N-1A 1 msetft-html5298_n1a.htm MORGAN STANLEY ETF TRUST_N-1A

 

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 16, 2022

 

1933 Act Registration No. [ ]

1940 Act Registration No. 811-23820

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-1A

 

  REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  Pre-Effective Amendment No. _____
  Post-Effective Amendment No. _____

 

and/or

 

  REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
  Amendment No. _____

(Check appropriate box or boxes)

 

MORGAN STANLEY ETF TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

522 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10036
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (800) 548-7786

 

Mary E. Mullin, Esq.

1633 Broadway

New York, New York 10019

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

Copies to:

 

Allison M. Fumai, Esq.

Dechert LLP

1095 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10036

 

 

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

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that the registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said section 8(a), may determine.

 

 
 

 

The information in this Preliminary Prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell

these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Preliminary Prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion. Dated August 16, 2022

 

 

Calvert International Responsible Index ETF

Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF

Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

 

 

 

Prospectus   |   [  ], 2022 

Portfolio Ticker Symbol Exchange
Calvert International Responsible Index ETF [  ] [  ]
Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF [  ] [  ]
Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF [  ] [  ]
Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF [  ] [  ]

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

[LITLINK CODE]

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Table of Contents 

  Page
Fund Summary 3
Calvert International Responsible Index ETF 3
Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF 9
Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF 14
Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF 19
Details of the Funds 24
Calvert International Responsible Index ETF 24
Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF 26
Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF 28
Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF 30
Additional Information About the Funds' Investment Strategies and Related Risks 32
Fund Management 43
Shareholder Information 44
Financial Highlights 53
Premium/Discount Information 54
Continuous Offering Information 54
Appendix A – Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment 55
2 

 

Calvert International Responsible Index ETF

Investment Objective

The Calvert International Responsible Index ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the performance of the Calvert International Responsible Index (the “Index”).

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay fees other than the fees and expenses of the Fund, such as brokerage commissions and other fees charged by financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses1 (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Management Fee1 [  ]
Other Expenses2 [  ]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses [  ]

[(1) The Fund's management agreement provides that the Fund’s “Adviser,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., will pay substantially all expenses of the Fund (including expenses of Morgan Stanley ETF Trust (the “Trust”) relating to the Fund), except for the management fees, payments under the Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), interest expenses, dividend and interest expenses related to short sales, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (other than fees for funds advised by the Adviser and/or its affiliates), costs of holding shareholder meetings, brokerage commissions, fees and expenses associated with the Fund’s securities lending program, if applicable, and litigation and potential litigation and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business.]

(2) Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year.

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

  1 Year 3 Years
  [  ] [  ]

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate is available for the Fund.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities included in its underlying index.

The Fund employs a passive management strategy designed to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index. The Fund invests in the common stock of a representative number of companies that resemble the Index. The Fund may also lend its securities.

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Calvert International Responsible Index ETF

The Fund may concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries if the Index is concentrated. The degree to which components of the Index represent certain industries may change over time.

The Index is composed of common stocks of large companies in developed markets, excluding the U.S. Large companies in developed markets include 1,000 large publicly traded companies, excluding real estate investments trusts and business development companies, in markets that Calvert Research and Management (“Calvert”), the Index provider, determines to be developed markets based on a set of criteria including level of economic development, existence of capital controls, openness to foreign direct investment, market trading and liquidity conditions, regulatory environment, treatment of minority shareholders, and investor expectations. When determining 1,000 large publicly traded companies, Calvert generally includes the 500 largest publicly traded companies located in or tied economically to Europe and the 500 largest publicly traded companies located in or tied economically to other non-U.S. and non-European developed markets. The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (the “Calvert Principles”) (a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Fund’s prospectus) serve as a framework for considering environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors. Stocks are weighted in the Index based on their float-adjusted market capitalization, by country and by sector, subject to certain prescribed limits. The Index is owned by Calvert, which is an affiliate of the Adviser. Jade Huang, Director of Applied Responsible Investment Solutions, and Christopher Madden, CFA, Director of Index Management, manage the Index construction process at Calvert.

As of [ ], the Index included [ ] companies, and the market capitalization ranged from approximately $[ ] billion to $[ ] billion with a weighted average market capitalization of approximately $[ ] billion. Market capitalizations of companies within the Index are subject to change. The number of companies in the Index will change over time due to Calvert’s evaluation of an issuer relative to the Calvert Principles or corporate actions involving companies in the Index. The Index is reconstituted annually and is rebalanced quarterly.

An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure investment performance. An index or passively managed fund tries to match, as closely as possible, the performance of an established target index. An index fund’s goal is to mirror the target index whether the index is going up or down. To track the Index as closely as possible, the Fund attempts to remain fully invested in stocks. The Fund may enter into foreign currency transactions, including foreign forward currency exchange contracts, in the course of purchasing and selling foreign currency denominated securities in order to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index.

The Fund uses a sampling method of indexing. The sampling method involves selecting a representative number of securities that will resemble the Index in terms of key risk and other characteristics. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as market value and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Index or hold securities in the same proportions as represented in the Index.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective, and you can lose money investing in this Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

Tracking Error.  Tracking error risk refers to the risk that the Fund’s performance may not match or correlate to that of the Index it attempts to track, either on a daily or aggregate basis. Because the Fund uses a representative sampling indexing strategy, it can be expected to have a larger tracking error than if it used a replication indexing strategy. Tracking error may occur because of transaction costs, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in accrual of dividends, changes to the Index or the need to meet new or existing regulatory requirements. Factors such as Fund expenses, imperfect correlation between the Fund’s investments and the Index, rounding of share prices, changes to the composition of the Index, regulatory policies, limitations on Fund investments imposed by Fund diversification and/or concentration policies, high portfolio turnover rate and the use of leverage all contribute to tracking error. Unlike the Fund, the returns of the Index are not reduced by investment and other operating expenses, including the trading costs associated with implementing changes to its portfolio of investments. Tracking error risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than expected. Tracking error risk may be heightened

 

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Calvert International Responsible Index ETF

  during times of market volatility, unusual market conditions or other abnormal circumstances. The Fund may be required to deviate its investments from the securities and relative weightings of the Index to comply with applicable laws and regulations or because of market restrictions or other legal reasons, including regulatory limits or other restrictions on securities that may be purchased by the Adviser and its affiliates.

Index Related Risk. The Fund’s return may not track the return of the Index for a number of reasons and therefore may not achieve its investment objective. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s return may differ from the return of the Index because of, among other things, pricing differences and the inability to purchase certain securities included in the Index due to regulatory or other restrictions.

In addition, because the Fund uses a representative sampling approach, the Fund can be expected to be less correlated with the return of the Index as when a fund purchases all of the securities in an index in the proportions in which they are represented in the index. Errors in the construction or calculation of the Index may occur from time to time. Any such errors may not be identified and corrected by the index provider for some period of time, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. The risk that the Fund may not track the performance of the Index may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions.

Passive Investment. The Fund is managed using a passive investment strategy that uses a representative sampling indexing strategy. The Fund does not expect to hold common stocks of each company in the Index or in the same proportion as represented in the Index, and Fund performance may vary from the Index.

In addition, the Fund generally will not adjust its portfolio investments to attempt to take advantage of market opportunities or lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the performance of one or more issuers or for other reasons. Maintaining investments regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual investments could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy. Unusual market events or other abnormal circumstances may increase market volatility and may cause the characteristics of the Index components to vary from those expected under normal circumstances.

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of intermediaries that act as authorized participants and none of these authorized participants is or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these intermediaries exit the business or are unable to or choose not to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant creates or redeems, Shares may trade at a discount to net asset value (“NAV”) and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

Concentration Risk. If the Index concentrates in the securities of issuers in one or more industries or groups of industries, the Fund may concentrate in such industries or groups of industries. By concentrating its investments in an industry or group of industries, the Fund may face greater risks than if it were diversified broadly over numerous industries or groups of industries.
 • Equity Securities. In general, prices of equity securities are more volatile than those of fixed-income securities. The prices of equity securities fluctuate, and sometimes widely fluctuate, in response to activities specific to the issuer of the security as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic and political conditions.
 • Foreign Securities. Investments in foreign markets entail special risks such as currency, political, economic and market risks. There also may be greater market volatility, less reliable financial information, less stringent investor protections and disclosure standards, higher transaction and custody costs, decreased market liquidity and less government and exchange regulation associated with investments in foreign markets. In addition, investments in certain foreign markets that have historically been considered stable may become more volatile and subject to increased risk due to ongoing developments and changing conditions in such markets. Moreover, the growing interconnectivity of

 

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Calvert International Responsible Index ETF

  global economies and financial markets has increased the probability that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries or regions. Certain foreign markets may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets or the imposition of punitive taxes. The governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain sectors or industries. In addition, a foreign government may limit or cause delay in the convertibility or repatriation of its currency which would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value and/or liquidity of investments denominated in that currency. Certain foreign investments may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions, or become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. When the Fund holds illiquid investments, its portfolio may be harder to value. In addition, the Fund’s investments in foreign issuers may be denominated in foreign currencies and therefore, to the extent unhedged, the value of those investments will fluctuate with U.S. dollar exchange rates. To the extent hedged by the use of foreign currency forward exchange contracts, the precise matching of the foreign currency forward exchange contract amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be possible because the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the value of those securities between the date on which the contract is entered into and the date it matures. There is additional risk that such transactions may reduce or preclude the opportunity for gain if the value of the currency should move in the direction opposite to the position taken and that foreign currency forward exchange contracts create exposure to currencies in which the Fund’s securities are not denominated. The use of foreign currency forward exchange contracts involves the risk of loss from the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty to the contract or the failure of the counterparty to make payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract.
Securities Lending. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and other institutional borrowers. During the existence of a loan, the Fund will continue to receive the equivalent of the interest paid by the issuer on the securities loaned, or all or a portion of the interest on investment of the collateral, if any. The Fund may pay lending fees to such borrowers. Loans will only be made to firms that have been approved by the investment adviser, and the investment adviser or the securities lending agent will periodically monitor the financial condition of such firms while such loans are outstanding. Securities loans will only be made when the investment adviser believes that the expected returns, net of expenses, justify the attendant risks. Securities loans currently are required to be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents (such as money market instruments) or other liquid securities held by the custodian and maintained in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The Fund may engage in securities lending to generate income. Upon return of the loaned securities, the Fund would be required to return the related collateral to the borrower and may be required to liquidate portfolio securities in order to do so.
Responsible Investing. Investing primarily in responsible investments carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, the Fund may underperform funds that do not utilize a responsible investment strategy. The application of responsible investment criteria may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments, and may impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. An investment’s ESG performance, or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such performance may change over time, which could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that do not comply with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. In evaluating an investment, Calvert and the Adviser are dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could adversely affect the analysis of the ESG factors relevant to a particular investment.
Market and Geopolitical Risk. The value of your investment in the Fund is based on the values of the Fund’s investments, which may change due to economic and other events that affect markets generally, as well as those that affect particular regions, countries, industries, companies or governments. These events may be sudden and unexpected, and could adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund’s

 

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Calvert International Responsible Index ETF

  investments, which may in turn impact valuation, the Fund’s ability to sell securities and/or its ability to meet redemptions. The risks associated with these developments may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as war, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is difficult to predict when events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects (which may last for extended periods). These events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations and have a significant and rapid negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, adversely affect and increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price and exacerbate pre-existing risks to the Fund.
Trading Risk.  The market prices of Shares are expected to fluctuate, in some cases materially, in response to changes in the Fund’s NAV, the intra-day value of the Fund’s holdings, and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below or at their NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of significant market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for the Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in the Shares trading significantly above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings.  Buying or selling Shares in the secondary market may require paying 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 when seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, the market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. The spread of a Fund’s Shares varies over time based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and may increase if the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decrease.
New Fund Risk. A new fund’s performance may not represent how the fund is expected to or may perform in the long term. In addition, new funds have limited operating histories for investors to evaluate and new funds may not attract sufficient assets to achieve investment and trading efficiencies.

Shares of the Fund are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Performance Information

As of the date hereof, the Fund has not yet completed a full calendar year of investment operations. Upon the completion of a full calendar year of investment operations by the Fund, this section will include charts that provide some indication of the risks of an investment in the Fund, by showing the difference in annual total returns, highest and lowest quarterly returns and average annual total returns (before and after taxes) compared to the Index and benchmark index selected for the Fund. Performance information for the Fund will be available online at [ ] or by calling toll-free [ ].

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Portfolio Managers. Information about the members jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund is shown below:

Name Title Date Began
Managing Fund
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception

 

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Calvert International Responsible Index ETF

 Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through a broker or dealer at market price. Because shares trade at market prices, rather than NAV, shares of the Fund may trade at a price greater than NAV (i.e., a premium) or less than NAV (i.e., a discount).

You may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay for Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) (the “bid-ask spread”) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market.

Recent information, including information about the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads (when available), will be available on the Fund’s website at [ ]. 

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make dividends and distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or [ ] (the “Distributor”) may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

Investment Objective

The Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the performance of the Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index (the “Index”).

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay fees other than the fees and expenses of the Fund, such as brokerage commissions and other fees charged by financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses1 (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Management Fee1 [  ]
Other Expenses2 [  ]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses [  ]

[(1) The Fund's management agreement provides that the Fund’s “Adviser,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., will pay substantially all expenses of the Fund (including expenses of Morgan Stanley ETF Trust (the “Trust”) relating to the Fund), except for the management fees, payments under the Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), interest expenses, dividend and interest expenses related to short sales, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (other than fees for funds advised by the Adviser and/or its affiliates), costs of holding shareholder meetings, brokerage commissions, fees and expenses associated with the Fund’s securities lending program, if applicable, and litigation and potential litigation and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business.]

(2) Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year.

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

  1 Year 3 Years
  [  ] [  ]

   

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate is available for the Fund.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities included in its underlying index. This policy may be changed without shareholder approval; however, shareholders would be notified upon 60 days’ notice in writing of any changes.

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Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

The Fund employs a passive management strategy designed to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index. The Fund invests in the common stock of each company in the Index in approximately the same proportion as represented in the Index itself. The Fund may also lend its securities.

The Fund may concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries if the Index is concentrated. The degree to which components of the Index represent certain industries may change over time.

The Index is composed of the common stocks of large companies that operate their businesses in a manner consistent with The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (the “Calvert Principles”) (a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Fund’s prospectus). Large companies are the 1,000 largest publicly traded U.S. companies based on market capitalization, excluding real estate investment trusts and business development companies. The Calvert Principles serve as a framework for considering environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors. Stocks are weighted in the Index based on their float-adjusted market capitalization within the relevant sector, subject to certain prescribed limits. The Index is owned by Calvert, which is an affiliate of the Adviser. Jade Huang, Director of Applied Responsible Investment Solutions, Christopher Madden, CFA, Director of Index Management, manage the Index construction process at Calvert.

As of [ ], the Index included [ ] companies, and the market capitalization ranged from approximately $[ ] million to $[ ] trillion with a weighted average market capitalization of approximately $[ ] billion. Market capitalizations of companies within the Index are subject to change. The number of companies in the Index will change over time due to Calvert’s evaluation of an issuer relative to the Calvert Principles or corporate actions involving companies in the Index. The Index is reconstituted annually and is rebalanced quarterly.

An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure investment performance. An index or passively managed fund tries to match, as closely as possible, the performance of an established target index. An index fund’s goal is to mirror the target index whether the index is going up or down. To track the Index as closely as possible, the Fund attempts to remain fully invested in stocks.

The Fund uses a replication method of indexing. The replication method involves holding every security in the Index in approximately the same proportion as the Index. Unlike the Index, however, the Fund is subject to certain regulatory requirements that can limit its ability to fully replicate the Index. Under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase or hold all of, or only, the constituent securities in their respective weightings in the Index. If Fund assets should ever decline to below $5 million, the Fund may use the sampling method. The sampling method involves selecting a representative number of securities that will resemble the Index in terms of key risk and other characteristics.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective, and you can lose money investing in this Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

Tracking Error.  Tracking error risk refers to the risk that the Fund’s performance may not match or correlate to that of the Index it attempts to track, either on a daily or aggregate basis. Tracking error may occur because of transaction costs, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in accrual of dividends, changes to the Index or the need to meet new or existing regulatory requirements. Factors such as Fund expenses, imperfect correlation between the Fund’s investments and the Index, rounding of share prices, changes to the composition of the Index, regulatory policies, limitations on Fund investments imposed by Fund diversification and/or concentration policies, high portfolio turnover rate and the use of leverage all contribute to tracking error. Unlike the Fund, the returns of the Index are not reduced by investment and other operating expenses, including the trading costs associated with implementing changes to its portfolio of investments. Tracking error risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than expected. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of market volatility, unusual market conditions or other abnormal circumstances. The Fund may be required to deviate its investments from the securities and relative weightings of the Index to comply with applicable laws and regulations or because of market

 

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Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

restrictions or other legal reasons, including regulatory limits or other restrictions on securities that may be purchased by the Adviser and its affiliates.
Index Related Risk. The Fund’s return may not track the return of the Index for a number of reasons and therefore may not achieve its investment objective. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s return may differ from the return of the Index because of, among other things, pricing differences and the inability to purchase certain securities included in the Underlying Index due to regulatory or other restrictions.
  In addition, when the Fund uses a representative sampling approach, the Fund may not be as well correlated with the return of the Underlying Index as when the Fund purchases all of the securities in the Index in the proportions in which they are represented in the Index. Errors in the construction or calculation of the Index may occur from time to time. Any such errors may not be identified and corrected by the index provider for some period of time, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. The risk that the Fund may not track the performance of the Index may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of intermediaries that act as authorized participants and none of these authorized participants is or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these intermediaries exit the business or are unable to or choose not to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant creates or redeems, Shares may trade at a discount to net asset value (“NAV”) and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.
Passive Investment. The Fund is managed using a passive investment strategy and expects to hold common stocks of each company in the Index regardless of their current or projected performance. The Fund generally will not adjust its portfolio investments to attempt to take advantage of market opportunities or lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the performance of one or more issuers or for other reasons. Maintaining investments regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual investments could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy. Unusual market events may increase market volatility and may cause the characteristics of the Index components to vary from those expected under normal circumstances.
Concentration Risk. If the Index concentrates in the securities of issuers in one or more industries or groups of industries, the Fund may concentrate in such industries or groups of industries. By concentrating its investments in an industry or group of industries, the Fund may face greater risks than if it were diversified broadly over numerous industries or groups of industries.  
Equity Securities. In general, prices of equity securities are more volatile than those of fixed-income securities. The prices of equity securities fluctuate, and sometimes widely fluctuate, in response to activities specific to the issuer of the security as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic and political conditions.
Securities Lending. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and other institutional borrowers. During the existence of a loan, the Fund will continue to receive the equivalent of the interest paid by the issuer on the securities loaned, or all or a portion of the interest on investment of the collateral, if any. The Fund may pay lending fees to such borrowers. Loans will only be made to firms that have been approved by the investment adviser, and the investment adviser or the securities lending agent will periodically monitor the financial condition of such firms while such loans are outstanding. Securities loans will only be made when the investment adviser believes that the expected returns, net of expenses, justify the attendant risks. Securities loans currently are required to be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents (such as money market instruments) or other liquid securities held by the custodian and maintained in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The Fund may engage in securities lending to generate income. Upon return of the loaned securities, the Fund would be required to return the related collateral to the borrower and may be required to liquidate portfolio securities in order to do so.

 

11 

Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

Responsible Investing. Investing primarily in responsible investments carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, the Fund may underperform funds that do not utilize a responsible investment strategy. The application of responsible investment criteria may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments, and may impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. An investment’s ESG performance, or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such performance may change over time, which could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that do not comply with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. In evaluating an investment, Calvert and the Adviser are dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could adversely affect the analysis of the ESG factors relevant to a particular investment.
Market and Geopolitical Risk. The value of your investment in the Fund is based on the values of the Fund’s investments, which may change due to economic and other events that affect markets generally, as well as those that affect particular regions, countries, industries, companies or governments. These events may be sudden and unexpected, and could adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments, which may in turn impact valuation, the Fund’s ability to sell securities and/or its ability to meet redemptions. The risks associated with these developments may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as war, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is difficult to predict when events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects (which may last for extended periods). These events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations and have a significant and rapid negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, adversely affect and increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price and exacerbate pre-existing risks to the Fund.
Trading Risk.  The market prices of Shares are expected to fluctuate, in some cases materially, in response to changes in the Fund’s NAV, the intra-day value of the Fund’s holdings, and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below or at their NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of significant market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for the Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in the Shares trading significantly above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. Buying or selling Shares in the secondary market may require paying 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 when seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, the market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. The spread of a Fund’s Shares varies over time based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and may increase if the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decrease.
New Fund Risk. A new fund’s performance may not represent how the fund is expected to or may perform in the long term. In addition, new funds have limited operating histories for investors to evaluate and new funds may not attract sufficient assets to achieve investment and trading efficiencies.

Shares of the Fund are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Performance Information

As of the date hereof, the Fund has not yet completed a full calendar year of investment operations. Upon the completion of a full calendar year of investment operations by the Fund, this section will include charts that provide some indication of the risks of an investment in the Fund, by showing the difference in annual total returns, highest and lowest quarterly returns and average annual total returns (before and after taxes) compared to the Index and benchmark index selected for the Fund. Performance information for the Fund will be available online at [ ] or by calling toll-free [ ].

12 

Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Portfolio Managers. Information about the members jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund is shown below:

Name Title Date Began Managing Fund
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through a broker or dealer at market price. Because shares trade at market prices, rather than NAV, shares of the Fund may trade at a price greater than NAV (i.e., a premium) or less than NAV (i.e., a discount).

You may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay for Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) (the “bid-ask spread”) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market.

Recent information, including information about the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads (when available), will be available on the Fund’s website at [ ]. 

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make dividends and distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or [ ] (the “Distributor”) may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s web site for more information.

13 

Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF

Investment Objective

The Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the performance of the Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity Research Index (the “Index”).

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay fees other than the fees and expenses of the Fund, such as brokerage commissions and other fees charged by financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses1 (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Management Fee1 [  ]
Other Expenses2 [  ]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses [  ]

[(1) The Fund's management agreement provides that the Fund’s “Adviser,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., will pay substantially all expenses of the Fund (including expenses of Morgan Stanley ETF Trust (the “Trust”) relating to the Fund), except for the management fees, payments under the Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), interest expenses, dividend and interest expenses related to short sales, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (other than fees for funds advised by the Adviser and/or its affiliates), costs of holding shareholder meetings, brokerage commissions, fees and expenses associated with the Fund’s securities lending program, if applicable, and litigation and potential litigation and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business.]

(2) Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year.

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

  1 Year 3 Years
  [  ] [  ]

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate is available for the Fund.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities included in its underlying index. This policy may be changed without shareholder approval; however, shareholders would be notified upon 60 days’ notice in writing of any changes.

14 

Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF

The Fund employs a passive management strategy designed to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index. The Fund invests in the common stock of each company in the Index in approximately the same proportion as represented in the Index itself. The Fund may also lend its securities

The Index is composed of the common stocks of large companies that operate their businesses in a manner consistent with The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (the “Calvert Principles”) (a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Fund’s prospectus) and are selected from the universe of the 1,000 largest publicly traded U.S. companies based on market capitalization, excluding real estate investment trusts and business development companies. As described in the Index Methodology and as determined by Calvert, Index components must meet certain criteria relating to leadership in having a diverse workforce and an equal and inclusive work culture, or demonstrate significant improvement in diversity practices. The Calvert Principles serve as a framework for considering environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors. Stocks are weighted in the Index based on their float-adjusted market capitalization. The Index is owned by Calvert, which is an affiliate of the Adviser. Jade Huang, Director of Applied Responsible Investment Solutions, Christopher Madden, CFA, Director of Index Management, and Yijia Chen, CFA, ESG Quantitative Research Analyst and Index Manager manage the Index construction process at Calvert.

As of [ ], the Index included [ ] companies, and the market capitalization ranged from approximately $[ ] million to $[ ] billion with a weighted average market capitalization of approximately $[ ] billion. Market capitalizations of companies within the Index are subject to change. The number of companies in the Index will change over time due to Calvert’s evaluation of an issuer relative to the Calvert Principles or corporate actions involving companies in the Index. The Index is reconstituted annually and is rebalanced quarterly.

An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure investment performance. An index or passively managed fund tries to match, as closely as possible, the performance of an established target index. An index fund’s goal is to mirror the target index whether the index is going up or down. To track the Index as closely as possible, the Fund attempts to remain fully invested in stocks.

The Fund uses a replication method of indexing. The replication method involves holding every security in the Index in approximately the same proportion as the Index. Unlike the Index, however, the Fund is subject to certain regulatory requirements that can limit its ability to fully replicate the Index. Under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase or hold all of, or only, the constituent securities in their respective weightings in the Index. If Fund assets should ever decline to below $5 million, the Fund may use the sampling method. The sampling method involves selecting a representative number of securities that will resemble the Index in terms of key risk and other characteristics.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective, and you can lose money investing in this Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

Tracking Error.  Tracking error risk refers to the risk that the Fund’s performance may not match or correlate to that of the Index it attempts to track, either on a daily or aggregate basis. Tracking error may occur because of transaction costs, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in accrual of dividends, changes to the Index or the need to meet new or existing regulatory requirements. Factors such as Fund expenses, imperfect correlation between the Fund’s investments and the Index, rounding of share prices, changes to the composition of the Index, regulatory policies, limitations on Fund investments imposed by Fund diversification and/or concentration policies, high portfolio turnover rate and the use of leverage all contribute to tracking error. Unlike the Fund, the returns of the Index are not reduced by investment and other operating expenses, including the trading costs associated with implementing changes to its portfolio of investments. Tracking error risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than expected. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of market volatility, unusual market conditions or other abnormal circumstances. The Fund may be required to deviate its investments from the securities and relative weightings of the Index to comply with applicable laws and regulations or because of market restrictions or other legal reasons, including regulatory limits or other restrictions on securities that may be purchased by the Adviser and its affiliates.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of intermediaries that act

 

15 

Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF

  as authorized participants and none of these authorized participants is or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these intermediaries exit the business or are unable to or choose not to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant creates or redeems, Shares may trade at a discount to net asset value (“NAV”) and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

Index Related Risk. The Fund’s return may not track the return of the Index for a number of reasons and therefore may not achieve its investment objective. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s return may differ from the return of the Index because of, among other things, pricing differences and the inability to purchase certain securities included in the underlying index due to regulatory or other restrictions.

In addition, when the Fund uses a representative sampling approach, the Fund may not be as well correlated with the return of the underlying index as when the Fund purchases all of the securities in the Index in the proportions in which they are represented in the Index. Errors in the construction or calculation of the Index may occur from time to time. Any such errors may not be identified and corrected by the index provider for some period of time, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. The risk that the Fund may not track the performance of the Index may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions.

Passive Investment. The Fund is managed using a passive investment strategy and expects to hold common stocks of each company in the Index regardless of their current or projected performance. The Fund generally will not adjust its portfolio investments to attempt to take advantage of market opportunities or lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the performance of one or more issuers or for other reasons. Maintaining investments regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual investments could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy. Unusual market events may increase market volatility and may cause the characteristics of the Index components to vary from those expected under normal circumstances.
Concentration Risk. If the Index concentrates in the securities of issuers in one or more industries or groups of industries, the Fund may concentrate in such industries or groups of industries. By concentrating its investments in an industry or group of industries, the Fund may face greater risks than if it were diversified broadly over numerous industries or groups of industries.
 • Equity Securities. In general, prices of equity securities are more volatile than those of fixed-income securities. The prices of equity securities fluctuate, and sometimes widely fluctuate, in response to activities specific to the issuer of the security as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic and political conditions.
 • Non-Diversification. The Fund is non-diversified, which means that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified fund. Because the Fund is non-diversified, it may be more susceptible to an adverse event affecting a single issuer or portfolio investment than a diversified portfolio and a decline in the value of that issuer’s securities or that portfolio investment may cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than a diversified portfolio.
Responsible Investing. Investing primarily in responsible investments carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, the Fund may underperform funds that do not utilize a responsible investment strategy. The application of responsible investment criteria may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments, and may impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. An investment’s ESG performance, or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such performance may change over time, which could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that do not comply with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. In evaluating an investment, Calvert and the Adviser are dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could adversely affect the analysis of the ESG factors relevant to a particular investment.
16 

Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF

Securities Lending. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and other institutional borrowers. During the existence of a loan, the Fund will continue to receive the equivalent of the interest paid by the issuer on the securities loaned, or all or a portion of the interest on investment of the collateral, if any. The Fund may pay lending fees to such borrowers. Loans will only be made to firms that have been approved by the investment adviser, and the investment adviser or the securities lending agent will periodically monitor the financial condition of such firms while such loans are outstanding. Securities loans will only be made when the investment adviser believes that the expected returns, net of expenses, justify the attendant risks. Securities loans currently are required to be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents (such as money market instruments) or other liquid securities held by the custodian and maintained in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The Fund may engage in securities lending to generate income. Upon return of the loaned securities, the Fund would be required to return the related collateral to the borrower and may be required to liquidate portfolio securities in order to do so.
Market and Geopolitical Risk. The value of your investment in the Fund is based on the values of the Fund’s investments, which may change due to economic and other events that affect markets generally, as well as those that affect particular regions, countries, industries, companies or governments. These events may be sudden and unexpected, and could adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments, which may in turn impact valuation, the Fund’s ability to sell securities and/or its ability to meet redemptions. The risks associated with these developments may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as war, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is difficult to predict when events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects (which may last for extended periods). These events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations and have a significant and rapid negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, adversely affect and increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price and exacerbate pre-existing risks to the Fund.
Trading Risk.  The market prices of Shares are expected to fluctuate, in some cases materially, in response to changes in the Fund’s NAV, the intra-day value of the Fund’s holdings, and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below or at their NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of significant market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for the Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in the Shares trading significantly above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. Buying or selling Shares in the secondary market may require paying 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 when seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, the market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. The spread of a Fund’s Shares varies over time based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and may increase if the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decrease.
New Fund Risk. A new fund’s performance may not represent how the fund is expected to or may perform in the long term. In addition, new funds have limited operating histories for investors to evaluate and new funds may not attract sufficient assets to achieve investment and trading efficiencies.

Shares of the Fund are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Performance Information

As of the date hereof, the Fund has not yet completed a full calendar year of investment operations. Upon the completion of a full calendar year of investment operations by the Fund, this section will include charts that provide some indication of the risks of an investment in the Fund, by showing the difference in annual total returns, highest and lowest quarterly returns and average annual total returns (before and after taxes)

17 

Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF

compared to the Index and benchmark index selected for the Fund. Performance information for the Fund will be available online at [ ] or by calling toll-free [ ].

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Portfolio Managers. Information about the members jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund is shown below:

Name Title Date Began Managing Fund
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through a broker or dealer at market price. Because shares trade at market prices, rather than NAV, shares of the Fund may trade at a price greater than NAV (i.e., a premium) or less than NAV (i.e., a discount).

You may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay for Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) (the “bid-ask spread”) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market.

Recent information, including information about the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads (when available), will be available on the Fund’s website at [ ]. 

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make dividends and distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or [ ] (the “Distributor”) may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s web site for more information.

18 

Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

Investment Objective

The Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to track the performance of the Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index (the “Index”).

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay fees other than the fees and expenses of the Fund, such as brokerage commissions and other fees charged by financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses1 (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Management Fee1 [  ]
Other Expenses2 [  ]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses [  ]

[(1) The Fund's management agreement provides that the Fund’s “Adviser,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., will pay substantially all expenses of the Fund (including expenses of Morgan Stanley ETF Trust (the “Trust”) relating to the Fund), except for the management fees, payments under the Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), interest expenses, dividend and interest expenses related to short sales, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (other than fees for funds advised by the Adviser and/or its affiliates), costs of holding shareholder meetings, brokerage commissions, fees and expenses associated with the Fund’s securities lending program, if applicable, and litigation and potential litigation and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business.]

(2) Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year.

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

  1 Year 3 Years
  [  ] [  ]

 

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate is available for the Fund.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities included in its underlying index. This policy may be changed without shareholder approval; however, shareholders would be notified upon 60 days’ notice in writing of any changes.

19 

Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

The Fund employs a passive management strategy designed to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index. The Fund invests in the common stock of each company in the Index in approximately the same proportion as represented in the Index itself. The Fund may also lend its securities.

The Fund may concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries if the Index is concentrated. The degree to which components of the Index represent certain industries may change over time.

The Index is composed of the common stocks of mid-size companies that operate their businesses in a manner consistent with The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (the “Calvert Principles”) (a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Fund’s prospectus). Mid-size companies are the 1,000 largest publicly traded U.S. companies based on market capitalization, excluding real estate investment trusts, business development companies and approximately the 200 largest publicly traded U.S. companies. The Calvert Principles serve as a framework for considering environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors. Stocks are weighted in the Index based on their float-adjusted market capitalization within the relevant sector, subject to certain prescribed limits. The Index is owned by Calvert, which is an affiliate of the Adviser. Jade Huang, Director of Applied Responsible Investment Solutions, and Christopher Madden, CFA, Director of Index Management, manage the Index construction process at Calvert.

As of [__], the Index included [__] companies, and the market capitalization ranged from approximately $[__] million to $[__] billion with a weighted average market capitalization of approximately $[__] billion. Market capitalizations of companies within the Index are subject to change. The number of companies in the Index will change over time due to Calvert’s evaluation of an issuer relative to the Calvert Principles or corporate actions involving companies in the Index. The Index is reconstituted annually and is rebalanced quarterly.

An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure investment performance. An index or passively managed fund tries to match, as closely as possible, the performance of an established target index. An index fund’s goal is to mirror the target index whether the index is going up or down. To track the Index as closely as possible, the Fund attempts to remain fully invested in stocks.

The Fund uses a replication method of indexing. The replication method involves holding every security in the Index in approximately the same proportion as the Index. Unlike the Index, however, the Fund is subject to certain regulatory requirements that can limit its ability to fully replicate the Index. Under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase or hold all of, or only, the constituent securities in their respective weightings in the Index. If Fund assets should ever decline to below $5 million, the Fund may use the sampling method. The sampling method involves selecting a representative number of securities that will resemble the Index in terms of key risk and other characteristics.

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective, and you can lose money investing in this Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

Tracking Error.  Tracking error risk refers to the risk that the Fund’s performance may not match or correlate to that of the Index it attempts to track, either on a daily or aggregate basis. Tracking error may occur because of transaction costs, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in accrual of dividends, changes to the Index or the need to meet new or existing regulatory requirements. Factors such as Fund expenses, imperfect correlation between the Fund’s investments and the Index, rounding of share prices, changes to the composition of the Index, regulatory policies, limitations on Fund investments imposed by Fund diversification and/or concentration policies, high portfolio turnover rate and the use of leverage all contribute to tracking error. Unlike the Fund, the returns of the Index are not reduced by investment and other operating expenses, including the trading costs associated with implementing changes to its portfolio of investments. Tracking error risk may cause the Fund’s performance to be less than expected. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of market volatility, unusual market conditions or other abnormal circumstances. The Fund may be required to deviate its investments from the securities and relative weightings of the Index to comply with applicable laws and regulations  or because of market restrictions or other legal reasons, including regulatory limits or other restrictions on securities that may be purchased by the Adviser and its affiliates.

 

20 

Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

Index Related Risk. The Fund’s return may not track the return of the Index for a number of reasons and therefore may not achieve its investment objective. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the Index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. In addition, the Fund’s return may differ from the return of the Index because of, among other things, pricing differences and the inability to purchase certain securities included in the underlying index due to regulatory or other restrictions.

In addition, when the Fund uses a representative sampling approach, the Fund may not be as well correlated with the return of the underlying index as when the Fund purchases all of the securities in the Index in the proportions in which they are represented in the Index. Errors in the construction or calculation of the Index may occur from time to time. Any such errors may not be identified and corrected by the index provider for some period of time, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. The risk that the Fund may not track the performance of the Index may be heightened during times of increased market volatility or other unusual market conditions.

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of intermediaries that act as authorized participants and none of these authorized participants is or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these intermediaries exit the business or are unable to or choose not to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant creates or redeems, Shares may trade at a discount to net asset value (“NAV”) and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.
Passive Investment. The Fund is managed using a passive investment strategy and expects to hold common stocks of each company in the Index regardless of their current or projected performance. The Fund generally will not adjust its portfolio investments to attempt to take advantage of market opportunities or lessen the impact of a market decline or a decline in the performance of one or more issuers or for other reasons. Maintaining investments regardless of market conditions or the performance of individual investments could cause the Fund’s return to be lower than if the Fund employed an active strategy. Unusual market events may increase market volatility and may cause the characteristics of the Index components to vary from those expected under normal circumstances.
Concentration Risk. If the Index concentrates in the securities of issuers in one or more industries or groups of industries, the Fund may concentrate in such industries or groups of industries. By concentrating its investments in an industry or group of industries, the Fund may face greater risks than if it were diversified broadly over numerous industries or groups of industries.
Equity Securities. In general, prices of equity securities are more volatile than those of fixed-income securities. The prices of equity securities fluctuate, and sometimes widely fluctuate, in response to activities specific to the issuer of the security as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic and political conditions.
Responsible Investing. Investing primarily in responsible investments carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, the Fund may underperform funds that do not utilize a responsible investment strategy. The application of responsible investment criteria may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments, and may impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. An investment’s ESG performance, or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such performance may change over time, which could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that do not comply with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. In evaluating an investment, Calvert and the Adviser are dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could adversely affect the analysis of the ESG factors relevant to a particular investment.
Securities Lending. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and other institutional borrowers. During the existence of a loan, the Fund will continue to receive the equivalent of the interest paid by the issuer on the securities loaned, or all or a portion of the interest on investment of the collateral, if any. The Fund may pay lending fees to such borrowers. Loans will only be made to firms that have been approved by the investment adviser, and the investment adviser or the securities lending agent will periodically monitor the financial condition of such firms while such loans are outstanding. Securities

 

21 

Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

  loans will only be made when the investment adviser believes that the expected returns, net of expenses, justify the attendant risks. Securities loans currently are required to be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents (such as money market instruments) or other liquid securities held by the custodian and maintained in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The Fund may engage in securities lending to generate income. Upon return of the loaned securities, the Fund would be required to return the related collateral to the borrower and may be required to liquidate portfolio securities in order to do so.
Market and Geopolitical Risk. The value of your investment in the Fund is based on the values of the Fund’s investments, which may change due to economic and other events that affect markets generally, as well as those that affect particular regions, countries, industries, companies or governments. These events may be sudden and unexpected, and could adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments, which may in turn impact valuation, the Fund’s ability to sell securities and/or its ability to meet redemptions. The risks associated with these developments may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as war, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is difficult to predict when events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects (which may last for extended periods). These events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations and have a significant and rapid negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, adversely affect and increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price and exacerbate pre-existing risks to the Fund.
Trading Risk.  The market prices of Shares are expected to fluctuate, in some cases materially, in response to changes in the Fund’s NAV, the intra-day value of the Fund’s holdings, and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below or at their NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of significant market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for the Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in the Shares trading significantly above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. Buying or selling Shares in the secondary market may require paying 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 when seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, the market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. The spread of a Fund’s Shares varies over time based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and may increase if the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decrease.
New Fund Risk. A new fund’s performance may not represent how the fund is expected to or may perform in the long term. In addition, new funds have limited operating histories for investors to evaluate and new funds may not attract sufficient assets to achieve investment and trading efficiencies.

Shares of the Fund are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Performance Information

As of the date hereof, the Fund has not yet completed a full calendar year of investment operations. Upon the completion of a full calendar year of investment operations by the Fund, this section will include charts that provide some indication of the risks of an investment in the Fund, by showing the difference in annual total returns, highest and lowest quarterly returns and average annual total returns (before and after taxes) compared to the Index and benchmark index selected for the Fund. Performance information for the Fund will be available online at [ ] or by calling toll-free [ ].

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Portfolio Managers. Information about the members jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund is shown below:

22 

Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

Name Title Date Began Managing Fund
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through a broker or dealer at market price. Because shares trade at market prices, rather than NAV, shares of the Fund may trade at a price greater than NAV (i.e., a premium) or less than NAV (i.e., a discount).

You may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay for Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) (the “bid-ask spread”) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market.

Recent information, including information about the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads (when available), will be available on the Fund’s website at [ ]. 

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make dividends and distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or [ ] (the “Distributor”) may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s web site for more information.

23 

 

Calvert International Responsible Index ETF

Investment Objective

The Fund's investment objective is to seek to track the performance of the Calvert International Responsible Index (the “Index”).

The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, but no change is anticipated. If the Fund’s investment objective changes, the Fund will notify shareholders and shareholders should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of the change.

Approach

The Fund employs a passive management strategy designed to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index. The Fund invests in the common stock of a representative number of companies that resemble the Index. The Fund may also lend its securities.

The Fund may concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries if the Index is concentrated. The degree to which components of the Index represent certain industries may change over time.

Process

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities included in its underlying index. The Index is composed of common stocks of large companies in developed markets, excluding the U.S. Large companies in developed markets include 1,000 large publicly traded companies, excluding real estate investments trusts and business development companies, in markets that Calvert, the Index Provider, determines to be developed markets based on a set of criteria including level of economic development, existence of capital controls, openness to foreign direct investment, market trading and liquidity conditions, regulatory environment, treatment of minority shareholders, and investor expectations. When determining 1,000 large publicly traded companies, Calvert generally includes the 500 largest publicly traded companies located in or tied economically to Europe and the 500 largest publicly traded companies located in or tied economically to other non-U.S. and non-European developed markets. The Calvert Principles serve as a framework for considering ESG factors. Stocks are weighted in the Index based on their float-adjusted market capitalization, by country and by sector, subject to certain prescribed limits. The Index is owned by Calvert, which is an affiliate of the Adviser. Jade Huang, Director of Applied Responsible Investment Solutions, and Christopher Madden, CFA, Director of Index Management, manage the Index construction process at Calvert.

As of [ ], the Index included [ ] companies, and the market capitalization ranged from approximately $[ ] billion to $[ ] billion with a weighted average market capitalization of approximately $[ ] billion. Market capitalizations of companies within the Index are subject to change. The number of companies in the Index will change over time due to Calvert’s evaluation of an issuer relative to the Calvert Principles or corporate actions involving companies in the Index. The Index is reconstituted annually and is rebalanced quarterly.

An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure investment performance. An index or passively managed fund tries to match, as closely as possible, the performance of an established target index. An index fund’s goal is to mirror the target index whether the index is going up or down. To track the Index as closely as possible, the Fund attempts to remain fully invested in stocks. The Fund may enter into foreign currency transactions, including foreign forward currency exchange contracts, in the course of purchasing and selling foreign currency denominated securities in order to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index.

The Fund uses a sampling method of indexing. The sampling method involves selecting a representative number of securities that will resemble the Index in terms of key risk and other characteristics. The securities selected are expected to have, in the aggregate, investment characteristics (based on factors such as

24 

market value and industry weightings), fundamental characteristics (such as return variability and yield) and liquidity measures similar to those of the Index. The Fund may or may not hold all of the securities in the Index or hold securities in the same proportions as represented in the Index.

Related Performance Information of Composite and Index

The Fund has recently commenced operations and has no performance history. An affiliate of the Adviser manages a composite that consists of all accounts managed by the portfolio managers that has a substantially similar investment objective, policies and investment strategies as the Fund (the "Composite") and the table below provides supplemental performance information for the Composite and the Index. The performance of the Composite is net of fees and expenses, which, depending on the account may be lower or higher than those charged to the Fund. Since fees, commissions and taxes may differ for the Composite and the Fund, performance data for identical periods may differ. The Composite and Index performance information does not represent the performance of the Fund. It is provided to illustrate the past performance of accounts advised by an affiliate of the Adviser and past performance of the Index. One of the two portfolio managers listed for the Fund are responsible for managing the Composite, and such Composite’s investment objective is to track the performance of same Index as the Fund.

The Composite and Index historical performance data should not be considered a substitute for the Fund’s performance and should not be considered an indication of the Fund’s future performance. You should not assume that the Fund will have the same performance as the Composite or the Index. An investment in the Fund can lose value. Although the Fund and the Composite have a substantially similar investment objective, policies and investment strategies, differences in asset size and cash flows, among other things, may result in differences in security selection, relative weightings or differences in the price paid for certain securities. As such, the investments held by the Fund may not be identical to the investments held by the Composite and the future performance of the Fund will differ from the performance of the Composite.

Performance of the Composite and Index

Average Annual Total Returns

For Periods Ended December 31, 2021

  1 Year 3 Year 5 Year 10 Year Since Inception1
Composite [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ]
Calvert International Responsible Index 2 [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ]
MSCI World ex USA Index3 [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ]

(1) The inception date of the oldest account in the Composite is November 1, 2015.

(2) [__]

(3) MSCI World ex USA Index is an unmanaged index of equity securities in the developed markets, excluding the United States. MSCI indexes are net of foreign withholding taxes.

25 

Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

Investment Objective

The Fund's investment objective is to seek to track the performance of the Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index (the “Index”).

The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, but no change is anticipated. If the Fund’s investment objective changes, the Fund will notify shareholders and shareholders should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of the change.

Approach

The Fund employs a passive management strategy designed to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index. The Fund invests in the common stock of each company in the Index in approximately the same proportion as represented in the Index itself. The Fund may also lend its securities.

The Fund may concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries if the Index is concentrated. The degree to which components of the Index represent certain industries may change over time.

Process

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities included in its underlying index. This policy may be changed without shareholder approval; however, shareholders would be notified upon 60 days’ notice in writing of any changes.

The Index is composed of common stocks of large companies that operate their businesses in a manner consistent with the Calvert Principles (a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Fund’s prospectus). Large companies are the 1,000 largest publicly traded U.S. companies based on market capitalization, excluding real estate investment trusts and business development companies. The Calvert Principles serve as a framework for considering ESG factors. Stocks are weighted in the Index based on their float-adjusted market capitalization within the relevant sector, subject to certain prescribed limits. The Index is owned by Calvert, which is an affiliate of the Adviser. Jade Huang, Director of Applied Responsible Investment Solutions, and Christopher Madden, CFA, Director of Index Management, manage the Index construction process at Calvert.

As of [ ], the Index included [ ] companies, and the market capitalization ranged from approximately $[ ] million to $[ ] trillion with a weighted average market capitalization of approximately $[ ] billion. Market capitalizations of companies within the Index are subject to change. The number of companies in the Index will change over time due to Calvert’s evaluation of an issuer relative to the Calvert Principles or corporate actions involving companies in the Index. The Index is reconstituted annually and is rebalanced quarterly.

An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure investment performance. An index or passively managed fund tries to match, as closely as possible, the performance of an established target index. An index fund’s goal is to mirror the target index whether the index is going up or down. To track the Index as closely as possible, the Fund attempts to remain fully invested in stocks.

The Fund uses a replication method of indexing. The replication method involves holding every security in the Index in approximately the same proportion as the Index. Unlike the Index, however, the Fund is subject to certain regulatory requirements that can limit its ability to fully replicate the Index. Under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase or hold all of, or only, the constituent securities in their respective weightings in the Index. If Fund assets should ever decline to below $5 million,

26 

the Fund may use the sampling method. The sampling method involves selecting a representative number of securities that will resemble the Index in terms of key risk and other characteristics.

Related Performance Information of Composite and Index

The Fund has recently commenced operations and has no performance history. An affiliate of the Adviser manages a composite that consists of all accounts managed by the portfolio managers that has a substantially similar investment objective, policies and investment strategies as the Fund (the "Composite") and the table below provides supplemental performance information for the Composite and the Index. The performance of the Composite is net of fees and expenses, which, depending on the account may be lower or higher than those charged to the Fund. Since fees, commissions and taxes may differ for the Composite and the Fund, performance data for identical periods may differ. The Composite and Index performance information does not represent the performance of the Fund. It is provided to illustrate the past performance of accounts advised by an affiliate of the Adviser and past performance of the Index. One of the two portfolio managers listed for the Fund are responsible for managing the Composite, and such Composite’s investment objective is to track the performance of same Index as the Fund.

The Composite and Index historical performance data should not be considered a substitute for the Fund’s performance and should not be considered an indication of the Fund’s future performance. You should not assume that the Fund will have the same performance as the Composite or the Index. An investment in the Fund can lose value. Although the Fund and the Composite have a substantially similar investment objective, policies and investment strategies, differences in asset size and cash flows, among other things, may result in differences in security selection, relative weightings or differences in the price paid for certain securities. As such, the investments held by the Fund may not be identical to the investments held by the Composite and the future performance of the Fund will differ from the performance of the Composite.

Performance of the Composite and Index

Average Annual Total Returns

For Periods Ended December 31, 2021

  1 Year 3 Year 5 Year 10 Year Since Inception1
Composite [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ]
Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index2 [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ]
Russell 1000® Index3 [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ]

(1) The inception date of the oldest account in the Composite is October 1, 2000.

(2) [__]

(3) Russell 1000® Index is an unmanaged index of U.S. large-cap stocks.

27 

Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF

Investment Objective

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek to track the performance of the Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity Research Index (the “Index”).

The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, but no change is anticipated. If the Fund’s investment objective changes, the Fund will notify shareholders and shareholders should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of the change.

Approach

The Fund employs a passive management strategy designed to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index. The Fund invests in the common stock of each company in the Index in approximately the same proportion as represented in the Index itself. The Fund may also lend its securities.

The Fund may concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries if that the Index is concentrated. The degree to which components of the Index represent certain industries may change over time.

Process

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities included in its underlying index. This policy may be changed without shareholder approval; however, shareholders would be notified upon 60 days’ notice in writing of any changes.

The Index is composed of the common stocks of large companies that operate their businesses in a manner consistent with The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (the “Calvert Principles”) (a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Fund’s prospectus) and are selected from the universe of the 1,000 largest publicly traded U.S. companies based on market capitalization, excluding real estate investment trusts and business development companies. As described in the Index Methodology and as determined by Calvert, Index components must meet certain criteria relating to leadership in having a diverse workforce and an equal and inclusive work culture, or demonstrate significant improvement in diversity practices. The Calvert Principles serve as a framework for considering environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors. Stocks are weighted in the Index based on their float-adjusted market capitalization. The Index is owned by Calvert, which is an affiliate of the Adviser. Jade Huang, Director of Applied Responsible Investment Solutions, Christopher Madden, CFA, Director of Index Management, and Yijia Chen, CFA, ESG Quantitative Research Analyst and Index Manager manage the Index construction process at Calvert.

As of [ ], the Index included [ ] companies, and the market capitalization ranged from approximately $[ ] million to $[ ] billion with a weighted average market capitalization of approximately $[ ] billion. Market capitalizations of companies within the Index are subject to change. The number of companies in the Index will change over time due to Calvert’s evaluation of an issuer relative to the Calvert Principles or corporate actions involving companies in the Index. The Index is reconstituted annually and is rebalanced quarterly.

An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure investment performance. An index or passively managed fund tries to match, as closely as possible, the performance of an established target index. An index fund’s goal is to mirror the target index whether the index is going up or down. To track the Index as closely as possible, the Fund attempts to remain fully invested in stocks.

The Fund uses a replication method of indexing. The replication method involves holding every security in the Index in approximately the same proportion as the Index. Unlike the Index, however, the Fund is subject to certain regulatory requirements that can limit its ability to fully replicate the Index. Under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase or hold all of, or only, the constituent

28 

securities in their respective weightings in the Index. If Fund assets should ever decline to below $5 million, the Fund may use the sampling method. The sampling method involves selecting a representative number of securities that will resemble the Index in terms of key risk and other characteristics.

Performance of the Index

The Fund has recently commenced operations and has no performance history. The table below provides supplemental performance information for the Index. The Fund’s investment objective is to seek to track the performance of the Index.  The Index performance information does not represent the performance of the Fund. It is provided to illustrate the past performance of the Index.

The historical performance data for the Index should not be considered a substitute for the Fund’s performance and should not be considered an indication of the Fund’s future performance. You should not assume that the Fund will have the same performance as the Index. An investment in the Fund can lose value. Although the Fund’s investment objective is to seek to track the performance of the Index, there is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. As such, the Fund’s performance may not track that of the Index and the future performance of the Fund will differ from the performance of the Index.

Performance of the Index

Average Annual Total Returns

For Periods Ended December 31, 2021

  1 Year 3 Year 5 Year 10 Year Since Inception
Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity Research Index1 [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ]

(1) [__]

29 

Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF

Investment Objective

The Fund's investment objective is to seek to track the performance of the Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index (the “Index”).

The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, but no change is anticipated. If the Fund’s investment objective changes, the Fund will notify shareholders and shareholders should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of the change.

Approach

The Fund employs a passive management strategy designed to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index. The Fund invests in the common stock of each company in the Index in approximately the same proportion as represented in the Index itself. The Fund may also lend its securities.

The Fund may concentrate its investments (i.e., invest 25% or more of its total assets) in a particular industry or group of industries if the Index is concentrated. The degree to which components of the Index represent certain industries may change over time.

Process

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in securities included in its underlying index. This policy may be changed without shareholder approval; however, shareholders would be notified upon 60 days’ notice in writing of any changes.

The Index is composed of the common stocks of mid-size companies that operate their businesses in a manner consistent with The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (the “Calvert Principles”). Mid-size companies are the 1,000 largest publicly traded U.S. companies based on market capitalization, excluding real estate investment trusts, business development companies and approximately the 200 largest publicly traded U.S. companies. The Calvert Principles serve as a framework for considering environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors. Stocks are weighted in the Index based on their float-adjusted market capitalization within the relevant sector, subject to certain prescribed limits. The Index is owned by Calvert, which is an affiliate of the Adviser. Jade Huang, Director of Applied Responsible Investment Solutions, and Christopher Madden, CFA, Director of Index Management, manage the Index construction process at Calvert.

As of [ ], the Index included [ ] companies, and the market capitalization ranged from approximately $[ ] million to $[ ] billion with a weighted average market capitalization of approximately $[ ] billion. Market capitalizations of companies within the Index are subject to change. The number of companies in the Index will change over time due to Calvert’s evaluation of an issuer relative to the Calvert Principles or corporate actions involving companies in the Index. The Index is reconstituted annually and is rebalanced quarterly.

An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure investment performance. An index or passively managed fund tries to match, as closely as possible, the performance of an established target index. An index fund’s goal is to mirror the target index whether the index is going up or down. To track the Index as closely as possible, the Fund attempts to remain fully invested in stocks.

The Fund uses a replication method of indexing. The replication method involves holding every security in the Index in approximately the same proportion as the Index. Unlike the Index, however, the Fund is subject to certain regulatory requirements that can limit its ability to fully replicate the Index. Under various circumstances, it may not be possible or practicable to purchase or hold all of, or only, the constituent securities in their respective weightings in the Index. If Fund assets should ever decline to below $5 million,

30 

the Fund may use the sampling method. The sampling method involves selecting a representative number of securities that will resemble the Index in terms of key risk and other characteristics.

Related Performance Information of Composite and Index

The Fund has recently commenced operations and has no performance history. An affiliate of the Adviser manages a composite that consists of all accounts managed by the portfolio managers that has a substantially similar investment objective, policies and investment strategies as the Fund (the "Composite") and the table below provides supplemental performance information for the Composite and the Index. The performance of the Composite is net of fees and expenses, which, depending on the account may be lower or higher than those charged to the Fund. Since fees, commissions and taxes may differ for the Composite and the Fund, performance data for identical periods may differ. The Composite and Index performance information does not represent the performance of the Fund. It is provided to illustrate the past performance of accounts advised by an affiliate of the Adviser and past performance of the Index. One of the two portfolio managers listed for the Fund are responsible for managing the Composite, and such Composite’s investment objective is to track the performance of same Index as the Fund.

The Composite and Index historical performance data should not be considered a substitute for the Fund’s performance and should not be considered an indication of the Fund’s future performance. You should not assume that the Fund will have the same performance as the Composite or the Index. An investment in the Fund can lose value. Although the Fund and the Composite have a substantially similar investment objective, policies and investment strategies, differences in asset size and cash flows, among other things, may result in differences in security selection, relative weightings or differences in the price paid for certain securities. As such, the investments held by the Fund may not be identical to the investments held by the Composite and the future performance of the Fund will differ from the performance of the Composite.

Performance of the Composite and Index

Average Annual Total Returns

For Periods Ended December 31, 2021

  1 Year 3 Year 5 Year 10 Year Since Inception1
Composite [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ]
Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index2 [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ]
Russell Midcap® Index3 [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ] [  ]

(1) The inception date of the oldest account in the Composite is November 1, 2015.

(2) [__]

(3) Russell Midcap® Index is an unmanaged index of U.S. mid-cap stocks.

31 

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks 

This section discusses additional information relating to the Funds’ investment strategies, other types of investments that the Funds may make and related risk factors. The Funds’ investment practices and limitations are described in more detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is incorporated by reference and legally is a part of this Prospectus. For details on how to obtain a copy of the SAI and other reports and information, see the back cover of this Prospectus.

 

Economies and financial markets throughout the world have experienced periods of increased volatility, uncertainty and distress and disruption to consumer demand, economic output and supply chains as a result of conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. To the extent these conditions continue, the risks associated with an investment in a Fund, including those described below, could be heightened and a Fund’s investments (and thus a shareholder’s investment in a Fund) may be particularly susceptible to sudden and substantial losses, reduced yield or income or other adverse developments. The duration and extent of COVID-19 and associated economic and market conditions and uncertainty over the long term cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 and the extent to which the associated conditions impact a Fund will also depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain, difficult to accurately predict and subject to change at any time.

The name, investment objective and policies of the Funds are similar to other funds advised by the Adviser or its affiliates. However, the investment results of a Fund may be higher or lower than, and there is no guarantee that the investment results of the Fund will be comparable to, any other of these funds. A new fund or a fund with fewer assets under management may be more significantly affected by purchases and redemptions of its Creation Units (as defined below) than a fund with relatively greater assets under management would be affected by purchases and redemptions of its shares. As compared to a larger fund, a new or smaller fund is more likely to sell a comparatively large portion of its portfolio to meet significant Creation Unit redemptions or invest a comparatively large amount of cash to facilitate Creation Unit purchases, in each case when the fund otherwise would not seek to do so. Such transactions may cause funds to make investment decisions at inopportune times or prices or miss attractive investment opportunities. Such transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income if sales of securities resulted in gains and the fund redeems Creation Units for cash, or otherwise cause a fund to perform differently than intended. While such risks may apply to funds of any size, such risks are heightened in funds with fewer assets under management. In addition, new funds may not be able to fully implement their investment strategy immediately upon commencing investment operations, which could reduce investment performance.

Equity Securities

Equity securities may include common and preferred stocks, convertible securities and equity-linked securities, rights and warrants to purchase common stocks, depositary receipts, shares of investment companies, limited partnership interests and other specialty securities having equity features. The Funds may invest in equity securities that are publicly traded on securities exchanges or over-the-counter (“OTC”) or in equity securities that are not publicly traded. Securities that are not publicly traded may be more difficult to value or sell and their value may fluctuate more dramatically than other securities. The prices of convertible securities are affected by changes similar to those of equity and fixed-income securities.

A depositary receipt is generally issued by a bank or financial institution and represents the common stock or other equity securities of a foreign company. Depositary receipts involve many of the same risks as those associated with direct investment in foreign securities. In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depositary receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depositary receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities.

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The value of equity securities and related instruments may decline in response to adverse changes in the economy or the economic outlook; deterioration in investor sentiment; interest rate, currency, and commodity price fluctuations; adverse geopolitical, social or environmental developments; issuer- and sector-specific considerations; unexpected trading activity among retail investors; and other factors. Market conditions may affect certain types of stocks to a greater extent than other types of stocks. If the stock market declines, the value of Fund shares will also likely decline. Although stock prices can rebound, there is no assurance that values will return to previous levels

Market and Geopolitical Risk

The value of your investment in a Fund is based on the values of the Fund’s investments, which may change due to economic and other events that affect markets generally, as well as those that affect particular regions, countries, industries, companies or governments. Price movements, sometimes called volatility, may be greater or less depending on the types of securities a Fund owns and the markets in which the securities trade. Volatility and disruption in financial markets and economies may be sudden and unexpected, expose a Fund to greater risk, including risks associated with reduced market liquidity and fair valuation, and adversely affect a Fund’s operations. For example, the Adviser potentially will be prevented from executing investment decisions at an advantageous time or price as a result of any domestic or global market disruptions and reduced market liquidity may impact a Fund’s ability to sell securities to meet redemptions.

The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Securities in a Fund’s portfolio may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, health emergencies (such as epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as terrorist attacks around the world, natural disasters, health emergencies, social and political discord or debt crises and downgrades, among others, may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. Inflation rates may change frequently and significantly because of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy and changes in monetary or economic policies (or expectations that these policies may change). Changes in inflation rates may adversely affect market and economic conditions, a Fund’s investments and an investment in a Fund. Other financial, economic and other global market and social developments or disruptions may result in similar adverse circumstances, and it is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects (which may last for extended periods). In general, the securities or other instruments that the Adviser believes represent an attractive investment opportunity or in which a Fund seeks to invest may be unavailable entirely or in the specific quantities sought by a Fund. As a result, a Fund may need to obtain the desired exposure through a less advantageous investment, forgo the investment at the time or seek to replicate the desired exposure through a derivative transaction or investment in another investment vehicle. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of a Fund’s portfolio. There is a risk that you may lose money by investing in a Fund.

Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as war, natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., the novel coronavirus outbreak, epidemics and other pandemics), terrorism, conflicts and social unrest, could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the economies and financial markets and the Adviser’s investment advisory activities and services of other service providers, which in turn could adversely affect a Fund’s investments and other operations.

Global events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations, cause a significant negative impact on the performance of a Fund’s investments, adversely affect and increase the volatility of a Fund’s share price, exacerbate pre-existing political, social and economic risks to the Fund. A Fund’s operations may be interrupted as a result, which may contribute to the negative impact on investment performance. In addition, governments, their regulatory agencies, or self-regulatory organizations may take

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actions that affect the instruments in which a Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that could have a significant negative impact on a Fund’s investment performance.

Certain countries and regulatory bodies use negative interest rates as a monetary policy tool to encourage economic growth during periods of deflation. In a negative interest rate environment, debt instruments may trade at negative yields, which means the purchaser of the instrument may receive at maturity less than the total amount invested. In addition, in a negative interest rate environment, if a bank charges negative interest rates, instead of receiving interest on deposits, a depositor must pay the bank fees to keep money with the bank. To the extent a Fund holds a debt instrument or has a bank deposit with a negative interest rate, the Fund would generate a negative return on that investment.

Responsible Investing

Investing primarily in responsible investments carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, a Fund may underperform funds that do not utilize a responsible investment strategy. The application of responsible investment criteria may affect a Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments, and may impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. An investment’s ESG performance, or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such performance may change over time, which could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that do not comply with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. In evaluating an investment, Calvert and the Adviser are dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could adversely affect the analysis of the ESG factors relevant to a particular investment. A Fund is also subject to the risk that the companies identified by the index provider do not operate as expected when addressing ESG issues. Additionally, the index provider’s proprietary valuation model may not perform as intended, which may adversely affect an investment in the Fund. Regulatory changes or interpretations regarding the definitions and/or use of ESG criteria could have a material adverse effect on a Fund’s ability to invest in accordance with its ESG strategy. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time and there is a risk that the Adviser may incorrectly assess a company’s ESG practices. A Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor.

Foreign Investing

To the extent that a Fund invests in foreign issuers, there is the risk that news and events unique to a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers. These same events will not necessarily have an effect on the U.S. economy or similar issuers located in the United States. In addition, some of the Funds’ securities, including underlying securities represented by depositary receipts, may be denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, changes in the value of a country’s currency compared to the U.S. dollar may affect the value of a Fund’s investments. These changes may happen separately from, and in response to, events that do not otherwise affect the value of the security in the issuer’s home country.

Foreign Securities

Foreign issuers generally are subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers. There may be less information available to the public about foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers can be less liquid and experience greater price movements. In addition, the prices of such securities may be susceptible to influence by large traders, due to the limited size of many foreign securities markets. Moreover, investments in certain foreign markets that have historically been considered stable may become more volatile and subject to increased risk due to ongoing developments and changing conditions in such markets. Also, the growing interconnectivity of global economies and financial markets has increased the probability that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries or regions. In some foreign countries, there is also the risk of government expropriation, excessive taxation, political or social instability, the imposition of currency controls or diplomatic developments that could affect a Fund’s investment. There also can be difficulty obtaining and enforcing judgments against issuers in foreign countries. Foreign stock exchanges, broker-dealers and listed issuers may be subject to less government regulation and oversight. The cost of investing in foreign securities, including brokerage commissions and custodial expenses, can be higher than the cost of investing in domestic securities.

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Certain foreign markets may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. International trade barriers or economic sanctions against foreign countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals may adversely affect a Fund’s foreign holdings or exposures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by less stringent investor protections and disclosure standards, and governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets or the imposition of punitive taxes. Governmental actions can have a significant effect on the economic conditions in foreign countries, which also may adversely affect the value and liquidity of a Fund’s investments. Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain foreign countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. For example, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain sectors or industries. In addition, a foreign government may limit or cause delay in the convertibility or repatriation of its currency which would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value and/or liquidity of investments denominated in that currency. Moreover, if a deterioration occurs in a country’s balance of payments, the country could impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital remittances. A Fund could also be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation, as well as by the application to it of other restrictions on investment. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, which could result in losses to the Fund and increased transaction costs, impair a Fund’s ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer a Fund’s assets back into the United States, or otherwise adversely affect a Fund’s operations. Certain foreign investments may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions, or become illiquid after purchase by a Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. Certain foreign investments may become illiquid when, for instance, there are few, if any, interested buyers and sellers or when dealers are unwilling to make a market for certain securities. When a Fund holds illiquid investments, its portfolio may be harder to value.

Economic sanctions or other similar measures may be, and have been, imposed against certain countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals. A Fund’s investments in foreign securities are subject to economic sanctions and trade laws in the United States and other jurisdictions. These laws and related governmental actions, including counter-sanctions and other retaliatory measures, can, from time to time, prevent or prohibit a Fund from investing in certain foreign securities. In addition, economic sanctions could prohibit a Fund from transacting with particular countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals by banning them from global payment systems that facilitate cross-border payments, restricting their ability to settle securities transactions, and freezing their assets. The imposition of sanctions and other similar measures could, among other things, cause a decline in the value of securities issued by the sanctioned country or companies located in, or economically linked to, the sanctioned country, downgrades in the credit ratings of the sanctioned country or companies located in, or economically linked to, the sanctioned country, devaluation of the sanctioned country’s currency, and increased market volatility and disruption in the sanctioned country and throughout the world. Economic sanctions or other similar measures could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate a Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities, negatively impact the value or liquidity of a Fund’s investments, significantly delay or prevent the settlement of a Fund’s securities transactions, force a Fund to sell or otherwise dispose of investments at inopportune times or prices, increase a Fund’s transaction costs, make a Fund’s investments more difficult to value or impair a Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective or invest in accordance with its investment strategies. These conditions may be in place for a substantial period of time and enacted with limited advance notice to a Fund.

Foreign Currency

Investments in foreign securities may be denominated in foreign currencies. The value of foreign currencies may fluctuate relative to the value of the U.S. dollar or other applicable foreign currency. Since the Funds may invest in such non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities, and therefore may convert the value of such securities into U.S. dollars, changes in currency exchange rates can increase or decrease the U.S. dollar value of the Funds’ assets. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the overall economic health of the issuer. Devaluation of a currency by a country’s government or banking authority also will have a significant impact

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on the value of any investments denominated in that currency. The Adviser may use derivatives to reduce this risk. The Adviser may in its discretion choose not to hedge against currency risk. In addition, certain market conditions may make it impossible or uneconomical to hedge against currency risk.

Foreign Currency Forward Exchange Contracts

In connection with their investments in foreign securities, the Funds also may enter into contracts with banks, brokers or dealers to purchase or sell securities or foreign currencies at a future date. A foreign currency forward exchange contract is a negotiated agreement between the contracting parties to exchange a specified amount of currency at a specified future time at a specified rate. The rate can be higher or lower than the spot rate between the currencies that are the subject of the contract. Foreign currency forward exchange contracts may be used to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign currency exchange rates or to gain or modify exposure to a particular currency. In addition, a Fund may use cross currency hedging or proxy hedging with respect to currencies in which a Fund has or expects to have portfolio or currency exposure. Cross currency and proxy hedges involve the sale of one currency against the positive exposure to a different currency and may be used for hedging purposes or to establish an active exposure to the exchange rate between any two currencies.

Investments in foreign currency forward exchange contracts may substantially change the Funds’ exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Funds if currencies do not perform as the Adviser expects. The Adviser’s success in these transactions will depend principally on its ability to predict accurately the future exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Foreign currency forward exchange contracts may be used for non-hedging purposes in seeking to meet the Funds’ investment objectives, such as when the Adviser anticipates that particular non-U.S. currencies will appreciate or depreciate in value, even though securities denominated in those currencies are not then held in the Funds’ investment portfolios. Investing in foreign currency forward exchange contracts for purposes of gaining from projected changes in exchange rates, as opposed to hedging currency risks applicable to the Funds’ holdings, further increases the Funds’ exposure to foreign securities losses. There is no assurance that the Adviser’s use of currency derivatives will benefit the Funds or that they will be, or can be, used at appropriate times.

Derivatives

Each Fund may, but are not required to, use derivative instruments for a variety of purposes, including hedging, risk management, portfolio management or to earn income. Derivative instruments used by a Fund will be counted towards the Fund’s exposure in the types of securities listed herein to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to such securities. A derivative is a financial instrument whose value is based, in part, on the value of an underlying asset, interest rate, index or financial instrument. Prevailing interest rates and volatility levels, among other things, also affect the value of derivative instruments. A derivative instrument often has risks similar to its underlying asset and may have additional risks, including imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying asset, risks of default by the counterparty to certain transactions, magnification of losses incurred due to changes in the market value of the securities, instruments, indices or interest rates to which the derivative instrument relates, risks that the transactions may not be liquid and risks arising from margin requirements. The use of derivatives involves risks that are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with other portfolio investments. Derivatives may involve the use of highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with other portfolio investments.

Certain derivative transactions may give rise to a form of leverage. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and the risk of loss. Leverage associated with derivative transactions may cause a Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet earmarking or segregation requirements, pursuant to applicable SEC rules and regulations, or may cause a Fund to be more volatile than if the Fund had not been leveraged. Although the Adviser seeks to use derivatives to further a Fund’s investment objective, there is no assurance that the use of derivatives will achieve this result.

The derivative instruments and techniques that the Funds may use include futures. A futures contract is a standardized, exchange-traded agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying asset, reference rate or index at a specific price at a specific future time. While the value of a futures contract

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tends to increase or decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying instrument, differences between the futures market and the market for the underlying asset may result in an imperfect correlation. Depending on the terms of the particular contract, futures contracts are settled through either physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash settlement amount on the settlement date. A decision as to whether, when and how to use futures contracts involves the exercise of skill and judgment and even a well-conceived futures transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. In addition to the derivatives risks discussed above, the prices of futures contracts can be highly volatile, using futures contracts can lower total return, and the potential loss from futures contracts can exceed a Fund’s initial investment in such contracts. No assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time. There is also the risk of loss by a Fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with which a Fund has open positions in the futures contract.

Exchange-Traded Funds

Each Fund may invest in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). ETFs seek to track the performance of various portions or segments of the equity and fixed-income markets. Shares of ETFs have many of the same risks as direct investments in common stocks or bonds. In addition, the market value of ETF shares may differ from their NAV because the supply and demand in the market for ETF shares at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the underlying securities. Also, ETFs that track particular indices typically will be unable to match the performance of the index exactly due to, among other things, the ETF’s operating expenses and transaction costs. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by the Fund. Therefore, as a shareholder in an ETF, a Fund would bear its ratable share of that entity’s expenses. At the same time, the Fund would continue to pay its own investment management fees and other expenses. As a result, shareholders will directly bear the expenses of their investment in a Fund and indirectly bear the expenses of a Fund’s investments in ETFs with respect to investments in ETFs.

Large Shareholder Transactions Risk

A Fund may experience adverse effects when certain shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of a Fund. In addition, a third party investor, the Adviser or an affiliate of the Adviser, an authorized participant, a lead market maker, or another entity (i.e., a seed investor) may invest in the Fund and hold its investment solely to facilitate commencement of the Fund or to facilitate the Fund’s achieving a specified size or scale. Any such investment may be held for a limited period of time. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder would not redeem its investment, that the size of the Fund would be maintained at such levels or that the Fund would continue to meet applicable listing requirements. Such larger than normal redemptions may cause a Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact a Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect a Fund’s performance to the extent that a Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in a Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in a Fund’s expense ratio. Although large shareholder transactions may be more frequent under certain circumstances, a Fund is generally subject to the risk that shareholders can purchase or redeem a significant percentage of Fund shares at any time. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on [ ] and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Counterparty Risk

A financial institution or other counterparty with whom the Fund does business (such as trading, securities lending or as a derivatives counterparty), or that underwrites, distributes or guarantees any instruments that the Fund owns or is otherwise exposed to, may decline in financial condition and become unable to honor its commitments. This could cause the value of Fund shares to decline or could delay the return or delivery of collateral or other assets to the Fund. Counterparty risk is increased for contracts with longer maturities.

Mid Cap Companies

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Investments in mid cap companies may involve greater risks than investments in larger, more established companies. The securities issued by mid cap companies may be less liquid and such companies may have more limited markets, financial resources and product lines, and may lack the depth of management of larger companies.

Securities Lending

A Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and other institutional borrowers. During the existence of a loan, the Fund will continue to receive the equivalent of the interest paid by the issuer on the securities loaned, or all or a portion of the interest on investment of the collateral, if any. The Fund may pay lending fees to such borrowers. Loans will only be made to firms that have been approved by the investment adviser, and the investment adviser or the securities lending agent will periodically monitor the financial condition of such firms while such loans are outstanding. Securities loans will only be made when the investment adviser believes that the expected returns, net of expenses, justify the attendant risks. Securities loans currently are required to be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents (such as money market instruments) or other liquid securities held by the custodian and maintained in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The Fund may engage in securities lending to generate income. Upon return of the loaned securities, the Fund would be required to return the related collateral to the borrower and may be required to liquidate portfolio securities in order to do so. The Fund may lend up to one-third of the value of its total assets or such other amount as may be permitted by law.

As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the securities loaned if the borrower of the securities fails financially. To the extent that the portfolio securities acquired with such collateral have decreased in value, it may result in the Fund realizing a loss at a time when it would not otherwise do so. As such, securities lending may introduce leverage into the Fund. The Fund also may incur losses if the returns on securities that it acquires with cash collateral are less than the applicable rebate rates paid to borrowers and related administrative costs.

Tracking Error Risk

Tracking error is the divergence of the Fund’s performance from that of its Index. The performance of the Fund may diverge from that of its Index for a number of reasons. When a Fund uses a representative sampling indexing strategy, it can be expected to have a larger tracking error than if it used a replication indexing strategy. Tracking error may occur because of transaction costs, the Fund’s holding of cash, differences in accrual of dividends, changes to its Index or the need to meet new or existing regulatory requirements. Unlike the Fund, the returns of an Index are not reduced by investment and other operating expenses, including the trading costs associated with implementing changes to its portfolio of investments. The frequency at which each Index is rebalanced may result in higher trading costs for the Fund and, as a result, greater tracking error. Tracking error risk may be heightened during times of market volatility, unusual market conditions or other abnormal circumstances. To the extent that the Fund calculates its NAV based on fair value prices and the value of its Index is based on securities’ closing prices (i.e., the value of the Index is not based on fair value prices), the Fund’s ability to track the Index may be adversely affected. The Fund may be required to deviate its investments from the securities and relative weightings of its Index to comply with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), to meet the issuer diversification requirements of the Code applicable to regulated investment companies, or as a result of local market restrictions or other legal reasons. The Fund’s investments may vary from the securities of its Index due to the Fund’s inability to invest in certain securities as a result of legal and compliance restrictions applicable to the Fund and/or the Adviser and regulatory limits or other restrictions on securities that may be purchased by the Adviser and its affiliates. For tax efficiency purposes, the Fund may sell certain securities to realize losses, which will result in a deviation from its Index.

Trading Risk

Shares are listed for trading on [ ] and are bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The market prices of Shares are expected to fluctuate, in some cases materially, in response to changes in the Fund’s NAV, the intra-day value of the Fund’s holdings, and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below or at their NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of significant market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for

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the Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in the Shares trading significantly above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. During such periods, you may incur significant losses if you sell your Shares.

Buying or selling Shares in the secondary market may require paying 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 when seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, the market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. The spread of a Fund’s Shares varies over time based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and may increase if the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decrease.

Trading in Shares on [ ] may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of [ ], make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on [ ] is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to [ ]’s “circuit breaker” rules. If a trading halt or unanticipated closing of the exchange occurs, a shareholder may be unable to purchase or sell Shares. There can be no assurance that the requirements of [ ] necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk

Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with a Fund. Each Fund has a limited number of intermediaries that act as authorized participants and none of these authorized participants is or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these intermediaries exit the business or are unable to or choose not to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to a Fund and no other authorized participant creates or redeems, Shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

Index Related Risk 

A Fund’s return may not track the return of the underlying index for a number of reasons and, therefore, may not achieve its investment objective. For example, the Fund incurs a number of operating expenses not applicable to the underlying index, and incurs costs in buying and selling securities, especially when rebalancing the Fund’s securities holdings to reflect changes in the composition of the Index. The Fund’s return may differ from the return of its Index as a result of, among other things, pricing differences and the inability to purchase certain securities included in the Index due to regulatory or other restrictions.

In addition, when the Fund uses a representative sampling approach, the Fund may not be as well correlated with the return of the Index as when the Fund purchases all of the securities in the Index in the proportions in which they are represented in the Index.

Corporate actions affecting securities held by the Fund (such as mergers and spin-offs) or the Fund’s ability to purchase round lots of the securities may also cause a deviation between the performance of the Fund and its Index.

Errors in the construction or calculation of the Index may occur from time to time. Any such errors may not be identified and corrected for some period of time, which may negatively impact the Fund and its shareholders. For example, during a period when the Index contains inaccurate constituents, the Fund would have market exposure to such constituents and would be underexposed to the Index's other constituents.

The Index Provider relies on third party data it believes to be reliable in constructing the Index, but it does not guarantee the accuracy or availability of any such third party data, and there is no guarantee with respect to the accuracy, availability or timeliness of the production of the Index.

Unusual market conditions may cause the Index Provider to postpone a scheduled rebalance, which could cause an Index to vary from its normal or expected composition. The postponement of a scheduled rebalance in a time of market volatility could mean that constituents that would otherwise be removed at rebalance due to changes in market capitalizations or other reasons may remain, causing the performance and constituents of the Index to vary from those expected under normal conditions and potentially

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increasing transaction costs to the Fund. Apart from scheduled rebalances, the Index Provider or its agents may carry out additional ad hoc rebalances to the Index in order, for example, to correct an error in the selection of index constituents. When an Index is rebalanced and the Fund in turn rebalances its portfolio to attempt to increase the correlation between the Fund’s portfolio and its Index, any transaction costs and market exposure arising from such portfolio rebalancing may be borne directly by the Fund and its shareholders. Therefore, errors and additional ad hoc rebalances carried out by the Index Provider or its agents to the Index may increase the costs to and the tracking error risk of the Fund.

It is also possible that the composition of the Fund may not exactly replicate the composition of its Index if the Fund has to adjust its portfolio holdings in order to continue to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the Internal Revenue Code).

The risk that the Fund may not track the performance of the Index may be heightened during times of increased market volatility, unusual market conditions or other abnormal circumstances.

Cybersecurity Risk

With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund, authorized participants, service providers and the relevant listing exchange are susceptible to operational, information security and related “cyber” risks both directly and through their service providers. Similar types of cybersecurity risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such issuers to lose value. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber incidents include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyberattacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Recently, geopolitical tensions may have increased the scale and sophistication of deliberate attacks, particularly those from nation-states or from entities with nation-state backing.

Cybersecurity failures by, or breaches of, the systems of the Adviser, distributor and other service providers (including, but not limited to, index and benchmark providers, fund accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), market makers, authorized participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in: financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, disclosure of confidential trading information, impediments to trading, submission of erroneous trades or erroneous creation or redemption orders, the inability of the Fund or its service providers to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, cyberattacks may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund shares, and other data integral to the functioning of the Fund inaccessible, inaccurate or incomplete. Substantial costs may be incurred by the Fund in order to resolve or prevent cyber incidents in the future. While the Fund has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber incidents, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified, that prevention and remediation efforts will not be successful or that cyberattacks will go undetected. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, issuers in which the Fund invests, the Index Provider, market makers or authorized participants. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

Non-Diversification Risk

 

Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF is non-diversified, which means that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of their assets in a smaller number of issuers than diversified funds. A Fund that is classified as non-diversified may be more susceptible to an adverse event affecting a single issuer or portfolio investment than a diversified portfolio and a decline in the value of that issuer’s securities or that portfolio investment may cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than a diversified portfolio.

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[About Responsible Investing

Investment Selection Process

As described above, each Fund seeks to track the performance of a specific Calvert Index. Calvert seeks to include in the Indexes issuers that manage ESG risk exposures adequately and that are not exposed to excessive ESG risk through their principal business activities. Companies included in an Index are analyzed using The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (included as Appendix A to this Prospectus), a framework for considering ESG factors. Each issuer is evaluated relative to an appropriate peer group based on financially material ESG factors as determined by Calvert. Calvert’s evaluation of a particular security’s responsible investing characteristics generally involves both quantitative and qualitative analysis. In assessing investments, Calvert generally focuses on the ESG factors relevant to the issuer’s operations, and an issuer may be acceptable for investment based primarily on such assessment. Securities may be deemed suitable for investment even if the issuer does not operate in accordance with all elements of the Fund’s responsible investing criteria. In assessing issuers for which quantitative data is limited, subjective judgments may serve as the primary basis for Calvert’s evaluation. Calvert’s Index Committee may, in its discretion, remove an Index component before the next reconstitution if it has been determined that such Index component no longer meets the Calvert Principles or, if Calvert's Index Committee determines, based on information available to Calvert, that such Index component has exposure to a product and/or environmental factor that is believed to present significant health or environmental risks. Calvert’s Index Committee may also, in its discretion, add to an Index at its next rebalance (i) a company that was previously excluded from an Index Universe if it had been determined that such company meets the Calvert Principles; or (ii) a company that was previously excluded by Calvert's Index Committee if Calvert's Index Committee has determined that such company no longer presents significant health or environmental risks.

As described above, or in the SAI, each Fund may invest in cash, money market instruments and ETFs. Such investments will generally not be subject to responsible investment analysis and will not be required to be consistent with the responsible investment criteria otherwise applicable to investments made by the Fund. In addition, ETFs in which a Fund may invest may hold securities of issuers that do not operate in accordance with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria.

High Social Impact Investments. Up to 3% of a Fund's net assets may be invested in High Social Impact Investments. High Social Impact Investments are investments that, in Calvert’s opinion, offer the opportunity for significant sustainability and social impact. Investments in High Social Impact Investments are not included in an Index, and a Fund’s performance may deviate from the Index it seeks to track as a result.

High Social Impact Investment debt obligations are unrated and of below-investment grade quality, and involve a greater risk of default and price decline than investment grade investments. High Social Impact Investments are illiquid, and a Fund may be unable to dispose of them at current carrying values.

Any Fund investment in High Social Impact Investments is fair valued pursuant to valuation procedures adopted by a Fund’s Board and implemented by the Adviser. High Social Impact Investments by a Fund may be direct investments in an issuer or investments in an intermediate entity that then makes High Social Impact Investments, such as Calvert Impact Capital, Inc. (“CIC”) (as discussed below).

Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC, a Fund may invest in Community Investment Notes (“Notes”) issued by CIC as part of a Fund’s High Social Impact Investments. CIC is a nonstock corporation organized under the laws of the State of Maryland and designed to operate as a non-profit organization within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. CIC focuses its work on offering investors the ability to support organizations that strengthen communities and sustain our planet. CIC issues Notes with fixed-rates of interest to domestic individuals and institutional investors and the proceeds from the Notes primarily are used to provide financing to community development organizations, projects, funds and other social enterprises across a variety of impact sectors, including community development,

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microfinance, affordable housing, small business, renewable energy, environmental sustainability, education, health, and sustainable agriculture (collectively, the “Participating Borrowers”) with missions that may include addressing climate change, supporting quality education, promoting financial inclusion, strengthening women’s empowerment, and increasing access to quality affordable housing. CIC issues Notes with interest rates that currently range from 0%-4% and terms currently ranging from six months to 20 years, and in turn makes loans to Participating Borrowers at rates determined through consideration of the general current market, the Participating Borrower’s positive social and/or environmental impact and the Participating Borrower’s risk level.

Calvert has licensed use of the Calvert name to CIC and provides other types of support. Calvert’s President and Chief Executive serves on the CIC Board.

Shareholder Advocacy and Corporate Responsibility

[The Funds’ Board of Trustees (the “Board”) adopted the proxy voting policies and procedures of Calvert (the “Adviser Policies”).] Calvert uses strategic engagement and shareholder advocacy to encourage positive change in companies. Calvert’s activities may include, but are not limited to:

Direct Dialogue with Company Management. Calvert, or its agent, may initiate dialogue with management through phone calls, letters and in-person meetings. Through its interaction, Calvert seeks to learn about management’s successes and challenges and to press for improvement on issues of concern.

Proxy Voting. As a shareholder of the companies in its portfolio, each Fund typically has an opportunity each year to express its views on issues of corporate governance and sustainability at annual stockholder meetings. Calvert votes proxies consistent with the Adviser Policies attached to the SAI.

Shareholder Resolutions. Calvert may propose that companies submit resolutions to their shareholders on a variety of ESG issues. Calvert believes that submitting shareholder resolutions may help establish dialogue with management and encourage companies to take action.]

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Fund Management 

Adviser

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., with principal offices at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”) is the parent of the Adviser. Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. As of [ ], 2022, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $[ ] in assets under management or supervision.

A discussion regarding the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Management Agreement will be available in each Fund’s [semi-annual/annual] report to shareholders for the period ending [ ].

Management Fees

The Adviser receives a fee for management services equal to the portion of the average daily net assets as set forth in the table below.

Fund (as a percentage of average daily net assets)
Calvert International Responsible Index ETF [  ]%
Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF [  ]%
Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF [  ]%
Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF [  ]%

[Under the Management Agreement, the Adviser is responsible for substantially all the expenses of each Fund (including expenses of the Trust relating to each Fund), except for the management fees, payments under a Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), interest expenses, dividend and interest expenses related to short sales, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (other than fees for funds advised by the Adviser and/ or its affiliates), costs of holding shareholder meetings, brokerage commissions, fees and expenses associated with the Fund’s securities lending program, if applicable, and litigation and potential litigation and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of each Fund’s business.]

Portfolio Management

The Funds are managed by [___], [___] and [_____], who are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds.

[_____] is a [_____] with the Adviser and has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since [_____]. [_____] is a [_____] with the Adviser and has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since [_____]. [_____] is a [_____] with the Adviser and has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since [_____].

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

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Shareholder Information 

Distribution of Fund Shares

[ ] (the “Distributor”) is the exclusive distributor of Creation Units of each Fund. The Distributor or its agent distributes Creation Units for each Fund on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in Shares of the Funds. The Distributor has no role in determining the investment policies of a Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is [ ].

The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted a distribution and service plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, each Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees in connection with the sale and distribution of its Shares and pay service fees in connection with the provision of ongoing services to shareholders of the Fund and the maintenance of shareholder accounts in an amount up to [ ]% of its average daily net assets each year.

No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Funds, and there are no current plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because these fees are paid out of a Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Fund. By purchasing Shares subject to distribution fees and service fees, you may pay more over time than you would by purchasing Shares with other types of sales charge arrangements. Long-term shareholders may pay more than the economic equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charge permitted by the rules of FINRA. The net income attributable to Shares will be reduced by the amount of distribution fees and service fees and other expenses of the Fund.

About Net Asset Value

A Fund’s NAV per share is generally calculated by the Fund’s provider of administrative services on each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) or such other times as the New York Stock Exchange may officially close. The NAV of the Fund is determined by dividing the total of the value of the Fund’s investments and other assets, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding Shares of the Fund. In making this calculation, each Fund generally values its portfolio securities and other assets at market price. The Adviser, consistent with its procedures and applicable regulatory guidance, may (but need not) determine to make an adjustment to the previous closing prices of either domestic or foreign securities in light of significant events, to reflect what it believes to be the fair value of the securities at the time of determining the Fund’s NAV.

In addition, with respect to securities that primarily are listed on foreign exchanges, when an event occurs after the close of such exchanges that is likely to have changed the value of the securities (e.g., a percentage change in value of one or more U.S. securities indices in excess of specified thresholds), such securities will be valued at their fair value, as determined under procedures established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Securities also may be fair valued in the event of a significant development affecting a country or region or an issuer-specific development that is likely to have changed the value of the security. In these cases, a Fund’s NAV will reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair value rather than their market price. To the extent a Fund invests in open-end management companies (other than ETFs) that are registered under the 1940 Act, the Fund’s NAV is calculated based in relevant part upon the NAV of such funds. The prospectuses for such funds explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and its effects.

Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security or other asset is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security or other asset. With respect to securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges, the values of a Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or sell your Shares. The NAV of a Fund (excluding any applicable sales charges) is based on the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities or other assets.

Foreign securities may trade in their local markets on days the Fund is closed. As a result, if the Fund holds foreign securities, its NAV may be impacted on days when investors may not purchase or sell Fund Shares on the secondary market or purchase or redeem Creation Units through the Fund.

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The Funds rely on various sources to calculate their NAVs. The ability of a Fund’s provider of administrative services to calculate the NAV per share of the Fund is subject to operational risks associated with processing or human errors, systems or technology failures, cyber attacks and errors caused by third party service providers, data sources, or trading counterparties. Such failures may result in delays in the calculation of the Fund’s NAV and/or the inability to calculate NAV over extended time periods. A Fund may be unable to recover any losses associated with such failures. In addition, if the third party service providers and/or data sources upon which a Fund directly or indirectly relies to calculate its NAV or price individual securities are unavailable or otherwise unable to calculate the NAV correctly, it may be necessary for alternative procedures to be utilized to price the securities at the time of determining the Fund’s NAV.

A Fund’s NAV per share is subject to various investment and other risks. Please refer to the “Additional Information About the Funds’ Investment Strategies and Related Risks” and “The Funds’ Investments and Strategies” sections of the Prospectus and SAI, respectively, for more information regarding risks associated with an investment in a Fund.

Book Entry

The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) serves as securities depository for the Shares. (The Shares may be held only in book-entry form; stock certificates will not be issued.) DTC, or its nominee, is the record or registered owner of all outstanding Shares. Beneficial ownership of Shares will be shown on the records of DTC or its participants (described below). Beneficial owners of Shares are not entitled to have Shares registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificates in definitive form and are not considered the registered holder thereof. Accordingly, to exercise any rights of a holder of Shares, each beneficial owner must rely on the procedures of: (i) DTC; (ii) “DTC Participants,” i.e., securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC; and (iii) “Indirect Participants,” i.e., brokers, dealers, banks and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly, through which such beneficial owner holds its interests. The Trust understands that under existing industry practice, in the event the Trust requests any action of holders of Shares, or a beneficial owner desires to take any action that DTC, as the record owner of all outstanding Shares, is entitled to take, DTC would authorize the DTC Participants to take such action and that the DTC Participants would authorize the Indirect Participants and beneficial owners acting through such DTC Participants to take such action and would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them. As described above, the Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the owner of all Shares for all purposes.

Buying and Selling Shares

Shares of the Fund may be acquired or redeemed directly from a Fund at NAV only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the Creations and Redemptions section of the Prospectus. Only an Authorized Participant (as defined in the Creations and Redemptions section below) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with a Fund. Once created, Shares of a Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

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

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The Fund’s primary listing exchange is [ ]. [ ] is open for trading Monday through Friday and are closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

A “business day” with respect to the Fund is each day the New York Stock Exchange, [[ ]], and the Trust are open and includes any day that the Fund is required to be open under Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act. Orders from authorized participants to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a business day. On days when [ ] closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. See the SAI for more information.

The Trust’s Board of Trustees has not adopted a policy of monitoring for frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund Shares (“frequent trading”) that appear to attempt to take advantage of potential arbitrage opportunities presented by a lag between a change in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities after the close of the primary markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities and the reflection of that change in the Fund’s NAV (“market timing”). The Trust believes this is appropriate because ETFs, such as the Fund, are intended to be attractive to arbitrageurs, as trading activity is critical to ensuring that the market price of Fund Shares remains at or close to NAV. Since the Fund issues and redeems Creation Units at NAV plus applicable transaction fees, and the Fund’s Shares may be purchased and sold on [ ] at prevailing market prices, the risks of frequent trading are limited.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the “Acquired Fund”), such as a Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the “Acquiring Fund”) or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in a Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of a Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC Staff no-action relief.

The Fund and the Distributor will have the sole right to accept orders to purchase Shares and reserve the right to reject any purchase order in whole or in part.

Creations and Redemptions

Prior to trading in the secondary market, Shares of a Fund are “created” at NAV by market makers, large investors and institutions only in block-size Creation Units or multiples thereof. Each “creator” or authorized participant (an “Authorized Participant”) enters into an authorized participant agreement with the Funds’ Distributor. An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows such member or participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units.

A creation transaction, which is subject to acceptance by [__], as the Trust’s transfer agent, generally takes place when an Authorized Participant deposits into the Fund a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) and a specified amount of cash in exchange for a specified number of Creation Units.

Similarly, Shares can be redeemed only in Creation Units, generally for a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) held by a Fund and a specified amount of cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable by a Fund.

The prices at which creations and redemptions occur are based on the next calculation of NAV after a creation or redemption order is received in an acceptable form under the authorized participant agreement.

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Only an Authorized Participant may create or redeem Creation Units directly with the Fund.

In the event of a system failure or other interruption, including disruptions at market makers or authorized participants, orders to purchase or redeem Creation Units either may not be executed according to the Fund’s instructions or may not be executed at all, or the Fund may not be able to place or change orders.

To the extent the Fund engages in in-kind transactions, the Fund intends to comply with the U.S. federal securities laws in accepting securities for deposit and satisfying redemptions with redemption securities by, among other means, assuring that any securities accepted for deposit and any securities used to satisfy redemption requests will be sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.

Creations and redemptions must be made through a firm that is either a member of the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation or a DTC Participant and has executed an agreement with the Distributor with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Unit aggregations. Information about the procedures regarding creation and redemption of Creation Units (including the cut-off times for receipt of creation and redemption orders) and the applicable transaction fees is included in the Fund’s SAI.

Portfolio Holdings

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

Dividends and Distributions

General Policies

Dividends from net investment income, if any, generally are declared and paid at least once a year by the Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Trust may make distributions on a more frequent basis for the Fund. The Trust reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve its status as a regulated investment company or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income or realized gains. Dividends and other distributions on shares of the Fund are distributed 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.

Dividend Reinvestment Service

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

Taxes

As with any investment, you should consider how your Fund investment will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in a Fund. Unless your investment in a Fund is through a tax deferred retirement account, such as a 401(k) plan or IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions and when you sell shares, including an exchange to another Morgan Stanley Fund.

 

Taxation of Distributions. Your distributions normally are subject to federal and state income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in Fund shares. A distribution also may be subject

47 

to local income tax. Any income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in the Fund.

 

If certain holding period requirements are met with respect to your shares, a portion of the income dividends you receive may be taxed at the same rates as long-term capital gains. However, even if income received in the form of income dividends is taxed at the same rates as long-term capital gains, such income will not be considered long-term capital gains for other federal income tax purposes. For example, you will not be permitted to offset income dividends with capital losses. Short term capital gain distributions will continue to be taxed as ordinary income taxes.

 

If certain holding period requirements are met, corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive which are attributable to dividends received by such portfolios from U.S. corporations.

 

If you buy shares of a Fund before a distribution, you may be subject to tax on the entire amount of the taxable distribution you receive. Distributions are taxable to you even if they are paid from income or gain earned by the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the price you paid for your Fund shares).

 

Investment income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign income, withholding, and other taxes. Tax conventions between certain countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the total assets of the Calvert International Responsible Index ETF at the close of a year consists of non-U.S. stocks or securities (generally, for this purpose, depositary receipts, no matter where traded, of non-U.S. companies are treated as “non-U.S.”), generally the Fund may “pass through” to you certain non-U.S. income taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by the Fund. This means that you would be considered to have received as an additional dividend your share of such non-U.S. taxes, but you may be entitled to either a corresponding tax deduction in calculating your taxable income, or, subject to certain limitations, a credit in calculating your U.S. federal income tax.

 

You will be sent a statement (Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.

 

Taxation of Sales. Your sale of Fund shares normally is subject to federal and state income tax and may result in a taxable gain or loss to you. A sale also may be subject to local income tax. Your exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Morgan Stanley Fund is treated for tax purposes like a sale of your original shares and a purchase of your new shares. Thus, the exchange may, like a sale, result in a taxable gain or loss to you and will give you a new tax basis for your shares. When you sell your Shares, you will generally recognize a capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between your adjusted tax basis in the Shares and the amount received. Generally, this capital gain or loss is long-term or short-term depending on whether your holding period exceeds one year, except that any loss realized on Shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gain dividends that were received on the Shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a sale, exchange or redemption of Shares of a Fund may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent the Shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in Fund shares. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the Shares acquired.

 

Creations and Redemptions. A person who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of exchange and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the amount of any cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who exchanges Creation Units for securities 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 the securities received. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of primarily securities for Creation Units cannot be

48 

deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities for Creation Units or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax adviser with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible and the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.

 

Under current U.S. federal income tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption (or creation) of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for one year or less.

 

Other Information. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

 

You may be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 24% with respect to taxable distributions if you do not provide your correct taxpayer identification number, or certify that it is correct, or if you have been notified by the IRS that you are subject to backup withholding.

Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities will generally be subject to withholding of U.S. tax of 30% on distributions made by a Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains.

 

Withholding of U.S. tax is required (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable dividends made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. Shareholders may be requested to provide additional information to a Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

 

Reporting to you and the IRS is required annually on Form 1099-B not only the gross proceeds of Fund shares you sell or redeem but also their cost basis. Shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections with respect to their accounts. You should carefully review the cost basis information provided by the applicable intermediary and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on your federal income tax returns.

 

Because each investor’s tax circumstances are unique and the tax laws may change, you should consult your tax advisor about your investment.

 

Tax-Advantaged Product Structure

Unlike interests in many conventional mutual funds, the Shares are traded throughout the day on a national securities exchange, whereas mutual fund interests are typically only bought and sold at closing NAVs. The Shares have been designed to be tradable in the secondary market on a national securities exchange on an intra-day basis, and to be created and redeemed in Creation Units at each day’s next calculated NAV. For each of the Funds, Shares are created and redeemed principally in kind. The in-kind arrangements are designed to protect ongoing shareholders from adverse effects on a Fund’s portfolio that could arise from frequent cash creation and redemption transactions. In a conventional mutual fund, redemptions can have an adverse tax impact on taxable shareholders because the mutual fund may need to sell portfolio securities to obtain cash to meet fund redemptions. These sales may generate taxable gains for the shareholders of the mutual fund, whereas the Shares’ in-kind redemption mechanism generally will not lead to a tax event for a Fund or its ongoing shareholders.

Description of Underlying Indices

The Calvert Diversity Research Indices and Calvert US Responsible Indices (collectively, the “Indices” and each, an “Index”) are proprietary indices owned by Calvert. Each Index is composed of companies that

49 

meet Calvert’s requirements for Index inclusion as described in this document and in each Index’s rules and methodology. The Indices are as follows:

Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity Research Index (Ticker: CALDEI)
Calvert International Responsible Index (Ticker: CALDMI)
Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index (Ticker: CALCOR)
Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index (Ticker: CALMID)

The Calvert Index Committee (the “Committee”) is composed of at least two members who are appointed by and may include Calvert’s Chief Executive Officer. The Committee oversees each Index and will be responsible for approving any changes in the Index rules and methodology, as described herein, and for overseeing construction of each Index and the activities of the calculation agent, Solactive AG (the “Calculation Agent”). Calvert will derive the universe for each Index on an annual basis. As described above, each Fund seeks to track the performance of a specific Calvert Responsible Index. Calvert seeks to include in the Indexes issuers that manage ESG risk exposures adequately and that are not exposed to excessive ESG risk through their principal business activities. Companies included in an Index are analyzed using The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (included as Appendix A to this Prospectus), a framework for considering ESG factors. Each issuer is evaluated relative to an appropriate peer group based on financially material ESG factors as determined by Calvert. Calvert’s evaluation of a particular security’s responsible investing characteristics generally involves both quantitative and qualitative analysis. In assessing investments, Calvert generally focuses on the ESG factors relevant to the issuer’s operations, and an issuer may be acceptable for investment based primarily on such assessment. Securities may be deemed suitable for investment even if the issuer does not operate in accordance with all elements of the Fund’s responsible investing criteria. In assessing issuers for which quantitative data is limited, subjective judgments may serve as the primary basis for Calvert’s evaluation. Calvert’s Index Committee may, in its discretion, remove an Index component before the next reconstitution if it has been determined that such Index component no longer meets the Calvert Principles or, if Calvert’s Index Committee determines, based on information available to Calvert, that such Index component has exposure to a product and/or environmental factor that is believed to present significant health or environmental risks. Calvert’s Index Committee may also, in its discretion, add to an Index at its next rebalance (i) a company that was previously excluded from an Index Universe if it had been determined that such company meets the Calvert Principles; or (ii) a company that was previously excluded by Calvert’s Index Committee if Calvert’s Index Committee has determined that such company no longer presents significant health or environmental risks.

Index Disclaimers

Calvert and each Fund make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of a Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in a Fund particularly or the ability of the Index to track general stock market performance. Calvert is the owner of each Index. Calvert has no obligation to take the needs of a Fund or the owners of shares of a Fund, or the requirements of the 1940 Act, into consideration in determining, composing, or calculating each Index. Calvert and each Fund do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or performance of each Index or the data included therein and shall have no liability in connection with each Index or Index calculation. An Index’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Index will perform in the future. It is not possible to invest directly in an Index. Calvert has contracted with an independent calculation agent to calculate each Index. The method for calculating and constructing each Index may change over time.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of a Fund. Morgan Stanley advises

50 

clients and sponsors, manages or advises other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with a Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with a Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

For more information about conflicts of interest, see the section entitled “Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.

Material Nonpublic Information. It is expected that confidential or material nonpublic information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity. Morgan Stanley has established certain information barriers and other policies to address the sharing of information between different businesses within Morgan Stanley. In limited circumstances, however, including for purposes of managing business and reputational risk, and subject to policies and procedures and any applicable regulations, personnel, including personnel of the investment adviser, on one side of an information barrier may have access to information and personnel on the other side of the information barrier through “wall crossings.” The Adviser faces conflicts of interest in determining whether to engage in such wall crossings. Information obtained in connection with such wall crossings may limit or restrict the ability of the Adviser to engage in or otherwise effect transactions on behalf of the Funds (including purchasing or selling securities that the Adviser may otherwise have purchased or sold for a Fund in the absence of a wall crossing).

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of a Fund or its shareholders. A Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among a Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts. To seek to reduce potential conflicts of interest and to attempt to allocate such investment opportunities in a fair and equitable manner, the Adviser has implemented allocation policies and procedures. These policies and procedures are intended to give all clients of the Adviser, including the Funds, fair access to investment opportunities consistent with the requirements of organizational documents, investment strategies, applicable laws and regulations, and the fiduciary duties of the Adviser.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of a Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of a Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of a Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation.

51 

In addition, in certain circumstances, the Adviser restricts, limits or reduces the amount of a Fund’s investment, or restricts the type of governance or voting rights it acquires or exercises, where the Fund (potentially together with Morgan Stanley) exceeds a certain ownership interest, or possesses certain degrees of voting or control or has other interests.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for a Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to, that of a Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking and Other Commercial Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, bankruptcy and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with a Fund and with respect to investments that a Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by a Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with a Fund and/or any of a Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments. Morgan Stanley’s activities on behalf of its clients (such as engagements as an underwriter or placement agent) may restrict or otherwise limit investment opportunities that may otherwise be available to a Fund.

Morgan Stanley may be engaged to act as a financial advisor to a company in connection with the sale of such company, or subsidiaries or divisions thereof, may represent potential buyers of businesses through its mergers and acquisition activities and may provide lending and other related financing services in connection with such transactions. Morgan Stanley’s compensation for such activities is usually based upon realized consideration and is usually contingent, in substantial part, upon the closing of the transaction. Under these circumstances, the Fund may be precluded from participating in a transaction with or relating to the company being sold or participating in any financing activity related to a merger or an acquisition.

52 

Financial Highlights 

No financial information is provided for the Funds because they had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Financial information will be provided in the first shareholder report after commencement of operations.

53 

Premium/Discount Information

Each Fund has not yet commenced operations and, therefore, does not have information about the differences between the Fund’s daily market price on [ ] and its NAV. Information regarding how often the closing trading price of the Shares of each Fund was above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarter(s) since that year (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) can be found at [ ].

Continuous Offering Information

The method by which Creation Units are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act may occur at any point. Broker dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

For example, a broker dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.

Broker dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted to ordinary secondary trading transactions), and thus dealing with Shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker dealer firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the Shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(A) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares are reminded that, under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

In addition, certain affiliates of the Fund and the Adviser may purchase and resell Fund Shares pursuant to this Prospectus.

54 

Appendix A

The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment

We believe that most corporations deliver benefits to society, through their products and services, creation of jobs, payment of taxes and the sum of their behaviors. As a responsible investor, Calvert Research and Management seeks to invest in companies and other issuers that provide positive leadership in the areas of their operations and overall activities that are material to improving long-term shareholder value and societal outcomes.

Calvert seeks to invest in issuers that balance the needs of financial and nonfinancial stakeholders and demonstrate a commitment to the global commons, as well as to the rights of individuals and communities.

The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (Calvert Principles) provide a framework for Calvert’s evaluation of investments and guide Calvert’s stewardship on behalf of clients through active engagement with issuers. The Calvert Principles seek to identify companies and other issuers that operate in a manner that is consistent with or promote:

Environmental Sustainability and Resource Efficiency

Reduce the negative impact of operations and practices on the environment
Manage water scarcity and ensure efficient and equitable access to clean sources
Mitigate impact on all types of natural capital
Diminish climate-related risks and reduce carbon emissions
Drive sustainability innovation and resource efficiency through business operations or other activities, products and services

Equitable Societies and Respect for Human Rights

Respect consumers by marketing products and services in a fair and ethical manner, maintaining integrity in customer relations and ensuring the security of sensitive consumer data
Respect human rights, respect culture and tradition in local communities and economies, and respect Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
Promote diversity and gender equity across workplaces, marketplaces and communities
Demonstrate a commitment to employees by promoting development, communication, appropriate economic opportunity and decent workplace standards
Respect the health and well-being of consumers and other users of products and services by promoting product safety

Accountable Governance and Transparency

Provide responsible stewardship of capital in the best interests of shareholders and debtholders
Exhibit accountable governance and develop effective boards or other governing bodies that reflect expertise and diversity of perspective and provide oversight of sustainability risk and opportunity
Include environmental and social risks, impacts and performance in material financial disclosures to inform shareholders and debtholders, benefit stakeholders and contribute to strategy
Lift ethical standards in all operations, including in dealings with customers, regulators and business partners
Demonstrate transparency and accountability in addressing adverse events and controversies while minimizing risks and building trust

Through the application of the Calvert Principles, Calvert could have no or limited exposure to issuers that:

Demonstrate poor management of environmental risks or contribute significantly to local or global environmental problems.
Demonstrate a pattern of employing forced, compulsory or child labor.
55 
Exhibit a pattern and practice directly or through the company’s supply chain of human rights violations or are complicit in human rights violations committed by governments or security forces, including those that are under U.S. or international sanction for human rights abuses.
Exhibit a pattern and practice of violating the rights and protections of Indigenous Peoples.
Demonstrate poor governance or engage in harmful or unethical practices.
Manufacture tobacco products.
Have significant and direct involvement in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages without taking significant steps to reduce the harmful impact of these products.
Have significant and direct involvement in gambling or gaming operations without taking significant steps to reduce the harmful impact of these businesses.
Have significant and direct involvement in the manufacture of civilian handguns and/or automatic weapons marketed to civilians.
Have significant and direct involvement in the manufacture of military weapons that violate international humanitarian law, including cluster bombs, landmines, biochemical weapons, nuclear weapons, blinding laser weapons, or incendiary weapons.
Use animals in product testing without countervailing social benefits such as the development of medical treatments to ease human suffering and disease
56 

Where to Find Additional Information

In addition to this Prospectus, the Funds have an SAI, dated [ ], 2022 (as may be supplemented from time to time), which contains additional, more detailed information about the Trust and the Funds. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus. Certain affiliates of the Funds and the Adviser may purchase and resell Fund shares pursuant to this Prospectus.

The Trust publishes Annual and Semi-Annual Reports (“Shareholder Reports”) that contain additional information about the respective Fund’s investments. In each Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected such Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. For additional Trust information, including information regarding the investments comprising each of the Funds, please call the toll-free number below.

You may obtain the SAI and Shareholder Reports without charge by contacting the Trust at the toll-free number below or on our website at: [ ]. If you purchased shares through a Financial Intermediary, you may also obtain these documents, without charge, by contacting your Financial Intermediary.

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

Morgan Stanley ETF Trust
c/o [ ]
[ ]
[ ]

For Shareholder Inquiries,
call toll-free [ ].

Prices and Investment Results are available at [ ].

The Trust’s 1940 Act registration number is 811-[ ].

© 2022 Calvert Research and Management

[LITLINK CODE]

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The information in this Preliminary Prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Preliminary Prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion. Dated August 16, 2022

 

 

 

Calvert US Select Equity ETF

 

 

 

Prospectus | [   ], 2022

 

Ticker Symbol Exchange
[    ] [    ]

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

[LITLINK CODE]

1 

 

Table of Contents

 

  Page
Fund Summary 3
Details of the Fund 8
Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategies and Related Risks 11
Fund Management 20
Shareholder Information 21
Financial Highlights 29
Premium/Discount Information 30
Continuous Offering Information 30
Appendix A - The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment 31
2 

Calvert US Select Equity ETF

 

Investment Objective

 

The Calvert US Select Equity ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.

 

Fees and Expenses

 

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay fees other than the fees and expenses of the Fund, such as brokerage commissions and other fees charged by financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses1 (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

 

Management Fee1 [  ]
Other Expenses2 [  ]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses [  ]

 

[(1) The Fund’s management agreement provides that the Fund’s “Adviser,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., will pay substantially all expenses of the Fund (including expenses of Morgan Stanley ETF Trust (the “Trust”) relating to the Fund), except for the management fees, payments under the Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), interest expenses, dividend and interest expenses related to short sales, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (other than fees for funds advised by the Adviser and/or its affiliates), costs of holding shareholder meetings, brokerage commissions, fees and expenses associated with the Fund’s securities lending program, if applicable, and litigation and potential litigation and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business.]

 

(2) Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year.

 

Example

 

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.

 

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

  1 Year 3 Years
  [  ] [  ]

 

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate is available for the Fund.

 

Principal Investment Strategies

 

Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be invested in the equity securities of U.S. issuers. This policy may be changed without shareholder approval; however, shareholders would be notified upon 60 days’ notice in writing of any changes.

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Calvert US Select Equity ETF

 

The Fund is actively managed, not designed to track a benchmark, and therefore not constrained by the composition of a benchmark.

The Fund primarily invests in the equity securities of large capitalization U.S. issuers that are involved in economic activities that address global environmental or societal challenges that relate to areas such as environmental sustainability and resource efficiency, diversity, equity and inclusion, respect for human rights, product responsibility, human capital management and accountable governance and transparent operations, or are leaders in managing financially material environmental or social risks and opportunities, such as carbon emission management and diversity, equity and inclusion. The Adviser utilizes a quantitative and qualitative research process regarding environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) factors that applies the Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Fund’s prospectus) to define the investment universe for the Fund while making sure that such companies do not significantly harm any environmental or social objective. Calvert Research and Management (“Calvert”), on behalf of the Adviser, may engage company management around financially material ESG issues that it deems to have a positive impact on society or the environment. The Adviser gives due consideration to the relevance and potential materiality of sustainability risks for a particular investment opportunity or for the portfolio as a whole in the context of the investment objective and intended time horizon for holding a particular security. In order to mitigate Responsible Investing risks, the Adviser may sell or underweight a security, work with Calvert to commence active dialogue/engagement with company management (e.g., an engagement with a company on its material ESG risks or opportunities such as climate change, diversity, labor and human rights and ESG disclosure, either solely or as part of a shareholder coalition) or make adjustments to allocations.

This strategy further takes into account the long-term carbon reduction objectives of the Paris Agreement, an international treaty on climate change with the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees. The Fund seeks to maintain a portfolio of investments with an overall carbon footprint that is substantially lower than the carbon footprint of the Russell 1000® Index. Taking into account the long-term carbon reduction objectives of the Paris Agreement, this may warrant a revision of the targeted range of reduction over time. Carbon footprint is measured as weighted average carbon intensity, defined as tons of carbon dioxide per $1 million of revenue. The ESG analysis determined by Calvert, using a combination of third party and customized ESG data as a base, having regard to ESG themes such as environmental sustainability and resource efficiency, diversity, equity and inclusion, respect for human rights, product responsibility, human capital management and accountable governance and transparent operations.

Independent from the carbon net zero profile pursued by the Fund, the Fund will seek to maintain higher levels of diversity at a portfolio level than the Russell 1000® Index. The Adviser obtains diversity data from third party vendors for all names in its investment universe for which data is available and calculates the weighted average for the Fund and the Russell 1000® Index.

The Fund may, but it is not required to, use derivative instruments for a variety of purposes, including hedging, risk management, portfolio management or to earn income. The Fund’s use of derivatives may involve the purchase and sale of derivative instruments such as futures, options, swaps, contracts for difference (“CFDs”) and other related instruments and techniques. The Fund may utilize foreign currency forward exchange contracts, which are also derivatives, in connection with any investments in foreign securities. Derivative instruments used by the Fund will be counted toward the Fund’s 80% policy discussed above to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to the securities included within that policy.

Principal Risks

 

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective, and you can lose money investing in this Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Equity Securities. In general, prices of equity securities are more volatile than those of fixed-income securities. The prices of equity securities fluctuate, and sometimes widely fluctuate, in response to
4 

Calvert US Select Equity ETF

 

  activities specific to the issuer of the security as well as factors unrelated to the fundamental condition of the issuer, including general market, economic and political conditions.
Responsible Investing. Investing primarily in responsible investments carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, the Fund may underperform funds that do not utilize a responsible investment strategy. The application of responsible investment criteria may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments, and may impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. An investment’s ESG performance, or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such performance may change over time, which could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that do not comply with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. In evaluating an investment, Calvert and the Adviser are dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could adversely affect the analysis of the ESG factors relevant to a particular investment. Successful application of the Fund’s responsible investment strategy will depend on Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s skill in properly identifying and analyzing material ESG issues.
Liquidity. The Fund may make investments that are illiquid or restricted or that may become less liquid in response to overall economic conditions or adverse investor perceptions, and which may entail greater risk than investments in other types of securities. These investments may be more difficult to value or sell, particularly in times of market turmoil, and there may be little trading in the secondary market available for particular securities. If the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid or restricted security to fund redemptions or for other cash needs, it may be forced to sell the security at a loss or for less than its fair value.
Market and Geopolitical Risk. The value of your investment in the Fund is based on the values of the Fund’s investments, which may change due to economic and other events that affect markets generally, as well as those that affect particular regions, countries, industries, companies or governments. These events may be sudden and unexpected, and could adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments, which may in turn impact valuation, the Fund’s ability to sell securities and/or its ability to meet redemptions. The risks associated with these developments may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as war, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is difficult to predict when events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects (which may last for extended periods). These events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations and have a significant and rapid negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, adversely affect and increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price and exacerbate pre-existing risks to the Fund.
Derivatives. A derivative instrument often has risks similar to its underlying asset and may have additional risks, including imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying asset, risks of default by the counterparty to certain transactions, magnification of losses incurred due to changes in the market value of the securities, instruments, indices or interest rates to which the derivative instrument relates, risks that the transactions may not be liquid, risks arising from margin requirements and risks arising from mispricing or valuation complexity. Certain derivative transactions may give rise to a form of leverage. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and the risk of loss.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of intermediaries that act as authorized participants and none of these authorized participants is or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these intermediaries exit the business or are unable to or choose not to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant creates or redeems, Shares may trade at a discount to net asset value (“NAV”) and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.
Active Management Risk. In pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments to buy, hold or sell on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies to use. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted
5 

Calvert US Select Equity ETF

 

trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect the Fund’s performance.

Trading Risk. The market prices of Shares are expected to fluctuate, in some cases materially, in response to changes in the Fund’s NAV, the intra-day value of the Fund’s holdings, and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below or at their NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of significant market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for the Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in the Shares trading significantly above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. Buying or selling Shares in the secondary market may require paying 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 when seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, the market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. The spread of a Fund’s Shares varies over time based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and may increase if the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decrease.

New Fund Risk. A new fund’s performance may not represent how the fund is expected to or may perform in the long term. In addition, new funds have limited operating histories for investors to evaluate and new funds may not attract sufficient assets to achieve investment and trading efficiencies.

 

Shares of the Fund are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

Performance Information

 

As of the date hereof, the Fund has not yet completed a full calendar year of investment operations. Upon the completion of a full calendar year of investment operations by the Fund, this section will include charts that provide some indication of the risks of an investment in the Fund, by showing the difference in annual total returns, highest and lowest quarterly returns and average annual total returns (before and after taxes) compared to the benchmark index selected for the Fund. Performance information for the Fund will be available online at [   ] or by calling toll-free [   ].

 

Fund Management

 

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

 

Portfolio Managers. Information about the members jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund is shown below:

 

Name Title Date Began Managing Fund
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

 

Individual shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through a broker or dealer at market price. Because shares trade at market prices, rather than NAV, shares of the Fund may trade at a price greater than NAV (i.e., a premium) or less than NAV (i.e., a discount).

 

You may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay for Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) (the “bid-ask spread”) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market.

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Calvert US Select Equity ETF

 

Recent information, including information about the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads (when available), is included on the Fund’s website at [   ]. 

 

Tax Information

 

The Fund intends to make dividends and distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account.

 

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

 

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or [ ] (the “Distributor”) may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s web site for more information.

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Calvert US Select Equity ETF

 

Investment Objective

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek to provide long-term capital appreciation.

The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, but no change is anticipated. If the Fund’s investment objective changes, the Fund will notify shareholders and shareholders should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of the change.

Approach

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by primarily investing in equity securities, including common stock, preferred stock, and depositary receipts (such as American Depository Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), and European Depository Receipts (EDRs)) of companies that are involved in economic activities that address global environmental or societal challenges that relate to areas such as environmental sustainability and resource efficiency, diversity, equity and inclusion, respect for human rights, product responsibility, human capital management and accountable governance and transparent operations, or are leaders in managing financially material environmental or social risks and opportunities, such as carbon emission management and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Process

Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) will be invested in the equity securities of U.S. issuers. This policy may be changed without shareholder approval; however, shareholders would be notified upon 60 days’ notice in writing of any changes.

The Fund is actively managed, not designed to track a benchmark, and therefore not constrained by the composition of a benchmark.

The Fund primarily invests in the equity securities of large capitalization U.S. issuers that are involved in economic activities that address global environmental or societal challenges that relate to areas such as environmental sustainability and resource efficiency, diversity, equity and inclusion, respect for human rights, product responsibility, human capital management and accountable governance and transparent operations, or are leaders in managing financially material environmental or social risks and opportunities, such as carbon emission management and diversity, equity and inclusion. The Adviser’s investment strategy has three main elements: 1) company identification, 2) portfolio optimization, and 3) corporate engagement. The Adviser utilizes a quantitative and qualitative research process regarding ESG factors that applies the Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Fund’s prospectus) to define the investment universe for the Fund while making sure that such companies do not significantly harm any environmental or social objective.

Through the quantitative process, the Adviser seeks to identify companies that are performing in the top 20-40% of their peer group on environmental or social factors determined to be financially material to the company, while not falling in the bottom 20-40% in any other material environmental, social, or governance issue based on proprietary research. Companies identified also undergo a qualitative review. Once a universe of ESG leaders is established, the Adviser then constructs the portfolio through an optimization process that tilts the portfolio towards ESG-leading companies that have more diversity and lower carbon risk, while minimizing factor risks relative to the Russell 1000 Index. The aforementioned ESG criteria will result in a 20% or more reduction of the investment universe in a significantly engaging manner, and the aim of the Adviser will be to ensure that at least 90% of the issuers in the portfolio are assessed against these ESG considerations.

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Calvert, on behalf of the Adviser, may engage company management around financially material ESG issues that it deems to have a positive impact on society or the environment. The Adviser gives due consideration to the relevance and potential materiality of sustainability risks for a particular investment opportunity or for the portfolio as a whole in the context of the investment objective and intended time horizon for holding a particular security. In order to mitigate Responsible Investing risks, the Adviser may sell or underweight a security, work with Calvert to commence active dialogue/engagement with company management (e.g., an engagement with a company on its material ESG risks or opportunities such as climate change, diversity, labor and human rights and ESG disclosure, either solely or as part of a shareholder coalition) or make adjustments to allocations.

This strategy further takes into account the long-term carbon reduction objectives of the Paris Agreement, an international treaty on climate change with the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, preferably to 1.5 degrees. The Fund seeks to maintain a portfolio of investments with an overall carbon footprint that is substantially lower than the carbon footprint of the Russell 1000 Index. Taking into account the long-term carbon reduction objectives of the Paris Agreement, this may warrant a revision of the targeted range of reduction over time. Carbon footprint is measured as weighted average carbon intensity, defined as tons of carbon dioxide per $1 million of revenue. The ESG analysis determined by Calvert, using a combination of third party and customized ESG data as a base, having regard to ESG themes such as environmental sustainability and resource efficiency, diversity, equity and inclusion, respect for human rights, product responsibility, human capital management and accountable governance and transparent operations.

Independent from the carbon net zero profile pursued by the Fund, the Fund will seek to maintain higher levels of diversity at a portfolio level than the Russell 1000 Index. The Adviser obtains diversity data from third party vendors for all names in its investment universe for which data is available and calculates the weighted average for the Fund and the Russell 1000 Index.

The Fund may, but it is not required to, use derivative instruments for a variety of purposes, including hedging, risk management, portfolio management or to earn income. The Fund’s use of derivatives may involve the purchase and sale of derivative instruments such as futures, options, swaps, contracts for difference (“CFDs”) and other related instruments and techniques. The Fund may utilize foreign currency forward exchange contracts, which are also derivatives, in connection with any investments in foreign securities. Derivative instruments used by the Fund will be counted toward the Fund’s 80% policy discussed above to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to the securities included within that policy.

The Adviser shall not knowingly include the following companies in the investment universe-companies:

involved with severe ESG controversies without material remediation and improvement;
manufacturing or production of controversial weapons and civilian firearms;
manufacturing or production of tobacco; and
gambling.

In addition to the above sectoral exclusions, the Adviser monitors business practices on an ongoing basis, through data on ESG controversies and standards screening sourced from third party providers. The Adviser will consider controversy cases that it views as being very severe based on ratings by relevant ESG data providers, and failures to comply with the UN Global Compact or the International Labour Organization fundamental principles, although such incidents will not automatically result in exclusion from the portfolio.

The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in the securities of non-U.S. issuers.

Related Performance Information of Composite

The Fund has recently commenced operations and has no performance history. An affiliate of the Adviser manages a composite that consists of all accounts managed by the portfolio managers that have

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substantially similar investment objectives, policies and investment strategies as the Fund (the “Composite”) and the table below provides supplemental performance information for the Composite. The performance of the Composite is net of fees and expenses, which, depending on the account may be lower or higher than those charged to the Fund. Since fees, commissions and taxes may differ for the Composite and the Fund, performance data for identical periods may differ. The Composite performance information does not represent the performance of the Fund. It is provided to illustrate the past performance of accounts advised by an affiliate of the Adviser. [Two of the four] portfolio managers listed for the Fund are responsible for managing the Composite.

The historical performance data for the Composite should not be considered a substitute for the Fund’s performance and should not be considered an indication of the Fund’s future performance. You should not assume that the Fund will have the same performance as the Composite. An investment in the Fund can lose value. Although the Fund and the Composite have a substantially similar investment objective, policies and investment strategies, differences in asset size and cash flows may result in differences in security selection, relative weightings or differences in the price paid for certain securities. As such, the investments held by the Fund may not be identical to the investments held by the Composite and the future performance of the Fund will differ from the performance of the Composite.

Performance of the Composite

Average Annual Total Returns

For Periods Ended December 31, 2021

        1 Year Since Inception1
Composite       [  ] [  ]
Russell 1000 Index2       [  ] [  ]

(1) The inception date of the oldest account in the Composite is June 1, 2020.

(2) Russell 1000® Index is an unmanaged index of U.S. large-cap stocks.

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Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategies and Related Risks

 

This section discusses additional information relating to the Fund’s investment strategies, other types of investments that the Fund may make and related risk factors. The Fund’s investment practices and limitations are described in more detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is incorporated by reference and legally is a part of this Prospectus. For details on how to obtain a copy of the SAI and other reports and information, see the back cover of this Prospectus.

 

Economies and financial markets throughout the world have experienced periods of increased volatility, uncertainty and distress and disruption to consumer demand, economic output and supply chains as a result of conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. To the extent these conditions continue, the risks associated with an investment in the Fund, including those described below, could be heightened and the Fund’s investments (and thus a shareholder’s investment in the Fund) may be particularly susceptible to sudden and substantial losses, reduced yield or income or other adverse developments. The duration and extent of COVID-19 and associated economic and market conditions and uncertainty over the long term cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 and the extent to which the associated conditions impact the Fund will also depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain, difficult to accurately predict and subject to change at any time.

 

The name, investment objective and policies of the Fund is similar to another fund advised by the Adviser or its affiliates. However, the investment results of the Fund may be higher or lower than, and there is no guarantee that the investment results of the Fund will be comparable to, any other funds. A new fund or a fund with fewer assets under management may be more significantly affected by purchases and redemptions of its Creation Units (as defined below) than a fund with relatively greater assets under management would be affected by purchases and redemptions of its shares. As compared to a larger fund, a new or smaller fund is more likely to sell a comparatively large portion of its portfolio to meet significant Creation Unit redemptions or invest a comparatively large amount of cash to facilitate Creation Unit purchases, in each case when the fund otherwise would not seek to do so. Such transactions may cause funds to make investment decisions at inopportune times or prices or miss attractive investment opportunities. Such transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income if sales of securities resulted in gains and the fund redeems Creation Units for cash, or otherwise cause a fund to perform differently than intended. While such risks may apply to funds of any size, such risks are heightened in funds with fewer assets under management. In addition, new funds may not be able to fully implement their investment strategy immediately upon commencing investment operations, which could reduce investment performance.

 

Equity Securities

 

Equity securities may include common and preferred stocks, convertible securities and equity-linked securities, rights and warrants to purchase common stocks, depositary receipts, shares of investment companies, limited partnership interests and other specialty securities having equity features. The Fund may invest in equity securities that are publicly traded on securities exchanges or over-the-counter (“OTC”) or in equity securities that are not publicly traded. Securities that are not publicly traded may be more difficult to value or sell and their value may fluctuate more dramatically than other securities. The prices of convertible securities are affected by changes similar to those of equity and fixed-income securities.

 

A depositary receipt is generally issued by a bank or financial institution and represents the common stock or other equity securities of a foreign company. Depositary receipts involve many of the same risks as those associated with direct investment in foreign securities. In addition, the underlying issuers of certain depositary receipts, particularly unsponsored or unregistered depositary receipts, are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications to the holders of such receipts, or to pass through to them any voting rights with respect to the deposited securities.

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The value of equity securities and related instruments may decline in response to adverse changes in the economy or the economic outlook; deterioration in investor sentiment; interest rate, currency, and commodity price fluctuations; adverse geopolitical, social or environmental developments; issuer- and sector-specific considerations; unexpected trading activity among retail investors; and other factors. Market conditions may affect certain types of stocks to a greater extent than other types of stocks. If the stock market declines, the value of Fund shares will also likely decline. Although stock prices can rebound, there is no assurance that values will return to previous levels

Market and Geopolitical Risk

The value of your investment in the Fund is based on the values of the Fund’s investments, which may change due to economic and other events that affect markets generally, as well as those that affect particular regions, countries, industries, companies or governments. Price movements, sometimes called volatility, may be greater or less depending on the types of securities the Fund owns and the markets in which the securities trade. Volatility and disruption in financial markets and economies may be sudden and unexpected, expose the Fund to greater risk, including risks associated with reduced market liquidity and fair valuation, and adversely affect the Fund’s operations. For example, the Adviser potentially will be prevented from executing investment decisions at an advantageous time or price as a result of any domestic or global market disruptions and reduced market liquidity may impact the Fund’s ability to sell securities to meet redemptions.

The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Securities in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, health emergencies (such as epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as terrorist attacks around the world, natural disasters, health emergencies, social and political discord or debt crises and downgrades, among others, may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. Inflation rates may change frequently and significantly because of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy and changes in monetary or economic policies (or expectations that these policies may change). Changes in inflation rates may adversely affect market and economic conditions, the Fund’s investments and an investment in the Fund. Other financial, economic and other global market and social developments or disruptions may result in similar adverse circumstances, and it is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects (which may last for extended periods). In general, the securities or other instruments that the Adviser believes represent an attractive investment opportunity or in which the Fund seeks to invest may be unavailable entirely or in the specific quantities sought by the Fund. As a result, the Fund may need to obtain the desired exposure through a less advantageous investment, forgo the investment at the time or seek to replicate the desired exposure through a derivative transaction or investment in another investment vehicle. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund’s portfolio. There is a risk that you may lose money by investing in the Fund.

Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as war, natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., the novel coronavirus outbreak, epidemics and other pandemics), terrorism, conflicts and social unrest, could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the economies and financial markets and the Adviser’s investment advisory activities and services of other service providers, which in turn could adversely affect the Fund’s investments and other operations.

Global events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations, cause a significant negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, adversely affect and increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price, exacerbate pre-existing political, social and economic risks to the Fund. The Fund’s operations may be interrupted as a result, which may contribute to the negative impact on investment performance. In addition, governments, their regulatory agencies, or self-regulatory

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organizations may take actions that affect the instruments in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that could have a significant negative impact on the Fund’s investment performance.

Certain countries and regulatory bodies use negative interest rates as a monetary policy tool to encourage economic growth during periods of deflation. In a negative interest rate environment, debt instruments may trade at negative yields, which means the purchaser of the instrument may receive at maturity less than the total amount invested. In addition, in a negative interest rate environment, if a bank charges negative interest rates, instead of receiving interest on deposits, a depositor must pay the bank fees to keep money with the bank. To the extent the Fund holds a debt instrument or has a bank deposit with a negative interest rate, the Fund would generate a negative return on that investment.

Responsible Investing

Investing primarily in responsible investments carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, the Fund may underperform funds that do not utilize a responsible investment strategy. The application of responsible investment criteria may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments, and may impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. An investment’s ESG performance, or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such performance may change over time, which could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that do not comply with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. In evaluating an investment, the Adviser is dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could adversely affect the analysis of the ESG factors relevant to a particular investment. Successful application of the Fund’s responsible investment strategy will depend on Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s skill in properly identifying and analyzing material ESG issues. Regulatory changes or interpretations regarding the definitions and/or use of ESG criteria could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to invest in accordance with its ESG strategy. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or Calvert and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time and there is a risk that the Adviser may incorrectly assess a company’s ESG practices. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor.

Foreign Investing

To the extent that the Fund invests in foreign issuers, there is the risk that news and events unique to a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers. These same events will not necessarily have an effect on the U.S. economy or similar issuers located in the United States. In addition, some of the Fund’s securities, including underlying securities represented by depositary receipts, may be denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, changes in the value of a country’s currency compared to the U.S. dollar may affect the value of the Fund’s investments. These changes may happen separately from, and in response to, events that do not otherwise affect the value of the security in the issuer’s home country.

Foreign Securities

Foreign issuers generally are subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers. There may be less information available to the public about foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers can be less liquid and experience greater price movements. In addition, the prices of such securities may be susceptible to influence by large traders, due to the limited size of many foreign securities markets. Moreover, investments in certain foreign markets that have historically been considered stable may become more volatile and subject to increased risk due to ongoing developments and changing conditions in such markets. Also, the growing interconnectivity of global economies and financial markets has increased the probability that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries or regions. In some foreign countries, there is also the risk of government expropriation, excessive taxation, political or social instability, the imposition of currency controls or diplomatic developments that could affect the Fund’s investment. There also can be difficulty obtaining and enforcing judgments against issuers in foreign countries. Foreign stock exchanges, broker-dealers and listed issuers may be subject to less government regulation and oversight. The cost of investing in foreign securities, including brokerage commissions and custodial expenses, can be higher than the cost of investing in domestic securities.

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Certain foreign markets may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. International trade barriers or economic sanctions against foreign countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals may adversely affect the Fund’s foreign holdings or exposures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by less stringent investor protections and disclosure standards, and governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets or the imposition of punitive taxes. Governmental actions can have a significant effect on the economic conditions in foreign countries, which also may adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments. Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain foreign countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. For example, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain sectors or industries. In addition, a foreign government may limit or cause delay in the convertibility or repatriation of its currency which would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value and/or liquidity of investments denominated in that currency. Moreover, if a deterioration occurs in a country’s balance of payments, the country could impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital remittances. The Fund could also be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation, as well as by the application to it of other restrictions on investment. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, which could result in losses to the Fund and increased transaction costs, impair the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Fund’s assets back into the United States, or otherwise adversely affect the Fund’s operations. Certain foreign investments may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions, or become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. Certain foreign investments may become illiquid when, for instance, there are few, if any, interested buyers and sellers or when dealers are unwilling to make a market for certain securities. When the Fund holds illiquid investments, its portfolio may be harder to value.

Economic sanctions or other similar measures may be, and have been, imposed against certain countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals. The Fund’s investments in foreign securities are subject to economic sanctions and trade laws in the United States and other jurisdictions. These laws and related governmental actions, including counter-sanctions and other retaliatory measures, can, from time to time, prevent or prohibit the Fund from investing in certain foreign securities. In addition, economic sanctions could prohibit the Fund from transacting with particular countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals by banning them from global payment systems that facilitate cross-border payments, restricting their ability to settle securities transactions, and freezing their assets. The imposition of sanctions and other similar measures could, among other things, cause a decline in the value of securities issued by the sanctioned country or companies located in, or economically linked to, the sanctioned country, downgrades in the credit ratings of the sanctioned country or companies located in, or economically linked to, the sanctioned country, devaluation of the sanctioned country’s currency, and increased market volatility and disruption in the sanctioned country and throughout the world. Economic sanctions or other similar measures could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities, negatively impact the value or liquidity of the Fund’s investments, significantly delay or prevent the settlement of the Fund’s securities transactions, force the Fund to sell or otherwise dispose of investments at inopportune times or prices, increase the Fund’s transaction costs, make the Fund’s investments more difficult to value or impair the Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective or invest in accordance with its investment strategies. These conditions may be in place for a substantial period of time and enacted with limited advance notice to the Fund.

Foreign Currency

Investments in foreign securities may be denominated in foreign currencies. The value of foreign currencies may fluctuate relative to the value of the U.S. dollar or other applicable foreign currency. Since the Fund may invest in such non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities, and therefore may convert the value of such securities into U.S. dollars, changes in currency exchange rates can increase or decrease the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s assets. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the overall economic health of the issuer. Devaluation of a currency by a country’s government or banking authority also will have a significant impact

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on the value of any investments denominated in that currency. The Adviser may use derivatives to reduce this risk. The Adviser may in its discretion choose not to hedge against currency risk. In addition, certain market conditions may make it impossible or uneconomical to hedge against currency risk.

Foreign Currency Forward Exchange Contracts

In connection with its investments in foreign securities, the Fund also may enter into contracts with banks, brokers or dealers to purchase or sell securities or foreign currencies at a future date. A foreign currency forward exchange contract is a negotiated agreement between the contracting parties to exchange a specified amount of currency at a specified future time at a specified rate. The rate can be higher or lower than the spot rate between the currencies that are the subject of the contract. Foreign currency forward exchange contracts may be used to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign currency exchange rates or to gain or modify exposure to a particular currency. In addition, the Fund may use cross currency hedging or proxy hedging with respect to currencies in which the Fund has or expects to have portfolio or currency exposure. Cross currency and proxy hedges involve the sale of one currency against the positive exposure to a different currency and may be used for hedging purposes or to establish an active exposure to the exchange rate between any two currencies.

Investments in foreign currency forward exchange contracts may substantially change the Fund’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as the Adviser expects. The Adviser’s success in these transactions will depend principally on its ability to predict accurately the future exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Foreign currency forward exchange contracts may be used for non-hedging purposes in seeking to meet the Fund’s investment objectives, such as when the Adviser anticipates that particular non-U.S. currencies will appreciate or depreciate in value, even though securities denominated in those currencies are not then held in the Fund’s investment portfolios. Investing in foreign currency forward exchange contracts for purposes of gaining from projected changes in exchange rates, as opposed to hedging currency risks applicable to the Fund’s holdings, further increases the Fund’s exposure to foreign securities losses. There is no assurance that the Adviser’s use of currency derivatives will benefit the Fund or that they will be, or can be, used at appropriate times.

Derivatives

The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivative instruments for a variety of purposes, including hedging, risk management, portfolio management or to earn income. Derivative instruments used by the Fund will be counted towards the Fund’s exposure in the types of securities listed herein to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to such securities. A derivative is a financial instrument whose value is based, in part, on the value of an underlying asset, interest rate, index or financial instrument. Prevailing interest rates and volatility levels, among other things, also affect the value of derivative instruments. A derivative instrument often has risks similar to its underlying asset and may have additional risks, including imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying asset, risks of default by the counterparty to certain transactions, magnification of losses incurred due to changes in the market value of the securities, instruments, indices or interest rates to which the derivative instrument relates, risks that the transactions may not be liquid and risks arising from margin requirements. The use of derivatives involves risks that are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with other portfolio investments. Derivatives may involve the use of highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with other portfolio investments.

Certain derivative transactions may give rise to a form of leverage. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and the risk of loss. Leverage associated with derivative transactions may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet earmarking or segregation requirements, pursuant to applicable SEC rules and regulations, or may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if the Fund had not been leveraged. Although the Adviser seeks to use derivatives to further the Fund’s investment objective, there is no assurance that the use of derivatives will achieve this result.

The derivative instruments and techniques that the Fund may use include futures. A futures contract is a standardized, exchange-traded agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying asset, reference rate or index at a specific price at a specific future time. While the value of a futures contract

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tends to increase or decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying instrument, differences between the futures market and the market for the underlying asset may result in an imperfect correlation. Depending on the terms of the particular contract, futures contracts are settled through either physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash settlement amount on the settlement date. A decision as to whether, when and how to use futures contracts involves the exercise of skill and judgment and even a well-conceived futures transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. In addition to the derivatives risks discussed above, the prices of futures contracts can be highly volatile, using futures contracts can lower total return, and the potential loss from futures contracts can exceed the Fund’s initial investment in such contracts. No assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time. There is also the risk of loss by the Fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with which the Fund has open positions in the futures contract.

Exchange-Traded Funds

The Fund may invest in exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). ETFs seek to track the performance of various portions or segments of the equity and fixed-income markets. Shares of ETFs have many of the same risks as direct investments in common stocks or bonds. In addition, the market value of ETF shares may differ from their NAV because the supply and demand in the market for ETF shares at any point in time is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the underlying securities. Also, ETFs that track particular indices typically will be unable to match the performance of the index exactly due to, among other things, the ETF’s operating expenses and transaction costs. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by the Fund. Therefore, as a shareholder in an ETF, the Fund would bear its ratable share of that entity’s expenses. At the same time, the Fund would continue to pay its own investment management fees and other expenses. As a result, shareholders will directly bear the expenses of their investment in the Fund and indirectly bear the expenses of the Fund’s investments in ETFs with respect to investments in ETFs.

Large Shareholder Transactions Risk

The Fund may experience adverse effects when certain shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. In addition, a third party investor, the Adviser or an affiliate of the Adviser, an authorized participant, a lead market maker, or another entity (i.e., a seed investor) may invest in the Fund and hold its investment solely to facilitate commencement of the Fund or to facilitate the Fund’s achieving a specified size or scale. Any such investment may be held for a limited period of time. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder would not redeem its investment, that the size of the Fund would be maintained at such levels or that the Fund would continue to meet applicable listing 3 requirements. Such larger than normal redemptions may cause the Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in the Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Although large shareholder transactions may be more frequent under certain circumstances, the Fund is generally subject to the risk that shareholders can purchase or redeem a significant percentage of Fund shares at any time. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on [ ] and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Counterparty Risk

A financial institution or other counterparty with whom the Fund does business (such as trading, securities lending or as a derivatives counterparty), or that underwrites, distributes or guarantees any instruments that the Fund owns or is otherwise exposed to, may decline in financial condition and become unable to honor its commitments. This could cause the value of Fund shares to decline or could delay the return or delivery of collateral or other assets to the Fund. Counterparty risk is increased for contracts with longer maturities.

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Securities Lending

The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and other institutional borrowers. During the existence of a loan, the Fund will continue to receive the equivalent of the interest paid by the issuer on the securities loaned, or all or a portion of the interest on investment of the collateral, if any. The Fund may pay lending fees to such borrowers. Loans will only be made to firms that have been approved by the Adviser, and the Adviser or the securities lending agent will periodically monitor the financial condition of such firms while such loans are outstanding. Securities loans will only be made when the Adviser believes that the expected returns, net of expenses, justify the attendant risks. Securities loans currently are required to be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents (such as money market instruments) or other liquid securities held by the custodian and maintained in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The Fund may engage in securities lending to generate income. Upon return of the loaned securities, the Fund would be required to return the related collateral to the borrower and may be required to liquidate portfolio securities in order to do so. The Fund may lend up to one-third of the value of its total assets or such other amount as may be permitted by law.

As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the securities loaned if the borrower of the securities fails financially. To the extent that the portfolio securities acquired with such collateral have decreased in value, it may result in the Fund realizing a loss at a time when it would not otherwise do so. As such, securities lending may introduce leverage into the Fund. The Fund also may incur losses if the returns on securities that it acquires with cash collateral are less than the applicable rebate rates paid to borrowers and related administrative costs.

Trading Risk

Shares are listed for trading on [ ] and are bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The market prices of Shares are expected to fluctuate, in some cases materially, in response to changes in the Fund’s NAV, the intra-day value of the Fund’s holdings, and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below or at their NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of significant market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for the Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in the Shares trading significantly above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. During such periods, you may incur significant losses if you sell your Shares.

Buying or selling Shares in the secondary market may require paying 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 when seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, the market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. The spread of a Fund’s Shares varies over time based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and may increase if the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decrease.

Trading in Shares on [ ] may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of [ ], make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on [ ] is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to [ ]’s “circuit breaker” rules. If a trading halt or unanticipated closing of the exchange occurs, a shareholder may be unable to purchase or sell Shares. There can be no assurance that the requirements of [ ] necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk

Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of intermediaries that act as authorized participants and none of these authorized participants is or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these intermediaries exit the business or are unable to or choose not to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant creates or redeems, Shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

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Cybersecurity Risk

With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund, authorized participants, service providers and the relevant listing exchange are susceptible to operational, information security and related “cyber” risks both directly and through the service providers. Similar types of cybersecurity risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such issuers to lose value. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber incidents include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyberattacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Recently, geopolitical tensions may have increased the scale and sophistication of deliberate attacks, particularly those from nation-states or from entities with nation-state backing.

Cybersecurity failures by, or breaches of, the systems of the Fund’s adviser, distributor and other service providers (including, but not limited to, index and benchmark providers, fund accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), market makers, authorized participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in: financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, disclosure of confidential trading information, impediments to trading, submission of erroneous trades or erroneous creation or redemption orders, the inability of the Fund or its service providers to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, cyberattacks may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund shares, and other data integral to the functioning of the Fund inaccessible, inaccurate or incomplete. Substantial costs may be incurred by the Fund in order to resolve or prevent cyber incidents in the future. While the Fund has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber incidents, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified, that prevention and remediation efforts will not be successful or that cyberattacks will go undetected. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, issuers in which the Fund invests, market makers or authorized participants. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

Active Management Risk

In pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments to buy, hold or sell on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies to use. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect the Fund’s performance.

Temporary Investments

Under adverse or unstable market conditions or abnormal circumstances or when the Adviser believes that changes in market, economic, political or other conditions warrant, the Fund may, in the discretion of the Adviser, take temporary positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies in attempting to respond to such conditions or circumstances. For example, the Fund may invest without limit in cash, cash equivalents or other fixed-income instruments, derivatives, repurchase agreements or securities of other investment companies, including money market funds, for temporary purposes. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts the effects of these changes, such temporary investments may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

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[About Responsible Investing

Investment Selection Process

Calvert seeks to identify issuers that manage ESG risk exposures adequately and that are not exposed to excessive ESG risk through their principal business activities. Issuers are analyzed using The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (included as Appendix A to this Prospectus), a framework for considering ESG factors. Each issuer is evaluated relative to an appropriate peer group based on financially material ESG factors as determined by Calvert. Calvert’s evaluation of a particular security’s responsible investing characteristics generally involves both quantitative and qualitative analysis. In assessing investments, Calvert generally focuses on the ESG factors relevant to the issuer’s operations, and an issuer may be acceptable for investment based primarily on such assessment. Securities may be deemed suitable for investment even if the issuer does not operate in accordance with all elements of the Fund’s responsible investing criteria. The Fund may also invest in issuers that Calvert believes are likely to operate in accordance with the Principles pending Calvert’s engagement activity with such issuer. In assessing issuers for which quantitative data is limited, subjective judgments may serve as the primary basis for Calvert’s evaluation. The responsible investing criteria of the Fund may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.

As described above, or in the SAI, the Fund may invest in cash, money market instruments and ETFs. Such investments will generally not be subject to responsible investment analysis and will not be required to be consistent with the responsible investment criteria otherwise applicable to investments made by the Fund. In addition, ETFs in which the Fund may invest may hold securities of issuers that do not operate in accordance with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria.

Shareholder Advocacy and Corporate Responsibility

[The Funds’ Board of Trustees (the “Board”) adopted the proxy voting policies and procedures of Calvert (the “Adviser Policies”).] Calvert uses strategic engagement and shareholder advocacy to encourage positive change in companies. Calvert’s activities may include, but are not limited to:

Direct Dialogue with Company Management. Calvert, or its agent, may initiate dialogue with management through phone calls, letters and in-person meetings. Through its interaction, Calvert seeks to learn about management’s successes and challenges and to press for improvement on issues of concern.

Proxy Voting. As a shareholder of the companies in its portfolio, each Fund typically has an opportunity each year to express its views on issues of corporate governance and sustainability at annual stockholder meetings. Calvert votes proxies consistent with the Adviser Policies attached to the SAI.

Shareholder Resolutions. Calvert may propose that companies submit resolutions to their shareholders on a variety of ESG issues. Calvert believes that submitting shareholder resolutions may help establish dialogue with management and encourage companies to take action.]

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Fund Management

 

Adviser

 

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., with principal offices at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”) is the parent of the Adviser. Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. As of [ ], 2022, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $[ ] in assets under management or supervision.

 

A discussion regarding the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Management Agreement will be available in the Fund’s [semi-annual/annual] report to shareholders for the period ending [ ].

 

Management Fees

 

The Adviser receives a fee for management services equal to [__]% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

 

[Under the Management Agreement, the Adviser is responsible for substantially all the expenses of the Fund (including expenses of the Trust relating to the Fund), except for the management fees, payments under the Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), interest expenses, dividend and interest expenses related to short sales, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (other than fees for funds advised by the Adviser and/ or its affiliates), costs of holding shareholder meetings, brokerage commissions, fees and expenses associated with the Fund’s securities lending program, if applicable, and litigation and potential litigation and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of each Fund’s business.]

 

Portfolio Management

 

The Fund is managed by [___], [___] and [_____], who are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

 

[_____] is a [_____] with the Adviser and has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since [_____]. [_____] is a [_____] with the Adviser and has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since [_____]. [_____] is a [_____] with the Adviser and has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since [_____].

 

The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation structure, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers’ ownership of securities in the Fund.

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Shareholder Information

Distribution of Fund Shares

[_________] (the “Distributor”) is the exclusive distributor of Creation Units of the Fund. The Distributor or its agent distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in shares of the Fund. The Distributor has no role in determining the investment policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is [ ].

The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted a distribution and service plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees in connection with the sale and distribution of its Shares and pay service fees in connection with the provision of ongoing services to shareholders of the Fund and the maintenance of shareholder accounts in an amount up to [ ]% of its average daily net assets each year.

No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Fund, and there are no current plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Fund. By purchasing Shares subject to distribution fees and service fees, you may pay more over time than you would by purchasing Shares with other types of sales charge arrangements. Long-term shareholders may pay more than the economic equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charge permitted by the rules of FINRA. The net income attributable to Shares will be reduced by the amount of distribution fees and service fees and other expenses of the Fund.

About Net Asset Value

The Fund’s NAV per share is generally calculated by the Fund’s provider of administrative services on each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) or such other times as the New York Stock Exchange may officially close. The NAV of the Fund is determined by dividing the total of the value of the Fund’s investments and other assets, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding Shares of the Fund. In making this calculation, the Fund generally values its portfolio securities and other assets at market price. The Adviser, consistent with its procedures and applicable regulatory guidance, may (but need not) determine to make an adjustment to the previous closing prices of either domestic or foreign securities in light of significant events, to reflect what it believes to be the fair value of the securities at the time of determining the Fund’s NAV.

In addition, with respect to securities that primarily are listed on foreign exchanges, when an event occurs after the close of such exchanges that is likely to have changed the value of the securities (e.g., a percentage change in value of one or more U.S. securities indices in excess of specified thresholds), such securities will be valued at their fair value, as determined under procedures established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Securities also may be fair valued in the event of a significant development affecting a country or region or an issuer-specific development that is likely to have changed the value of the security. In these cases, the Fund’s NAV will reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair value rather than their market price. To the extent the Fund invests in open-end management companies (other than ETFs) that are registered under the 1940 Act, the Fund’s NAV is calculated based in relevant part upon the NAV of such funds. The prospectuses for such funds explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and its effects.

Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security or other asset is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security or other asset. With respect to securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges, the values of the Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or sell your Shares. The NAV of the Fund (excluding any applicable sales charges) is based on the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities or other assets.

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Foreign securities may trade in their local markets on days the Fund is closed. As a result, if the Fund holds foreign securities, its NAV may be impacted on days when investors may not purchase or sell Fund Shares on the secondary market or purchase or redeem Creation Units through the Fund.

The Fund relies on various sources to calculate its NAV. The ability of the Fund’s provider of administrative services to calculate the NAV per share of the Fund is subject to operational risks associated with processing or human errors, systems or technology failures, cyber attacks and errors caused by third party service providers, data sources, or trading counterparties. Such failures may result in delays in the calculation of the Fund’s NAV and/or the inability to calculate NAV over extended time periods. The Fund may be unable to recover any losses associated with such failures. In addition, if the third party service providers and/or data sources upon which the Fund directly or indirectly relies to calculate its NAV or price individual securities are unavailable or otherwise unable to calculate the NAV correctly, it may be necessary for alternative procedures to be utilized to price the securities at the time of determining the Fund’s NAV.

The Fund’s NAV per share is subject to various investment and other risks. Please refer to the “Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategies and Related Risks” and “The Fund’s Investments and Strategies” sections of the Prospectus and SAI, respectively, for more information regarding risks associated with an investment in the Fund.

Book Entry

The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) serves as securities depository for the Shares. (The Shares may be held only in book-entry form; stock certificates will not be issued.) DTC, or its nominee, is the record or registered owner of all outstanding Shares. Beneficial ownership of Shares will be shown on the records of DTC or its participants (described below). Beneficial owners of Shares are not entitled to have Shares registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificates in definitive form and are not considered the registered holder thereof. Accordingly, to exercise any rights of a holder of Shares, each beneficial owner must rely on the procedures of: (i) DTC; (ii) “DTC Participants,” i.e., securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC; and (iii) “Indirect Participants,” i.e., brokers, dealers, banks and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly, through which such beneficial owner holds its interests. The Trust understands that under existing industry practice, in the event the Trust requests any action of holders of Shares, or a beneficial owner desires to take any action that DTC, as the record owner of all outstanding Shares, is entitled to take, DTC would authorize the DTC Participants to take such action and that the DTC Participants would authorize the Indirect Participants and beneficial owners acting through such DTC Participants to take such action and would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them. As described above, the Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the owner of all Shares for all purposes.

Buying and Selling Shares

Shares of the Fund may be acquired or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the “Creations and Redemptions” section of the Prospectus. Only an Authorized Participant (as defined in the “Creations and Redemptions” section below) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. Once created, Shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

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

22 

for Shares of the Fund based on its trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally less if the Fund has more trading volume and market liquidity and more if the Fund has less trading volume and market liquidity.

The Fund’s primary listing exchange is [ ]. [ ] is open for trading Monday through Friday and are closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

A “business day” with respect to the Fund is each day the New York Stock Exchange, [ ], and the Trust are open and includes any day that the Fund is required to be open under Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act. Orders from authorized participants to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a business day. On days when [ ] closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. See the SAI for more information.

The Trust’s Board of Trustees has not adopted a policy of monitoring for frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund Shares (“frequent trading”) that appear to attempt to take advantage of potential arbitrage opportunities presented by a lag between a change in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities after the close of the primary markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities and the reflection of that change in the Fund’s NAV (“market timing”). The Trust believes this is appropriate because ETFs, such as the Fund, are intended to be attractive to arbitrageurs, as trading activity is critical to ensuring that the market price of Fund Shares remains at or close to NAV. Since the Fund issues and redeems Creation Units at NAV plus applicable transaction fees, and the Fund’s Shares may be purchased and sold on [ ] at prevailing market prices, the risks of frequent trading are limited.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the “Acquired Fund”), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the “Acquiring Fund”) or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC Staff no-action relief.

The Fund and the Distributor will have the sole right to accept orders to purchase shares and reserve the right to reject any purchase order in whole or in part.

Creations and Redemptions

Prior to trading in the secondary market, Shares of the Fund are “created” at NAV by market makers, large investors and institutions only in block-size Creation Units or multiples thereof. Each “creator” or authorized participant (an “Authorized Participant”) enters into an authorized participant agreement with the Fund’s Distributor. An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows such member or participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units.

A creation transaction, which is subject to acceptance by [__], as the Trust’s transfer agent, generally takes place when an Authorized Participant deposits into the Fund a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) and a specified amount of cash in exchange for a specified number of Creation Units.

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Similarly, Shares can be redeemed only in Creation Units, generally for a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) held by the Fund and a specified amount of cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable by the Fund.

The prices at which creations and redemptions occur are based on the next calculation of NAV after a creation or redemption order is received in an acceptable form under the authorized participant agreement.

Only an Authorized Participant may create or redeem Creation Units directly with the Fund.

In the event of a system failure or other interruption, including disruptions at market makers or authorized participants, orders to purchase or redeem Creation Units either may not be executed according to the Fund’s instructions or may not be executed at all, or the Fund may not be able to place or change orders.

To the extent the Fund engages in in-kind transactions, the Fund intends to comply with the U.S. federal securities laws in accepting securities for deposit and satisfying redemptions with redemption securities by, among other means, assuring that any securities accepted for deposit and any securities used to satisfy redemption requests will be sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.

Creations and redemptions must be made through a firm that is either a member of the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation or a DTC Participant and has executed an agreement with the Distributor with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Unit aggregations. Information about the procedures regarding creation and redemption of Creation Units (including the cut-off times for receipt of creation and redemption orders) and the applicable transaction fees is included in the Fund’s SAI.

Portfolio Holdings

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

Dividends and Distributions

General Policies

Dividends from net investment income, if any, generally are declared and paid at least once a year by the Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Trust may make distributions on a more frequent basis for the Fund. The Trust reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve its status as a regulated investment company or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income or realized gains. Dividends and other distributions on shares of the Fund are distributed 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.

Dividend Reinvestment Service

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

Taxes

As with any investment, you should consider how your Fund investment will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. Unless your investment in the Fund is through a tax

24 

deferred retirement account, such as a 401(k) plan or IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions and when you sell shares, including an exchange to another Morgan Stanley Fund.

 

Taxation of Distributions. Your distributions normally are subject to federal and state income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in Fund shares. A distribution also may be subject to local income tax. Any income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in the Fund.

 

If certain holding period requirements are met with respect to your shares, a portion of the income dividends you receive may be taxed at the same rates as long-term capital gains. However, even if income received in the form of income dividends is taxed at the same rates as long-term capital gains, such income will not be considered long-term capital gains for other federal income tax purposes. For example, you will not be permitted to offset income dividends with capital losses. Short term capital gain distributions will continue to be taxed as ordinary income taxes.

 

If certain holding period requirements are met, corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends-received deduction for the portion of dividends they receive which are attributable to dividends received by such portfolios from U.S. corporations.

 

If you buy shares of the Fund before a distribution, you may be subject to tax on the entire amount of the taxable distribution you receive. Distributions are taxable to you even if they are paid from income or gain earned by the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the price you paid for your Fund shares).

 

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

 

You will be sent a statement (Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.

 

Taxation of Sales. Your sale of Fund shares normally is subject to federal and state income tax and may result in a taxable gain or loss to you. A sale also may be subject to local income tax. Your exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Morgan Stanley Fund is treated for tax purposes like a sale of your original shares and a purchase of your new shares. Thus, the exchange may, like a sale, result in a taxable gain or loss to you and will give you a new tax basis for your shares. When you sell your Shares, you will generally recognize a capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between your adjusted tax basis in the Shares and the amount received. Generally, this capital gain or loss is long-term or short-term depending on whether your holding period exceeds one year, except that any loss realized on Shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gain dividends that were received on the Shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a sale, exchange or redemption of Shares of the Fund may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent the Shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in Fund shares. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the Shares acquired.

 

Creations and Redemptions. A person who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of exchange and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the amount of any cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who exchanges Creation Units for securities 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 the securities received. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of primarily securities for Creation Units cannot be

25 

deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities for Creation Units or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax adviser with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible and the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.

 

Under current U.S. federal income tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption (or creation) of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for one year or less.

 

Other Information. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or ”adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

 

You may be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 24% with respect to taxable distributions if you do not provide your correct taxpayer identification number, or certify that it is correct, or if you have been notified by the IRS that you are subject to backup withholding. Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities will generally be subject to withholding of U.S. tax of 30% on distributions made by the Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains.

 

Withholding of U.S. tax is required (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable dividends made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. Shareholders may be requested to provide additional information to the Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

 

Reporting to you and the IRS is required annually on Form 1099-B not only the gross proceeds of Fund shares you sell or redeem but also their cost basis. Shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections with respect to their accounts. You should carefully review the cost basis information provided by the applicable intermediary and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on your federal income tax returns.

 

Because each investor’s tax circumstances are unique and the tax laws may change, you should consult your tax advisor about your investment.

 

Tax-Advantaged Product Structure

 

Unlike interests in many conventional mutual funds, the Shares are traded throughout the day on a national securities exchange, whereas mutual fund interests are typically only bought and sold at closing NAVs. The Shares have been designed to be tradable in the secondary market on a national securities exchange on an intra-day basis, and to be created and redeemed in Creation Units at each day’s next calculated NAV. Shares are created and redeemed principally in kind. The in-kind arrangements are designed to protect ongoing shareholders from adverse effects on the Fund’s portfolio that could arise from frequent cash creation and redemption transactions. In a conventional mutual fund, redemptions can have an adverse tax impact on taxable shareholders because the mutual fund may need to sell portfolio securities to obtain cash to meet fund redemptions. These sales may generate taxable gains for the shareholders of the mutual fund, whereas the Shares’ in-kind redemption mechanism generally will not lead toa tax event for the Fund or its ongoing shareholders.

 

Potential Conflicts of Interest

 

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-

26 

dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of the Fund. Morgan Stanley advises clients and sponsors, manages or advises other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with the Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with the Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

For more information about conflicts of interest, see the section entitled “Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.

Material Nonpublic Information. It is expected that confidential or material nonpublic information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity. Morgan Stanley has established certain information barriers and other policies to address the sharing of information between different businesses within Morgan Stanley. In limited circumstances, however, including for purposes of managing business and reputational risk, and subject to policies and procedures and any applicable regulations, personnel, including personnel of the Adviser, on one side of an information barrier may have access to information and personnel on the other side of the information barrier through “wall crossings.” The Adviser faces conflicts of interest in determining whether to engage in such wall crossings. Information obtained in connection with such wall crossings may limit or restrict the ability of the Adviser to engage in or otherwise effect transactions on behalf of the Fund(including purchasing or selling securities that the Adviser may otherwise have purchased or sold for the Fund in the absence of a wall crossing).

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among the Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts. To seek to reduce potential conflicts of interest and to attempt to allocate such investment opportunities in a fair and equitable manner, the Adviser has implemented allocation policies and procedures. These policies and procedures are intended to give all clients of the Adviser, including the Fund, fair access to investment opportunities consistent with the requirements of organizational documents, investment strategies, applicable laws and regulations, and the fiduciary duties of the Adviser.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of the Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment

27 

arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of the Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation. In addition, in certain circumstances, the Adviser restricts, limits or reduces the amount of the Fund’s investment, or restricts the type of governance or voting rights it acquires or exercises, where the Fund (potentially together with Morgan Stanley) exceeds a certain ownership interest, or possesses certain degrees of voting or control or has other interests.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for the Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to, that of the Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking and Other Commercial Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, bankruptcy and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with the Fund and with respect to investments that the Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by the Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with the Fund and/or any of the Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments. Morgan Stanley’s activities on behalf of its clients (such as engagements as an underwriter or placement agent) may restrict or otherwise limit investment opportunities that may otherwise be available to the Fund.

Morgan Stanley may be engaged to act as a financial advisor to a company in connection with the sale of such company, or subsidiaries or divisions thereof, may represent potential buyers of businesses through its mergers and acquisition activities and may provide lending and other related financing services in connection with such transactions. Morgan Stanley’s compensation for such activities is usually based upon realized consideration and is usually contingent, in substantial part, upon the closing of the transaction. Under these circumstances, the Fund may be precluded from participating in a transaction with or relating to the company being sold or participating in any financing activity related to a merger or an acquisition.

28 

Financial Highlights

 

No financial information is provided for the Fund because it had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Financial information will be provided in the first shareholder report after commencement of operations.

29 

Premium/Discount Information

The Fund has not yet commenced operations and, therefore, does not have information about the differences between the Fund’s daily market price on [ ] and its NAV. Information regarding how often the closing trading price of the Shares of the Fund was above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarter(s) since that year (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) can be found at [ ].

Continuous Offering Information

The method by which Creation Units are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act may occur at any point. Broker dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

For example, a broker dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.

Broker dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted to ordinary secondary trading transactions), and thus dealing with Shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker dealer firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the Shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(A) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares are reminded that, under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on [ ] is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at [ ] upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

In addition, certain affiliates of the Fund and the Adviser may purchase and resell Fund Shares pursuant to this Prospectus.

30 

Appendix A

The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment

We believe that most corporations deliver benefits to society, through their products and services, creation of jobs, payment of taxes and the sum of their behaviors. As a responsible investor, Calvert Research and Management seeks to invest in companies and other issuers that provide positive leadership in the areas of their operations and overall activities that are material to improving long-term shareholder value and societal outcomes.

Calvert seeks to invest in issuers that balance the needs of financial and nonfinancial stakeholders and demonstrate a commitment to the global commons, as well as to the rights of individuals and communities.

The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (Calvert Principles) provide a framework for Calvert’s evaluation of investments and guide Calvert’s stewardship on behalf of clients through active engagement with issuers. The Calvert Principles seek to identify companies and other issuers that operate in a manner that is consistent with or promote:

Environmental Sustainability and Resource Efficiency

Reduce the negative impact of operations and practices on the environment
Manage water scarcity and ensure efficient and equitable access to clean sources
Mitigate impact on all types of natural capital
Diminish climate-related risks and reduce carbon emissions
Drive sustainability innovation and resource efficiency through business operations or other activities, products and services

 

Equitable Societies and Respect for Human Rights

 

Respect consumers by marketing products and services in a fair and ethical manner, maintaining integrity in customer relations and ensuring the security of sensitive consumer data
Respect human rights, respect culture and tradition in local communities and economies, and respect Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
Promote diversity and gender equity across workplaces, marketplaces and communities
Demonstrate a commitment to employees by promoting development, communication, appropriate economic opportunity and decent workplace standards
Respect the health and well-being of consumers and other users of products and services by promoting product safety

 

Accountable Governance and Transparency

 

Provide responsible stewardship of capital in the best interests of shareholders and debtholders
Exhibit accountable governance and develop effective boards or other governing bodies that reflect expertise and diversity of perspective and provide oversight of sustainability risk and opportunity
Include environmental and social risks, impacts and performance in material financial disclosures to inform shareholders and debtholders, benefit stakeholders and contribute to strategy
Lift ethical standards in all operations, including in dealings with customers, regulators and business partners
Demonstrate transparency and accountability in addressing adverse events and controversies while minimizing risks and building trust

 

Through the application of the Calvert Principles, Calvert could have no or limited exposure to issuers that:

 

Demonstrate poor management of environmental risks or contribute significantly to local or global environmental problems.
Demonstrate a pattern of employing forced, compulsory or child labor.
31 
Exhibit a pattern and practice directly or through the company’s supply chain of human rights violations or are complicit in human rights violations committed by governments or security forces, including those that are under U.S. or international sanction for human rights abuses.
Exhibit a pattern and practice of violating the rights and protections of Indigenous Peoples.
Demonstrate poor governance or engage in harmful or unethical practices.
Manufacture tobacco products.
Have significant and direct involvement in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages without taking significant steps to reduce the harmful impact of these products.
Have significant and direct involvement in gambling or gaming operations without taking significant steps to reduce the harmful impact of these businesses.
Have significant and direct involvement in the manufacture of civilian handguns and/or automatic weapons marketed to civilians.
Have significant and direct involvement in the manufacture of military weapons that violate international humanitarian law, including cluster bombs, landmines, biochemical weapons, nuclear weapons, blinding laser weapons, or incendiary weapons.
Use animals in product testing without countervailing social benefits such as the development of medical treatments to ease human suffering and disease
32 

Where to Find Additional Information

 

In addition to this Prospectus, the Fund has an SAI, dated [ ], 2022 (as may be supplemented from time to time), which contains additional, more detailed information about the Trust and the Fund. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus. Certain affiliates of the Fund and the Adviser may purchase and resell Fund shares pursuant to this Prospectus.

The Trust publishes Annual and Semi-Annual Reports (“Shareholder Reports”) that contain additional information about the Fund’s investments. In the Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected such Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. For additional Trust information, including information regarding the investments comprising the Fund, please call the toll-free number below.

You may obtain the SAI and Shareholder Reports without charge by contacting the Trust at the toll-free number below or on our website at: [ ]. If you purchased shares through a Financial Intermediary, you may also obtain these documents, without charge, by contacting your Financial Intermediary.

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

Morgan Stanley ETF Trust
c/o [ ]
[________]

[________]

For Shareholder Inquiries,
call toll-free [________].

Prices and Investment Results are available at [ ].

The Trust’s 1940 Act registration number is 811-[ ].

© 2022 Calvert Research and Management

[LITLINK CODE]

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The information in this Preliminary Prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Preliminary Prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 Subject to Completion. Dated August 16, 2022

 

Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF


 

Prospectus   |   [ ], 2022

 

Ticker Symbol Exchange
[  ] [  ]

The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

[LITLINK CODE]

29296104

1 

 

Table of Contents 

  Page
Fund Summary 3
Details of the Fund 11
Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategies and Related Risks 13
Fund Management 31
Shareholder Information 32
Financial Highlights 40
Premium/Discount Information 41
Continuous Offering Information 41
Appendix A - The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment 42

 

29296104

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Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF

Investment Objective

The Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to maximize income, to the extent consistent with preservation of capital, through investment in short-term bonds and income-producing securities.

Fees and Expenses

The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay fees other than the fees and expenses of the Fund, such as brokerage commissions and other fees charged by financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses1 (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Management Fee1 [  ]  
Other Expenses2 [  ]  
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses [  ]  

[(1) The Fund’s management agreement provides that the Fund’s “Adviser,” Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., will pay substantially all expenses of the Fund (including expenses of Morgan Stanley ETF Trust (the “Trust”) relating to the Fund), except for the management fees, payments under the Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), interest expenses, dividend and interest expenses related to short sales, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (other than fees for funds advised by the Adviser and/or its affiliates), costs of holding shareholder meetings, brokerage commissions, fees and expenses associated with the Fund’s securities lending program, if applicable, and litigation and potential litigation and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business.]

(2) Other Expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal year.

Example

The example below is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The Example does not take into account brokerage commissions that you pay when purchasing or selling Shares of the Fund.

The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

  1 Year 3 Years
  [  ] [  ]

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund had not commenced operations as of the most recent fiscal year end, no portfolio turnover rate is available for the Fund.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in a portfolio of investment grade, short-term fixed, variable and floating-rate securities. This policy may be changed without shareholder approval;

 3

Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF

however, shareholders would be notified upon 60 days’ notice in writing of any changes. The Fund is not a money market fund and does not seek to maintain a stable net asset value.

The Fund is actively managed, not designed to track a benchmark, and therefore not constrained by the composition of a benchmark.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund’s average portfolio duration will be one year or less. In certain market conditions, such as in periods of significant volatility in interest rates and spreads, the Fund’s duration may be longer than one year.

The Fund will only invest in investment grade securities, as assessed at the time of purchase. The Fund invests principally in U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities. A debt security is considered investment grade when assigned a credit quality rating of BBB- or higher by S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) or an equivalent rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization (‘‘NRSRO”), including Moody’s Investors Service or Fitch Ratings, or Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC for securitized debt instruments only (such as asset-backed securities (“ABS”) and mortgage-backed securities (“MBS”)) or if unrated, considered to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. For purposes of rating restrictions, if securities are rated differently by two or more rating agencies, the highest rating is used.

The Fund invests principally in bonds issued by U.S. corporations, the U.S. Government or its agencies, and U.S. government-sponsored enterprises (“GSEs”) such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”). The Fund also may invest in trust preferred securities, money market instruments and taxable municipal obligations.

The Fund may invest up to 50% of its net assets in ABS and MBS that represent interests in pools of mortgage loans (MBS) or other assets (ABS) assembled for sale to investors by various U.S. governmental agencies, government-related organizations and private issuers. MBS may include collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) and commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”). The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in privately-issued ABS and MBS.

The Fund may also invest up to 25% of its net assets in foreign debt securities. Foreign debt securities include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund may engage in forward foreign currency exchange contracts to seek to hedge against the decline in the value of currencies in which its portfolio holdings are denominated against the U.S. dollar. The Fund may also lend its securities.

The Fund will concentrate its investments in the banking industry. Therefore, under normal conditions, the Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities issued by issuers within the banking industry.

The portfolio managers are responsible for fundamental analysis and security selection, incorporating environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) information provided by ESG analysts at Calvert Research and Management (“Calvert”). Companies are analyzed by Calvert’s ESG analysts utilizing The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment, a framework for considering ESG factors (a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Fund’s Prospectus). Management of the Fund involves consideration of numerous factors (such as quality of business franchises, financial strength, management quality and security structural and collateral considerations). The portfolio managers may also use sector rotation and relative value strategies in their management of the Fund. The portfolio managers may sell a security when the Adviser’s valuation target is reached, the fundamentals of the investment change or to pursue more attractive investment options. A security will also be sold (in accordance with the Adviser’s guidelines and at a time and in a manner that is determined to be in the best interests of shareholders) if the Adviser determines that the issuer does not operate in a manner consistent with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. The portfolio managers intend to focus on risk management and also seek to preserve capital to the extent consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund intends to seek to manage investment risk by maintaining broad issuer and industry diversification among its holdings, and by utilizing fundamental analysis of risk/return characteristics in securities selection. The Fund seeks to manage duration and any hedging of interest rate risk through the purchase and sale of U.S. Treasury securities and related futures contracts (which are a type of derivative instrument).

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Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF

Principal Risks

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective, and you can lose money investing in this Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund include:

 

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and/or uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board adjusts a quantitative easing program and/or changes rates. A changing interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions, shortened durations (i.e., prepayment risk) and extended durations (i.e., extension risk). The Fund may invest in securities of any maturity (when a debt security provides its final payment) or duration (measure of interest rate sensitivity). Securities with longer durations are likely to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates, generally making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. Lower rated fixed-income securities have greater volatility because there is less certainty that principal and interest payments will be made as scheduled. A portion of the Fund’s fixed-income securities may be rated below investment grade. The Fund may be subject to certain liquidity risks that may result from the lack of an active market and the reduced number and capacity of traditional market participants to make a market in fixed-income securities.
 • Credit and Interest Rate Risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling or perceived to be unable to unwilling to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. In such instances, the value of the Fund could decline and the Fund could lose money. Interest rate risk refers to the decline in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. The Fund may invest in variable and floating rate loans and other variable and floating rate securities. Although these instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than fixed rate instruments, the value of variable and floating rate loans and other securities may decline if their interest rates do not rise as quickly, or as much, as general interest rates. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and/or uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board adjusts a quantitative easing program and/or changes rates. A changing interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions, shortened durations (i.e., prepayment risk) and extended durations (i.e., extension risk). During periods when interest rates are low or there are negative interest rates, the Fund’s yield (and total return) also may be low or otherwise adversely affected or the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns. Credit ratings may not be an accurate assessment of liquidity or credit risk. Although credit quality may not accurately reflect the true credit risk of an instrument, a change in the credit rating of an instrument or an issuer can have a rapid, adverse effect on the instrument’s liquidity and make it more difficult for the Fund to sell at an advantageous price or time.
LIBOR Discontinuance or Unavailability Risk. The London InterBank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) is intended to represent the rate at which contributing banks may obtain short-term borrowings from each other in the London interbank market. The regulatory authority that oversees financial services firms and financial markets in the U.K. has announced that, after the end of 2021, it would no longer persuade or compel contributing banks to make rate submissions for purposes of determining the LIBOR rate. However, subsequent announcements by the Financial Conduct Authority, the LIBOR administrator and other regulators indicate that it is possible that the most widely used tenors of U.S. Dollar LIBOR may continue to be provided on a representative basis until mid-2023. However, in connection with supervisory guidance from regulators, some regulated entities ceased to enter into most new LIBOR-based contracts after January 1, 2022. As a result, it is possible that LIBOR may no longer be available or no longer deemed an appropriate reference rate upon which to determine the interest rate on or impacting certain loans, notes, derivatives and other instruments or investments comprising some or all of the Fund’s portfolio.
Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities
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Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF

 

 

being insufficient to support payment on the securities. To the extent the Fund invests in asset-backed securities issued by non-governmental issuers, such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, and other secondary market issuers, the Fund will be exposed to additional risks because, among other things, there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the pools underlying the securities. Some asset-backed securities also entail prepayment risk and extension risk, which may vary depending on the type of asset.  

Mortgage-Backed Securities. Mortgage-backed securities entail prepayment risk, which generally increases during a period of falling interest rates. Rising interest rates tend to discourage refinancings, with the result that the average life and volatility of mortgage-backed securities will increase and market price will decrease. Rates of prepayment, faster or slower than expected by the Adviser, could reduce the Fund’s yield, increase the volatility of the Fund and/or cause a decline in net asset value (“NAV”). Mortgage-backed securities are also subject to extension risk, which is the risk that rising interest rates could cause mortgages or other obligations underlying the securities to be prepaid more slowly than expected, thereby lengthening the duration of such securities, increasing their sensitivity to interest rate changes and causing their prices to decline. Certain mortgage-backed securities may be more volatile and less liquid than other traditional types of debt securities. In addition, mortgage-backed securities are subject to credit risk. An unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool may adversely affect the value of a mortgage-backed security and could result in losses to the Fund. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages. Furthermore, mortgage-backed securities may be subject to risks associated with the assets underlying those securities, such as a decline in value. Investments in mortgage-backed securities may give rise to a form of leverage (indebtedness) and may cause the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate to appear higher. Leverage may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if the Fund had not been leveraged. The risks associated with mortgage-backed securities typically become elevated during periods of distressed economic, market, health and labor conditions. In particular, increased levels of unemployment, delays and delinquencies in payments of mortgage and rent obligations, and uncertainty regarding the effects and extent of government intervention with respect to mortgage payments and other economic matters may adversely affect the Fund’s investments in mortgage-backed securities.  To the extent the Fund invests in mortgage-backed securities issued by non-governmental issuers, such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers, the Fund will be exposed to additional risks because, among other things, there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in pools underlying the securities.
U.S. Government Securities. Different types of U.S. government securities are subject to different levels of credit risk, including the risk of default, depending on the nature of the particular government support for that security. For example, a U.S. government-sponsored entity, such as FNMA or FHLMC, although chartered or sponsored by an Act of Congress, may issue securities that are neither insured nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury and, therefore, are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. With respect to U.S. government securities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is the risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to such U.S. government agencies, instrumentalities or sponsored enterprises if it is not obligated to do so by law.  
Money Market Instrument Risk.  Money market instruments may be adversely affected by market and economic events, such as a sharp rise in prevailing short-term interest rates; adverse developments in the banking industry, which issues or guarantees many money market instruments; adverse economic, political or other developments affecting issuers of money market instruments; changes in the credit quality of issuers; and default by a counterparty.
Preferred Securities. Preferred stock is issued with a fixed par value and pays dividends based on a percentage of that par value at a fixed rate. As with fixed-income securities, which also make fixed payments, the market value of preferred stock is sensitive to changes in interest rates. Preferred stock generally decreases in value if interest rates rise and increases in value if interest rates fall.
Municipals. Because the Fund may invest in municipal securities (also referred to as municipal obligations), the Fund may be susceptible to political, legislative, economic, regulatory, tax or other
 6

Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF

 

  factors affecting issuers of these municipal securities, such as state and local governments and their agencies. To the extent that the Fund invests in municipal securities of issuers in the same economic sector, it could be more sensitive to economic, business or political developments that affect such sector. Municipal securities and their issuers may be more susceptible to downgrade, loss of revenue, default and bankruptcy because of recent periods of economic stress. Municipal securities also involve the risk that an issuer may call the securities for redemption, which could force the Fund to reinvest the proceeds at a lower rate of interest. While interest earned on municipal securities is generally not subject to federal income tax, any interest earned on taxable municipal securities is fully taxable at the federal level and may be subject to state and/or local income tax.
 • Foreign Securities. Investments in foreign markets entail special risks such as currency, political, economic and market risks. There also may be greater market volatility, less reliable financial information, less stringent investor protections and disclosure standards, higher transaction and custody costs, decreased market liquidity and less government and exchange regulation associated with investments in foreign markets. In addition, investments in certain foreign markets that have historically been considered stable may become more volatile and subject to increased risk due to ongoing developments and changing conditions in such markets. Moreover, the growing interconnectivity of global economies and financial markets has increased the probability that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries or regions. Certain foreign markets may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets or the imposition of punitive taxes. The governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain sectors or industries. In addition, a foreign government may limit or cause delay in the convertibility or repatriation of its currency which would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value and/or liquidity of investments denominated in that currency. Certain foreign investments may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions, or become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. When the Fund holds illiquid investments, its portfolio may be harder to value. In addition, the Fund’s investments in foreign issuers may be denominated in foreign currencies and therefore, to the extent unhedged, the value of those investments will fluctuate with U.S. dollar exchange rates. To the extent hedged by the use of foreign currency forward exchange contracts, the precise matching of the foreign currency forward exchange contract amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be possible because the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the value of those securities between the date on which the contract is entered into and the date it matures. There is additional risk that such transactions may reduce or preclude the opportunity for gain if the value of the currency should move in the direction opposite to the position taken and that foreign currency forward exchange contracts create exposure to currencies in which the Fund’s securities are not denominated. The use of foreign currency forward exchange contracts involves the risk of loss from the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty to the contract or the failure of the counterparty to make payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract.
Foreign Currency. The Fund’s investments in foreign securities may be denominated in foreign currencies. The value of foreign currencies may fluctuate relative to the value of the U.S. dollar. Since the Fund may invest in such non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities, and therefore may convert the value of such securities into U.S. dollars, changes in currency exchange rates can increase or decrease the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s assets. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the overall economic health of the issuer. Devaluation of a currency by a country’s government or banking authority also will have a significant impact on the value of any investments denominated in that currency. The Adviser may use derivatives to reduce this risk. The Adviser may in its discretion choose not to hedge
 7

Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF

 

  against currency risk. In addition, certain market conditions may make it impossible or uneconomical to hedge against currency risk.
Restricted Securities. The Fund’s investments may include securities which are subject to resale restrictions. These securities could have the effect of increasing the level of Fund illiquidity to the extent the Fund may be unable to sell or transfer these securities due to restrictions on transfers or on the ability to find buyers interested in purchasing the securities. Additionally, the market for certain investments deemed liquid at the time of purchase may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions. The illiquidity of the market, as well as the lack of publicly available information regarding these securities, may also adversely affect the ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities at certain times and could make it difficult for the Fund to sell certain securities. If the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid security to fund redemptions or for other cash needs, it may be forced to sell the security at a loss or for less than its fair value.
Liquidity. The Fund may make investments that are illiquid or restricted or that may become less liquid in response to overall economic conditions or adverse investor perceptions, and which may entail greater risk than investments in other types of securities. These investments may be more difficult to value or sell, particularly in times of market turmoil, and there may be little trading in the secondary market available for particular securities. If the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid or restricted security to fund redemptions or for other cash needs, it may be forced to sell the security at a loss or for less than its fair value.
Derivatives. A derivative instrument often has risks similar to its underlying asset and may have additional risks, including imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying asset, risks of default by the counterparty to certain transactions, magnification of losses incurred due to changes in the market value of the securities, instruments, indices or interest rates to which the derivative instrument relates, risks that the transactions may not be liquid, risks arising from margin requirements and risks arising from mispricing or valuation complexity. Certain derivative transactions may give rise to a form of leverage. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and the risk of loss.
Market and Geopolitical Risk. The value of your investment in the Fund is based on the values of the Fund’s investments, which may change due to economic and other events that affect markets generally, as well as those that affect particular regions, countries, industries, companies or governments. These events may be sudden and unexpected, and could adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund’s investments, which may in turn impact valuation, the Fund’s ability to sell securities and/or its ability to meet redemptions. The risks associated with these developments may be magnified if certain social, political, economic and other conditions and events (such as war, natural disasters, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism, conflicts and social unrest) adversely interrupt the global economy and financial markets. It is difficult to predict when events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects (which may last for extended periods). These events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations and have a significant and rapid negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, adversely affect and increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price and exacerbate pre-existing risks to the Fund.
Securities Lending. Securities lending involves a possible delay in recovery of the loaned securities or a possible loss of rights in the collateral if the borrower fails financially. The Fund could also lose money if the value of the collateral decreases.
Authorized Participant Concentration Risk. Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of intermediaries that act as authorized participants and none of these authorized participants is or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these intermediaries exit the business or are unable to or choose not to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant creates or redeems, Shares may trade at a discount to net asset value (“NAV”) and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.
Cash Transactions Risk. Unlike certain ETFs, the Fund may effect creations and redemptions in cash or partially in cash.  Therefore, it may be required to sell portfolio securities and subsequently recognize gains on such sales that the Fund might not have recognized if it were to distribute portfolio securities
 8

Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF

 

  in-kind. As such, investments in Shares may be less tax-efficient than an investment in an ETF that distributes portfolio securities entirely in-kind.
Responsible Investing. Investing primarily in responsible investments carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, the Fund may underperform funds that do not utilize a responsible investment strategy. The application of responsible investment criteria may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments, and may impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. An investment’s ESG performance, or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such performance may change over time, which could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that do not comply with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. In evaluating an investment, Calvert and the Adviser are dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could adversely affect the analysis of the ESG factors relevant to a particular investment. Successful application of the Fund’s responsible investment strategy will depend on Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s skill in properly identifying and analyzing material ESG issues.
Active Management Risk. In pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments to buy, hold or sell on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies to use. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect the Fund’s performance.
Banking Industry.  Investment opportunities in investment grade securities may be concentrated in the banking industry. Under normal conditions, the Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities issued by issuers within the banking industry. As a result, the Fund may have a high concentration of investments in the banking industry. The banking industry can be affected by global and local economic conditions, such as the levels and liquidity of the global and local financial and asset markets, the absolute and relative level and volatility of interest rates and equity prices, investor sentiment, inflation, and the availability and cost of credit. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of the banking industry. Because the Fund’s investments will be concentrated in the banking industry, factors that have an adverse impact on this industry may have a disproportionate impact on the Fund’s performance.
Trading Risk.  The market prices of Shares are expected to fluctuate, in some cases materially, in response to changes in the Fund’s NAV, the intra-day value of the Fund’s holdings, and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below or at their NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of significant market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for the Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in the Shares trading significantly above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. Buying or selling Shares in the secondary market may require paying 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 when seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, the market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. The spread of a Fund’s Shares varies over time based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and may increase if the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decrease.
New Fund Risk. A new fund’s performance may not represent how the fund is expected to or may perform in the long term. In addition, new funds have limited operating histories for investors to evaluate and new funds may not attract sufficient assets to achieve investment and trading efficiencies.

Shares of the Fund are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 9

Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF

Performance Information

As of the date hereof, the Fund has not yet completed a full calendar year of investment operations. Upon the completion of a full calendar year of investment operations by the Fund, this section will include charts that provide some indication of the risks of an investment in the Fund, by showing the difference in annual total returns, highest and lowest quarterly returns and average annual total returns (before and after taxes) compared to the benchmark index selected for the Fund. Performance information for the Fund will be available online at [ ] or by calling toll-free [ ].

Fund Management

Adviser. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc.

Portfolio Managers. Information about the members jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund is shown below:

 

Name Title Date Began Managing Fund
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception
[  ] [  ] Since Inception

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Individual Shares of the Fund may only be purchased and sold in secondary market transactions through a broker or dealer at market price. Because Shares trade at market prices, rather than NAV, Shares of the Fund may trade at a price greater than NAV (i.e., a premium) or less than NAV (i.e., a discount).

You may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay for Shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for Shares (ask) (the “bid-ask spread”) when buying or selling Shares in the secondary market.

Recent information, including information about the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads (when available), will be available on the Fund’s website at [ ].

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Adviser and/or [ ] (the “Distributor”) may pay the financial intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments, which may be significant in amount, may create a conflict of interest by influencing the financial intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s web site for more information.

 10

Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF

Investment Objective

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek to maximize income, to the extent consistent with preservation of capital, through investment in short-term bonds and income-producing securities.

The Fund’s investment objective may be changed by the Trust’s Board of Trustees without shareholder approval, but no change is anticipated. If the Fund’s investment objective changes, the Fund will notify shareholders and shareholders should consider whether the Fund remains an appropriate investment in light of the change.

Approach

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including any borrowings for investment purposes) in a portfolio of investment grade, short-term fixed, variable and floating-rate securities. Derivative instruments used by the Fund will be counted toward the Fund’s 80% policy discussed above to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to the securities included within that policy. This policy may be changed without shareholder approval; however, shareholders would be notified upon 60 days’ notice in writing of any changes. The Fund is not a money market fund and does not seek to maintain a stable net asset value.

The Fund is actively managed, not designed to track a benchmark, and therefore not constrained by the composition of a benchmark.

Under normal circumstances, the Fund’s average portfolio duration will be one year or less. In certain market conditions, such as in periods of significant volatility in interest rates and spreads, the Fund’s duration may be longer than one year.

Process

The Fund will only invest in investment grade as assessed at the time of purchase. The Fund invests principally in U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities. A debt security is considered investment grade when assigned a credit quality rating of BBB- or higher by S&P or an equivalent rating by another NRSRO, including Moody’s Investors Service or Fitch Ratings, or Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC for securitized debt instruments only (such as ABS and MBS) or if unrated, considered to be of comparable credit quality by the Adviser. For purposes of rating restrictions, if securities are rated differently by two or more rating agencies, the highest rating is used.

The Fund invests principally in bonds issued by U.S. corporations, the U.S. Government or its agencies, and GSEs) such FNMA and FHLMC. The Fund also may invest in trust preferred securities, money market instruments and taxable municipal obligations.

The Fund may invest up to 50% of its net assets in ABS and MBS that represent interests in pools of mortgage loans (MBS) or other assets (ABS) assembled for sale to investors by various U.S. governmental agencies, government-related organizations and private issuers. MBS may include CMOs and CMBS. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in privately-issued ABS and MBS.

The Fund may also invest up to 25% of its net assets in foreign debt securities. Foreign debt securities include ADRs. The Fund may engage in forward foreign currency exchange contracts to seek to hedge against the decline in the value of currencies in which its portfolio holdings are denominated against the U.S. dollar. The Fund may also lend its securities.

The Fund will concentrate its investments in the banking industry. Therefore, under normal conditions, the Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities issued by issuers in the banking industry.

The portfolio managers are responsible for fundamental analysis and security selection, incorporating ESG information provided by ESG analysts at Calvert. Companies are analyzed by Calvert’s ESG analysts utilizing The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment, a framework for considering ESG factors (a copy of which is included as an appendix to the Fund’s Prospectus). Management of the Fund involves

 11

consideration of numerous factors (such as quality of business franchises, financial strength, management quality and security structural and collateral considerations). The portfolio managers may also use sector rotation and relative value strategies in their management of the Fund. The portfolio managers may sell a security when the Adviser’s valuation target is reached, the fundamentals of the investment change or to pursue more attractive investment options. A security will also be sold (in accordance with the Adviser’s guidelines and at a time and in a manner that is determined to be in the best interests of shareholders) if the Adviser determines that the issuer does not operate in a manner consistent with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. The portfolio managers intend to focus on risk management and also seek to preserve capital to the extent consistent with the Fund’s investment objective. The Fund intends to seek to manage investment risk by maintaining broad issuer and industry diversification among its holdings, and by utilizing fundamental analysis of risk/return characteristics in securities selection. The Fund seeks to manage duration and any hedging of interest rate risk through the purchase and sale of U.S. Treasury securities and related futures contracts (which are a type of derivative instrument).

 12

Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategies and Related Risks 

 

This section discusses additional information relating to the Fund’s investment strategies, other types of investments that the Fund may make and related risk factors. The Fund’s investment practices and limitations are described in more detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), which is incorporated by reference and legally is a part of this Prospectus. For details on how to obtain a copy of the SAI and other reports and information, see the back cover of this Prospectus.

Economies and financial markets throughout the world have experienced periods of increased volatility, uncertainty and distress and disruption to consumer demand, economic output and supply chains as a result of conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. To the extent these conditions continue, the risks associated with an investment in the Fund, including those described below, could be heightened and the Fund’s investments (and thus a shareholder’s investment in the Fund) may be particularly susceptible to sudden and substantial losses, reduced yield or income or other adverse developments. The duration and extent of COVID-19 and associated economic and market conditions and uncertainty over the long term cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. The ultimate impact of COVID-19 and the extent to which the associated conditions impact the Fund will also depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain, difficult to accurately predict and subject to change at any time.

The Fund is not a money market fund (or equivalent to a money market fund), does not attempt to maintain a stable net asset value, and is not subject to the rules that govern the quality, maturity, liquidity, and other features of securities that money market funds may purchase. Under normal conditions, the Fund’s investments may be more susceptible than a money market fund to interest rate risk, valuation risk, credit risk, and other risks relevant to the Fund’s investments.

Fixed-Income Securities

Fixed-income securities are securities that pay a fixed or a variable rate of interest until a stated maturity date. Fixed-income securities include U.S. government securities, securities issued by federal or federally sponsored agencies and instrumentalities, corporate bonds and notes, asset-backed securities, mortgage securities, securities rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as “junk bonds” or “high yield/high risk securities”), municipal bonds, loan participations and assignments, zero coupon bonds, Eurobonds, Brady Bonds, Yankee Bonds, repurchase agreements, commercial paper and cash equivalents.

Fixed-income securities are subject to the risk of the issuer’s inability to meet principal and interest payments on its obligations (i.e., credit risk) and are subject to price volatility resulting from, among other things, interest rate sensitivity (i.e., interest rate risk), market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity (i.e., market risk). The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and/or uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board adjusts a quantitative easing program and/or changes rates. A changing interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions, shortened durations (i.e., prepayment risk) and extended durations (i.e., extension risk). Securities with longer durations are likely to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates, generally making them more volatile than securities with shorter durations. Lower rated fixed-income securities have greater volatility because there is less certainty that principal and interest payments will be made as scheduled. Fixed-income securities may be called (i.e., redeemed by the issuer) prior to final maturity. If a callable security is called, the Fund may have to reinvest the proceeds at a lower rate of interest.

Duration

The average duration of a portfolio of fixed-income securities represents its exposure to changing interest rates. For example, when the level of interest rates increases by 1%, a fixed-income security having a positive duration of four years generally will decrease in value by 4%; when the level of interest rates decreases by 1%, the value of that same security generally will increase by 4%. A portfolio with a lower

 13

average duration generally will experience less price volatility in response to changes in interest rates than a portfolio with a higher average duration.

Credit and Interest Rate Risk

Fixed-income securities, such as bonds, generally are subject to two types of risk: credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer or guarantor of a security will be unable or unwilling or perceived to be unable or unwilling to make interest payments and/or repay the principal on its debt. The risk of defaults across issuers and/or counterparties increases in adverse market and economic conditions. Interest rate risk refers to fluctuations (such as a decline) in the value of a fixed-income security resulting from changes in the general level of interest rates. When the general level of interest rates goes up, the prices of most fixed-income securities go down. When the general level of interest rates goes down, the prices of most fixed-income securities go up. A low interest rate environment may prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield or paying Fund expenses out of current income. The Fund may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and/or uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board adjusts a quantitative easing program and/or changes rates. During periods when interest rates are low or there are negative interest rates, the Fund’s yield (and total return) also may be low or otherwise adversely affected or the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns. Credit ratings may not be an accurate assessment of liquidity or credit risk. Although credit quality may not accurately reflect the true credit risk of an instrument, a change in the credit rating of an instrument or an issuer can have a rapid, adverse effect on the instrument’s liquidity and make it more difficult for the Fund to sell at an advantageous price or time.

In addition, under certain conditions, there may be an increasing amount of issuers that are unprofitable, have little cash on hand and/or are unable to pay the interest owed on their debt obligations and the number of such issuers may increase if demand for their goods and services falls, borrowing costs rise due to governmental action or inaction or other reasons.

LIBOR

LIBOR is intended to represent the rate at which contributing banks may obtain short-term borrowings from each other in the London interbank market. The regulatory authority that oversees financial services firms and financial markets in the U.K. has announced that, after the end of 2021, it would no longer persuade or compel contributing banks to make rate submissions for purposes of determining the LIBOR rate. However, subsequent announcements by the Financial Conduct Authority, the LIBOR administrator and other regulators indicate that it is possible that the most widely used tenors of U.S. Dollar LIBOR may continue to be provided on a representative basis until mid-2023. However, in connection with supervisory guidance from regulators, some regulated entities ceased to enter into most new LIBOR-based contracts after January 1, 2022. As a result, it is possible that LIBOR may no longer be available or no longer deemed an appropriate reference rate upon which to determine the interest rate on or impacting certain derivatives and other instruments or investments comprising some or all of the Fund’s portfolio. In light of this eventuality, public and private sector industry initiatives are currently underway to establish new or alternative reference rates to be used in place of LIBOR. There is no assurance that the composition or characteristics of any such alternative reference rate will be similar to or produce the same value or economic equivalence as LIBOR or that it will have the same volume or liquidity as did LIBOR prior to its discontinuance or unavailability, which may affect the value or liquidity or return on certain of the Fund’s investments and result in costs incurred in connection with closing out positions and entering into new trades.

Neither the effect of the LIBOR transition process nor its ultimate success can yet be known. The transition process might lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets for, and reduce the effectiveness of new hedges placed against, instruments whose terms currently include LIBOR. While some existing LIBOR-based instruments may contemplate a scenario where LIBOR is no longer available by providing for an alternative rate-setting methodology, there may be significant uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any such alternative methodologies to replicate LIBOR. Not all existing LIBOR-based instruments may have alternative rate-setting provisions and there remains uncertainty regarding the willingness and ability of

 14

issuers to add alternative rate-setting provisions in certain existing instruments. In addition, a liquid market for newly-issued instruments that use a reference rate other than LIBOR still may be developing. There may also be challenges for the Fund to enter into hedging transactions against such newly-issued instruments until a market for such hedging transactions develops. All of the aforementioned may adversely affect the Fund’s performance or net asset value.

Asset-Backed Securities

Asset-backed securities apply the securitization techniques used to develop mortgage-backed securities to a broad range of other assets. Various types of assets, primarily automobile and credit card receivables and home equity loans, are pooled and securitized in pass-through structures similar to pass-through structures developed with respect to mortgage securitizations. Asset-backed securities have risk characteristics similar to mortgage-backed securities. Like mortgage-backed securities, they generally decrease in value as a result of interest rate increases, but may benefit less than other fixed-income securities from declining interest rates, principally because of prepayments. Also, as in the case of mortgage-backed securities, prepayments generally increase during a period of declining interest rates, although other factors, such as changes in credit use and payment patterns, may also influence prepayment rates. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities.

To the extent the Fund invests in asset-backed securities issued by non-governmental issuers, such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, and other secondary market issuers, the Fund will be exposed to additional risks because, among other things, there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the pools underlying the securities. Privately-issued asset-backed securities may be less readily marketable and the market for such securities is typically smaller and less liquid than other asset-backed securities.

Mortgage-Backed Securities

Mortgage securities are fixed-income securities representing an interest in a pool of underlying mortgage loans. They are sensitive to changes in interest rates, but may respond to these changes differently from other fixed-income securities due to the possibility of prepayment of the underlying mortgage loans. As a result, it may not be possible to determine in advance the actual maturity date or average life of a mortgage security. Rising interest rates tend to discourage refinancings, with the result that the average life and volatility of the security will increase and its market price will decrease. When interest rates fall, however, mortgage securities may not gain as much in market value because additional mortgage prepayments must be reinvested at lower interest rates. Prepayment risk may make it difficult to calculate the average maturity of a portfolio of mortgage securities and, therefore, to assess the volatility risk of that portfolio.

The Fund may invest in mortgage securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. These securities are either direct obligations of the U.S. Government or the issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury to meet its obligations although it is not legally required to extend credit to the agency or instrumentality. Certain of these mortgage securities purchased by the Fund, such as those issued by the Government National Mortgage Association and the Federal Housing Administration, are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Other of these mortgage securities purchased by the Fund, such as those issued by FNMA and FHLMC, are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States and there is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to these agencies if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some of the mortgage securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future.

To the extent the Fund invests in mortgage-backed securities issued by non-governmental issuers, such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage

 15

bankers and other secondary market issuers, the Fund will be exposed to additional risks because, among other things, there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the pools underlying the securities. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of private insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of intent. The insurance and guarantees are issued by governmental entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. Mortgage pools underlying mortgage securities offered by non-governmental issuers more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee is not available. An unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool may adversely affect the value of a mortgage-backed security and could result in losses to the Fund. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages. Subprime mortgages refer to loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their mortgages. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements. The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A, have also performed poorly.

Privately-issued mortgage-backed securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans. Privately-issued mortgage-backed securities include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in CMBS reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants.

The risks associated with mortgage-backed securities are elevated in distressed economic, market, health and labor conditions, notably, increased levels of unemployment, delays and delinquencies in payments of mortgage and rent obligations, and uncertainty regarding the effects and extent of government intervention with respect to mortgage payments and other economic matters.

Delinquencies, defaults and losses on residential mortgage loans may increase substantially over certain periods, which may affect the performance of the mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest. Mortgage loans backing privately-issued mortgage-backed securities are more sensitive to economic factors that could affect the ability of borrowers to pay their obligations under the mortgage loans backing these securities. In addition, housing prices and appraisal values in many states and localities over certain periods have declined or stopped appreciating. A sustained decline or an extended flattening of those values may result in additional increases in delinquencies and losses on mortgage-backed securities generally (including the mortgaged-backed securities that the Fund may invest in as described above). Adverse changes in market conditions and regulatory climate may reduce the cash flow which the Fund, to the extent it invests in mortgage-backed securities or other asset-backed securities, receives from such securities and increase the incidence and severity of credit events and losses in respect of such securities. In the event that interest rate spreads for mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities widen following the purchase of such assets by the Fund, the market value of such securities is likely to decline and, in the case of a substantial spread widening, could decline by a substantial amount. Furthermore, adverse changes in market conditions may result in reduced liquidity in the market for mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities (including the mortgage-backed securities and other asset-backed securities in which the Fund may invest) and an unwillingness by banks, financial institutions and investors to extend credit to servicers, originators and other participants in the market for

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mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities. As a result, the liquidity and/or the market value of any mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities that are owned by the Fund may experience declines after they are purchased by the Fund.

Collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”) are debt obligations collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities (collectively “Mortgage Assets”). Payments of principal and interest on the Mortgage Assets and any reinvestment income are used to make payments on the CMOs. CMOs are issued in multiple classes. Each class has a fixed or floating rate and a stated maturity or final distribution date. The principal and interest on the Mortgage Assets may be allocated among the classes in a number of different ways. Certain classes will, as a result of the allocation, have more predictable cash flows than others. As a general matter, the more predictable the cash flow, the lower the yield relative to other Mortgage Assets. The less predictable the cash flow, the higher the yield and the greater the risk. The Fund may invest in any class of CMO, including classes that vary inversely with interest rates and may be more volatile and sensitive to prepayment rates.

The principal and interest on the Mortgage Assets comprising a CMO may be allocated among the several classes of a CMO in many ways. The general goal in allocating cash flows on Mortgage Assets to the various classes of a CMO is to create certain tranches on which the expected cash flows have a higher degree of predictability than do the underlying Mortgage Assets. As a general matter, the more predictable the cash flow is on a particular CMO tranche, the lower the anticipated yield on that tranche at the time of issue will be relative to the prevailing market yields on the Mortgage Assets. As part of the process of creating more predictable cash flows on certain tranches of a CMO, one or more tranches generally must be created that absorb most of the changes in the cash flows on the underlying Mortgage Assets. The yields on these tranches are generally higher than prevailing market yields on other mortgage related securities with similar average lives. Principal prepayments on the underlying Mortgage Assets may cause the CMOs to be retired substantially earlier than their stated maturities or final distribution dates. Because of the uncertainty of the cash flows on these tranches, the market prices and yields of these tranches are more volatile and may increase or decrease in value substantially with changes in interest rates and/or the rates of prepayment. Due to the possibility that prepayments (on home mortgages and other collateral) will alter the cash flow on CMOs, it is not possible to determine in advance the final maturity date or average life. Faster prepayment will shorten the average life and slower prepayments will lengthen it. In addition, if the collateral securing CMOs or any third party guarantees are insufficient to make payments, the Fund could sustain a loss.

Stripped mortgage-backed securities (“SMBS”) are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class receives most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the interest only or “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). Investments in each class of SMBS are extremely sensitive to changes in interest rates. IOs tend to decrease in value substantially if interest rates decline and prepayment rates become more rapid. POs tend to decrease in value substantially if interest rates increase and the rate of prepayment decreases. If the Fund invests in SMBS and interest rates move in a manner not anticipated by management, it is possible that the Fund could lose all or substantially all of its investment.

CMBS are generally multi-class or pass-through securities backed by a mortgage loan or a pool of mortgage loans secured by commercial property, such as industrial and warehouse properties, office buildings, retail space and shopping malls, multifamily properties and cooperative apartments. The commercial mortgage loans that underlie CMBS are generally not amortizing or not fully amortizing. That is, at their maturity date, repayment of their remaining principal balance or “balloon” is due and is repaid through the attainment of an additional loan or sale of the property. An extension of a final payment on commercial mortgages will increase the average life of the CMBS, generally resulting in a lower yield for discount bonds and a higher yield for premium bonds.

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CMBS are subject to credit risk and prepayment risk. Although prepayment risk is present, it is of a lesser degree in the CMBS market than in the residential mortgage market; commercial real estate property loans often contain provisions that substantially reduce the likelihood that such securities will be prepaid (e.g., significant prepayment penalties on loans and, in some cases, prohibition on principal payments for several years following origination).

Inverse floaters are obligations which pay interest at rates that vary inversely with changes in market rates of interest. Because the interest rate paid to holders of such obligations is generally determined by subtracting a variable or floating rate from a predetermined amount, the interest rate paid to holders of such obligations will decrease as such variable or floating rate increases and increase as such variable or floating rate decreases.

Like most other fixed-income securities, the value of inverse floaters will decrease as interest rates increase. They are more volatile, however, than most other fixed-income securities because the coupon rate on an inverse floater typically changes at a multiple of the change in the relevant index rate. Thus, any rise in the index rate (as a consequence of an increase in interest rates) causes a correspondingly greater drop in the coupon rate of an inverse floater while a drop in the index rate causes a correspondingly greater increase in the coupon of an inverse floater. Some inverse floaters may also increase or decrease substantially because of changes in the rate of prepayments.

U.S. Treasury and Government Securities

The U.S. government securities that the Fund may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, the Fund may purchase securities issued or guaranteed by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government which are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are the Government National Mortgage Association and the Federal Housing Administration. Also, the Fund may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are FNMA, the FHLMC and the Federal Home Loan Banks. No assurance can be given that these initiatives will be successful. Further, the Fund may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities which are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System. Because these securities are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, there is a risk that the U.S. Government will not provide financial support to these agencies if it is not obligated to do so by law. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government securities held by the Fund may greatly exceed their current resources, including their legal right to support from the U.S. Treasury. It is possible that these issuers will not have the funds to meet their payment obligations in the future. The interest from U.S. government securities generally is not subject to state and local taxation.

Preferred Securities

Preferred securities are subject to risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company’s preferred securities generally pay dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt, so the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Like fixed-income securities, preferred stock generally decreases in value if interest rates rise and increases in value if interest rates fall.

Municipals

Municipal securities (also referred to as municipal obligations) include debt obligations of states, territories or possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, such as local or regional governments. The income on municipal securities is generally exempt from federal income tax at the time of issuance, in the opinion of bond counsel or other

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counsel to the issuers of such securities. However, the Fund may purchase municipal securities that pay interest that is subject to the federal alternative minimum tax, and municipal securities on which the interest payments are taxable. These securities typically are “general obligation” or “revenue” bonds, notes or commercial paper, including participations in lease obligations and installment purchase contracts of municipalities. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer’s full faith and credit including its taxing power for payment of principal and interest. Revenue bonds, however, are generally payable from a specific revenue source. They are issued for a wide variety of projects such as financing public utilities, hospitals, housing, airports, highways and educational facilities. These types of bonds involve the risk that the tax or other revenues so derived will not be sufficient to meet interest and or principal payment obligations. These obligations may have fixed, variable or floating rates.

Because the Fund may invest in municipal securities, the Fund may be affected significantly by the economic, regulatory, legislative, tax or political developments affecting the ability of issuers of municipal securities to pay interest or repay principal. The risks of municipal securities generally depend on the financial and credit status of the issuer and may rely on a specific stream of revenue associated with a project or other revenue source. Thus, adverse developments related to a municipality’s ability to raise revenue, including through its taxing authority, or the failure of specific revenues to materialize would negatively impact such investments. Changes in the financial health of an issuer of municipal securities may make it difficult for the issuer to make interest and principal payments when due. Some municipalities have had significant financial problems recently, and these and other municipalities could, potentially, continue to experience significant financial problems resulting from lower tax revenues and/or decreased aid from state and local governments in the event of an economic downturn. In addition, adverse legislative, tax, regulatory, demographic or political changes may negatively impact the Fund’s investments in municipal securities. These events could decrease the Fund’s income and/or adversely affect the Fund’s performance and investments. Municipal securities also involve the risk that an issuer may call securities for redemption, which could force the Fund to reinvest the proceeds at a lower rate of interest, and the value of municipal securities may be affected by the rights of municipal security holders.

Municipal securities may be more susceptible to downgrades, defaults or loss of tax or other revenue during recessions or similar periods of economic stress. Factors contributing to the financial stress on municipalities may include lower property tax collections as a result of lower home values, lower sales tax revenue as a result of consumers cutting back spending and lower income tax revenue as a result of a higher unemployment rate. In addition, because some municipal obligations may be secured or guaranteed by banks and other institutions, the risk to the Fund associated with investments in such municipal securities could increase if the banking or financial sector suffers an economic downturn and/or if the credit ratings of the institutions issuing the guarantee are downgraded or at risk of being downgraded by a national rating organization. If such events occur, the value of the security could decrease or the value could be lost entirely, and it may be difficult or impossible for the Fund to sell the security at the time and the price that normally prevails in the market.

For example, the current COVID-19 pandemic has significantly stressed the financial resources of many municipalities and other issuers of municipal securities, which may impair their ability to meet their financial obligations and may harm the value or liquidity of the Fund’s investments in municipal securities (or the income generated by such investments). In particular, responses by municipalities to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused disruptions in business activities. These and other effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as increased unemployment levels, have impacted tax and other revenues of municipalities and other issuers of municipal securities and the financial conditions of such issuers. As a result, there is an increased budgetary and financial pressure on municipalities and other issuers of municipal securities and heightened risk of default or other adverse credit or similar events for issuers of municipal securities, which would adversely impact the Fund’s investments.

In addition, the ability of an issuer to make payments or repay interest may be affected by litigation or bankruptcy. In the event of bankruptcy of such an issuer, the Fund investing in the issuer’s securities could experience delays in collecting principal and interest, and the Fund may not, in all circumstances, be able to collect all principal and interest to which it is entitled. To enforce its rights in the event of a default in the

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payment of interest or repayment of principal, or both, the Fund may, in some instances, take possession of, and manage, the assets securing the issuer’s obligations on such securities, which may increase the Fund’s operating expenses. Any income derived from the Fund’s ownership or operation of such assets may not be tax-exempt. Municipal securities are subject to, among other risks, credit and interest rate risk and market and geopolitical risk.

Because many municipal securities are issued to finance similar projects (such as those relating to education, health care, housing, transportation, and utilities), conditions in those sectors may affect the overall municipal securities market. In addition, changes in the financial condition of an individual municipal issuer can affect the overall municipal market. Municipal securities backed by current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific assets can be negatively affected by the discontinuance of the supporting taxation or the inability to collect revenues for the specific project or specific assets.

Some municipal securities are subject to the risk that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) may determine that an issuer has not complied with applicable tax requirements (or the occurrence of other adverse tax developments) and that interest from the municipal security is taxable, which may result in a significant decline in the value of the security. Interest on municipal obligations, while generally exempt from federal income tax, may not be exempt from the federal alternative minimum tax. In addition, while interest earned on municipal securities is generally not subject to federal income tax, any interest earned on taxable municipal securities is fully taxable at the federal level and may be subject to state and/or local income tax. Municipal securities may be less liquid than taxable bonds and there may be less publicly available information on the financial condition of municipal security issuers than for issuers of other securities, and the investment performance of the Fund investing in municipal securities may therefore be more dependent on the analytical abilities of the Adviser than if the Fund held other types of investments such as stocks or taxable bonds. The secondary market for municipal securities also tends to be less well developed or liquid than many other securities markets, which may adversely affect the Fund’s ability to sell municipal securities it holds at attractive prices or value municipal securities. In addition, the demand for municipal securities is strongly influenced by the value of tax-exempt income to investors and lower income tax rates could reduce the advantage of owning municipal securities, which may also adversely affect the value and liquidity of municipal securities.

High Yield Securities

Fixed-income securities that are not investment grade are commonly referred to as “junk bonds” or high yield, high risk securities. These securities offer a higher yield than other higher rated securities, but they carry a greater degree of risk. High yield securities are subject to greater risk of loss of income and principal than higher rated securities and may be considered speculative by the major credit rating agencies. High yield securities may be issued by companies that are restructuring, are smaller and less creditworthy or are more highly indebted than other companies. This means that they may have more difficulty making scheduled payments of principal and interest. Changes in the value of high yield securities are influenced more by changes in the financial and business position of the issuing company than by changes in interest rates when compared to investment grade securities.

In recent years, there has been a broad trend of weaker or less restrictive covenant protections in the high yield market. Among other things, under such weaker or less restrictive covenants, borrowers might be able to exercise more flexibility with respect to certain activities than borrowers who are subject to stronger or more protective covenants. For example, borrowers might be able to incur more debt, including secured debt, return more capital to shareholders, remove or reduce assets that are designated as collateral securing high yield securities, increase the claims against assets that are permitted against collateral securing high yield securities or otherwise manage their business in ways that could impact creditors negatively. In addition, certain privately held borrowers might be permitted to file less frequent, less detailed or less timely financial reporting or other information, which could negatively impact the value of the high yield securities issued by such borrowers. Each of these factors might negatively impact the high yield securities held by the Fund.

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Foreign Investing

To the extent that the Fund invests in foreign issuers, there is the risk that news and events unique to a country or region will affect those markets and their issuers. These same events will not necessarily have an effect on the U.S. economy or similar issuers located in the United States. In addition, some of the Fund’s securities, including underlying securities represented by depositary receipts, may be denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, changes in the value of a country’s currency compared to the U.S. dollar may affect the value of the Fund’s investments. These changes may happen separately from, and in response to, events that do not otherwise affect the value of the security in the issuer’s home country.

Foreign Securities

Foreign issuers generally are subject to different accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards than U.S. issuers. There may be less information available to the public about foreign issuers. Securities of foreign issuers can be less liquid and experience greater price movements. In addition, the prices of such securities may be susceptible to influence by large traders, due to the limited size of many foreign securities markets. Moreover, investments in certain foreign markets that have historically been considered stable may become more volatile and subject to increased risk due to ongoing developments and changing conditions in such markets. Also, the growing interconnectivity of global economies and financial markets has increased the probability that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries or regions. In some foreign countries, there is also the risk of government expropriation, excessive taxation, political or social instability, the imposition of currency controls or diplomatic developments that could affect the Fund’s investment. There also can be difficulty obtaining and enforcing judgments against issuers in foreign countries. Foreign stock exchanges, broker-dealers and listed issuers may be subject to less government regulation and oversight. The cost of investing in foreign securities, including brokerage commissions and custodial expenses, can be higher than the cost of investing in domestic securities.

Certain foreign markets may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. International trade barriers or economic sanctions against foreign countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals may adversely affect the Fund’s foreign holdings or exposures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by less stringent investor protections and disclosure standards, and governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets or the imposition of punitive taxes. Governmental actions can have a significant effect on the economic conditions in foreign countries, which also may adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments. Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain foreign countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. For example, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain sectors or industries. In addition, a foreign government may limit or cause delay in the convertibility or repatriation of its currency which would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value and/or liquidity of investments denominated in that currency. Moreover, if a deterioration occurs in a country’s balance of payments, the country could impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital remittances. The Fund could also be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental approval for repatriation, as well as by the application to it of other restrictions on investment. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, which could result in losses to the Fund and increased transaction costs, impair the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Fund’s assets back into the United States, or otherwise adversely affect the Fund’s operations. Certain foreign investments may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions, or become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. Certain foreign investments may become illiquid when, for instance, there are few, if any, interested buyers and sellers or when dealers are unwilling to make a market for certain securities. When the Fund holds illiquid investments, its portfolio may be harder to value.

Economic sanctions or other similar measures may be, and have been, imposed against certain countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals. The Fund’s investments in foreign securities are subject to economic sanctions and trade laws in the United States and other jurisdictions. These laws and related governmental actions, including counter-sanctions and other retaliatory measures, can, from time

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to time, prevent or prohibit the Fund from investing in certain foreign securities. In addition, economic sanctions could prohibit the Fund from transacting with particular countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals by banning them from global payment systems that facilitate cross-border payments, restricting their ability to settle securities transactions, and freezing their assets. The imposition of sanctions and other similar measures could, among other things, cause a decline in the value of securities issued by the sanctioned country or companies located in, or economically linked to, the sanctioned country, downgrades in the credit ratings of the sanctioned country or companies located in, or economically linked to, the sanctioned country, devaluation of the sanctioned country’s currency, and increased market volatility and disruption in the sanctioned country and throughout the world. Economic sanctions or other similar measures could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities, negatively impact the value or liquidity of the Fund’s investments, significantly delay or prevent the settlement of the Fund’s securities transactions, force the Fund to sell or otherwise dispose of investments at inopportune times or prices, increase the Fund’s transaction costs, make the Fund’s investments more difficult to value or impair the Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective or invest in accordance with its investment strategies. These conditions may be in place for a substantial period of time and enacted with limited advance notice to the Fund.

Foreign Currency

Investments in foreign securities may be denominated in foreign currencies. The value of foreign currencies may fluctuate relative to the value of the U.S. dollar or other applicable foreign currency. Since the Fund may invest in such non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities, and therefore may convert the value of such securities into U.S. dollars, changes in currency exchange rates can increase or decrease the U.S. dollar value of the Fund’s assets. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the overall economic health of the issuer. Devaluation of a currency by a country’s government or banking authority also will have a significant impact on the value of any investments denominated in that currency. The Adviser may use derivatives to reduce this risk. The Adviser may in its discretion choose not to hedge against currency risk. In addition, certain market conditions may make it impossible or uneconomical to hedge against currency risk.

Foreign Currency Forward Exchange Contracts

In connection with its investments in foreign securities, the Fund also may enter into contracts with banks, brokers or dealers to purchase or sell securities or foreign currencies at a future date. A foreign currency forward exchange contract is a negotiated agreement between the contracting parties to exchange a specified amount of currency at a specified future time at a specified rate. The rate can be higher or lower than the spot rate between the currencies that are the subject of the contract. Foreign currency forward exchange contracts may be used to protect against uncertainty in the level of future foreign currency exchange rates or to gain or modify exposure to a particular currency. In addition, the Fund may use cross currency hedging or proxy hedging with respect to currencies in which the Fund has or expects to have portfolio or currency exposure. Cross currency and proxy hedges involve the sale of one currency against the positive exposure to a different currency and may be used for hedging purposes or to establish an active exposure to the exchange rate between any two currencies.

Investments in foreign currency forward exchange contracts may substantially change the Fund’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as the Adviser expects. The Adviser’s success in these transactions will depend principally on its ability to predict accurately the future exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar. Foreign currency forward exchange contracts may be used for non-hedging purposes in seeking to meet the Fund’s investment objectives, such as when the Adviser anticipates that particular non-U.S. currencies will appreciate or depreciate in value, even though securities denominated in those currencies are not then held in the Fund’s investment portfolios. Investing in foreign currency forward exchange contracts for purposes of gaining from projected changes in exchange rates, as opposed to hedging currency risks applicable to the Fund’s holdings, further increases the Fund’s exposure to foreign securities losses. There is no assurance that the Adviser’s use of currency derivatives will benefit the Fund or that they will be, or can be, used at appropriate times.

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Restricted Securities

The Fund’s investments may include securities which are subject to resale restrictions. These securities could have the effect of increasing the level of Fund illiquidity to the extent the Fund may be unable to sell or transfer these securities due to restrictions on transfers or on the ability to find buyers interested in purchasing the securities. Additionally, the market for certain investments deemed liquid at the time of purchase may become illiquid under adverse market or economic conditions. The illiquidity of the market, as well as the lack of publicly available information regarding these securities, may also adversely affect the ability to arrive at a fair value for certain securities at certain times and could make it difficult for the Fund to sell certain securities. If the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid security to fund redemptions or for other cash needs, it may be forced to sell the security at a loss or for less than its fair value.

Derivatives

The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivative instruments for a variety of purposes, including hedging, risk management, portfolio management or to earn income. Derivative instruments used by the Fund will be counted towards the Fund’s exposure in the types of securities listed herein to the extent they have economic characteristics similar to such securities. A derivative is a financial instrument whose value is based, in part, on the value of an underlying asset, interest rate, index or financial instrument. Prevailing interest rates and volatility levels, among other things, also affect the value of derivative instruments. A derivative instrument often has risks similar to its underlying asset and may have additional risks, including imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying asset, risks of default by the counterparty to certain transactions, magnification of losses incurred due to changes in the market value of the securities, instruments, indices or interest rates to which the derivative instrument relates, risks that the transactions may not be liquid and risks arising from margin requirements. The use of derivatives involves risks that are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with other portfolio investments. Derivatives may involve the use of highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with other portfolio investments.

Certain derivative transactions may give rise to a form of leverage. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and the risk of loss. Leverage associated with derivative transactions may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet earmarking or segregation requirements, pursuant to applicable SEC rules and regulations, or may cause the Fund to be more volatile than if the Fund had not been leveraged. Although the Adviser seeks to use derivatives to further the Fund’s investment objective, there is no assurance that the use of derivatives will achieve this result.

The derivative instruments and techniques that the Fund may use include:

Futures. A futures contract is a standardized, exchange-traded agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying asset, reference rate or index at a specific price at a specific future time. While the value of a futures contract tends to increase or decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying instrument, differences between the futures market and the market for the underlying asset may result in an imperfect correlation. Depending on the terms of the particular contract, futures contracts are settled through either physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash settlement amount on the settlement date. A decision as to whether, when and how to use futures contracts involves the exercise of skill and judgment and even a well-conceived futures transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. In addition to the derivatives risks discussed above, the prices of futures contracts can be highly volatile, using futures contracts can lower total return, and the potential loss from futures contracts can exceed the Fund’s initial investment in such contracts. No assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time. There is also the risk of loss by the Fund of margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of a broker with which the Fund has open positions in the futures contract.

Swaps. The Fund may enter into OTC swap contracts or cleared swap transactions. An OTC swap contract is an agreement between two parties pursuant to which the parties exchange payments at specified dates on the basis of a specified notional amount, with the payments calculated by reference to specified securities, indices, reference rates, currencies or other instruments. Typically swap agreements provide that when the period payment dates for both parties are the same, the payments are made on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with only the net amount paid by one party to the other). The

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Fund’s obligations or rights under a swap contract entered into on a net basis will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement, based on the relative values of the positions held by each party. Cleared swap transactions may help reduce counterparty credit risk. In a cleared swap, the Fund’s ultimate counterparty is a clearinghouse rather than a swap dealer, bank or other financial institution. OTC swap agreements are not entered into or traded on exchanges and often there is no central clearing or guaranty function for swaps. These OTC swaps are often subject to credit risk or the risk of default or non-performance by the counterparty. Certain swaps have begun trading on exchanges called swap execution facilities. Exchange trading is expected to increase liquidity of swaps trading. Both OTC and cleared swaps could result in losses if interest rates, foreign currency exchange rates or other factors are not correctly anticipated by the Fund or if the reference index, security or investments do not perform as expected. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and related regulatory developments require the clearing and exchange trading of certain standardized swap transactions. Mandatory exchange trading and clearing is occurring on a phased-in basis.

Liquidity

The Fund may make investments that are illiquid or restricted or that may become less liquid in response to overall economic conditions or adverse investor perceptions, and which may entail greater risk than investments in other types of securities. These investments may be more difficult to value or sell, particularly in times of market turmoil, and there may be little trading in the secondary market available for particular securities. If the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid or restricted security to fund redemptions or for other cash needs, it may be forced to sell the security at a loss or for less than its fair value.

Repurchase Agreements

Repurchase agreements are fixed-income securities in the form of agreements backed by collateral. These agreements typically involve the acquisition by the Fund of securities from the selling institution (such as a bank or a broker-dealer), coupled with the agreement that the selling institution will repurchase the underlying securities at a specified price and at a fixed time in the future (or on demand, if applicable). The underlying securities which serve as collateral for the repurchase agreements entered into by the Fund may include U.S. government securities, municipal securities, corporate debt obligations, and common and preferred stock and may be of below investment grade quality. These securities are marked-to-market daily in order to maintain full collateralization (typically purchase price plus accrued interest). The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. For example, if the selling institution defaults on its obligation to repurchase the underlying securities at a time when the value of the securities has declined, the Fund may incur a loss upon disposition of them. The risk of such loss may be greater when utilizing collateral other than U.S. government securities. In the event of an insolvency or bankruptcy by the selling institution, the Fund’s right to control the collateral could be affected and result in certain costs and delays. Additionally, if the proceeds from the liquidation of such collateral after an insolvency were less than the repurchase price, the Fund could suffer a loss. Fund procedures are followed that are designed to minimize such risks.

Market and Geopolitical Risk

The value of your investment in the Fund is based on the values of the Fund’s investments, which may change due to economic and other events that affect markets generally, as well as those that affect particular regions, countries, industries, companies or governments. Price movements, sometimes called volatility, may be greater or less depending on the types of securities the Fund owns and the markets in which the securities trade. Volatility and disruption in financial markets and economies may be sudden and unexpected, expose the Fund to greater risk, including risks associated with reduced market liquidity and fair valuation, and adversely affect the Fund’s operations. For example, the Adviser potentially will be prevented from executing investment decisions at an advantageous time or price as a result of any domestic or global market disruptions and reduced market liquidity may impact the Fund’s ability to sell securities to meet redemptions.

The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Securities in the Fund’s portfolio may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, health emergencies (such as epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, regulatory events and

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governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as terrorist attacks around the world, natural disasters, health emergencies, social and political discord or debt crises and downgrades, among others, may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. Inflation rates may change frequently and significantly because of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy and changes in monetary or economic policies (or expectations that these policies may change). Changes in inflation rates may adversely affect market and economic conditions, the Fund’s investments and an investment in the Fund. Other financial, economic and other global market and social developments or disruptions may result in similar adverse circumstances, and it is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects (which may last for extended periods). In general, the securities or other instruments that the Adviser believes represent an attractive investment opportunity or in which the Fund seeks to invest may be unavailable entirely or in the specific quantities sought by the Fund. As a result, the Fund may need to obtain the desired exposure through a less advantageous investment, forgo the investment at the time or seek to replicate the desired exposure through a derivative transaction or investment in another investment vehicle. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value and risk profile of the Fund’s portfolio. There is a risk that you may lose money by investing in the Fund.

Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as war, natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., the novel coronavirus outbreak, epidemics and other pandemics), terrorism, conflicts and social unrest, could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the economies and financial markets and the Adviser’s investment advisory activities and services of other service providers, which in turn could adversely affect the Fund’s investments and other operations.

Government and other public debt, including municipal obligations in which the Fund may invest, can be adversely affected by large and sudden changes in local and global economic conditions that result in increased debt levels. Although high levels of government and other public debt do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, high levels of debt may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high debt level may increase market pressures to meet an issuer’s funding needs, which may increase borrowing costs and cause a government or public or municipal entity to issue additional debt, thereby increasing the risk of refinancing. A high debt level also raises concerns that the issuer may be unable or unwilling to repay the principal or interest on its debt, which may adversely impact instruments held by the Fund that rely on such payments. Governmental and quasi-governmental responses to certain economic or other conditions may lead to increasing government and other public debt, which heighten these risks. Unsustainable debt levels can lead to declines in the value of currency, and can prevent a government from implementing effective counter-cyclical fiscal policy during economic downturns, can generate or contribute to an economic downturn or cause other adverse economic or market developments, such as increases in inflation or volatility. Increasing government and other public debt may adversely affect issuers, obligors, guarantors or instruments across a variety of asset classes.

Global events may negatively impact broad segments of businesses and populations, cause a significant negative impact on the performance of the Fund’s investments, adversely affect and increase the volatility of the Fund’s share price, exacerbate pre-existing political, social and economic risks to the Fund. The Fund’s operations may be interrupted as a result, which may contribute to the negative impact on investment performance. In addition, governments, their regulatory agencies, or self-regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the instruments in which the Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that could have a significant negative impact on the Fund’s investment performance.

Certain countries and regulatory bodies use negative interest rates as a monetary policy tool to encourage economic growth during periods of deflation. In a negative interest rate environment, debt instruments may trade at negative yields, which means the purchaser of the instrument may receive at maturity less than the total amount invested. In addition, in a negative interest rate environment, if a bank charges negative interest rates, instead of receiving interest on deposits, a depositor must pay the bank fees to keep money

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with the bank. To the extent the Fund holds a debt instrument or has a bank deposit with a negative interest rate, the Fund would generate a negative return on that investment.

Responsible Investing

Investing primarily in responsible investments carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, the Fund may underperform funds that do not utilize a responsible investment strategy. The application of responsible investment criteria may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments, and may impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. An investment’s ESG performance, or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such performance may change over time, which could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that do not comply with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. In evaluating an investment, the Adviser is dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could adversely affect the analysis of the ESG factors relevant to a particular investment. Successful application of the Fund’s responsible investment strategy will depend on Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s skill in properly identifying and analyzing material ESG issues. Regulatory changes or interpretations regarding the definitions and/or use of ESG criteria could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to invest in accordance with its ESG strategy. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time and there is a risk that the Adviser may incorrectly assess a company’s ESG practices. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor.

Large Shareholder Transactions Risk

The Fund may experience adverse effects when certain shareholders purchase or redeem large amounts of shares of the Fund. In addition, a third party investor, the Adviser or an affiliate of the Adviser, an authorized participant, a lead market maker, or another entity (i.e., a seed investor) may invest in the Fund and hold its investment solely to facilitate commencement of the Fund or to facilitate the Fund’s achieving a specified size or scale. Any such investment may be held for a limited period of time. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder would not redeem its investment, that the size of the Fund would be maintained at such levels or that the Fund would continue to meet applicable listing 3 requirements. Such larger than normal redemptions may cause the Fund to sell portfolio securities at times when it would not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund’s NAV and liquidity. Similarly, large Fund share purchases may adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund is delayed in investing new cash and is required to maintain a larger cash position than it ordinarily would. These transactions may also accelerate the realization of taxable income to shareholders if such sales of investments resulted in gains and may also increase transaction costs. In addition, a large redemption could result in the Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio. Although large shareholder transactions may be more frequent under certain circumstances, the Fund is generally subject to the risk that shareholders can purchase or redeem a significant percentage of Fund shares at any time. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on [ ] and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Shares.

Cash Transactions Risk

Unlike certain ETFs, a Fund may effect its creations and redemptions in cash or partially in cash. As a result, an investment in a Fund may be less tax-efficient than an investment in such ETFs. Other ETFs generally are able to make in-kind redemptions and avoid realizing gains in connection with transactions designed to raise cash to meet redemption requests. If a Fund effects a portion of redemptions for cash, it may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds, which also involves transaction costs. If a Fund recognizes gain on these sales, this generally will cause a Fund to recognize gain it might not otherwise have recognized if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind, or to recognize such gain sooner than would otherwise be required. A Fund generally intends to distribute these gains to shareholders to avoid being taxed on this gain at a Fund level and otherwise comply with the special tax rules that apply to it. This strategy may cause shareholders to be subject to tax on gains they would not otherwise be subject to, or at an earlier date than, if they had made an investment in a different ETF.

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Counterparty Risk

A financial institution or other counterparty with whom the Fund does business (such as trading, securities lending or as a derivatives counterparty), or that underwrites, distributes or guarantees any instruments that the Fund owns or is otherwise exposed to, may decline in financial condition and become unable to honor its commitments. This could cause the value of Fund shares to decline or could delay the return or delivery of collateral or other assets to the Fund. Counterparty risk is increased for contracts with longer maturities.

Securities Lending

The Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and other institutional borrowers. During the existence of a loan, the Fund will continue to receive the equivalent of the interest paid by the issuer on the securities loaned, or all or a portion of the interest on investment of the collateral, if any. The Fund may pay lending fees to such borrowers. Loans will only be made to firms that have been approved by the Adviser, and the Adviser or the securities lending agent will periodically monitor the financial condition of such firms while such loans are outstanding. Securities loans will only be made when the Adviser believes that the expected returns, net of expenses, justify the attendant risks. Securities loans currently are required to be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents (such as money market instruments) or other liquid securities held by the custodian and maintained in an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. The Fund may engage in securities lending to generate income. Upon return of the loaned securities, the Fund would be required to return the related collateral to the borrower and may be required to liquidate portfolio securities in order to do so. The Fund may lend up to one-third of the value of its total assets or such other amount as may be permitted by law.

As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the securities loaned if the borrower of the securities fails financially. To the extent that the portfolio securities acquired with such collateral have decreased in value, it may result in the Fund realizing a loss at a time when it would not otherwise do so. As such, securities lending may introduce leverage into the Fund. The Fund also may incur losses if the returns on securities that it acquires with cash collateral are less than the applicable rebate rates paid to borrowers and related administrative costs.

Borrowing

The Fund is permitted to borrow for temporary purposes (such as to satisfy redemption requests, to remain fully invested in anticipation of expected cash inflows and to settle transactions). Any borrowings by the Fund are subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act. Borrowings are also subject to the terms of any credit agreement between the Fund and lender(s). Fund borrowings may be equal to as much as 33 1/3% of the value of the Fund’s total assets (including such borrowings) less the Fund’s liabilities (other than borrowings). The Fund will not purchase additional investments while outstanding borrowings exceed 5% of the value of its total assets.

Trading Risk

Shares are listed for trading on [ ] and are bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The market prices of Shares are expected to fluctuate, in some cases materially, in response to changes in the Fund’s NAV, the intra-day value of the Fund’s holdings, and supply and demand for Shares. The Adviser cannot predict whether Shares will trade above, below or at their NAV. Disruptions to creations and redemptions, the existence of significant market volatility or potential lack of an active trading market for the Shares (including through a trading halt), as well as other factors, may result in the Shares trading significantly above (at a premium) or below (at a discount) to NAV or to the intraday value of the Fund’s holdings. During such periods, you may incur significant losses if you sell your Shares.

Buying or selling Shares in the secondary market may require paying 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 when seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of shares. In addition, the market price of Shares, like the price of any exchange-traded security, includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. The spread of a Fund’s Shares varies over time based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity and

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may increase if the Fund’s trading volume, the spread of the Fund’s underlying securities, or market liquidity decrease.

Trading in Shares on [ ] may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of [ ], make trading in Shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in Shares on [ ] is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to [ ]’s “circuit breaker” rules. If a trading halt or unanticipated closing of the exchange occurs, a shareholder may be unable to purchase or sell Shares. There can be no assurance that the requirements of [ ] necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

Authorized Participant Concentration Risk

Only an authorized participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund has a limited number of intermediaries that act as authorized participants and none of these authorized participants is or will be obligated to engage in creation or redemption transactions. To the extent that these intermediaries exit the business or are unable to or choose not to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other authorized participant creates or redeems, Shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting.

Active Management Risk

In pursuing the Fund’s investment objective, the Adviser has considerable leeway in deciding which investments to buy, hold or sell on a day-to-day basis, and which trading strategies to use. For example, the Adviser, in its discretion, may determine to use some permitted trading strategies while not using others. The success or failure of such decisions will affect the Fund’s performance.

Banking Industry

Investment opportunities in investment grade securities may be concentrated in the banking industry. Under normal conditions, the Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities issued by issuers within the banking industry. As a result, the Fund may have a high concentration of investments in the banking industry. The banking industry can be affected by global and local economic conditions, such as the levels and liquidity of the global and local financial and asset markets, the absolute and relative level and volatility of interest rates and equity prices, investor sentiment, inflation, and the availability and cost of credit. The enactment of new legislation or regulations, as well as changes in interpretation and enforcement of current laws, may affect the manner of operations and profitability of the banking industry. Because the Fund’s investments will be concentrated in the banking industry, factors that have an adverse impact on this industry may have a disproportionate impact on the Fund’s performance.

Temporary Investments

Under adverse or unstable market conditions or abnormal circumstances or when the Adviser believes that changes in market, economic, political or other conditions warrant, the Fund may, in the discretion of the Adviser, take temporary positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies in attempting to respond to such conditions or circumstances. For example, the Fund may invest without limit in cash, cash equivalents or other fixed-income instruments, derivatives, repurchase agreements or securities of other investment companies, including money market funds, for temporary purposes. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts the effects of these changes, such temporary investments may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

Cybersecurity Risk

With the increased use of technologies such as the internet to conduct business, the Fund, authorized participants, service providers and the relevant listing exchange are susceptible to operational, information security and related “cyber” risks both directly and through their service providers. Similar types of cybersecurity risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investment in such issuers to lose value. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events. Cyber

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incidents include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through “hacking” or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting data, or causing operational disruption. Cyberattacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Recently, geopolitical tensions may have increased the scale and sophistication of deliberate attacks, particularly those from nation-states or from entities with nation-state backing.

Cybersecurity failures by, or breaches of, the systems of the Fund’s adviser, distributor and other service providers (including, but not limited to, index and benchmark providers, fund accountants, custodians, transfer agents and administrators), market makers, authorized participants or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in: financial losses, interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, disclosure of confidential trading information, impediments to trading, submission of erroneous trades or erroneous creation or redemption orders, the inability of the Fund or its service providers to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. In addition, cyberattacks may render records of Fund assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund shares, and other data integral to the functioning of the Fund inaccessible, inaccurate or incomplete. Substantial costs may be incurred by the Fund in order to resolve or prevent cyber incidents in the future. While the Fund has established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber incidents, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified, that prevention and remediation efforts will not be successful or that cyberattacks will go undetected. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, issuers in which the Fund invests, market makers or authorized participants. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

[About Responsible Investing

Investment Selection Process

Calvert seeks to invest in issuers that manage ESG risk exposures adequately and that are not exposed to excessive ESG risk through their principal business activities. Issuers are analyzed using The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (included as Appendix A to this Prospectus), a framework for considering ESG factors. Each issuer is evaluated relative to an appropriate peer group based on financially material ESG factors as determined by Calvert. Calvert’s evaluation of a particular security’s responsible investing characteristics generally involves both quantitative and qualitative analysis. In assessing investments, Calvert generally focuses on the ESG factors relevant to the issuer’s operations, and an issuer may be acceptable for investment based primarily on such assessment. Securities may be deemed suitable for investment even if the issuer does not operate in accordance with all elements of the Fund’s responsible investing criteria. In assessing issuers for which quantitative data is limited, subjective judgments may serve as the primary basis for Calvert’s evaluation. The responsible investment criteria of the Fund may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval.

The Fund may invest in a fixed or floating-rate income security before Calvert has completed its evaluation of the security’s responsible investment characteristics if, in the opinion of the portfolio manager, the timing of the purchase is appropriate given market conditions. Factors that a portfolio manager may consider in making such an investment decision include, but are not limited to, (i) prevailing market prices, (ii) liquidity, (iii) bid-ask spreads, (iv) market color, and (v) availability. Following any such investment in a security, Calvert will evaluate the issuer to determine if it operates in a manner that is consistent with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. If Calvert determines that the issuer does not operate in a manner consistent with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria, the security will be sold in accordance with Calvert’s guidelines, at a time and in a manner that is determined to be in the best interests of shareholders. As described above, or in the SAI, the Fund may invest in cash, money market instruments and ETFs. Such investments will generally not be subject to responsible investment analysis and will not be required to be consistent with the responsible investment criteria otherwise applicable to investments made by the Fund.

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In addition, ETFs in which a Fund may invest may hold securities of issuers that do not operate in accordance with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria.

High Social Impact Investments. Up to 3% of a Fund’s net assets may be invested in High Social Impact Investments. High Social Impact Investments are investments that, in Calvert’s opinion, offer the opportunity for significant sustainability and social impact.

High Social Impact Investment debt obligations are unrated and of below-investment grade quality, and involve a greater risk of default and price decline than investment grade investments. High Social Impact Investments are illiquid, and a Fund may be unable to dispose of them at current carrying values.

Any Fund investment in High Social Impact Investments is fair valued pursuant to valuation procedures adopted by a Fund’s Board and implemented by the Adviser. See “Valuing Shares” in this Prospectus. High Social Impact Investments by a Fund may be direct investments in an issuer or investments in an intermediate entity that then makes High Social Impact Investments, such as Calvert Impact Capital, Inc. (“CIC”) (as discussed below).

Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC, a Fund may invest in Community Investment Notes (“Notes”) issued by CIC as part of a Fund’s High Social Impact Investments. CIC is a nonstock corporation organized under the laws of the State of Maryland and designed to operate as a non-profit organization within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. CIC focuses its work on offering investors the ability to support organizations that strengthen communities and sustain our planet. CIC issues Notes with fixed-rates of interest to domestic individuals and institutional investors and the proceeds from the Notes primarily are used to provide financing to community development organizations, projects, funds and other social enterprises across a variety of impact sectors, including community development, microfinance, affordable housing, small business, renewable energy, environmental sustainability, education, health, and sustainable agriculture (collectively, the “Participating Borrowers”) with missions that may include addressing climate change, supporting quality education, promoting financial inclusion, strengthening women’s empowerment, and increasing access to quality affordable housing. CIC issues Notes with interest rates that currently range from 0%-4% and terms currently ranging from six months to 20 years, and in turn makes loans to Participating Borrowers at rates determined through consideration of the general current market, the Participating Borrower’s positive social and/or environmental impact and the Participating Borrower’s risk level.

Calvert has licensed use of the Calvert name to CIC and provides other types of support. Calvert’s President and Chief Executive Officer serves on the CIC Board.

Shareholder Advocacy and Corporate Responsibility

[The Funds’ Board of Trustees (the “Board”) adopted the proxy voting policies and procedures of Calvert (the “Adviser Policies”).] Calvert uses strategic engagement and shareholder advocacy to encourage positive change in companies. Calvert’s activities may include, but are not limited to:

Direct Dialogue with Company Management. Calvert, or its agent, may initiate dialogue with management through phone calls, letters and in-person meetings. Through its interaction, Calvert seeks to learn about management’s successes and challenges and to press for improvement on issues of concern.

Proxy Voting. As a shareholder of the companies in its portfolio, each Fund typically has an opportunity each year to express its views on issues of corporate governance and sustainability at annual stockholder meetings. Calvert votes proxies consistent with the Adviser Policies attached to the SAI.

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Shareholder Resolutions. Calvert may propose that companies submit resolutions to their shareholders on a variety of ESG issues. Calvert believes that submitting shareholder resolutions may help establish dialogue with management and encourage companies to take action.]

Fund Management 

Adviser

Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., with principal offices at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036, conducts a worldwide portfolio management business and provides a broad range of portfolio management services to customers in the United States and abroad. Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”) is the parent of the Adviser. Morgan Stanley is a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. As of [ ], 2022, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately $[ ] in assets under management or supervision.

A discussion regarding the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Management Agreement will be available in the Fund’s [semi-annual/annual] report to shareholders for the period ending [ ].

Management Fees

The Adviser receives a fee for management services equal to [__]% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

[Under the Management Agreement, the Adviser is responsible for substantially all the expenses of the Fund (including expenses of the Trust relating to the Fund), except for the management fees, payments under the Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), interest expenses, dividend and interest expenses related to short sales, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses (other than fees for funds advised by the Adviser and/ or its affiliates), costs of holding shareholder meetings, brokerage commissions, fees and expenses associated with the Fund’s securities lending program, if applicable, and litigation and potential litigation and other extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business.]

Portfolio Management

The Fund is managed by [___], [___] and [_____], who are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

[_____] is a [_____] with the Adviser and has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since [_____]. [_____] is a [_____] with the Adviser and has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since [_____]. [_____] is a [_____] with the Adviser and has been associated with the Adviser in an investment management capacity since [_____].

The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation structure, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers’ ownership of securities in the Fund.

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Shareholder Information 

Distribution of Fund Shares

[___________] (the “Distributor”) is the exclusive distributor of Creation Units of the Fund. The Distributor or its agent distributes Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in Shares of the Fund. The Distributor has no role in determining the investment policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is [  ].

The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted a distribution and service plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees in connection with the sale and distribution of its Shares and pay service fees in connection with the provision of ongoing services to shareholders of the Fund and the maintenance of shareholder accounts in an amount up to [  ]% of its average daily net assets each year.

No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Fund, and there are no current plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Fund. By purchasing Shares subject to distribution fees and service fees, you may pay more over time than you would by purchasing Shares with other types of sales charge arrangements. Long-term shareholders may pay more than the economic equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charge permitted by the rules of FINRA. The net income attributable to Shares will be reduced by the amount of distribution fees and service fees and other expenses of the Fund.

About Net Asset Value

The Fund’s NAV per share is generally calculated by the Fund’s provider of administrative services on each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) or such other times as the New York Stock Exchange may officially close. The NAV of the Fund is determined by dividing the total of the value of the Fund’s investments and other assets, less any liabilities, by the total number of outstanding Shares of the Fund. In making this calculation, the Fund generally values its portfolio securities and other assets at market price. The Adviser, consistent with its procedures and applicable regulatory guidance, may (but need not) determine to make an adjustment to the previous closing prices of either domestic or foreign securities in light of significant events, to reflect what it believes to be the fair value of the securities at the time of determining the Fund’s NAV.

In addition, with respect to securities that primarily are listed on foreign exchanges, when an event occurs after the close of such exchanges that is likely to have changed the value of the securities (e.g., a percentage change in value of one or more U.S. securities indices in excess of specified thresholds), such securities will be valued at their fair value, as determined under procedures established by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Securities also may be fair valued in the event of a significant development affecting a country or region or an issuer-specific development that is likely to have changed the value of the security. In these cases, the Fund’s NAV will reflect certain portfolio securities’ fair value rather than their market price. To the extent the Fund invests in open-end management companies (other than ETFs) that are registered under the 1940 Act, the Fund’s NAV is calculated based in relevant part upon the NAV of such funds. The prospectuses for such funds explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and its effects.

Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security or other asset is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security or other asset. With respect to securities that are primarily listed on foreign exchanges, the values of the Fund’s portfolio securities may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or sell your Shares. The NAV of the Fund (excluding any applicable sales charges) is based on the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities or other assets.

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Foreign securities may trade in their local markets on days the Fund is closed. As a result, if the Fund holds foreign securities, its NAV may be impacted on days when investors may not purchase or sell Fund Shares on the secondary market or purchase or redeem Creation Units through the Fund.

The Fund relies on various sources to calculate its NAV. The ability of the Fund’s provider of administrative services to calculate the NAV per share of the Fund is subject to operational risks associated with processing or human errors, systems or technology failures, cyber attacks and errors caused by third party service providers, data sources, or trading counterparties. Such failures may result in delays in the calculation of the Fund’s NAV and/or the inability to calculate NAV over extended time periods. The Fund may be unable to recover any losses associated with such failures. In addition, if the third party service providers and/or data sources upon which the Fund directly or indirectly relies to calculate its NAV or price individual securities are unavailable or otherwise unable to calculate the NAV correctly, it may be necessary for alternative procedures to be utilized to price the securities at the time of determining the Fund’s NAV.

The Fund’s NAV per share is subject to various investment and other risks. Please refer to the “Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategies and Related Risks” and “The Fund’s Investments and Strategies” sections of the Prospectus and SAI, respectively, for more information regarding risks associated with an investment in the Fund.

Book Entry

The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) serves as securities depository for the Shares. (The Shares may be held only in book-entry form; stock certificates will not be issued.) DTC, or its nominee, is the record or registered owner of all outstanding Shares. Beneficial ownership of Shares will be shown on the records of DTC or its participants (described below). Beneficial owners of Shares are not entitled to have Shares registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of certificates in definitive form and are not considered the registered holder thereof. Accordingly, to exercise any rights of a holder of Shares, each beneficial owner must rely on the procedures of: (i) DTC; (ii) “DTC Participants,” i.e., securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC; and (iii) “Indirect Participants,” i.e., brokers, dealers, banks and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly, through which such beneficial owner holds its interests. The Trust understands that under existing industry practice, in the event the Trust requests any action of holders of Shares, or a beneficial owner desires to take any action that DTC, as the record owner of all outstanding Shares, is entitled to take, DTC would authorize the DTC Participants to take such action and that the DTC Participants would authorize the Indirect Participants and beneficial owners acting through such DTC Participants to take such action and would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them. As described above, the Trust recognizes DTC or its nominee as the owner of all Shares for all purposes.

Buying and Selling Shares

Shares of the Fund may be acquired or redeemed directly from the Fund at NAV only in Creation Units or multiples thereof, as discussed in the Creations and Redemptions section of the Prospectus. Only an Authorized Participant (as defined in the Creations and Redemptions section below) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. Once created, Shares of the Fund generally trade in the secondary market in amounts less than a Creation Unit.

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

 33

for Shares of the Fund based on its trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally less if the Fund has more trading volume and market liquidity and more if the Fund has less trading volume and market liquidity.

The Fund’s primary listing exchange is [ ]. [ ] is open for trading Monday through Friday and are closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

A “business day” with respect to the Fund is each day the New York Stock Exchange, [ ], and the Trust are open and includes any day that the Fund is required to be open under Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act. Orders from authorized participants to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a business day. On days when [ ] closes earlier than normal, the Fund may require orders to create or redeem Creation Units to be placed earlier in the day. See the SAI for more information.

The Trust’s Board of Trustees has not adopted a policy of monitoring for frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund Shares (“frequent trading”) that appear to attempt to take advantage of potential arbitrage opportunities presented by a lag between a change in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities after the close of the primary markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities and the reflection of that change in the Fund’s NAV (“market timing”). The Trust believes this is appropriate because ETFs, such as the Fund, are intended to be attractive to arbitrageurs, as trading activity is critical to ensuring that the market price of Fund Shares remains at or close to NAV. Since the Fund issues and redeems Creation Units at NAV plus applicable transaction fees, and the Fund’s Shares may be purchased and sold on [ ] at prevailing market prices, the risks of frequent trading are limited.

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act generally restricts investments by investment companies, including foreign and unregistered investment companies, in the securities of other investment companies. For example, a registered investment company (the “Acquired Fund”), such as the Fund, may not knowingly sell or otherwise dispose of any security issued by the Acquired Fund to any investment company (the “Acquiring Fund”) or any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund if, immediately after such sale or disposition: (i) more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and any company or companies controlled by the Acquiring Fund, or (ii) more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of the Acquired Fund is owned by the Acquiring Fund and other investment companies and companies controlled by them. However, registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in SEC rules. In order for a registered investment company to invest in shares of the Fund beyond the limitations of Section 12(d)(1) in reliance on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act, the registered investment company must, among other things, enter into an agreement with the Trust. Foreign investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund only up to the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1), subject to any applicable SEC Staff no-action relief.

The Fund and the Distributor will have the sole right to accept orders to purchase Shares and reserve the right to reject any purchase order in whole or in part.

Creations and Redemptions

Prior to trading in the secondary market, Shares of the Fund are “created” at NAV by market makers, large investors and institutions only in block-size Creation Units or multiples thereof. Each “creator” or authorized participant (an “Authorized Participant”) enters into an authorized participant agreement with the Fund’s Distributor. An Authorized Participant is a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows such member or participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units.

A creation transaction, which is subject to acceptance by [__], as the Trust’s transfer agent, generally takes place when an Authorized Participant deposits into the Fund a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) and a specified amount of cash in exchange for a specified number of Creation Units.

 34

Similarly, Shares can be redeemed only in Creation Units, generally for a designated portfolio of securities (including any portion of such securities for which cash may be substituted) held by the Fund and a specified amount of cash. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, Shares are not redeemable by the Fund.

Only an Authorized Participant may create or redeem Creation Units directly with the Fund.

In the event of a system failure or other interruption, including disruptions at market makers or authorized participants, orders to purchase or redeem Creation Units either may not be executed according to the Fund’s instructions or may not be executed at all, or the Fund may not be able to place or change orders.

In connection with certain cash creations, the Adviser may provide the creating Authorized Participants with information regarding securities that the Fund would be willing to purchase with the proceeds of the cash creation, which may not be the current holdings of the Fund. In certain cases, the Fund may purchase such securities from an Authorized Participant that has submitted a creation order. Regardless of whether the Fund purchases securities with the proceeds of a cash creation order from the creating Authorized Participant, the Authorized Participant may be assessed a variable charge to compensate the Fund for the costs associated with purchasing the applicable securities, as described in the SAI. For more information, see the SAI.

To the extent the Fund engages in in-kind transactions, the Fund intends to comply with the U.S. federal securities laws in accepting securities for deposit and satisfying redemptions with redemption securities by, among other means, assuring that any securities accepted for deposit and any securities used to satisfy redemption requests will be sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the Securities Act, will not be able to receive restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.

Creations and redemptions must be made through a firm that is either a member of the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation or a DTC Participant and has executed an agreement with the Distributor with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Unit aggregations. Information about the procedures regarding creation and redemption of Creation Units (including the cut-off times for receipt of creation and redemption orders) and the applicable transaction fees is included in the Fund’s SAI.

Portfolio Holdings

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

Dividends and Distributions

General Policies

Dividends from net investment income, if any, generally are [declared daily and paid at least monthly] by the Fund. Distributions of net realized securities gains, if any, generally are declared and paid once a year, but the Trust may make distributions on a more frequent basis for the Fund. The Trust reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve its status as a regulated investment company or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income or realized gains. Dividends and other distributions on shares of the Fund are distributed 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.

Dividend Reinvestment Service

No dividend reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry Dividend Reinvestment Service for use by beneficial owners of the Fund for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. Beneficial owners should contact their broker to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. If this service is available and used, dividend distributions of both

 35

income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Fund purchased in the secondary market.

Taxes

As with any investment, you should consider how your Fund investment will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund. Unless your investment in the Fund is through a tax deferred retirement account, such as a 401(k) plan or IRA, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions and when you sell shares, including an exchange to another Morgan Stanley Fund.

Taxation of Distributions. Your distributions normally are subject to federal and state income tax when they are paid, whether you take them in cash or reinvest them in Fund shares. A distribution also may be subject to local income tax. Any income dividend distributions and any short-term capital gain distributions are taxable to you as ordinary income. Any long-term capital gain distributions are taxable as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in the Fund. It is not anticipated that any portion of the distributions by the Fund would qualify for a lower tax rate as qualified dividend income. Further, such distributions are not anticipated to be eligible for a dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders.

If you buy shares of the Fund before a distribution, you may be subject to tax on the entire amount of the taxable distribution you receive. Distributions are taxable to you even if they are paid from income or gain earned by the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the price you paid for your Fund shares).

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

You will be sent a statement (Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 1099-DIV) by February of each year showing the taxable distributions paid to you in the previous year. The statement provides information on your dividends and any capital gains for tax purposes.

Taxation of Sales. Your sale of Fund shares normally is subject to federal and state income tax and may result in a taxable gain or loss to you. A sale also may be subject to local income tax. Your exchange of Fund shares for shares of another Morgan Stanley Fund is treated for tax purposes like a sale of your original shares and a purchase of your new shares. Thus, the exchange may, like a sale, result in a taxable gain or loss to you and will give you a new tax basis for your shares. When you sell your Shares, you will generally recognize a capital gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between your adjusted tax basis in the Shares and the amount received. Generally, this capital gain or loss is long-term or short-term depending on whether your holding period exceeds one year, except that any loss realized on Shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any long-term capital gain dividends that were received on the Shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a sale, exchange or redemption of Shares of the Fund may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent the Shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the date of disposition, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in Fund shares. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the Shares acquired.

Creations and Redemptions. A person who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of exchange and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the amount of any cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who exchanges Creation Units for securities 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 the securities received. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of primarily securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities for Creation Units or redeeming Creation Units

 36

should consult their own tax adviser with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible and the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.

Under current U.S. federal income tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption (or creation) of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for one year or less.

Other Information. An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or ”adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

You may be subject to backup withholding at a rate of 24% with respect to taxable distributions if you do not provide your correct taxpayer identification number, or certify that it is correct, or if you have been notified by the IRS that you are subject to backup withholding.

Shareholders who are not citizens or residents of the United States and certain foreign entities will generally be subject to withholding of U.S. tax of 30% on distributions made by the Fund of investment income and short-term capital gains.

Withholding of U.S. tax is required (at a 30% rate) on payments of taxable dividends made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. Shareholders may be requested to provide additional information to the Fund to enable the Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

Reporting to you and the IRS is required annually on Form 1099-B not only the gross proceeds of Fund shares you sell or redeem but also their cost basis. Shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections with respect to their accounts. You should carefully review the cost basis information provided by the applicable intermediary and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on your federal income tax returns.

Because each investor’s tax circumstances are unique and the tax laws may change, you should consult your tax advisor about your investment.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of the Fund. Morgan Stanley advises clients and sponsors, manages or advises other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses, the ‘‘Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with the Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with the Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

 37

For more information about conflicts of interest, see the section entitled “Potential Conflicts of Interest” in the SAI.

Material Nonpublic Information. It is expected that confidential or material nonpublic information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity. Morgan Stanley has established certain information barriers and other policies to address the sharing of information between different businesses within Morgan Stanley. In limited circumstances, however, including for purposes of managing business and reputational risk, and subject to policies and procedures and any applicable regulations, personnel, including personnel of the Adviser, on one side of an information barrier may have access to information and personnel on the other side of the information barrier through “wall crossings.” The Adviser faces conflicts of interest in determining whether to engage in such wall crossings. Information obtained in connection with such wall crossings may limit or restrict the ability of the Adviser to engage in or otherwise effect transactions on behalf of the Fund(including purchasing or selling securities that the Adviser may otherwise have purchased or sold for the Fund in the absence of a wall crossing).

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and the Investment team, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of the Fund or its shareholders. The Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an Investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among the Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts. To seek to reduce potential conflicts of interest and to attempt to allocate such investment opportunities in a fair and equitable manner, the Adviser has implemented allocation policies and procedures. These policies and procedures are intended to give all clients of the Adviser, including the Fund, fair access to investment opportunities consistent with the requirements of organizational documents, investment strategies, applicable laws and regulations, and the fiduciary duties of the Adviser.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of the Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of the Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation. In addition, in certain circumstances, the Adviser restricts, limits or reduces the amount of the Fund’s investment, or restricts the type of governance or voting rights it acquires or exercises, where the Fund (potentially together with Morgan Stanley) exceeds a certain ownership interest, or possesses certain degrees of voting or control or has other interests.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for the Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to

 38

have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to, that of the Fund.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking and Other Commercial Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, bankruptcy and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with the Fund and with respect to investments that the Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by the Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with the Fund and/or any of the Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments. Morgan Stanley’s activities on behalf of its clients (such as engagements as an underwriter or placement agent) may restrict or otherwise limit investment opportunities that may otherwise be available to the Fund.

Morgan Stanley may be engaged to act as a financial advisor to a company in connection with the sale of such company, or subsidiaries or divisions thereof, may represent potential buyers of businesses through its mergers and acquisition activities and may provide lending and other related financing services in connection with such transactions. Morgan Stanley’s compensation for such activities is usually based upon realized consideration and is usually contingent, in substantial part, upon the closing of the transaction. Under these circumstances, the Fund may be precluded from participating in a transaction with or relating to the company being sold or participating in any financing activity related to a merger or an acquisition.

 39

Financial Highlights 

No financial information is provided for the Fund because it had not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. Financial information will be provided in the first shareholder report after commencement of operations.

 40

Premium/Discount Information

The Fund has not yet commenced operations and, therefore, does not have information about the differences between the Fund’s daily market price on the Exchange and its NAV. Information regarding how often the closing trading price of the shares of the Fund was above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund for the most recently completed calendar year and the most recently completed calendar quarter(s) since that year (or the life of the Fund, if shorter) can be found at [ ].

Continuous Offering Information

The method by which Creation Units are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act may occur at any point. Broker dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

For example, a broker dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent Shares, and sells such Shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for Shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.

Broker dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted to ordinary secondary trading transactions), and thus dealing with Shares that are part of an “unsold allotment” within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker dealer firms should note that dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the Shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(A) of the Securities Act would be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to Shares are reminded that, under Rule 153 of the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

In addition, certain affiliates of the Fund and the Adviser may purchase and resell Fund shares pursuant to this Prospectus.

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Appendix A

The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment

We believe that most corporations deliver benefits to society, through their products and services, creation of jobs, payment of taxes and the sum of their behaviors. As a responsible investor, Calvert Research and Management seeks to invest in companies and other issuers that provide positive leadership in the areas of their operations and overall activities that are material to improving long-term shareholder value and societal outcomes.

Calvert seeks to invest in issuers that balance the needs of financial and nonfinancial stakeholders and demonstrate a commitment to the global commons, as well as to the rights of individuals and communities.

The Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (Calvert Principles) provide a framework for Calvert’s evaluation of investments and guide Calvert’s stewardship on behalf of clients through active engagement with issuers. The Calvert Principles seek to identify companies and other issuers that operate in a manner that is consistent with or promote:

Environmental Sustainability and Resource Efficiency

Reduce the negative impact of operations and practices on the environment
Manage water scarcity and ensure efficient and equitable access to clean sources
Mitigate impact on all types of natural capital
Diminish climate-related risks and reduce carbon emissions
Drive sustainability innovation and resource efficiency through business operations or other activities, products and services

Equitable Societies and Respect for Human Rights

Respect consumers by marketing products and services in a fair and ethical manner, maintaining integrity in customer relations and ensuring the security of sensitive consumer data
Respect human rights, respect culture and tradition in local communities and economies, and respect Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
Promote diversity and gender equity across workplaces, marketplaces and communities
Demonstrate a commitment to employees by promoting development, communication, appropriate economic opportunity and decent workplace standards
Respect the health and well-being of consumers and other users of products and services by promoting product safety

Accountable Governance and Transparency

Provide responsible stewardship of capital in the best interests of shareholders and debtholders
Exhibit accountable governance and develop effective boards or other governing bodies that reflect expertise and diversity of perspective and provide oversight of sustainability risk and opportunity
Include environmental and social risks, impacts and performance in material financial disclosures to inform shareholders and debtholders, benefit stakeholders and contribute to strategy
Lift ethical standards in all operations, including in dealings with customers, regulators and business partners
Demonstrate transparency and accountability in addressing adverse events and controversies while minimizing risks and building trust

Through the application of the Calvert Principles, Calvert could have no or limited exposure to issuers that:

Demonstrate poor management of environmental risks or contribute significantly to local or global environmental problems.
Demonstrate a pattern of employing forced, compulsory or child labor.
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Exhibit a pattern and practice directly or through the company’s supply chain of human rights violations or are complicit in human rights violations committed by governments or security forces, including those that are under U.S. or international sanction for human rights abuses.
Exhibit a pattern and practice of violating the rights and protections of Indigenous Peoples.
Demonstrate poor governance or engage in harmful or unethical practices.
Manufacture tobacco products.
Have significant and direct involvement in the manufacture of alcoholic beverages without taking significant steps to reduce the harmful impact of these products.
Have significant and direct involvement in gambling or gaming operations without taking significant steps to reduce the harmful impact of these businesses.
Have significant and direct involvement in the manufacture of civilian handguns and/or automatic weapons marketed to civilians.
Have significant and direct involvement in the manufacture of military weapons that violate international humanitarian law, including cluster bombs, landmines, biochemical weapons, nuclear weapons, blinding laser weapons, or incendiary weapons.
Use animals in product testing without countervailing social benefits such as the development of medical treatments to ease human suffering and disease

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Where to Find Additional Information

In addition to this Prospectus, the Fund has an SAI, dated [ ], 2022 (as may be supplemented from time to time), which contains additional, more detailed information about the Trust and the Fund. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus and, therefore, legally forms a part of this Prospectus. Certain affiliates of the Fund and the Adviser may purchase and resell Fund shares pursuant to this Prospectus.

The Trust publishes Annual and Semi-Annual Reports (“Shareholder Reports”) that contain additional information about the Fund’s investments. In the Fund’s Annual Report to Shareholders, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and the investment strategies that significantly affected such Fund’s performance during the last fiscal year. For additional Trust information, including information regarding the investments comprising the Fund, please call the toll-free number below.

You may obtain the SAI and Shareholder Reports without charge by contacting the Trust at the toll-free number below or on our Internet site at: [ ]. If you purchased shares through a Financial Intermediary, you may also obtain these documents, without charge, by contacting your Financial Intermediary.

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

Morgan Stanley ETF Trust
c/o [ ]
[________]
[________]

For Shareholder Inquiries,
call toll-free [________].

Prices and Investment Results are available at [ ].

The Trust’s 1940 Act registration number is 811-[ ].

© 2022 Calvert Research and Management

[LITLINK CODE]

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The information in this Preliminary Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Preliminary Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion. Dated August 16, 2022

 

 

Statement of Additional Information

 

[   ], 2022

 

Morgan Stanley ETF Trust (the “Trust”) is an open-end management investment company consisting of six funds offering a variety of investment alternatives, all of which are included in this Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) (each, a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”). Following is a list of the six Funds included in this SAI:

 

  Ticker Exchange
Calvert International Responsible Index ETF [  ] [  ]
Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF [  ] [  ]
Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF [  ] [  ]
Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF [  ] [  ]
Calvert US Select Equity ETF [  ] [  ]
Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF [  ] [  ]

 

This SAI is not a prospectus, but should be read in conjunction with the Funds’ prospectuses, each dated [   ], 2022, as may be supplemented from time to time. To obtain any of these prospectuses, please call the Fund toll-free at [   ].

 

Calvert International Responsible Index ETF, Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF, Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF and Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF (the “Passive Funds”) are passive funds that seek to track the performance of their respective underlying indices. Calvert US Select Equity ETF and Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF (the “Active Funds”) are actively managed. Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF is “non-diversified” and, as such, such Fund’s investments are not required to meet certain diversification requirements under federal securities law. Compared with “diversified” funds or portfolios, Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of an individual issuer. Thus, the Fund’s assets may be focused in securities of fewer issuers than a diversified fund. A decline in the value of those investments could cause the Fund’s overall value to decline to a greater degree than a diversified fund.

1 

 

Table of Contents

 

Investment StrategieS AND TECHNIQUEs 3
Investment policies and limitations 47
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings 50
Purchase and Redemption of Shares 51
Account Policies and Features 56
Management of the Trust 57
Investment Advisory and Other Services 61
Distribution and Shareholder Services Plans 63
Brokerage Practices 64
General Information 68
Taxes 69
Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities 75
Performance Information 75
Potential Conflicts of Interest 76
Financial Statements 83
Appendix A -- Morgan Stanley Investment Management Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures 83
Appendix B -- Description of Ratings 83
2 

 

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND TECHNIQUES

 

This SAI provides additional information about the investment strategies and operations of the Trust and its Funds. Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (the “Adviser”) acts as investment adviser to each Fund.

 

The Funds will offer and issue Shares at their net asset value (“NAV”) only in aggregations of a specified number of Shares (each, a “Creation Unit”). Similarly, Shares will be redeemable by the Fund only in Creation Units. The Shares of the Fund are expected to be approved for listing, subject to notice of issuance, on [ ]. Shares of the Fund trade in the secondary market at market prices that may differ from the Shares’ NAV. The Trust reserves the right to permit or require a “cash” option for creations and redemptions of Shares (subject to applicable legal requirements). The following table summarize the permissible strategies and investments for each Fund. These tables should be used in conjunction with the investment strategies for each Fund contained in the Prospectus in order to provide a more complete description of such Fund’s investment policies. More details about each investment and related risks are provided in the discussion following the tables.

 

  Calvert International Responsible Index ETF Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF Calvert US Select Equity ETF Calvert Ultra- Short Investment Grade ETF
Equity Securities:            
Common Stocks X X X X X  
Depositary Receipts X X X X X  
Preferred Stocks X X X X X  
Rights X X X X X  
Warrants X X X X X  
IPOs X X X X X  
Convertible Securities X X X X X  
Investment Company Securities X X X X X  
Exchange-Traded Funds X X X X X  
Real Estate Investing         X  
—REITs         X  
—Foreign Real Estate Companies         X  
—Specialized Ownership Vehicles         X  
Special Purpose Acquisition Companies X X X X X  
Fixed-Income Securities:            
Investment Grade Securities           X
High Yield Securities           X
U.S. Government Securities X X X X X X
Agencies           X
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Corporates           X
Money Market Instruments X X X X X X
Cash Equivalents X X X X X X
Mortgage-Related Securities           X
Repurchase Agreements X X X X X X
Municipals           X
Asset-Backed Securities           X
Temporary Investments         X X
Zero Coupons, Pay-In-Kind Securities or Deferred Payment Securities           X
Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar Obligations           X
Foreign Investment:            
Emerging Market Securities         X  
Foreign Equity Securities X          
Foreign Government Fixed-Income Securities X          
Foreign Currency Transactions X          
Brady Bonds X          
Investment Funds X X X X X  
Other Securities and Investment Strategies:            
Loans of Portfolio Securities X X X X X X
Non-Publicly Traded Securities, Private Placements and Restricted Securities X X X X X X
When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments           X
Borrowing for Investment Purposes         X X
Reverse Repurchase Agreements X X X X X X
Short Sales           X
Illiquid Investments X X X X X X
Derivatives:            
Currency Forwards X         X
Futures Contracts X X X X X X
Options           X
4 
Swaps           X
Contracts for Difference           X
Structured Investments           X
Combined Transactions           X
5 

 

Equity Securities. Equity securities generally represent an ownership interest in an issuer, or may be convertible into or represent a right to acquire an ownership interest in an issuer. While there are many types of equity securities, prices of all equity securities will fluctuate. Economic, political and other events may affect the prices of broad equity markets. For example, changes in inflation or consumer demand may affect the prices of equity securities generally in the United States. Similar events also may affect the prices of particular equity securities. For example, news about the success or failure of a new product may affect the price of a particular issuer’s equity securities.

Common Stocks. Common stocks are equity securities representing an ownership interest in a corporation, entitling the stockholder to voting rights and receipt of dividends paid based on proportionate ownership.

Depositary Receipts. Depositary receipts represent an ownership interest in securities of foreign companies (an “underlying issuer”) that are deposited with a depositary. Depositary receipts are not necessarily denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities. Depositary receipts include American depositary receipts (“ADRs”), global depositary receipts (“GDRs”) and other types of depositary receipts (which, together with ADRs and GDRs, are hereinafter collectively referred to as “Depositary Receipts”). ADRs are dollar-denominated Depositary Receipts typically issued by a U.S. financial institution and evidence an ownership interest in a security or pool of securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs are listed and traded in the United States. ADRs also include American depositary shares. GDRs and other types of Depositary Receipts are typically issued by foreign banks or trust companies, although they also may be issued by U.S. financial institutions, and evidence ownership interests in a security or pool of securities issued by either a foreign or a U.S. corporation. Generally, Depositary Receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities market and Depositary Receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the United States.

Depositary Receipts may be “sponsored” or “unsponsored.” Sponsored Depositary Receipts are established jointly by a depositary and the underlying issuer, whereas unsponsored Depositary Receipts may be established by a depositary without participation by the underlying issuer. Holders of unsponsored Depositary Receipts generally bear all the costs associated with establishing unsponsored Depositary Receipts. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying 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 market value of the Depositary Receipts. For purposes of a Fund’s investment policies, a Fund’s investments in Depositary Receipts will be deemed to be an investment in the underlying securities, except that ADRs may be deemed to be issued by a U.S. issuer.

Emerging Market Securities. Certain Funds may invest in emerging market securities. An emerging market security is a security issued by an emerging market foreign government or private issuer. An emerging market foreign government or private issuer has one or more of the following characteristics: (i) its principal securities trading market is in an emerging market or developing country; (ii) alone or on a consolidated basis it derives 50% or more of its annual revenue or profits from goods produced, sales made or services performed in an emerging market or developing country or has at least 50% of its assets in an emerging market or developing country; or (iii) it is organized under the laws of, or has a principal office in, an emerging market or developing country. Based on these criteria it is possible for a security to be considered issued by an issuer in more than one country. Therefore, it is possible for the securities of any issuer that has one or more of these characteristics in connection with any emerging market or developing country to be considered an emerging market security when held in one Fund, but not considered an emerging market security when held in another Fund if it has one or more of these characteristics in connection with a developed country.

Emerging market describes any country that is generally considered to be an emerging or developing country by major organizations in the international financial community or by a Fund’s benchmark index.

The economies of individual emerging market or developing countries may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation or deflation, currency depreciation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position. Further, the economies of developing countries generally are heavily dependent upon international trade and, accordingly, have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by trade barriers, exchange controls, managed adjustments in relative currency values and other protectionist measures. These

6 

 

economies also have been, and may continue to be, adversely affected by economic conditions in the countries with which they trade.

Prior governmental approval for foreign investments may be required under certain circumstances in some emerging market or developing countries, and the extent of foreign investment in certain fixed-income securities and domestic companies may be subject to limitation in other emerging market or developing countries. Foreign ownership limitations also may be imposed by the charters of individual companies in emerging market or developing countries to prevent, among other concerns, violation of foreign investment limitations. Repatriation of investment income, capital and the proceeds of sales by foreign investors may require governmental registration and/or approval in some emerging countries. A Fund could be adversely affected by delays in, or a refusal to grant, any required governmental registration or approval for such repatriation. Any investment subject to such repatriation controls will be considered illiquid if it appears reasonably likely that this process will take more than seven days.

Certain emerging market countries may be subject to less stringent requirements regarding accounting, auditing, financial reporting and record keeping and therefore, material information related to an investment may not be available or reliable. In addition, a Fund is limited in its ability to exercise its legal rights or enforce a counterparty’s legal obligations in certain jurisdictions outside of the United States, in particular, in emerging markets countries.

Investment in emerging market or developing countries may entail purchasing securities issued by or on behalf of entities that are insolvent, bankrupt, in default or otherwise engaged in an attempt to reorganize or reschedule their obligations and in entities that have little or no proven credit rating or credit history. In any such case, the issuer’s poor or deteriorating financial condition may increase the likelihood that a Fund will experience losses or diminution in available gains due to bankruptcy, insolvency or fraud. Emerging market or developing countries also pose the risk of nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political changes, government regulation, social instability or diplomatic developments (including war) that could adversely affect the economies of such countries or the value of a Fund’s investments in those countries. In addition, it may be difficult to obtain and enforce a judgment in a court outside the United States.

A Fund may also be exposed to an extra degree of custodial and/or market risk, especially where the securities purchased are not traded on an official exchange or where ownership records regarding the securities are maintained by an unregulated entity (or even the issuer itself).

Preferred Stocks. Preferred stocks are securities that evidence ownership in a corporation and pay a fixed or variable stream of dividends. Preferred stocks have a preference over common stocks in the event of the liquidation of an issuer and usually do not carry voting rights. Preferred stocks have many of the characteristics of both equity securities and fixed-income securities.

Rights. Rights represent the right, but not the obligation, for a fixed period of time to purchase additional shares of an issuer’s common stock at the time of a new issuance, usually at a price below the initial offering price of the common stock and before the common stock is offered to the general public. Rights are usually freely transferable. The risk of investing in a right is that the right may expire prior to the market value of the common stock exceeding the price fixed by the right.

Sector Risk. Each Fund may, from time to time, invest more heavily in companies in a particular economic sector or sectors. Economic or regulatory changes adversely affecting such sectors may have more of an impact on a Fund’s performance than if the Fund held a broader range of investments.

Warrants. Warrants give holders the right, but not the obligation, to buy common stock of an issuer at a given price, usually higher than the market price at the time of issuance, during a specified period. Warrants are usually freely transferable. The risk of investing in a warrant is that the warrant may expire prior to the market value of the common stock exceeding the price fixed by the warrant.

IPOs. Certain Funds may purchase equity securities issued as part of, or a short period after, a company’s initial public offering (“IPO”), and may at times dispose of those securities shortly after their acquisition. A Fund’s purchase of securities issued in IPOs exposes it to the risks associated with companies that have little operating history as public companies, as well as to the risks inherent in those sectors of the market

7 

 

where these issuers operate. The market for IPO issuers has been volatile, and share prices of newly-public companies have fluctuated significantly over short periods of time.

 

Convertible Securities. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock, right, warrant or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock or other security of the same or a different issuer or into cash within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security generally entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt securities or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities generally have characteristics similar to both debt and equity securities. The value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates rise and, because of the conversion feature, tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities. Convertible securities ordinarily provide a stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stock of the same or similar issuers. Convertible securities generally rank senior to common stock in a corporation’s capital structure but are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible fixed-income securities in such capital structure. Convertible securities generally do not participate directly in any dividend increases or decreases of the underlying securities although the market prices of convertible securities may be affected by any dividend changes or other changes in the underlying securities. Certain of the convertible securities in which a Fund may invest are rated below investment grade or are unrated. The prices of such securities are likely to be more sensitive to adverse economic changes than higher-rated securities, resulting in increased volatility of market prices of these securities during periods of economic uncertainty, or adverse individual corporate developments. In addition, during an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, lower rated issuers may experience financial stress.

 

Investment Company Securities. Investment company securities are equity securities and include securities of other open-end, closed-end and unregistered investment companies, including foreign investment companies, hedge funds and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”). A Fund may invest in investment company securities to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any rules, exemptions or interpretations thereunder that may be adopted, granted or issued by the SEC. The 1940 Act generally prohibits an investment company from acquiring more than 3% of the outstanding voting shares of an investment company and limits such investments to no more than 5% of a Fund’s total assets in any one investment company and no more than 10% in any combination of investment companies. The 1940 Act also prohibits a Fund from acquiring in the aggregate more than 10% of the outstanding voting shares of any registered closed-end investment company. A Fund may invest in investment company securities of investment companies managed by the Adviser or its affiliates to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act or as otherwise authorized by the SEC. To the extent a Fund invests a portion of its assets in investment company securities, those assets will be subject to the risks of the purchased investment company’s portfolio securities, and a shareholder in the Fund will bear not only their proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly the expenses of the purchased investment company. The SEC has adopted changes to the regulatory framework governing investments by investment companies in other investment companies, which may adversely affect a Fund’s ability to invest in one or more investment companies in excess of applicable statutory limits.

 

Money Market Funds. To the extent permitted by applicable law, a Fund may invest all or some of its short term cash investments in any money market fund advised or managed by the Adviser or its affiliates. In connection with any such investments, a Fund, to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, will pay its share of all expenses (other than advisory and administrative fees) of a money market fund in which it invests, which may result in the Fund bearing some additional expenses. The rules governing money market funds: (1) permit (and, under certain circumstances, require) certain money market funds to impose a “liquidity fee” (up to 2%), or a “redemption gate” that temporarily restricts redemptions from a money market fund, if weekly liquidity levels fall below the required regulatory threshold, and (2) require “institutional money market funds” to operate with a floating NAV per share rounded to a minimum of the fourth decimal place in the case of a fund with a $1.0000 share price or an equivalent or more precise level of accuracy for money market funds with a different share price (e.g., $10.000 per share, or $100.00 per share). These may affect the investment strategies, performance and operating expenses of money market funds. “Government money market funds,” as defined under Rule 2a-7 of the 1940 Act, are exempt from these

8 

 

requirements, though such funds may choose to opt-in to the implementation of liquidity fees and redemption gates.

Exchange-Traded Funds. The Funds may invest in ETFs. Investments in ETFs are subject to a variety of risks, including risks of a direct investment in the underlying securities that the ETF holds. For example, the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of the underlying investments of the ETF and, consequently, the value of the ETF. In addition, the market value of the ETF shares may differ from their NAV because the supply and demand in the market for ETF shares at any point is not always identical to the supply and demand in the market for the underlying securities. Also, ETFs that track particular indices typically will be unable to match the performance of the index exactly due to, among other things, the ETF’s operating expenses and transaction costs. ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by the Funds. Therefore, as a shareholder in an ETF (as with other investment companies), a Fund would bear its ratable share of that entity’s expenses. At the same time, the Fund would continue to pay its own investment management fees and other expenses. As a result, a Fund and its shareholders, in effect, will be absorbing duplicate levels of fees with respect to investments in ETFs. Further, certain of the ETFs in which a Fund may invest are leveraged. Leveraged ETFs seek to deliver multiples of the performance of the index or other benchmark they track and use derivatives in an effort to amplify the returns of the underlying index or benchmark. While leveraged ETFs may offer the potential for greater return, the potential for loss and the speed at which losses can be realized also are greater. Most leveraged ETFs “reset” daily, meaning they are designed to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis. Leveraged ETFs can deviate substantially from the performance of their underlying benchmark over longer periods of time, particularly in volatile periods. The more a Fund invests in such leveraged ETFs, the more this leverage will magnify any losses on those investments. Furthermore, disruptions in the markets for the securities underlying ETFs purchased or sold by the Fund could result in losses on the Fund’s investment in ETFs.

Real Estate Investing. Investments in securities of issuers engaged in the real estate industry entail special risks and considerations. In particular, securities of such issuers may be subject to risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate. These risks include the cyclical nature of real estate values, risks related to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, demographic trends and variations in rental income, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, environmental risks, regulatory limitations on rents, changes in neighborhood values, changes in the appeal of properties to tenants, increases in interest rates and other real estate capital market influences. Generally, increases in interest rates will increase the costs of obtaining financing, which could directly and indirectly decrease the value of a Fund’s investments.

Real Estate Investment Trusts and Foreign Real Estate Companies. Certain Funds may invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and/or foreign real estate companies, which are similar to entities organized and operated as REITs in the United States. REITs and foreign real estate companies pool investors’ funds for investment primarily in real estate properties or real estate-related loans. REITs and foreign real estate companies generally derive their income from rents on the underlying properties or interest on the underlying loans, and their value is impacted by changes in the value of the underlying property or changes in interest rates affecting the underlying loans owned by the REITs and/or foreign real estate companies. REITs and foreign real estate companies are more susceptible to risks associated with the ownership of real estate and the real estate industry in general. These risks can include fluctuations in the value of underlying properties; defaults by borrowers or tenants; market saturation; changes in general and local economic conditions; decreases in market rates for rents; increases in competition, property taxes, capital expenditures or operating expenses; and other economic, political or regulatory occurrences affecting the real estate industry. In addition, REITs and foreign real estate companies depend upon specialized management skills, may not be diversified (which may increase the volatility of a REIT’s and/or foreign real estate company’s value), may have less trading volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than the overall securities market. Foreign real estate companies may be subject to laws, rules and regulations governing those entities and their failure to comply with those laws, rules and regulations could negatively impact the performance of those entities. Operating REITs and foreign real estate companies requires specialized management skills and a Fund indirectly bears REIT and foreign real estate company management expenses along with the direct expenses of the Fund. REITs are generally not taxed

9 

 

on income distributed to shareholders provided they comply with several requirements of the Code. REITs are subject to the risk of failing to qualify for tax-free pass-through income under the Code.

Specialized Ownership Vehicles. Specialized ownership vehicles pool investors’ funds for investment primarily in income-producing real estate or real estate-related loans or interests. Such specialized ownership vehicles in which the Funds may invest include property unit trusts, foreign real estate companies, REITs and other similar specialized investment vehicles. Investments in such specialized ownership vehicles may have favorable or unfavorable legal, regulatory or tax implications for a Fund and, to the extent such vehicles are structured similarly to investment funds, a shareholder in the Fund will bear not only their proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also, indirectly the expenses of the specialized ownership vehicle.

Fixed-Income Securities. Fixed-income securities generally represent an issuer’s obligation to repay to the investor (or lender) the amount borrowed plus interest over a specified time period. A typical fixed-income security specifies a fixed date when the amount borrowed (principal) is due in full, known as the maturity date, and specifies dates when periodic interest (coupon) payments will be made over the life of the security.

Fixed-income securities come in many varieties and may differ in the way that interest is calculated, the amount and frequency of payments, the type of collateral, if any, and the presence of special features (e.g., conversion rights). Prices of fixed-income securities fluctuate and, in particular, are subject to several key risks including, but not limited to, interest rate risk, credit risk, prepayment risk and spread risk.

Interest rate risk arises due to general changes in the level of market rates after the purchase of a fixed-income security. Generally, the values of fixed-income securities vary inversely with changes in interest rates. During periods of falling interest rates, the values of most outstanding fixed-income securities generally rise and during periods of rising interest rates, the values of most fixed-income securities generally decline. The Funds may face a heightened level of interest rate risk in times of monetary policy change and/or uncertainty, such as when the Federal Reserve Board adjusts a quantitative easing program and/or changes rates. A changing interest rate environment increases certain risks, including the potential for periods of volatility, increased redemptions, shortened durations (i.e., prepayment risk) and extended durations (i.e., extension risk). Certain Funds are not limited as to the maturities (when a debt security provides its final payment) or duration (measure of interest rate sensitivity) of the securities in which it may invest. While fixed-income securities with longer final maturities often have higher yields than those with shorter maturities, they usually possess greater price sensitivity to changes in interest rates and other factors. Traditionally, the remaining term to maturity has been used as a barometer of a fixed-income security’s sensitivity to interest rate changes. This measure, however, considers only the time until the final principal payment and takes no account of the pattern or amount of principal or interest payments prior to maturity. Duration combines consideration of yield, coupon, interest and principal payments, final maturity and call (prepayment) features. Duration measures the likely percentage change in a fixed-income security’s price for a small parallel shift in the general level of interest rates; it is also an estimate of the weighted average life of the remaining cash flows of a fixed-income security. In almost all cases, the duration of a fixed-income security is shorter than its term to maturity.

Credit risk represents the possibility that an issuer may be unable to meet scheduled interest and principal payment obligations. It is most often associated with corporate bonds, although it can be present in other fixed-income securities as well (note that the market generally assumes that obligations of the U.S. Treasury are free from credit risk). Credit ratings and quantitative models attempt to measure the degree of credit risk in fixed-income securities, and provide insight as to whether prevailing yield spreads afford sufficient compensation for such risk. Other things being equal, fixed-income securities with high degrees of credit risk should trade in the market at lower prices (and higher yields) than fixed-income securities with low degrees of credit risk.

Prepayment risk, also known as call risk, arises due to the issuer’s ability to prepay all or most of the fixed-income security prior to the stated final maturity date. Prepayments generally rise in response to a decline in interest rates as debtors take advantage of the opportunity to refinance their obligations. This risk is often associated with mortgage securities where the underlying mortgage loans can be refinanced, although it can also be present in corporate or other types of bonds with call provisions. When a prepayment occurs, a Fund may be forced to reinvest in lower yielding fixed-income securities. Quantitative models are

10 

 

designed to help assess the degree of prepayment risk, and provide insight as to whether prevailing yield spreads afford sufficient compensation for such risk.

Spread risk is the potential for the value of a Fund’s assets to fall due to the widening of spreads. Fixed-income securities generally compensate for greater credit risk by paying interest at a higher rate. The difference (or “spread”) between the yield of a security and the yield of a benchmark, such as a U.S. Treasury security with a comparable maturity, measures the additional interest paid for credit risk. As the spread on a security widens (or increases), the price (or value) of the security falls. Spread widening may occur, among other reasons, as a result of market concerns over the stability of the market, excess supply, general credit concerns in other markets, security- or market-specific credit concerns or general reductions in risk tolerance.

While assets in fixed-income markets have grown rapidly in recent years, the capacity for traditional dealer counterparties to engage in fixed-income trading has not kept pace and in some cases has decreased. For example, primary dealer inventories of corporate bonds, which provide a core indication of the ability of financial intermediaries to “make markets,” are at or near historic lows in relation to market size. This reduction in market-making capacity may be a persistent change, to the extent it is resulting from broader structural changes, such as fewer proprietary trading desks at broker-dealers and increased regulatory capital requirements. Because market makers provide stability to a market through their intermediary services, the significant reduction in dealer inventories could potentially lead to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed-income markets. Such issues may be exacerbated during periods of economic uncertainty.

Economic, political and other events also may affect the prices of broad fixed-income markets, although the risks associated with such events are transmitted to the market via changes in the prevailing levels of interest rates, credit risk, prepayment risk or spread risk.

Certain of the Funds’ investments are subject to inflation risk, which is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money (i.e., as inflation increases, the values of the Fund’s assets can decline). Inflation rates may change frequently and significantly as a result of various factors, including unexpected shifts in the domestic or global economy and changes in economic policies, and a Fund’s investments may not keep pace with inflation, which may result in losses to Fund shareholders. This risk is greater for fixed-income instruments with longer maturities.

Investment Grade Securities. Investment grade securities are fixed-income securities rated by one or more of the rating agencies in one of the four highest rating categories at the time of purchase (e.g., AAA, AA, A or BBB by S&P Global Ratings Group, a division of S&P Global Inc. (“S&P”), or Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”)or Aaa, Aa, A or Baa by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”)) or determined to be of equivalent quality by the Adviser. Securities rated BBB or Baa represent the lowest of four levels of investment grade securities and are regarded as borderline between sound obligations and those in which speculative elements predominate. A Fund is permitted to hold investment grade securities or “high grade” securities, and may hold unrated securities if the Adviser considers the risks involved in owning that security to be equivalent to the risks involved in holding an investment grade security. Ratings assigned to fixed-income securities represent only the opinion of the rating agency assigning the rating and are not dispositive of the credit risk associated with the purchase of a particular fixed-income security. Moreover, market risk also will affect the prices of even the highest rated fixed-income securities so that their prices may rise or fall even if the issuer’s capacity to repay its obligations remains unchanged.

High Yield Securities. High yield securities are generally considered to include fixed-income securities rated below the four highest rating categories at the time of purchase (e.g., Ba through C by Moody’s, or BB through D by S&P or Fitch) and unrated fixed-income securities considered by the Adviser to be of equivalent quality. High yield securities are not considered investment grade and are commonly referred to as “junk bonds” or high yield, high risk securities. Investment grade securities that a Fund holds may be downgraded to below investment grade by the rating agencies. If a Fund holds a security that is downgraded, the Fund may choose to retain the security.

While high yield securities offer higher yields, they also normally carry a high degree of credit risk and are considered speculative by the major credit rating agencies. High yield securities may be issued as a consequence of corporate restructuring or similar events. High yield securities are often issued by smaller,

11 

 

less creditworthy issuers, or by highly leveraged (indebted) issuers, that are generally less able than more established or less leveraged issuers to make scheduled payments of interest and principal. In comparison to investment grade securities, the price movement of these securities is influenced less by changes in interest rates and more by the financial and business position of the issuer. The values of high yield securities are more volatile and may react with greater sensitivity to market changes.

High yield securities are frequently ranked junior to claims by other creditors. If the issuer cannot meet its obligations, the senior obligations are generally paid off before the junior obligations, which will potentially limit a Fund’s ability to fully recover principal or to receive interest payments when senior securities are in default. Thus, investors in high yield securities have a lower degree of protection with respect to principal and interest payments then do investors in higher rated securities. In addition, lower-rated securities frequently have call or redemption features that would permit an issuer to repurchase the security from a Fund. If a call were exercised by the issuer during a period of declining interest rates, a Fund likely would have to replace such called security with a lower yielding security, thus decreasing the net investment income to the Fund and any dividends to investors.

The secondary market for high yield securities is concentrated in relatively few market makers and is dominated by institutional investors, including mutual funds, insurance companies and other financial institutions. Accordingly, the secondary market for such securities is not as liquid as, and is more volatile than, the secondary market for higher-rated securities. Because high yield securities are less liquid, judgment may play a greater role in valuing certain of a Fund’s securities than is the case with securities trading in a more liquid market. Also, future legislation may have a possible negative impact on the market for high yield, high risk securities.

The credit rating of a high yield security does not necessarily address its market value risk. Ratings and market value may change from time to time, positively or negatively, to reflect new developments regarding the issuer.

The high yield securities markets may react strongly to adverse news about an issuer or the economy, or to the perception or expectation of adverse news, whether or not it is based on fundamental analysis. Additionally, prices for high yield securities may be affected by legislative and regulatory developments. These developments could adversely affect a Fund’s NAV and investment practices, the secondary market for high yield securities, the financial condition of issuers of these securities and the value and liquidity of outstanding high yield securities, especially in a thinly traded market.

U.S. Government Securities. U.S. government securities refer to a variety of fixed-income securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and its various instrumentalities and agencies. The U.S. government securities that certain Funds may purchase include U.S. Treasury bills, notes and bonds, all of which are direct obligations of the U.S. Government. In addition, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Among the agencies and instrumentalities issuing these obligations are the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”) and the Federal Housing Administration. Certain Funds may also purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, but whose issuing agency or instrumentality has the right to borrow, to meet its obligations, from the U.S. Treasury. Among these agencies and instrumentalities are the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks. Further, certain Funds may purchase securities issued by agencies and instrumentalities that are backed solely by the credit of the issuing agency or instrumentality. Among these agencies and instrumentalities is the Federal Farm Credit System.

Agencies. Agencies refer to fixed-income securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies and U.S. government sponsored instrumentalities. They may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. If they are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment, and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. Agencies that are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States include the Export-Import Bank, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Financing Bank and others. Certain debt issued by Resolution Funding Corporation has both its principal and interest backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury in that its principal is backed by U.S. Treasury zero coupon

12 

 

issues, while the U.S. Treasury is explicitly required to advance funds sufficient to pay interest on it, if needed. Certain agencies and instrumentalities, such as Ginnie Mae, are, in effect, backed by the full faith and credit of the United States through provisions in their charters that they may make “indefinite and unlimited” drawings on the Treasury if needed to service their debt. Debt from certain other agencies and instrumentalities, including the Federal Home Loan Banks, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are not guaranteed by the United States, but those institutions are protected by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Treasury to purchase certain amounts of their securities to assist them in meeting their debt obligations. Finally, other agencies and instrumentalities, such as the Farm Credit System, are federally chartered institutions under U.S. Government supervision, but their debt securities are backed only by the creditworthiness of those institutions, not the U.S. Government. Some of the U.S. government agencies that issue or guarantee securities include the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Housing Administration, Maritime Administration, Small Business Administration and the Tennessee Valley Authority (“TVA”).

An instrumentality of the U.S. Government is a government agency organized under federal charter with government supervision. Instrumentalities issuing or guaranteeing securities include, among others, Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal Land Bank, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks and Fannie Mae.

Corporates. Corporates are fixed-income securities issued by private businesses. Holders, as creditors, have a prior legal claim over holders of equity securities of the issuer as to both income and assets for the principal and interest due to the holder.

Money Market Instruments. Money market instruments are high quality short-term fixed-income securities. Money market instruments may include obligations of governments, government agencies, banks, corporations and special purpose entities and repurchase agreements relating to these obligations. Certain money market instruments may be denominated in a foreign currency.

Cash Equivalents. Cash equivalents are short-term fixed-income securities comprising:

Time deposits, certificates of deposit (including marketable variable rate certificates of deposit) and bankers’ acceptances issued by a commercial bank or savings and loan association. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in a banking institution for a specified period of time at a stated interest rate. Certificates of deposit are negotiable short-term obligations issued by commercial banks or savings and loan associations against funds deposited in the issuing institution. Variable rate certificates of deposit are certificates of deposit on which the interest rate is periodically adjusted prior to their stated maturity based upon a specified market rate. A bankers’ acceptance is a time draft drawn on a commercial bank by a borrower, usually in connection with an international commercial transaction (to finance the import, export, transfer or storage of goods);
Obligations of U.S. banks, foreign branches of U.S. banks (Eurodollars) and U.S. branches of foreign banks (Yankee dollars). Eurodollar and Yankee dollar investments will involve some of the same risks of investing in international securities that are discussed in various foreign investing sections of this SAI;
Any security issued by a commercial bank if (i) the bank has total assets of at least $1 billion, or the equivalent in other currencies or, in the case of domestic banks which do not have total assets of at least $1 billion, the aggregate investment made in any one such bank is limited to $250,000 principal amount per certificate and the principal amount of such investment is insured in full by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), (ii) in the case of U.S. banks, it is a member of the FDIC and (iii) in the case of foreign branches of U.S. banks, the security is deemed by the Adviser to be of an investment quality comparable with other debt securities which the Fund may purchase;
Commercial paper rated at time of purchase by one or more nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (“NRSROs”) in one of their two highest categories (e.g., A-l or A-2 by S&P, Prime 1 or Prime 2 by Moody’s or F1 or F2 by Fitch) or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser;
Short-term corporate obligations rated high-grade at the time of purchase by an NRSRO (e.g., A or better by Moody’s, S&P or Fitch);
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U.S. government obligations, including bills, notes, bonds and other debt securities issued by the U.S. Treasury. These are direct obligations of the U.S. Government and differ mainly in interest rates, maturities and dates of issue;
Government agency securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. government sponsored instrumentalities and Federal agencies. These include securities issued by the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Land Bank, Farmers Home Administration, Farm Credit Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Bank, Fannie Mae, Federal Financing Bank, TVA and others; and
Repurchase agreements collateralized by the securities listed above.

 

Commercial Paper. Commercial paper refers to short-term fixed-income securities with maturities ranging from 1 to 397 days. They are primarily issued by corporations needing to finance large amounts of receivables, but may be issued by banks and other borrowers. Commercial paper is issued either directly or through broker-dealers, and may be discounted or interest bearing. Commercial paper is unsecured. Virtually all commercial paper is rated by Moody’s, Fitch or S&P.

 

Commercial paper rated A-1 by S&P has the following characteristics: (1) liquidity ratios are adequate to meet cash requirements; (2) long-term senior debt is rated “A” or better; (3) the issuer has access to at least two additional channels of borrowing; (4) basic earnings and cash flow have an upward trend with allowance made for unusual circumstances; (5) typically, the issuer’s industry is well established and the issuer has a strong position within the industry; and (6) the reliability and quality of management are unquestioned. Relative strength or weakness of the above factors determines whether the issuer’s commercial paper is A-1, A-2 or A-3.

The rating Prime-1 is the highest commercial paper rating assigned by Moody’s. Among the factors considered by Moody’s in assigning ratings are the following: (1) evaluation of the management of the issuer; (2) economic evaluation of the issuer’s industry or industries and the appraisal of speculative-type risks which may be inherent in certain areas; (3) evaluation of the issuer’s products in relation to competition and customer acceptance; (4) liquidity; (5) amount and quality of long-term debt; (6) trend of earnings over a period of ten years; (7) financial strength of a parent company and the relationships that exist with the issuer; and (8) recognition by the management of obligations which may be present or may arise as a result of public interest questions and preparations to meet such obligations.

With respect to Fitch, a short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short term” based on market convention. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets. An F1 rating indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments whereas an F2 rating indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities are securities that, directly or indirectly, represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property. Mortgage-related securities include collateralized mortgage obligations and MBS issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private sector entities.

Mortgage-Backed Securities. With MBS, many mortgagees’ obligations to make monthly payments to their lending institution are pooled together and the risk of the mortgagees’ payment obligations is passed through to investors. The pools are assembled by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. A Fund may invest in securities issued or guaranteed by Ginnie Mae, Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae, private issuers and other government agencies. MBS issued by non-agency issuers, whether or not such securities are subject to guarantees, may entail greater risk, since private issuers may not be able to meet their obligations under the policies. If there is no guarantee provided by the issuer, a Fund will purchase only MBS that, at the time of purchase, are rated investment grade by one or more NRSROs or, if unrated, are deemed by the Adviser to be of comparable quality.

MBS are issued or guaranteed by private sector originators of or investors in mortgage loans and structured similarly to governmental pass-through securities. Because private pass-throughs typically lack a guarantee by an entity having the credit status of a governmental agency or instrumentality, however, they are

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generally structured with one or more of the types of credit enhancement described below. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac obligations are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government as Ginnie Mae certificates are. Freddie Mac securities are supported by Freddie Mac’s right to borrow from the U.S. Treasury. Each of Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantees timely distributions of interest to certificate holders. Each of Ginnie Mae and Fannie Mae also guarantees timely distributions of scheduled principal. Although Freddie Mac has in the past guaranteed only the ultimate collection of principal of the underlying mortgage loan, Freddie Mac now issues MBS (Freddie Mac Gold PCS) that also guarantee timely payment of monthly principal reductions. Resolution Funding Corporation obligations are backed, as to principal payments, by zero coupon U.S. Treasury bonds and, as to interest payments, ultimately by the U.S. Treasury.

There are two methods of trading MBS. A specified pool transaction is a trade in which the pool number of the security to be delivered on the settlement date is known at the time the trade is made. This is in contrast with the typical MBS transaction, called a to-be-announced (“TBA”) transaction, in which the type of MBS to be delivered is specified at the time of trade but the actual pool numbers of the securities that will be delivered are not known at the time of the trade. The pool numbers of the pools to be delivered at settlement are announced shortly before settlement takes place. The terms of the TBA trade may be made more specific if desired. Generally, agency pass-through MBS are traded on a TBA basis. Investments in TBAs may give rise to a form of leverage and may cause a Fund’s portfolio turnover rate to appear higher. Leverage may cause a Fund to be more volatile than if the Fund had not been leveraged.

Like fixed-income securities in general, MBS will generally decline in price when interest rates rise. Rising interest rates also tend to discourage refinancing of home mortgages, with the result that the average life of MBS held by a Fund may be lengthened. As average life extends, price volatility generally increases. This extension of average life causes the market price of the MBS to decrease further when interest rates rise than if their average lives were fixed. However, when interest rates fall, mortgages may not enjoy as large a gain in market value due to prepayment risk because additional mortgage prepayments must be reinvested at lower interest rates. Faster prepayment will shorten the average life and slower prepayments will lengthen it. However, it is possible to determine what the range of the average life movement could be and to calculate the effect that it will have on the price of the MBS. In selecting MBS, the Adviser looks for those that offer a higher yield to compensate for any variation in average maturity. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial investment in these securities, even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories. A Fund may invest, without limit, in MBS issued by private issuers when the Adviser deems that the quality of the investment, the quality of the issuer, and market conditions warrant such investments. A Fund will purchase securities issued by private issuers that are rated investment grade at the time of purchase by Moody’s, Fitch or S&P or are deemed by the Adviser to be of comparable investment quality.

Fannie Mae Certificates. Fannie Mae is a federally chartered and privately owned corporation organized and existing under the Federal National Mortgage Association Charter Act of 1938. Each Fannie Mae certificate represents a pro rata interest in one or more pools of mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration under the National Housing Act of 1934, as amended (the “Housing Act”), or Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 (“FHA Loans”), or guaranteed by the Department of Veteran Affairs under the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, as amended (“VA Loans”), or conventional mortgage loans (i.e., mortgage loans that are not insured or guaranteed by any governmental agency) of the following types: (i) fixed rate level payment mortgage loans; (ii) fixed rate growing equity mortgage loans; (iii) fixed rate graduated payment mortgage loans; (iv) variable rate California mortgage loans; (v) other adjustable rate mortgage loans; and (vi) fixed rate and adjustable mortgage loans secured by multi-family projects.

Freddie Mac Certificates. Freddie Mac is a corporate instrumentality of the United States created pursuant to the Emergency Home Finance Act of 1970, as amended (the “FHLMC Act”). Freddie Mac certificates represent a pro rata interest in a group of mortgage loans (a “Freddie Mac Certificate group”) purchased by Freddie Mac. The mortgage loans underlying the Freddie Mac Certificates consist of fixed rate or adjustable rate mortgage loans with original terms to maturity of between ten and thirty years, substantially all of which are secured by first liens on one-to-four-family residential properties or multi-family projects. Each mortgage loan must meet the applicable standards set forth in the FHLMC Act. A Freddie Mac

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Certificate group may include whole loans, participation interests in whole loans and undivided interests in whole loans and participations comprising another Freddie Mac Certificate group.

Ginnie Mae Certificates. Ginnie Mae is a wholly-owned corporate instrumentality of the United States within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Housing Act authorizes Ginnie Mae to guarantee the timely payment of the principal and interest on certificates that are based on and backed by a pool of FHA Loans, VA Loans or by pools of other eligible mortgage loans. The Housing Act provides that the full faith and credit of the United States is pledged to the payment of all amounts that may be required to be paid under any guaranty. In order to meet its obligations under such guaranty, Ginnie Mae is authorized to borrow from the U.S. Treasury with no limitations as to amount.

Each Ginnie Mae certificate represents a pro rata interest in one or more of the following types of mortgage loans: (i) fixed rate level payment mortgage loans; (ii) fixed rate graduated payment mortgage loans; (iii) fixed rate growing equity mortgage loans; (iv) fixed rate mortgage loans secured by manufactured (mobile) homes; (v) mortgage loans on multi-family residential properties under construction; (vi) mortgage loans on completed multi-family projects; (vii) fixed rate mortgage loans as to which escrowed funds are used to reduce the borrower’s monthly payments during the early years of the mortgage loans (“buydown” mortgage loans); (viii) mortgage loans that provide for adjustments in payments based on periodic changes in interest rates or in other payment terms of the mortgage loans; and (ix) mortgage-backed serial notes. All of these mortgage loans will be FHA Loans or VA loans and, except as otherwise specified above, will be fully-amortizing loans secured by first liens on one-to-four-family housing units.

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. Certain Funds may invest in collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), which are MBS that are collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities, and multi-class pass-through securities, which are equity interests in a trust composed of mortgage loans or other MBS. Unless the context indicates otherwise, the discussion of CMOs below also applies to multi-class pass-through securities.

CMOs may be issued by governmental or government-related entities or by private entities, such as banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market traders. CMOs are issued in multiple classes, often referred to as “tranches,” with each tranche having a specific fixed or floating coupon rate and stated maturity or final distribution date. Under the traditional CMO structure, the cash flows generated by the mortgages or mortgage pass-through securities in the collateral pool are used to first pay interest and then pay principal to the holders of the CMOs. Subject to the various provisions of individual CMO issues, the cash flow generated by the underlying collateral (to the extent it exceeds the amount required to pay the stated interest) is used to retire the bonds.

The principal and interest on the underlying collateral may be allocated among the several tranches of a CMO in innumerable ways, including “interest only” and “inverse interest only” tranches. In a common CMO structure, the tranches are retired sequentially in the order of their respective stated maturities or final distribution dates (as opposed to the pro-rata return of principal found in traditional pass-through obligations). The fastest-pay tranches would initially receive all principal payments. When those tranches are retired, the next tranches in the sequence receive all of the principal payments until they are retired. The sequential retirement of bond groups continues until the last tranche is retired. Accordingly, the CMO structure allows the issuer to use cash flows of long maturity, monthly-pay collateral to formulate securities with short, intermediate, and long final maturities and expected average lives and risk characteristics.

The primary risk of CMOs is the uncertainty of the timing of cash flows that results from the rate of prepayments on the underlying mortgages serving as collateral and from the structure of the particular CMO transaction (that is, the priority of the individual tranches). An increase or decrease in prepayment rates (resulting from a decrease or increase in mortgage interest rates) may cause the CMOs to be retired substantially earlier than their stated maturities or final distribution dates and will affect the yield and price of CMOs. In addition, if the collateral securing CMOs or any third-party guarantees are insufficient to make payments, a Fund could sustain a loss. The prices of certain CMOs, depending on their structure and the rate of prepayments, can be volatile. Some CMOs may also not be as liquid as other types of mortgage-backed securities. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible to sell the securities at an advantageous time or price.

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Privately issued CMOs are arrangements in which the underlying mortgages are held by the issuer, which then issues debt collateralized by the underlying mortgage assets. Such securities may be backed by mortgage insurance, letters of credit, or other credit enhancing features. Although payment of the principal of, and interest on, the underlying collateral securing privately issued CMOs may be guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities, these CMOs represent obligations solely of the private issuer and are not insured or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities or any other person or entity. Privately issued CMOs are subject to prepayment risk due to the possibility that prepayments on the underlying assets will alter the cash flow. Yields on privately issued CMOs have been historically higher than the yields on CMOs backed by mortgages guaranteed by U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities. The risk of loss due to default on privately issued CMOs, however, is historically higher since the U.S. Government has not guaranteed them.

New types of CMO tranches have evolved. These include floating rate CMOs, planned amortization classes, accrual bonds and CMO residuals. These newer structures affect the amount and timing of principal and interest received by each tranche from the underlying collateral. For example, an inverse interest-only class CMO entitles holders to receive no payments of principal and to receive interest at a rate that will vary inversely with a specified index or a multiple thereof. Under certain of these newer structures, given classes of CMOs have priority over others with respect to the receipt of prepayments on the mortgages. Therefore, depending on the type of CMOs in which a Fund invests, the investment may be subject to a greater or lesser risk of prepayment than other types of MBS.

CMOs may include real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”). REMICs, which were authorized under the Tax Reform Act of 1986, are private entities formed for the purpose of holding a fixed pool of mortgages secured by an interest in real property. A REMIC is a CMO that qualifies for special tax treatment under the Code, and invests in certain mortgages principally secured by interests in real property.

A Fund may invest in, among others, parallel pay CMOs and planned amortization class CMOs (“PAC Bonds”). Parallel pay CMOs are structured to provide payments of principal on each payment date to more than one tranche. These simultaneous payments are taken into account in calculating the stated maturity date or final distribution date of each tranche which, as with other CMO structures, must be retired by its stated maturity date or final distribution date but may be retired earlier. PAC Bonds are a form of parallel pay CMO, with the required principal payment on such securities having the highest priority after interest has been paid to all classes. PAC Bonds generally require payments of a specified amount of principal on each payment date.

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities. Certain Funds may invest in stripped mortgage-backed securities (“SMBS”). An SMBS is a derivative multi-class mortgage-backed security. SMBS usually are structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distribution on a pool of mortgage assets. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the interest-only or “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on such security’s yield to maturity. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, if the underlying mortgage assets experience less than anticipated prepayments of principal, the yield of POs could be materially adversely affected. The market values of IOs and POs are subject to greater risk of fluctuation in response to changes in market rates of interest than many other types of mortgage-backed securities. To the extent a Fund invests in IOs and POs, it may increase the risk of fluctuations in the NAV of a Fund.

Credit Enhancement. Mortgage-related securities are often backed by a pool of assets representing the obligations of a number of parties. To lessen the effect of failure by obligors on underlying assets to make payments, these securities may have various types of credit support. Credit support falls into two primary categories: (i) liquidity protection, and (ii) protection against losses resulting from ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection generally refers to the provision of advances, typically by the entity administering the pool of assets, to ensure that the pass-through of payments due on the underlying pool occurs in a timely fashion. Protection against losses resulting from ultimate default enhances the likelihood of ultimate payment of the obligations on at least a portion of the assets in the pool.

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Such protection may be provided through guarantees, insurance policies or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or sponsor from third-parties (referred to herein as “third-party credit support”), through various means of structuring the transaction or through a combination of such approaches.

The ratings of mortgage-related securities for which third-party credit enhancement provides liquidity protection or protection against losses from default are generally dependent upon the continued creditworthiness of the provider of the credit enhancement.

The ratings of such securities could decline in the event of deterioration in the creditworthiness of the credit enhancement provider even in cases where the delinquency and loss experience on the underlying pool of assets is better than expected.

Examples of credit support arising out of the structure of the transaction include “senior-subordinated securities” (multiple class securities with one or more classes subordinate to other classes as to the payment of principal and interest thereon, with defaults on the underlying assets being borne first by the holders of the most subordinated class), creation of “reserve funds” (where cash or investments, sometimes funded from a portion of the payments on the underlying assets, are held in reserve against future losses) and “over-collateralization” (where the scheduled payments on, or the principal amount of, the underlying assets exceed those required to make payment of the securities and pay any servicing or other fees). The degree of credit support provided for each security is generally based on historical information with respect to the level of credit risk associated with the underlying assets. Delinquency or loss in excess of that which is anticipated could adversely affect the return on an investment in such a security.

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities. Commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS”) are generally multi-class or pass-through securities issued by special purpose entities that represent an undivided interest in a portfolio of mortgage loans backed by commercial properties, including, but not limited to, industrial and warehouse properties, office buildings, retail space and shopping malls, hotels, healthcare facilities, multifamily properties and cooperative apartments. Private lenders, such as banks or insurance companies, originate these loans and then sell the loans directly into a CMBS trust or other entity. The commercial mortgage loans that underlie CMBS are generally not amortizing or not fully amortizing. That is, at their maturity date, repayment of the remaining principal balance or “balloon” is due and is repaid through the attainment of an additional loan or sale of this property. An extension of the final payment on commercial mortgages will increase the average life of the CMBS, generally resulting in a lower yield for discount bonds and a higher yield for premium bonds.

CMBS are subject to credit risk and prepayment risk. Although prepayment risk is present, it is of a lesser degree in the CMBS than in the residential mortgage market; commercial real estate property loans often contain provisions which substantially reduce the likelihood that such securities will be prepaid (e.g., significant prepayment penalties on loans and, in some cases, prohibition on principal payments for several years following origination).

Repurchase Agreements. Repurchase agreements are transactions in which a Fund purchases a security or basket of securities and simultaneously commits to resell that security or basket to the seller (a bank, broker or dealer) at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. The resale price reflects the purchase price plus an agreed-upon market rate of interest which is unrelated to the coupon rate or date of maturity of the purchased security. The term of these agreements usually ranges from overnight to one week, and never exceeds one year. Repurchase agreements with a term of over seven days are considered illiquid.

In these transactions, a Fund receives securities that have a market value at least equal to the purchase price (including accrued interest) of the repurchase agreement, and this value is maintained during the term of the agreement. These securities are held by the Custodian or an approved third-party for the benefit of the Fund until repurchased. Repurchase agreements permit a Fund to remain fully invested while retaining overnight flexibility to pursue investments of a longer-term nature. If the seller defaults and the value of the repurchased securities declines, a Fund might incur a loss. If bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller, a Fund’s realization upon the collateral may be delayed.

While repurchase agreements involve certain risks not associated with direct investments in debt securities, each Fund follows procedures approved by the Trustees that are designed to minimize such risks. These procedures include effecting repurchase transactions only with large, well-capitalized and well-established financial institutions whose financial condition will be continually monitored by the Adviser. In addition, as

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described above, the value of the collateral underlying the repurchase agreement will be at least equal to the repurchase price, including any accrued interest earned on the repurchase agreement. In the event of a default or bankruptcy by a selling financial institution, the Funds will seek to liquidate such collateral. However, the exercising of the Fund’s right to liquidate such collateral could involve certain costs or delays and, to the extent that proceeds from any sale upon a default of the obligation to repurchase were less than the repurchase price, the Fund could suffer a loss. Repurchase agreements involving obligations other than U.S. government securities may be subject to special risks. Repurchase agreements secured by obligations that are not eligible for direct investment under a Fund’s investment objectives and restrictions may require the Fund to promptly dispose of such collateral if the seller or guarantor becomes insolvent.

A Fund may enter into repurchase agreements on a forward commitment basis. To the extent a Fund does so and the counterparty to the trade fails to effectuate the trade at the scheduled time, a Fund may be forced to deploy its capital in a repurchase agreement with a less favorable rate of return than it otherwise may have achieved or may be unable to enter into a repurchase agreement at all at the desired time.

Municipals. Municipal securities are fixed-income securities issued by local, state and regional governments that provide interest income which is exempt from federal income taxes. Municipals include both municipal bonds (those securities with maturities of five years or more) and municipal notes (those with maturities of less than five years). Municipal bonds are issued for a wide variety of reasons: to construct public facilities, such as airports, highways, bridges, schools, hospitals, mass transportation, streets, water and sewer works; to obtain funds for operating expenses; to refund outstanding municipal obligations; and to loan funds to various public institutions and facilities. Certain industrial development bonds are also considered municipal bonds if their interest is exempt from federal income tax. Industrial development bonds are issued by, or on behalf of, public authorities to obtain funds for various privately-operated manufacturing facilities, housing, sports arenas, convention centers, airports, mass transportation systems and water, gas or sewage works. Industrial development bonds are ordinarily dependent on the credit quality of a private user, not the public issuer.

The two principal classifications of municipal bonds are “general obligation” and “revenue” or “special tax” bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer’s pledge of its full faith, credit and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Revenue or special tax bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other tax, but not from general tax revenues.

Industrial revenue bonds in most cases are revenue bonds and generally do not have the pledge of the credit of the issuer. The payment of the principal and interest on such industrial revenue bonds is dependent solely on the ability of the user of the facilities financed by the bonds to meet its financial obligations and the pledge, if any, of real and personal property so financed as security for such payment. Short-term municipal obligations issued by states, cities, municipalities or municipal agencies, include tax anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, construction loan notes and short-term discount notes.

Municipal notes are issued to meet the short-term funding requirements of local, regional and state governments. Municipal notes include bond anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes and tax and revenue anticipation notes. These are short-term debt obligations issued by state and local governments to aid cash flows while waiting for taxes or revenue to be collected, at which time the debt is retired. Other types of municipal notes in which a Fund may invest are construction loan notes, short-term discount notes, tax-exempt commercial paper, demand notes and similar instruments.

Municipal bonds generally include debt obligations issued by states and their political subdivisions, and duly constituted authorities and corporations, to obtain funds to construct, repair or improve various public facilities such as airports, bridges, highways, hospitals, housing, schools, streets and water and sewer works. Municipal bonds may also be issued to refinance outstanding obligations as well as to obtain funds for general operating expenses and for loans to other public institutions and facilities. In addition, municipal bonds may include obligations of municipal housing authorities and single-family mortgage revenue bonds. Weaknesses in federal housing subsidy programs and their administration may result in a decrease of subsidies available for payment of principal and interest on housing authority bonds. Economic developments, including fluctuations in interest rates and increasing construction and operating costs, may also adversely impact revenues of housing authorities. In the case of some housing authorities, inability to

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obtain additional financing could also reduce revenues available to pay existing obligations. Single-family mortgage revenue bonds are subject to extraordinary mandatory redemption at par in whole or in part from the proceeds derived from prepayments of underlying mortgage loans and also from the unused proceeds of the issue within a stated period which may be within a year from the date of issue.

Note obligations with demand or put options may have a stated maturity in excess of one year, but permit any holder to demand payment of principal plus accrued interest upon a specified number of days’ notice. Frequently, such obligations are secured by letters of credit or other credit support arrangements provided by banks. The issuer of such notes normally has a corresponding right, after a given period, to repay at its discretion the outstanding principal of the note plus accrued interest upon a specific number of days’ notice to the bondholders. The interest rate on a demand note may be based upon a known lending rate, such as the prime lending rate, and be adjusted when such rate changes, or the interest rate on a demand note may be a market rate that is adjusted at specified intervals. Each note purchased by the Funds will meet the quality criteria set out in the applicable Prospectus for the Fund.

The yields of municipal bonds depend on, among other things, general money market conditions, conditions in the municipal bond market, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation, and the rating of the issue. The ratings of Moody’s and S&P represent their opinions of the quality of the municipal bonds rated by them. It should be emphasized that such ratings are general and are not absolute standards of quality. Consequently, municipal bonds with the same maturity, coupon and rating may have different yields, while municipal bonds of the same maturity and coupon, but with different ratings, may have the same yield. It will be the responsibility of the Adviser to appraise independently the fundamental quality of the bonds held by the Funds.

Municipal bonds are sometimes purchased on a “when-issued” or “delayed-delivery” basis, which means a Fund has committed to purchase certain specified securities at an agreed-upon price when they are issued. The period between commitment date and issuance date can be a month or more. It is possible that the securities will never be issued and the commitment canceled.

From time to time proposals have been introduced before Congress to restrict or eliminate the federal income tax exemption for interest on municipal bonds. Similar proposals may be introduced in the future.

Similarly, from time to time proposals have been introduced before state and local legislatures to restrict or eliminate the state and local income tax exemption for interest on municipal bonds. Similar proposals may be introduced in the future.

The Funds may also purchase bonds the income on which is subject to the alternative minimum tax (“AMT bonds”). AMT bonds are tax-exempt private activity bonds issued after August 7, 1986, the proceeds of which are directed, at least in part, to private, for-profit organizations. While the income from AMT bonds is exempt from regular federal income tax, it is a tax preference item in the calculation of the alternative minimum tax. The alternative minimum tax is a special separate tax that applies to some taxpayers who have certain adjustments to income or tax preference items.

Build America Bonds are taxable municipal securities on which the issuer receives federal support of the interest paid. Assuming certain specified conditions are satisfied, issuers of Build America Bonds may either (i) receive reimbursement from the U.S. Treasury with respect to a portion of its interest payments on the bonds (“direct pay” Build America Bonds) or (ii) provide tax credits to investors in the bonds (“tax credit” Build America Bonds). Unlike most other municipal securities, interest received on Build America Bonds is subject to federal and state income tax. Issuance of Build America Bonds ceased on December 31, 2010. The number of Build America Bonds available in the market is limited, which may negatively affect the value of the Build America Bonds.

The Funds may hold municipal private placements. These securities are sold through private negotiations, usually to institutions or mutual funds, and generally have resale restrictions. Their yields are usually higher than comparable public securities to compensate the investor for their limited marketability. No more than 15% of a Fund’s net assets may be comprised of illiquid investments that are assets, which may include unmarketable private placements.

Lease Obligations. Included within the revenue bonds category in which a Fund may invest are participations in lease obligations or installment purchase contracts (hereinafter collectively called “lease

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obligations”) of municipalities. State and local governments, agencies or authorities issue lease obligations to acquire equipment and facilities. Lease obligations may have risks not normally associated with general obligation or other revenue bonds. Leases, and installment purchase or conditional sale contracts (which may provide for title to the leased asset to pass eventually to the issuer), have developed as a means for governmental issuers to acquire property and equipment without the necessity of complying with the constitutional and statutory requirements generally applicable for the issuance of debt. Certain lease obligations contain “non-appropriation” clauses that provide that the governmental issuer has no obligation to make future payments under the lease or contract unless money is appropriated for such purpose by the appropriate legislative body on an annual or other periodic basis. Consequently, continued lease payments on those lease obligations containing “non-appropriation” clauses are dependent on future legislative actions. If such legislative actions do not occur, the holders of the lease obligation may experience difficulty in exercising their rights, including disposition of the property.

In addition, lease obligations do not have the depth of marketability associated with more conventional municipal obligations, and, as a result, certain of such lease obligations may be considered illiquid securities. The Adviser, pursuant to procedures adopted by the Trustees, will make a determination as to the liquidity of each lease obligation purchased by the Funds. If a lease obligation is determined to be “liquid,” the security will not be included within the category “illiquid securities.”

Asset-Backed Securities. Certain Funds may invest in asset-backed securities. Asset-backed securities utilize the securitization techniques used to develop MBS. These techniques are also applied to a broad range of other assets. Various types of assets, primarily automobile and credit card receivables and home equity loans, are being securitized in pass-through structures similar to the mortgage pass-through structures. These types of securities are known as asset-backed securities. A Fund may invest in any type of asset-backed security. Asset-backed securities have risk characteristics similar to MBS. Like MBS, they generally decrease in value as a result of interest rate increases, but may benefit less than other fixed-income securities from declining interest rates, principally because of prepayments. Also, as in the case of MBS, prepayments generally increase during a period of declining interest rates although other factors, such as changes in credit use and payment patterns, may also influence prepayment rates. Asset-backed securities also involve the risk that various federal and state consumer laws and other legal, regulatory and economic factors may result in the collateral backing the securities being insufficient to support payment on the securities.

Temporary Investments. Under adverse or unstable market conditions or abnormal circumstances or when the Adviser believes that changes in market, economic, political or other conditions warrant, the Fund may, in the discretion of the Adviser, take temporary positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategies in attempting to respond to such conditions or circumstances. For example, the Fund may invest without limit in cash, cash equivalents or other fixed-income instruments, derivatives, repurchase agreements or securities of other investment companies, including money market funds, for temporary . If the Adviser incorrectly predicts the effects of these changes, such temporary investments may adversely affect the Fund’s performance and the Fund may not achieve its investment objective.

Zero Coupons, Pay-In-Kind Securities or Deferred Payment Securities. Zero coupon, pay-in-kind and deferred payment securities are all types of fixed-income securities on which the holder does not receive periodic cash payments of interest or principal. Generally, these securities are subject to greater price volatility and lesser liquidity in the event of adverse market conditions than comparably rated securities paying cash interest at regular intervals. Although a Fund will not receive cash periodic coupon payments on these securities, the Fund may be deemed to have received interest income, or “phantom income” during the life of the obligation. The Fund may have to distribute such phantom income to avoid taxes at the Fund level, although it has not received any cash payment.

Zero Coupons. Zero coupons are fixed-income securities that do not make regular interest payments. Instead, zero coupons are sold at a discount from their face value. The difference between a zero coupon’s issue or purchase price and its face value represents the imputed interest an investor will earn if the obligation is held until maturity. For tax purposes, a portion of this imputed interest is deemed as income received by zero coupon bondholders each year. Each Fund intends to pass along such interest as a component of the Fund’s distributions of net investment income.

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Zero coupons may offer investors the opportunity to earn a higher yield than that available on ordinary interest-paying obligations of similar credit quality and maturity. However, zero coupon prices may also exhibit greater price volatility than ordinary fixed-income securities because of the manner in which their principal and interest are returned to the investor.

Pay-In-Kind Securities. Pay-in-kind securities are securities that have interest payable by delivery of additional securities. Upon maturity, the holder is entitled to receive the aggregate par value of the securities.

Deferred Payment Securities. Deferred payment securities are securities that remain zero coupons until a predetermined date, at which time the stated coupon rate becomes effective and interest becomes payable at regular intervals.

Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar Obligations. Certain Funds may invest in Eurodollar and Yankee dollar obligations. Eurodollar and Yankee dollar obligations are fixed-income securities that include time deposits, which are non-negotiable deposits maintained in a bank for a specified period of time at a stated interest rate. The Eurodollar obligations may include bonds issued and denominated in euros. Eurodollar obligations may be issued by government and corporate issuers in Europe. Yankee dollar obligations, which include time deposits and certificates of deposit, are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued in the U.S. capital markets by foreign banks. Eurodollar bank obligations, which include time deposits and certificates of deposit, are U.S. dollar-denominated obligations issued outside the U.S. capital markets by foreign branches of U.S. banks and by foreign banks. The Funds may consider Yankee dollar obligations to be domestic securities for purposes of their investment policies.

Eurodollar and Yankee dollar obligations are subject to the same risks as domestic issues, notably credit risk, market risk and liquidity risk. However, Eurodollar (and to a limited extent, Yankee dollar) obligations are also subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments; the extent and quality of government regulations of financial markets and institutions; the imposition of foreign withholding taxes; and the expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers.

Foreign Securities. Investing in foreign securities involves certain special considerations which are not typically associated with investments in the securities of U.S. issuers. Foreign issuers are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and may have policies that are not comparable to those of domestic issuers. As a result, there may be less information available about foreign issuers than about domestic issuers. Securities of some foreign issuers may be less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable domestic issuers. There is generally less stringent investor protections and disclosure standards, and less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers and listed issuers than in the United States. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political and social instability, or diplomatic developments which could affect U.S. investments in those countries. The costs of investing in foreign countries frequently are higher than the costs of investing in the United States. Although the Adviser endeavors to achieve the most favorable execution costs in portfolio transactions, fixed commissions on many foreign stock exchanges are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges. In addition, investments in certain foreign markets that have historically been considered stable may become more volatile and subject to increased risk due to ongoing developments and changing conditions in such markets. Moreover, the growing interconnectivity of global economies and financial markets has increased the probability that adverse developments and conditions in one country or region will affect the stability of economies and financial markets in other countries or regions. For instance, if one or more countries leave the European Union (“EU”) or the EU dissolves, the world’s securities markets likely will be significantly disrupted.

Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets or the imposition of punitive taxes. The governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain sectors or industries. In addition, a foreign government may limit or cause delay in the convertibility or repatriation of its currency which would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value and/or liquidity of investments denominated in that currency. Certain foreign investments may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor

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perceptions, or become illiquid after purchase by a Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. When a Fund holds illiquid investments, its portfolio may be harder to value.

Investments in securities of foreign issuers may be denominated in foreign currencies. Accordingly, the value of a Fund’s assets, as measured in U.S. dollars, may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in currency exchange rates and in exchange control regulations. A Fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies.

Certain foreign markets may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers, and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. International trade barriers or economic sanctions against foreign countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals, may adversely affect a Fund’s foreign holdings or exposures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets, or the imposition of punitive taxes. Governmental actions can have a significant effect on the economic conditions in foreign countries, which also may adversely affect the value and liquidity of a Fund’s investments. For example, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investing in their capital markets or in certain sectors or industries. In addition, a foreign government may limit or cause delay in the convertibility or repatriation of its currency which would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value and/or liquidity of investments denominated in that currency. Any of these actions could severely affect security prices, impair a Fund’s ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer a Fund’s assets back into the U.S., or otherwise adversely affect a Fund’s operations. Certain foreign investments may become less liquid in response to market developments or adverse investor perceptions, or become illiquid after purchase by a Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. Certain foreign investments may become illiquid when, for instance, there are few, if any, interested buyers and sellers or when dealers are unwilling to make a market for certain securities. When a Fund holds illiquid investments, its portfolio may be harder to value.

Certain foreign governments may levy withholding or other taxes on dividend and interest income. Although in some countries a portion of these taxes may be recoverable, the non-recovered portion of foreign withholding taxes will reduce the income received from investments in such countries. See “Taxes -- Special Tax Considerations Relating to Foreign Investments”, below.

Unless otherwise noted in the Prospectus, the Adviser may consider an issuer to be from a particular country (including the United States) or geographic region if: (i) its principal securities trading market is in that country or geographic region; (ii) alone or on a consolidated basis it derives 50% or more of its annual revenue or profits from goods produced, sales made or services performed in that country or geographic region or has at least 50% of its assets in that country or geographic region; or (iii) it is organized under the laws of, or has a principal office in, that country or geographic region. By applying these tests, it is possible that a particular issuer could be deemed to be from more than one country or geographic region.

Foreign securities may include, without limitation, foreign equity securities, which are equity securities of a non-U.S. issuer, foreign government fixed-income securities, which are fixed-income securities issued by a government other than the U.S. Government or government-related issuer in a country other than the United States, and foreign corporate fixed-income securities, which are fixed-income securities issued by a private issuer in a country other than the United States.

Investments in foreign companies and countries are subject to economic sanction and trade laws in the United States and other jurisdictions. These laws and related governmental actions may, from time to time, prohibit a Fund from investing in certain countries and in certain companies. Investments in certain countries and companies may be, and have in the past been, restricted as a result of the imposition of economic sanctions. In addition, economic sanction laws in the United States and other jurisdictions may prohibit a Fund from transacting with a particular country or countries, organizations, companies, entities and/or individuals. These types of sanctions may significantly restrict or completely prohibit investment activities in certain jurisdictions.

Economic sanctions and other similar governmental actions could, among other things, effectively restrict or eliminate a Fund’s ability to purchase or sell securities or groups of securities, and thus may make the

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Fund’s investments in such securities less liquid or more difficult to value. In addition, as a result of economic sanctions, the Fund may be forced to sell or otherwise dispose of investments at inopportune times or prices, which could result in losses to the Fund and increased transaction costs. These conditions may be in place for a substantial period of time and enacted with limited advance notice to the Fund.

In addition, such economic sanctions or other government restrictions may negatively impact the value or liquidity of a Fund’s investments, and could impair the Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective or invest in accordance with its investment strategy because the Fund may, for example, be prohibited from investing in securities issued by companies subject to such restrictions and the Fund could be required to freeze or divest its existing investments that the Adviser would otherwise consider to be attractive.

The risks posed by economic sanctions against a particular foreign country, its nationals or industries or businesses within the country may be heightened to the extent a Fund invests significantly in the affected country or region or in issuers from the affected country that depend on global markets.

Referendum on the UK’s EU Membership. In an advisory referendum held in June 2016, the United Kingdom (“UK”) electorate voted to leave the EU, an event widely referred to as “Brexit.” On January 31, 2020, the UK officially withdrew from the EU and the UK entered a transition period which ended on December 31, 2020. On December 30, 2020, the EU and UK signed the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (“TCA”), an agreement on the terms governing certain aspects of the EU’s and the UK’s relationship following the end of the transition period. Notwithstanding the TCA, following the transition period, there is likely to be considerable uncertainty as to the UK’s post-transition framework.

The impact on the UK and the EU and the broader global economy is still unknown but could be significant and could result in increased volatility and illiquidity and potentially lower economic growth. Brexit may have a negative impact on the economy and currency of the UK and the EU as a result of anticipated, perceived or actual changes to the UK’s economic and political relations with the EU. The impact of Brexit, and its ultimate implementation, on the economic, political and regulatory environment of the UK and the EU could have global ramifications.

The Funds may make investments in the UK, other EU members and in non-EU countries that are directly or indirectly affected by the exit of the UK from the EU. Adverse legal, regulatory or economic conditions affecting the economies of the countries in which the Funds conduct their business (including making investments) and any corresponding deterioration in global macro-economic conditions could have a material adverse effect on a Fund’s investment returns. Potential consequences to which the Funds may be exposed, directly or indirectly, as a result of the UK referendum vote include, but are not limited to, market dislocations, economic and financial instability in the UK and in other EU members, increased volatility and reduced liquidity in financial markets, reduced availability of capital, an adverse effect on investor and market sentiment, Sterling and Euro destabilization, reduced deal flow in a Fund’s target markets, increased counterparty risk and regulatory, legal and compliance uncertainties. Any of the foregoing or similar risks could have a material adverse effect on the operations, financial condition or investment returns of a Fund and/or the Adviser in general. The effects on the UK, European and global economies of the exit of the UK (and/or other EU members during the term of a Fund) from the EU, or the exit of other EU members from the European monetary area and/or the redenomination of financial instruments from the Euro to a different currency, are difficult to predict and to protect fully against. Many of the foregoing risks are outside of the control of a Fund and the Adviser. These risks may affect a Fund, the Adviser and other service providers given economic, political and regulatory uncertainty created by Brexit.

Foreign Currency Transactions. The U.S. dollar value of the assets of the Funds, to the extent they invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies, may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations, and the Funds may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the overall economic health of the issuer. Devaluation of a currency by a country’s government or banking authority also will have a significant impact on the value of any investments denominated in that currency. The Funds may conduct their foreign currency exchange transactions on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the then-prevailing spot rate in the foreign currency exchange market. The Funds also may manage their

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foreign currency transactions by entering into foreign currency forward exchange contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies or by using other instruments and techniques described under “Derivatives.”

Under normal circumstances, consideration of the prospect for changes in the values of currency will be incorporated into the long-term investment decisions made with regard to overall diversification strategies. However, the Adviser believes that it is important to have the flexibility to use such derivative products when it determines that it is in the best interests of a Fund. It may not be practicable to hedge foreign currency risk in all markets, particularly emerging markets.

Foreign Currency Warrants. The Funds may invest in foreign currency warrants, which entitle the holder to receive from the issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the United States, in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time.

Foreign currency warrants have been issued in connection with U.S. dollar-denominated debt offerings by major corporate issuers in an attempt to reduce the foreign currency exchange risk which, from the point of view of prospective purchasers of the securities, is inherent in the international fixed-income marketplace. Foreign currency warrants may attempt to reduce the foreign exchange risk assumed by purchasers of a security by, for example, providing for a supplemental payment in the event that the U.S. dollar depreciates against the value of a major foreign currency such as the Japanese Yen. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (e.g., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed). Foreign currency warrants are severable from the debt obligations with which they may be offered, and may be listed on exchanges.

Foreign currency warrants may be exercisable only in certain minimum amounts, and an investor wishing to exercise warrants who possesses less than the minimum number required for exercise may be required either to sell the warrants or to purchase additional warrants, thereby incurring additional transaction costs. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the exchange rate relating to exercise is determined, during which time the exchange rate could change significantly, thereby affecting both the market and cash settlement values of the warrants being exercised. The expiration date of the warrants may be accelerated if the warrants should be delisted from an exchange or if their trading should be suspended permanently, which would result in the loss of any remaining “time value” of the warrants (i.e., the difference between the current market value and the exercise value of the warrants), and, in the case where the warrants were “out-of-the-money,” in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants.

Foreign currency warrants are generally unsecured obligations of their issuers and are not standardized foreign currency options issued by the Options Clearing Corporation (“OCC”). Unlike foreign currency options issued by the OCC, the terms of foreign exchange warrants generally will not be amended in the event of governmental or regulatory actions affecting exchange rates or in the event of the imposition of other regulatory controls affecting the international currency markets. The initial public offering price of foreign currency warrants is generally considerably in excess of the price that a commercial user of foreign currencies might pay in the interbank market for a comparable option involving significantly larger amounts of foreign currencies. Foreign currency warrants are subject to complex political or economic factors.

Principal Exchange Rate Linked Securities. Principal exchange rate linked securities are debt obligations the principal of which is payable at maturity in an amount that may vary based on the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and a particular foreign currency at or about that time. The return on “standard” principal exchange rate linked securities is enhanced if the foreign currency to which the security is linked appreciates against the U.S. dollar, and is adversely affected by increases in the foreign exchange value of the U.S. dollar; “reverse” principal exchange rate linked securities are like the “standard” securities, except that their return is enhanced by increases in the value of the U.S. dollar and adversely impacted by increases in the value of foreign currency. Interest payments on the securities are generally made in U.S. dollars at rates that reflect the degree of foreign currency risk assumed or given up by the purchaser of the notes (i.e., at relatively higher interest rates if the purchaser has assumed some foreign currency risk).

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Brady Bonds. Brady Bonds are fixed-income securities that are created through the exchange of existing commercial bank loans to foreign entities for new obligations in connection with debt restructuring under a plan introduced by Nicholas F. Brady when he was the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. They may be collateralized or uncollateralized and issued in various currencies (although most are U.S. dollar-denominated) and they are actively traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) secondary market. A Fund will invest in Brady Bonds only if they are consistent with the Fund’s quality specifications. Dollar-denominated, collateralized Brady Bonds may be fixed-rate par bonds or floating rate discount bonds. Interest payments on Brady Bonds generally are collateralized by cash or securities in an amount that, in the case of fixed-rate bonds, is equal to at least one year of rolling interest payments or, in the case of floating rate bonds, initially is equal to at least one year’s rolling interest payments based on the applicable interest rate at that time and is adjusted at regular intervals thereafter. Certain Brady Bonds are entitled to “value recovery payments” in certain circumstances, which in effect constitute supplemental interest payments but generally are not collateralized.

Brady Bonds are often viewed as having three or four valuation components: (i) the collateralized repayment of principal at final maturity; (ii) the collateralized interest payments; (iii) the uncollateralized interest payments; and (iv) any uncollateralized repayment of principal at maturity (these uncollateralized amounts constitute the “residual risk”). In the event of a default with respect to collateralized Brady Bonds as a result of which the payment obligations of the issuer are accelerated, the U.S. Treasury zero coupon obligations held as collateral for the payment of principal will not be distributed to investors, nor will such obligations be sold and the proceeds distributed. The collateral will be held by the collateral agent to the scheduled maturity of the defaulted Brady Bonds, which will continue to be outstanding, at which time the face amount of the collateral will equal the principal payments due on the Brady Bonds in the normal course. However, Brady Bonds should be viewed as speculative in light of the history of defaults with respect to commercial bank loans by public and private entities of countries issuing Brady Bonds.

Investment Funds. Some emerging market countries have laws and regulations that currently preclude direct investment or make it undesirable to invest directly in the securities of their companies. However, indirect investment in the securities of companies listed and traded on the stock exchanges in these countries is permitted by certain emerging market countries through investment funds that have been specifically authorized. A Fund may invest in these investment funds subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act, as applicable, and other applicable laws. The Funds will invest in such investment funds only where appropriate given that the Fund’s shareholders will bear indirectly the layer of expenses of the underlying investment funds in addition to their proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund.

Loans of Portfolio Securities. Each Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, banks and other institutional investors. By lending its portfolio securities, a Fund attempts to increase its net investment income through the receipt of interest on the cash collateral with respect to the loan or fees received from the borrower in connection with the loan. Any gain or loss in the market price of the securities loaned that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the Fund. Each Fund employs an agent to implement the securities lending program and the agent receives a fee from the Funds for its services. A Fund will not lend more than 33⅓% of the value of its total assets.

Each Fund may lend its portfolio securities so long as the terms, structure and the aggregate amount of such loans are not inconsistent with the 1940 Act or the rules and regulations or interpretations of the SEC thereunder, which currently require that (i) the borrower pledge and maintain with the Fund collateral consisting of liquid, unencumbered assets having a value not less than 100% of the value of the securities loaned; (ii) the borrower adds to such collateral whenever the price of the securities loaned rises (i.e., the borrower “marks-to-market” on a daily basis); (iii) the loan be made subject to termination by the Fund at any time; and (iv) the Fund receives a reasonable return on the loan (which may include the Fund investing any cash collateral in interest bearing short-term investments), any distributions on the loaned securities and any increase in their market value. In addition, voting rights may pass with the loaned securities, but a Fund will retain the right to call any security in anticipation of a vote that the Adviser deems material to the security on loan.

Loans of securities involve a risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities or may fail to maintain the proper amount of collateral, which may result in a loss of money by a Fund. There may be risks of delay and costs involved in recovery of securities or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of

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the securities fail financially. These delays and costs could be greater for foreign securities. However, loans will be made only to borrowers deemed by the Adviser to be creditworthy and when, in the judgment of the Adviser, the income that can be earned from such securities loans justifies the attendant risk. All relevant facts and circumstances, including the creditworthiness of the broker, dealer, bank or institution, will be considered in making decisions with respect to the lending of securities, subject to review by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Each Fund also bears the risk that the reinvestment of collateral will result in a principal loss. Finally, there is the risk that the price of the securities will increase while they are on loan and the collateral will not be adequate to cover their value.

Non-Publicly Traded Securities, Private Placements and Restricted Securities. The Funds may invest in securities that are neither listed on a stock exchange nor traded OTC, including privately placed and restricted securities. Such unlisted securities may involve a higher degree of business and financial risk that can result in substantial losses. As a result of the absence of a public trading market for these securities, they may be less liquid than publicly traded securities. Although these securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from these sales could be less than those originally paid by the Fund or less than what may be considered the fair value of such securities. Furthermore, companies whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements which might be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. The illiquidity of the market, as well as the lack of publicly available information regarding these securities, may also adversely affect the ability of the Funds to arrive at a fair value for certain securities at certain times and could make it difficult for the Funds to sell certain securities. If such securities are required to be registered under the securities laws of one or more jurisdictions before being sold, a Fund may be required to bear the expenses of registration.

The Funds may purchase equity securities, in a private placement, that are issued by issuers who have outstanding, publicly-traded equity securities of the same class (“private investments in public equity” or “PIPEs”). Shares in PIPEs generally are not registered with the SEC until after a certain time period from the date the private sale is completed. This restricted period can last many months. Until the public registration process is completed, PIPEs are restricted as to resale and the Funds cannot freely trade the securities. Generally, such restrictions cause the PIPEs to be illiquid during this time. PIPEs may contain provisions that the issuer will pay specified financial penalties to the holder if the issuer does not publicly register the restricted equity securities within a specified period of time, but there is no assurance that the restricted equity securities will be publicly registered, or that the registration will remain in effect.

When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments. From time to time, the Funds may purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis or may purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis. When these transactions are negotiated, the price is fixed at the time of the commitment, but delivery and payment can take place a month or more after the date of commitment. The Funds may sell the securities before the settlement date if it is deemed advisable. The securities so purchased or sold are subject to market fluctuation and no interest or dividends accrue to the purchaser prior to the settlement date.

At the time a Fund makes the commitment to purchase or sell securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis, it will record the transaction and thereafter reflect the value, each day, of such security purchased, or if a sale, the proceeds to be received, in determining its NAV. At the time of delivery of the securities, their value may be more or less than the purchase or sale price. An increase in the percentage of a Fund’s assets committed to the purchase of securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis may increase the volatility of its NAV.

Borrowing for Investment Purposes. Borrowing for investment purposes creates leverage which is a speculative characteristic. Funds authorized to borrow will do so only when the Adviser believes that borrowing will benefit the Fund after taking into account considerations such as the costs of borrowing and the likely investment returns on securities purchased with borrowed funds. Borrowing by a Fund will create the opportunity for increased net income but, at the same time, will involve special risk considerations. Leverage that results from borrowing will magnify declines as well as increases in a Fund’s NAV and net yield. Each Fund that engages in borrowing expects that all of its borrowing will be made on a secured basis. The Fund will either segregate the assets securing the borrowing for the benefit of the lenders or arrangements will be made with a suitable sub-custodian. If assets used to secure the borrowing decrease

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in value, a Fund may be required to pledge additional collateral to the lender in the form of cash or securities to avoid liquidation of those assets.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, a Fund sells a security and promises to repurchase that security at an agreed-upon future date and price. The price paid to repurchase the security reflects interest accrued during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements may be entered into for, among other things, obtaining leverage, facilitating short-term liquidity or when the Adviser expects that the interest income to be earned from the investment of the transaction proceeds will be greater than the related interest expense. Please see “Derivatives Agreements -- Regulatory Matters”. Reverse repurchase agreements may be viewed as a speculative form of borrowing called leveraging. Furthermore, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risks that (i) the interest income earned in the investment of the proceeds will be less than the interest expense, (ii) the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale by a Fund may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold but is obligated to repurchase, (iii) the market value of the securities sold will decline below the price at which the Fund is required to repurchase them and (iv) the securities will not be returned to the Fund.

In addition, the use of leverage may cause a Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations. Leverage, including borrowing, may cause a Fund to be more volatile than if the Fund had not been leveraged. This is because leverage tends to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities.

Short Sales. A short sale is a transaction in which a Fund sells securities that it owns or has the right to acquire at no added cost (i.e., “against the box”) or does not own (but has borrowed) in anticipation of a decline in the market price of the securities. To deliver the securities to the buyer, a Fund arranges through a broker to borrow the securities and, in so doing, the Fund becomes obligated to replace the securities borrowed at their market price at the time of replacement. When selling short, a Fund intends to replace the securities at a lower price and therefore, profit from the difference between the cost to replace the securities and the proceeds received from the sale of the securities. When a Fund makes a short sale, the proceeds it receives from the sale will be held on behalf of a broker until the Fund replaces the borrowed securities. A Fund may have to pay a premium to borrow the securities and must pay any dividends or interest payable on the securities until they are replaced.

A Fund’s obligation to replace the securities borrowed in connection with a short sale will be secured by collateral deposited with the broker that consists of cash or other liquid securities. Short sales by a Fund involve certain risks and special considerations. If the Adviser incorrectly predicts that the price of the borrowed security will decline, a Fund will have to replace the securities with securities with a greater value than the amount received from the sale. As a result, losses from short sales differ from losses that could be incurred from a purchase of a security, because losses from short sales may be unlimited, whereas losses from purchases can equal only the total amount invested. Please see “Derivatives Agreements -- Regulatory Matters”.

Illiquid Investments. In accordance with Rule 22e-4 (the “Liquidity Rule”) under the 1940 Act, each Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in “illiquid investments” that are assets. For these purposes, “illiquid investments” are investments that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. For each Fund, each portfolio investment must be classified at least monthly into one of four liquidity categories (illiquid, as discussed above, as well as highly liquid, moderately liquid and less liquid), which are defined pursuant to the Liquidity Rule and classified in accordance with the Funds’ written liquidity risk management program by the program administrator designated by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Such classification is to be made using information obtained after reasonable inquiry and taking into account relevant market, trading and investment-specific considerations. In making such classifications, a Fund determines whether trading varying portions of a position in a particular portfolio investment or asset class, in sizes that the Fund would reasonably anticipate trading, is reasonably expected to significantly affect its liquidity. If so, this determination is taken into account when classifying the liquidity of that investment. The Funds may be assisted in classification determinations by one or more third-party service providers. Assets classified according to this process as “illiquid investments” are those subject to the 15% limit on illiquid investments.

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In the event that changes in the portfolio or other external events cause a Fund to exceed this limit, the Fund must take steps to bring its illiquid investments that are assets to or below the applicable limit of its net assets within a reasonable period of time. This requirement would not force a Fund to liquidate any portfolio investment.

Derivatives. Certain Funds may, but are not required to, use various derivatives and related investment strategies as described below. Derivatives may be used for a variety of purposes including hedging, risk management, portfolio management or to earn income. Any or all of the investment techniques described herein may be used at any time and there is no particular strategy that dictates the use of one technique rather than another, as the use of any derivative by a Fund is a function of numerous variables, including market conditions. A Fund complies with applicable regulatory requirements when using derivatives. Although the Adviser seeks to use derivatives to further a Fund’s investment objective, no assurance can be given that the use of derivatives will achieve this result.

General Risks of Derivatives. Derivatives utilized by a Fund may involve the purchase and sale of derivative instruments. A derivative is a financial instrument the value of which depends upon (or derives from) the value of another asset, security, interest rate or index. Derivatives may relate to a wide variety of underlying instruments, including equity and debt securities, indices, interest rates, currencies and other assets. Certain derivative instruments that a Fund may use and the risks of those instruments are described in further detail below. A Fund may in the future also utilize derivatives techniques, instruments and strategies that may be newly developed or permitted as a result of regulatory changes, consistent with a Fund’s investment objective and policies. Such newly developed techniques, instruments and strategies may involve risks different than or in addition to those described herein. No assurance can be given that any derivatives strategy employed by a Fund will be successful.

The risks associated with the use of derivatives are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the instruments underlying such derivatives. Derivatives are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from other portfolio investments. The use of derivative instruments requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the derivative itself. Certain risk factors generally applicable to derivative transactions are described below.

 

Derivatives are subject to the risk that the market value of the derivative itself or the market value of underlying instruments will change in a way adverse to a Fund’s interests. A Fund bears the risk that the Adviser may incorrectly forecast future market trends and other financial or economic factors or the value of the underlying security, index, interest rate or currency when establishing a derivatives position for a Fund.

 

Derivatives may be subject to pricing risk, which exists when a derivative becomes extraordinarily expensive (or inexpensive) relative to historical prices or corresponding instruments. Under such market conditions, it may not be economically feasible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price.

 

Many derivatives are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a Fund. Many derivatives may also involve operational and legal risks.

 

Using derivatives as a hedge against a portfolio investment subjects a Fund to the risk that the derivative will have imperfect correlation with the portfolio investment, which could result in a Fund incurring substantial losses. This correlation risk may be greater in the case of derivatives based on an index or other basket of securities, as the portfolio securities being hedged may not duplicate the components of the underlying index or the basket may not be of exactly the same type of obligation as those underlying the derivative. The use of derivatives for “cross hedging” purposes (using a derivative based on one instrument as a hedge on a different instrument) may also involve greater correlation risks.
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While using derivatives for hedging purposes can reduce a Fund’s risk of loss, it may also limit a Fund’s opportunity for gains or result in losses by offsetting or limiting a Fund’s ability to participate in favorable price movements in portfolio investments.

 

Derivatives transactions for non-hedging purposes involve greater risks and may result in losses which would not be offset by increases in the value of portfolio securities or declines in the cost of securities to be acquired. In the event that a Fund enters into a derivatives transaction as an alternative to purchasing or selling the underlying instrument or in order to obtain desired exposure to an index or market, a Fund will be exposed to the same risks as are incurred in purchasing or selling the underlying instruments directly as well as the additional risks associated with derivatives transactions.

 

The use of certain derivatives transactions, including OTC derivatives, involves the risk of loss resulting from the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty to the contract or the failure by the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract. In the event of default by a counterparty, a Fund may have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.

 

Liquidity risk exists when a particular derivative is difficult to purchase or sell. If a derivative transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, a Fund may be unable to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price.

 

While some derivatives are cleared through a regulated, central clearinghouse, many derivatives transactions are not entered into or traded on exchanges or in markets regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) or the SEC. Instead, in some cases, certain types of bilateral OTC derivatives are entered into directly by a Fund and a counterparty and may be traded only through financial institutions acting as market makers. OTC derivatives transactions can only be entered into with a willing counterparty that is approved by the Adviser in accordance with guidelines established by the Board. Where no such counterparty is available, a Fund will be unable to enter into a desired OTC transaction. There also may be greater risk that no liquid secondary market in the trading of OTC derivatives will exist, in which case a Fund may be required to hold such instruments until exercise, expiration or maturity. Many of the protections afforded to participants in the cleared derivatives markets are not available to participants in bilateral OTC derivatives transactions. Bilateral OTC derivatives transactions are not subject to the guarantee of a clearinghouse and, as a result, a Fund would bear greater risk of default by the counterparties to such transactions.

 

A Fund may be required to make physical delivery of portfolio securities underlying a derivative in order to close out a derivatives position or to sell portfolio securities at a time or price at which it may be disadvantageous to do so in order to obtain cash to close out or to meet margin and payment requirements and maintain a derivatives position.

 

As a result of the structure of certain derivatives, adverse changes in, among other things, interest rates, volatility or the value of the underlying instrument can result in losses substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment.

 

Certain derivatives may be considered illiquid and therefore subject to a Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities.
Derivatives transactions conducted outside the United States may not be conducted in the same manner as those entered into on U.S. exchanges, and may be subject to different margin, exercise, settlement or expiration procedures. Brokerage commissions, clearing costs and other transaction costs may be higher on foreign exchanges. Many of the risks of OTC derivatives transactions are also applicable to derivatives transactions conducted outside the United States. Derivatives transactions conducted
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  outside the United States are subject to the risk of governmental action affecting the trading in, or the prices of, foreign securities, currencies and other instruments. The value of such positions could be adversely affected by foreign political and economic factors; lesser availability of data on which to make trading decisions; delays on a Fund’s ability to act upon economic events occurring in foreign markets; and less liquidity than U.S. markets.

 

Currency derivatives are subject to additional risks. Currency derivatives transactions may be negatively affected by government exchange controls, blockages and manipulation. Currency exchange rates may be influenced by factors extrinsic to a country’s economy. There is no systematic reporting of last sale information with respect to underlying foreign currencies. As a result, the available information on which trading in currency derivatives will be based may not be as complete as comparable data for other transactions. Events could occur in the foreign currency market which will not be reflected in currency derivatives until the following day, making it more difficult for a Fund to respond to such events in a timely manner.
 

Regulatory Matters. Regulatory developments affecting the exchange-traded and OTC derivatives markets may impair a Fund’s ability to manage or hedge its investment portfolio through the use of derivatives. In particular, in October 2020, the SEC adopted a final rule related to the use of derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements and certain other transactions by registered investment companies that rescinded and withdrew the guidance of the SEC and its staff regarding asset segregation and cover transactions previously applicable to the Funds’ derivatives and other transactions. These requirements may limit the ability of a Fund to use derivatives and reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions as part of its investment strategies. The rule requires Funds to trade derivatives and other transactions that create future payment or delivery obligations (except reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions) subject to a value-at-risk (“VaR”) leverage limit, certain derivatives risk management program and reporting requirements. Generally, these requirements apply unless a Fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user.” Under the rule, when a Fund trades reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, including certain tender option bonds, it needs to aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with the reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the Fund’s asset coverage ratio or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions. Reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions aggregated with other indebtedness do not need to be included in the calculation of whether a Fund is a limited derivatives user, but for funds subject to the VaR testing, reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions must be included for purposes of such testing whether treated as derivatives transactions or not. The SEC also provided guidance in connection with the rule regarding use of securities lending collateral that may limit the Funds’ securities lending activities. These requirements may increase the cost of a Fund’s investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) and the rules promulgated thereunder may limit the ability of a Fund to enter into one or more exchange-traded or OTC derivatives transactions.

A Fund’s use of derivatives may also be limited by the requirements of the Code for qualification as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

The Adviser, with respect to each Fund, has filed a notice of eligibility with the National Futures Association (“NFA”) claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) pursuant to CFTC Regulation 4.5, as promulgated under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended (“CEA”), with respect to each Fund’s operations. In addition, the Adviser will operate each Subsidiary (as defined below) in reliance on an exemption from registration as a CPO under CFTC Regulation 4.13(a)(3). Therefore, neither the Funds nor the Adviser (with respect to the Funds and each Subsidiary) is subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool or CPO under the CEA. If the Adviser or a Fund becomes subject to these requirements, as well as related NFA rules, the Fund may incur additional compliance and other expenses.

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With respect to investments in swap transactions, commodity futures, commodity options or certain other commodity interests used for purposes other than bona fide hedging purposes, an investment company must meet one of the following tests under the amended regulations in order for its investment adviser to claim an exemption from being considered a CPO. First, the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish an investment company’s positions in such investments may not exceed five percent (5%) of the liquidation value of the investment company’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such investments). Alternatively, the aggregate net notional value of such instruments, determined at the time of the most recent position established, may not exceed one hundred percent (100%) of the liquidation value of the investment company’s portfolio (after accounting for unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, the investment company may not market itself as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options or swaps and derivatives markets.

Regulations recently adopted by federal banking regulators under the Dodd-Frank Act require that certain qualified financial contracts (“QFCs”) with counterparties that are part of U.S. or foreign global systemically important banking organizations be amended to include contractual restrictions on close-out and cross-default rights. QFCs include, but are not limited to, securities contracts, commodities contracts, forward contracts, repurchase agreements, securities lending agreements and swaps agreements, as well as related master agreements, security agreements, credit enhancements, and reimbursement obligations. If a covered counterparty of a Fund or certain of the covered counterparty’s affiliates were to become subject to certain insolvency proceedings, a Fund may be temporarily unable to exercise certain default rights, and the QFC may be transferred to another entity. These requirements may impact a Fund’s credit and counterparty risks.

Currency Forwards. A foreign currency forward exchange contract is a negotiated agreement between two parties to exchange specified amounts of two or more currencies at a specified future time at a specified rate. The rate specified by the foreign currency forward exchange contract can be higher or lower than the spot rate between the currencies that are the subject of the contract. A Fund may also invest in non-deliverable foreign currency forward exchange contracts (“NDFs”). NDFs are similar to other foreign currency forward exchange contracts, but do not require or permit physical delivery of currency upon settlement. Instead, settlement is made in cash based on the difference between the contracted exchange rate and the spot foreign exchange rate at settlement. Currency futures are similar to foreign currency forward exchange contracts, except that they are traded on an exchange and standardized as to contract size and delivery date. Most currency futures call for payment or delivery in U.S. dollars. Unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in losses to a Fund and poorer overall performance for a Fund than if it had not entered into foreign currency forward exchange contracts. The typical use of a foreign currency forward exchange contract is to “lock in” the price of a security in U.S. dollars or some other foreign currency, which a Fund is holding in its portfolio. By entering into a foreign currency forward exchange contract for the purchase or sale, for a fixed amount of dollars or other currency, of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying security transactions, a Fund may be able to protect itself against a possible loss resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar or other currency which is being used for the security purchase and the foreign currency in which the security is denominated during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold and the date on which payment is made or received. The Adviser also may from time to time utilize foreign currency forward exchange contracts for other purposes. For example, they may be used to hedge a foreign security held in the portfolio against a decline in value of the applicable foreign currency. They also may be used to lock in the current exchange rate of the currency in which those securities anticipated to be purchased are denominated. At times, a Fund may enter into “cross-currency” hedging transactions involving currencies other than those in which securities are held or proposed to be purchased are denominated.

A Fund will not enter into foreign currency forward exchange contracts or maintain a net exposure to these contracts where the consummation of the contracts would obligate a Fund to deliver an amount of foreign currency in excess of the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities.

A Fund may be limited in its ability to enter into hedging transactions involving foreign currency forward exchange contracts by the Code requirements relating to qualification as a RIC.

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Foreign currency forward exchange contracts may limit gains on portfolio securities that could otherwise be realized had they not been utilized and could result in losses. The contracts also may increase a Fund’s volatility and may involve a significant amount of risk relative to the investment of cash.

Futures Contracts. A futures contract is a standardized agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying asset, reference rate or index at a specific price at a specific future time (the “settlement date”). Futures contracts may be based on, among other things, a specified equity security (securities futures), a specified debt security or reference rate (interest rate futures), the value of a specified securities index (index futures) or the value of a foreign currency (currency futures). While the value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying instrument, differences between the futures market and the market for the underlying asset may result in an imperfect correlation. The buyer of a futures contract agrees to purchase the underlying instrument on the settlement date and is said to be “long” the contract. The seller of a futures contract agrees to sell the underlying instrument on the settlement date and is said to be “short” the contract. Futures contracts call for settlement only on the expiration date and cannot be “exercised” at any other time during their term.

Depending on the terms of the particular contract, futures contracts are settled through either physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date (such as in the case of futures based on a specified debt security) or by payment of a cash settlement amount on the settlement date (such as in the case of futures contracts relating to broad-based securities indices). In the case of cash-settled futures contracts, the settlement amount is equal to the difference between the reference instrument’s price on the last trading day of the contract and the reference instrument’s price at the time the contract was entered into. Most futures contracts, particularly futures contracts requiring physical delivery, are not held until the settlement date, but instead are offset before the settlement date through the establishment of an opposite and equal futures position (buying a contract that had been sold, or selling a contract that had been purchased). All futures transactions are effected through a clearinghouse associated with the exchange on which the futures are traded.

The buyer and seller of a futures contract are not required to deliver or pay for the underlying commodity unless the contract is held until the settlement date. However, both the buyer and seller are required to deposit “initial margin” with a futures commission merchant (“FCM”) when the futures contract is entered into. Initial margin deposits are typically calculated as a percentage of the contract’s market value. If the value of either party’s position declines, the party will be required to make additional “variation margin” payments to settle the change in value on a daily basis. The process is known as “marking-to-market.” Upon the closing of a futures position through the establishment of an offsetting position, a final determination of variation margin will be made and additional cash will be paid by or released to a Fund.

Additional Risks of Futures Transactions. The risks associated with futures contract transactions are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying instruments. Futures are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with other portfolio investments. The use of futures requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the futures contract itself. Futures may be subject to the risk factors generally applicable to derivatives transactions described herein, and may also be subject to certain additional risk factors, including:

 

The risk of loss in buying and selling futures contracts can be substantial. Small price movements in the commodity, security, index, currency or instrument underlying a futures position may result in immediate and substantial loss (or gain) to a Fund.

 

Buying and selling futures contracts may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the position in the form of initial margin. In the event of adverse price movements in the underlying commodity, security, index, currency or instrument, a Fund would be required to make daily cash payments to maintain its required margin. A Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities, or make or take delivery of the underlying securities in order to meet daily margin requirements at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. A Fund could lose margin payments deposited with an FCM if the FCM breaches its agreement with a Fund, becomes insolvent or declares bankruptcy.
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Most exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during any single trading day. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular futures contract, no trades may be made on that day at prices beyond that limit. If futures contract prices were to move to the daily limit for several trading days with little or no trading, a Fund could be prevented from prompt liquidation of a futures position and subject to substantial losses. The daily limit governs only price movements during a single trading day and therefore does not limit a Fund’s potential losses.

 

Index futures based upon a narrower index of securities may present greater risks than futures based on broad market indices, as narrower indices are more susceptible to rapid and extreme fluctuations as a result of changes in value of a small number of securities.
   

Options. An option is a contract that gives the holder of the option the right, but not the obligation, to buy from (in the case of a call option) or sell to (in the case of a put option) the buyer or seller, as applicable, of the option (the “option writer”) the underlying instrument at a specified fixed price (the “exercise price”) on or prior to a specified date for American options or only at expiration for European options (the “expiration date”). The buyer of the option pays to the option writer the option premium, which is the purchase price of the option.

Exchange-traded options are issued by a regulated intermediary such as the OCC, which guarantees the performance of the obligations of the parties to such options. OTC options are purchased from or sold to counterparties through direct bilateral agreements between a Fund and its counterparties. Certain options, such as options on individual securities, are settled through physical delivery of the underlying security, whereas other options, such as index options, may be settled in cash in an amount based on the difference between the value of the underlying instrument and the strike price, which is then multiplied by a specified multiplier.

Writing Options. Certain Funds may write call and put options. As the writer of a call option, a Fund receives the premium from the purchaser of the option and has the obligation, upon exercise of the option, to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price. If the option expires without being exercised a Fund is not required to deliver the underlying security and retains the premium received.

Certain Funds may only write call options that are “covered.” A call option on a security is covered if (a) a Fund owns the security underlying the call or has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, such amount is maintained by a Fund in earmarked or segregated cash or liquid assets) upon conversion or exchange of other securities held by a Fund; or (b) a Fund has purchased a call on the underlying security, the exercise price of which is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written, provided the difference is maintained by a Fund in earmarked or segregated cash or liquid assets.

Selling call options involves the risk that a Fund may be required to sell the underlying security at a disadvantageous price, below the market price of such security, at the time the option is exercised. As the writer of a covered call option, a Fund forgoes, during the option’s life, the opportunity to profit from increases in the market value of the underlying security covering the option above the sum of the premium and the exercise price but retains the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline.

Certain Funds may write put options. As the writer of a put option, a Fund receives the premium from the purchaser of the option and has the obligation, upon exercise of the option, to pay the exercise price and receive delivery of the underlying security. If the option expires without being exercised, a Fund is not required to receive the underlying security in exchange for the exercise price and retains the option premium.

Certain Funds may only write put options that are “covered.” A put option on a security is covered if (a) a Fund earmarks or segregates cash or liquid assets equal to the exercise price; or (b) a Fund has purchased a put on the same security as the put written, the exercise price of which is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written, provided the difference is maintained by a Fund in earmarked or segregated cash or liquid assets.

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Selling put options involves the risk that a Fund may be required to buy the underlying security at a disadvantageous price, above the market price of such security, at the time the option is exercised. While a Fund’s potential gain in writing a covered put option is limited to the premium received plus the interest earned on the liquid assets covering the put option, a Fund’s risk of loss is equal to the entire value of the underlying security, offset only by the amount of the premium received.

A Fund may close out an options position that it has written through a closing purchase transaction. A Fund could execute a closing purchase transaction with respect to a written call option by purchasing a call option on the same underlying security that has the same exercise price and expiration date as the call option written by a Fund. A Fund could execute a closing purchase transaction with respect to a put option written by purchasing a put option on the same underlying security and having the same exercise price and expiration date as the put option written by a Fund. A closing purchase transaction may or may not result in a profit to a Fund. A Fund can close out its position as an option writer only if a liquid market exists for options on the same underlying security that have the same exercise price and expiration date as the option written by a Fund. There is no assurance that such a market will exist with respect to any particular option.

The writer of an American option generally has no control over the time when the option is exercised and the option writer is required to deliver or acquire the underlying security. Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option. Thus, the use of options may require a Fund to buy or sell portfolio securities at inopportune times or for prices other than the current market values of such securities, which may limit the amount of appreciation a Fund can realize on an investment, or may cause a Fund to hold a security that it might otherwise sell.

Purchasing Options. Certain Funds may purchase call and put options. As the buyer of a call option, a Fund pays the premium to the option writer and has the right to purchase the underlying security from the option writer at the exercise price. If the market price of the underlying security rises above the exercise price, a Fund could exercise the option and acquire the underlying security at a below-market price, which could result in a gain to a Fund, minus the premium paid. As the buyer of a put option, a Fund pays the premium to the option writer and has the right to sell the underlying security to the option writer at the exercise price. If the market price of the underlying security declines below the exercise price, a Fund could exercise the option and sell the underlying security at an above-market price, which could result in a gain to a Fund, minus the premium paid. A Fund may buy call and put options whether or not it holds the underlying securities.

As a buyer of a call or put option, a Fund may sell put or call options that it has purchased at any time prior to such option’s expiration date through a closing sale transaction. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security, the underlying security’s dividend policy, and the time remaining until the expiration date. A closing sale transaction may or may not result in a profit to a Fund. A Fund’s ability to initiate a closing sale transaction is dependent upon the liquidity of the options market and there is no assurance that such a market will exist with respect to any particular option. If a Fund does not exercise or sell an option prior to its expiration date, the option expires and becomes worthless.

OTC Options. Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size and strike price, the terms of OTC options generally are established through negotiation between the parties to the options contract. This type of arrangement allows the purchaser and writer greater flexibility to tailor the option to their needs. OTC options are available for a greater variety of securities or baskets of securities, and in a wider range of expiration dates and exercise prices, than exchange-traded options. However, unlike exchange-traded options, which are issued and guaranteed by a regulated intermediary, such as the OCC, OTC options are entered into directly with the counterparty. Unless the counterparties provide for it, there is no central clearing or guaranty function for an OTC option. Therefore, OTC options are subject to the risk of default or non-performance by the counterparty. Accordingly, the Adviser must assess the creditworthiness of the counterparty to determine the likelihood that the terms of the option will be satisfied. There can be no assurance that a continuous liquid secondary market will exist for any particular OTC option at any specific time. As a result, a Fund may be unable to enter into closing sale transactions with respect to OTC options.

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Index Options. Call and put options on indices operate similarly to options on securities. Rather than the right to buy or sell a single security at a specified price, options on an index give the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash determined by reference to the difference between the value of the underlying index and the strike price. The underlying index may be a broad-based index or a narrower market index. Unlike many options on securities, all settlements are in cash. The settlement amount, which the writer of an index option must pay to the holder of the option upon exercise, is generally equal to the difference between the strike price of the option and the value of the underlying index, multiplied by a specified multiplier. The multiplier determines the size of the investment position the option represents. Gain or loss to a Fund on index options transactions will depend, in part, on price movements of the underlying index generally or in a particular segment of the index rather than price movements of individual components of the index. As with other options, a Fund may close out its position in index options through closing purchase transactions and closing sale transactions provided that a liquid secondary market exists for such options.

Index options written by a Fund will generally be covered in a manner similar to the covering of other types of options, by holding an offsetting financial position and/or earmarking or segregating cash or liquid assets. A Fund may cover call options written on an index by owning securities or other assets whose price changes, in the opinion of the Adviser, are expected to correlate to those of the underlying index.

Foreign Currency Options. Options on foreign currencies operate similarly to options on securities. Rather than the right to buy or sell a single security at a specified price, options on foreign currencies give the holder the right to buy or sell foreign currency for a fixed amount in U.S. dollars or other base currencies. Options on foreign currencies are traded primarily in the OTC market, but may also be traded on U.S. and foreign exchanges. The value of a foreign currency option is dependent upon the value of the underlying foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar or other base currency. The price of the option may vary with changes, among other things, in the value of either or both currencies and has no relationship to the investment merits of a foreign security. Options on foreign currencies are affected by all of those factors that influence foreign exchange rates and foreign investment generally. As with other options, a Fund may close out its position in foreign currency options through closing purchase transactions and closing sale transactions provided that a liquid market exists for such options.

Foreign currency options written by a Fund will generally be covered in a manner similar to the covering of other types of options, by holding an offsetting financial position and/or earmarking or segregating cash or liquid assets.

Options on Futures Contracts. Options on futures contracts are similar to options on securities except that options on futures contracts give the purchasers the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position in the case of a call option and a short position in the case of a put option) at a specified exercise price at any time prior to the expiration of the option. Upon exercise of the option, the parties will be subject to all of the risks associated with futures transactions and subject to margin requirements. As the writer of options on futures contracts, a Fund would also be subject to initial and variation margin requirements on the option position.

Options on futures contracts written by a Fund will generally be covered in a manner similar to the covering of other types of options, by holding an offsetting financial position and/or earmarking or segregating cash or liquid assets. A Fund may cover an option on a futures contract by purchasing or selling the underlying futures contract. In such instances the exercise of the option will serve to close out a Fund’s futures position.

Additional Risks of Options Transactions. The risks associated with options transactions are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying instruments. Options are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with other portfolio investments. The use of options requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the option itself. Options may be subject to the risk factors generally applicable to derivatives transactions described herein, and may also be subject to certain additional risk factors, including:

 

The exercise of options written or purchased by a Fund could cause a Fund to sell portfolio securities, thus increasing a Fund’s portfolio turnover.
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A Fund pays brokerage commissions each time it writes or purchases an option or buys or sells an underlying security in connection with the exercise of an option. Such brokerage commissions could be higher relative to the commissions for direct purchases of sales of the underlying securities.

 

A Fund’s options transactions may be subject to limitations on options positions established by the SEC, the CFTC or the exchanges on which such options are traded.

 

The hours of trading for exchange-listed options may not coincide with the hours during which the underlying securities are traded. To the extent that the options markets close before the markets for the underlying securities, significant price and rate movements can take place in the underlying securities that cannot be reflected in the options markets.

 

Index options based upon a narrow index of securities or other assets may present greater risks than options based on broad market indices, as narrower indices are more susceptible to rapid and extreme fluctuations as a result of changes in the values of a smaller number of securities or other assets.

 

A Fund is subject to the risk of market movements between the time that an option is exercised and the time of performance thereunder, which could increase the extent of any losses suffered by a Fund in connection with options transactions.
 

Swaps. An OTC swap contract is an agreement between two parties pursuant to which the parties exchange payments at specified dates on the basis of a specified notional amount, with the payments calculated by reference to specified securities, indices, reference rates, currencies or other instruments. Most swap agreements provide that when the period payment dates for both parties are the same, the payments are made on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted out, with only the net amount paid by one party to the other). A Fund’s obligations or rights under a swap contract entered into on a net basis will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement, based on the relative values of the positions held by each counterparty. Many swap agreements are not entered into or traded on exchanges and often there is no central clearing or guaranty function for swaps. These OTC swaps are often subject to the risk of default or non-performance by the counterparty. Accordingly, the Adviser must assess the creditworthiness of the counterparty to determine the likelihood that the terms of the swap will be satisfied.

Swap agreements allow for a wide variety of transactions. For example, fixed-rate payments may be exchanged for floating rate payments, U.S. dollar-denominated payments may be exchanged for payments denominated in foreign currencies, and payments tied to the price of one security, index, reference rate, currency or other instrument may be exchanged for payments tied to the price of a different security, index, reference rate, currency or other instrument. Swap contracts are typically individually negotiated and structured to provide exposure to a variety of particular types of investments or market factors. Swap contracts can take many different forms and are known by a variety of names. To the extent consistent with a Fund’s investment objective and policies, a Fund is not limited to any particular form or variety of swap contract. A Fund may utilize swaps to increase or decrease its exposure to the underlying instrument, reference rate, foreign currency, market index or other asset. Certain Funds may also enter into related derivative instruments including caps, floors and collars.

The Dodd-Frank Act and related regulatory developments require the eventual clearing and exchange-trading of many standardized OTC derivative instruments that the CFTC and SEC defined as “swaps” and “security based swaps,” respectively. Mandatory exchange-trading and clearing is occurring on a phased-in basis based on the type of market participant and CFTC approval of contracts for central clearing and exchange-trading. In a cleared swap, a Fund’s ultimate counterparty is a central clearinghouse rather than a brokerage firm, bank or other financial institution. A Fund initially will enter into cleared swaps through an executing broker. Such transactions will then be submitted for clearing and, if cleared, will be held at regulated FCMs that are members of the clearinghouse that serves as the central counterparty. When a Fund enters into a cleared swap, it must deliver to the central counterparty (via an FCM) an amount referred

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to as “initial margin.” Initial margin requirements are determined by the central counterparty, but an FCM may require additional initial margin above the amount required by the central counterparty. During the term of the swap agreement, a “variation margin” amount may also be required to be paid by a Fund or may be received by a Fund in accordance with margin controls set for such accounts, depending upon changes in the price of the underlying reference asset subject to the swap agreement. At the conclusion of the term of the swap agreement, if a Fund has a loss equal to or greater than the margin amount, the margin amount is paid to the FCM along with any loss that is greater than such margin amount. If a Fund has a loss of less than the margin amount, the excess margin is returned to the Fund. If a Fund has a gain, the full margin amount and the amount of the gain is paid to the Fund.

Central clearing is designed to reduce counterparty credit risk compared to uncleared swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap, but it does not eliminate those risks completely. There is also a risk of loss by a Fund of the initial and variation margin deposits in the event of bankruptcy of the FCM with which the Fund has an open position in a swap contract. The assets of a Fund may not be fully protected in the event of the bankruptcy of the FCM or central counterparty because the Fund might be limited to recovering only a pro rata share of all available funds and margin segregated on behalf of an FCM’s or central counterparty’s customers or clearing members. If the FCM does not provide accurate reporting, a Fund is also subject to the risk that the FCM could use the Fund’s assets, which are held in an omnibus account with assets belonging to the FCM’s other customers, to satisfy its own financial obligations or the payment obligations of another customer to the central counterparty.

As a result of recent regulatory developments, certain standardized swaps are currently subject to mandatory central clearing and some of these cleared swaps must be traded on an exchange or swap execution facility (“SEF”). An SEF is an electronic trading platform in which multiple market participants can execute swap transactions by accepting bids and offers made by multiple other participants on the platform. Transactions executed on an SEF may increase market transparency and liquidity but may cause a Fund to incur increased expenses to execute swaps. Central clearing should decrease counterparty risk and increase liquidity compared to bilateral swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap. However, central clearing does not eliminate counterparty risk or liquidity risk entirely. In addition, depending on the size of a Fund and other factors, the margin required under the rules of a clearinghouse and by a clearing member may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by a Fund to support its obligations under a similar bilateral swap. However, the CFTC and other applicable regulators have adopted rules imposing certain margin requirements, including minimums, on uncleared swaps which may result in a Fund and its counterparties posting higher margin amounts for uncleared swaps. Requiring margin on uncleared swaps may reduce, but not eliminate, counterparty credit risk.

In addition, with respect to cleared swaps, a Fund may not be able to obtain as favorable terms as it would be able to negotiate for an uncleared swap. In addition, an FCM may unilaterally impose position limits or additional margin requirements for certain types of swaps in which a Fund may invest. Central counterparties and FCMs generally can require termination of existing cleared swap transactions at any time, and can also require increases in margin above the margin that is required at the initiation of the swap agreement. Margin requirements for cleared swaps vary on a number of factors, and the margin required under the rules of the clearinghouse and FCM may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by a Fund to support its obligations under a similar uncleared swap. However, as noted above, regulators have adopted rules imposing certain margin requirements, including minimums, on uncleared swaps, which may result in a Fund and its counterparties posting higher margin amounts for uncleared swaps. Requiring margin on uncleared swaps may reduce, but not eliminate, counterparty credit risk.

A Fund is also subject to the risk that, after entering into a cleared swap with an executing broker, no FCM or central counterparty is willing or able to clear the transaction. In such an event, the central counterparty would void the trade. Before a Fund can enter into a new trade, market conditions may become less favorable to the Fund.

The Adviser will continue to monitor developments regarding trading and execution of cleared swaps on exchanges, particularly to the extent regulatory changes affect a Fund’s ability to enter into swap agreements and the costs and risks associated with such investments.

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Interest Rate Swaps, Caps, Floors and Collars. Interest rate swaps consist of an agreement between two parties to exchange their respective commitments to pay or receive interest (e.g., an exchange of floating rate payments for fixed-rate payments). Interest rate swaps are generally entered into on a net basis. Interest rate swaps do not involve the delivery of securities, other underlying assets, or principal. Accordingly, the risk of market loss with respect to interest rate and total rate of return swaps is typically limited to the net amount of interest payments that a Fund is contractually obligated to make.

Certain Funds may also buy or sell interest rate caps, floors and collars. The purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified interest rate index exceeds a predetermined level, to receive payments of interest on a specified notional amount from the party selling the interest rate cap. The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified interest rate falls below a predetermined level, to receive payments of interest on a specified notional amount from the party selling the interest rate floor. A collar is a combination of a cap and a floor that preserves a certain return within a predetermined range of interest rates. Caps, floors and collars may be less liquid than other types of derivatives.

Total Return Swaps. Total return swaps are contracts in which one party agrees to make periodic payments to another party based on the change in market value of the assets underlying the contract, which may include, but not be limited to, a specified security, basket of securities or securities indices during the specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or the total return from other underlying assets. Total return swaps may be used to obtain long or short exposure to a security or market without owning or taking physical custody of such security or investing directly in such market. Total return swaps may effectively add leverage to a Fund’s portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, a Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap.

Total return swaps are subject to the risk that a counterparty will default on its payment obligations to a Fund thereunder, and conversely, that a Fund will not be able to meet its obligation to the counterparty. Generally, a Fund will enter into total return swaps on a net basis (i.e., the two payment streams are netted against one another with a Fund receiving or paying, as the case may be, only the net amount of the two payments).

Index Swaps. An index swap consists of an agreement between two parties in which a party typically exchanges a cash flow based on a notional amount of a reference index for a cash flow based on a different index or on another specified instrument or reference rate. Index swaps are generally entered into on a net basis.

Inflation Swaps. Inflation swap agreements are contracts in which one party typically agrees to pay the cumulative percentage increase in a price index, such as the Consumer Price Index, over the term of the swap (with some lag on the referenced inflation index), and the other party pays a compounded fixed rate. Inflation swap agreements may be used to protect the NAV of a Fund against an unexpected change in the rate of inflation measured by an inflation index. The value of inflation swap agreements is expected to change in response to changes in real interest rates. Real interest rates are tied to the relationship between nominal interest rates and the rate of inflation.

Currency Swaps. A currency swap consists of an agreement between two parties to exchange cash flows on a notional amount of two or more currencies based on the relative value differential among them, such as exchanging a right to receive a payment in foreign currency for the right to receive U.S. dollars. Currency swap agreements may be entered into on a net basis or may involve the delivery of the entire principal value of one designated currency in exchange for the entire principal value of another designated currency. In such cases, the entire principal value of a currency swap is subject to the risk that the counterparty will default on its contractual delivery obligations.

Credit Default Swaps. A credit default swap consists of an agreement between two parties in which the “buyer” typically agrees to pay to the “seller” a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract and the seller agrees to pay the buyer the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation upon the occurrence of a credit event with respect to the issuer of that referenced debt obligation. Generally, a credit event means bankruptcy, failure to pay, obligation acceleration or modified restructuring. A Fund may be either the buyer or seller in a credit default swap. Where a Fund is the buyer of a credit default swap contract, it would typically be entitled to receive the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced

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debt obligation from the counterparty to the contract only in the event of a default or similar event by the issuer of the debt obligation. If no default occurs, a Fund would have paid to the counterparty a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract and received no benefit from the contract. The use of credit default swaps could result in losses to a Fund if the Adviser fails to correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the issuer of the referenced debt obligation.

Swaptions. An option on a swap agreement, also called a “swaption,” is an option that gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to enter into a swap on a future date in exchange for a premium. A receiver swaption gives the owner the right to receive the return of a specified asset, reference rate, or index. A payer swaption gives the owner the right to pay the return of a specified asset, reference rate, or index. Swaptions also include options that allow an existing swap to be terminated or extended by one of the counterparties.

General Risks of Swaps. The risks associated with swap transactions are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying instruments. Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with other portfolio investments. The use of swaps requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the swap contract itself. Swap transactions may be subject to the risk factors generally applicable to derivatives transactions described above, and may also be subject to certain additional risk factors, including:

 

OTC swap agreements are not traded on exchanges and may be subject to liquidity risk, which exists when a particular swap is difficult to purchase or sell.

 

In addition to the risk of default by the counterparty, if the creditworthiness of a counterparty to a swap agreement declines, the value of the swap agreement would be likely to decline, potentially resulting in losses.

 

The swaps market is subject to extensive regulation under the Dodd-Frank Act and certain CFTC and SEC rules promulgated thereunder. It is possible that further developments in the swaps market, including new and additional governmental regulation, could result in higher Fund costs and expenses and could adversely affect a Fund’s ability to utilize swaps, terminate existing swap agreements or realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

 

Contracts for Difference. Certain Funds may purchase contracts for difference (“CFDs”). A CFD is a privately negotiated contract between two parties, buyer and seller, stipulating that the seller will pay to or receive from the buyer the difference between the nominal value of the underlying instrument at the opening of the contract and that instrument’s value at the end of the contract. The underlying instrument may be a single security, stock basket or index. A CFD can be set up to take either a short or long position on the underlying instrument. The buyer and seller are typically both required to post margin, which is adjusted daily. The buyer will also pay to the seller a financing rate on the notional amount of the capital employed by the seller less the margin deposit. A CFD is usually terminated at the buyer’s initiative. The seller of the CFD will simply match the exposure of the underlying instrument in the open market and the parties will exchange whatever payment is due.

 

As is the case with owning any financial instrument, there is the risk of loss associated with buying a CFD. For example, if a Fund buys a long CFD and the underlying security is worth less at the end of the contract, the Fund would be required to make a payment to the seller and would suffer a loss. Also, there may be liquidity risk if the underlying instrument is illiquid because the liquidity of a CFD is based on the liquidity of the underlying instrument. A further risk is that adverse movements in the underlying security will require the buyer to post additional margin. CFDs also carry counterparty risk, i.e., the risk that the counterparty to the CFD transaction may be unable or unwilling to make payments or to otherwise honor its financial obligations under the terms of the contract. If the counterparty were to do so, the value of the contract, and of a Fund’s shares, may be reduced. A Fund will not enter into a CFD transaction that is inconsistent with its investment objective, policies and strategies.

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Structured Investments. Certain Funds may invest in structured investments. A structured investment is a derivative security designed to offer a return linked to a particular underlying security, currency, commodity or market, for which the amount of principal repayment and/or interest payments is based on the change in value of such underlying security, currency, commodity or market, including, among others, currency exchange rates, interest rates, referenced bonds and stock indices or other financial references. Structured investments may come in various forms, including notes, warrants and options to purchase securities, and may be listed and traded on an exchange or otherwise traded in the OTC market.

The Funds will typically use structured investments to gain exposure to a permitted underlying security, currency, commodity or market when direct access to such security, currency, commodity or market is limited or inefficient from a tax, cost or regulatory standpoint. Investments in structured investments involve risks including issuer risk, counterparty risk and market risk. Holders of structured investments bear risks of the underlying investment and are subject to issuer or counterparty risk because the holders are relying on the creditworthiness of such issuer or counterparty and have no rights with respect to the underlying investment. Certain structured investments may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market and may have the effect of increasing a Fund’s illiquidity to the extent that the Fund, at a particular point in time, may be unable to find qualified buyers for these investments.

A structured investment may be linked either positively or negatively to an underlying security, currency, commodity, index or market and a change in interest rates, principal amount, volatility, currency values or other factors, depending on the structured investment’s design, may result in a gain or loss that is a multiple of the movement of such interest rates, principal amount, volatility, currency values or other factors. Application of a multiplier is comparable to the use of financial leverage, a speculative technique. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and the risk of loss. As a result, a relatively small decline in the value of the referenced factor could result in a relatively large loss in the value of a structured investment.

Other types of structured investments include interests in entities organized and operated for the purpose of restructuring the investment characteristics of underlying investment interests or securities. This type of securitization or restructuring usually involves the deposit or purchase of an underlying security by a U.S. or foreign entity, such as a corporation or trust of specified instruments, and the issuance by that entity of one or more classes of securities backed by, or representing an interest in, the underlying instruments. The cash flow or rate of return on the underlying investments may be apportioned among the newly issued securities to create different investment characteristics, such as varying maturities, credit quality, payment priorities and interest rate provisions. Structured investments that are subordinated, for example, in payment priority often offer higher returns, but may result in increased risks compared to other investments.

Combined Transactions. Combined transactions involve entering into multiple derivatives transactions (such as multiple options transactions, including purchasing and writing options in combination with each other; multiple futures transactions; and combinations of options, futures, forward and swap transactions) instead of a single derivatives transaction in order to customize the risk and return characteristics of the overall position. Combined transactions typically contain elements of risk that are present in each of the component transactions. A Fund may enter into a combined transaction instead of a single derivatives transaction when, in the opinion of the Adviser, it is in the best interest of the Fund to do so. Because combined transactions involve multiple transactions, they may result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to close out.

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies. A Fund may invest in stock, warrants, rights and other securities of special purpose acquisition companies (“SPAC”), which typically are publicly traded companies that raise investment capital for the purpose of acquiring or merging with an existing company that is identified subsequent to the SPAC’s initial public offering (“IPO”), or similar special purpose entities. Typically, the acquisition target is an existing privately held company that wants to trade publicly, which it accomplishes through a combination with a SPAC rather than by conducting a traditional IPO. SPACs and similar entities are blank check companies and do not have any operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions. The long term value of a SPAC’s securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the SPAC’s management to identify a merger target and complete an attractive acquisition. Some SPACs pursue acquisitions only within certain sectors, industries or regions, which may increase the time horizon for an acquisition as well as other risks associated with these investments, including price volatility. Conversely, other SPACs may invest without such limitations, in which case the SPAC’s

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management may have limited experience or knowledge of the market sector, industry or region in which the transaction is contemplated. In addition, certain securities issued by a SPAC, particularly in private placements conducted by the SPAC after its IPO, may be classified as illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale, which restrictions may be imposed for at least a year or possibly a more extended time, and may potentially be traded only in the over-the-counter market.

 

Until an acquisition or merger is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets, less a portion retained to cover expenses, in U.S. government securities, money market securities and cash and does not typically pay dividends in respect of its common stock. To the extent a SPAC is invested in these securities or cash, the SPAC may not perform similar to other equity securities and this may impact the Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective. SPAC shareholders may not approve any proposed acquisition or merger, or an acquisition or merger, once effected, may prove unsuccessful. If an acquisition or merger that meets the requirements of the SPAC is not completed within a pre-established period of time (typically, two years), the funds invested in the SPAC plus any interest paid on such funds while held in trust (less any permitted expenses and any losses experienced by the SPAC) are returned to its shareholders. As a result, a Fund may be subject to opportunity costs to the extent that alternative investments would have produced higher returns. Any warrants or other rights with respect to a SPAC held by a Fund may expire worthless or may be repurchased or retired by the SPAC at an unfavorable price.

 

In connection with a proposed acquisition, a SPAC may raise additional funds in order to fund the acquisition, post-acquisition working capital, redemptions or some combination of those purposes. This additional fundraising may be in the form of a private placement of a class of equity securities or debt. The debt could be secured by the assets of the SPAC or the operating company existing after the acquisition or it could be unsecured. The debt may also be investment grade debt or below investment grade debt.

 

A Fund may invest in stock, warrants, rights and other securities of SPACs or similar special purpose entities in a private placement transaction or as part of a public offering. If the Fund purchases securities in the SPAC’s IPO, typically it will receive publicly-traded securities called “units” that include one share of common stock and one right or warrant (or partial right or warrant) conveying the right to purchase additional shares of common stock. At a specified time, the rights and warrants may be separated from the common stock at the election of the holder, after which each security typically is freely tradeable. An investment in the IPO securities of a SPAC may be diluted by additional, later offerings of securities by the SPAC or by other investors exercising existing rights to purchase securities of the SPAC. If the Fund invests in equity securities issued in a private placement after the IPO, those shares will not be publicly tradable unless and until there is a registration statement filed by the SPAC and approved by the SEC or if an exemption from registration is available, which exemptions typically become available at least a year after the date of the business combination. Equity investments in the SPAC made in connection with a proposed business combination will be diluted by the acquisition itself and further fundraising by the ongoing operating business.

 

If there is no market for the shares of the SPAC or only a thinly traded market for shares or interests in the SPAC develops, a Fund may not be able to sell its interest in a SPAC or it may only sell its interest at a price below what the Fund believes is the SPAC interest’s value. If not subject to a restriction on resale, a Fund may sell its investments in a SPAC at any time, including before, at or after the time of an acquisition or merger. Generally, SPACs provide the opportunity for common shareholders who hold publicly traded shares to have some or all of their shares redeemed by the SPAC at or around the time of a proposed acquisition or merger. However, there is often a limit to the number of shares that can be redeemed in connection with a business combination. If a Fund holds shares of publicly traded SPAC stock, this means that a Fund may not be able to redeem those shares prior to an acquisition and may have to hold those shares until after the completion of the acquisition. If a Fund purchases shares in a private placement, those shares will not be redeemable in connection with a transaction. In addition, a Fund may elect not to participate in a proposed SPAC transaction or may be required to divest its interests in the SPAC due to regulatory or other considerations.

 

An investment in a SPAC is subject to the risks that any proposed acquisition or merger may not obtain the requisite approval of SPAC shareholders, may require governmental or other approvals that it fails to obtain

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or that an acquisition or merger, once effected, may prove unsuccessful and lose value. In addition, among other conflicts of interest, the economic interests of the management, directors, officers and related parties of a SPAC can differ from the economic interests of public shareholders, which may lead to conflicts as they evaluate, negotiate and recommend business combination transactions to shareholders. This risk may become more acute as the deadline for the completion of a business combination nears or in the event that attractive acquisition or merger targets become scarce.

 

An investment in a SPAC is subject to the risks that any proposed acquisition or merger may not obtain the requisite approval of SPAC shareholders, may require governmental or other approvals that it fails to obtain or that an acquisition or merger, once effected, may prove unsuccessful and lose value. In addition, among other conflicts of interest, the economic interests of the management, directors, officers and related parties of a SPAC can differ from the economic interests of public shareholders, which may lead to conflicts as they evaluate, negotiate and recommend business combination transactions to shareholders. For example, because the sponsor, directors and officers of a SPAC may directly or indirectly own interests in a SPAC, the sponsor, directors and officers may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate a business combination. SPAC sponsors generally purchase equity in the SPAC at more favorable terms than investors in the IPO or subsequent investors on the open market. As a result, although most of the SPAC’s capital has been provided by IPO investors, the sponsors and potentially other initial investors will benefit more than investors from the SPAC’s completion of an initial business combination and may have an incentive to complete a transaction on terms that may be less favorable to other investors. This risk may become more acute as the deadline for the completion of a business combination nears or in the event that attractive acquisition or merger targets become scarce. In addition, the requirement that a SPAC complete a business combination within a prescribed time frame may give potential target businesses leverage over the SPAC in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time the SPAC has in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, which could undermine the SPAC’s ability to complete a business combination on terms that would produce value for its shareholders. An investment in a SPAC is also subject to the risk that a significant portion of the funds raised by the SPAC may be expended during the search for a target acquisition or merger. The value of investments in SPACs may be highly volatile and may depreciate over time.

 

In addition, investments in SPACs may be subject to the same risks as investing in any initial public offering, including the risks associated with companies that have little operating history as public companies, including unseasoned trading, small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. In addition, the market for IPO issuers may be volatile, and share prices of newly-public companies have fluctuated significantly over short periods of time. Although some IPOs may produce high returns, such returns are not typical and may not be sustainable. Certain investments in SPACs are privately placed securities and are also subject to the risks of such securities.

 

Special Risks Related to Cyber Security. The Trust and its service providers are susceptible to cyber security risks that include, among other things, theft, unauthorized monitoring, release, misuse, loss, destruction or corruption of confidential and highly restricted data; denial of service attacks; unauthorized access to relevant systems; compromises to networks or devices that the Trust and its service providers use to service the Trust’s operations; or operational disruption or failures in the physical infrastructure or operating systems that support the Trust and its service providers. Cyber attacks against or security breakdowns of the Trust or its service providers may adversely impact the Trust and its shareholders, potentially resulting in, among other things, financial losses; the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business and a Fund to process transactions; inability to calculate a Fund’s NAV; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs; and/or additional compliance costs. The Trust may incur additional costs for cyber security risk management and remediation purposes. In addition, cyber security risks may also impact issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which may cause a Fund’s investment in such issuers to lose value. There can be no assurance that the Trust or its service providers will not suffer losses relating to cyber attacks or other information security breaches in the future.

 

Regulatory and Legal Risk. U.S. and non-U.S. governmental agencies and other regulators regularly implement additional regulations and legislators pass new laws that affect the investments held by a Fund,

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the strategies used by a Fund or the level of regulation or taxation applying to the Fund (such as regulations related to investments in derivatives and other transactions). These regulations and laws impact the investment strategies, performance, costs and operations of the Fund or taxation of shareholders.

 

LIBOR Discontinuance or Unavailability Risk. A Fund’s investments, payment obligations and financing terms may be based on floating rates, such as the London Interbank Offered Rates (collectively, “LIBOR”), Euro Interbank Offered Rate and other similar types of reference rates (each, a “Reference Rate”). These Reference Rates are generally intended to represent the rate at which contributing banks may obtain short-term borrowings from each other within certain financial markets. On July 27, 2017, the Chief Executive of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”), which regulates LIBOR, announced that the FCA will no longer persuade nor require banks to submit rates for the calculation of LIBOR and certain other Reference Rates after 2021. Such announcement indicates that the continuation of LIBOR and other Reference Rates on the current basis cannot and will not be guaranteed after the end of 2021. On March 5, 2021, the FCA announced that LIBOR will either cease to be provided by any administrator, or no longer be representative for many LIBOR settings after December 31, 2021, and for the most widely used tenors of U.S. dollar LIBOR after June 30, 2023. In addition, in connection with supervisory guidance from regulators, some registered entities ceased to enter into new LIBOR-based contracts after January 1, 2022. These announcements and developments and any additional regulatory or market changes may have an adverse impact on a Fund or its investments.

 

In advance of 2022, regulators and market participants engaged in identifying successor Reference Rates (“Alternative Reference Rates”). Additionally, it is expected that market participants will focus on the transition mechanisms by which the Reference Rates in existing contracts or instruments may be amended, whether through market-wide protocols, fallback contractual provisions, bespoke negotiations or amendments or otherwise. Nonetheless, the termination of certain Reference Rates presents risks to a Fund. At this time, it is not possible to completely identify or predict the effect of any such changes, any establishment of Alternative Reference Rates or any other reforms to Reference Rates that may be enacted in the UK or elsewhere. The elimination of a Reference Rate or any other changes or reforms to the determination or supervision of Reference Rates could have an adverse impact on the market for or value of any securities or payments linked to those Reference Rates and other financial obligations held by a Fund or on its overall financial condition or results of operations.

 

The transition process might lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets that currently rely on Reference Rates to determine interest rates. It could also lead to a reduction in the value of some Reference Rate-based investments held by a Fund and reduce the effectiveness of new hedges placed against existing Reference Rate-based instruments. While market participants are endeavoring to minimize the economic impact of the transition from Reference Rates to Alternative Reference Rates, the transition away from LIBOR and certain other Reference Rates could, among other negative consequences:

 

Adversely impact the pricing, liquidity, value of, return on and trading for a broad array of financial products, including any Reference Rate-linked securities, loans and derivatives in which a Fund may invest;

 

Require extensive negotiations of and/or amendments to agreements and other documentation governing Reference Rate-linked investments products;

 

Lead to disputes, litigation or other actions with counterparties or portfolio companies regarding the interpretation and enforceability of “fallback” provisions that provide for an alternative reference rate in the event of Reference Rate unavailability; or

 

Cause a Fund to incur additional costs in relation to any of the above factors.

 

The risks associated with the above factors, including decreased liquidity, are heightened with respect to investments in Reference Rate-based products that do not include a fallback provision that addresses how interest rates will be determined if LIBOR and certain other Reference Rates stop being published. Even with some Reference Rate-based instruments that may contemplate a scenario where Reference Rates

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are no longer available by providing for an alternative rate-setting methodology and/or increased costs for certain Reference Rate-related instruments or financing transactions, there may be significant uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any such alternative methodologies, resulting in prolonged adverse market conditions for a Fund. In many cases, in the event that an instrument falls back to an Alternative Reference Rate, the Alternative Reference Rate would not perform the same as LIBOR would have and may not include adjustments to such rates that are reflective of current economic circumstances or differences between such rate and LIBOR. There also remains uncertainty and risk regarding the willingness and ability of issuers to include enhanced provisions in new and existing contracts or instruments. In addition, when a Reference Rate is discontinued, the Alternative Reference Rate may be lower than market expectations, which could have an adverse impact on the value of preferred and debt securities with floating or fixed-to-floating rate coupons. Various pieces of legislation, including recent federal legislation and laws enacted by the states of New York and Alabama, may affect the transition of LIBOR-based instruments as well by permitting trustees and calculation agents to transition instruments with no LIBOR transition language to an Alternative Reference Rate selected by such agents. Such pieces of legislation also include safe harbors from liability, which may limit the recourse a Fund may have if the Alternative Reference Rate does not fully compensate the Fund for the transition of an instrument from LIBOR. It is uncertain what impact any such legislation may have. In addition, any substitute Reference Rate and any pricing adjustments imposed by a regulator or counterparties or otherwise may adversely affect a Fund’s performance or NAV.

Alteration of the terms of a debt instrument or a modification of the terms of other types of contracts to replace LIBOR or another interbank offered rate (“IBOR”) with a new reference rate could result in a taxable exchange and the realization of income and gain/loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The IRS has issued final regulations regarding the tax consequences of the transition from IBOR to a new reference rate in debt instruments and non-debt contracts. Under the final regulations, alteration or modification of the terms of a debt instrument to replace an operative rate that uses a discontinued IBOR with a qualified rate (as defined in the final regulations) including true up payments equalizing the fair market value of contracts before and after such IBOR transition, to add a qualified rate as a fallback rate to a contract whose operative rate uses a discontinued IBOR or to replace a fallback rate that uses a discontinued IBOR with a qualified rate would not be taxable. The IRS may provide additional guidance, with potential retroactive effect.

Responsible Investing. Investing primarily in responsible investments carries the risk that, under certain market conditions, the Fund may underperform funds that do not utilize a responsible investment strategy. The application of responsible investment criteria may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain sectors or types of investments, and may impact the Fund’s relative investment performance depending on whether such sectors or investments are in or out of favor in the market. An investment’s ESG performance, or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such performance may change over time, which could cause the Fund to temporarily hold securities that do not comply with the Fund’s responsible investment criteria. In evaluating an investment, Calvert and the Adviser are dependent upon information and data that may be incomplete, inaccurate or unavailable, which could adversely affect the analysis of the ESG factors relevant to a particular investment. Successful application of the Fund’s responsible investment strategy will depend on the Adviser’s skill in properly identifying and analyzing material ESG issues. Certain Funds are also subject to the risk that the companies identified by the index provider do not operate as expected when addressing ESG issues. Additionally, the index provider’s proprietary valuation model may not perform as intended, which may adversely affect an investment in the Fund. Regulatory changes or interpretations regarding the definitions and/or use of ESG criteria could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s ability to invest in accordance with its ESG strategy. Socially responsible norms differ by country and region, and a company’s ESG practices or Calvert’s and/or the Adviser’s assessment of such may change over time and there is a risk that the Adviser may incorrectly assess a company’s ESG practices. The Fund may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor.

Market and Geopolitical Risk. The value of your investment in a Fund is based on the values of a Fund’s investments. These values change daily due to economic and other events that affect markets generally, as well as those that affect particular regions, countries, industries, companies or governments. Price movements, sometimes called volatility, may be greater or less depending on the types of securities a Fund owns and the markets in which the securities trade. The increasing interconnectivity between global economies and financial markets increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. Securities in a Fund’s

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portfolio may underperform due to inflation (or expectations for inflation), interest rates, global demand for particular products or resources, natural disasters, pandemics, epidemics, terrorism, regulatory events and governmental or quasi-governmental actions. The occurrence of global events similar to those in recent years, such as terrorist attacks around the world, natural disasters, social and political discord or debt crises and downgrades, among others, may result in market volatility and may have long term effects on both the U.S. and global financial markets. The occurrence of such events may be sudden and unexpected, and it is difficult to predict when similar events affecting the U.S. or global financial markets may occur, the effects that such events may have and the duration of those effects. Any such event(s) could have a significant adverse impact on the value, liquidity and risk profile of a Fund’s portfolio, as well as its ability to sell securities to meet redemptions. There is a risk that you may lose money by investing in a Fund.

Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as war, natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, conflicts and social unrest, may occur and could significantly impact issuers, industries, governments and other systems, including the financial markets. As global systems, economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, events that once had only local impact are now more likely to have regional or even global effects. Events that occur in one country, region or financial market will, more frequently, adversely impact issuers in other countries, regions or markets. These impacts can be exacerbated by failures of governments and societies to adequately respond to an emerging event or threat. These types of events quickly and significantly impact markets in the U.S. and across the globe leading to extreme market volatility and disruption. The extent and nature of the impact on supply chains or economies and markets from these events is unknown, particularly if a health emergency or other similar event, such as the recent COVID-19 (the “Coronavirus”) outbreak, persists for an extended period of time. Social, political, economic and other conditions and events, such as natural disasters, health emergencies (e.g., epidemics and pandemics), terrorism, conflicts and social unrest, could reduce consumer demand or economic output, result in market closures, travel restrictions or quarantines, and generally have a significant impact on the economies and financial markets and the Adviser’s investment advisory activities and services of other service providers, which in turn could adversely affect a Fund’s investments and other operations. The value of a Fund’s investment may decrease as a result of such events, particularly if these events adversely impact the operations and effectiveness of the Adviser or key service providers or if these events disrupt systems and processes necessary or beneficial to the investment advisory or other activities on behalf a Fund.

Many countries have experienced outbreaks of infectious illnesses in recent decades, including swine flu, avian influenza, SARS and the Coronavirus, and may experience similar outbreaks in the future. For example, the Coronavirus outbreak has resulted in numerous deaths and the imposition of both local and more widespread “work from home” and other quarantine measures, border closures and other travel restrictions, causing social unrest and commercial disruption on a global scale and significant volatility in financial markets.

The ongoing spread of the Coronavirus has had, and is expected to continue to have, a material adverse impact on local economies in the affected jurisdictions and also on the global economy, as cross border commercial activity and market sentiment are increasingly impacted by the outbreak and government and other measures seeking to contain its spread. The global impact of the outbreak has been rapidly evolving, and many countries have reacted by instituting quarantines and restrictions on travel. These actions are creating disruption in supply chains, and adversely impacting a number of industries, including but not limited to retail, transportation, hospitality and entertainment. In addition to these developments having adverse consequences for certain companies and other issuers in which a Fund invests and the value of a Fund’s investments therein, the operations of the Adviser (including those relating to the Fund) could be impacted adversely, including through quarantine measures and travel restrictions imposed on the Adviser’s or service providers’ personnel located in affected countries, regions or local areas, or any related health issues of such personnel. Any of the foregoing events could materially and adversely affect the Adviser’s ability to source, manage and divest investments on behalf of a Fund and pursue a Fund’s investment objectives and strategies. Similar consequences could arise with respect to other infectious diseases. Given the significant economic and financial market disruptions and general uncertainty associated with the Coronavirus pandemic, the valuation and performance of the Fund’s investments may be impacted adversely.

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Certain countries and regulatory bodies use negative interest rates as a monetary policy tool to encourage economic growth during periods of deflation.

In a negative interest rate environment, debt instruments may trade at negative yields, which means the purchaser of the instrument may receive at maturity less than the total amount invested. In addition, in a negative interest rate environment, if a bank charges negative interest rates, instead of receiving interest on deposits, a depositor must pay the bank fees to keep money with the bank. To the extent a Fund holds a debt instrument or has a bank deposit with a negative interest rate, a Fund would generate a negative return on that investment.

In light of current market conditions, interest rates and bond yields in the United States and many other countries are at or near historic lows, and in some cases, such rates and yields are negative. During periods of very low or negative interest rates, a Fund’s susceptibility to interest rate risk (i.e., the risks associated with changes in interest rates) may be magnified, its yield and income may be diminished and its performance may be adversely affected (e.g., during periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns). These levels of interest rates (or negative interest rates) may magnify the risks associated with rising interest rates. Changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, may have unpredictable effects on markets, including market volatility and reduced liquidity, and may adversely affect a Fund’s yield, income and performance.

Government and other public debt, including municipal obligations in which a Fund may invest, can be adversely affected by large and sudden changes in local and global economic conditions that result in increased debt levels. Although high levels of government and other public debt do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, high levels of debt may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented. A high debt level may increase market pressures to meet an issuer’s funding needs, which may increase borrowing costs and cause a government or public or municipal entity to issue additional debt, thereby increasing the risk of refinancing. A high debt level also raises concerns that the issuer may be unable or unwilling to repay the principal or interest on its debt, which may adversely impact instruments held by a Fund that rely on such payments. Governmental and quasi-governmental responses to certain economic or other conditions may lead to increasing government and other public debt, which heighten these risks. Unsustainable debt levels can lead to declines in the value of currency, and can prevent a government from implementing effective counter-cyclical fiscal policy during economic downturns, can generate or contribute to an economic downturn or cause other adverse economic or market developments, such as increases in inflation or volatility. Increasing government and other public debt may adversely affect issuers, obligors, guarantors or instruments across a variety of asset classes.

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND LIMITATIONS

Fundamental Policies

Each Fund has adopted the following fundamental policies, which may not be changed without the approval by “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” of the Fund as defined in the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act provides that the “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” of a Fund means the vote, at the annual or a special meeting of the security holders of such Fund duly called, (A) of 67% or more of the voting securities present at such meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of such company are present or represented by proxy; or (B) of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund, whichever is the less.

 

1

Except as otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act or any applicable law, rule, order or interpretation, each Fund may not purchase any security if, as a result of that purchase, more than 25% of its total assets would be invested in securities of issuers within the same industry, except that:

 

with respect to Calvert International Responsible Index ETF, Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF, Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF and Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index ETF, a Fund may invest 25% or more of its total assets in securities of issuers in any one industry or group of industries if the index that the Fund tracks concentrates in an industry or group of industries; and

 

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  with respect to Calvert Ultra-Short Investment Grade ETF, the Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities issued by issuers within the banking industry.
2 A Fund may borrow money to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any applicable law, rule, order or interpretation.
3 A Fund may issue senior securities to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any applicable law, rule, order or interpretation.
4 A Fund may not underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under certain securities laws in purchasing or disposing of portfolio securities or in connection with investments in other investment companies.
5 A Fund may purchase or sell commodities to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any applicable law, rule, order or interpretation.
6 A Fund may purchase or sell real estate or any interest therein to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any applicable law, rule, order or interpretation.
7 A Fund may make loans to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any applicable law, rule, order or interpretation.
8 Except with respect to Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Index ETF, each Fund may not make any investment inconsistent with its classification as a “diversified company”, as defined in the 1940 Act or as interpreted, modified or applied by the SEC or its staff.

 

Additional Information About the Investment Policies and Limitations

Summary of 1940 Act Restrictions on Certain Activities. The following is not part of the fundamental policies of the Funds but provides additional information regarding certain of these policies. Certain of the Fund’s fundamental policies set forth above permit a fund to make investments or engage in transactions to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any applicable law, rule, order or interpretation, or prohibit transactions except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act or any applicable law, rule, order or interpretation. To the extent the 1940 Act or the rules, orders, or interpretations thereunder may, in the future, be amended or otherwise revised to provide greater flexibility, or to the extent the SEC may in the future grant exemptive relief providing greater flexibility, the Fund will be able to use that flexibility without seeking shareholder approval of its fundamental policies. Similarly, with respect to Investment Policy No. 8, a Fund may rely on greater flexibility provided by the 1940 Act or interpretations, modifications or as applied by the SEC or its staff.

Concentration – According to the present interpretation by the SEC, a Fund has concentrated its investments in the securities of issuers primary engaged in any particular industry if the Fund’s holdings in the securities in such issuers comprise 25% or more of the Fund’s total assets. However, the Passive Funds, which seek to track the performance of an underlying index, may concentrate in a particular industry if the underlying index concentrates in such industry or group of industries. These limits do not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.

Borrowing money – The 1940 Act permits a Fund to borrow up to 33 1⁄3% of its total assets (including the amounts borrowed) from banks, plus an additional 5% of its total assets for temporary purposes, which may be borrowed from banks or other sources. The borrowings subject to these limits include borrowings through reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions unless a Fund has elected to treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions for purposes of the SEC rule allowing a Fund to enter into reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions.

Issuing senior securities – A “senior security” is an obligation with respect to the earnings or assets of a company that takes precedence over the claims of that company’s common stock with respect to the same earnings or assets. The 1940 Act prohibits an open-end fund from issuing senior securities other

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than certain borrowings from a bank, but an SEC rule allows a Fund to engage in certain types of transactions (such as short sales, buying and selling financial futures contracts and other derivative instruments and selling put and call options) notwithstanding this prohibition and deems certain when issued, forward-settling and non-standard settlement cycle securities transactions not to involve a senior security, subject to compliance with the conditions of the rule. The fundamental policy relating to senior securities allows the Fund to operate in reliance upon this rule.

Buy or sell physical commodities – The 1940 Act does not directly limit a Fund’s ability to invest directly in physical commodities.

Real Estate – The Funds will not buy or sell real estate, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments, except this shall not prevent the Fund from investing in: (i) securities or other instruments backed by real estate or interests in real estate, (ii) securities or other instruments of issuers or entities that deal in real estate or are engaged in the real estate business, (iii) real estate investment trusts (REITs) or entities similar to REITs formed under the laws of non-U.S. countries or (iv) real estate or interests in real estate acquired through the exercise of its rights as a holder of securities secured by real estate or interests therein.

Making loans (Lending) – Under the 1940 Act, an open-end fund may loan money or property to persons who do not control and are not under common control with the Fund, except that a Fund may make loans to a wholly-owned subsidiary. In addition, the SEC staff takes the position that a Fund may not lend portfolio securities representing more than one-third of the Fund’s total asset value. A Fund must receive from the borrower collateral at least equal in value to the loaned securities, marked to market daily.

Diversification – Under the 1940 Act, a “diversified” Fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in securities of any one issuer or purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer, except obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities and except securities of other investment companies. A “non-diversified” Fund may invest a greater percentage of its total assets in the securities of fewer issuers than a “diversified” fund.

The percentage limitations contained in the fundamental policies apply at the time of purchase of securities. Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act (as is the case with borrowing), a later change in percentage resulting from changes in the value of the Fund’s assets or in total or net assets of the Fund will not be considered a violation of the restriction and the sale of securities will not be required. Future portfolios of the Trust may adopt different limitations.

Tax Diversification. Whether diversified or non-diversified, each Fund will satisfy the diversification requirements for tax treatment as a RIC. As a result, each Fund will diversify its holdings so that, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year or within 30 days thereafter, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash (including cash items and receivables), U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, for purposes of this calculation to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) or of one or more “qualified” publicly traded partnerships.

Unusual Market Conditions. The investment policies, limitations or practices of the Funds may not apply during periods of unusual or adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. Such market, economic, political or other conditions may include periods of abnormal or heightened market volatility, strained credit and/or liquidity conditions or increased governmental intervention in the markets or industries. During such periods, a Fund may not invest according to its principal investment strategies or in the manner in which its name may suggest, and may be subject to different and/or heightened risks. It is possible that such unusual or adverse conditions may continue for extended periods of time.

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DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

 

Each Fund’s portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated each day the Fund is open for business through financial reporting and news services, including publicly accessible Internet web sites. In addition, a basket composition file, which includes the security names and share quantities to deliver in exchange for Creation Units, together with estimates and actual cash components is publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of the Exchange via the National Securities Clearing Corporation (the “NSCC”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC. The basket represents one Creation Unit of the Fund. The Trust, Adviser, Custodian (defined below) and Distributor (defined below) will not disseminate non-public information concerning the Trust.

The Trust provides a complete schedule of portfolio holdings for the second and fourth fiscal quarters in its Semi-Annual and Annual reports, and for the first and third fiscal quarters in its filings with the SEC as an exhibit to Form N-PORT. These portfolio holdings will be available on or about the date of this Statement of Additional Information on the Fund’s public website, [ ].

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in the Funds is contained in the Shareholder Information section of the Funds’ Prospectus. The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, that section of the Prospectus.

Shares of the Fund are listed for trading, and trade throughout the day, on [ ] and in other secondary markets. Shares of the Fund may also be listed on certain non-U.S. exchanges. There can be no assurance that the requirements of [ ] necessary to maintain the listing of shares of the Fund will continue to be met. [ ] may, but is not required to, remove the shares of the Fund from listing if, among other things: (i) following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading of Fund shares, there are fewer than 50 record and/or beneficial owners of shares of the Fund; (ii) the Fund is no longer eligible to operate in reliance on Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act; (iii) any of the other listing requirements are not continuously maintained; or (iv) any event shall occur or condition shall exist that, in the opinion of [ ], makes further dealings on [ ] inadvisable. The Listing Exchange will also remove shares of the Fund from listing and trading upon termination of the Fund. As in the case of other publicly-traded securities, when you buy or sell shares of the Fund through a broker, you may incur a brokerage commission determined by that broker, as well as other charges. 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 or an investor’s equity interest in the Fund.

The Calvert Diversity Research Indices and Calvert US Responsible Indices (collectively, the “Indices” and each, an “Index”) are proprietary indices owned by Calvert Research and Management (“Calvert”). Each Index is composed of companies that meet Calvert’s requirements for Index inclusion as described in this document. The Indices are as follows:

Calvert US Large-Cap Diversity Research Index (Ticker: CALDEI)
Calvert International Responsible Index (Ticker: CALDMI)
Calvert US Large-Cap Core Responsible Index (Ticker: CALCOR)
Calvert US Mid-Cap Core Responsible Index (Ticker: CALMID)

The Calvert Index Committee (the “Committee”) is composed of at least two members who are appointed by and may include Calvert’s Chief Executive Officer. The Committee oversees each Index and will be responsible for approving any changes in the Index rules and methodology, as described herein, and for overseeing construction of each Index and the activities of the calculation agent, Solactive AG (the “Calculation Agent”). Calvert will derive the universe for each Index on an annual basis. CALDEI and CALCOR’s initial index universe is derived from the common stocks of the 1,000 largest publicly traded US companies by market capitalization, excluding business development companies (“BDCs”) and real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) (the “Initial Universe”). For CALMID, Calvert selects Index components from

50 

the Initial Universe and excludes approximately the largest 200 stocks. CALDMI’s initial index universe (the “CALDMI Initial Universe”) is derived from the common stocks of the 1,000 large publicly traded companies in developed markets, excluding the United States. The CALDMI Initial Universe excludes BDCs, REITs and common stock listed less than six months from the last business day of the month preceding CALDMI’s reconstitution. Calvert selects Index components for each Index that have been determined by Calvert to operate their businesses in a manner consistent with the Calvert Principles for Responsible Investment (the “Calvert Principles”). The Calvert Principles serve as a framework for considering environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) factors that may affect investment performance. The Calvert Principles are available at www.calvert.com. Determinations of whether a company meets the Calvert Principles are made by Calvert’s Responsible Research Review Committee.

For more information about each Index’s selection and weighting methodologies, among other things, please see the relevant Index’s index rules and methodology, which can be found at www.calvert.com.

Index Disclaimers

Calvert does not guarantee the adequacy, accuracy, timeliness and/or the completeness of the Index, intellectual property, software, or any data related thereto, or any communication with respect thereto, including, oral, written, or electronic communications. Calvert shall not be subject to any damages or liability for any errors, omissions, or delays therein. Calvert makes no express or implied warranties, and expressly disclaims all warranties, of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use or as to results to be obtained by Calvert, shareholders of the Funds, or any other person or entity from the use of the Index, intellectual property, software, or with respect to any data related thereto. without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event whatsoever shall Calvert be liable for any indirect, special, incidental, punitive, or consequential damages, including but not limited to, loss of profits, trading losses, lost time, or goodwill, even if they have been advised of the possibility of such damages, whether in contract, tort, strict liability, or otherwise.

AFFILIATED INDEXES AND ETFS

The Adviser and its affiliates have in the past, and may in the future, develop, own and operate Indexes based on investment and trading strategies and concepts developed by the Adviser or its affiliates (“Adviser Strategies”). Some of the Funds seek to track the performance of certain of the Indexes. Calvert, an affiliate of the Adviser, manages funds and accounts which track certain of the same Indexes used by the Funds or which are based on the same, or substantially similar, Adviser Strategies that are used in the operation of the Indexes and the Funds. The operation of the Indexes, the Funds and the accounts in this manner gives rise to potential conflicts of interest.

These differences may result in the fund and/or accounts having more favorable performance relative to that of an Index and the Funds or other Accounts that track the Index. Other potential conflicts include the potential for unauthorized access to Index information, allowing Index changes that benefit the Adviser or other Accounts and not the investors in the Funds, and the manipulation of Index pricing to present the performance of the Funds, or tracking ability, in a preferential light.

Each of the Passive Funds may not track the performance of, and may vary substantially from, the corresponding Index for any period of time. A Passive Fund may purchase, hold and sell securities at times when a non-index fund would not do so. The Adviser does not guarantee that any tracking error targets will be achieved. A Passive Fund may be negatively impacted by any errors in the corresponding Index, either as a result of calculation errors, inaccurate data sources or otherwise. The Adviser does not guarantee the availability, timeliness, accuracy and/or completeness of an Index and the Adviser is not responsible for errors, omissions or interruptions in the Index (including when the Adviser or an affiliate acts as Calvert) or the calculation thereof (including when the Adviser or an affiliate acts as the calculation agent).

CREATIONS AND REDEMPTIONS OF SHARES

[The Trust issues and sells shares of the Funds only in Creation Units, generally in exchange for a basket of securities and/or instruments (the “Deposit Securities”) together with a deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”), if any, on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales

51 

load, at the NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form as described in the Participant Agreement (as defined below), on any Business Day (as defined below).

 

A transaction fee is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase or redemption of Creation Units, as applicable. Investors who are authorized to deal in Creation Units (“Authorized Participants”) will be required to pay a fixed creation transaction fee and/or a fixed redemption transaction fee, as applicable, on a given day regardless of the number of Creation Units created or redeemed on that day. The Funds may adjust the transaction fee from time to time, and a Fund may waive all or a portion of its applicable transaction fee. An additional charge or a variable charge will be applied to certain creation and redemption transactions, including non-standard orders and whole or partial cash purchases or redemptions. Specifically, a Fund may charge an additional variable fee for creations and redemptions in cash to offset brokerage and other impact expenses associated with the cash transaction. With respect to creation orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Instruments to the account of the Trust and with respect to redemption orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities received on redemption from the Trust to their account or on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may also be charged a fee for such services.

In its discretion, the Adviser reserves the right to increase or decrease the number of a Fund’s Shares that constitute a Creation Unit. The Board reserves the right to declare a split or a consolidation in the number of shares outstanding of a Fund, and to make a corresponding change in the number of shares constituting a Creation Unit, in the event that the per share price in the secondary market rises (or declines) to an amount that falls outside the range deemed desirable by the Board.

A “Business Day” with respect to the Funds is each day the NYSE, the Exchange and the Trust are open, including any day that a Fund is required to be open under Section 22(e) of the Act, which excludes weekends and the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Orders from large institutional investors who have entered into agreements with the Funds’ Distributor to create or redeem Creation Units will only be accepted on a Business Day.

The time at which transactions and shares are priced and the time by which orders must be received may be changed in case of an emergency or if regular trading on the NYSE is stopped at a time other than its regularly scheduled closing time. The Trust reserves the right to reprocess creation and redemption transactions that were initially processed at a NAV other than a Fund’s official closing NAV (as each may be subsequently adjusted), and to recover amounts from (or distribute amounts to) Authorized Participants (as defined below) based on the official closing NAV. The Trust reserves the right to advance the time by which creation and redemption orders must be received for same business day credit as otherwise permitted by the SEC.

Fund Deposit

The consideration for purchase of Creation Units generally consists of Deposit Securities and/or the Cash Component. Together, the Deposit Securities and Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit of a Fund. The portfolio of securities required may be different than the portfolio of securities such Fund will deliver upon redemption of Fund shares.

The function of the Cash Component is to compensate for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the Deposit Amount (as defined below). The Cash Component would be an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the “Deposit Amount,” which is an amount equal to the market value of the Deposit Securities. If the Cash Component is a positive number (the NAV per Creation Unit exceeds the Deposit Amount), the Authorized Participant will deliver the Cash Component. If the Cash Component is a negative number (the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the Deposit Amount), the Authorized Participant will receive the Cash Component. 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, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant. The Cash Component may also include a “Dividend Equivalent Payment,” which enables each Fund to make a complete distribution of dividends on the next dividend payment date, and is an amount equal, on a per

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Creation Unit basis, to the dividends on all the securities held by the Fund with ex-dividend dates within the accumulation period for such distribution (the “Accumulation Period”), net of expenses and liabilities for such period, as if all of the securities had been held by the Trust for the entire Accumulation Period. The Accumulation Period begins on the ex-dividend date for each Fund and ends on the next ex-dividend date.

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

Procedures of Creating Creation Units

To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit of a Fund, an entity must be a member or participant of a clearing agency registered with the SEC, which has a written agreement with the Fund or one of its service providers that allows the authorized participant to place orders for the purchase and redemption of Creation Units (a “Participant Agreement,” and such participants, an “Authorized Participant”).All shares of the Funds, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of its nominee for the account of a participant of DTC (“DTC Participant”).

Except as described below, and in all cases subject to the terms of the applicable Participant Agreement, all orders to create Creation Units of a Fund must be received by the Transfer Agent no later than the closing time of the regular trading session of the Exchange (“Order Cutoff Time”) (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) in each case on the date such order is placed for creation of Creation Units to be effected based on the NAV of shares of such Fund as next determined after receipt of an order in proper form. A “Custom Order” may be placed by an Authorized Participant in the event that a Fund accepts (or delivers, in the case of a redemption) a basket of securities and/or cash that differs from a basket of Deposit Securities and/or cash published or transacted on a Business Day (discussed below). Custom Orders must be received by the Transfer Agent at such earlier time as provided in the Participant Agreement and/or applicable order form. On days when the Exchange closes earlier than normal (such as the day before a holiday), the Fund requires standard orders to create Creation Units to be placed by the earlier closing time and Custom Orders to create Creation Units must be received no later than one hour prior to the earlier closing time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust may, but is not required to, permit Custom Orders until 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, or until the market close (in the event the Exchange closes early). The date on which an order to create Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as discussed below) is placed is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant through the Transfer Agent’s electronic order system or by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Transfer Agent and approved by the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure may impede the ability to reach the Transfer Agent, Distributor or an Authorized Participant.

All investor orders to create Creation Units shall be placed with an Authorized Participant in the form required by such Authorized Participant. In addition, an Authorized Participant may request that an investor make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to an order (to provide for payments of cash). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and, therefore, orders to create Creation Units of a Fund will have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant. In such cases, there may be additional charges to such investor. A limited number of broker-dealers are expected to execute a Participant Agreement and only a small number of such Authorized Participants are expected to have international capabilities.

Creation Units may be created in advance of the receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the Fund Deposit. In such cases, the Authorized Participant will remain liable for the full deposit of the missing portion(s) of the Fund Deposit and will be required to post collateral with the Trust consisting of cash at least equal to a percentage of the marked to market value of such missing portion(s) that is specified in the Participant Agreement. The Trust may use such collateral to buy the missing portion(s) of the Fund Deposit at any time and will subject such Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such securities and the value of such collateral. The Trust will have no liability for any such

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shortfall. The Trust will return any unused portion of the collateral to the Authorized Participant once the entire Fund Deposit has been properly received by the Transfer Agent and deposited into the Trust.

 

Orders for Creation Units that are affected outside the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”) are likely to require transmittal by the DTC Participant earlier on the Transmittal Date than orders effected using the Clearing Process. Those persons placing orders outside the Clearing Process should ascertain the deadlines applicable to DTC and the Federal Reserve Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depository institution effectuating such transfer of Deposit Securities and Cash Component.

Acceptance of Creation Orders

The Trust reserves the right to reject a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor, for any reason, including but not limited to the following: (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the creator or creators, upon obtaining the Shares, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding Shares of the Fund; (c) the Deposit Securities delivered are not as specified by the Administrator, as described above; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; or (e) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Distributor and the Adviser make it for all practical purposes impossible to process creation orders. Examples of such circumstances include, without limitation, acts of God or public service or utility problems such as earthquakes, fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; wars; civil or military disturbances, including acts of civil or military authority or governmental actions; terrorism; sabotage; epidemics; riots; labor disputes; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, the Adviser, the Distributor, DTC, the NSCC or any other participant in the creation process, and similar extraordinary events. The Transfer Agent will notify an Authorized Participant if an order is rejected. The Trust, the Custodian, any sub-custodian, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits to Authorized Participants nor shall any of them incur any liability to Authorized Participants for the failure to give any such notification. All questions as to the amounts of 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.

Portfolio Trading by Authorized Participants

When creation or redemption transactions consist of cash, the transactions may require the Fund to contemporaneously transact with broker-dealers for purchases or sales of portfolio securities, as applicable. Depending on the timing of the transactions and certain other factors, such transactions may be placed with the purchasing or redeeming Authorized Participant in its capacity as a broker-dealer or with its affiliated broker-dealer and conditioned upon an agreement with the Authorized Participant or its affiliated broker-dealer to transact at guaranteed prices in order to reduce transaction costs incurred as a consequence of settling creations or redemptions in cash rather than in-kind. Specifically, following the Fund’s receipt of a creation or redemption order, to the extent such purchases or redemptions consist of a cash portion, the Fund may enter an order with the Authorized Participant or its affiliated broker-dealer to purchase or sell the portfolio securities, as applicable. Such Authorized Participant or its affiliated broker-dealer will be required to guarantee that the Fund will achieve execution of its order at a price at least as favorable to the Fund as the Fund’s valuation of the portfolio securities used for purposes of calculating the NAV applied to the creation or redemption transaction giving rise to the order. Whether the execution of the order is at a price at least as favorable to the Fund will depend on the results achieved by the executing firm and will vary depending on market activity, timing, and a variety of other factors. An Authorized Participant is required to deposit an amount with the Fund in order to ensure that the execution of the order on the terms noted above will be honored on orders arising from creation transactions executed by an Authorized Participant or its affiliate as broker-dealer. If the broker-dealer executing the order achieves executions in market transactions at a price equal to or more favorable than the Fund’s valuation of the portfolio securities, the Fund receives the benefit of the favorable executions and the deposit is returned to the Authorized Participant. If, however, the broker-dealer executing the order is unable to achieve a price at least equal to the Fund’s valuation of the securities, the Fund retains the portion of the deposit equal to the full amount of the execution shortfall (including any taxes, brokerage commissions or other costs) and

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may require the Authorized Participant to deposit any additional amount required to cover the full amount of the actual execution transaction.

 

An Authorized Participant agrees to pay the shortfall amount in order to ensure that a guarantee on execution will be honored for brokerage orders arising from redemption transactions executed by an Authorized Participant or its affiliate as broker-dealer. If the broker-dealer executing the order achieves executions in market transactions at a price equal to or more favorable than the Fund’s valuation of the portfolio securities, the Fund receives the benefit of the favorable executions. If, however, the broker-dealer is unable to achieve executions in market transactions at a price at least equal to the Fund’s valuation of the securities, the Fund will be entitled to the portion of the offset equal to the full amount of the execution shortfall (including any taxes, brokerage commissions, or other costs).

Redemption of Creation Units

Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form on a Business Day and only through a Participating Party or DTC Participant who has executed a Participant Agreement. The Funds will not redeem Shares in amounts less than Creation Units (except each Fund may redeem Shares in amounts less than a Creation Unit in the event the Fund is being liquidated). Beneficial owners must accumulate enough Shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit in order to have such Shares 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. Authorized Participants should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit. All redemptions are subject to the procedures contained in the applicable Participant Agreement.

With respect to a 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 identity and number or amount of each Fund’s securities (“Fund Securities”) and/or an amount of cash that will be applicable (subject to possible amendment or correction) to redemption requests received in proper form (as described below) on that day. All orders are subject to acceptance by the Distributor. Fund Securities received on redemption may not be identical to Deposit Securities that are applicable to creations of Creation Units.

Unless cash-only redemptions are available or specified for a Fund, the redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will generally consist of Fund Securities – as published on the Business Day of the request for a redemption order received in proper form – plus cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the Shares being redeemed, as next determined after a receipt of a request in proper form, and the value of the Fund Securities, less the redemption transaction fee and variable fees described below. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust reserves the right to deliver a basket of securities and/or cash that differs from a basket of Fund Securities and/or cash published or transacted on a Business Day, or to substitute an amount of cash (a “cash-in-lieu” amount) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Fund Security. Where “cash-in-lieu” is used, the amount of cash paid out in such cases will be equivalent to the value of the instrument listed as a Deposit Security. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the Shares, a compensating cash payment equal to the difference is required to be made by an Authorized Participant.

Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state securities laws, and each Fund 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 a beneficial owner of shares for which it is acting, subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the redemption of a Creation Unit may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. This would specifically prohibit delivery of Fund Securities that are not registered in reliance upon Rule 144A under the 1933 Act to a redeeming beneficial owner of shares that is not a “qualified institutional buyer,” as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming beneficial owner of the shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment.

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to a Fund: (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii)

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for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities it owns or determination of the Fund’s NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as permitted by the SEC.

 

If the Trust determines, based on information available to the Trust when a redemption request is submitted by an Authorized Participant, that (i) the short interest of the Fund in the marketplace is greater than or equal to 100% and (ii) the orders in the aggregate from all Authorized Participants redeeming Fund Shares on a Business Day represent 25% or more of the outstanding Shares of the Fund, such Authorized Participant will be required to verify to the Trust the accuracy of its representations that are deemed to have been made by submitting a request for redemption. If, after receiving notice of the verification requirement, the Authorized Participant does not verify the accuracy of its representations that are deemed to have been made by submitting a request for redemption in accordance with this requirement, its redemption request will be considered not to have been received in proper form.]

ACCOUNT POLICIES AND FEATURES

Valuation of Shares

In the calculation of a Fund’s NAV: (1) an equity portfolio security listed or traded on an exchange is valued at its latest reported sale price (or at the exchange official closing price if such exchange reports an official closing price), and if there were no sales on a given day and if there is no official exchange closing price for that day, the security is valued at the mean between the last reported bid and asked prices if such bid and asked prices are available on the relevant exchanges; and (2) all other equity portfolio securities for which OTC market quotations are readily available are valued at the latest reported sale price (or at the market official closing price if such market reports an official closing price), and if there was no trading in the security on a given day and if there is no official closing price from the relevant markets for that day, the security is valued at the mean between the last reported bid and asked prices if such bid and asked prices are available on the relevant markets. Listed securities not traded on the valuation date with no reported bid and asked prices available on the exchange are valued at the mean between the current bid and asked prices obtained from one or more reputable brokers or dealers. An unlisted equity security that does not trade on the valuation date and for which bid and asked prices from the relevant markets are unavailable is valued at the mean between the current bid and asked prices obtained from one or more reputable brokers or dealers. In cases where a security is traded on more than one exchange, the security is valued on the exchange designated as the primary market. When market quotations are not readily available, including circumstances under which it is determined by the Adviser, as applicable, that the closing price, the last sale price or the mean between the last reported bid and asked prices are not reflective of a security’s market value, portfolio securities are valued at their fair value as determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board. For valuation purposes, quotations of foreign portfolio securities, other assets and liabilities and forward contracts stated in foreign currency are translated into U.S. dollar equivalents at the prevailing market rates prior to the close of the NYSE.

Certain of a Fund’s securities may be valued using as an input evaluated prices provided by an outside pricing service approved by the Board. Prices obtained from these approved sources are monitored and reviewed by the Adviser’s Valuation Committee and if not deemed to represent fair value, may be overridden and valued using procedures adopted by the Board. The pricing service may utilize a matrix system or other model incorporating attributes such as security quality, maturity and coupon as the evaluation model parameters, and/or research evaluations by its staff, including review of broker-dealer market price quotations in determining what it believes is the fair valuation of the portfolio securities valued by such pricing service. Pricing services generally value securities assuming orderly transactions of an institutional round lot size, but a Fund may hold or transact in such securities in smaller, odd lot sizes. Odd lots often trade at lower prices than institutional round lots. In certain cases where a valuation is not available from any of the approved pricing services, then a quote from a broker or dealer may be used.

The value of all assets and liabilities expressed in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollar values at foreign currency exchange rates generally determined as of 4:00 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time. If such quotations are not available, the rate of exchange will be determined in good faith under procedures established by the Board of Trustees.

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Generally, trading in securities on European, Asian and Far Eastern securities exchanges and on over-the-counter markets in these regions is substantially completed at various times prior to the close of business on each Business Day in New York (i.e., a day on which the NYSE is open for trading). In addition, European, Asian or Far Eastern securities trading generally or in a particular country or countries may not take place on all Business Days in New York. Furthermore, trading takes place in various foreign markets on days which are not Business Days in New York and days on which the Fund’s NAV is not calculated. Such calculation does not take place contemporaneously with the determination of the prices of the majority of the portfolio securities used in such calculation.

 

The Adviser, consistent with its procedures and applicable regulatory guidance, may (but need not) determine to make an adjustment to the previous closing prices of either domestic or foreign securities in light of significant events, to reflect what it believes to be the fair value of the securities at the time of determining the Fund’s NAV. Significant events that could affect a large number of securities in a particular market may include, but are not limited to: situations relating to one or more single issuers in a market sector; significant fluctuations in U.S. or foreign markets; market dislocations; market disruptions or unscheduled market closings; equipment failures; natural or man-made disasters or acts of God; armed conflicts; governmental actions or other developments; as well as the same or similar events which may affect specific issuers or the securities markets even though not tied directly to the securities markets. Other significant events that could relate to a single issuer may include, but are not limited to: corporate actions such as reorganizations, mergers and buy-outs; corporate announcements, including those relating to earnings, products and regulatory news; significant litigation; ratings downgrades; bankruptcies; and trading limits or suspensions.

In general, fair value represents a good faith approximation of the current value of an asset and may be used when there is no public market or possibly no market at all for an asset. A security that is fair valued may be valued at a price higher or lower than actual market quotations or the value determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures or by other investors. The fair value of an asset may not be the price at which that asset is ultimately sold.

The proceeds received by each Fund from the issue or sale of its Shares, and all net investment income, realized and unrealized gain and proceeds thereof, subject only to the rights of creditors, will be specifically allocated to the Fund or particular series and constitute the underlying assets of each Fund. The underlying assets of a Fund will be segregated on the books of account, and will be charged with the liabilities in respect of a Fund and with a share of the general liabilities of the Trust. Expenses of the Trust with respect to the Fund and the other series of the Trust are generally allocated in proportion to the NAVs of the respective Fund except where allocations of expenses can otherwise be fairly made.

The Fund relies on various sources to calculate its NAV. The ability of the Fund’s provider of administrative services to calculate the NAV per share of the Fund is subject to operational risks associated with processing or human errors, systems or technology failures, cyber attacks and errors caused by third party service providers, data sources, or trading counterparties. Such failures may result in delays in the calculation of the Fund’s NAV and/or the inability to calculate NAV over extended time periods. The Fund may be unable to recover any losses associated with such failures. In addition, if the third-party service providers and/or data sources upon which the Fund directly or indirectly relies to calculate its NAV or price individual securities are unavailable or otherwise unable to calculate the NAV correctly, it may be necessary for alternative procedures to be utilized to price the securities at the time of determining the Fund’s NAV.

MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

[Trustees and Officers

The Board of the Trust consists of [_____] Trustees. None of the Trustees have an affiliation or business connection with the Adviser or any of its affiliated persons or own any stock or other securities issued by the Adviser’s parent company, Morgan Stanley. These Trustees are the “non-interested” or “Independent” Trustees of the Trust as defined under the 1940 Act.

Board Structure and Oversight Function

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The Board’s leadership structure features an Independent Trustee serving as Chairperson and the Board Committees described below. The Chairperson participates in the preparation of the agenda for meetings of the Board and the preparation of information to be presented to the Board with respect to matters to be acted upon by the Board. The Chairperson also presides at all meetings of the Board and is involved in discussions regarding matters pertaining to the oversight of the management of the Trust between meetings.

 

The Board of Trustees operates using a system of committees to facilitate the timely and efficient consideration of all matters of importance to the Trustees, the Trust and Trust stockholders, and to facilitate compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and oversight of the Trust’s activities and associated risks. The Board of Trustees has established six standing committees: (1) Audit Committee, (2) Governance Committee, (3) Compliance and Insurance Committee and (4) Equity Investment Committee, (5) Fixed Income, Liquidity and Alternatives Investment Committee and (6) Risk Committee, which are each comprised exclusively of Independent Trustees. Each committee charter governs the scope of the committee’s responsibilities with respect to the oversight of the Trust. The responsibilities of each committee, including their oversight responsibilities, are described further under the caption “Independent Trustees and the Committees.”

A Fund is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational and valuation risk, among others. The Board of Trustees oversees these risks as part of its broader oversight of the Trust’s affairs through various Board and committee activities. The Board has adopted, and periodically reviews, policies and procedures designed to address various risks to a Fund. In addition, appropriate personnel, including but not limited to the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer, members of the Trust’s administration and accounting teams, representatives from a Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, the Trust’s Treasurer, portfolio management personnel, risk management personnel and independent valuation and brokerage evaluation service providers, make regular reports regarding the Trust’s activities and related risks to the Board of Trustees and the committees, as appropriate. These reports include, among others, quarterly performance reports, quarterly risk reports and discussions with members of the risk teams relating to each asset class. The Board’s committee structure allows separate committees to focus on different aspects of risk and the potential impact of these risks on some or all of the funds in the complex and then report back to the full Board. In between regular meetings, Trust officers also communicate with the Trustees regarding material exceptions and items relevant to the Board’s risk oversight function. The Board recognizes that it is not possible to identify all of the risks that may affect a Fund, and that it is not possible to develop processes and controls to eliminate all of the risks that may affect a Fund. Moreover, the Board recognizes that it may be necessary for a Fund to bear certain risks (such as investment risk) to achieve their respective investment objectives.

As needed between meetings of the Board, the Board or a specific committee receives and reviews reports relating to the Trust and engages in discussions with appropriate parties relating to the Trust’s operations and related risks.

Trustees

The Trust seeks as Trustees individuals of distinction and experience in business and finance, government service or academia. In determining that a particular Trustee was and continues to be qualified to serve as Trustee, the Board has considered a variety of criteria, none of which, in isolation, was controlling. Based on a review of the experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each Trustee, including those enumerated in the table below, the Board has determined that each of the Trustees is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust. In addition, the Board believes that, collectively, the Trustees have balanced and diverse experience, qualifications, attributes and skills that allow the Board to operate effectively in governing the Trust and protecting the interests of shareholders. Information about the Trust’s Governance Committee and Board of Trustees nomination process is provided below under the caption “Independent Trustees and the Committees.”

The Trustees of the Trust, their birth years, addresses, positions held, length of time served, their principal business occupations during the past five years and other relevant professional experience, the number of portfolios in the Fund Complex (described below) overseen by each Independent Trustee and other directorships, if any, held by the Trustees, are shown below (as of January 1, 2022). The Fund Complex includes all open-end and closed-end funds (including all of their portfolios) advised by the Adviser and any

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registered funds that have an adviser that is an affiliate of the Adviser (including, but not limited to, Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP) (the “Morgan Stanley AIP Funds”).

 

[TRUSTEE TABLE TO BE INCLUDED]

 

The executive officers of the Trust, their birth years, addresses, positions held, length of time served and their principal business occupations during the past five years are shown below (as of [ ], 2022).

 

Name, Address and Birth Year of Executive Officer Position(s) Held with Registrant Length of Time Served* Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
John H. Gernon
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1963
President and Principal Executive Officer Since September 2013 President and Principal Executive Officer of the Equity and Fixed Income Funds and the Morgan Stanley AIP Funds (since September 2013) and the Liquidity Funds and various money market funds (since May 2014) in the Fund Complex; Managing Director of the Adviser.
Deidre A. Downes
1633 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
Birth Year: 1977
Chief Compliance Officer Since November 2021 Executive Director of the Adviser (since January 2021) and Chief Compliance officer of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since November 2021). Formerly, Vice President and Corporate Counsel at PGIM and Prudential Financial (October 2016 – December 2020).
Francis J. Smith
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1965
Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer Treasurer since July 2003 and Principal Financial Officer since September 2002 Managing Director of the Adviser and various entities affiliated with the Adviser; Treasurer (since July 2003) and Principal Financial Officer of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since September 2002).
Mary E. Mullin
1633 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
Birth Year: 1967
Secretary Since June 1999 Managing Director of the Adviser; Secretary of various Morgan Stanley Funds (since June 1999).
Michael J. Key
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Birth Year: 1979
Vice President Since June 2017 Vice President of the Equity and Fixed Income Funds, Liquidity Funds, various money market funds and the Morgan Stanley AIP Funds in the Fund Complex (since June 2017); Managing Director of the Adviser; Head of Product Development for Equity and Fixed Income Funds (since August 2013).

 

* This is the earliest date the officer began serving the Morgan Stanley Funds. Each officer serves an indefinite term, until his or her successor is elected.

 

In addition, the following individuals who are officers of the Adviser or its affiliates serve as assistant secretaries of the Trust: [ ].

 

It is a policy of the Trust’s Board that each Trustee shall invest in any combination of the Morgan Stanley Funds that the Trustee determines meets his or her own specific investment objectives, without requiring any specific investment in any particular Fund.

 

For each Trustee, the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by the Trustee in the Funds and in the Family of Investment Companies (Family of Investment Companies includes all of the registered investment companies advised by the Adviser and Morgan Stanley AIP GP LP) for the calendar year ended December 31, 2021 is set forth in the table below.

 

[TRUSTEE OWNSERSHIP TABLE TO BE UPDATED BY AMENDMENT]

 

As to each Independent Trustee and his or her immediate family members, no person owned beneficially or of record securities of an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust, or a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Trust.

 

As of [__________], 2022, the Trustees and officers of the Trust, as a group, owned less than 1% of any class of the outstanding shares of beneficial interest of each Fund.

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Independent Trustees and the Committees

Law and regulation establish both general guidelines and specific duties for the Independent Trustees. The Board has six committees: (1) Audit Committee, (2) Governance Committee, (3) Compliance and Insurance Committee, (4) Equity Investment Committee, (5) Fixed Income, Liquidity and Alternatives Investment Committee and (6) Risk Committee.

The Independent Trustees are charged with recommending to the full Board approval of management, advisory and administration contracts, Rule 12b-1 plans and distribution and underwriting agreements; continually reviewing fund performance; checking on the pricing of portfolio securities, brokerage commissions, transfer agent costs and performance and trading among funds in the same complex; and approving fidelity bond and related insurance coverage and allocations, as well as other matters that arise from time to time. The Independent Trustees are required to select and nominate individuals to fill any Independent Trustee vacancy on the board of any fund that has a Rule 12b-1 plan of distribution.

The Board of Trustees has a separately-designated standing Audit Committee established in accordance with Section 3(a)(58)(A) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”). The Audit Committee is charged with recommending to the full Board the engagement or discharge of the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm; directing investigations into matters within the scope of the independent registered public accounting firm’s duties, including the power to retain outside specialists; reviewing with the independent registered public accounting firm the audit plan and results of the auditing engagement; approving professional services provided by the independent registered public accounting firm and other accounting firms prior to the performance of the services; reviewing the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm; considering the range of audit and non-audit fees; reviewing the adequacy of the Trust’s system of internal controls; and reviewing the valuation process. The Trust has adopted a formal, written Audit Committee Charter.

[DIRECTOR BIOS AND OTHER DESCRIPTIONS OF THE BOARD STRUCTURE TO BE ADDED BY AMENDMENT]

The Trustees’ principal occupations and other relevant professional experience during the past five years or more are shown in the above tables.

The Board has adopted a policy that Board members are expected to retire no later than the end of the year they reach the age of 78. The Governance Committee has discretion to grant waivers from this retirement policy under special circumstances, including for Board members to continue serving in Chair or Chair-related roles beyond the retirement age. Current Board members who have reached the age of 75 as of January 1, 2021, are grandfathered as exceptions to the retirement policy and may continue to serve on the Board until the end of the year in which they turn 80 years of age.

Advantages of Having the Same Individuals as Trustees for the Morgan Stanley Funds

The Independent Trustees and the Trust’s management believe that having the same Independent Trustees for each of the Morgan Stanley Funds avoids the duplication of effort that would arise from having different groups of individuals serving as Independent Trustees for each of the funds or even of sub-groups of funds. They believe that having the same individuals serve as Independent Trustees of all the Morgan Stanley Funds tends to increase their knowledge and expertise regarding matters which affect the Fund Complex generally and enhances their ability to negotiate on behalf of each fund with the fund’s service providers. This arrangement also precludes the possibility of separate groups of Independent Trustees arriving at conflicting decisions regarding operations and management of the funds and avoids the cost and confusion that would likely ensue. Finally, having the same Independent Trustees serve on all fund boards enhances the ability of each fund to obtain, at modest cost to each separate fund, the services of Independent Trustees of the caliber, experience and business acumen of the individuals who serve as Independent Trustees of the Morgan Stanley Funds.

Trustee and Officer Indemnification

 

The Trust’s Declaration of Trust provides that no Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust is liable to the Trust or to a shareholder, nor is any Trustee, officer, employee or agent liable to any third persons

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in connection with the affairs of the Trust, except as such liability may arise from his/her or its own bad faith, willful malfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his/her or its duties. It also provides that all third persons shall look solely to Trust property for satisfaction of claims arising in connection with the affairs of the Trust. With the exceptions stated, the Articles of Incorporation provides that a Trustee, officer, employee or agent is entitled to be indemnified against all liability in connection with the affairs of the Trust.

Shareholder Communications

Shareholders may send communications to the Trust’s Board of Trustees. Shareholders should send communications intended for the Trust’s Board by addressing the communications directly to the Board (or individual Board members) and/or otherwise clearly indicating in the salutation that the communication is for the Board (or individual Board members) and by sending the communication to either the Trust’s office or directly to such Board member(s) at the address specified for each Trustee previously noted. Other shareholder communications received by the Trust not directly addressed and sent to the Board will be reviewed and generally responded to by management, and will be forwarded to the Board only at management’s discretion based on the matters contained therein.

Compensation

[TO BE PROVIDED BY AMENDMENT]

Code of Ethics

Pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, the Board of Trustees has adopted a Code of Ethics for the Trust and approved a Code of Ethics adopted by the Adviser and the Distributor (collectively the “Codes”). The Codes are intended to ensure that the interests of shareholders and other clients are placed ahead of any personal interest, that no undue personal benefit is obtained from the person’s employment activities and that actual and potential conflicts of interest are avoided.

The Codes are designed to detect and prevent improper personal trading. The Codes permit personnel subject to the Codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased, sold or held by the Trust, subject to a number of restrictions and controls, including prohibitions against purchases of securities in an initial public offering and a pre-clearance requirement with respect to personal securities transactions.]

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

Adviser

The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morgan Stanley (NYSE: “MS”), a preeminent global financial services firm engaged in securities trading and brokerage activities, as well as providing investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory services. The principal offices of Morgan Stanley are located at 1585 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, and the principal offices of the Adviser are located at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036. As of [ ], 2022, the Adviser, together with its affiliated asset management companies, had approximately [ ] in assets under management or supervision The Adviser provides investment advice and portfolio management services pursuant to an Management Agreement (the “Agreement”) and, subject to the supervision of the Trust’s Board of Trustees, makes or oversees each of the Fund’s day-to-day investment decisions, arranges for the execution of portfolio transactions and generally manages each of the Fund’s investments.

The Funds paid no management fees as of the date of this SAI because the Funds had not yet commenced operations.

The Agreement [was approved for an initial two-year period on [_______], 2022] and continues for successive one year periods, only if each renewal is specifically approved by an in-person vote of the Trust’s Board, including the affirmative votes of a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such approval. In addition, the question of continuance of the Agreement may be presented to the shareholders of each Fund; in such event, continuance shall be effected only if approved by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund of the Trust. If the holders of any Fund fail to approve the Agreement, the Adviser may continue to serve as investment

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adviser to each Fund that approved the Agreement, and to any Fund that did not approve the Agreement until new arrangements have been made. The Agreement is automatically terminated if assigned, and may be terminated by any Fund without the payment of any penalty, at any time, (1) by vote of a majority of the entire Board or (2) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser or (3) by the Adviser without the payment of any penalty, upon 90 days’ written notice to the Trust.

[The Board of Trustees of the Trust has approved a unitary management fee structure for each Fund. Under the unitary fee structure, the Adviser is responsible for paying substantially all the expenses of each Fund, excluding payments under each Fund’s 12b-1 plan (if any), interest expenses, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage fees, costs of holding shareholder meetings, brokerage commissions, fees and expenses associated with a Fund’s securities lending program, if applicable, and litigation, indemnification and extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of a Fund’s business. The imposition of the Adviser’s fees, as well as any other operating expenses not borne by the Adviser as described above, will have the effect of reducing the total return to investors. From time to time, the Adviser may waive receipt of its fees, which would have the effect of lowering each Fund’s overall expense ratio and increasing total return to investors at the time such amounts are waived or assumed, as the case may be.]

Proxy Voting Policy and Proxy Voting Record

The Board of Trustees believes that the voting of proxies on securities held by the Trust is an important element of the overall investment process. As such, the Trustees have delegated the responsibility to vote such proxies to MSIM.

A copy of MSIM’s Proxy Voting Policy (“Proxy Policy”) is attached hereto as Appendix A. In addition, a copy of the Proxy Policy, as well as the Trust’s most recent proxy voting record for the 12-month period ending [ ], as filed with the SEC, will be available without charge on our web site at [ ]. The Trust’s proxy voting record is also available without charge on the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov.

Principal Underwriter

[ ] with principal offices at [ ], acts as the exclusive principal underwriter with respect to the continuous offering of the Funds’ shares pursuant to the Distribution Agreement. The Distribution Agreement continues in effect so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually in conformity with the requirements of the 1940 Act. The Distribution Agreement provides that the Trust will bear the costs of the registration of its shares with the SEC and various states and the printing of its prospectuses, statements of additional information and reports to shareholders.

[Fund Administration

[ ] with principal offices at [ ] provides administrative services to the Funds [pursuant to an the Administration Agreement (the “Administration Agreement”)].]

Custodian

[__________], located at [______________], acts as the Trust’s custodian. [__________] is not an affiliate of the Adviser or the Distributor. In maintaining custody of foreign assets held outside the United States, [__________] has contracted with various foreign banks and depositaries in accordance with regulations of the SEC for the purpose of providing custodial services for such assets.

In the selection of foreign sub-custodians, the Trustees or their delegates consider a number of factors, including, but not limited to, the reliability and financial stability of the institution, the ability of the institution to provide efficiently the custodial services required for the Trust, and the reputation of the institution in the particular country or region.

Dividend Disbursing and Transfer Agent

[__________], located at [______________], provides dividend disbursing and transfer agency services for the Trust.

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Portfolio Managers

Portfolio Manager Compensation Structure

[TO BE PROVIDED BY AMENDMENT]

Other Accounts Managed by Portfolio Managers as of [__________]

Because the portfolio managers may manage assets for other investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and/or other accounts (including institutional clients, pension plans and certain high net worth individuals), there may be an incentive to favor one client over another resulting in conflicts of interest. For instance, the Adviser may receive fees from certain accounts that are higher than the fee they receive from the Trust, or they may receive a performance-based fee on certain accounts. In those instances, the portfolio managers may have an incentive to favor the higher and/or performance-based fee accounts over the Trust. In addition, a conflict of interest could exist to the extent the Adviser has proprietary investments in certain accounts, where portfolio managers have personal investments in certain accounts or when certain accounts are investment options in the Adviser’s employee benefits and/or deferred compensation plans. The portfolio manager may have an incentive to favor these accounts over others. If the Adviser manages accounts that engage in short sales of securities of the type in which the Trust invests, the Adviser could be seen as harming the performance of the Trust for the benefit of the accounts engaging in short sales if the short sales cause the market value of the securities to fall. The Adviser have adopted trade allocation and other policies and procedures that they believe are reasonably designed to address these and other conflicts of interest.

[TABLE TO BE ADDED BY AMENDMENT]

Securities Ownership of Portfolio Managers

As of [__________], 2022, no portfolio manager beneficially owned (or held notionally through IMAP) any shares of the Trust.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

[__________], located at [______________], serves as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm and provides audit and audit-related services, tax-related services and assistance in connection with various SEC filings.

Fund Counsel

Dechert LLP, located at 1095 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036-6797, acts as the Trust’s legal counsel.

Securities Lending

Pursuant to an agreement between the Trust and [__________], the Funds may lend their securities through [__________] as securities lending agent to certain qualified borrowers. As securities lending agent of the Trust, [__________] administers the Funds’ securities lending program. These services include arranging the loans of securities with approved borrowers and their return to the Fund upon loan termination, negotiating the terms of such loans, selecting the securities to be loaned and monitoring dividend activity relating to loaned securities. [__________] also marks-to-market daily the value of loaned securities and collateral and may require additional collateral as necessary from borrowers. [__________] may also, in its capacity as securities lending agent, invest cash received as collateral in pre-approved investments in accordance with the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement. [__________] maintains records of loans made and income derived therefrom and makes available such records that the Trust deems necessary to monitor the securities lending program.]

DISTRIBUTION AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLANS

[The Board of Trustees of the Trust has adopted a distribution and service plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Act. Under the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees in connection with the sale and distribution of its Shares and pay service fees in connection with the provision of ongoing services to shareholders of the Fund and the maintenance of shareholder accounts in an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year.

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No Rule 12b-1 fees are currently paid by the Funds, and there are no current plans to impose these fees. However, in the event Rule 12b-1 fees are charged in the future, because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, these fees will increase the cost of your investment in the Fund. By purchasing Shares subject to distribution fees and service fees, you may pay more over time than you would by purchasing Shares with other types of sales charge arrangements. Long-term shareholders may pay more than the economic equivalent of the maximum front-end sales charge permitted by the rules of FINRA. The net income attributable to Shares will be reduced by the amount of distribution fees and service fees and other expenses of the Fund.]

Other Payments to Intermediaries

The Adviser and/or the Distributor may also make payments, out of their own assets and not as an expense to a Fund, to Intermediaries to offset certain nominal expenses of Intermediaries related to setup, connectivity or other technological maintenance of the Intermediary’s investment platform and/or the provision of services with respect to a Fund or share class on an Intermediary’s investment platform. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering an investment in Fund shares.]

BROKERAGE PRACTICES

Portfolio Transactions

The Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for a Fund, for broker-dealer selection and for negotiation of commission rates. The Adviser are prohibited from directing brokerage transactions on the basis of the referral of clients or the sale of shares of advised investment companies. Purchases and sales of securities on a stock exchange are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. In the OTC market, securities may be traded as agency transactions through broker-dealers or traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes profit to the dealer. In underwritten offerings, securities are purchased at a fixed price which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. When securities are purchased or sold directly from or to an issuer, no commissions or discounts are paid.

To the extent creation or redemption transactions are conducted on a cash or “cash in lieu” basis, a Fund may contemporaneously transact with broker-dealers for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities in connection with such transactions. Such orders may be placed with an Authorized Participant in its capacity as broker-dealer, a broker-dealer that is affiliated with the Authorized Participant, or a third-party broker-dealer. Specifically, following a Fund’s receipt of a creation or redemption order, to the extent such purchases or redemptions consist of a cash portion, the Fund may enter an order with the Authorized Participant, its affiliated broker-dealer or a third-party broker-dealer to purchase or sell the portfolio securities, as applicable. The executing broker-dealer will be required to guarantee that the Fund will achieve execution of its order at a price at least as favorable to the Fund as the Fund’s valuation of the portfolio securities used for purposes of calculating the NAV applied to the creation or redemption transaction giving rise to the order (the “Price Guarantee”). Whether the execution of the order is at a price at least as favorable to the Fund will depend on the results achieved by the executing firm and will vary depending on market activity, timing and a variety of other factors.

An Authorized Participant is required to deposit an amount with a Fund in order to ensure that the execution of the order on the terms noted above will be honored on orders arising from creation transactions executed by an Authorized Participant or its affiliate as broker-dealer. If the broker-dealer executing the order achieves executions in market transactions at a price equal to or more favorable than a Fund’s valuation of the portfolio securities, the Fund receives the benefit of the favorable executions and the deposit is returned to the Authorized Participant. If, however, the broker-dealer executing the order is unable to achieve a price at least equal to a Fund’s valuation of the securities, the Fund retains the portion of the deposit equal to the full amount of the execution shortfall (including any taxes, brokerage commissions or other costs) and may require the Authorized Participant to deposit any additional amount required to cover the full amount of the actual execution transaction.

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An Authorized Participant agrees to pay the shortfall amount in order to ensure that a guarantee on execution will be honored for brokerage orders arising from redemption transactions executed by an Authorized Participant or its affiliate as broker-dealer. If the broker-dealer executing the order achieves executions in market transactions at a price equal to or more favorable than a Fund’s valuation of the portfolio securities, the Fund receives the benefit of the favorable executions. If, however, the broker-dealer is unable to achieve executions in market transactions at a price at least equal to the Fund’s valuation of the securities, the Fund will be entitled to the portion of the offset equal to the full amount of the execution shortfall (including any taxes, brokerage commissions or other costs).

On occasion, a Fund may purchase certain money market instruments directly from an issuer without payment of a commission or concession. Money market instruments are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the dealer.

The Trust anticipates that certain of its transactions involving foreign securities will be effected on foreign securities exchanges. There is also generally less government supervision and regulation of foreign securities exchanges and brokers than in the United States.

The Adviser select broker-dealers for the execution of transactions for the Funds in accordance with their duty to seek “best execution” (i.e., the most favorable terms of execution). In seeking best execution, the Adviser are not obligated to choose the broker-dealer offering the lowest available commission rate if, in the Adviser’s reasonable judgment, (i) the total costs or proceeds from the transaction might be less favorable than may be obtained elsewhere; (ii) a higher commission is justified by the brokerage and research services provided by the broker-dealer that fall within the safe harbor of Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act or otherwise is permitted under applicable law; or (iii) other considerations, such as the order size, the time required for execution, the depth and breadth of the market for the security or minimum credit quality requirements to transact business with a particular broker-dealer. The research services received include services which aid the Adviser in fulfilling their investment decision-making responsibilities, including (a) furnishing advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, and the availability of securities or purchasers or sellers of securities; and (b) furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and the performance of accounts.

When effecting transactions on behalf of the Funds, the Adviser may trade with any broker-dealer on their list of approved broker-dealers. Approved broker-dealers have met criteria as established by the Adviser’s Trading and Research Governance team (“TRG”). TRG reviews and approves broker-dealers periodically to determine whether broker-dealers on the approved list continue to meet such criteria. The approval lists are reported quarterly to the Adviser’s Counterparty Governance Committee. When selecting an approved broker-dealer (including an affiliate) to execute securities transactions, the following factors may be considered: (i) best available price; (ii) reliability, integrity and reputation in the industry (which may include a review of financial information and creditworthiness); (iii) execution capabilities, including block positioning, speed of execution and quality and responsiveness of its trading desk; (iv) knowledge of and access to the markets for the securities being traded; (v) potential ability to obtain price improvement; (vi) ability to maintain confidentiality; (vii) ability to handle non-traditional trades; (viii) commission and commission-equivalent rates; (ix) technology infrastructure; (x) clearance and settlement capabilities; (xi) the size of the trade relative to other trades in the same instrument; (xii) ability of a counterparty to commit its capital to each Fund’s trade and its access to liquidity; (xiii) counterparty restrictions associated with a portfolio, including regulatory trading, documentation requirement or any specific clearing broker-dealer requirements; (xiv) client-directed execution; (xv) client-specific restrictions; and (xvi) such other factors as may be appropriate.

Subject to the duty to seek best execution, the Adviser uses a portion of the commissions generated when executing client transactions to acquire brokerage and research services that aid in fulfilling investment decision-making responsibilities in accordance with Section 28(e) and applicable law. Commissions paid to broker-dealers providing brokerage and research services may be higher than those charged by other broker-dealers. Subject to applicable law, the Adviser receives a benefit when using client commissions to obtain brokerage and research services because the Adviser does not have to produce or pay for the brokerage research services itself.

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Therefore, the Adviser has an incentive to select or recommend a broker-dealer based on its interest in receiving brokerage and research services, rather than solely on its clients’ interest in obtaining the best price.

The Adviser has adopted policies and procedures designed to help track and evaluate the benefits received from brokerage and research services, as well as to track how much clients pay above the amount that broker-dealers from which the Adviser receives brokerage and research services may have charged solely for execution of such trades. The Adviser utilizes a voting system to assist in making a good faith determination of the value of brokerage and research services it receives in accordance with Section 28(e) and applicable law. In many cases, these involve subjective judgments or approximations. The Adviser has established a process for budgeting research costs and allocating such costs across client accounts.

The Adviser and certain other affiliated advisers have entered into commission sharing arrangements (“CSAs”) with executing brokers (“CSA Partners”) and a third-party vendor (“CSA Aggregator”). Pursuant to these arrangements, and under the Adviser’s supervision, the CSA Partners and CSA Aggregator track execution and research commissions separately and pool and distribute research credits in accordance with the policies and procedures discussed above to approved research providers (which may include executing brokerage firms or independent research providers (“Approved Research Providers”)) that provide brokerage and research services. The CSA Aggregator also reconciles research credits from trades with CSA Partners, and pays Approved Research Providers and provides other related administrative functions. In addition, a CSA Partner may provide the Adviser with proprietary research it has developed and, upon instruction, may retain research commission credits as compensation for the provision of such proprietary research services. The Adviser believes that these arrangements allow it to monitor the amount of trading costs that are attributable to execution services on the one hand and other brokerage and research services on the other.

Transactions that generate research credits include equity transactions executed on an agency basis or via a riskless principal transaction where the executing broker-dealer receives a commission. The Adviser does not use CSAs or otherwise have arrangements to pay for brokerage and research services with client commissions in connection with trading fixed-income securities. Consistent with long-standing industry practice in the fixed-income markets, however, the Adviser, subject to applicable law, may receive brokerage and research services and other information, including access to fixed-income trading platforms that dealers provide for no charge to their customers in the ordinary course of business. Fixed-income instruments typically trade at a bid/ask spread and without an explicit brokerage charge. While there is not a formal trading expense or commission, clients will bear the implicit trading costs reflected in these spreads.

The Adviser may receive “mixed use” products and services from an Approved Research Provider, where a portion of the product or service assists in its investment decision-making process in accordance with Section 28(e) and a portion may be used for other purposes. Where a product or service has a mixed use, the Adviser will make a reasonable allocation of its cost according to its use and will use client commissions to pay only for the portion of the product or service that assists in its investment decision-making process. The Adviser may have an incentive to allocate the costs to uses that assist in its investment decision-making process because the Adviser may pay for such costs with client commissions rather than its own resources. To the extent the Adviser receives “mixed use” products and services, the Adviser will allocate the anticipated costs of a mixed use product or service in good faith and maintain records concerning allocations in order to mitigate such conflicts.

Client accounts that pay a greater amount of commissions relative to other accounts may bear a greater share of the cost of brokerage and research services than such other accounts. The Adviser may use brokerage and research services obtained with brokerage commissions from some clients for the benefit of other clients whose brokerage commissions do not pay for such brokerage and research services. The Adviser may also share brokerage and research services with its affiliated advisers, and the clients of its affiliated advisers may receive the benefits of such brokerage and research services. These arrangements remain subject to the Adviser’s overall obligation to seek best execution for client trading.

 

The EU’s Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (“MiFID II”), which became effective January 3, 2018, requires investment advisers regulated under MiFID II to pay for research services separately from trade execution services, either through their own resources or a research payment account funded by a specific charge to a client. Although the Adviser is not directly subject to the provisions of MiFID II, certain of its

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affiliated advisers are, such as Morgan Stanley Investment Management Limited; accordingly, as applicable, the Adviser makes a reasonable valuation and allocation of the cost of research services as between MiFID II client accounts and other accounts that participate in CSAs and will pay for research services received with respect to MiFID II client accounts from its own resources. The Adviser and affiliated advisers subject to MiFID II may separately pay for fixed-income research from their own resources. Following its withdrawal from the EU on January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom has entered a transition period, during which EU law (including MiFID II) will continue to apply in the United Kingdom. Following the transition period, investment managers in the United Kingdom may still be required to comply with certain MiFID II equivalent requirements in accordance with the handbook of rules and guidance issued by the Financial Conduct Authority.

When permitted under applicable law, portfolio managers generally will aggregate orders of their clients for the same securities in a single order so that such orders are executed simultaneously in order to facilitate best execution and to reduce brokerage costs. The Adviser effects aggregated orders in a manner designed to ensure that no participating client is favored over any other client.

In general, accounts that participate in an aggregated order will participate on a pro rata or other objective basis. Pro rata allocation of securities and other instruments will generally consist of allocation based on the order size of a participating client account in proportion to the size of the orders placed for other accounts participating in the aggregated order. However, the Adviser may allocate such securities and other instruments using a method other than pro rata if their supply is limited, based on differing portfolio characteristics among accounts or to avoid odd lots or small allocations, among other reasons. These allocations are made in the good faith judgment of the Adviser and/or the Sub-Advisers with a goal of seeking to ensure that fair and equitable allocation occurs over time. There may be times that the Adviser is not able to aggregate orders because of applicable law or other considerations when doing so might otherwise be advantageous.

Affiliated Brokers

Subject to the overriding objective of obtaining the best execution of orders, the Trust may use broker-dealer affiliates of the Adviser to effect Fund brokerage transactions, including transactions in futures contracts and options on futures contracts, under procedures adopted by the Trust’s Board of Trustees. In order to use such affiliates, the commission rates and other remuneration paid to the affiliates must be fair and reasonable in comparison to those of other broker-dealers for comparable transactions involving similar securities being purchased or sold during a comparable time period. This standard would allow the affiliated broker or dealer to receive no more than the remuneration which would be expected to be received by an unaffiliated broker.

Pursuant to an order issued by the SEC, the Trust is permitted to engage in principal transactions in money market instruments, subject to certain conditions, with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, a broker-dealer affiliated with the Trust’s Adviser.

Because the Trust has not commenced operations, the Funds have not affected any principal transactions with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC.

Brokerage Commissions Paid

Because the Trust has not commenced operations, the Trust has not paid brokerage commissions, paid brokerage commissions to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and/or its affiliated broker-dealers.

Regular Broker-Dealers

Because the Trust has not commenced operations, the Funds have not utilized broker-dealers.

Portfolio Turnover

 

The Funds generally do not invest for short-term trading purposes; however, when circumstances warrant, each Fund may sell investment securities without regard to the length of time they have been held. Market conditions in a given year could result in a higher or lower portfolio turnover rate than expected and the Funds will not consider portfolio turnover rate a limiting factor in making investment decisions consistent with their investment objectives and policies. Higher portfolio turnover (e.g., over 100%) necessarily will

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cause the Funds to pay correspondingly increased brokerage and trading costs. In addition to transaction costs, higher portfolio turnover may result in the realization of capital gains. As discussed under “Taxes,” to the extent net short-term capital gains are realized, any distributions resulting from such gains are considered ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Trust History

Morgan Stanley ETF Trust is an open-end, management investment company established under Delaware law as a Delaware business trust under a Declaration of Trust dated May 31, 2016, and further Amended and Restated on [_______], 2022 (the “Declaration of Trust”).

No Fund of the Trust is subject to the liabilities of any other Fund of the Trust.

Description of Shares and Voting Rights

Fund Shares will trade on an Exchange at market prices that may be below, at or above NAV. Shares are redeemable only in Creation Unit Aggregations and, generally, in exchange for portfolio securities and a specified cash payment. Creation Units are aggregations of [___] Shares. The Trust’s Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust permit the Trustees to issue shares of common stock, par value $.001 per share, from an unlimited number of classes or series of shares. The shares of each Fund of the Trust, when issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, and have no preference as to conversion, exchange, dividends, retirement or other features. Fund shares have no pre-emptive rights. The shares of the Trust have non-cumulative voting rights, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of the Trustees if they choose to do so. Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each full share held (and a fractional vote for each fractional share held), then standing in their name on the books of the Trust. No portfolio of the Trust is subject to the liabilities of any other portfolio of the Trust.

Dividends and Capital Gains Distributions

Each Fund’s policy is to distribute substantially all of its net investment income, if any, together with any net realized capital gains in the amount and at the times that will avoid both income (including capital gains) taxes on it and the imposition of the federal excise tax on undistributed income and capital gains. The amounts of any income dividends or capital gains distributions cannot be predicted.

Any dividend or distribution paid shortly after the purchase of shares of a Fund by an investor may have the effect of reducing the per share NAV of that Fund by the per share amount of the dividend or distribution. Furthermore, such dividends or distributions, although in effect a return of capital, may be subject to income taxes.

As set forth in the Prospectuses, unless the shareholder elects otherwise in writing, all dividends and capital gains distributions for a class of shares are automatically reinvested in additional shares of the same class of the Fund at NAV (as of the business day following the record date). This automatic reinvestment of dividends and distributions will remain in effect until the shareholder notifies the Fund by telephone or in writing that either the Income Option (income dividends in cash and capital gain distributions reinvested in shares at NAV) or the Cash Option (both income dividends and capital gains distributions in cash) has been elected. It may take up to three business days to effect this change. An account statement is sent to shareholders whenever a dividend or distribution is paid.

Each Fund within the Trust is treated as a separate entity (and hence, as a separate “regulated investment company”) for federal tax purposes. Any net capital gains recognized by a Fund are distributed to its investors without need to offset (for federal income tax purposes) such gains against any net capital losses of another Fund.

 

Undistributed net investment income is included in a Fund’s net assets for the purpose of calculating NAV. Therefore, on the ex-dividend date, the NAV excludes the dividend (i.e., is reduced by the per share amount

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of the dividend). Dividends paid shortly after the purchase of shares by an investor, although in effect a return of capital, are taxable as ordinary income.

Certain mortgage securities may provide for periodic or unscheduled payments of principal and interest as the mortgages underlying the securities are paid or prepaid. However, such principal payments (not otherwise characterized as original issue discount or bond premium expense) will not normally be considered as income to a Fund and therefore will not be distributed as dividends. Rather, these payments on MBS will be reinvested on your behalf by a Fund.

Dividend Reinvestment Service

No reinvestment service is provided by the Trust. Broker-dealers may make available the DTC book-entry dividend reinvestment service for use by beneficial owners of the Funds through DTC participants for reinvestment of their dividend distributions. If this service is used, dividend distributions of both income and realized gains will be automatically reinvested in additional whole shares of the Funds. Beneficial owners should contact their broker to determine the availability and costs of the service and the details of participation therein. Brokers may require beneficial owners to adhere to specific procedures and timetables. Distributions reinvested in additional Shares of the Funds will nevertheless be taxable to Beneficial Owners acquiring such additional Shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.

TAXES

The following is only a summary of certain additional federal income tax considerations generally affecting the Trust, the Funds and their shareholders. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the federal, state or local tax treatment of the Trust, the Funds or shareholders, and the discussion here and in the Prospectuses is not intended to be a substitute for careful tax planning.

The following general discussion of certain federal income tax consequences is based on the Code and the regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI. New legislation, as well as administrative changes or court decisions, may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein, and may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.

Each Fund of the Trust is generally treated as a separate corporation for federal income tax purposes. Thus, the provisions of the Code generally will be applied to each Fund separately, rather than to the Trust as a whole.

Regulated Investment Company Qualification

Each Fund intends to qualify and has either elected or will elect to be treated for each taxable year as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. In order to so qualify, a Fund must, among other things, (i) derive at least 90% of its gross income each taxable year from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, and other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, including, generally, certain gains from options, futures and forward contracts; and (ii) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each fiscal quarter of the Fund’s taxable year, (a) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s total assets is represented by cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect to any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets or 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (b) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets are invested in the securities (other than U.S. government securities or securities of other RICs) of any one issuer or two or more issuers which a Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses. For purposes of the 90% gross income requirement described above, foreign currency gains will generally be treated as qualifying income under current federal income tax law. However, the Code expressly provides the U.S. Treasury with authority to issue regulations that would exclude foreign currency gains from qualifying income if such gains are not directly related to a RIC’s business of investing in stock or securities (or options or futures with respect to stocks or securities). While to date the U.S. Treasury has not exercised this regulatory authority, there can be no assurance that it will not issue regulations in the future (possibly with retroactive application) that would treat some or all of a Fund’s foreign currency gains as non-qualifying income.

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For purposes of the 90% test described above, dividends received by a Fund will be treated as qualifying income to the extent they are attributable to the issuer’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Distributions in excess of the distributing issuer’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will first reduce a Fund’s basis in the stock as a return of capital and will not qualify as gross income. Distributions in excess of a Fund’s basis in the stock will qualify for the 90% test discussed above as the distribution will be treated as gain from the sale of stock. This gain will be long-term capital gain if a Fund held the stock for more than a year.

For purposes of the diversification requirement described above, a Fund will not be treated as in violation of such requirement as a result of a discrepancy between the value of its various investments and the diversification percentages described above, unless such discrepancy exists immediately following the acquisition of any security or other property and is wholly or partly the result of such acquisition. Moreover, even in the event of noncompliance with the diversification requirement as of the end of any given quarter, a Fund is permitted to cure the violation by eliminating the discrepancy causing such noncompliance within a period of 30 days from the close of the relevant quarter other than its first quarter following its election to be taxed as a RIC.

Net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership,” as defined in the Code, will be treated as qualifying income for purposes of the income requirement in clause (i) above. In addition, for the purposes of the diversification requirements in clause (ii) above, the outstanding voting securities of any issuer includes the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership, and no more than 25% of the value of a RIC’s total assets may be invested in the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships. The separate treatment for publicly traded partnerships under the passive loss rules of the Code applies to a RIC holding an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership, with respect to items attributable to such interest.

If a Fund fails to satisfy either the income test or asset diversification test described above, in certain cases, however, a Fund may be able to avoid losing its status as a RIC by timely providing notice of such failure to the IRS, curing such failure and possibly paying an additional tax or penalty.

Each Fund will generally be subject to a nondeductible 4% federal excise tax to the extent it fails to distribute by the end of any calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary income (taking into account certain deferrals and elections) for that year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income (the excess of short- and long-term capital gains over short- and long-term capital losses, including any available capital loss carryforwards) for the one-year period ending on October 31 of that year, plus certain other amounts. Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions of its ordinary income and capital gain net income, prior to the end of each calendar year to avoid liability for federal excise tax, but can give no assurances that all such liability will be eliminated.

Tax Treatment of the Funds and Shareholders

Each Fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income (including, for this purpose, net short-term capital gains) to shareholders. Dividends from a Fund’s net investment income generally are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income, whether received in cash or in additional shares. Certain income distributions paid by a Fund to individual shareholders are taxed at rates equal to those applicable to net long-term capital gains (currently either 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts). This tax treatment applies only if certain holding period requirements are satisfied by the shareholder and the dividends are attributable to qualified dividends received by the Fund itself. For this purpose, “qualified dividends” means dividends received by a Fund from certain U.S. corporations and qualifying foreign corporations, provided that a Fund satisfies certain holding period and other requirements in respect of the stock of such corporations.

 

A dividend paid by a Fund to a shareholder will not be treated as qualified dividend income of the shareholder if (1) the dividend is received with respect to any share held for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date which is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend, (2) to the extent that the recipient is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property or (3) if the recipient elects to have the dividend treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest.

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You should also be aware that the benefits of the reduced tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains and qualified dividend income may be impacted by the application of the alternative minimum tax to individual shareholders.

Dividends paid to you out of a Fund’s investment company taxable income that are not attributable to qualified dividends generally will be taxable to you as ordinary income (currently at a maximum federal income tax rate of 37% in the case of an individual shareholder for taxable years before 2026 and, in the case of a corporate shareholder, 21%) to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits.

Certain distributions reported by a Fund as Section 163(j) interest dividends may be treated as interest income by shareholders for purposes of the tax rules applicable to interest expense limitations under Section 163(j) of the Code. Such treatment by the shareholder is generally subject to holding period requirements and other potential limitations, although the holding period requirements are generally not applicable to dividends declared by money market funds and certain other funds that declare dividends daily and pay such dividends on a monthly or more frequent basis. The amount that a Fund is eligible to report as a Section 163(j) dividend for a tax year is generally limited to the excess of the Fund’s business interest income over the sum of the Fund’s (i) business interest expense and (ii) other deductions properly allocable to the Fund’s business interest income.

Distributions of net long-term capital gains, if any, are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gains regardless of how long a shareholder has held a Fund’s shares and regardless of whether the distribution is received in additional shares or in cash. The maximum individual rate applicable to long-term capital gains is generally either 15% or 20%, depending on whether the individual’s income exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Each Fund will decide whether to distribute or to retain all or part of any net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) in any year for reinvestment. Distributions of net capital gains are taxable to shareholders as a long-term capital gain regardless of how long shareholders have held their shares. If any capital gains are retained, a Fund will pay federal income tax thereon, and, if a Fund makes an election, the shareholders will include such undistributed gains in their income, and will increase their tax basis in Fund shares by the difference between the amount of the includable gains and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder in respect of such shares. The shareholder will be able to claim their share of the tax paid by a Fund as a refundable credit.

Shareholders generally are taxed on any ordinary dividend or capital gain distributions from a Fund in the year they are actually distributed. However, if any such dividends or distributions are declared in October, November or December, to shareholders of record of such month and paid in January, then such amounts will be treated for tax purposes as received by the shareholders on December 31.

After the end of each calendar year, shareholders will be sent information on their dividends and capital gain distributions for tax purposes, including the portion taxable as ordinary income, the portion taxable as long-term capital gains, and the amount of any dividends eligible for the federal dividends-received deduction for corporations.

Gains or losses on the sale of securities by a Fund held as a capital asset will generally be long-term capital gains or losses if the securities have a tax holding period of more than one year at the time of such sale. Gains or losses on the sale of securities with a tax holding period of one year or less will be short-term capital gains or losses. Special tax rules described below may change the normal treatment of gains and losses recognized by a Fund when it makes certain types of investments. Those special tax rules can, among other things, affect the treatment of capital gain or loss as long-term or short-term and may result in ordinary income or loss rather than capital gain or loss. The application of these special rules would therefore also affect the character of distributions made by a Fund.

 

A Fund may make investments in which it recognizes income or gain prior to receiving cash with respect to such investment. For example, under certain tax rules, a Fund may be required to accrue a portion of any discount at which certain securities are purchased as income each year even though the Fund receives no payments in cash on the security during the year. To the extent that a Fund makes such investments, it generally would be required to pay out such income or gain as a distribution in each year to avoid taxation at the Fund level. Such distributions will be made from the available cash of the Fund or by liquidation of

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portfolio securities if necessary. If a distribution of cash necessitates the liquidation of portfolio securities, the Adviser will select which securities to sell. A Fund may realize a gain or loss from such sales, and its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would in the absence of such transactions.

A gain or loss realized by a shareholder on the sale, exchange or redemption of shares of a Fund held as a capital asset will be capital gain or loss, and such gain or loss will be long-term if the holding period for the shares exceeds one year and otherwise will be short-term. Any loss realized on a sale, exchange or redemption of shares of a Fund will be disallowed to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with substantially identical shares within the 61-day period beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shares are disposed of. Any loss realized by a shareholder on the disposition of shares held six months or less is treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any distributions of net long-term capital gains received by the shareholder with respect to such shares or any inclusion of undistributed capital gain with respect to such shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may otherwise be limited under the Code.

If a Fund redeems a shareholder in-kind rather than in cash, the shareholder would realize the same gain or loss as if the shareholder had been redeemed in cash. Further, the shareholder’s basis in the securities received in the in-kind redemption would be the securities’ fair market value on the date of the in-kind redemption.

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person’s “modified adjusted gross income” (in the case of an individual) or “adjusted gross income” (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

Reporting is required to you and the IRS annually on Form 1099-B not only the gross proceeds of Fund shares you sell or redeem but also their cost basis. Shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections with respect to their accounts. Fund shareholders should consult with their tax advisors to determine the best cost basis method for their tax situation.

The amounts of a Fund’s distributions are driven by federal tax requirements. A Fund’s required taxable distributions to shareholders may be significant even if the Fund’s overall performance for the period is negative.

Backup withholding to the U.S. Treasury may be required in an amount equal to 24% of any dividends, capital gains distributions and redemption proceeds paid to any individual or certain other non-corporate shareholder (i) who has failed to provide a correct taxpayer identification number (generally an individual’s social security number or non-individual’s employer identification number) ; (ii) who is subject to backup withholding as notified by the IRS; or (iii) who has not certified that such shareholder is not subject to backup withholding. This backup withholding is not an additional tax, and any amounts withheld would be sent to the IRS as an advance payment of taxes due on a shareholder’s income for such year.

Special Rules for Certain Foreign Currency and Derivatives Transactions

In general, gains from foreign currencies and from foreign currency options, foreign currency futures and forward foreign exchange contracts relating to investments in stock, securities or foreign currencies are currently considered to be qualifying income for purposes of determining whether a Fund qualifies as a RIC.

Under Section 988 of the Code, special rules are provided for certain transactions in a foreign currency other than the taxpayer’s functional currency (i.e., unless certain special rules apply, currencies other than the U.S. dollar). In general, foreign currency gains or losses from forward contracts, from futures contracts that are not “regulated futures contracts,” and from unlisted options will be treated as ordinary income or loss under Section 988 of the Code. Also, certain foreign exchange gains or losses derived with respect to foreign fixed-income securities are also subject to Section 988 treatment. In general, therefore, Section 988 gains or losses will increase or decrease the amount of a Fund’s investment company taxable income available to be distributed to shareholders as ordinary income, rather than increasing or decreasing the amount of the Fund’s net capital gain.

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A Fund’s investment in options, swaps and related transactions, futures contracts and forward contracts, options on futures contracts and stock indices and certain other securities, including transactions involving actual or deemed short sales or foreign exchange gains or losses are subject to many complex and special tax rules. For example, OTC options on debt securities and equity options, including options on stock and on narrow-based stock indices, will be subject to tax under Section 1234 of the Code, generally producing a long-term or short-term capital gain or loss upon exercise, lapse or closing out of the option or sale of the underlying stock or security. By contrast, a Fund’s treatment of certain other options, futures and forward contracts entered into by the Fund is generally governed by Section 1256 of the Code. These “Section 1256” positions generally include listed options on debt securities, options on broad-based stock indices, options on securities indices, options on futures contracts, regulated futures contracts and certain foreign currency contracts and options thereon.

When a Fund holds options or futures contracts which substantially diminish their risk of loss with respect to other positions (as might occur in some hedging transactions), this combination of positions could be treated as a “straddle” for tax purposes, resulting in possible deferral of losses, adjustments in the holding periods of Fund securities and conversion of short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. Certain tax elections exist for mixed straddles (i.e., straddles comprised of at least one Section 1256 position and at least one non-Section 1256 position) which may reduce or eliminate the operation of these straddle rules.

A Section 1256 position held by a Fund will generally be marked-to-market (i.e., treated as if it were sold for fair market value) on the last business day of the Fund’s fiscal year, and all gain or loss associated with fiscal year transactions and mark-to-market positions at fiscal year end (except certain currency gain or loss covered by Section 988 of the Code) will generally be treated as 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. The effect of Section 1256 mark-to-market rules may be to accelerate income or to convert what otherwise would have been long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains or short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses within a Fund. The acceleration of income on Section 1256 positions may require a Fund to accrue taxable income without the corresponding receipt of cash. In order to generate cash to satisfy the distribution requirements of the Code, a Fund may be required to dispose of portfolio securities that it otherwise would have continued to hold or to use cash flows from other sources. Any or all of these rules may, therefore, affect the amount, character and timing of income earned and, in turn, distributed to shareholders by a Fund.

Special Tax Considerations Relating to Foreign Investments

Gains or losses attributable to foreign currency contracts, or to fluctuations in exchange rates that occur between the time a Fund accrues interest or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such receivables or pays such liabilities are treated as ordinary income or ordinary loss to the Fund. Similarly, gains or losses on disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security and the date of disposition also are treated as ordinary gain or loss to a Fund. These gains or losses increase or decrease the amount of a Fund’s net investment income available to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.

A Fund may be subject to foreign withholding taxes with respect to its dividend and interest income from foreign countries, and the Fund may be subject to foreign income taxes with respect to other income. If more than 50% in value of a Fund’s total assets at the close of the taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may elect to treat certain foreign income taxes imposed on it for federal income tax purposes as paid directly by its shareholders. If a Fund is eligible to make this election, the Fund will make such an election only if it deems it to be in the best interest of its shareholders and will notify shareholders in writing each year if it makes an election and of the amount of foreign income taxes, if any, to be treated as paid by the shareholders. If a Fund makes the election, shareholders will be required to include in income their proportionate share of the amount of foreign income taxes treated as imposed on the Fund and will be entitled to claim either a credit (subject to the limitations discussed below) or, if they itemize deductions, a deduction, for their shares of the foreign income taxes in computing their federal income tax liability.

 

Shareholders who choose to utilize a credit (rather than a deduction) for foreign taxes will be subject to a number of complex limitations regarding the availability and utilization of the credit. Because of these

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limitations, shareholders may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of their proportionate shares of the foreign income taxes paid by a Fund. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of these rules to their particular circumstances.

A Fund may invest in stocks of foreign companies that may be classified under the Code as passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”). In general, a foreign company is classified as a PFIC if at least one-half of its assets constitute investment-type assets or 75% or more of its gross income is investment-type income. When investing in PFIC securities, each Fund generally intends to mark-to-market these securities under certain provisions of the Code and recognize any unrealized gains as ordinary income at the end of the Fund’s fiscal and excise tax years. Deductions for losses are allowable only to the extent of any current or previously recognized gains. These gains (reduced by allowable losses) are treated as ordinary income that a Fund is required to distribute, even though it has not sold or received dividends from these securities. In addition, if a Fund is unable to identify an investment as a PFIC and thus does not make a mark-to-market election, a Fund may be subject to U.S. federal income tax and interest on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by a Fund to its shareholders.

Taxes and Foreign Shareholders

Taxation of a shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate, a foreign corporation or a foreign partnership (“Foreign Shareholder”) depends on whether the income from a Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by such shareholder.

If the income from a Fund is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a Foreign Shareholder, distributions of investment company taxable income will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or such lower treaty rate as may be applicable) upon the gross amount of the dividend (other than “exempt-interest dividends” discussed above). Furthermore, Foreign Shareholders will generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax on gains realized on the sale of shares of a Fund, distributions of net long-term capital gains and amounts retained by the Fund that are reported as undistributed capital gains.

Dividends paid by a Fund to shareholders who are nonresident aliens or foreign entities that are derived from short-term capital gains and qualifying U.S. source net interest income (including income from original issue discount), and that are reported by the Fund as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” will generally not be subject to U.S. withholding tax, provided that the income would not be subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by the foreign shareholder. However, depending on the circumstances, the Funds may report all, some or none of the Fund’s potentially eligible dividends as exempt.

Foreign Shareholders that own, either directly or indirectly, more than 5% of a class of Fund shares, are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning special tax rules that may apply to their investment in Fund shares.

If the income from a Fund is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a Foreign Shareholder, then distributions from a Fund and any gains realized upon the sale of shares of a Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. citizens and residents or domestic corporations. In addition, Foreign Shareholders that are corporations may be subject to a branch profit tax.

A Fund may be required to withhold federal income tax on distributions that are otherwise exempt from withholding tax (or taxable at a reduced treaty rate) unless the Foreign Shareholder complies with IRS certification requirements.

 

Withholding of U.S. tax (at a 30% rate) is required on payments of taxable dividends made to certain non-U.S. entities that fail to comply (or be deemed compliant) with extensive reporting and withholding requirements designed to inform the U.S. Department of the Treasury of U.S.-owned foreign investment accounts. Shareholders may be requested to provide additional information to a Fund to enable a Fund to determine whether withholding is required.

The tax consequences to a Foreign Shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty may differ from those described here. Furthermore, Foreign Shareholders are strongly urged to consult

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their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in a Fund, including the possible applicability of the U.S. estate tax.

Creation Units

As a result of U.S. federal income tax requirements, the Trust on behalf of a Fund, has the right to reject an order for a creation of shares if the creator (or group of creators) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund 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 information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. See “Creations and Redemptions.”

A person who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss. The gain or loss will be equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of exchange and the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and the amount of any cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who exchanges Creation Units for securities 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 the securities received. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss realized upon an exchange of primarily securities for Creation Units cannot be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales,” or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. Persons exchanging securities for Creation Units or redeeming Creation Units should consult their own tax adviser with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible and the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction.

Under current U.S. federal income tax laws, any capital gain or loss realized upon a redemption (or creation) of Creation Units is generally treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for more than one year and as a short-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares (or securities surrendered) have been held for one year or less.

Tax-Advantaged Product Structure

Unlike interests in many conventional mutual funds, the Shares are traded throughout the day on a national securities exchange, whereas mutual fund interests are typically only bought and sold at closing NAVs. The Shares have been designed to be tradable in the secondary market on a national securities exchange on an intra-day basis, and to be created and redeemed in Creation Units at each day’s next calculated NAV. For each of the Funds, Shares are created and redeemed principally in kind. The in-kind arrangements are designed to protect ongoing shareholders from adverse effects on a Fund’s portfolio that could arise from frequent cash creation and redemption transactions. In a conventional mutual fund, redemptions can have an adverse tax impact on taxable shareholders because the mutual fund may need to sell portfolio securities to obtain cash to meet fund redemptions. These sales may generate taxable gains for the shareholders of the mutual fund, whereas the Shares’ in-kind redemption mechanism generally will not lead to a tax event for a Fund or its ongoing shareholders.

State and Local Tax Considerations

Rules of state and local taxation of dividend and capital gains from RICs often differ from the rules for federal income taxation described above. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors as to the consequences of these and other state and local tax rules regarding an investment in a Fund.

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

 

As of [_________], 2022, no entity beneficially owned any voting securities of the Funds. From time to time, an Authorized Participant, a third-party investor, the Adviser, an affiliate of the Adviser, and/or a fund, may invest in a Fund and hold its investment for a specific period.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance information will be provided once each Fund has completed a full calendar year of operations.

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POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

As a diversified global financial services firm, Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the Adviser, engages in a broad spectrum of activities, including financial advisory services, investment management activities, lending, commercial banking, sponsoring and managing private investment funds, engaging in broker-dealer transactions and principal securities, commodities and foreign exchange transactions, research publication and other activities. In the ordinary course of its business, Morgan Stanley is a full-service investment banking and financial services firm and therefore engages in activities where Morgan Stanley’s interests or the interests of its clients may conflict with the interests of a Fund. Morgan Stanley advises clients and sponsors, manages or advises other investment funds and investment programs, accounts and businesses (collectively, together with the Morgan Stanley Funds, any new or successor funds, programs, accounts or businesses (other than funds, programs, accounts or businesses sponsored, managed, or advised by former direct or indirect subsidiaries of Eaton Vance Corp. (“Eaton Vance Investment Accounts”)), the ‘‘MS Investment Accounts”, and, together with the Eaton Vance Investment Accounts, the “Affiliated Investment Accounts’’) with a wide variety of investment objectives that in some instances may overlap or conflict with a Fund’s investment objectives and present conflicts of interest. In addition, Morgan Stanley or the Adviser may also from time to time create new or successor Affiliated Investment Accounts that may compete with a Fund and present similar conflicts of interest. The discussion below enumerates certain actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest. There is no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in favor of Fund shareholders and, in fact, they may not be. Conflicts of interest not described below may also exist.

The discussions below with respect to actual, apparent and potential conflicts of interest also may be applicable to or arise from the Eaton Vance Investment Accounts whether or not specifically identified.

Material Non-public and Other Information. It is expected that confidential or material non-public information regarding an investment or potential investment opportunity may become available to the Adviser. If such information becomes available, the Adviser may be precluded (including by applicable law or internal policies or procedures) from pursuing an investment or disposition opportunity with respect to such investment or investment opportunity. The Adviser may also from time to time be subject to contractual ‘‘stand-still’’ obligations and/or confidentiality obligations that may restrict its ability to trade in certain investments on a Fund’s behalf. In addition, the Adviser may be precluded from disclosing such information to an investment team, even in circumstances in which the information would be beneficial if disclosed. Therefore, the investment team may not be provided access to material non-public information in the possession of Morgan Stanley that might be relevant to an investment decision to be made on behalf of a Fund, and the investment team may initiate a transaction or sell an investment that, if such information had been known to it, may not have been undertaken. In addition, certain members of the investment team may be recused from certain investment-related discussions so that such members do not receive information that would limit their ability to perform functions of their employment with the Adviser or its affiliates unrelated to that of a Fund. Furthermore, access to certain parts of Morgan Stanley may be subject to third party confidentiality obligations and to information barriers established by Morgan Stanley in order to manage potential conflicts of interest and regulatory restrictions, including without limitation joint transaction restrictions pursuant to the 1940 Act. Accordingly, the Adviser’s ability to source investments from other business units within Morgan Stanley may be limited and there can be no assurance that the Adviser will be able to source any investments from any one or more parts of the Morgan Stanley network.

 

The Adviser may restrict its investment decisions and activities on behalf of the Funds in various circumstances, including because of applicable regulatory requirements or information held by the Adviser or Morgan Stanley. The Adviser might not engage in transactions or other activities for, or enforce certain rights in favor of, a Fund due to Morgan Stanley’s activities outside the Funds. In instances where trading of an investment is restricted, the Adviser may not be able to purchase or sell such investment on behalf of a Fund, resulting in a Fund’s inability to participate in certain desirable transactions. This inability to buy or sell an investment could have an adverse effect on a Fund’s portfolio due to, among other things, changes in an investment’s value during the period its trading is restricted. Also, in situations where the Adviser is required to aggregate its positions with those of other Morgan Stanley business units for position limit calculations, the Adviser may have to refrain from making investments due to the positions held by other Morgan Stanley business units or their clients. There may be other situations where the Adviser refrains

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from making an investment due to additional disclosure obligations, regulatory requirements, policies, and reputational risk, or the Adviser may limit purchases or sales of securities in respect of which Morgan Stanley is engaged in an underwriting or other distribution capacity.

Morgan Stanley has established certain information barriers and other policies to address the sharing of information between different businesses within Morgan Stanley. As a result of information barriers, the Adviser generally will not have access, or will have limited access, to certain information and personnel in other areas of Morgan Stanley and generally will not manage the Funds with the benefit of the information held by such other areas. Morgan Stanley, due to its access to and knowledge of funds, markets and securities based on its prime brokerage and other businesses, may make decisions based on information or take (or refrain from taking) actions with respect to interests in investments of the kind held (directly or indirectly) by the Funds in a manner that may be adverse to the Fund, and will not have any obligation or other duty to share information with the Adviser.

In limited circumstances, however, including for purposes of managing business and reputational risk, and subject to policies and procedures and any applicable regulations, Morgan Stanley personnel, including personnel of the Adviser, on one side of an information barrier may have access to information and personnel on the other side of the information barrier through “wall crossings.” The Adviser faces conflicts of interest in determining whether to engage in such wall crossings. Information obtained in connection with such wall crossings may limit or restrict the ability of the Adviser to engage in or otherwise effect transactions on behalf of the Funds (including purchasing or selling securities that the Adviser may otherwise have purchased or sold for a Fund in the absence of a wall crossing). In managing conflicts of interest that arise because of the foregoing, the Adviser generally will be subject to fiduciary requirements. The Adviser may also implement internal information barriers or ethical walls, and the conflicts described herein with respect to information barriers and otherwise with respect to Morgan Stanley and the Adviser will also apply internally within the Adviser. As a result, a Fund may not be permitted to transact in (e.g., dispose of a security in whole or in part) during periods when it otherwise would have been able to do so, which could adversely affect a Fund. Other investors in the security that are not subject to such restrictions may be able to transact in the security during such periods. There may also be circumstances in which, as a result of information held by certain portfolio management teams in the Adviser, the Adviser limits an activity or transaction for a Fund, including if a Fund is managed by a portfolio management team other than the team holding such information.

Investments by Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts. In serving in multiple capacities to Affiliated Investment Accounts, Morgan Stanley, including the Adviser and its investment teams, may have obligations to other clients or investors in Affiliated Investment Accounts, the fulfillment of which may not be in the best interests of a Fund or its shareholders. A Fund’s investment objectives may overlap with the investment objectives of certain Affiliated Investment Accounts. As a result, the members of an investment team may face conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities among a Fund and other investment funds, programs, accounts and businesses advised by or affiliated with the Adviser. Certain Affiliated Investment Accounts may provide for higher management or incentive fees or greater expense reimbursements or overhead allocations, all of which may contribute to this conflict of interest and create an incentive for the Adviser to favor such other accounts.

Morgan Stanley currently invests and plans to continue to invest on its own behalf and on behalf of its Affiliated Investment Accounts in a wide variety of investment opportunities globally. Morgan Stanley and its Affiliated Investment Accounts, to the extent consistent with applicable law and policies and procedures, will be permitted to invest in investment opportunities without making such opportunities available to a Fund beforehand. Subject to the foregoing, Morgan Stanley may offer investments that fall into the investment objectives of an Affiliated Investment Account to such account or make such investment on its own behalf, even though such investment also falls within a Fund’s investment objectives. A Fund may invest in opportunities that Morgan Stanley and/or one or more Affiliated Investment Accounts has declined, and vice versa. All of the foregoing may reduce the number of investment opportunities available to a Fund and may create conflicts of interest in allocating investment opportunities. Investors should note that the conflicts inherent in making such allocation decisions may not always be resolved to a Fund’s advantage. There can be no assurance that a Fund will have an opportunity to participate in certain opportunities that fall within their investment objectives.

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To seek to reduce potential conflicts of interest and to attempt to allocate such investment opportunities in a fair and equitable manner, the Adviser has implemented allocation policies and procedures. These policies and procedures are intended to give all clients of the Adviser, including the Fund, fair access to investment opportunities consistent with the requirements of organizational documents, investment strategies, applicable laws and regulations, and the fiduciary duties of the Adviser. Each client of the Adviser that is subject to the allocation policies and procedures, including each Fund, is assigned an investment team and portfolio manager(s) by the Adviser. The investment team and portfolio managers review investment opportunities and will decide with respect to the allocation of each opportunity considering various factors and in accordance with the allocation policies and procedures. The allocation policies and procedures are subject to change. Investors should note that the conflicts inherent in making such allocation decisions may not always be resolved to the advantage of a Fund.

It is possible that Morgan Stanley or an Affiliated Investment Account, including another Morgan Stanley Fund, will invest in or advise (in the case of Morgan Stanley) a company that is or becomes a competitor of a company of which a Fund holds an investment. Such investment could create a conflict between the Fund, on the one hand, and Morgan Stanley or the Affiliated Investment Account, on the other hand. In such a situation, Morgan Stanley may also have a conflict in the allocation of its own resources to the portfolio investment. Furthermore, certain Affiliated Investment Accounts will be focused primarily on investing in other funds which may have strategies that overlap and/or directly conflict and compete with a Fund.

In addition, certain investment professionals who are involved in a Fund’s activities remain responsible for the investment activities of other Affiliated Investment Accounts managed by the Adviser and its affiliates, and they will devote time to the management of such investments and other newly created Affiliated Investment Accounts (whether in the form of funds, separate accounts or other vehicles), as well as their own investments. In addition, in connection with the management of investments for other Affiliated Investment Accounts, members of Morgan Stanley and its affiliates may serve on the boards of directors of or advise companies which may compete with a Fund’s portfolio investments. Moreover, these Affiliated Investment Accounts managed by Morgan Stanley and its affiliates may pursue investment opportunities that may also be suitable for a Fund.

It should be noted that Morgan Stanley may, directly or indirectly, make large investments in certain of its Affiliated Investment Accounts, and accordingly Morgan Stanley’s investment in a Fund may not be a determining factor in the outcome of any of the foregoing conflicts. Nothing herein restricts or in any way limits the activities of Morgan Stanley, including its ability to buy or sell interests in, or provide financing to, equity and/or debt instruments, funds or portfolio companies, for its own accounts or for the accounts of Affiliated Investment Accounts or other investment funds or clients in accordance with applicable law.

Different clients of the Adviser, including a Fund, may invest in different classes of securities of the same issuer, depending on the respective clients’ investment objectives and policies. As a result, the Adviser and its affiliates, at times, will seek to satisfy fiduciary obligations to certain clients owning one class of securities of a particular issuer by pursuing or enforcing rights on behalf of those clients with respect to such class of securities, and those activities may have an adverse effect on another client which owns a different class of securities of such issuer. For example, if one client holds debt securities of an issuer and another client holds equity securities of the same issuer, if the issuer experiences financial or operational challenges, the Adviser and its affiliates may seek a liquidation of the issuer on behalf of the client that holds the debt securities, whereas the client holding the equity securities may benefit from a reorganization of the issuer. Thus, in such situations, the actions taken by the Adviser or its affiliates on behalf of one client can negatively impact securities held by another client. These conflicts also exist as between the Adviser’s clients, including the Fund, and the Affiliated Investment Accounts managed by Eaton Vance.

 

The Adviser and its affiliates may give advice and recommend securities to other clients which may differ from advice given to, or securities recommended or bought for, a Fund even though such other clients’ investment objectives may be similar to those of the Fund.

The Adviser and its affiliates manage long and short portfolios. The simultaneous management of long and short portfolios creates conflicts of interest in portfolio management and trading in that opposite directional positions may be taken in client accounts, including client accounts managed by the same investment team, and creates risks such as: (i) the risk that short sale activity could adversely affect the market value of long

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positions in one or more portfolios (and vice versa) and (ii) the risks associated with the trading desk receiving opposing orders in the same security simultaneously. The Adviser and its affiliates have adopted policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to mitigate these conflicts. In certain circumstances, the Adviser invests on behalf of itself in securities and other instruments that would be appropriate for, held by, or may fall within the investment guidelines of its clients, including a Fund. At times, the Adviser may give advice or take action for its own accounts that differs from, conflicts with, or is adverse to advice given or action taken for any client.

From time to time, conflicts also arise due to the fact that certain securities or instruments may be held in some client accounts, including a Fund, but not in others, or that client accounts may have different levels of holdings in certain securities or instruments. In addition, due to differences in the investment strategies or restrictions among client accounts, the Adviser may take action with respect to one account that differs from the action taken with respect to another account. In some cases, a client account may compensate the Adviser based on the performance of the securities held by that account. The existence of such a performance based fee may create additional conflicts of interest for the Adviser in the allocation of management time, resources and investment opportunities. The Adviser has adopted several policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts including a code of ethics and policies that govern the Adviser’s trading practices, including, among other things, the aggregation and allocation of trades among clients, brokerage allocations, cross trades and best execution.

In addition, at times an investment team will give advice or take action with respect to the investments of one or more clients that is not given or taken with respect to other clients with similar investment programs, objectives, and strategies. Accordingly, clients with similar strategies will not always hold the same securities or instruments or achieve the same performance. The Adviser’s investment teams also advise clients with conflicting programs, objectives or strategies. These conflicts also exist as between the Adviser’s clients, including the Fund, and the Affiliated Investment Accounts managed by Eaton Vance.

Morgan Stanley and its affiliates maintain separate trading desks that operate independently of each other and do not share information with the Adviser. The Morgan Stanley and affiliate trading desks may compete against the Adviser trading desks when implementing buy and sell transactions, possibly causing certain Affiliated Investment Accounts to pay more or receive less for a security than other Affiliated Investment Accounts.

Investments by Separate Investment Departments. The entities and individuals that provide investment-related services for the Fund and certain other MS Investment Accounts (the “MS Investment Department”) may be different from the entities and individuals that provide investment-related services to Eaton Vance Investment Accounts (the “Eaton Vance Investment Department” and, together with the MS Investment Department, the “Investment Departments”). Although Morgan Stanley has implemented information barriers between the Investment Departments in accordance with internal policies and procedures, each Investment Department may engage in discussions and share information and resources with the other Investment Department on certain investment-related matters. The sharing of information and resources between the Investment Departments is designed to further increase the knowledge and effectiveness of each Investment Department. Because each Investment Department generally makes investment decisions and executes trades independently of the other, the quality and price of execution, and the performance of investments and accounts, can be expected to vary. In addition, each Investment Department may use different trading systems and technology and may employ differing investment and trading strategies. As a result, an Eaton Vance Investment Account could trade in advance of the Fund (and vice versa), might complete trades more quickly and efficiently than the Fund, and/or achieve different execution than the Fund on the same or similar investments made contemporaneously, even when the Investment Departments shared research and viewpoints that led to that investment decision. Any sharing of information or resources between the Investment Department servicing the Fund and the Eaton Vance Investment Department may result, from time to time, in the Fund simultaneously or contemporaneously seeking to engage in the same or similar transactions as an account serviced by the other Investment Department and for which there are limited buyers or sellers on specific securities, which could result in less favorable execution for the Fund than such Affiliated Investment Account. The MS Investment Department will not knowingly or intentionally cause the Fund to engage in a cross trade with an account serviced by the Eaton Vance Investment Department, however, subject to applicable law and internal policies and procedures, the Fund may conduct cross trades with other accounts serviced by the MS

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Investment Department. Although the MS Investment Department may aggregate the Fund’s trades with trades of other accounts serviced by the MS Investment Department, subject to applicable law and internal policies and procedures, there will be no aggregation or coordination of trades with accounts serviced by the Eaton Vance Investment Department, even when both Investment Departments are seeking to acquire or dispose of the same investments contemporaneously.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries. The Adviser and/or the Distributor may pay compensation, out of their own funds and not as an expense of the Fund, to certain Financial Intermediaries (which may include affiliates of the Adviser and the Distributor), including recordkeepers and administrators of various deferred compensation plans, in connection with the sale, distribution, marketing and retention of shares of the Fund and/or shareholder servicing. For example, the Adviser or the Distributor may pay additional compensation to a Financial Intermediary for, among other things, promoting the sale and distribution of Fund shares, providing access to various programs, mutual fund platforms or preferred or recommended mutual fund lists that may be offered by a Financial Intermediary, granting the Distributor access to a Financial Intermediary’s financial advisors and consultants, providing assistance in the ongoing education and training of a Financial Intermediary’s financial personnel, furnishing marketing support, maintaining share balances and/or for sub-accounting, recordkeeping, administrative, shareholder or transaction processing services. Such payments are in addition to any distribution fees, shareholder servicing fees and/or transfer agency fees that may be payable by the Fund. The additional payments may be based on various factors, including level of sales (based on gross or net sales or some specified minimum sales or some other similar criteria related to sales of the Fund and/or some or all other Morgan Stanley Funds), amount of assets invested by the Financial Intermediary’s customers (which could include current or aged assets of the Fund and/or some or all other Morgan Stanley Funds), a Fund’s advisory fee, some other agreed upon amount or other measures as determined from time to time by the Adviser and/or the Distributor. The amount of these payments may be different for different Financial Intermediaries.

The prospect of receiving, or the receipt of, additional compensation, as described above, by Financial Intermediaries may provide such Financial Intermediaries and their financial advisors and other salespersons with an incentive to favor sales of shares of the Fund over other investment options with respect to which these Financial Intermediaries do not receive additional compensation (or receives lower levels of additional compensation). These payment arrangements, however, will not change the price that an investor pays for shares of the Fund or the amount that the Fund receives to invest on behalf of an investor. Investors may wish to take such payment arrangements into account when considering and evaluating any recommendations relating to Fund shares and should review carefully any disclosures provided by Financial Intermediaries as to their compensation.

In addition, in certain circumstances, the Adviser restricts, limits or reduces the amount of the Fund’s investment, or restricts the type of governance or voting rights it acquires or exercises, where the Fund (potentially together with Morgan Stanley) exceeds a certain ownership interest, or possesses certain degrees of voting or control or has other interests.

Morgan Stanley Trading and Principal Investing Activities. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Morgan Stanley will generally conduct its sales and trading businesses, publish research and analysis, and render investment advice without regard for a Fund’s holdings, although these activities could have an adverse impact on the value of one or more of the Fund’s investments, or could cause Morgan Stanley to have an interest in one or more portfolio investments that is different from, and potentially adverse to that of a Fund. Furthermore, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates may invest “seed” capital in a Fund, typically to enable the Fund to commence investment operations and/or achieve sufficient scale. The Adviser and its affiliates may hedge such seed capital exposure by investing in derivatives or other instruments expected to produce offsetting exposure. Such hedging transactions, if any, would occur outside of a Fund.

 

Morgan Stanley’s sales and trading, financing and principal investing businesses (whether or not specifically identified as such, and including Morgan Stanley’s trading and principal investing businesses) will not be required to offer any investment opportunities to a Fund. These businesses may encompass, among other things, principal trading activities as well as principal investing.

Morgan Stanley’s sales and trading, financing and principal investing businesses have acquired or invested in, and in the future may acquire or invest in, minority and/or majority control positions in equity or debt

80 

 

instruments of diverse public and/or private companies. Such activities may put Morgan Stanley in a position to exercise contractual, voting or creditor rights, or management or other control with respect to securities or loans of portfolio investments or other issuers, and in these instances Morgan Stanley may, in its discretion and subject to applicable law, act to protect its own interests or interests of clients, and not a Fund’s interests.

Subject to the limitations of applicable law, a Fund may purchase from or sell assets to, or make investments in, companies in which Morgan Stanley has or may acquire an interest, including as an owner, creditor or counterparty.

Morgan Stanley’s Investment Banking and Other Commercial Activities. Morgan Stanley advises clients on a variety of mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, bankruptcy and financing transactions. Morgan Stanley may act as an advisor to clients, including other investment funds that may compete with a Fund and with respect to investments that a Fund may hold. Morgan Stanley may give advice and take action with respect to any of its clients or proprietary accounts that may differ from the advice given, or may involve an action of a different timing or nature than the action taken, by a Fund. Morgan Stanley may give advice and provide recommendations to persons competing with a Fund and/or any of a Fund’s investments that are contrary to the Fund’s best interests and/or the best interests of any of its investments.

Morgan Stanley could be engaged in financial advising, whether on the buy-side or sell-side, or in financing or lending assignments that could result in Morgan Stanley’s determining in its discretion or being required to act exclusively on behalf of one or more third parties, which could limit a Fund’s ability to transact with respect to one or more existing or potential investments. Morgan Stanley may have relationships with third-party funds, companies or investors who may have invested in or may look to invest in portfolio companies, and there could be conflicts between a Fund’s best interests, on the one hand, and the interests of a Morgan Stanley client or counterparty, on the other hand.

To the extent that Morgan Stanley advises creditor or debtor companies in the financial restructuring of companies either prior to or after filing for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or similar laws in other jurisdictions, the Adviser’s flexibility in making investments in such restructurings on a Fund’s behalf may be limited.

Morgan Stanley could provide investment banking services to competitors of portfolio companies, as well as to private equity and/or private credit funds; such activities may present Morgan Stanley with a conflict of interest vis-a-vis a Fund’s investment and may also result in a conflict in respect of the allocation of investment banking resources to portfolio companies.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Morgan Stanley may provide a broad range of financial services to companies in which a Fund invests, including strategic and financial advisory services, interim acquisition financing and other lending and underwriting or placement of securities, and Morgan Stanley generally will be paid fees (that may include warrants or other securities) for such services. Morgan Stanley will not share any of the foregoing interest, fees and other compensation received by it (including, for the avoidance of doubt, amounts received by the Adviser) with a Fund, and any advisory fees payable will not be reduced thereby.

Morgan Stanley may be engaged to act as a financial advisor to a company in connection with the sale of such company, or subsidiaries or divisions thereof, may represent potential buyers of businesses through its mergers and acquisition activities and may provide lending and other related financing services in connection with such transactions. Morgan Stanley’s compensation for such activities is usually based upon realized consideration and is usually contingent, in substantial part, upon the closing of the transaction.

 

Under these circumstances, a Fund may be precluded from participating in a transaction with or relating to the company being sold or participating in any financing activity related to merger or acquisition.

The involvement or presence of Morgan Stanley in the investment banking and other commercial activities described above (or the financial markets more broadly) may restrict or otherwise limit investment opportunities that may otherwise be available to the Fund. For example, issuers may hire and compensate Morgan Stanley to provide underwriting, financial advisory, placement agency, brokerage services or other services and, because of limitations imposed by applicable law and regulation, a Fund may be prohibited from buying or selling securities issued by those issuers or participating in related transactions or otherwise limited in its ability to engage in such investments.

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Morgan Stanley’s Marketing Activities. Morgan Stanley is engaged in the business of underwriting, syndicating, brokering, administering, servicing, arranging and advising on the distribution of a wide variety of securities and other investments in which a Fund may invest. Subject to the restrictions of the 1940 Act, including Sections 10(f) and 17(e) thereof, a Fund may invest in transactions in which Morgan Stanley acts as underwriter, placement agent, syndicator, broker, administrative agent, servicer, advisor, arranger or structuring agent and receives fees or other compensation from the sponsors of such products or securities. Any fees earned by Morgan Stanley in such capacity will not be shared with the Adviser or the Fund. Certain conflicts of interest, in addition to the receipt of fees or other compensation, would be inherent in these transactions. Moreover, the interests of one of Morgan Stanley’s clients with respect to an issuer of securities in which a Fund has an investment may be adverse to the Adviser’s or a Fund’s best interests. In conducting the foregoing activities, Morgan Stanley will be acting for its other clients and will have no obligation to act in the Adviser’s or a Fund’s best interests.

Client Relationships. Morgan Stanley has existing and potential relationships with a significant number of corporations, institutions and individuals. In providing services to its clients, Morgan Stanley may face conflicts of interest with respect to activities recommended to or performed for such clients, on the one hand, and a Fund, its shareholders or the entities in which the Fund invests, on the other hand. In addition, these client relationships may present conflicts of interest in determining whether to offer certain investment opportunities to a Fund.

In acting as principal or in providing advisory and other services to its other clients, Morgan Stanley may engage in or recommend activities with respect to a particular matter that conflict with or are different from activities engaged in or recommended by the Adviser on a Fund’s behalf.

Principal Investments. To the extent permitted by applicable law, there may be situations in which a Fund’s interests may conflict with the interests of one or more general accounts of Morgan Stanley and its affiliates or accounts managed by Morgan Stanley or its affiliates. This may occur because these accounts hold public and private debt and equity securities of many issuers which may be or become portfolio companies, or from whom portfolio companies may be acquired.

Transactions with Portfolio Companies of Affiliated Investment Accounts. The companies in which a Fund may invest may be counterparties to or participants in agreements, transactions or other arrangements with portfolio companies or other entities of portfolio investments of Affiliated Investment Accounts (for example, a company in which a Fund invests may retain a company in which an Affiliated Investment Account invests to provide services or may acquire an asset from such company or vice versa). Certain of these agreements, transactions and arrangements involve fees, servicing payments, rebates and/or other benefits to Morgan Stanley or its affiliates. For example, portfolio entities may, including at the encouragement of Morgan Stanley, enter into agreements regarding group procurement and/or vendor discounts. Morgan Stanley and its affiliates may also participate in these agreements and may realize better pricing or discounts as a result of the participation of portfolio entities. To the extent permitted by applicable law, certain of these agreements may provide for commissions or similar payments and/or discounts or rebates to be paid to a portfolio entity of an Affiliated Investment Account, and such payments or discounts or rebates may also be made directly to Morgan Stanley or its affiliates. Under these arrangements, a particular portfolio company or other entity may benefit to a greater degree than the other participants, and the Morgan Stanley Funds, investment vehicles and accounts (which may or may not include a Fund) that own an interest in such entity will receive a greater relative benefit from the arrangements than the Morgan Stanley Funds, investment vehicles or accounts that do not own an interest therein. Fees and compensation received by portfolio companies of Affiliated Investment Accounts in relation to the foregoing will not be shared with a Fund or offset advisory fees payable.

 

Investments in Portfolio Investments of Other Funds. To the extent permitted by applicable law, when a Fund invests in certain companies or other entities, other funds affiliated with the Adviser may have made or may be making an investment in such companies or other entities. Other funds that have been or may be managed by the Adviser may invest in the companies or other entities in which a Fund has made an investment. Under such circumstances, a Fund and such other funds may have conflicts of interest (e.g., over the terms, exit strategies and related matters, including the exercise of remedies of their respective investments). If the interests held by a Fund are different from (or take priority over) those held by such

82 

 

other funds, the Adviser may be required to make a selection at the time of conflicts between the interests held by such other funds and the interests held by a Fund.

Allocation of Expenses. Expenses may be incurred that are attributable to a Fund and one or more other Affiliated Investment Accounts (including in connection with issuers in which a Fund and such other Affiliated Investment Accounts have overlapping investments). The allocation of such expenses among such entities raises potential conflicts of interest. The Adviser and its affiliates intend to allocate such common expenses among a Fund and any such other Affiliated Investment Accounts on a pro rata basis or in such other manner as the Adviser deems to be fair and equitable or in such other manner as may be required by applicable law.

Transactions with Affiliates. The Adviser and any investment sub-adviser might purchase securities from underwriters or placement agents in which a Morgan Stanley affiliate is a member of a syndicate or selling group, as a result of which an affiliate might benefit from the purchase through receipt of a fee or otherwise. Neither the Adviser nor any investment sub-adviser will purchase securities on behalf of a Fund from an affiliate that is acting as a manager of a syndicate or selling group. Purchases by the Adviser on behalf of a Fund from an affiliate acting as a placement agent must meet the requirements of applicable law. Furthermore, Morgan Stanley may face conflicts of interest when a Fund uses service providers affiliated with Morgan Stanley because Morgan Stanley receives greater overall fees when they are used.

General Process for Potential Conflicts. All of the transactions described above involve the potential for conflicts of interest between the Adviser, related persons of the Adviser and/or their clients. The Advisers Act, the 1940 Act and ERISA impose certain requirements designed to decrease the possibility of conflicts of interest between an investment adviser and its clients. In some cases, transactions may be permitted subject to fulfillment of certain conditions. Certain other transactions may be prohibited. In addition, the Adviser has instituted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from arising and, when they do arise, to ensure that it effects transactions for clients in a manner that is consistent with its fiduciary duty to its clients and in accordance with applicable law. The Adviser seeks to ensure that potential or actual conflicts of interest are appropriately resolved taking into consideration the overriding best interests of the client.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

[SEED FINANCIALS TO BE FILED BY FURTHER AMENDMENT]

APPENDIX A

[PROXY POLICIES TO BE INSERTED HERE]

APPENDIX B

[DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS TO BE INSERTED HERE]

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MORGAN STANLEY ETF TRUST

PART C

OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 28.            Exhibits

(a)  (1)Certificate of Trust, filed herein.
      (2) Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust dated August 15, 2022, filed herein.
(b)Bylaws dated as of August 15, 2022, filed herein.
(c)Not Applicable.
(d)Management Agreement with Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. dated [ ], to be filed by amendment.
(e)(1)        Distributor’s Agreement with [ ] dated [ ], to be filed by amendment.

(2)        Form of Authorized Participant Agreement dated [ ], to be filed by amendment.

(f)Trustee Retirement Plan dated [ ], to be filed by amendment.
(g)Master Custodian Agreement with [ ] dated [ ], to be filed by amendment.
(h)ETF Agency Services Agreement with [ ] dated [ ], to be filed by amendment.
(i)Opinion of Dechert LLP, to be filed by amendment.
(j)Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, to be filed by amendment.
(k)Not Applicable.
(l)Not Applicable.
(m)12b-1 Distribution Plan and Agreement dated [ ], to be filed by amendment.
(n)Not Applicable.
(o)Reserved.
(p)(1)       Code of Ethics for Morgan Stanley Investment Management dated [ ], to be filed by amendment. 

(2)        Code of Ethics for Morgan Stanley Funds dated [ ], to be filed by amendment. 

ITEM 29.            Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Fund

None.

ITEM 30.            Indemnification

None.

ITEM 31.            Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser

[TO BE FILED BY AMENDMENT]

ITEM 32.            Principal Underwriters

(a)[  ] is the principal underwriter for each of the following investment companies, including the Registrant:
[  ]  

 

(b)The officers and manager of the Registrant’s principal underwriter are listed below. No officer of the Registrant’s principal underwriter is an officer of the Registrant.

 

The principal business address of each person listed below is [  ].

 

 

Name and Principal Business
Address
Positions and Offices with
Underwriter
Positions and Offices with
Registrant
 [  ] [  ] [  ]

 

(c)Not applicable.

ITEM 33.            Location of Accounts and Records

[TO BE FILED BY AMENDMENT]

ITEM 34.            Management Services

Registrant is not a party to any such management-related service contract.

ITEM 35.            Undertakings

None.

 

 

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of New York and State of New York on the 16th day of August, 2022.

 

  MORGAN STANLEY ETF TRUST
   
  By: /s/  John H. Gernon
    John H. Gernon
    President and Principal Executive Officer

  

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signatures   Title   Date
(1)  Principal Executive Officer        
         
By: /s/ John H. Gernon    Principal Executive Officer   August 16, 2022
  John H. Gernon        
           
(2)  Principal Financial Officer        
         
By: /s/ Francis J. Smith   Principal Financial Officer   August 16, 2022
  Francis J. Smith        
           
(3)  Majority of the Trustees        
         
By: /s/ Tatiana Segal   Trustee   August 16, 2022
  Tatiana Segal        
           
By:  /s/ Francis J. Smith   Trustee   August 16, 2022
  Francis J. Smith        
           
By: /s/ John H. Gernon   Trustee   August 16, 2022
  John H. Gernon        
           
By: /s/ Anthony Rochte   Trustee   August 16, 2022
  Anthony Rochte        
 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

MORGAN STANLEY ETF TRUST

(a)(1) Certificate of Trust.
(a)(2) Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust dated August 15, 2022.
(b)Bylaws dated as of August 15, 2022.