. If the event or transaction fails to occur or it does not have the anticipated effect, losses can result.
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High Portfolio Turnover Risk. A high portfolio turnover rate (100% or more) has the potential to result in the realization and distribution to shareholders of higher capital gains, which may subject you to a higher tax liability. High portfolio turnover also necessarily results in greater transaction costs which may reduce Fund performance.
Market Events Risk. One or more markets in which the Fund invests may go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. This may be due to numerous factors, including interest rates, the outlook for corporate profits, the health of the national and world economies, national and world social and political events, and the fluctuation of other stock markets around the world. The global pandemic outbreak of an infectious respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 and subsequent efforts to contain its spread have resulted and may continue to result in substantial market volatility and global business disruption, affecting the global economy and the financial health of individual companies in significant and unforeseen ways. In addition, the Fund may face challenges with respect to its day-to-day operations if key personnel of the Adviser or other service providers are unavailable due to quarantines, restrictions on travel, or other restrictions imposed by state or federal regulatory authorities. The duration and future impact of COVID-19 are currently unknown, which may exacerbate the other risks that apply to the Fund and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy AP transaction requests, and negatively affect the Fund’s performance.
Performance
Performance information for the Fund is not included because the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus. Performance information will be available once the Fund has at least one calendar year of performance. The Fund’s past performance, before and after taxes, is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future and does not guarantee future results. Updated performance information will be available on the Fund’s website at [...] or by calling the Fund toll-free at 1-800-617-0004.

Management

Investment Adviser

Optimize Advisors LLC is the Fund’s investment adviser.

Portfolio Managers

Mr. Michael Khouw, Chief Strategist and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser, and Mr. Andrew DeFeo, Strategist and Head Trader of the Adviser, are each portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Mr. Khouw and Mr. DeFeo have each managed the Fund since its inception in 2022.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
Shares of the Fund are listed on the Exchange, and individual shares may only be bought and sold in the secondary market through brokers at market prices, rather than NAV. Because shares of the Fund trade at market prices rather than NAV, Shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount).

The Fund issues and redeems its shares at NAV only in large specified numbers of shares known as “Creation Units,” which only APs (typically, broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The Fund generally issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities and/or a designated amount of U.S. cash.

Investors may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”). Recent information about the Fund, including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads is available on the Fund’s website at [...].

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Tax Information
Fund distributions are generally taxable as ordinary income, qualified dividend income, or capital gains (or a combination), unless your investment is in an IRA or other tax-advantaged account. Distributions on investments made through tax-deferred arrangements may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase Shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), the Adviser or its affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.
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Additional Information About the Fund

Investment Objective

The Fund’s investment objective is long-term capital appreciation. The investment objective is not fundamental and may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) without shareholder approval upon 60 days’ prior written notice to shareholders.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund is an actively-managed exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) that pursues its investment objective by investing primarily in the equity securities of U.S. listed companies on which weekly options are available. The Fund’s investments in equity securities will consist primarily of common stocks with upcoming events. The events that typically drive stock and other security selection are largely based around earnings events, but the quantitative analytics may also be used to speculate on any corporate, regulatory, sector, market or macro-economic events. The Fund will also invest in the securities of other investment companies, including other ETFs and mutual funds, that invest in equity securities. The Fund’s investments in other investment companies will typically be U.S. listed ETFs that have weekly options; however, the Fund may also invest in ETFs and mutual funds on which weekly options are not available. While the Fund may invest in securities of companies of any market capitalization, the Fund will typically invest in the securities of large-capitalization companies. The Fund considers large capitalization companies to be companies with market capitalization in excess of $10 billion at the time of purchase.

The Fund will only invest directly in equity securities, and, under normal market conditions, the Fund’s portfolio will be composed of the equity securities of approximately 10 to 40 issuers. To construct the Fund’s portfolios, the Adviser uses a quantitative process that uses the price of the weekly and other options available on a security to assess the market’s expectation for the possible price movement of the underlying security. Specifically, the Adviser believes a market participant’s investment in an option contract is a real expression of that participant’s expectations for the underlying security. The Adviser believes that the application of its proprietary quantitative analytics increases the accuracy of the information extracted by an analysis of options prices and exhibits correlation with actual performance of the price of a security. Specifically, the Adviser’s options-implied data and metrics have been developed to extract the following information: the probability of different price movements; the implied direction of the price of a security; the expected returns of a security; and the risk of loss on a security. The Adviser’s quantitative metrics are then combined for each security to yield an “Implied Sentiment” score that captures the risk/reward of a long-only equity trade of a security, as implied by that security’s options prices. This score is the basis for the Fund’s event-driven security selection. The strategy then selects the portfolio that reflects the best event trading opportunities available.

The options analytics used in the construction of the Fund’s portfolio constitute part of the Optimize Advisors Options AI platform. The platform applies artificial intelligence (“AI”) deep learning and AI optimization to address all aspects of the options investment lifecycle. An options lifecycle is typically broken down into the following quadrants: options prediction, options selection, options execution and security prediction.

The Fund may sell a security if its value becomes unattractive, such as when the Adviser’s quantitative investment process suggests the value of the security may deteriorate, or when other investment opportunities exist that may have more attractive return potential.

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The Fund is “non-diversified,” meaning that a relatively high percentage of its assets are invested in a limited number of issuers of securities. The Adviser will engage in active trading with high portfolio turnover of the Fund’s portfolio investments to achieve the Fund’s investment objective.

Please see the Fund’s SAI for additional information about the securities and investment strategies described in this Prospectus and about additional securities and investment strategies that may be used by the Fund.

Temporary Defensive Positions. The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies in an attempt to respond to adverse or unstable market, economic, political, or other conditions. During such times, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its portfolio in cash or cash equivalent positions. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not be able to pursue its investment objectives.

Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund entails risks. The Fund could lose money, or its performance could trail that of other investment alternatives. The following provides additional information about the Fund’s principal risks. It is important that investors closely review and understand these risks before making an investment decision.

ETF Risks. The Fund is an ETF, and, as a result of its structure, it is exposed to the following risks:
Authorized Participants, Market Makers, and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has only a limited number of institutional investors that may act as APs. In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, shares of the Fund may trade at a material discount to the Fund’s NAV and possibly face delisting: (i) APs exit the business or otherwise become unable to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.
Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Investors buying or selling shares of the Fund in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares of the Fund. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price at which an investor is willing to buy shares of the Fund (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell shares of the Fund (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for shares of the Fund based on trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Due to the costs of buying or selling shares of the Fund, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of the Fund’s shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in Fund shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.
Shares May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, shares of the Fund may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of shares of the Fund will approximate the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price of shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of shares or during periods of market volatility. This risk is heightened in times of market volatility, periods of steep market declines and periods when there is limited trading activity for shares in the secondary market, in which case such premiums or discounts may be significant. The market price of shares of the Fund during the trading day, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid/ ask” spread charged by the exchange specialist, market makers or other participants that trade shares of the Fund. In times of severe market disruption, the bid/ask spread can increase
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significantly. At those times, shares of the Fund are most likely to be traded 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 Adviser believes that, under normal market conditions, large market price discounts or premiums to NAV will not be sustained because of arbitrage opportunities.
Trading. Although shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. Trading in Shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares of the Fund on the Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Exchange “circuit breaker” rules, which temporarily halt trading on the Exchange when a decline in the S&P 500 Index during a single day reaches certain thresholds (e.g., 7%, 13%, and 20%). Additional rules applicable to the Exchange may halt trading in shares of the Fund when extraordinary volatility causes sudden, significant swings in the market price of shares of the Fund. There can be no assurance that shares of the Fund will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange. In stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings. These factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV.
Early Close/Trading Halt. An exchange or market may close early or issue trading halts on specific securities or financial instruments. The ability to trade certain securities or financial instruments may be restricted, which may disrupt the Fund’s creation and redemption process, potentially affect the price at which the Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market, and/or result in the Fund being unable to trade certain securities or financial instruments. In these circumstances, the Fund may be unable to rebalance its portfolio, may be unable to accurately price its investments and/or may incur substantial trading losses.
New Fund Risk. As of the date of this Prospectus, the Fund has no operating history and there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Board may determine to liquidate the Fund. Liquidation of the Fund can be initiated without shareholder approval by the Trust’s Board of Trustees if it determines it is in the best interest of shareholders. As a result, the timing of any Fund liquidation may not be favorable to certain individual shareholders.
New Adviser Risk. The Adviser has not previously served as an adviser to a registered fund. As a result, there is no long-term track record against which an investor may judge the Adviser and it is possible the Adviser may not achieve the Fund’s intended investment objective.
Management Risk. The Fund is actively-managed and may not meet its investment objective based on the Adviser’s success or failure to implement investment strategies for the Fund. The Adviser’s evaluations and assumptions regarding issuers, securities, and other factors may not successfully achieve the Fund’s investment objective given actual market conditions.
Reliance on Technology Risk. The Fund’s trading strategies are highly reliant on technology, including hardware, software and telecommunications systems. In addition, data gathering, research, forecasting, order execution, trade allocation, risk management, operational, back office and accounting systems are all highly automated and computerized. Such automation and computerization relies on an extensive amount of both proprietary software and third-party hardware and software.
Non-Diversification Risk. If a Fund is “non-diversified,” then its investments are not required to meet certain diversification requirements under Federal law. A “non-diversified” Fund is permitted to invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified fund. Thus, the Fund may have fewer holdings than other funds. As a result, a decline in the value of those investments would cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than if the Fund held a more diversified portfolio.
Concentration Risk. Because the Fund’s assets will be concentrated in an industry or group of industries to the extent the Adviser’s quantitative strategy indicates that such concentration is appropriate from an investment perspective, the Fund is subject to loss due to adverse occurrences that may affect that industry or group of industries. To the extent the Fund
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concentrates in the securities of issuers in a particular industry, the Fund may face more risks than if it were diversified more broadly over numerous industries.
Equity Securities Risk. Stock markets are volatile. The prices of stocks will fluctuate and can decline and reduce the value of the Fund’s investments. The value of equity securities purchased by the Fund could decline if the financial condition of the companies the Fund invests in decline, if overall market and economic conditions deteriorate, or due to factors that affect a particular industry or industries. In addition, the value of equity securities may fluctuate due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a company or industry, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment.
Large Capitalization Risk. Larger, more established companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges such as changes in technology and consumer tastes. Larger companies also may not be able to attain the high growth rates of successful smaller companies. If valuations of large capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of small or medium capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stocks of small and medium-sized companies.
Other Investment Companies Risk. The Fund may invest in shares of investment companies, including shares of ETFs. The risks of investment in these securities typically reflect the risks of the types of instruments in which the investment company invests. When the Fund invests in investment company securities, shareholders of the Fund bear indirectly their proportionate share of their fees and expenses, as well as their share of the Fund’s fees and expenses. As a result, an investment by the Fund in an investment company could cause the Fund’s operating expenses (taking into account indirect expenses such as the fees and expenses of the investment company) to be higher and, in turn, performance to be lower than if it were to invest directly in the instruments underlying the investment company.
Event-Driven Strategies Risk. Generally, the success of event driven strategies depends on the successful prediction of whether various events will occur or be consummated. Investing in or seeking exposure to securities in anticipation of an event carries the risk that the expected event may not be completed or may take considerable time to complete, it may be completed on less favorable terms than originally expected, or the market may react differently than expected to the event, in which case the Fund may experience losses or fail to achieve a desired rate of return. The Fund may also incur losses unwinding its event driven and distressed positions in the event that an event does not occur as expected by the Adviser or the Adviser determines the position no longer represents an attractive investment opportunity for the Fund and its shareholders. In addition, certain events, such as companies emerging from bankruptcy or restructurings resulting from bankruptcy, carry additional risks because of the issuer’s financial fragility and the likelihood that its management has little experience with bankruptcy, and the securities of such companies may be more likely to lose value than the securities of more financially stable companies.
High Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund’s principal investment strategies involve actively trading securities, resulting in a high portfolio turnover rate, which can increase transaction costs (thus lowering performance) and taxable distributions. A high portfolio turnover rate generally involves correspondingly greater brokerage commission expenses, which must be borne directly by the Fund, reducing Fund returns accordingly. The portfolio turnover rate of the Fund may vary from year to year.
Market Events Risk. One or more markets in which the Fund invests may go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. This may be due to numerous factors, including interest rates, the outlook for corporate profits, the health of the national and world economies, national and world social and political events, and the fluctuation of other stock markets around the world. The global pandemic outbreak of an infectious respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 and subsequent efforts to contain its spread have resulted and may continue to result in, among other things, substantial market volatility and reduced liquidity in financial markets; exchange trading suspensions and closures; higher default rates; travel restrictions and disruptions; significant global disruptions to business operations and supply chains; lower consumer demand for goods and services; significant job losses and increasing unemployment; event and service cancellations and restrictions; significant challenges in healthcare service preparation and delivery; prolonged quarantines; and general concern and uncertainty. The impact of
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this pandemic and any other public health emergencies (such as any other epidemics or pandemics) that may arise in the future could adversely affect the economies of many nations or the entire global economy and the financial performance of individual issuers, sectors, industries, asset classes, and markets in significant and unforeseen ways. Extraordinary actions taken by governments and central banks to support local and global economies and the financial markets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic may not succeed or have the intended effect, and in some cases, have resulted in a large expansion of government deficits and debt, the long-term consequences of which are not known. This crisis or other public health crises may also exacerbate other pre-existing political, social, economic, market and financial risks. In addition, the Fund may face challenges with respect to its day-to-day operations if key personnel of the Adviser or other service providers are unavailable due to quarantines, restrictions on travel, or other restrictions imposed by state or federal regulatory authorities. The duration and future impact of COVID-19 are currently unknown and cannot be determined with certainty, which may exacerbate the other risks that apply to the Fund and could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy AP transaction requests, and negatively affect the Fund’s performance.

Portfolio Holdings

Information about the Fund’s daily portfolio holdings is available at [...]. A complete description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

Management of the Fund

Investment Adviser

The Fund has entered into an investment advisory agreement (“Advisory Agreement”) with Optimize Advisors LLC (the “Adviser” or “Optimize”), located at 112 West 34th Street, 18th Floor, New York, New York 10120. The Adviser was formed in May 2020 and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tradelegs LLC, a financial technology company that utilizes Options Artificial Intelligence to generate a new class of systematic strategies.

Subject to the oversight of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies. For the services it provides to the Fund, the Fund pays the Adviser a unified management fee, which is calculated daily and paid monthly, at an annual rate of 1.00% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses incurred by the Fund except for interest charges on any borrowings, dividends and other expenses on securities sold short; taxes; brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments; acquired fund fees and expenses; accrued deferred tax liability; extraordinary expenses; distribution fees and expenses paid by the Fund under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, and the unified management fee payable to the Adviser (collectively, the “Excluded Expenses”).

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s initial approval of the Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust will be available in the Fund’s first semi-annual report to shareholders after the Fund’s commencement of operations.

The Fund, as a series of the Trust, does not hold itself out as related to any other series of the Trust for purposes of investment and investor services, nor does it share the same investment adviser with any other series of the Trust.

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Portfolio Managers

Mr. Michael Khouw and Mr. Andrew DeFeo are the portfolio managers of the Fund and responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

Michael Khouw, Chief Strategist and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser
Mr. Khouw is the Chief Strategist and Chief Investment Officer of the Adviser. Mr. Khouw joined the Adviser in 2014 as a member of the founding team. Mr. Khouw is a veteran of the financial services industry whose derivatives and equity trading experience began in the 1990s as a member and floor trader in the open-outcry pits of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and the New York Mercantile Exchange. Since then Mr. Khouw has broad experience working as a strategist, analyst, portfolio manager and proprietary trader of equities, commodities and equity and index derivatives. Mr. Khouw is the co-author of “The Options Edge” (Wiley 2016). Mr. Khouw was previously a Partner at Cantor Fitzgerald and Head of US Listed Equity Derivatives Sales & Trading, he served in the same role as a Principal and Managing Director at CRT Capital. Mr. Khouw also previously held senior trader positions at Bluefin Trading, where he focused on energy futures and options trading, and Gateway Partners which focused on single-stock and equity index volatility arbitrage and correlation trading; both proprietary trading firms based in New York. Gateway Partners’ trading operations were acquired by Knight Capital Group in 2001. Mr. Khouw also worked as an analyst at Ivory Capital, a research-intensive, fundamental value-based investment firm headquartered in Los Angeles. Since January of 2009 Mr. Khouw has shared his insights as a contributor on CNBC’s Fast Money and Options Action, the first television show educating self-directed investors on the proper use of listed options. He also publishes articles and frequently speaks on a broad array of topics including trading strategy, market structure and regulation. Mr. Khouw holds a BA from Tufts University.

Andrew DeFeo, Strategist and Head Trader of the Adviser.
Mr. DeFeo is the Head Trader and Strategist of the Adviser. As part of his role as Strategist, Mr. DeFeo was instrumental in the design and launch of all of OA’s Adaptive Systematic Strategies. Prior to joining OA in 2013 as part of the founding team, Mr. DeFeo was the Chief Risk/Compliance Officer for Pico Quantitative Trading’s low latency trading systems and analytics. Mr. DeFeo began his career at Goldman Sachs Execution and Clearing. He was appointed Co-Head of Risk for Electronic and Algorithmic Trading in 2009 and head of Business Development for Canada, Latin America and Futures Risk in 2012. He also served as Co-Supervisor for Goldman’s Sigma X Liquidity Pool and Sigma Smart Router for the US. Mr. DeFeo graduated from Georgetown University with a BA in Government.

The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about the portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager and the portfolio manager’s ownership of Fund shares.

How to Buy and Sell Shares
The Fund issues and redeems its shares only in Creation Units at the NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order from an AP. Only APs may acquire the Fund’s shares directly from the Fund, and only APs may tender their shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV. APs must be a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC and must execute an authorized participant agreement (“Participant Agreement”) that has been agreed to by the Distributor (defined below), and that has been accepted by the Fund’s transfer agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Once created, the Fund’s shares trade in the secondary market in quantities less than a Creation Unit.

Most investors buy and sell the Fund’s shares in secondary market transactions through brokers. Individual shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the secondary market on the Exchange and can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other publicly traded securities.

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When buying or selling the Fund’s shares through a broker, you will pay or receive the market price. You may incur customary brokerage commissions and charges, and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. In addition, because secondary market transactions occur at market prices, you may pay more than NAV when you buy the Fund’s shares, and receive less than NAV when you sell those shares.

Book Entry
Shares are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund.

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

Investing in the Fund
For more information on how to buy and sell shares of the Fund, visit the Fund’s website at [...] or by calling the Fund toll-free at 1-800-617-0004.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Shares

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange, which allows retail investors to purchase and sell individual shares at market prices throughout the trading day similar to other publicly traded securities. Because these secondary market trades do not involve the Fund directly, it is unlikely that secondary market trading would cause any harmful effects of market timing, such as dilution, disruption of portfolio management, increases in the Fund’s trading costs or realization of capital gains. The Board has determined not to adopt policies and procedures designed to prevent or monitor for frequent purchases and redemptions of the Fund’s shares because the Fund sells and redeems its shares at NAV only in Creation Units pursuant to the terms of a Participant Agreement between the Distributor and an AP. The Fund may impose transaction fees on such Creation Unit transactions that are designed to offset the Fund’s transfer and other transaction costs associated with the issuance and redemption of the Creation Unit shares. Direct trading by APs is critical to ensuring that the Fund’s shares trade at or close to NAV. Although the Fund imposes no restrictions on the frequency of purchases and redemptions of Creation Units, the Fund and the Adviser reserve the right to reject or limit purchases at any time as described in the Fund’s SAI.

Determination of Net Asset Value

The Fund’s NAV is calculated as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the [...] (“[...]”), generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, each day the [...] is open for business. The NAV is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by its shares outstanding.

In calculating its NAV, the Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments. In particular, the Fund generally values equity securities traded on any recognized U.S. or non-U.S. exchange at the last sale price or official closing price on the exchange or system on which they are principally traded. If such information is not available for a security held by the Fund or is determined to be unreliable, the security will be valued at fair value estimates under guidelines established by the Board (as described below).

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Fair Value Pricing

The Board has adopted procedures and methodologies to fair value Fund securities whose market prices are not “readily available” or are deemed to be unreliable. For example, such circumstances may arise when: (i) a security has been de-listed or has had its trading halted or suspended; (ii) a security’s primary pricing source is unable or unwilling to provide a price; (iii) a security’s primary trading market is closed during regular market hours; or (iv) a security’s value is materially affected by events occurring after the close of the security’s primary trading market. Generally, when fair valuing a security, the Fund will take into account all reasonably available information that may be relevant to a particular valuation including, but not limited to, fundamental analytical data regarding the issuer, information relating to the issuer’s business, recent trades or offers of the security, general and/or specific market conditions and the specific facts giving rise to the need to fair value the security. Fair value determinations are made in good faith and in accordance with the fair value methodologies included in the Board-adopted valuation procedures. Due to the subjective and variable nature of fair value pricing, there can be no assurance that the Adviser will be able to obtain the fair value assigned to the security upon the sale of such security.

Investments by Other Registered Investment Companies

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Fund. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in section 12(d)(1), subject to certain conditions set forth in Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Fund.

Distribution of Fund Shares

Dividends, Distributions and their Taxation
Rule 12b-1 Distribution Fees

The Trust has adopted a Rule 12b-1 distribution plan (the “Rule 12b-1 Plan”) under the 1940 Act. Under the terms of the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay an aggregate fee equal up to [...]% 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 the Fund, and there are no plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because the fees are paid out of Fund assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.

Dividends and Distributions

The Fund intends to pay dividends from net investment income monthly and to distribute all net realized capital gains at least annually. The Fund will declare and pay capital gain distributions in cash. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.

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

The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. Your investment in the Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of an investment in Shares, including the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws.

The Fund intends to elect and qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the Code. If it meets certain minimum distribution requirements, a RIC is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, the Fund’s failure to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and, consequently, a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.

Unless your investment in Shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA plan, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions, when you sell your Shares listed on the Exchange; and when you purchase or redeem Creation Units (APs only).

Taxes on Distributions

The Fund intends to distribute, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gains. For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long the Fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Shares. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains, which for non-corporate shareholders are subject to tax at reduced rates of up to 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets). Distributions of short-term capital gain will generally be taxable as ordinary income. Dividends and distributions are generally taxable to you whether you receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional Shares.

Distributions reported by the Fund as “qualified dividend income” are generally taxed to non-corporate shareholders at rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided holding period and other requirements are met. “Qualified dividend income” generally is income derived from dividends paid by U.S. corporations or certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. In addition, dividends that the Fund received in respect of stock of certain foreign corporations may be qualified dividend income if that stock is readily tradable on an established U.S. securities market.

Shortly after the close of each calendar year, you will be informed of the amount and character of any distributions received from the Fund.

U.S. individuals with income exceeding specified thresholds are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gains distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of Shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.

In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, however, may be treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year. Distributions are generally taxable
14


even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the Shares’ NAV when you purchased your Shares).

You may wish to avoid investing in the Fund shortly before a dividend or other distribution, because such a distribution will generally be taxable even though it may economically represent a return of a portion of your investment. If the Fund’s distributions exceed its earnings and profits, all or a portion of the distributions made for a taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable, but will reduce each shareholder’s cost basis in Shares and result in a higher capital gain or lower capital loss when the Shares are sold. After a shareholder’s basis in Shares has been reduced to zero, distributions in excess of earnings and profits in respect of those Shares will be treated as gain from the sale of the Shares.

If you are neither a resident nor a citizen of the United States or if you are a foreign entity, distributions (other than Capital Gain Dividends) paid to you by the Fund will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. Gains from the sale or other disposition of your Shares generally are not subject to U.S. taxation, unless you are a nonresident alien individual who is physically present in the U.S. for 183 days or more per year. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Different tax consequences may result if you are a foreign shareholder engaged in a trade or business within the United States or if a tax treaty applies.

Under legislation generally known as “FATCA” (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), the Fund is required to withhold 30% of certain ordinary dividends it pays to shareholders that are foreign entities and that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements.

The Fund (or a financial intermediary, such as a broker, through which a shareholder owns Shares) generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has underreported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that he, she or it is not subject to such withholding.

Taxes When Shares are Sold on the Exchange

Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Shares generally is treated as a long-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for one year or less. However, any capital loss on a sale of Shares held for six months or less is treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of Capital Gain Dividends paid with respect to such Shares. Any loss realized on a sale will be disallowed to the extent Shares of the Fund are acquired, including through reinvestment of dividends, within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition of Shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited.

The cost basis of Shares of the Fund acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the Shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of Shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of Shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your Shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.

Taxes on Purchases and Redemptions of Creation Units

An AP having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally recognizes a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the exchanging AP’s aggregate basis in the securities delivered, plus the amount of any cash paid for the Creation Units. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanging AP’s basis in the Creation Units and the aggregate
15


U.S. dollar market value of the securities received, plus any cash received for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service may assert, however, that a loss that is realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be currently deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for an AP who does not mark-to-market their holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. APs exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

Any capital gain or loss realized upon redemption of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if Shares have been held for one year or less.

The Fund may include a payment of cash in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities upon the redemption of Creation Units. The Fund may sell portfolio securities to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment in the proceeds paid upon the redemption of Creation Units.

Foreign Taxes

To the extent the Fund invests in foreign securities, it may be subject to foreign withholding taxes with respect to dividends or interest the Fund received from sources in foreign countries.

The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. You also may be subject to state and local tax on Fund distributions and sales of Fund shares. Consult your personal tax adviser about the potential tax consequences of an investment in Fund shares under all applicable tax laws. For more information, please see the section entitled “Federal Income Taxes” in the SAI.

Distribution

The Distributor, Quasar Distributors, LLC, is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC. The Distributor distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis and does not maintain a secondary market in the Fund’s shares. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is 111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.

Premium/Discount Information

Each business day, the following information will be available, free of charge, on the Fund’s website at [...]: (i) information for each portfolio holding that will form the basis of the next calculation of the Fund’s NAV per share; (ii) the Fund’s NAV per share, market price, and premium or discount, each as of the end of the prior business day; (iii) a table showing the number of days the Fund’s shares traded at a premium or discount during the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarter since that year; (iv) a line graph showing Fund share premiums or discounts for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarter since that year; (v) the Fund’s median bid-ask spread over the last thirty calendar days; and (vi) if during the past year the Fund’s premium or discount was greater than 2% for more than seven consecutive trading days, a statement that the Fund’s premium or discount, as applicable, was greater than 2% and a discussion of the factors that are reasonably believed to have materially contributed to the premium or discount.

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Additional Notices

Shares of the Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Exchange. The Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in the determination of, the timing, prices, or quantities of shares of the Fund to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which shares of the Fund are redeemable. The Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares.

Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.

The Adviser and the Fund make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly.

Other Information

The Trust enters into contractual arrangements with various parties, including, among others, the Fund’s investment adviser, administrator and distributor, who provide services to the Fund. Shareholders of the Fund are not parties to, or intended (or “third-party”) beneficiaries of, any of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any individual shareholder or group of shareholders any right to enforce such contractual arrangements against the service providers or to seek any remedy under such contractual arrangements against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of the Trust.

This prospectus provides information concerning the Trust and the Fund that you should consider in determining whether to purchase shares of the Fund. None of this prospectus, the SAI or any document filed as an exhibit to the Trust’s registration statement, is intended to, nor does it, give rise to an agreement or contract between the Trust or the Fund and any investor, or give rise to any contract or other rights in any individual shareholder, group of shareholders or other person other than any rights conferred explicitly by federal or state securities laws that may not be waived.

Closing the Fund. The Board of Trustees retains the right to close the Fund (or partially close the Fund) to new purchases if it is determined to be in the best interest of shareholders. Based on market and Fund conditions, and in consultation with the Adviser, the Board of Trustees may decide to close the Fund to new investors, all investors or certain classes of investors (such as fund supermarkets) at any time. If the Fund is closed to new purchases it will continue to honor redemption requests, unless the right to redeem shares has been temporarily suspended as permitted by federal law.

The Fund reserves the right to cease operations and liquidate at any time. See “Liquidation of the Fund” in the SAI for additional information.

Financial Highlights

Because the Fund has recently commenced operations, there are no financial highlights available at this time.
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INVESTMENT ADVISER:
Optimize Advisors LLC
112 West 34th Street, 18th Floor
New York, New York 10120

DISTRIBUTOR:
Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

CUSTODIAN:
U.S. Bank N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212

ADMINISTRATOR, FUND ACCOUNTANT
AND TRANSFER AGENT:
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM:
[...]
[...]
[...]

LEGAL COUNSEL:
Goodwin Procter LLP
1900 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036

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PRIVACY NOTICE

The Fund collects non-public information about you that the law allows or requires it to have in order to conduct its business and properly service you. The Fund collects financial and personal information about you (“Personal Information”) directly (e.g., information on account applications and other forms, such as your name, address, and social security number, and information provided to access account information or conduct account transactions online, such as password, account number, e-mail address, and alternate telephone number), and indirectly (e.g., information about your transactions with us, such as transaction amounts, account balance and account holdings).

The Fund does not disclose any non-public personal information about its shareholders or former shareholders other than for everyday business purposes such as to process a transaction, service an account, respond to court orders and legal investigations or as otherwise permitted by law. Third parties that may receive this information include companies that provide transfer agency, technology and administrative services to the Fund, as well as the Fund’s investment adviser who is an affiliate of the Fund. If you maintain a retirement/educational custodial account directly with the Fund, we may also disclose your Personal Information to the custodian for that account for shareholder servicing purposes. The Fund limits access to your Personal Information provided to unaffiliated third parties to information necessary to carry out their assigned responsibilities to the Fund. All shareholder records will be disposed of in accordance with applicable law. The Fund maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your Personal Information and requires its third-party service providers with access to such information to treat your Personal Information with the same high degree of confidentiality.

In the event that you hold shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, including, but not limited to, a broker-dealer, bank, or trust company, the privacy policy of your financial intermediary would govern how your non-public personal information would be shared with unaffiliated third parties.






Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF
A series of Series Portfolios Trust


FOR MORE INFORMATION

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

Statement of Additional Information
The SAI provides additional details about the investments and techniques of the Fund and certain other additional information. A current SAI is on file with the SEC and is incorporated into this Prospectus by reference. This means that the SAI is legally considered a part of this Prospectus even though it is not physically within this Prospectus.

Annual and Semi-Annual Reports
The Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports (collectively, the “Shareholder Reports”), when available, will provide the most recent financial reports and portfolio holdings. The annual report, when available, will contain a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that affected the Fund’s performance during the Fund’s prior fiscal period.

The SAI and the Shareholder Reports, when available, are available free of charge on the Fund’s website at [...]. You can obtain a free copy of the SAI and Shareholder Reports, request other information, or make general inquiries about the Fund by calling the Fund (toll-free) at 1-800-617-0004 or by writing to:

Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701
1-800-617-0004

Reports and other information about the Fund are also available:

Free of charge from the SEC’s EDGAR database on the SEC’s Internet website at http://www.sec.gov; or
For a fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.



(The Trust’s SEC Investment Company Act of 1940 file number is 811-23084)




SUBJECT TO COMPLETION
Dated December 29, 2021

THE INFORMATION HEREIN IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.


STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION


_________, 2022


Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF

(TICKER)

Listed on EXCHANGE
Optimize ETF
c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201-0701
[...]


This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus, but should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF (the “Fund”), a series of Series Portfolios Trust (the “Trust”), dated ______, 2022, as may be supplemented from time to time, which is incorporated by reference into this SAI.

You may obtain a copy of the Prospectus without charge by contacting the Fund c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services at the address or telephone number listed above. Investors in the Fund will be informed of the Fund’s progress through periodic reports. Financial statements certified by an independent registered public accounting firm will be submitted to shareholders at least annually. Since the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI, no financial statements are available. Once available, copies of the Fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Report to shareholders may be obtained, without charge, upon request by contacting U.S. Bank Global Fund Services at the address or telephone number listed above, or by visiting the Fund’s website at [...].



TABLE OF CONTENTS


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THE TRUST

The Trust is a Delaware statutory trust organized on July 27, 2015, and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an open-end management investment company. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust, as amended and/or restated to date (the “Declaration of Trust”) permits the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest, without par value, which may be issued in any number of series. The Board may from time to time issue other series, the assets and liabilities of which will be separate and distinct from any other series. This SAI relates only to the Fund.

The Declaration of Trust also provides for indemnification and reimbursement of expenses out of the Fund’s assets for any Trustee or Trust officer held personally liable for obligations of the Fund or the Trust. All such rights are limited to the assets of the Fund. The Declaration of Trust further provides that the Trust may maintain appropriate insurance (for example, fidelity bonding and errors and omissions insurance) for the protection of the Trust, its shareholders, trustees, officers, employees and agents to cover possible claims and other liabilities. However, the activities of the Trust as an investment company would not likely give rise to liabilities in excess of the Trust’s total assets. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance exists and the Fund itself is unable to meet its obligations.

The Fund offers and issues Shares at its net asset value (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each, a “Creation Unit”). The Fund generally offers and issues Shares in exchange for a basket of securities (“Deposit Securities”) together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (“Cash Component”). The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount (“Deposit Cash”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. Shares are listed on the [...] (the “Exchange”) and trade on the Exchange at market prices that may differ from the Shares’ NAV. Shares are also redeemable only in Creation Unit aggregations, primarily for a basket of Deposit Securities together with a Cash Component. A Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of a minimum of [10,000] Shares, though this may change from time to time. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable securities.

Optimize Advisors LLC (the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund.

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND RISKS

The Fund’s principal investment strategies utilized by the Adviser and the principal risks associated with the same are set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus. The following discussion provides additional information about those principal investment strategies and related risks, as well as information about investment strategies (and related risks) that the Fund may utilize, even though they are not considered to be “principal” investment strategies. Accordingly, an investment strategy (and related risk) that is described below, but which is not described in the Prospectus, should not be considered to be a principal strategy (or related risk) applicable to the Fund. The following strategies and risks apply to the Fund directly or indirectly through its investments in derivatives.

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Information Regarding the Fund’s Investment Strategies and Risks

General Market Risks
The value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate with changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular security or issuer and changes in general economic or political conditions. An investor in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
There can be no guarantee that a liquid market for the securities held by the Fund will be maintained. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid/ask spreads are wide.
Cyber Security Risk. Investment companies, such as the Fund, and their service providers may be subject to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber attacks. Cyber attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber attacks affecting the Fund or the Adviser, custodian, transfer agent, intermediaries and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its net asset value (“NAV”), cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund’s investments in such portfolio companies to lose value.
Recent Events. Beginning in the first quarter of 2020, financial markets in the United States and around the world experienced extreme and in many cases unprecedented volatility and severe losses due to the pandemic caused by COVID‑19, a novel coronavirus. The pandemic has resulted in a wide range of social and economic disruptions, including closed borders, voluntary or compelled quarantines of large populations, stressed healthcare systems, reduced or prohibited domestic or international travel, supply chain disruptions, and so-called “stay-at-home” orders throughout much of the United States and many other countries. The fall-out from these disruptions has included the rapid closure of businesses deemed “non-essential” by federal, state, or local governments and rapidly increasing unemployment, as well as greatly reduced liquidity for certain instruments at times. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced particularly large losses. Such disruptions may continue for an extended period of time or reoccur in the future to a similar or greater extent. In response, the U.S. government and the Federal Reserve have taken extraordinary actions to support the domestic economy and financial markets, resulting in very low interest rates and in some cases negative yields. It is unknown how long circumstances related to the pandemic will persist, whether they will reoccur in the future, whether efforts to support the economy and financial markets will be successful, and what additional implications may follow from the pandemic. The impact of these events and other epidemics or pandemics in the future could adversely affect Fund performance.

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DESCRIPTION OF PERMITTED INVESTMENTS
The following are descriptions of the Fund’s permitted investments and investment practices and the associated risk factors. The Fund will only invest in any of the following instruments or engage in any of the following investment practices if such investment or activity is consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and permitted by the Fund’s stated investment policies.
Borrowing
Although the Fund does not intend to borrow money, the Fund may do so to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may borrow up to one-third (1/3) of its total assets. The Fund will borrow money only for short-term or emergency purposes. Such borrowing is not for investment purposes and will be repaid by the borrowing Fund promptly. Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of the borrowing Fund’s portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
Depositary Receipts
To the extent the Fund invests in stocks of foreign corporations, the Fund’s investment in securities of foreign companies may be in the form of depositary receipts or other securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) are dollar-denominated receipts representing interests in the securities of a foreign issuer, which securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by U.S. banks and trust companies which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. Generally, ADRs in registered form are designed for use in domestic securities markets and are traded on exchanges or over-the-counter in the United States.
Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”), and International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”) are similar to ADRs in that they are certificates evidencing ownership of shares of a foreign issuer; however, GDRs, EDRs, and IDRs may be issued in bearer form and denominated in other currencies and are generally designed for use in specific or multiple securities markets outside the U.S. EDRs, for example, are designed for use in European securities markets, while GDRs are designed for use throughout the world. Depositary receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities.
The Fund will not invest in any unlisted depositary receipts or any depositary receipt that the Adviser deems to be illiquid or for which pricing information is not readily available. In addition, all depositary receipts generally must be sponsored. However, the Fund may invest in unsponsored depositary receipts under certain limited circumstances. The issuers of unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the value of the depositary receipts.
Equity Securities
Equity securities, such as the common stock of an issuer, are subject to stock market fluctuations and therefore may experience volatile changes in value as market conditions, consumer sentiment or the financial condition of the issuers change. A decrease in value of the equity securities in the Fund’s portfolio may also cause the value of the Fund’s shares to decline.
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An investment in the Fund should be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in equity securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the stock market may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities and therefore a decrease in the value of shares).
Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and perceptions change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies; inflation and interest rates; economic expansion or contraction; and global or regional political, economic or banking crises.
Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Further, unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. Common stock values are subject to market fluctuations as long as the common stock remains outstanding.
When-issued securities. A when-issued security is one whose terms are available and for which a market exists, but which has not been issued. When the Fund engages in when-issued transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the sale. If the other party fails to complete the sale, the Fund may miss the opportunity to obtain the security at a favorable price or yield. When purchasing a security on a when-issued basis, the Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield changes. At the time of settlement, the value of the security may be more or less than the purchase price. The yield available in the market when the delivery takes place also may be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself. Because the Fund does not pay for the security until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with its other investments.
Decisions to enter into “when-issued” transactions will be considered on a case-by-case basis when necessary to maintain continuity in a company’s index membership. The Fund will segregate cash or liquid securities equal in value to commitments for the when-issued transactions. The Fund will segregate additional liquid assets daily so that the value of such assets is equal to the amount of the commitments.
Types of Equity Securities:
Common Stocks — Common stocks represent units of ownership in a company. Common stocks usually carry voting rights and earn dividends. Unlike preferred stocks, which are described below, dividends on common stocks are not fixed but are declared at the discretion of the company’s board of directors.
Preferred Stocks — Preferred stocks are also units of ownership in a company. Preferred stocks normally have preference over common stock in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of the company. However, in all other respects, preferred stocks are subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer. Unlike common stocks, preferred stocks are generally not entitled to vote on corporate matters. Types of preferred stocks include adjustable-rate preferred stock, fixed dividend preferred stock, perpetual preferred stock, and sinking fund preferred stock.
Generally, the market values of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element vary inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk.
Rights and Warrants — A right is a privilege granted to existing shareholders of a corporation to subscribe to shares of a new issue of common stock before it is issued. Rights normally have a short life of usually two to four weeks, are freely transferable and entitle the holder to buy the new common stock
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at a lower price than the public offering price. Warrants are securities that are usually issued together with a debt security or preferred stock and that give the holder the right to buy proportionate amount of common stock at a specified price. Warrants are freely transferable and are traded on major exchanges. Unlike rights, warrants normally have a life that is measured in years and entitles the holder to buy common stock of a company at a price that is usually higher than the market price at the time the warrant is issued. Corporations often issue warrants to make the accompanying debt security more attractive.
An investment in warrants and rights may entail greater risks than certain other types of investments. Generally, rights and warrants do not carry the right to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the underlying securities, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer. In addition, their value does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and they cease to have value if they are not exercised on or before their expiration date. Investing in rights and warrants increases the potential profit or loss to be realized from the investment as compared with investing the same amount in the underlying securities.
Small- and Mid-Capitalization Companies — The securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of larger-capitalization companies. The securities of small- and mid-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some small- or mid-capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, and financial and managerial resources and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to larger capitalization companies. There is typically less publicly available information concerning small- and mid-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Small- and mid-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs, and earnings.
Micro-Cap Companies — The securities of micro-cap companies may be more volatile in price, have wider spreads between their bid and ask prices, and have significantly lower trading volumes than the securities of larger capitalization companies. As a result, the purchase or sale of more than a limited number of shares of the securities of a smaller company may affect its market price. Some micro-cap companies are followed by few, if any, securities analysts, and there tends to be less publicly available information about such companies. Their securities generally have even more limited trading volumes and are subject to even more abrupt or erratic market price movements than are small-cap and mid-cap securities, and the Fund may be able to deal with only a few market-makers when purchasing and selling micro-cap securities. Such companies may also have limited markets, financial resources or product lines, may lack management depth, and may be more vulnerable to adverse business or market developments. These conditions, which create greater opportunities to find securities trading well below the Fund’s estimate of the company’s current worth, also involve increased risk.
Large Capitalization Companies Investments in large capitalization companies may go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions and may underperform other market segments. Some large capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology and consumer tastes, and may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion. As such, returns on investments in stocks of large capitalization companies could trail the returns on investments in stocks of small and mid-capitalization companies.
Tracking Stocks — A tracking stock is a separate class of common stock whose value is linked to a specific business unit or operating division within a larger company and which is designed to “track” the performance of such business unit or division. The tracking stock may pay dividends to shareholders independent of the parent company. The parent company, rather than the business unit or division,
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generally is the issuer of tracking stock. However, holders of the tracking stock may not have the same rights as holders of the company’s common stock.
Investments in Other Investment Companies
The Fund may invest in shares of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and business development companies (“BDCs”). As the shareholder of another ETF, the Fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other ETF’s expenses, including advisory fees. Such expenses are in addition to the expenses the Fund pays in connection with its own operations. The Fund’s investments in other ETFs may be limited by applicable law.
Disruptions in the markets for the securities underlying ETFs purchased or sold by the Fund could result in losses on investments in ETFs. ETFs also carry the risk that the price the Fund pays or receives may be higher or lower than the ETF’s NAV. ETFs are also subject to certain additional risks, including the risks of illiquidity and of possible trading halts due to market conditions or other reasons, based on the policies of the relevant exchange. ETFs and other investment companies in which the Fund may invest may be leveraged, which would increase the volatility of the Fund’s NAV. The Fund may also invest in ETFs and other investment companies that seek to return the inverse of the performance of an underlying index on a daily, monthly, or other basis, including inverse leveraged ETFs.
Inverse and leveraged ETFs are subject to additional risks not generally associated with traditional ETFs. To the extent that the Fund invests in inverse ETFs, the value of the Fund’s investments will decrease when the index underlying the ETF’s benchmark rises, a result that is the opposite from traditional equity or bond funds. The NAV and market price of leveraged or inverse ETFs are usually more volatile than the value of the tracked index or of other ETFs that do not use leverage. This is because inverse and leveraged ETFs use investment techniques and financial instruments that may be considered aggressive, including the use of derivative transactions and short selling techniques. The use of these techniques may cause the inverse or leveraged ETFs to lose more money in market environments that are adverse to their investment strategies than other funds that do not use such techniques.
BDCs are specialized closed-end funds that trade like stocks. Shares of BDCs are not priced at the NAV of their underlying portfolio holdings, but instead trade like stocks at the market price, which may be at a price above or below their NAV. The 1940 Act imposes certain restraints upon the operations of a BDC. For example, BDCs are required to invest at least 70% of their total assets primarily in securities of private companies or thinly traded U.S. public companies, cash, cash equivalents, U.S. Government securities and high quality debt investments that mature in one year or less. The risks of owning a BDC generally reflect the risks of owning its underlying investments. Generally, little public information exists for private and thinly traded companies, and there is a risk that investors may not be able to make a fully informed investment decision. Risks may include, but are not limited to, credit and investment risk, market and valuation risk, price volatility risk, liquidity risk and interest rate risk. When the Fund invests in BDCs, shareholders of the Fund indirectly bear a proportionate share of the BDC’s fees and expenses, as well as their share of the Fund’s fees and expenses. As a result, an investment by the Fund in an BDC could cause the Fund’s operating expenses (taking into account indirect expenses such as the fees and expenses of the BDC) to be higher and, in turn, performance to be lower than if the Fund were to invest directly in the instruments held by the BDC.
The Fund’s investments in ETFs and BDCs are subject to applicable limitations under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act and Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act. Investing in another pooled vehicle exposes the Fund to all the risks of that pooled vehicle. Pursuant to Section 12(d)(1), the Fund may invest in the securities of another investment company (the “acquired company”) provided that the Fund, immediately after such purchase or acquisition, does not own in the aggregate: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the acquired company; (ii) securities issued by the acquired company having an aggregate value
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in excess of 5% of the value of the total assets of the Fund; or (iii) securities issued by the acquired company and all other investment companies (other than treasury stock of the Fund) having an aggregate value in excess of 10% of the value of the total assets of the Fund. To the extent allowed by law or regulation, the Fund may invest its assets in securities of investment companies that are money market funds in excess of the limits discussed above.
If the Fund invests in and, thus, is a shareholder of, another investment company, the Fund’s shareholders will indirectly bear the Fund’s proportionate share of the fees and expenses paid by such other investment company, including advisory fees, in addition to both the management fees payable directly by the Fund to the Fund’s own investment adviser and the other expenses that the Fund bears directly in connection with the Fund’s own operations.
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in securities of other registered investment companies, including the Fund. The acquisition of the Fund’s shares by registered investment companies is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, except as may be permitted by exemptive rules under the 1940 Act or as may at some future time be permitted by an exemptive order that permits registered investment companies to invest in the Fund beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including that the registered investment company enter into an agreement with the Fund regarding the terms of the investment.
The Fund may rely on Section 12(d)(1)(F) and Rule 12d1-3 of the 1940 Act, which provide an exemption from Section 12(d)(1) that allows the Fund to invest all of its assets in other registered funds, including ETFs, if, among other conditions: (a) the Fund, together with its affiliates, acquires no more than three percent of the outstanding voting stock of any acquired fund, and (b) the sales load charged on the Fund’s shares is no greater than the limits set forth in Rule 2341 of the Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). Additionally, the Fund may rely on exemptive relief issued by the SEC to other registered funds, including ETFs, or Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act to invest in such other funds in excess of the limits of Section 12(d)(1) if the Fund complies with the terms and conditions of such exemptive relief or rule.
Illiquid Investments
The Fund may not acquire any illiquid investment if, immediately after the acquisition, the Fund would have invested more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment means 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. If illiquid investments exceed 15% of the Fund’s net assets, certain remedial actions will be taken as required by Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act and the Fund’s policies and procedures.
The Fund may not be able to sell illiquid investments when the Adviser considers it desirable to do so or may have to sell such investments at a price that is lower than the price that could be obtained if the securities were more liquid. In addition, the sale of illiquid investments also may require more time and may result in higher dealer discounts and other selling expenses than does the sale of investments that are not illiquid. Illiquid investments also may be more difficult to value due to the unavailability of reliable market quotations for such securities, and investment in illiquid investments may have an adverse impact on NAV.
Fixed Income/Debt/Bond Securities
Yields on fixed income securities are dependent on a variety of factors, including the general conditions of the money market and other fixed income securities markets, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. An investment in the Fund will be subjected to risk even if all fixed income securities in the Fund’s portfolio are paid in full at maturity. All fixed income
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securities, including U.S. Government securities, can change in value when there is a change in interest rates or the issuer’s actual or perceived creditworthiness or ability to meet its obligations.
There is normally an inverse relationship between the market value of securities sensitive to prevailing interest rates and actual changes in interest rates. In other words, an increase in interest rates produces a decrease in market value. The longer the remaining maturity (and duration) of a security, the greater will be the effect of interest rate changes on the market value of that security. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the markets’ perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. Obligations of issuers of fixed income securities (including municipal securities) are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the Federal Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978. In addition, the obligations of municipal issuers may become subject to laws enacted in the future by Congress, state legislatures, or referenda extending the time for payment of principal and/or interest, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations or upon the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. The possibility exists, therefore, that, the ability of any issuer to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on its debt securities may become impaired.
The corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest include corporate bonds and notes and short-term investments such as commercial paper and variable rate demand notes. Commercial paper (short-term promissory notes) is issued by companies to finance their or their affiliate’s current obligations and is frequently unsecured. Variable and floating rate demand notes are unsecured obligations redeemable upon not more than 30 days’ notice. These obligations include master demand notes that permit investment of fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement with the issuer of the instrument. The issuer of these obligations often has the right, after a given period, to prepay the outstanding principal amount of the obligations upon a specified number of days’ notice. These obligations generally are not traded, nor generally is there an established secondary market for these obligations. To the extent a demand note does not have a 7-day or shorter demand feature and there is no readily available market for the obligation, it is treated as an illiquid investment.
The Fund may invest in debt securities, including non-investment grade debt securities. The following describes some of the risks associated with fixed income debt securities:
Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities have varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In general, the price of a debt security can fall when interest rates rise and can rise when interest rates fall. Securities with longer maturities and mortgage securities can be more sensitive to interest rate changes although they usually offer higher yields to compensate investors for the greater risks. The longer the maturity of the security, the greater the impact a change in interest rates could have on the security’s price. In addition, short-term and long-term interest rates do not necessarily move in the same amount or the same direction. Short-term securities tend to react to changes in short-term interest rates and long-term securities tend to react to changes in long-term interest rates.
Credit Risk. Fixed income securities of issuers with lower credit quality have speculative characteristics and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of those issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly rated securities of issuers with higher credit quality.
Extension Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the Fund (such as mortgage-backed securities) later than expected. This may happen when there is a rise in interest rates. These events may lengthen the duration (i.e. interest rate sensitivity) and potentially reduce the value of these securities.
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Prepayment Risk. Certain types of debt securities, such as mortgage-backed securities, have yield and maturity characteristics corresponding to underlying assets. Unlike traditional debt securities, which may pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity when the entire principal amount comes due, payments on certain mortgage-backed securities may include both interest and a partial payment of principal. Besides the scheduled repayment of principal, payments of principal may result from the voluntary prepayment, refinancing, or foreclosure of the underlying mortgage loans.
Securities subject to prepayment are less effective than other types of securities as a means of “locking in” attractive long-term interest rates. One reason is the need to reinvest prepayments of principal; another is the possibility of significant unscheduled prepayments resulting from declines in interest rates. These prepayments would have to be reinvested at lower rates. As a result, these securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayments may also significantly shorten the effective maturities of these securities, especially during periods of declining interest rates. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective maturities of these securities, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing the volatility of the Fund.
At times, some of the mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest will have higher than market interest rates and therefore will be purchased at a premium above their par value. Prepayments may cause losses in securities purchased at a premium, as unscheduled prepayments, which are made at par, will cause the Fund to experience a loss equal to any unamortized premium.
High Yield Securities
The Fund may invest in high yield securities. High yield, high risk bonds are securities that are generally rated below investment grade by the primary rating agencies (BB+ or lower by S&P and Ba1 or lower by Moody’s). Other terms used to describe such securities include “lower rated bonds,” “non-investment grade bonds,” “below investment grade bonds,” and “junk bonds.” These securities are considered to be high-risk investments. The risks include the following:
Greater Risk of Loss. These securities are regarded as predominately speculative. There is a greater risk that issuers of lower rated securities will default than issuers of higher rated securities. Issuers of lower rated securities generally are less creditworthy and may be highly indebted, financially distressed, or bankrupt. These issuers are more vulnerable to real or perceived economic changes, political changes or adverse industry developments. In addition, high yield securities are frequently subordinated to the prior payment of senior indebtedness. If an issuer fails to pay principal or interest, the Fund would experience a decrease in income and a decline in the market value of its investments.
Sensitivity to Interest Rate and Economic Changes. The income and market value of lower-rated securities may fluctuate more than higher rated securities. Although non-investment grade securities tend to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than investment grade securities, non-investment grade securities are more sensitive to short-term corporate, economic and market developments. During periods of economic uncertainty and change, the market price of the investments in lower-rated securities may be volatile. The default rate for high yield bonds tends to be cyclical, with defaults rising in periods of economic downturn.
Valuation Difficulties. It is often more difficult to value lower rated securities than higher rated securities. If an issuer’s financial condition deteriorates, accurate financial and business information may be limited or unavailable. In addition, the lower rated investments may be thinly traded and there may be no established secondary market. Because of the lack of market pricing and current information for
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investments in lower rated securities, valuation of such investments is much more dependent on judgment than is the case with higher rated securities.
Liquidity. There may be no established secondary or public market for investments in lower rated securities. Such securities are frequently traded in markets that may be relatively less liquid than the market for higher rated securities. In addition, relatively few institutional purchasers may hold a major portion of an issue of lower-rated securities at times. As a result, the Fund may be required to sell investments at substantial losses or retain them indefinitely when an issuer’s financial condition is deteriorating.
Credit Quality. Credit quality of non-investment grade securities can change suddenly and unexpectedly, and even recently-issued credit ratings may not fully reflect the actual risks posed by a particular high-yield security.
New Legislation. Future legislation may have a possible negative impact on the market for high yield, high risk investments. As an example, in the late 1980’s, legislation required federally-insured savings and loan associations to divest their investments in high yield, high risk bonds. New legislation, if enacted, could have a material negative effect on the Fund’s investments in lower rated securities. High yield, high risk investments may include the following:
Straight fixed-income debt securities. These include bonds and other debt obligations that bear a fixed or variable rate of interest payable at regular intervals and have a fixed or resettable maturity date. The particular terms of such securities vary and may include features such as call provisions and sinking funds.
Zero-coupon debt securities. These bear no interest obligation but are issued at a discount from their value at maturity. When held to maturity, their entire return equals the difference between their issue price and their maturity value.
Zero-fixed-coupon debt securities. These are zero-coupon debt securities that convert on a specified date to interest-bearing debt securities.
Pay-in-kind bonds. These are bonds which allow the issuer, at its option, to make current interest payments on the bonds either in cash or in additional bonds. These bonds are typically sold without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“1933 Act”), usually to a relatively small number of institutional investors.
Loan Participations and Assignments. These are participations in, or assignments of all or a portion of loans to corporations or to governments, including governments of less developed countries (“LDCs”).
Securities issued in connection with Reorganizations and Corporate Restructurings. In connection with reorganizing or restructuring of an issuer, an issuer may issue common stock or other securities to holders of its debt securities. The Fund may hold such common stock and other securities even if it does not invest in such securities.
Non-U.S. Securities
The Fund may invest in non-U.S. equity securities, including securities listed and traded in emerging markets. Investments in securities listed and traded in emerging markets are subject to additional risks that may not be present for U.S. investments or investments in more developed non-U.S. markets. Investments in non-U.S. equity securities involve certain risks that may not be present in investments in U.S. securities. For example, non-U.S. securities may be subject to currency risks or to foreign government taxes. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and a foreign issuer may or may not be subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those in the U.S. Other risks of investing in such
12


securities include political or economic instability in the country involved, the difficulty of predicting international trade patterns and the possibility of imposition of exchange controls. The prices of such securities may be more volatile than those of domestic securities. With respect to certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of expropriation of assets or nationalization, imposition of withholding taxes on dividend or interest payments, difficulty in obtaining and enforcing judgments against foreign entities or diplomatic developments which could affect investment in these countries. Losses and other expenses may be incurred in converting between various currencies in connection with purchases and sales of foreign securities. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares. Conversely, shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Each of these factors can make an investment in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments.
Non-U.S. stock markets may not be as developed or efficient as, and may be more volatile than, those in the U.S. While the volume of shares traded on non-U.S. stock markets generally has been growing, such markets usually have substantially less volume than U.S. markets. Therefore, the Fund’s investment in non-U.S. equity securities may be less liquid and subject to more rapid and erratic price movements than comparable securities listed for trading on U.S. exchanges. Non-U.S. equity securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. There may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, banks and listed companies abroad than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences may include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, that increase the likelihood of a failed settlement, which can result in losses to the Fund. The value of non-U.S. investments and the investment income derived from them may also be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange control regulations. Foreign brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees are also generally higher than for securities traded in the U.S. This may cause the Fund to incur higher portfolio transaction costs than domestic equity funds. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing a security, even one denominated in U.S. dollars. Dividend and interest payments may be repatriated based on the exchange rate at the time of disbursement, and restrictions on capital flows may be imposed.
The Fund may invest directly or indirectly in the securities of issuers in emerging market countries. Securities of issuers in emerging market countries are subject to all of the risks of foreign investing generally, and have additional heightened risks due to a lack of established legal, political, business, and social frameworks to support securities markets, including: delays in settling portfolio securities transactions; currency and capital controls; greater sensitivity to interest rate changes; pervasiveness of corruption and crime; currency exchange rate volatility; and inflation, deflation, or currency devaluation.
Other Short-Term Instruments
The Fund may invest in short-term instruments, including money market instruments, on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. Money market instruments are generally short-term investments that may include but are not limited to: (i) shares of money market funds; (ii) obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities (including government-sponsored enterprises); (iii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), bankers’ acceptances, fixed time deposits and other obligations of U.S. and foreign banks (including foreign branches) and similar institutions; (iv) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s or “A-1” by S&P or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Adviser; (v) non-convertible corporate debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with remaining maturities at the date of purchase of not more than 397 days and that satisfy the rating requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; and (vi) short-term U.S.
13


dollar-denominated obligations of foreign banks (including U.S. branches) that, in the opinion of the Adviser, are of comparable quality to obligations of U.S. banks which may be purchased by the Fund. Any of these instruments may be purchased on a current or a forward-settled basis. Money market instruments also include shares of money market funds. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Bankers’ acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.
Repurchase Agreements
The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements with commercial banks, brokers or dealers to generate income from its excess cash balances and to invest securities lending cash collateral. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which the Fund acquires a financial instrument (e.g., a security issued by the U.S. government or an agency thereof, a banker’s acceptance or a certificate of deposit) from a seller, subject to resale to the seller at an agreed upon price and date (normally, the next Business Day). A repurchase agreement may be considered a loan collateralized by securities. The resale price reflects an agreed upon interest rate effective for the period the instrument is held by the Fund and is unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying instrument.
In these repurchase agreement transactions, the securities acquired by the Fund (including accrued interest earned thereon) must have a total value in excess of the value of the repurchase agreement and are held by the Custodian until repurchased. No more than an aggregate of 15% of the Fund’s net assets will be invested in illiquid investments, including repurchase agreements having maturities longer than seven days and securities subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale, or for which there are no readily available market quotations.
The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the other party to the agreement defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying security at a time when the value of the security has declined, the Fund may incur a loss upon disposition of the security. If the other party to the agreement becomes insolvent and subject to liquidation or reorganization under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or other laws, a court may determine that the underlying security is collateral for a loan by the Fund not within the control of the Fund and, therefore, the Fund may not be able to substantiate its interest in the underlying security and may be deemed an unsecured creditor of the other party to the agreement.
Securities Lending
The Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to one-third of its total assets to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. In a portfolio securities lending transaction, the Fund receives from the borrower an amount equal to the interest paid or the dividends declared on the loaned securities during the term of the loan as well as the interest on the collateral securities, less any fees (such as finders or administrative fees) the Fund pays in arranging the loan. The Fund may share the interest it receives on the collateral securities with the borrower. The terms of the Fund’s loans permit it to reacquire loaned securities on five business days’ notice or in time to vote on any important matter. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the Fund or borrower at any time, and the borrowed securities must be returned when the loan is terminated. The Fund may pay fees to arrange for securities loans.
The SEC currently requires that the following conditions must be met whenever the Fund’s portfolio securities are loaned: (1) the Fund must receive at least 100% cash collateral from the borrower; (2) the borrower must increase such collateral whenever the market value of the securities rises above the level of such collateral; (3) the Fund must be able to terminate the loan at any time; (4) the Fund must receive reasonable interest on the loan, as well as any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, and any increase in market value; (5) the Fund may pay only reasonable custodian fees approved by the Board in connection with the loan; (6) while voting rights on the loaned securities may
14


pass to the borrower, the Board must terminate the loan and regain the right to vote the securities if a material event adversely affecting the investment occurs; and (7) the Fund may not loan its portfolio securities so that the value of the loaned securities is more than one-third of its total asset value, including collateral received from such loans. These conditions may be subject to future modification. Such loans will be terminable at any time upon specified notice. The Fund might experience the risk of loss if the institution with which it has engaged in a portfolio loan transaction breaches its agreement with the Fund. In addition, the Fund will not enter into any portfolio security lending arrangement having a duration of longer than one year. The principal risk of portfolio lending is potential default or insolvency of the borrower. In either of these cases, the Fund could experience delays in recovering securities or collateral or could lose all or part of the value of the loaned securities. As part of participating in a lending program, the Fund may be required to invest in collateralized debt or other securities that bear the risk of loss of principal. In addition, all investments made with the collateral received are subject to the risks associated with such investments. If such investments lose value, the Fund will have to cover the loss when repaying the collateral.
Any loans of portfolio securities are fully collateralized based on values that are marked-to-market daily. Any securities that the Fund may receive as collateral will not become part of the Fund’s investment portfolio at the time of the loan and, in the event of a default by the borrower, the Fund will, if permitted by law, dispose of such collateral except for such part thereof that is a security in which the Fund is permitted to invest. During the time securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund any accrued income on those securities, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral and earn income or receive an agreed-upon fee from a borrower that has delivered cash-equivalent collateral.
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies
The Fund may invest in stock, warrants, and other securities of special purpose acquisition companies (“SPACs”) or similar special purpose entities that pool funds to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less a portion retained to cover expenses) in U.S. Government securities, money market fund securities, and cash. If an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC is not completed within a pre-established period of time, the invested funds are returned to the entity’s shareholders, less certain permitted expense, and any warrants issued by the SPAC will expire worthless. Because SPACs and similar entities are in essence blank check companies without an operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. In addition, these securities, may be traded in the over-the-counter market, may be considered illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale.
Short Sales
The Fund may sell securities short. A short sale is a transaction in which the Fund sells a security it does not own or have the right to acquire (or that it owns but does not wish to deliver) in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline.
When the Fund makes a short sale, the broker-dealer through which the short sale is made must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the party purchasing the security. The Fund is required to make a margin deposit in connection with such short sales; the Fund may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and will often be obligated to pay over any dividends and accrued interest on borrowed securities.
If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the Fund covers its short position, the Fund will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the Fund will realize a capital gain. Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described
15


above. The successful use of short selling may be adversely affected by imperfect correlation between movements in the price of the security sold short and the securities being hedged.
To the extent the Fund sells securities short, it will provide collateral to the broker-dealer and (except in the case of short sales “against the box”) will maintain additional asset coverage in the form of cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid investments with its custodian in a segregated account in an amount at least equal to the difference between the current market value of the securities sold short and any amounts required to be deposited as collateral with the selling broker (not including the proceeds of the short sale). A short sale is “against the box” to the extent the Fund contemporaneously owns, or has the right to obtain at no added cost, securities identical to those sold short.
U.S. Government Securities
The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities. Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities include U.S. Treasury securities, which are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury and which differ only in their interest rates, maturities, and times of issuance. U.S. Treasury bills have initial maturities of one-year or less; U.S. Treasury notes have initial maturities of one to ten years; and U.S. Treasury bonds generally have initial maturities of greater than ten years. Certain U.S. government securities are issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government including, but not limited to, obligations of U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Small Business Administration, the Federal Farm Credit Administration, the Federal Home Loan Banks, Banks for Cooperatives (including the Central Bank for Cooperatives), the Federal Land Banks, the Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Federal Financing Bank, the Student Loan Marketing Association, the National Credit Union Administration and the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac).
Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities, including, for example, Ginnie Mae pass- through certificates, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those securities issued by Fannie Mae, are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase certain obligations of the federal agency, while other obligations issued by or guaranteed by federal agencies, such as those of the Federal Home Loan Banks, are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, while the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored federal agencies, no assurance can be given that the U.S. government will always do so, since the U.S. government is not so obligated by law. U.S. Treasury notes and bonds typically pay coupon interest semi- annually and repay the principal at maturity.
On September 7, 2008, the U.S. Treasury announced a federal takeover of Fannie Mae and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), placing the two federal instrumentalities in conservatorship. Under the takeover, the U.S. Treasury agreed to acquire $1 billion of senior preferred stock of each instrumentality and obtained warrants for the purchase of common stock of each instrumentality (the “Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement” or “Agreement”). Under the Agreement, the U.S. Treasury pledged to provide up to $200 billion per instrumentality as needed, including the contribution of cash capital to the instrumentalities in the event their liabilities exceed their assets. This was intended to ensure that the instrumentalities maintain a positive net worth and meet their financial obligations, preventing mandatory triggering of receivership. On December 24, 2009, the U.S. Treasury announced that it was amending the Agreement to allow the $200 billion cap on the U.S. Treasury’s funding commitment to increase as necessary to accommodate any cumulative reduction in net worth over the next three years. As a result of this Agreement, the investments of holders, including the
16


Fund, of mortgage-backed securities and other obligations issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are protected.
The total public debt of the United States as a percentage of gross domestic product has grown rapidly since the beginning of the 2008-2009 financial downturn. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high national debt can raise concerns that the U.S. government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. This increase has also necessitated the need for the U.S. Congress to negotiate adjustments to the statutory debt limit to increase the cap on the amount the U.S. government is permitted to borrow to meet its existing obligations and finance current budget deficits. In August 2011, S&P lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. In explaining the downgrade at that time, S&P cited, among other reasons, controversy over raising the statutory debt limit and growth in public spending. On August 2, 2019, following passage by Congress, the President of the United States signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019, which suspends the statutory debt limit through July 31, 2021. Any controversy or ongoing uncertainty regarding the statutory debt ceiling negotiations may impact the U.S. long-term sovereign credit rating and may cause market uncertainty. As a result, market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government may be adversely affected.
Temporary Defensive Positions
In order to respond to adverse or unstable market, economic, political or other conditions, the Fund may assume a temporary defensive position that is inconsistent with its investment objective and principal investment strategies and invest, without limitation, in cash or prime quality cash equivalents.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

The investment restrictions applicable to the Fund are set forth below and are either fundamental or non-fundamental. Fundamental restrictions may not be changed without a majority vote of shareholders as required by the 1940 Act. Non-fundamental policies or restrictions may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.

Fundamental Investment Restrictions

The Trust (on behalf of the Fund) has adopted the following restrictions as fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a “majority” of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. Under the 1940 Act, the “vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” means the vote of the holders of the lesser of (i) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund present at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the Fund’s outstanding shares are present or represented by proxy or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

As a matter of fundamental policy:

1.The Fund may not lend money or other assets except to the extent permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

17


2.The Fund may not borrow money, except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

3.The Fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

4.The Fund may not concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as concentration is defined under the 1940 Act, the rules or regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time, except that the Fund will concentrate to the extent the Adviser’s quantitative strategy indicates that such concentration is appropriate from an investment perspective. The Fund may also invest without limitation in: (i) securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities; (ii) tax-exempt obligations of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions; (iii) securities of other investment companies; and (iv) repurchase agreements.

5.The Fund may not purchase or sell real estate, except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority (although the Fund may purchase and sell securities which are secured by real estate and securities of companies which invest or deal in real estate, such as REITs).

6.The Fund may not buy or sell commodities or commodity (futures) contracts, except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority.

7.The Fund may not engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers except as permitted by (i) the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by the SEC, SEC staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, or (ii) exemptive or other relief or permission from the SEC, SEC staff or other authority, and except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.

8.The Fund may not make investments for the purpose of exercising control or acquiring management of a company.

Percentage and Rating Restrictions

Except with respect to borrowing, all percentage or rating restrictions on an investment or use of assets set forth herein or in the Prospectus are adhered to at the time of investment. Later changes in the percentage or rating resulting from any cause other than actions by the Fund will not be considered a violation of the Fund’s investment restrictions. If the value of the Fund’s holdings of illiquid investments at any time exceeds the percentage limitation applicable due to subsequent fluctuations in value or other reasons, the Board will consider what actions are appropriate to maintain adequate liquidity.

18


Additional Information Regarding Fundamental Investment Restrictions

The following descriptions of the 1940 Act may assist investors in understanding the above policies and restrictions.

Lending. The 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from making loans (including lending its securities); however, SEC staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets (including lending its securities), except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments (as applicable), as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

For purposes of the Fund’s fundamental investment restriction with respect to lending, the entry into repurchase agreements, lending securities and acquiring of debt securities shall not constitute loans by the Fund.

Senior Securities and Borrowing. The 1940 Act prohibits the Fund from issuing any class of senior securities or selling any senior securities of which it is the issuer, except that the Fund is permitted to borrow from a bank so long as, immediately after such borrowings, there is an asset coverage of at least 300% for all borrowings of the Fund (not including borrowings for temporary purposes in an amount not exceeding 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets). In the event that such asset coverage falls below this percentage, the Fund is required to reduce the amount of its borrowings within three days (not including Sundays and holidays) so that the asset coverage is restored to at least 300%. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of a fund’s total assets (including amounts borrowed), minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowings or involve leverage and thus are subject to the 1940 Act restrictions. In accordance with SEC staff guidance and interpretations, when a fund engages in such transactions, the fund instead of maintaining asset coverage of at least 300%, may segregate or earmark liquid assets, or enter into an offsetting position, in an amount at least equal to the fund’s exposure, on a mark-to-market basis, to the transaction (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the SEC). The fundamental restriction in (2) above will be interpreted to permit the Fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing or to involve leverage to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and to permit the Fund to segregate or earmark liquid assets or enter into offsetting positions in accordance with the 1940 Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

Concentration. The SEC staff has defined concentration as investing 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in any particular industry or group of industries, with certain exceptions such as with respect to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities, or tax-exempt obligations of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions. The SEC staff has further maintained that a fund should consider the underlying investments, where easily determined, of investment companies in which the fund is invested when determining concentration of the fund. For purposes of the Fund’s concentration policy, the Fund may classify and re-classify companies in a particular industry and define and re-define industries in any reasonable manner, consistent with SEC and SEC staff guidance. In this regard, the Adviser may analyze the characteristics of a particular issuer and instrument and may assign an industry classification
19


consistent with those characteristics. The Adviser may, but need not, consider industry classifications provided by third parties.

Non-Diversification. Under the 1940 Act and the rules, regulations and interpretations thereunder, an investment company is a “diversified company” if, as to 75% of its total assets, it does not purchase securities of any issuer (other than obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. government or its agencies, or instrumentalities or securities of other investment companies) if, as a result, more than 5% of its total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, or more than 10% of the issuer’s voting securities would be held by the investment company. For purposes of the Fund’s diversification policy, the identification of the issuer of a security may be determined in any reasonable manner, consistent with SEC guidance. The Fund is non-diversified, which means that there is no restriction under the 1940 Act on how much the Fund may invest in the securities of one issuer. As a non-diversified investment company, the Fund may be subject to greater risks than diversified companies because of the larger impact of fluctuation in the values of securities of fewer issues.

However, since the Fund intends to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the “Code”), the Fund will limit its investment, excluding cash, cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies, so that at the close of each quarter of the taxable year, (1) not more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of a single issuer, and (2) with respect to 50% of its total assets, not more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of a single issuer nor represent more than 10% of the issuer’s outstanding voting securities.

Underwriting. The 1940 Act does not prohibit a fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, in the case of diversified funds, the 1940 Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of a fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap.

Commodities. The 1940 Act neither permits nor prohibits a fund from investing in commodities or commodity (futures) contracts. The Fund does not currently intend to invest in commodities or commodity (futures) contracts.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The frequency of the Fund’s portfolio transactions (the portfolio turnover rate) will vary from year to year depending on many factors. The Adviser will engage in active trading with high portfolio turnover of the Fund’s portfolio, and the Funds’s portfolio securities may be sold without regard to the length of time they have been held when, in the opinion of the Adviser, investment considerations warrant such action. Higher portfolio turnover rates may result in increased brokerage costs to the Fund and a possible increase in short-term capital gains or losses. The Fund’s annual portfolio turnover rate will be included in the “Financial Highlights” section of the Fund’s Prospectus following the commencement of Fund operations.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION
The Trust’s Board has adopted a policy regarding the disclosure of information about the Fund’s security holdings. The Fund’s entire portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Fund is open for
20


business through financial reporting and news services including publicly available internet web sites. In addition, the composition of the in-kind creation basket and the in-kind redemption basket is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of the Exchange (as defined below) via the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”).
Greater than daily access to information concerning the Fund’s portfolio holdings will be permitted (i) to certain personnel of service providers to the Fund involved in portfolio management and providing administrative, operational, risk management, or other support to portfolio management, and (ii) to other personnel of the Fund’s service providers who deal directly with, or assist in, functions related to investment management, administration, custody and fund accounting, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course, agreements with the Fund, and the terms of the Trust’s current registration statement. From time to time, and in the ordinary course of business, such information may also be disclosed (i) to other entities that provide services to the Fund, including pricing information vendors, and third parties that deliver analytical, statistical or consulting services to the Fund and (ii) generally after it has been disseminated to the NSCC.
The Fund will disclose its complete portfolio holdings in public filings with the SEC on a quarterly basis, based on the Fund’s fiscal year-end, within 60 days of the end of the quarter, and will provide that information to shareholders, as required by federal securities laws and regulations thereunder.
No person is authorized to disclose any of the Fund’s portfolio holdings or other investment positions (whether in writing, by fax, by e-mail, orally, or by other means) except in accordance with this policy. The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer may authorize disclosure of portfolio holdings. The Board reviews the implementation of this policy on a periodic basis.

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING
A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, the Prospectus.
The shares of the Fund are listed on the [ ] (the “Exchange”) and trade on the Exchange at market prices. These prices may differ from the Fund’s NAV per share. 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 will consider the suspension of trading in, and will initiate delisting procedures of, the shares of the Fund under any of the following circumstances: (1) if the Exchange becomes aware that the Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act; (2) if the Fund no longer complies with the relevant requirements in the Exchange’s rules; (3) if, following the initial twelve-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of the Fund on the Exchange, there are fewer than 50 record and/or beneficial holders of the shares; or (4) such other event occurs or condition exists that, in the opinion of the Exchange, makes further dealings on the Exchange inadvisable.
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.
As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.
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 per share is calculated and the trading currency is the currency in which shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the Exchange.
21



TRUSTEES AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The Board oversees the management and operations of the Trust. The Board, in turn, elects the officers of the Trust, who are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Trust and its separate series. The current Trustees and officers of the Trust, their year of birth, positions with the Trust, terms of office with the Trust and length of time served, principal occupations during the past five years and other directorships are set forth in the table below. Unless noted otherwise, the principal business address of each Trustee is c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202.

Name and Year of BirthPositions
with
the Trust
Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
Principal
Occupations During
Past Five Years
Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex(2)
Overseen
by Trustees
Other
Directorships
Held During
Past Five Years
Independent Trustees of the Trust(1)
Koji Felton
(born 1961)
TrusteeIndefinite Term;
Since September 2015.
Retired.1Independent Trustee, Listed Funds Trust (15 portfolios) (Since 2019).
Debra McGinty-Poteet
(born 1956)
TrusteeIndefinite Term; Since September 2015.Retired.1Independent Trustee, F/m Funds Trust (3 portfolios) (Since May 2015).
Daniel B. Willey
(born 1955)
TrusteeIndefinite Term;
Since September 2015.
Retired. Chief Compliance Officer, United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (2009 - 2017).1None
Interested Trustee
Elaine E. Richards(3)
(born 1968)
Chair, TrusteeIndefinite Term; Since July 2021Senior Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (since 2007).1None
Officers of the Trust
Ryan L. Roell
 (born 1973)
President and Principal Executive Officer Indefinite Term; Since July 2019.Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (since 2005).Not ApplicableNot
Applicable
22


Name and Year of BirthPositions
with
the Trust
Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
Principal
Occupations During
Past Five Years
Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex(2)
Overseen
by Trustees
Other
Directorships
Held During
Past Five Years
Cullen O. Small
 (born 1987)
Vice President, Treasurer and Principal Financial OfficerIndefinite Term;
Since January 2019.
Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (since 2010).Not
Applicable
Not
Applicable
Donna Barrette
 (born 1966)
Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering OfficerIndefinite Term; Since November 2019.Senior Vice President and Compliance Officer, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (since 2004).Not
Applicable
Not
Applicable
Adam W. Smith
 (born 1981)
SecretaryIndefinite Term; Since June 2019.Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (since 2012).Not
Applicable
Not
Applicable
Hailey S. Glaser
 (born 1989)
Assistant TreasurerIndefinite Term; Since July 2019.Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (since 2015).Not
Applicable
Not
Applicable
Kristen M. Pierson
 (born 1979)
Assistant TreasurerIndefinite Term; Since July 2019.Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (since 2017); Lead Fund Accountant, UMB Fund Services, Inc. (2006-2017).Not
Applicable
Not
Applicable
(1)The Trustees of the Trust who are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act (“Independent Trustees”).
(2)As of the date of this SAI, the Trust was comprised of [9] portfolios (including the Fund) managed by unaffiliated investment advisers. The term “Fund Complex” applies only to the Fund. The Fund does not hold itself out as related to any other series within the Trust for investment purposes, nor does it share the same investment adviser with any other series within the Trust.
(3)Ms. Richards, as a result of her employment with U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, which acts as transfer agent, administrator, and fund accountant to the Trust, is considered to be an “interested person” of the Trust, as defined by the 1940 Act.

Additional Information Concerning the Board of Trustees

The Role of the Board

The Board oversees the management and operations of the Trust. Like all mutual funds, the day-to-day management and operation of the Trust is the responsibility of the various service providers to the Trust, such as the Adviser, the Distributor, the Administrator, the Custodian, and the Transfer Agent, each of whom are discussed in greater detail in this SAI. The Board has appointed various senior employees of the Administrator as officers of the Trust, with responsibility to monitor and report to the Board on the Trust’s operations. In conducting this oversight, the Board receives regular reports from these officers and
23


the service providers. For example, the Treasurer provides reports as to financial reporting matters and the President provides reports as to matters relating to the Trust’s operations. In addition, the Adviser provides regular reports on the investment strategy and performance of the Fund. The Board has appointed a CCO who administers the Trust’s compliance program and regularly reports to the Board as to compliance matters. These reports are provided as part of formal “Board Meetings” which are typically held quarterly, in person, and involve the Board’s review of recent operations. In addition, various members of the Board also meet with management in less formal settings, between formal “Board Meetings,” to discuss various topics. In all cases, however, the role of the Board and of any individual Trustee is one of oversight and not of management of the day-to-day affairs of the Trust and its oversight role does not make the Board a guarantor of the Trust’s investments, operations or activities.

Board Structure, Leadership

The Board has structured itself in a manner that it believes allows it to perform its oversight function effectively. It has established three standing committees, a Governance and Nominating Committee, an Audit Committee, which also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee, and a Valuation Committee, which are discussed in greater detail below under “Trust Committees.” The Board is comprised of one Interested Trustee and three Independent Trustees, which are Trustees that are not affiliated with the Adviser, the principal underwriter, or their affiliates. The Governance and Nominating Committee, Audit Committee and Qualified Legal Compliance Committee are comprised entirely of Independent Trustees. The Chair of the Board is an Interested Trustee. The Board has determined not to appoint a lead Independent Trustee; however, the Independent Trustees are advised by independent counsel. The President and Principal Executive Officer of the Trust is not a Trustee, but rather is a senior employee of the Administrator who routinely interacts with the unaffiliated investment advisers of the Trust and comprehensively manages the operational aspects of the funds in the Trust. The Trust has determined that it is appropriate to separate the Principal Executive Officer and Chair of the Board positions because the day-to day responsibilities of the Principal Executive Officer are not consistent with the oversight role of the Trustees and because of the potential conflict of interest that may arise from the Administrator’s duties with the Trust. The Board reviews its structure and the structure of its committees annually. Given the specific characteristics of the Trust, as described above, the Board has determined that the structure of the Interested Chair, the composition of the Board, and the function and composition of its various committees are appropriate means to address any potential conflicts of interest that may arise.

Board Oversight of Risk Management

As part of its oversight function, the Board receives and reviews various risk management reports and discusses these matters with appropriate management and other personnel. Because risk management is a broad concept comprised of many elements (e.g., investment risk, issuer and counterparty risk, compliance risk, operational risks, business continuity risks, etc.), the oversight of different types of risks is handled in different ways. For example, the Audit Committee meets with the Treasurer and the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm to discuss, among other things, the internal control structure of the Trust’s financial reporting function. The Board meets regularly with the CCO to discuss compliance and operational risks and how they are managed. The Board also receives reports from the Adviser as to investment risks of the Fund. In addition to these reports, from time to time the Board receives reports from the Administrator and the Adviser as to enterprise risk management.

24


Information about Each Trustee’s Qualification, Experience, Attributes or Skills

The Board believes that each of the Trustees has the qualifications, experience, attributes and skills (“Trustee Attributes”) appropriate to their continued service as Trustees of the Trust in light of the Trust’s business and structure. The Board annually conducts a “self-assessment” wherein the effectiveness of the Board and individual Trustees is reviewed.

In addition to the information provided in the chart above, below is certain additional information concerning each particular Trustee and his/her Trustee Attributes. The information is not all-inclusive. Many Trustee Attributes involve intangible elements, such as intelligence, integrity, work ethic, the ability to work together, the ability to communicate effectively, the ability to exercise judgment, to ask incisive questions, and commitment to shareholder interests.

Koji Felton. Mr. Felton has served as a Trustee since 2015 and has substantial experience with the mutual fund industry and familiarity with federal securities laws and regulations. Mr. Felton’s prior experience includes serving as Director and Counsel for KKR Credit Advisors LLC, the asset manager arm of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (2013 - 2015). Prior to that Mr. Felton served as counsel in the Financial Services Group at Dechert LLP from (2011 - 2013), as well as in various capacities, and ultimately as Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for mutual funds, at Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (1998 – 2011). Mr. Felton also worked as a staff attorney and served as an Enforcement Branch Chief for the San Francisco District Office of the SEC (1992 - 1998). Mr. Felton began his career as a litigation associate specializing in securities and banking litigation at Shearman & Sterling (1986 - 1992).

Debra McGinty-Poteet. Ms. McGinty-Poteet has served as a Trustee since 2015 and has significant mutual fund industry experience, including her current and prior experience on mutual fund boards. Ms. McGinty-Poteet currently also serves an Independent Trustee for F/m Funds Trust. Prior to becoming a Trustee of the Trust, Ms. McGinty-Poteet served as the President, Chairman of the Board, and Interested Trustee for Brandes Investment Trust where she also oversaw the proprietary and sub-advisory mutual fund business for Brandes Investment Advisors (1999 – 2012). Ms. McGinty-Poteet previously served as Chief Operating Officer of North American Trust Company (1997 – 1998); Global Managing Director of Mutual Funds at Bank of America (1992 – 1996); and in various capacities, and ultimately as Global Head of Mutual Funds, at Security Pacific Bank (1982 – 1992).

Daniel Willey. Mr. Willey has served as a Trustee since 2015 and has significant work history and experience in the investment management industry. As a chief compliance officer, Mr. Willey has valuable experience in an oversight role and in working with regulatory compliance matters. Mr. Willey served as the Chief Compliance Officer of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (2009-2017). Prior to this role, Mr. Willey served as the Chief Operating and Chief Compliance Officer of Barrett Associates, Inc. (investment adviser and affiliate of Legg Mason (2007 – 2009); President and Chief Executive Officer of TIMCO, Citigroup Asset Management (2004 – 2006); Head Equity Trader of TIMCO (1994 – 2004); Vice President, Shawmut National Bank (1992 – 1994); Investment Officer, State of Connecticut (1990 – 1992); Vice President, Bank of New England (Connecticut Bank & Trust) (1981 – 1990); Registered Representative, Tucker Anthony and R.L. Day, Inc. (1979 – 1981); and Assistant Analyst, The Travelers Insurance Company (1977 – 1979).

Elaine Richards. Ms. Richards has served as a Trustee since 2021 and has over 25 years of experience, knowledge, and understanding of the mutual fund industry. Ms. Richards currently serves as a Senior Vice President of U.S. Bank Global Fund Services and has extensive experience in the 1940 Act, securities law in general and SEC compliance and regulatory matters. In addition, Ms. Richards has
25


extensive experience in the oversight of regulatory examinations and providing support and assistance to mutual fund clients implementing new regulatory requirements. Prior to joining U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, Ms. Richards was Vice President and senior counsel at Wells Fargo Funds Management.

Trust Committees

The Trust has three standing committees: the Governance and Nominating Committee, the Audit Committee, which also serves as the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee (“QLCC”), and the Valuation Committee.

The Governance and Nominating Committee, comprised of all the Independent Trustees, is responsible for making recommendations to the Board regarding various governance-related aspects of the Board’s responsibilities and seeking and reviewing candidates for consideration as nominees for Trustees and meets only as necessary. The Governance and Nominating Committee will consider nominees nominated by shareholders. Recommendations by shareholders for consideration by the Governance and Nominating Committee should be sent to the President of the Trust in writing together with the appropriate biographical information concerning each such proposed nominee, and such recommendation must comply with the notice provisions set forth in the Trust Bylaws. In general, to comply with such procedures, such nominations, together with all required biographical information, must be delivered to and received by the President of the Trust at the principal executive offices of the Trust no less than 120 days and no more than 150 days prior to the shareholder meeting at which any such nominee would be voted on. The Governance and Nominating Committee has not held any meetings with respect to the Fund as of the date of this SAI.

The Audit Committee is comprised of all of the Independent Trustees. The Audit Committee generally meets on a quarterly basis with respect to the various series of the Trust, and may meet more frequently. The function of the Audit Committee, with respect to each series of the Trust, is to review the scope and results of the audit of such series’ financial statements and any matters bearing on the audit or the financial statements, and to ensure the integrity of the series’ pricing and financial reporting. The Audit Committee has not held any meetings with respect to the Fund as of the date of this SAI.

The function of the QLCC is to receive reports from an attorney retained by the Trust of evidence of a material violation by the Trust or by any officer, director, employee or agent of the Trust.

The Board has delegated day-to-day valuation issues to a Valuation Committee that is comprised of certain officers of the Trust and the Interested Trustee of the Trust, and is overseen by the Board. The function of the Valuation Committee is to oversee and approve the fair value of securities held by any series of the Trust for which current and reliable market quotations are not readily available. Such securities are valued at their respective fair values as determined in good faith by the Valuation Committee. The actions of the Valuation Committee are subsequently reviewed and ratified by the Board. The Valuation Committee meets as needed. The Valuation Committee has not held any meetings with respect to the Fund as of the date of this SAI.

Trustee Ownership of Fund Shares and Other Interests

No Trustee beneficially owned shares of the Fund as of December 31, 2020, which is prior to the inception date of the Fund. Furthermore, neither the Independent Trustees nor members of their immediate family, own securities beneficially or of record in the Adviser, the Fund’s principal underwriter, or any of their affiliates as of the same date.
26



Compensation

The Independent Trustees each will receive an annual retainer of $35,000. In addition, the Independent Trustees will receive $500 per any special meeting attended telephonically. Independent Trustees will receive additional fees from applicable portfolios for any special meetings at rates assessed by the Trustees depending on the length of the meeting and whether in-person attendance is required. Independent Trustees will also be reimbursed for expenses in connection with each Board meeting attended. These reimbursements will be allocated among applicable portfolios of the Trust. The Trust has no pension or retirement plan. No other entity affiliated with the Trust pays any compensation to the Trustees. The Trust does not pay any fees to, or reimburse expenses of, the Interested Trustee.

Because the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI, the following compensation figures represent estimates for the Fund’s current fiscal year ending [...], 2022:
Name of Person/ Position
Aggregate
Compensation From
the Fund(1)
Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Accrued
as Part of Fund
Expenses
Estimated Annual
Benefits Upon
Retirement
Total Compensation
from Fund and Fund
Complex(2) Paid to
Trustees
Koji Felton, Independent Trustee
[...]NoneNone[...]
Debra McGinty Poteet, Independent Trustee[...]NoneNone[...]
Daniel Willey, Independent Trustee
[...]NoneNone[...]
(1)Trustees’ fees and expenses are allocated among the Fund and all other series comprising the Trust.
(2)As of the date of this SAI, the Trust was comprised of [9] portfolios (including the Fund) managed by unaffiliated investment advisers. The term “Fund Complex” applies only to the Fund, and not to other series of the Trust. For the period ended [...], 2022, estimated aggregate Independent Trustees’ fees and expenses amounted to $[...].

Codes of Ethics

The Trust, the Adviser and the distributor have each adopted a separate code of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act. These codes of ethics permit, subject to certain conditions, personnel of the Adviser and distributor to invest in securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund.

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (the “Trust Proxy Policies”) on behalf of the Trust which delegate the responsibility for voting proxies to the Adviser or its designee, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. The Trust’s Proxy Policies require that the Adviser or its designee vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The Trust Proxy Policies also require the Adviser to present to the Board, at least annually, the Adviser’s proxy policies and a record of each proxy voted by the Adviser on behalf of the Fund, including a report on the resolution of all proxies identified by the Adviser as involving a conflict of interest.

The Adviser has adopted proxy policies, which may be amended from time to time. In voting proxies, the Adviser is guided by fiduciary principles. All proxies are to be voted solely in the best interests of the beneficial owners of the securities. A copy of the Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures is attached to this SAI as Appendix A.
27



The Trust is required to file a Form N-PX, with the Fund’s complete proxy voting record for the 12 months ended June 30, no later than August 31 of each year. Form N-PX for the Fund will be available without charge, upon request, by calling toll-free [...] and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

CONTROL PERSONS, PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS AND MANAGEMENT OWNERSHIP

A principal shareholder is any person who owns of record or is known by the Trust to own beneficially 5% or more of any class of the outstanding shares of any class of the Fund. A control person is any person who owns beneficially or through controlled companies more than 25% of the voting securities of the Fund or acknowledges the existence of control.

Because the Fund had not commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI, there are no principal shareholders or control persons of the Fund as of the date of this SAI and the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group did not own more than 1% of the outstanding shares of any class of the Fund.

THE FUND’S INVESTMENT ADVISER

As stated in the Prospectus, investment advisory services are provided to the Fund by Optimize Advisors LLC, pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”). The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tradelegs LLC, a financial technology company that utilizes Options Artificial Intelligence to generate a new class of systematic strategies.

As compensation, the Fund will pay the Adviser a monthly unified management fee (accrued daily) based upon the average daily net assets of the Fund at the annual rate of 1.00%.

Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser has agreed to pay all expenses of the Fund except for the fee paid to the Adviser pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement, interest charges on any borrowings, taxes, brokerage commissions and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments, acquired fund fees and expenses, accrued deferred tax liability, extraordinary expenses, and distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.

The Advisory Agreement continues in effect for an initial two year period, and from year to year thereafter only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities and by a majority of the Independent Trustees, who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party, in each case cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Advisory Agreement. The Advisory Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on behalf of the Fund on not more than 60 days’, nor less than 30 days’, written notice to the Adviser when authorized either by a majority vote of the Fund’s shareholders or by a vote of a majority of the Trustees, or by the Adviser on not more than 60 days’ written notice to the Trust, and will automatically terminate in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act). The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable under such agreement for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss arising out of any investment or for any act or omission in the execution of portfolio transactions for the Fund, except for willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of its obligations and duties thereunder.

28


Because the Fund commenced operations on or about the date of this SAI, the Fund neither paid nor accrued any management fees during the last three fiscal years.

Portfolio Managers

Mr. Michael Khouw and Mr. Andrew De Feo are the portfolio managers of the Fund and responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Information regarding other accounts managed by Mr. Michael Khouw and Mr. Andrew De Feo as of [...] 2022 is set forth below.

Michael Khouw
Category of AccountTotal Number of
Accounts Managed
Total Assets in
Accounts Managed
(in millions)
Number of
Accounts for which
Advisory Fee is
Based on
Performance
Assets in Accounts
for which Advisory
Fee is Based on
Performance
Other Registered Investment Companies[...]$[...][...]$[...]
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles[...]$[...][...]$[...]
Other Accounts[...]$[...][...]$[...]
Andrew De Feo
Category of AccountTotal Number of
Accounts Managed
Total Assets in
Accounts Managed
(in millions)
Number of
Accounts for which
Advisory Fee is
Based on
Performance
Assets in Accounts
for which Advisory
Fee is Based on
Performance
Other Registered Investment Companies[...]$[...][...]$[...]
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles[...]$[...][...]$[...]
Other Accounts[...]$[...][...]$[...]

Compensation

The Fund’s Portfolio Managers receive a fixed salary with annual bonuses that are based on performance, and may include the performance of the Fund. In addition, certain of the portfolio managers may own equity interests in the Adviser. As a result, the total compensation of the Adviser’s equity owners is tied to the overall performance of the Adviser and the degree to which client objectives have been met.

Conflicts of Interest

Material conflicts of interest that may arise in connection with the portfolio managers’ management of the Fund’s investments and investments of other accounts managed by the portfolio managers include conflicts associated with the allocation of investment opportunities between the Fund and other accounts managed. The Adviser maintains investment, trade allocation, and account valuation (including fair valuation) policies and procedures to address and mitigate such conflicts of interest.

Additional information about potential conflicts of interest is set forth in Part 2A of the Adviser’s Form ADV, which is available on the SEC’s website (adviserinfo.sec.gov).
29



Ownership of Shares of the Fund

As of the date of this SAI, the Portfolio Managers do not beneficially own any shares of the Fund. Shares of the Fund cannot be acquired until the Fund’s launch date.

SERVICE PROVIDERS

Administrator, Transfer Agent and Fund Accountant

Pursuant to an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”), U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services (“Fund Services”) and is located at 615 East Michigan Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, acts as the Administrator to the Fund. Fund Services provides certain services to the Fund including, among other responsibilities, coordinating the negotiation of contracts and fees with, and the monitoring of performance and billing of, the Fund’s independent contractors and agents; preparation for signature by an officer of the Trust of all documents required to be filed for compliance by the Trust and the Fund with applicable laws and regulations, excluding those of the securities laws of various states; arranging for the computation of performance data, including NAV and yield; responding to shareholder inquiries; and arranging for the maintenance of books and records of the Fund, and providing, at its own expense, office facilities, equipment and personnel necessary to carry out its duties. In this capacity, Fund Services does not have any responsibility or authority for the management of the Fund, the determination of investment policy, or for any matter pertaining to the distribution of the Fund’s shares.

Pursuant to the Administration Agreement, as compensation for its services, Fund Services receives from the Fund, a fee based on the Fund’s current average daily net assets, subject to a minimum annual fee. Fund Services also is entitled to certain out-of-pocket expenses. Fund Services also acts as fund accountant, transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent under separate agreements.

Custodian

U.S. Bank National Association is the custodian of the assets of the Fund (the “Custodian”) pursuant to a custody agreement between the Custodian and the Trust. For its services, the Custodian receives a monthly fee based on a percentage of the Fund’s assets, in addition to certain transaction based fees, and is reimbursed for out of pocket expenses. The Custodian’s address is 1555 N. River Center Drive, Suite 302, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212. The Custodian does not participate in decisions relating to the purchase and sale of securities by the Fund. Fund Services, the Custodian, and the Fund’s principal underwriter are affiliated entities under the common control of U.S. Bancorp. The Custodian and its affiliates may participate in revenue sharing arrangements with the service providers of mutual funds in which the Fund may invest.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm and Legal Counsel

[...], is the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund and performs an annual audit of the Fund’s financial statements.

Goodwin Procter LLP, 1900 N Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, serves as legal counsel to the Trust and to the independent trustees.

30


EXECUTION OF PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser determines which securities are to be purchased and sold by the Fund and which broker-dealers are eligible to execute the Fund’s portfolio transactions. Purchases and sales of securities on an exchange are affected through brokers that charge a commission while purchases and sales of securities in the over-the-counter market will generally be executed directly with the primary “market-maker” unless, in the opinion of the Adviser, a better price and execution can otherwise be obtained by using a broker for the transaction. Purchases and sales of portfolio securities that are 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 price of securities purchased from underwriters includes a disclosed fixed commission or concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter, and prices of securities purchased from dealers serving as market makers reflects the spread between the bid and asked price. The price of over-the-counter securities usually includes an undisclosed commission or markup.

In selecting brokers or counterparties for the Fund, the Adviser will use its best judgment to choose the brokers most likely to provide “best execution.” Brokers are selected on the basis of an evaluation by the Adviser of the overall value and quality of the brokerage services provide by such firms to clients of the Adviser, including the Fund. Such service and characteristics may include, but are not limited to: commission rates charged by the broker and the ability to minimize overall costs to the Adviser’s clients; possible adverse market impact of the order and/or the Adviser’s opinion of which broker is best able to handle the order to minimize adverse market impact; execution capability and expertise; responsiveness; trading infrastructure; and ability to accommodate any special execution orders or handling requirements. The Adviser’s choice of brokers and best execution is subject to periodic, ongoing review by the Adviser.

In selecting brokers, the Adviser does not have an obligation to seek the lowest available cost, but rather may consider all relevant factors, including those noted above. As a result, the Adviser may pay transaction costs that would be higher than the Adviser may be able to obtain through another broker.

Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is a “safe harbor” that permits an investment manager to use commissions or “soft dollars” to obtain research and brokerage services that provide lawful and appropriate assistance in the investment decision-making process. The Adviser will limit the use of “soft dollars” to obtain research and brokerage services to services which constitute research and brokerage within the meaning of Section 28(e). Research services within Section 28(e) may include, but are not limited to, research reports (including market research); certain financial newsletters and trade journals; software providing analysis of securities portfolios; corporate governance research and rating services; attendance at certain seminars and conferences; discussions with research analysts; meetings with corporate executives; consultants’ advice on portfolio strategy; data services (including services providing market data, company financial data and economic data); advice from brokers on order execution; and certain proxy services. Brokerage services within Section 28(e) may include, but are not limited to, services related to the execution, clearing and settlement of securities transactions and functions incidental thereto (i.e., connectivity services between an investment manager and a broker-dealer and other relevant parties such as custodians); trading software operated by a broker-dealer to route orders; software that provides trade analytics and trading strategies; software used to transmit orders; clearance and settlement in connection with a trade; electronic communication of allocation instructions; routing settlement instructions; post trade matching of trade information; and services required by the
31


SEC or a self-regulatory organization such as comparison services, electronic confirms or trade affirmations.

The Fund has not paid brokerage commissions as it has not commenced operations as of the date of this SAI.

BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM

Depository Trust Company (“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. Except in limited circumstances set forth below, certificates will not be issued for shares.

DTC is a limited-purpose trust company that was created to hold securities of its participants (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 [NYSE] 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 shares of the Fund is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants, and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in shares of the Fund (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 shares of the Fund. The Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the record owner of all shares of the Fund for all purposes. Beneficial Owners of shares of the Fund are not entitled to have such 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 shares of the Fund.

Conveyance of all notices, statements, and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. DTC will make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee a listing of shares of the Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall obtain from each such DTC Participant the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares of the Fund, 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 all shares of the Fund. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately
32


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 shares of the Fund 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 comparable cost or, if such replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of shares of the Fund, unless the Trust makes other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Exchange.

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES IN CREATION UNITS

The Fund offers and issues shares only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load (but subject to transaction fees, if applicable), at their NAV per share next determined after receipt of an order, on any Business Day, in proper form pursuant to the terms of the Authorized Participant Agreement (“Participant Agreement”). The NAV of the Fund’s shares is calculated each business day as of the scheduled close of regular trading on the [...], generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time. The Fund will not issue fractional Creation Units. A “Business Day” is any day on which the [...] is open for business.

Fund Deposit. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) per each Creation Unit and the Cash Component (defined below), computed as described below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of a “cash in lieu” amount (“Deposit Cash”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. When accepting purchases of Creation Units for all or a portion of Deposit Cash, the Fund may incur additional costs associated with the acquisition of Deposit Securities that would otherwise be provided by an in-kind purchaser.

Together, the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of the Fund. The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of Shares (per Creation Unit) and the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit exceeds the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such negative amount and the creator will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Component. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the value
33


of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. Computation of the Cash Component excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant (as defined below).

The Fund, through NSCC, makes available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments as described below, to effect purchases of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.

The identity and number of Shares of the Deposit Securities or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for a Fund Deposit for the Fund changes as adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser with a view to the investment objective of the Fund.

The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any Deposit Security, which shall be added to the Cash Component, including, without limitation, in situations where the Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities; (iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant (as defined below) or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws or where the delivery of the Deposit Security to the Authorized Participant would result in the disposition of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant becoming restricted under the securities laws; or (v) in certain other situations (collectively, “custom orders”). The adjustments described above will reflect changes, known to the Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Fund Deposit, in the composition of the Fund resulting from certain corporate actions.

Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units. To be eligible to place orders with the Transfer Agent to purchase a Creation Unit of the Fund, an entity must be (i) a “Participating Party” (i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”)), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC; or (ii) a DTC Participant (see “Book Entry Only System”). In addition, each Participating Party or DTC Participant (each, an “Authorized Participant”) must execute a Participant Agreement that has been agreed to by the Distributor, and that has been accepted by the Transfer Agent, with respect to purchases and redemptions of Creation Units. Each Authorized Participant will agree, pursuant to the terms of a Participant Agreement, on behalf of itself or any investor on whose behalf it will act, to certain conditions, including that it will pay to the Trust, an amount of cash sufficient to pay the Cash Component together with the creation transaction fee (described below), if applicable, and any other applicable fees and taxes.

All orders to purchase Shares directly from the Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by the time set forth in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The order cut-off time for the Fund for orders to purchase Creation Units is expected to be 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, which time may be modified by the Fund from time-to-time by amendment to the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. The date on which an order to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below) is received and accepted is referred to as the “Order Placement Date.”

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An Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order (e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and that, therefore, orders to purchase Shares directly from the Fund in Creation Units have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement and only a small number of such Authorized Participants may have international capabilities.

On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. In addition, if a market or markets on which the Fund’s investments are primarily traded is closed, the Fund will also generally not accept orders on such day(s). Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Transfer Agent pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement and in accordance with the applicable order form. On behalf of the Fund, the Transfer Agent will notify the Custodian of such order. The Custodian will then provide such information to the appropriate local sub-custodian(s). Those placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order to the Transfer Agent by the cut-off time on such Business Day. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Transfer Agent or an Authorized Participant.

Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash) or through DTC (for corporate securities), through a subcustody agent (for foreign securities), and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. With respect to foreign Deposit Securities, the Custodian shall cause the subcustodian of the Fund to maintain an account into which the Authorized Participant shall deliver, on behalf of itself or the party on whose behalf it is acting, such Deposit Securities (or Deposit Cash for all or a part of such securities, as permitted or required), with any appropriate adjustments as advised by the Trust. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained at the applicable local subcustodian. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, to the account of the Fund or its agents by no later than 12:00 p.m. Eastern time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If the Fund or its agents do not receive all of the Deposit Securities, or the required Deposit Cash in lieu thereof, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. The “Settlement Date” for the Fund is generally the second Business Day after the Order Placement Date. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash to be delivered, as applicable, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities or cash, as applicable, will be determined by the Trust, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash represented by the Cash Component must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than the Settlement Date. If the Cash Component and the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received by the Custodian in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the creation order may be cancelled. Upon written notice to the Transfer Agent, such canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using a Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then current NAV of the Fund.

The order shall be deemed to be received on the Business Day on which the order is placed provided that the order is placed in proper form prior to the applicable cut-off time and the federal funds in the appropriate amount are deposited with the Custodian on the Settlement Date. If the order is not placed in
35


proper form as required, or federal funds in the appropriate amount are not received on the Settlement Date, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. A creation request is considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, order form and this SAI are properly followed.

Issuance of a Creation Unit. Except as provided in this SAI, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Trust of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component have been completed. When the subcustodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the required Deposit Securities (or the cash value thereof) have been delivered to the account of the relevant subcustodian or subcustodians, the Transfer Agent and the Adviser shall be notified of such delivery, and the Trust will issue and cause the delivery of the Creation Units. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the second Business Day following the day on which the purchase order is deemed received by the Transfer Agent. The Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting from unsettled orders.

Creation Units may be purchased in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of Shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since, in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the value as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”), which shall be maintained in a separate non-interest bearing collateral account. The Authorized Participant must deposit with the Custodian the Additional Cash Deposit, as applicable, by 12:00 p.m. Eastern time (or such other time as specified by the Trust) on the Settlement Date. If the Fund or its agents do not receive the Additional Cash Deposit in the appropriate amount, by such time, then the order may be deemed rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Trust, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Participant Agreement will permit the Trust to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the value of such Deposit Securities on the day the purchase order was deemed received by the Transfer Agent plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by the Custodian or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a transaction fee, as described below under “Creation Transaction Fee,” may be charged. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.

Acceptance of Orders of Creation Units. The Trust reserves the right to reject an order for Creation Units transmitted to it by the Transfer Agent with respect to the Fund including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Participant are not as disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Custodian; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining Shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (e) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Trust, be unlawful; or (f) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Custodian, the
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Transfer Agent and/or the Adviser make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process orders for Creation Units.

Examples of such circumstances include acts of God 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, a sub-custodian, the Transfer Agent, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process, and other extraordinary events. The Transfer Agent shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of the creator of a Creation Unit of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, the Transfer Agent, the Custodian, any sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits 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.

All questions as to the number of Shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.

Creation Transaction Fee. A fixed purchase (i.e., creation) transaction fee, payable to the Fund’s custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase of Creation Units (“Creation Order Costs”). The standard fixed creation transaction fee for the Fund is $250, regardless of the number of Creation Units created in the transaction. The Fund may adjust the standard fixed creation transaction fee from time to time. The fixed creation fee may be waived on certain orders if the Fund’s custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Creation Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.

In addition, a variable fee, payable to the Fund, of up to a maximum of 2% of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash purchases, non-standard orders, or partial cash purchases of Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved with buying the securities with cash. The Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for creation orders that facilitate the rebalance of the Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order.

Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order.

Risks of Purchasing Creation Units. There are certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the Fund. Because Shares may be issued on an ongoing basis, a “distribution” of Shares could be occurring at any time. Certain activities that a shareholder performs as a dealer could, depending on the circumstances, result in the shareholder being deemed a participant in the distribution in a manner that could render the shareholder a statutory underwriter and subject to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act. For example, a shareholder could be deemed a statutory underwriter if it purchases Creation Units from the Fund, breaks them down into the constituent shares, and sells those shares directly to customers, or if a shareholder chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary-market
37


demand for Shares. Whether a person is an underwriter depends upon all of the facts and circumstances pertaining to that person’s activities, and the examples mentioned here should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could cause you to be deemed an underwriter.

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

Redemption. Shares of the Fund may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form by the Fund through the Transfer Agent and only on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF THE FUND, THE TRUST WILL NOT REDEEM SHARES IN AMOUNTS LESS THAN CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough shares of the Fund in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit to have such shares of the Fund redeemed by the Trust. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of shares of the Fund to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.

With respect to the Fund, the Custodian, through the NSCC, makes available prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time) on each Business Day, the list of the names and share quantities of the Fund’s portfolio securities that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as defined below) on that day (“Fund Securities”). Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities.

Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit are paid either in-kind or in cash, or combination thereof, as determined by the Trust. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the Fund, redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will consist of Fund Securities as announced by the Custodian on the Business Day of the request for redemption received in proper form plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of shares of the Fund being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities (the “Cash Redemption Amount”), less a fixed redemption transaction fee, as applicable, as set forth below. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of shares of the Fund, a compensating cash payment equal to the differential is required to be made by or through an Authorized Participant by the redeeming shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Trust’s discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of the securities in lieu of the in-kind securities value representing one or more Fund Securities.

Redemption Transaction Fee. A fixed redemption transaction fee, payable to the Fund’s custodian, may be imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units (“Redemption Order Costs”). The standard fixed redemption transaction fee for the Fund is $250, regardless of the number of Creation Units redeemed in the transaction. The Fund may adjust the redemption transaction fee from time to time. The fixed redemption fee may be waived on certain orders if the Fund’s custodian has determined to waive some or all of the Redemption Order Costs associated with the order or another party, such as the Adviser, has agreed to pay such fee.

In addition, a variable fee, payable to the Fund, of up to a maximum of 2% of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction may be imposed for cash redemptions, non-standard orders, or partial cash redemptions (when cash redemptions are available) of Creation Units. The variable charge is primarily designed to cover additional costs (e.g., brokerage, taxes) involved with selling portfolio securities to
38


satisfy a cash redemption. The Fund may determine to not charge a variable fee on certain orders when the Adviser has determined that doing so is in the best interests of Fund shareholders, e.g., for redemption orders that facilitate the rebalance of the Fund’s portfolio in a more tax efficient manner than could be achieved without such order.

Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services. Investors are responsible for the fixed costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Trust to their account or on their order.

Procedures for Redemption of Creation Units. Orders to redeem Creation Units must be submitted in proper form to the Transfer Agent prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. A redemption request is considered to be in “proper form” if (i) an Authorized Participant has transferred or caused to be transferred to the Trust’s Transfer Agent the Creation Unit(s) being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be effective by the time as set forth in the Participant Agreement and (ii) a request in form satisfactory to the Trust is received by the Transfer Agent from the Authorized Participant on behalf of itself or another redeeming investor within the time periods specified in the Participant Agreement. If the Transfer Agent does not receive the investor’s shares through DTC’s facilities by the times and pursuant to the other terms and conditions set forth in the Participant Agreement, the redemption request shall be rejected.

The Authorized Participant must transmit the request for redemption, in the form required by the Trust, to the Transfer Agent in accordance with procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement, and that, therefore, requests to redeem Creation Units may have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant who has executed a Participant Agreement. Investors making a redemption request should be aware that such request must be in the form specified by such Authorized Participant. Investors making a request to redeem Creation Units should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the request by an Authorized Participant and transfer of shares of the Fund to the Trust’s Transfer Agent; such investors should allow for the additional time that may be required to effect redemptions through their banks, brokers or other financial intermediaries if such intermediaries are not Authorized Participants.

Additional Redemption Procedures. In connection with taking delivery of Shares of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, a redeeming shareholder or Authorized Participant acting on behalf of such shareholder must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded, to which account such Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within two business days of the trade date.

The Trust may in its discretion exercise its option to redeem such Shares in cash, and the redeeming investor will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its Shares based on the NAV of Shares next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee, if applicable, and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). The Fund may also, in its sole discretion, upon request of a shareholder, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in NAV.

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Redemptions of Shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of Creation Units may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming investor of Shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” (“QIB”), as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive Fund Securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. An Authorized Participant may be required by the Trust to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status to receive Fund Securities.

Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on other exchanges on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their Shares, or to purchase or sell Shares on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund (1) for any period during which the Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of Shares or determination of the NAV of Shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.

DETERMINATION OF SHARE PRICE

The NAV of shares of the Fund will be determined once daily ordinarily as of the scheduled close of public trading on the [...] (“[...]”) (normally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on each day that the [...] is open for trading. It is expected that the [...] will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays and on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. The Fund does not expect to determine the NAV of shares on any day when the [...] is not open for trading even if there is sufficient trading in its portfolio securities on such days to materially affect the NAV per share.

In valuing the Fund’s assets for calculating NAV, readily marketable portfolio securities listed on a national securities exchange are valued at the last sale price on the business day as of which such value is being determined. If there has been no sale on such exchange on such day, the security is valued at the mean between the bid and asked prices on such day. Securities primarily traded in the Nasdaq National Market System (“Nasdaq”) for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the Nasdaq Official Closing Price (“NOCP”). If the NOCP is not available, such securities shall be valued at the last sale price on the day of valuation, or if there has been no sale on such day, at the mean between the bid and asked prices. Readily marketable securities traded only in the over-the market and not on Nasdaq are valued at the most recent trade price. All other assets of the Fund are valued in such manner as the Board in good faith deems appropriate to reflect their fair value.

Trading in most foreign securities markets located outside North America is normally completed well before the close of the [...]. In addition, securities trading on foreign markets may not take place on all days on which the [...] is open for trading, and may occur in certain foreign markets on days on which the
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Fund’s NAV is not calculated. Events affecting the values of portfolio securities that occur between the time their prices are determined and the close of the [...] will not be reflected in the calculation of NAV unless the Board deems that the particular event would affect NAV, in which case an adjustment will be made in such manner as the Board in good faith deems appropriate to determine fair market value. Assets or liabilities expressed in foreign currencies are translated, in determining NAV, into U.S. dollars based on the spot exchange rates, or at such other rates as the Adviser, pursuant to fair value procedures adopted by the Board, may determine to be appropriate.

Fair value represents a good faith approximation of the value of a security. Fair value determinations involve the consideration of a number of subjective factors, an analysis of applicable facts and circumstances and the exercise of judgment. As a result, it is possible that the fair value for a security determined in good faith in accordance with the Fund’s fair value procedures may differ from valuations for the same security determined by other funds using their own valuation procedures. Although the Fund’s fair value procedures are designed to value a security at the price the Fund may reasonably expect to receive upon its sale in an orderly transaction, there can be no assurance that any fair value determination thereunder would, in fact, approximate the amount that the Fund would actually realize upon the sale of the security or the price at which the security would trade if a reliable market price were readily available.

DISTRIBUTIONS AND TAX INFORMATION

Distributions

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Dividends, Distributions and Their Taxation.”

General Policies

Dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid at least annually by the Fund. Distributions of remaining net realized capital gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis for the Fund to comply with the distribution requirements of the Code, in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act.

Dividends and other distributions on shares of the Fund are distributed, as described below, on a pro rata basis to Beneficial Owners of such shares. Dividend payments are made through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants to Beneficial Owners then of record with proceeds received from the Fund.

The Fund may make additional distributions to the extent necessary (i) to distribute the entire annual taxable income of the Fund, plus any net capital gains and (ii) to avoid imposition of the excise tax imposed by Section 4982 of the Code. Management of the Trust reserves the right to declare special dividends if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the Fund’s eligibility for treatment as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.

Dividend Reinvestment Service

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

Tax Information

The following summary describes the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to United States Holders (as defined below) of shares in the Fund. This summary is based upon the Code, Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative pronouncements and judicial decisions, all as in effect as of the date of this SAI and all of which are subject to change, possibly with retroactive effect. This summary addresses only shares that are held as capital assets within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Code and does not address all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to shareholders in light of their particular circumstances or to certain types of Shareholders subject to special treatment under the Code, including, without limitation, certain financial institutions, dealers in securities or commodities, traders in securities who elect to apply a mark-to-market method of accounting, insurance companies, tax-exempt organizations, partnerships or S-corporations (and persons who own their interest in shares through a partnership or S-corporation), expatriates of the United States, persons who are subject to alternative minimum tax, persons that have a “functional currency” other than the United States dollar, persons who hold shares as a position in a “straddle” or as a part of a “hedging,” “conversion” or “constructive sale” transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes or persons who received their shares as compensation. This summary also does not address the state, local or foreign tax consequences of an investment in the Fund.

For purposes of this discussion, a “United States Holder” means a holder of shares that for U.S. federal income tax purposes is:

a citizen or resident of the United States;
a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, any State or the District of Columbia;
an estate, the income of which is included in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, regardless of its source; or
a trust whose administration is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and which has one or more United States persons who have the authority to control all of its substantial decisions, or which has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person.

If a partnership (or other entity treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds shares, the tax treatment of a partner will generally depend upon the status of such person and the activities of the limited liability company or partnership. A shareholder that is a partnership should consult its own tax advisors regarding the treatment of its partners.

Prospective shareholders are urged to consult with their own tax advisors and financial planners regarding the U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Fund, the application of state, local, or foreign laws, and the effect of any possible changes in applicable tax laws on their investment in the Fund.

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Tax Treatment of the Fund

Each series of the Trust is treated as a separate entity for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Fund has elected to qualify and intends to continue to qualify annually as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, requiring it to comply with all applicable requirements regarding its income, assets and distributions. Provided that the Fund qualifies as a regulated investment company, it is eligible for a dividends paid deduction, allowing it to offset dividends it pays to shareholders against its taxable income; if the Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M, it will be taxed as a regular corporation.

The Fund’s policy is to distribute to its shareholders all of its taxable income, including any net realized capital gains (taking into account any capital loss carry-forward of the Fund), each year in a manner that complies with the distribution requirements applicable to regulated investment companies under the Code, and results in the Fund not being subject to any U.S. federal income or excise taxes. In particular, in order to avoid the non-deductible 4% excise tax, the Fund must also distribute (or be deemed to have distributed) by December 31 of each calendar year (1) at least 98% of its ordinary income for such year, (2) at least 98.2% of the excess of its realized capital gains over its realized capital losses for the 12-month period ending on October 31 during such year and (3) any amounts from the prior calendar year that were not distributed and on which the Fund paid no federal income tax. However, the Fund can give no assurances that its distributions will be sufficient to eliminate all U.S. federal income taxes. The Fund is not required to consider tax consequences in making or disposing of investments.

In order to qualify as a regulated investment company, the Fund must, among other things, derive at least 90% of its gross income each year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in stock, securities or currencies, and net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. The Fund must also satisfy the following two asset diversification tests. At the end of each quarter of each taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s total assets must be represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. Government securities, the securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities, with such other securities being 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 (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. Government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies), the securities of any two or more issuers (other than the securities of other regulated investment companies) that the Fund controls (by owning 20% or more of their outstanding voting stock) and which are determined under Treasury regulations to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships. The Fund must also distribute each taxable year sufficient dividends to its shareholders to claim a dividends paid deduction equal to at least the sum of 90% of the Fund’s investment company taxable income (as adjusted under Section 852(b)(2) of the Code, but not taking into account the Fund’s dividends paid deduction; in the case of the Fund generally consisting of interest and dividend income, less expenses)) and 90% of the Fund’s net tax-exempt interest, if any.

The Fund’s ordinary income generally consists of interest and dividend income, less expenses. Net realized capital gains for a fiscal period are computed by taking into account any capital loss carry-forward of the Fund.

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Distributions of net investment income and net short-term capital gains are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. For individual shareholders, a portion of the distributions paid by the Fund may be qualified dividends currently eligible for federal income taxation at long-term capital gain rates to the extent the Fund reports the amount distributed as a qualifying dividend and certain holding period requirements are met. In the case of corporate shareholders, a portion of the distributions may qualify for the inter-corporate dividends-received deduction to the extent the Fund reports the amount distributed as a qualifying dividend and certain holding period requirements are met. The aggregate amount so reported to either individual or corporate shareholders cannot, however, exceed the aggregate amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund for its taxable year. In view of the Fund’s investment policy, it is expected that dividends from domestic corporations will be part of the Fund’s gross income and that, accordingly, part of the distributions by the Fund may be eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income by individual shareholders, or for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders under federal tax law. However, the portion of the Fund’s gross income attributable to qualifying dividends is largely dependent on the Fund’s investment activities for a particular year and therefore cannot be predicted with any certainty. The Qualified dividend treatment may be eliminated if the Fund shares held by an individual investor are held for less than 61 days, and the corporate-dividends received deduction may be eliminated if the Fund shares held by a corporate investor are treated as debt-financed or are held for less than 46 days. Distributions will be taxable to you even if the share price of the Fund has declined.

The sale or exchange of Fund shares is a taxable transaction for federal income tax purposes. You will generally recognize a gain or loss on such transactions equal to the difference, if any, between the amount of your net sales proceeds and your adjusted tax basis in the Fund shares. Such gain or loss will be capital gain or loss if you held your Fund shares as capital assets. Any capital gain or loss will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if you held the Fund shares for more than one year at the time of the sale or exchange. Any capital loss arising from the sale or exchange of shares held for six months or less, however, will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of net long-term capital gain distributions with regard to these shares.

Tax Treatment of United States Holders – Taxation of Distributions

Distributions paid out of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits are generally dividends taxable at ordinary income rates to each shareholder. Dividends will be taxable to you even if the share price of the Fund has declined. Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will first be treated as a nontaxable return of capital up to the amount of a shareholder’s tax basis in its shares, and then as capital gain.

For individual shareholders, a portion of the dividends paid by the Fund may be qualified dividends currently eligible for U.S. federal income taxation at long-term capital gain rates to the extent the Fund reports the amount distributed as a qualifying dividend and certain shareholder level holding period requirements (discussed further below) are met. In the case of corporate shareholders, subject to certain limitations (not all of which are discussed herein), a portion of the distributions may qualify for the inter-corporate dividends-received deduction to the extent the Fund reports the amount distributed as a qualifying dividend and certain shareholder level holding period requirements (discussed further below) are met. The aggregate amount so reported to either individual or corporate shareholders cannot exceed the aggregate amount of qualifying dividends received by the Fund for its taxable year. Although no assurances can be provided, the Fund generally expects that dividends from domestic corporations will be part of the Fund’s gross income and that, accordingly, part of the distributions by the Fund may be eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income by individual shareholders, or for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders. Qualified dividend treatment may be eliminated if the
44


Fund shares held by an individual investor are held for less than 61 days, and the corporate dividends-received deduction may be eliminated if Fund shares held by a corporate investor are treated as debt-financed or are held for less than 46 days.

Distributions properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (Capital Gain Dividends) will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain (to the extent such distributions do not exceed the Fund’s actual net long-term capital gain for the taxable year), regardless of how long a shareholder has held Fund shares, and do not qualify as dividends for purposes of the dividends received deduction or as qualified dividend income. The Fund will report Capital Gain Dividends, if any, in written statements furnished to its shareholders.

Tax Treatment of United States Holders - Sales and Dispositions of Shares

A sale, redemption, or exchange of 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 shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of shares will generally be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss, rather than short-term capital loss, to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the shareholder of long-term capital gain (including any amounts credited to the shareholder as undistributed capital gains). All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares may be disallowed if substantially identical shares are acquired (through the reinvestment of dividends or otherwise) within a 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly acquired shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

The cost basis of shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account. An Authorized Participant who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or a loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus the amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. The ability of Authorized Participants to receive a full or partial cash redemption of Creation Units of the Fund may limit the tax efficiency of the Fund. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units cannot currently be deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for a person who does not mark-to-market its portfolio) or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has the right to reject an order for Creation Units if the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the deposit securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require the provision of information necessary to determine beneficial Share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of
45


purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the Creation Units so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares, the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) will not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.

Authorized Participants purchasing or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sales rule applies and when a loss may be deductible.

Taxation of Shareholders – Net Investment Income Tax

U.S. individuals with adjusted gross income (subject to certain adjustments) exceeding certain threshold amounts ($250,000 if married filing jointly or if considered a “surviving spouse” for federal income tax purposes, $125,000 if married filing separately, and $200,000 in other cases) are subject to a 3.8% tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which includes taxable interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (generally including capital gain distributions and capital gains realized on the sale of shares). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain shareholders that are estates and trusts.

Tax Treatment of United States Holders - Medicare Tax

A 3.8% Medicare tax is currently imposed on net investment income earned by certain individuals, estates and trusts. “Net investment income,” for these purposes, means investment income, including ordinary and Capital Gain dividends and net gains from taxable dispositions of Fund shares, reduced by the deductions properly allocable to such income. In the case of an individual, the tax will be imposed on the lesser of (1) the shareholder’s net investment income or (2) the amount by which the shareholder’s modified adjusted gross income exceeds $250,000 (if the shareholder is married and filing jointly or a surviving spouse), $125,000 (if the shareholder is married and filing separately) or $200,000 (in any other case). This Medicare tax, if applicable, is reported by you on, and paid with, your U.S. federal income tax return.

Tax Treatment of Non-U.S. Shareholders

The foregoing discussion of U.S. federal income tax law relates solely to the application of that law to U.S. citizens or residents and U.S. domestic corporations, partnerships, trusts and estates. Each shareholder who is not a U.S. person should consider the U.S. and foreign tax consequences of ownership of shares of the Fund, including the possibility that such a shareholder may be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30% (or at a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty) on amounts constituting ordinary income.

Backup Withholding

The Fund may be required to withhold 24% of certain payments to a shareholder unless the shareholder has completed and submitted to the Fund a Form W-9 providing the shareholder’s taxpayer identification number and certifying under penalties of perjury: (i) that such number is correct, (ii) that (A) the shareholder is exempt from backup withholding, (B) the shareholder has not been notified by the IRS that the shareholder is subject to backup withholding as a result of an under-reporting of interest or dividends, or (C) the IRS has notified the shareholder that the shareholder is no longer subject to backup withholding, and (iii) the shareholder is a U.S. citizen or other U.S. person (as defined in IRS Form W-9); or (b) an exception applies under applicable law and Treasury regulations. Backup withholding is not an
46


additional tax, and any amounts withheld may be credited against a shareholder’s ultimate U.S. federal income tax liability if proper documentation is provided. The Fund reserves the right to refuse to open an account for any person failing to provide a certified taxpayer identification number.

FATCA and Similar Foreign Rules

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, (“FATCA”) provisions of the Code impose a withholding tax of 30% on certain types of U.S. sourced income (e.g., dividends, interest, and other types of passive income) paid, and will be required to impose a 30% withholding tax on proceeds from the sale or other disposition of property producing U.S. sourced income paid effective January 1, 2019 to (i) foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”), including non-U.S. investment funds, unless they agree to collect and disclose to the IRS information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain nonfinancial foreign entities (“NFFEs”), unless they certify certain information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. FATCA withholding will apply to any shareholder that does not properly certify its status as a U.S. person, or, in the case of a non-U.S. shareholder, the basis for its exemption from FATCA withholding. If the Fund is required to withhold amounts from payments pursuant to FATCA, investors will receive distributions that are reduced by such withholding amounts.

To implement FATCA, the U.S. government has entered into agreements with non-U.S. governments (and is otherwise bound via automatic exchange of information agreements in treaties) to provide reciprocal exchanges of taxpayer information to non-U.S. governments. The Fund will be required to perform due diligence reviews to classify non-U.S. entity investors for FATCA purposes. Shareholders agree to provide information necessary to allow the Fund to comply with the FATCA and similar foreign rules.

THE FUND’S PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER AND DISTRIBUTOR

Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”) the Distributor, is located at 111 East Kilbourn Avenue, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202. Quasar serves as the Fund’s principal underwriter and distributor in a continuous public offering of the Fund’s shares. Pursuant to a distribution agreement between the Fund and Quasar (the “Distribution Agreement”), Quasar acts as the Fund’s principal underwriter and distributor. Shares of the Fund are continuously offered for sale by Quasar only in Creation Units. Quasar will not distribute shares of the Fund in amounts less than a Creation Unit. Quasar will deliver prospectuses and, upon request, Statements of Additional Information to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of orders placed with it. Quasar will also provide certain administrative services pursuant to the Distribution Agreement. Quasar is a registered broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is a member of FINRA.

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of shares of the Fund. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” above) or DTC participants (as defined above).

The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Agreement or any related agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement is terminable without penalty by the Trust on 60
47


days’ written notice when authorized either by majority vote of its outstanding voting shares of the Fund or by a vote of a majority of its Board (including a majority of the Independent Trustees), or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Distribution Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Distributor, or reckless disregard by it of its obligations thereunder, the Distributor shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.

Intermediary Compensation. The Adviser or its affiliates, out of their own resources and not out of Fund assets (i.e., without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders), may pay certain broker dealers, banks and other financial intermediaries (“Intermediaries”) for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing and educational training or support. These arrangements are not financed by the Fund and, thus, do not result in increased Fund expenses. They are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fees and expenses sections of the Fund’s Prospectus and they do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of shares of the Fund or the amount received by a shareholder as proceeds from the redemption of shares. Such compensation may be paid to Intermediaries that provide services to the Fund, including marketing and education support (such as through conferences, webinars and printed communications). The Adviser periodically assess the advisability of continuing to make these payments. Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the Intermediary, and amounts that Intermediaries pay to your adviser, broker or other investment professional, if any, may also be significant to such adviser, broker or investment professional. Because an Intermediary may make decisions about what investment options it will make available or recommend, and what services to provide in connection with various products, based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive, such payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients. For example, these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Fund over other investments. The same conflict of interest exists with respect to your financial adviser, broker or investment professional if he or she receives similar payments from his or her Intermediary firm.

Intermediary information is current only as of the date of this SAI. Please contact your adviser, broker, or other investment professional for more information regarding any payments his or her Intermediary firm may receive. Any payments made by the Adviser or its affiliates to an Intermediary may create the incentive for an Intermediary to encourage customers to buy shares of the Fund.

Distribution Plan

As noted in the Prospectus, the Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act under which the Fund is authorized to pay the Distributor an amount which is accrued daily and paid quarterly.

Under the Plan, the Trustees will be furnished quarterly with information detailing the amount of expenses paid under the Plan and the purposes for which payments were made. The Plan may be terminated at any time by vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons. Continuation of the Plan is considered by such Trustees no less frequently than annually. With the exception of the Distributor and the Adviser, in their capacities as the Fund’s principal underwriter and distribution coordinator, respectively, no interested person has or had a direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan or any related agreement.

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The Plan provides that the Fund is authorized to pay the Distributor an annual fee of up to a maximum of 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the shares. Under the Plan, the Distributor may make payments pursuant to written agreements to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations and insurance companies including, without limit, investment counselors, broker-dealers and the Distributor’s affiliates and subsidiaries (collectively, “Agents”) as compensation for services and reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance. The Plan is characterized as a compensation plan since the distribution fee will be paid to the Distributor without regard to the distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor or the amount of payments made to other financial institutions and intermediaries. The Trust intends to operate the Plan in accordance with its terms and with the FINRA rules concerning sales charges.

Under the Plan, subject to the limitations of applicable law and regulations, the Fund is authorized to compensate the Distributor up to the maximum amount to finance any activity primarily intended to result in the sale of Creation Units of the Fund or for providing or arranging for others to provide shareholder services and for the maintenance of shareholder accounts. Such activities may include, but are not limited to: (i) delivering copies of the Fund’s then current reports, prospectuses, notices, and similar materials, to prospective purchasers of Creation Units; (ii) marketing and promotional services, including advertising; (iii) paying the costs of and compensating others, including Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units” above) with whom the Distributor has entered into written Authorized Participant Agreements, for performing shareholder servicing on behalf of the Fund; (iv) compensating certain Authorized Participants for providing assistance in distributing the Creation Units of the Fund, including the travel and communication expenses and salaries and/or commissions of sales personnel in connection with the distribution of the Creation Units of the Fund; (v) payments to financial institutions and intermediaries such as banks, savings and loan associations, insurance companies and investment counselors, broker-dealers, mutual fund supermarkets and the affiliates and subsidiaries of the Trust’s service providers as compensation for services or reimbursement of expenses incurred in connection with distribution assistance; (vi) facilitating communications with beneficial owners of shares, including the cost of providing (or paying others to provide) services to beneficial owners of shares, including, but not limited to, assistance in answering inquiries related to shareholder accounts; and (vii) such other services and obligations as are set forth in the Distribution Agreement.

While there is no assurance that the expenditures of the Fund’s assets to finance distribution of Retail Class shares will have the anticipated results, the Board believes there is a reasonable likelihood that one or more of such benefits will result, and because the Board is in a position to monitor the distribution expenses, it is able to determine the benefit of such expenditures in deciding whether to continue the Plan.

Prior to the date of this SAI, the Plan had not yet been implemented, and there are no current plans to impose these fees.

Securities Lending

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, may enter into a securities lending agreement with U.S. Bank (the “Securities Lending Agent”) to provide certain services related to the Fund’s securities lending program. Pursuant to the securities lending agreement, the Securities Lending Agent, on behalf of the Fund, will be authorized to enter into securities loan agreements, negotiate loan fees and rebate payments, collect loan fees, deliver securities, manage and hold collateral, invest cash collateral, receive substitute payments, make interest and dividend payments (in cases where a borrower has provided non-cash collateral), and upon termination of a loan, liquidate collateral investments and return collateral to the borrower.

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As of the date of this SAI, the Fund has not engaged in any securities lending activities and has not received any income related to securities lending activities.

As of the date of this SAI, the Securities Lending Agent has not provided any services to the Fund or received any fees or compensation from the Fund related to the securities lending program.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this SAI, there are no financial statements available. Shareholders of the Fund will be informed of the Fund’s progress through periodic reports when those reports become available. Financial statements certified by the independent registered public accounting firm will be submitted to shareholders at least annually.
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APPENDIX A

OPTIMIZE ADVISORS LLC
PROXY-VOTING POLICY AND PROCEDURES
DATE





SERIES PORTFOLIOS TRUST (the “Trust”)
PART C

(Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF)

    OTHER INFORMATION

Item 28. Exhibits
(a)
(i)
(ii)
(b)
(c)
Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders – incorporated by reference to the Declaration of Trust and Bylaws.
(d)
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF, and Optimize Advisors LLC – to be filed by Amendment.
(e)
(i)
Distribution Agreement between the Trust and Quasar Distributors, LLC (Optimize AI Smart Sentiment Event-Driven ETF) – to be filed by Amendment.
(ii)
(f)
Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts – not applicable.
(g)
(i)
(A)
Amendment to Custodian Agreement – to be filed by Amendment.
(A)
Amendment to Fund Administration Servicing Agreement – to be filed by Amendment.
(A)
Amendment to Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement – to be filed by Amendment.
(A)
Amendment to Transfer Agent Agreement – to be filed by Amendment.



(iv)
(i)
Opinion and Consent of Counsel by Goodwin Procter LLP – to be filed by Amendment.
(j)
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm – not applicable.
(k)
Omitted Financial Statements – not applicable.
(l)
(m)
Rule 12b-1 Plan – to be filed by Amendment.
(n)
Rule 18f-3 Plan – not applicable.
(o)
Reserved
(p)
(i)
(ii)
Code of Ethics for Optimize Advisors LLC – to be filed by Amendment

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant

    No person is directly or indirectly controlled by or under common control with the Registrant.

Item 30. Indemnification

Reference is made to Article VII, Section 2 of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, Article VI of Registrant’s Amended and Restated Bylaws, and Section 8 of the Distribution Agreement. With respect to the Registrant, the general effect of these provisions is to indemnify any person (Trustee, officer, employee or agent, among others) who was or is a party to any proceeding by reason of their actions performed in their official or duly authorized capacity on behalf of the Trust. With respect to the Distributor, the general effect of the relevant provisions is to indemnify those entities for claims arising out of any untrue statement or material fact contained in the Funds’ Registration Statement, reports to shareholders or advertising and sales literature.

    Pursuant to Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “1933 Act”), the Registrant furnishes the following undertaking: “Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the 1933 Act may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities 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 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.”




Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser

    The response to this Item is incorporated by reference to the Adviser’s Uniform Application for Investment Adviser Registration (“Form ADV”) on file with the SEC. The Adviser’s Form ADV may be obtained, free of charge, at the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

Item 32. Principal Underwriter.

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

Aasgard Small & Mid Cap Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
American Trust Allegiance Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Capital Advisors Growth Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Chase Growth Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Davidson Multi Cap Equity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Edgar Lomax Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
First Sentier American Listed Infrastructure Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
First Sentier Global Listed Infrastructure Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Fort Pitt Capital Total Return Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Huber Large Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Huber Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Huber Select Large Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Huber Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Logan Capital International Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Logan Capital Large Cap Core Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Logan Capital Large Cap Growth Fund , Series of Advisors Series Trust
Logan Capital Small Cap Growth Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
O'Shaughnessy Market Leaders Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
PIA BBB Bond Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
PIA High Yield Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
PIA High Yield Managed Account Completion Shares (MACS) Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
PIA MBS Bond Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
PIA Short-Term Securities Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Poplar Forest Cornerstone Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Poplar Forest Partners Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Pzena Emerging Markets Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Pzena International Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Pzena Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Pzena Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Scharf Alpha Opportunity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Scharf Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Scharf Global Opportunity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Scharf Multi-Asset Opportunity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Semper Brentview Dividend Growth Equity Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust



Semper MBS Total Return Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Semper Short Duration Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Shenkman Capital Floating Rate High Income Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
Shenkman Capital Short Duration High Income Fund, Series of Advisors Series Trust
The Aegis Funds
Allied Asset Advisors Funds
Alpha Architect ETF Trust
Angel Oak Funds Trust
Angel Oak Strategic Credit Fund
Barrett Opportunity Fund, Inc.
Bridges Investment Fund, Inc.
Brookfield Investment Funds
Buffalo Funds
Cushingâ Mutual Funds Trust
DoubleLine Funds Trust
Ecofin Tax-Advantaged Social Impact Fund, Inc. (f/k/a Tortoise Tax-Advantaged Social Infrastructure Fund, Inc.)
AAM Low Duration Preferred and Income Securities ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
AAM S&P 500 Emerging Markets High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
AAM S&P 500 High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
AAM S&P Developed Markets High Dividend Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
The Acquirers Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions
AI Powered International Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
AlphaClone Alternative Alpha ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
AlphaMark Actively Managed Small Cap ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Aptus Collared Income Opportunity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Aptus Defined Risk ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Aptus Drawdown Managed Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Blue Horizon BNE ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
CBOE Vest S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Target Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Change Finance ESG International Fossil Free ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Change Finance U.S. Large Cap Fossil Fuel Free ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
ClearShares OCIO ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
ClearShares Piton Intermediate Fixed Income Fund, Series of ETF Series Solutions
ClearShares Ultra-Short Maturity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Deep Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Distillate International Fundamental Stability & Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Distillate US Fundamental Stability & Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Hoya Capital Housing ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
International Drawdown Managed Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
LHA Market State Alpha Seeker ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
LHA Market State Tactical Beta ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Loncar Cancer Immunotherapy ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Loncar China BioPharma ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Nationwide Maximum Diversification US Core Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Nationwide Risk-Based International Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Nationwide Risk-Based US Equity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Nationwide Risk-Managed Income ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
NETLease Corporate Real Estate ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Opus Small Cap Value ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Premise Capital Diversified Tactical ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
US Global GO GOLD and Precious Metal Miners ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
US Global JETS ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
US Vegan Climate ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
Volshares Large Cap ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions
First American Funds, Inc.
FundX Investment Trust
The Glenmede Fund, Inc.
The Glenmede Portfolios
The GoodHaven Funds Trust
Greenspring Fund, Incorporated
Harding, Loevner Funds, Inc.
Hennessy Funds Trust
Horizon Funds
Hotchkis & Wiley Funds



Intrepid Capital Management Funds Trust
Jacob Funds Inc.
The Jensen Quality Growth Fund Inc.
Kirr, Marbach Partners Funds, Inc.
AAF First Priority CLO Bond ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
Core Alternative ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
Wahed FTSE USA Shariah ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust
LKCM Funds
LoCorr Investment Trust
Lord Asset Management Trust
MainGate Trust
ATAC Rotation Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Cove Street Capital Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Ecofin Digital Payments Infrastructure Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Ecofin Global Renewables Infrastructure Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Ecofin Global Water ESG Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Great Lakes Bond Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Great Lakes Disciplined Equity Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Great Lakes Large Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Great Lakes Small Cap Opportunity Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Jackson Square Global Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Jackson Square International Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Jackson Square Large-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Jackson Square Select 20 Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Jackson Square SMID-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
LK Balanced Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Muhlenkamp Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Nuance Concentrated Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Nuance Concentrated Value Long Short Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Nuance Mid Cap Value Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Port Street Quality Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Principal Street High Income Municipal Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Reinhart Genesis PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Reinhart Mid Cap PMV Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
TorrayResolute Small/Mid Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Tortoise Energy Evolution Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Tortoise MLP & Energy Income Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Tortoise MLP & Energy Infrastructure Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Tortoise MLP & Pipeline Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Tortoise North American Pipeline Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series
Argent Small Cap Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
Hardman Johnston International Growth Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
Hood River International Opportunity Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
Hood River Small-Cap Growth Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
iM DBi Hedge Strategy ETF, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
iM DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
iM Dolan McEniry Corporate Bond Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
Pemberwick Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
Vert Global Sustainable Real Estate Fund, Series of Manager Directed Portfolios
Matrix Advisors Funds Trust
Matrix Advisors Value Fund, Inc.
Monetta Trust
Nicholas Equity Income Fund, Inc.
Nicholas Fund, Inc.
Nicholas II, Inc.
Nicholas Limited Edition, Inc.
Permanent Portfolio Family of Funds
Perritt Funds, Inc.
Procure ETF Trust I
Procure ETF Trust II
Professionally Managed Portfolios
Prospector Funds, Inc.
Provident Mutual Funds, Inc.
Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Abbey Capital Multi-Asset Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Adara Smaller Companies Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Aquarius International Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Boston Partners All Cap Value Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.



Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Boston Partners Small Cap Value II Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Campbell Advantage Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Campbell Systematic Macro Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Motley Fool 100 Index ETF, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
Orinda Income Opportunities Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
SGI Conservative Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
SGI Global Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
SGI Peak Growth Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
SGI Prudent Growth Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity VI Portfolio, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund, Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.
RBC Funds Trust
Series Portfolios Trust
Thompson IM Funds, Inc.
TrimTabs ETF Trust
Trust for Advised Portfolios
Barrett Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Bright Rock Mid Cap Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Bright Rock Quality Large Cap Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Convergence Long/Short Equity Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Convergence Market Neutral Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
CrossingBridge Low Duration High Yield Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
CrossingBridge Responsible Credit Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
CrossingBridge Ultra-Short Duration Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Dearborn Partners Rising Dividend Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Jensen Global Quality Growth Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Jensen Quality Value Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Marketfield Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Rockefeller Climate Solutions Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Rockefeller Core Taxable Bond Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Rockefeller Equity Allocation Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Rockefeller Intermediate Tax Exempt National Bond Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Rockefeller Intermediate Tax Exempt New York Bond Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Snow Capital Long/Short Opportunity Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Snow Capital Small Cap Value Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
Terra Firma US Concentrated Realty Fund, Series of Trust for Professional Managers
USQ Core Real Estate Fund
Wall Street EWM Funds Trust
Wisconsin Capital Funds, Inc.




(b)The following are the Officers and Manager of the Distributor, the Registrant’s underwriter. The Distributor’s main business address is 111 E. Kilbourn Ave., Suite 2200, Milwaukee, WI 53202.:

NameAddressPositions with Quasar
Richard J. BerthyThree Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101President, Treasurer and Manager
Mark A. FairbanksThree Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101Vice President
Teresa Cowan111 E. Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, WI 53202Vice President
Jennifer K. DiValerio899 Cassatt Road, 400 Berwyn Park, Suite 110, Berwyn, PA 19312Vice President
Susan L. LaFond111 E. Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200, |Milwaukee, WI 53202Vice President and Co-Chief Compliance Officer
Jennifer A. Brunner111 E. Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200, Milwaukee, WI 53202Vice President and Co-Chief Compliance Officer
Kelly WhetstoneThree Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101Secretary

    (c)    Not applicable.

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records

    The books and records required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 are maintained at the following locations:
Records Relating to:Are located at:
Registrant’s Fund Administrator, Fund Accountant and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
615 East Michigan Street, 3rd Floor
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Registrant’s CustodianU.S. Bank, National Association
1555 N. Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53212
Registrant’s Distributor
Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E. Kilbourn Ave., Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202.
Registrant’s Investment Adviser
Infrastructure Capital Advisors, LLC
1325 Avenue of the Americas, 28th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Item 34. Management Services
    Not applicable.
Item 35. Undertakings
    Not applicable.





SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant, Series Portfolios Trust, certifies that it has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 126 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A to be signed below on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, on the December 29, 2021.

Series Portfolios Trust

By: /s/ Ryan L. Roell    
Ryan L. Roell
President

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 126 to its Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
SignatureTitleDate
/s/ Daniel B. Willey* TrusteeDecember 29, 2021
Daniel B. Willey
/s/ Debra McGinty-Poteet* TrusteeDecember 29, 2021
Debra McGinty-Poteet
/s/ Koji Felton* TrusteeDecember 29, 2021
Koji Felton
/s/ Elaine E. Richards* TrusteeDecember 29, 2021
Elaine E. Richards
/s/ Ryan L. Roell President and PrincipalDecember 29, 2021
Ryan L. RoellExecutive Officer
/s/ Cullen O. Small* Treasurer and PrincipalDecember 29, 2021
Cullen O. SmallFinancial Officer

*By: /s/ Ryan L. Roell December 29, 2021
Ryan L. Roell
Attorney-In Fact pursuant to Power of Attorney