N-CSR 1 fp0058911_ncsr.htm

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 11/5/2020

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-CSR

 

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

811-05518

Investment Company Act file number

 

The RBB FUND, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip code)

 

Salvatore Faia, President

c/o U.S. Bank Global Fund Services

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202
(Name and address of agent for service)

 

(414) 765-5366

Registrant's telephone number, including area code

 

Date of fiscal year end: August 31

 

Date of reporting period: August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Item 1. Reports to Stockholders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

of

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

 

 

Annual Report

 

 

 

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-844-261-6484.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Fund, you can call 1-844-261-6484 to inform the Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Fund.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Fund. It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Fund.

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund (the “Fund”) Class I returned -1.39% net of fees for the 12- month fiscal year ended August 31, 2020. The negative performance was driven by losses in equities, currencies and agricultural commodities, with gains occurring primarily in fixed income and energy over the period. The Fund’s core allocation to Diversified Trendfollowing (“Trendfollowing”) sub-advisers (sub-advisers are also known as “Trading Advisers”) drove negative performance over the period, with the Fund’s non-Trendfollowing allocations performing positively in aggregate. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited (“ACMOF”), which invests substantially all of its assets in Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC (“ACOF”), which is a multi-adviser fund that invests in managed futures and foreign exchange. The Fund may also invest a portion of its assets in Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC (“ACOS”), which is a multi-adviser fund that invests in managed futures and foreign exchange contracts.

 

Average Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020 (unless otherwise noted)

 

 

2020
YTD

1 Year

SEP. 1, 2018 TO
AUG. 31, 2019

5 Year
Annualized

ANNUALIZED
SINCE
INCEPTION ON
JULY 1, 2014

Class I Shares

4.50%

-1.39%

10.63%

0.65%

3.92%

Class A Shares*

4.35%

-1.64%

10.37%

0.40%

3.66%

Class A Shares (max load)*

-1.66%

-7.30%

4.01%

-0.78%

2.67%

Class C Shares**

3.78%

-2.40%

9.49%

-0.35%

2.89%

BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month T-Bill Index***

0.62%

1.26%

2.36%

1.20%

0.97%

S&P 500® Total Return Index***

9.74%

21.94%

2.92%

14.46%

12.12%

Barclay CTA Index***

2.86%

0.45%

5.71%

0.79%

1.52%

 

Barclay CTA numbers are based on the estimates available on the BarclayHedge website as of September 5, 2020

Source: Abbey Capital, Bloomberg and BarclayHedge.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted. Visit www.abbeycapital.com for returns updated daily. Call (US Toll Free) 1-844-261-6484 or (international callers) + 1-508-871-3276 for returns current to the most recent month-end.

 

Please note the above is shown for illustrative purposes only

 

*

Class A Shares performance prior to its inception on August 29, 2014 is the performance of Class I Shares, adjusted for the Class A Shares expense ratio. There is a maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) of 5.75% in Class A Shares.

 

**

Class C Shares performance prior to its inception on October 6, 2015 is the performance of Class I Shares, adjusted for the Class C Shares expense ratio.

 

***

The Barclay CTA Index is derived from data that is self-reported by investment managers based on the performance of privately managed funds. In contrast, the S&P 500® Total Return Index and the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 3-Month T-Bill Index are comprised of publicly traded securities. As a result of these differences, these indices may not be directly comparable and the table above is shown for illustrative purposes only.

 

Abbey Capital Limited (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.79%, 2.04% and 2.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares, Class A Shares, and Class C Shares, respectively. These represent the net expense ratios and are applicable to investors. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021, and may not be terminated

 

1

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. In addition, the Adviser may recoup any waived or reimbursed amounts from the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made by the Adviser, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Without the expense limitation agreement, the expense ratios are 1.89%, 2.14% and 2.89% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares, Class A Shares, and Class C Shares, respectively, as stated in the Fund’s current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, as supplemented (and which may differ from the actual expense ratios for the period covered by this report). The quoted performance would have been lower without the expense limitation.

 

Please refer to the prospectus for further information on expenses and fees.

 

Performance Analysis

 

The fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 saw a number of shifts in risk sentiment. In the last four months of 2019, risk sentiment was mostly positive, with global stocks rallying and bond yields generally rising as the US and China made progress towards a ‘phase one’ trade deal. This rally in global equities continued in early 2020, despite the emergence of the COVID-19 virus in China, although we also saw a rally in fixed income products. A significant rise in new cases of the COVID-19 virus outside of Asia in mid-February, most notably in Italy, led to a rise in risk aversion and sharp price declines in many risk assets, most notably equities, and a notable jump in market volatility. In late March, approximately 5 weeks after the sell-off in equities began, global stocks and other risk assets began to recover and volatility in many markets began to return to more normal levels. The prospect of the global economy re-opening, a slowdown in new virus cases in many regions, optimism about a potential COVID-19 vaccine and significant policy support from both central banks and governments were important factors driving the rebound in risk sentiment during this period.

 

Early in the twelve-month period, the Fund saw losses as previous trends in fixed income and currencies reversed, with the Fund’s Trendfollowing sub-advisers generating the largest losses in this period. The performance environment improved in Q1 2020, as the COVID-19 outbreak helped to create notable trends in fixed income and energy markets, with all trading styles yielding positive returns over this period. From Q2 2020 onwards, the performance environment became more mixed as a significant snapback in risk sentiment drove trend reversals in many markets, with the Fund’s largest losses recorded due to reversals in energy and currencies. Trendfollowing and Global Macro sub-advisers saw losses over this period, while Value sub-advisers had positive performance.

 

For the twelve-month period overall, the Fund’s Trendfollowing sub-advisers saw losses in aggregate. Value sub-advisers yielded positive returns, while the performance of the Global Macro sub-advisers was close to flat.

 

In equities, the Fund had negative performance due to losses incurred in Q1 2020. These losses outweighed positive performance in Q4 2019 and Q3 2020 from long positions. Uncertainty about the COVID-19 outbreak and the associated impact on the global economy saw equities correct sharply in Q1 2020. The speed of decline in equities was particularly swift, with the S&P 500® Index experiencing its fastest bear market in history, and US equity market volatility increasing to its highest level since the global financial crisis in 2008-2009. This reversal in global stocks proved problematic for the Fund’s Trendfollowing sub-advisers, who had held long equity positions prior to the sell-off given the strong uptrend in many global indices in 2019 and early 2020, and thus saw notable losses.

 

In the early part of the 12-month period, the USD trended lower as the US cut rates and as US-China trade sentiment improved. This changed in Q1 2020, as demand for haven assets increased amid the COVID-19 outbreak and fears of a USD shortage saw the greenback rally before downtrends in the USD resumed from Q2 2020 onwards as risk sentiment improved. The Fund’s losses in currencies largely came from long USD exposures during the periods of USD weakness at the beginning and at the end of the twelve-month period. Trendfollowing sub-advisers saw the largest losses in currencies over the period, largely due to trading in USD/JPY and GBP/USD, while Global Macro sub-advisers yielded negative returns due to losses from long USD positions against the EUR and the AUD.

 

2

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Agricultural commodities was another difficult sector for the Fund, with the negative performance of Trendfollowing sub-advisers in soft commodities and grains being the main source of losses. In soft commodities, soybeans, coffee and sugar were the largest negative contributors. Choppy price moves created a difficult trading environment for Trendfollowing sub-advisers in these contracts, although Value sub-advisers did profit from long coffee and cotton positions late in the period. A similarly difficult trading environment also occurred in grains, with Trendfollowing sub-advisers again seeing losses, in this instance primarily from trading in wheat. Meanwhile, in meat contracts, a short position in pigs resulted in gains for the Fund.

 

On the upside, long fixed income and short energy exposures resulted in gains, with smaller profits recorded in metals.

 

The Fund initially saw losses in fixed income as global yields reversed and trended higher in the second half of 2019 on improving US-China trade sentiment and higher equity prices. However, performance turned positive from early 2020 onwards as strong uptrends in global fixed income prices emerged as global monetary policy turned more dovish, with numerous central banks cutting rates and enacting new bond buying programs to counteract the slowdown in economic growth and deflationary pressures that arose following the COVID-19 outbreak. Trendfollowing sub-advisers profited from long exposures in US Treasuries, as US fixed income markets outperformed many other developed markets. Value managers also saw notable gains within fixed income.

 

Energy performance was also positive over the period. The Fund saw losses from September to December 2019, as crude oil and distillates traded in a relatively narrow range. The Fund’s Trendfollowing sub-advisers began to build short positions in the sector in early 2020. Thus, the Trendfollowing sub-advisers were well positioned to profit from the sharp fall in energy prices that accompanied the COVID-19 related slowdown in global economic activity, which included front- month crude oil futures briefly trading at a negative price in April 2020. A short in heating oil was the largest positive contributor in energy, with Trendfollowing sub-advisers capturing the bulk of Fund gains in the sector.

 

In metals, longs in gold and silver drove positive performance, with smaller gains recorded in base metals. Performance in both base and precious metals was negative for much of the period, before turning positive in Q3 2020 as metals prices accelerated to the upside amid USD weakness. The largest gains were recorded from longs in gold, which rallied to a record in August 2020, closing above $2,000 an ounce for the first time.

 

Key to Currency Abbreviations

AUD

Australian Dollar

EUR

Euro

GBP

British Pound Sterling

JPY

Japanese Yen

USD

US Dollar

 

An investment in the Fund is speculative and involves substantial risk. It is possible that an investor may lose some or all of their investment. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited (“ACMOF”), which invests substantially all of its assets in Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC (“ACOF”), which is a multi-adviser fund that invests in managed futures and foreign exchange. The Fund may also invest a portion of its assets into Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC (“ACOS”), which is a multi-adviser fund that invests in managed futures and foreign exchange. All investments in securities involve risk of the loss of capital. An investment in the Fund includes the risks inherent in an investment in securities, as well as specific risks associated with this open-ended investment product. Among the risks associated with investing in this Fund are Commodity Sector Risk, Counter-Party Risk, Credit Risk, Currency Risk, Manager and Management Risks, Subsidiary Risk, Tax Risk, Emerging Markets Risk, Leveraging Risk, Foreign Investment Risk, Fixed Income Securities Risks, Short Sale Risk and Portfolio Turnover Risks. The Fund may invest in or utilize derivative investments, futures contracts, and hedging strategies. One or more Trading Advisers, from time to time, may invest a substantial portion of the assets managed in a specific industry sector. As a result, the Fund’s investment portfolio may be subject to greater

 

3

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Concluded)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

risk and volatility than if investments had been made in the securities of a broader range of issuers. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s strategy (hedging or otherwise) will be successful or that it will employ such strategies with respect to all or any portion of its portfolio. The value of the Fund’s portfolio investments should be expected to fluctuate. Investing in managed futures is not suitable for all investors given its speculative nature and the high level of risk involved. The Fund is appropriate only for investors who can bear the risks associated with the product. This brief statement cannot disclose all of the risks and other factors necessary to evaluate an investment in the Fund. Investors are urged to take appropriate investment advice and to carefully consider their investment objectives, personal situation, and factors such as net worth, income, age, risk tolerance and liquidity needs before investing in the Fund. Before investing, investors should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, tax considerations, sales charges and expenses.

 

Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security. Please refer to the Consolidated Portfolio of Investments in this report for a complete list of Fund holdings.

 

The Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund is distributed by Quasar Distributions, LLC.

 

4

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Performance Data

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund - Class A Shares
vs. BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index, S&P 500® Total Return Index and Barclay CTA Index

 

 

The chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund made on July 1, 2014 and reflects Fund expenses and reinvestment of dividends and distributions (performance shown prior to August 29, 2014 is Class I Shares performance adjusted for Class A shares expense ratio). Class A Shares growth of a hypothetical investment of $10,000 is adjusted for the maximum sales charge of 5.75%. This results in a net initial investment of $9,425. Performance does not reflect the deduction of taxes a shareholder may pay on dividends, distributions or redemptions.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Five
Years

Since
Inception†

 

Class A Shares (without sales charge) (Pro forma July 1, 2014 to August 29, 2014)

-1.64%

3.14%

0.40%

3.66%*

 

Class A Shares (with sales charge) (Pro forma July 1, 2014 to August 29, 2014)

-7.30%

1.13%

-0.78%

2.67%*

 

BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index

1.26%

1.72%

1.20%

0.97%**

 

S&P 500® Total Return Index

21.94%

14.52%

14.46%

12.12%**

 

Barclay CTA Index

0.45%

1.99%

0.79%

1.52%**

 

 

Inception date of Class A Shares of the Fund was August 29, 2014.

 

*

Class A Shares performance prior to its inception on August 29, 2014 is the performance of Class I Shares, adjusted for the Class A Shares expense ratio.

 

**

Performance is from the inception date of the Fund and is not the inception date of the index itself. The above is shown for illustrative purposes only.

 

The Fund charges a 5.75% maximum sales charge on purchases (as a percentage of offering price) of Class A Shares. The performance data quoted reflects fee waivers in effect and would have been less in their absence. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes)

 

5

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

to 2.04% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A Shares. Without the limitation arrangement, the gross expense ratio is 2.14% for Class A Shares as stated in the current prospectus (and which may differ from the actual expense ratio for the period covered by this report). This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. Please see the Consolidated Financial Highlights for current figures.

 

6

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $1,000,000 Investment in Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund – Class I Shares
vs. BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index, S&P 500® Total Return Index and Barclay CTA Index

 

 

The chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $1,000,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on July 1, 2014 and reflects Fund expenses and reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Performance does not reflect the deduction of taxes a shareholder may pay on dividends, distributions or redemptions.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Five
Years

Since
Inception†

 

Class I Shares

-1.39%

3.40%

0.65%

3.92%

 

BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index

1.26%

1.72%

1.20%

0.97%*

 

S&P 500® Total Return Index

21.94%

14.52%

14.46%

12.12%*

 

Barclay CTA Index

0.45%

1.99%

0.79%

1.52%*

 

 

Inception date of Class I Shares of the Fund was July 1, 2014.

 

*

Performance is from the inception date of the Fund and is not the inception date of the index itself. The above is shown for illustrative purposes only.

 

The performance data quoted reflects fee waivers in effect and would have been less in their absence. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares. Without the limitation arrangement, the gross expense ratio is 1.89% for Class I Shares, as stated in the current prospectus (and which may differ from the actual expense ratios for the period covered by this report). This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. Please see the Consolidated Financial Highlights for current figures.

 

7

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund – Class C Shares
vs. BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index, S&P 500® Total Return Index and Barclay CTA Index

 

 

The chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on July 1, 2014 and reflects Fund expenses and reinvestment of dividends and distributions (performance shown prior to October 6, 2015 is Class I Shares performance adjusted for Class C Shares expense ratio). Performance does not reflect the deduction of taxes a shareholder may pay on dividends, distributions or redemptions.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Five
Years

Since
Inception†

 

Class C Shares (Pro forma July 1, 2014 to October 6, 2015)

-2.40%

2.36%

-0.35%

2.89%*

 

BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index

1.26%

1.72%

1.20%

0.97%**

 

S&P 500® Total Return Index

21.94%

14.52%

14.46%

12.12%**

 

Barclay CTA Index

0.45%

1.99%

0.79%

1.52%**

 

 

Inception date of Class C Shares of the Fund was October 6, 2015.

 

*

Class C Shares performance prior to its inception on October 6, 2015 is the performance of Class I Shares, adjusted for the Class C Shares expense ratio.

 

**

Performance is from the inception date of the Fund and is not the inception date of the index itself. The above is shown for illustrative purposes only.

 

The performance data quoted reflects fee waivers in effect and would have been less in their absence. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 2.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares. Without the limitation arrangement, the gross expense ratio is 2.89% for Class C Shares, as stated in the current prospectus (and which may differ from the

 

8

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

actual expense ratios for the period covered by this report). This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. Please see the Consolidated Financial Highlights for current figures.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted. Visit www.abbeycapital.com for returns updated daily. Call (US Toll Free) 1-844-261-6484 or (international callers) + 1-508-871-3276 for returns current to the most recent month-end.

 

The Barclay CTA Index is derived from data which is self-reported by investment managers based on the performance of privately managed funds. In contrast, the S&P 500® Total Return Index and the BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index are comprised of publicly traded securities. As a result of these differences, these indices may not be directly comparable. Additionally, these indices are not available for direct investment and the above is shown for illustrative purposes only.

 

9

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Performance Data (Concluded)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Barclay CTA Index

 

The Barclay CTA Index is a leading industry benchmark of representative performance of commodity trading advisors. There are currently 510 programs included in the calculation of the Barclay CTA Index for 2020. The Barclay CTA Index is equally weighted and rebalanced at the beginning of each year.

 

BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index

 

The BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index is an unmanaged market index of U.S. Treasury securities maturing in 90 days that assumes reinvestment of all income.

 

S&P 500® Index

 

The S&P 500® Index is a market-capitalization-weighted index of 500 U.S. stocks chosen for market size, liquidity and industry grouping, among other factors. The S&P 500® Index is designed to be a leading indicator of U.S. equities and is meant to reflect the risk/return characteristics of the large cap universe. The S&P 500® Index was first introduced on January 1, 1923, though expanded to 500 stocks on March 4, 1957.

 

The S&P 500® Total Return Index

 

The S&P 500® Total Return Index is the total return version of the S&P 500® Index. Dividends are reinvested on a daily basis and all regular cash dividends are assumed reinvested in the index on the ex-dividend date.

 

A basis point is one hundredth of one percent.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

10

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Fund Expense Examples

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on purchase payments, (if any) and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees, distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees and other Fund expenses. These examples are intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

These examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020, and held for the entire period.

 

ACTUAL EXPENSES

 

The first section in the accompanying table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this section, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first section under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES

 

The second section of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads) on purchase payments (if any). Therefore, the second section of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses Paid
During
Period*

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual Six-
Month Total
Investment
Returns for the
Fund

Actual

         

Class A Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,035.80

$ 10.44

2.04%

3.58%

Class I Shares

1,000.00

1,036.40

9.16

1.79

3.64

Class C Shares

1,000.00

1,031.00

14.24

2.79

3.10

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

Class A Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,014.88

$ 10.33

2.04%

N/A

Class I Shares

1,000.00

1,016.14

9.07

1.79

N/A

Class C Shares

1,000.00

1,011.11

14.10

2.79

N/A

 

 

*

Expenses are equal to the Funds’ Class A Shares, Class I Shares, and Class C Shares annualized six-month expense ratios for the period March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one half year period. The Fund’s ending account values in the first section in the table is based on the actual six-month total investment return for the Fund’s respective share classes.

 

11

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The following table presents a consolidated summary of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

 

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS:

               

U.S. Treasury Obligations

    82.7 %   $ 746,977,557  

Money Market Deposit Account

    3.0       27,187,232  

PURCHASED OPTIONS

    0.0       397,494  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES

               

(including futures, forward foreign currency contracts and written options)

    14.3       129,054,001  

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 903,616,284  

 

 

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating its assets between a “Managed Futures” strategy and a “Fixed
Income” strategy.

 

As a result of the Fund’s use of derivatives, the Fund may hold significant amounts of U.S. Treasuries or short-term investments.

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

Refer to the Consolidated Portfolio of Investments for a detailed listing of the Fund’s holdings.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

12

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

Coupon*

   

Maturity
Date

   

Par
(000’s)

   

Value

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 85.7%

                               

U.S. TREASURY OBLIGATIONS — 82.7%

                               

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.368 %     09/03/20     $ 37,282     $ 37,281,848  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.228 %     09/10/20       26,228       26,227,485  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    -0.029 %     09/17/20       25,676       25,675,057  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.056 %     09/24/20       37,079       37,077,104  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.132 %     10/01/20       53,045       53,040,912  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.254 %     10/08/20       6433       6,432,430  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.142 %     10/15/20       14,173       14,171,441  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.113 %     10/22/20       31,770       31,765,724  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.085 %     10/29/20       43,862       43,855,463  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.116 %     11/05/20       61,965       61,954,653  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.122 %     11/12/20       34,888       34,881,370  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.120 %     11/19/20       11,025       11,022,640  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.146 %     11/27/20       23,889       23,883,154  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.144 %     12/03/20       35,493       35,482,914  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.162 %     12/10/20       15,371       15,366,624  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.144 %     12/17/20       15,605       15,600,247  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.148 %     12/24/20       11,186       11,182,103  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.133 %     12/31/20       25,905       25,895,424  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.131 %     01/07/21       37,533       37,517,653  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.107 %     01/14/21       22,449       22,439,320  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.093 %     01/21/21       2,121       2,120,121  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.089 %     01/28/21       19,203       19,195,052  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.101 %     02/04/21       28,462       28,448,742  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.095 %     02/11/21       53,710       53,684,465  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.097 %     02/18/21       17,005       16,996,167  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.091 %     02/25/21       55,811       55,779,444  

TOTAL U.S. TREASURY OBLIGATIONS ($746,968,530)

                            746,977,557  
                                 
                   

Number Of
Shares
(000’s)

         

MONEY MARKET DEPOSIT ACCOUNT — 3.0%

                               

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05% (United States)(a)

                    27,187       27,187,232  

TOTAL MONEY MARKET DEPOSIT ACCOUNT ($27,187,232)

                            27,187,232  
                                 

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

                               

(Cost $774,155,762)

                            774,164,789  

TOTAL PURCHASED OPTIONS — 0.0%**

                               

(Cost $716,719)

                            397,494  

TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 85.7%

                               

(Cost $774,872,481)

                            774,562,283  
                                 

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES — 14.3%

                            129,054,001  

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

                          $ 903,616,284  

 

 

*

Short-term investments’ coupon reflect the annualized effective yield on the date of purchase for discounted investments.

**

See page 28 for detailed information regarding the Purchased Options.

(a)

The rate shown is as of August, 31, 2020.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

13

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Futures contracts outstanding as of August 31, 2020 were as follows:

 

Long Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

1-Month SOFR Future

    Sep-20       2     $ 832,775     $ (42 )

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Mar-21       425       127,395,269       5,997  

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Jun-21       633       189,762,897       35,353  

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Sep-21       5       1,498,917       (45 )

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Dec-21       169       50,660,875       (6,325 )

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Mar-22       4       1,199,014       (164 )

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Jun-22       26       7,793,593       1,313  

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Sep-22       12       3,596,685       (462 )

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Dec-22       19       5,694,184       (940 )

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Mar-23       36       10,787,370       (1,014 )

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Jun-23       16       4,793,909       433  

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Dec-23       20       5,990,000       (940 )

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Dec-20       122       89,956,720       3,435  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Mar-21       526       387,827,064       57,685  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Jun-21       171       126,077,553       10,429  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Sep-21       111       81,837,798       12,442  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Dec-21       84       61,926,728       5,286  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Mar-22       60       44,232,287       2,852  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Jun-22       15       8,874,917       (327 )

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Dec-20       423       105,448,613       12,563  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Mar-21       116       28,942,000       7,975  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Jun-21       321       80,097,525       1,050  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Sep-21       105       26,198,813       4,525  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Dec-21       512       127,718,400       5,125  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Mar-22       81       20,209,500       3,375  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Jun-22       354       88,314,150       11,700  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Sep-22       119       29,683,063       6,175  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Dec-22       76       18,950,600       813  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Mar-23       73       18,200,725       5,288  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Jun-23       237       59,072,250       11,163  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Sep-23       24       5,979,900       7,450  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Dec-23       3       747,075       (313 )

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Mar-24       4       995,800       (400 )

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Sep-24       14       3,481,800       (200 )

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Dec-24       7       1,739,763       75  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Dec-20       407       67,936,025       21,672  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Mar-21       493       82,319,889       120,910  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Jun-21       1,524       254,524,583       114,912  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Sep-21       293       48,946,427       20,444  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Dec-21       856       143,004,224       80,283  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Mar-22       298       49,784,181       35,775  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Jun-22       786       131,296,820       60,722  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Sep-22       287       47,936,918       28,498  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Dec-22       206       34,400,799       12,599  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Mar-23       172       28,715,813       1,546  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Jun-23       421       70,269,373       (11,346 )

Amsterdam Index Futures

    Sep-20       29       3,798,814       (62,780 )

AUD/USD Currency Futures

    Sep-20       465       34,358,850       980,830  

Australian 10-Year Bond Futures

    Sep-20       312       33,934,820       (291,524 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

14

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Long Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

Australian 3-Year Bond Futures

    Sep-20       1,320     $ 113,853,682     $ (111,654 )

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Mar-21       126       24,026,795       2,664  

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Jun-21       166       31,652,759       6,536  

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Sep-21       146       27,833,576       4,590  

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Dec-21       93       17,725,151       2,865  

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Mar-22       65       12,384,809       863  

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Jun-22       44       8,381,454       1,208  

Brent Crude Futures

    Nov-20       7       316,960       (6,690 )

Brent Crude Oil Last Day

    Nov-20       7       316,960       (7,010 )

CAC40 10 Euro Futures

    Sep-20       101       5,957,093       (17,213 )

CAD Currency Futures

    Sep-20       156       9,365,940       214,960  

Canadian 10-Year Bond Futures

    Dec-20       404       46,751,071       (227,347 )

Canola Futures (Winnipeg Commodity Exchange)

    Nov-20       9       68,751       370  

CHF Currency Futures

    Sep-20       216       29,902,500       492,999  

Cocoa Futures

    Dec-20       43       1,141,220       62,950  

Cocoa Futures

    Mar-21       10       263,800       12,900  

Cocoa Futures ICE

    Mar-21       3       69,779       1,029  

Coffee ‘C’ Futures

    Dec-20       231       11,178,956       916,856  

Coffee ‘C’ Futures

    Mar-21       8       389,400       24,694  

Coffee ‘C’ Futures

    May-21       5       245,250       12,750  

Coffee Robusta Futures

    Nov-20       11       157,190       7,000  

Coffee Robusta Futures

    Jan-21       2       28,720       1,890  

Copper Futures

    Dec-20       485       37,120,688       1,088,825  

Copper Futures

    Mar-21       5       384,563       9,225  

Corn Futures

    Dec-20       1,286       23,003,325       (10,584 )

Cotton No.2 Futures

    Dec-20       333       10,849,140       521,585  

DAX Index Futures

    Sep-20       44       16,967,708       181,672  

DJIA Mini E-CBOT

    Sep-20       111       15,770,880       616,394  

E-Mini Consumer Discretionary Select Futures

    Sep-20       1       151,620       5,420  

E-Mini Consumer Staples Select Futures

    Sep-20       1       65,810       4,250  

E-Mini Crude Oil

    Oct-20       6       127,830       (695 )

E-Mini Health Care Select Futures

    Sep-20       2       218,460       1,660  

E-Mini Industrial Select Futures

    Sep-20       1       78,220       550  

E-Mini Natural Gas Futures

    Oct-20       2       13,150       150  

E-Mini Technology Select Futures

    Sep-20       1       124,500       17,210  

Emissions ICE

    Dec-20       54       1,846,870       109,597  

EUR Foreign Exchange Currency Futures

    Sep-20       721       107,604,744       1,916,844  

Euro BUXL 30-Year Bond Futures

    Sep-20       18       4,659,491       (102,795 )

Euro STOXX 50

    Sep-20       235       9,156,244       (38,133 )

Euro/GBP Futures

    Sep-20       1       149,115       (2,381 )

Euro/JPY Futures

    Sep-20       47       7,010,173       183,437  

Euro-Bobl Futures

    Sep-20       369       59,283,599       (154,729 )

Euro-BTP Futures

    Sep-20       298       51,994,773       1,001,850  

Euro-Bund Futures

    Sep-20       592       124,026,254       (763,097 )

Euro-Oat Futures

    Sep-20       250       49,962,410       161,293  

Euro-Schatz Futures

    Sep-20       178       23,793,730       (9,284 )

FTSE 100 Index Futures

    Sep-20       160       12,750,508       (289,508 )

FTSE China A50 Index

    Sep-20       202       3,145,645       35,636  

FTSE/JSE TOP 40

    Sep-20       13       391,827       (7,537 )

FTSE/MIB Index Futures

    Sep-20       3       351,273       (9,505 )

Gasoline RBOB Futures

    Oct-20       40       2,039,016       (5,893 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

15

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Long Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

GBP Currency Futures

    Sep-20       185     $ 15,469,469     $ 223,838  

Gold 100 Oz Futures

    Dec-20       116       22,951,760       181,221  

Hang Seng China Enterprises Index Futures

    Sep-20       41       2,640,067       (70,579 )

Hang Seng Index Futures

    Sep-20       50       7,764,961       (108,449 )

IBEX 35 Index Futures

    Sep-20       8       664,016       (7,170 )

INR/USD Futures

    Sep-20       1       27,228       342  

JPN 10-Year Bond (Osaka Securities Exchange)

    Sep-20       2       2,862,484       (6,609 )

JPY Currency Futures

    Sep-20       445       52,551,719       218,727  

Lean Hogs Futures

    Dec-20       1       22,050       640  

Live Cattle Futures

    Oct-20       15       631,800       (15,230 )

Live Cattle Futures

    Dec-20       1       43,590       (1,590 )

Live Cattle Futures

    Apr-21       2       91,640       (2,450 )

LME Aluminum Forward

    Sep-20       1,800       79,717,500       6,721,826  

LME Aluminum Forward

    Oct-20       57       2,547,187       72,534  

LME Aluminum Forward

    Dec-20       579       26,138,231       427,042  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       6       264,675       34,338  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       3       132,402       14,027  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       44,200       4,238  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       44,217       3,524  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       44,250       4,061  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       6       265,884       24,810  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       44,394       4,769  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       44,407       4,320  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       89,079       7,767  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       8       356,474       29,200  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       133,707       8,157  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       7       312,330       16,522  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       44,628       2,391  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       6       267,830       18,805  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       21       938,233       65,762  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       44,688       2,738  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       134,072       4,832  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       18       804,487       31,598  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       44,740       2,103  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       4       179,054       6,765  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       134,325       4,938  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       89,638       1,613  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       89,650       755  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       12       537,975       10,366  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       10       448,562       6,225  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       17       762,875       3,035  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       44,931       450  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       15       674,156       2,243  

LME Copper Forward

    Sep-20       654       109,242,525       11,738,286  

LME Copper Forward

    Oct-20       33       5,504,400       160,745  

LME Copper Forward

    Dec-20       179       29,831,469       832,599  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       334,425       50,063  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       334,250       44,900  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       167,037       22,175  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       7       1,168,081       150,501  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       166,770       14,645  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

16

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Long Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       9     $ 1,501,182     $ 105,958  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       500,419       24,569  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       333,662       14,350  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       9       1,501,513       22,514  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       8       1,334,736       52,137  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       15       2,502,844       85,274  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       14       2,333,933       66,577  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       14       2,334,500       66,588  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       333,512       15,183  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       14       2,334,647       104,061  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       333,525       7,021  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       13       2,166,694       47,338  

LME Lead Forward

    Sep-20       42       2,050,125       55,813  

LME Lead Forward

    Oct-20       3       147,187       2,027  

LME Lead Forward

    Dec-20       6       296,475       890  

LME Nickel Forward

    Sep-20       77       7,088,928       902,104  

LME Nickel Forward

    Oct-20       5       460,665       28,067  

LME Nickel Forward

    Dec-20       40       3,691,920       104,925  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       92,048       14,048  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       92,059       15,429  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       184,129       24,121  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       184,158       27,168  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       92,099       11,049  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       92,113       10,633  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       276,348       31,371  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       184,237       22,341  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       184,260       25,428  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       276,399       37,886  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       276,453       17,001  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       4       368,631       36,680  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       4       368,808       26,556  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       92,193       4,773  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       7       645,387       25,547  

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       92,202       1,752  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       48,734       4,609  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       48,764       3,999  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       97,615       7,887  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       48,889       4,027  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       147,022       9,596  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       147,070       9,070  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       147,164       9,702  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       7       343,438       21,306  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       6       294,345       21,577  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       98,191       5,728  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       6       294,668       12,570  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       49,143       2,018  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       49,159       1,471  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       49,167       530  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       49,215       390  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       9       443,005       2,363  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       98,525       (514 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

17

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Long Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2     $ 98,512     $ (814 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       13       640,750       (627 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       3       147,889       (2,323 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       49,312       (238 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       178,740       9,215  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       89,347       4,897  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       178,670       9,970  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       4       357,340       19,484  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       89,335       4,167  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       268,005       11,865  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       89,335       2,560  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       178,630       2,210  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       178,630       130  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       89,315       (360 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       89,308       723  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       178,610       2,610  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       89,300       1,725  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       178,517       4,587  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       89,250       500  

LME Zinc Forward

    Sep-20       62       3,872,287       520,485  

LME Zinc Forward

    Oct-20       4       250,825       10,106  

LME Zinc Forward

    Dec-20       78       4,913,513       139,308  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       3       186,919       33,769  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       62,456       10,419  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       62,495       10,971  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       62,593       11,280  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       62,661       9,372  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       125,400       14,387  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       4       250,806       30,881  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       6       376,213       45,401  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       188,116       20,183  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       125,412       14,312  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       12       752,475       78,807  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       62,743       7,306  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       62,751       5,351  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       14       878,615       74,637  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       62,803       3,703  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       62,840       3,215  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       125,710       6,385  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       17       1,068,662       58,395  

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       125,725       (1,525 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-25       15       943,072       25,110  

Long Gilt Futures

    Dec-20       587       105,939,031       (561,932 )

Low Sulphur Gasoil G Futures

    Oct-20       7       257,775       (10,100 )

Lumber Futures

    Nov-20       7       575,575       (12,848 )

MDAX Index Futures

    Sep-20       2       327,275       11,211  

Micro EUR/USD Futures

    Sep-20       6       89,546       1,310  

Milk Futures

    Sep-20       5       156,800       (6,500 )

Mill Wheat Euro

    Dec-20       9       99,615       895  

Mini H-Shares Index Futures

    Sep-20       23       296,203       (8,330 )

Mini HSI Index Futures

    Sep-20       6       194,124       (4,472 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

18

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Long Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

Mini TOPIX Index Futures

    Sep-20       21     $ 320,408     $ 2,379  

MSCI EAFE Index Futures

    Sep-20       11       1,045,055       18,690  

MSCI Emerging Markets Index Futures

    Sep-20       37       2,035,740       17,540  

MSCI Taiwan Index

    Sep-20       139       6,826,290       (131,213 )

Nasdaq 100 E-Mini

    Sep-20       188       45,548,640       3,084,697  

Natural Gas Futures

    Oct-20       139       3,655,700       80,483  

Natural Gas Futures

    Nov-20       15       438,000       14,010  

Natural Gas Futures

    Dec-20       8       260,320       8,340  

Natural Gas Futures ICE

    Oct-20       15       179,951       28,427  

Nikkei 225 (Osaka Securities Exchange)

    Sep-20       29       6,341,311       115,467  

Nikkei 225 (Singapore Exchange)

    Sep-20       101       11,042,629       21,267  

Nikkei 225 Mini

    Sep-20       346       7,565,840       137,198  

NY Harbor Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Futures

    Oct-20       5       255,633       (12,827 )

NYSE FANG+ Index Futures

    Sep-20       4       1,137,360       150,470  

NZD Currency Futures

    Sep-20       168       11,333,280       352,990  

OMX Stockholm 30 Index Futures

    Sep-20       339       6,917,328       (26,576 )

Palladium Futures

    Dec-20       5       1,139,650       43,920  

Palm Oil Futures

    Oct-20       2       33,357       594  

Palm Oil Futures

    Nov-20       27       443,680       13,426  

Palm Oil Futures

    Dec-20       2       32,541       1,284  

Platinum Futures

    Oct-20       11       515,845       (13,615 )

Rapeseed Euro

    Nov-20       5       114,263       477  

Rough Rice Futures

    Nov-20       4       98,840       320  

Russell 2000 E-Mini

    Sep-20       77       6,011,005       170,154  

S&P 500 E-Mini Futures

    Sep-20       436       76,276,020       2,734,120  

S&P Mid 400 E-Mini

    Sep-20       10       1,925,800       60,460  

S&P/TSX 60 IX Futures

    Sep-20       37       5,610,917       138,322  

SGX Iron Ore 62% Futures

    Oct-20       30       355,020       10,949  

SGX Nifty 50

    Sep-20       52       1,182,012       (16,725 )

Short BTP Future

    Sep-20       83       11,128,010       45,633  

Silver Futures

    Dec-20       55       7,863,350       309,085  

Silver Futures

    Mar-21       3       431,340       22,080  

Soybean Futures

    Nov-20       233       11,108,275       95,560  

Soybean Futures

    Mar-21       130       6,238,375       83,537  

Soybean Meal Futures

    Dec-20       6       187,500       6,530  

Soybean Oil Futures

    Dec-20       78       1,537,848       22,914  

Soybean Oil Futures

    Jan-21       4       79,200       2,220  

Soybean Oil Futures

    Mar-21       1       19,866       984  

SPI 200 Futures

    Sep-20       42       4,669,799       16,890  

STOXX Europe 600 Index

    Sep-20       39       850,062       (4,863 )

Sugar No. 11 (World)

    Oct-20       171       2,424,643       (14,571 )

Sugar No. 11 (World)

    Mar-21       249       3,703,526       (71,456 )

Sugar No. 11 (World)

    May-21       3       43,882       (448 )

Swiss Federal Bond Futures

    Sep-20       1       191,946       (852 )

Topix Index Futures

    Sep-20       45       6,865,883       103,101  

U.S. Treasury 10-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       751       104,576,750       82,219  

U.S. Treasury 2-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       406       89,703,797       32,914  

U.S. Treasury 5-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       1,143       144,053,719       174,054  

U.S. Treasury Long Bond (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       160       28,115,000       (98,064 )

U.S. Treasury Ultra 10-Year Notes

    Dec-20       68       10,841,750       15,828  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

19

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Long Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

U.S. Treasury Ultra Long Bond (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       17     $ 3,755,406     $ (32,547 )

USD/NOK Futures

    Sep-20       2       199,813       (12,227 )

USD/SEK Futures

    Sep-20       3       299,766       (19,301 )

Wheat (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       111       3,064,988       46,662  

Wheat (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Mar-21       4       112,100       (139 )

White Sugar ICE

    Dec-20       3       54,780       (420 )

WTI Crude Futures

    Oct-20       63       2,641,820       (3,750 )

WTI Crude Futures

    Dec-20       22       950,620       6,670  
                            $ 38,719,449  

 

Short Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

10-Year Mini Japanese Government Bond Futures

    Sep-20       10     $ (1,430,581 )   $ 2,766  

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Dec-20       1       (299,739 )     (30 )

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Mar-21       1       (299,754 )     (30 )

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Dec-20       16       (3,988,600 )     (125 )

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Mar-21       887       (221,306,500 )     (413 )

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Jun-21       656       (163,688,400 )     825  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Sep-21       10       (2,495,125 )     (325 )

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Dec-20       7       (1,168,433 )     (326 )

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Mar-21       3       (500,932 )     175  

Amsterdam Index Futures

    Sep-20       5       (654,968 )     10,108  

AUD/USD Currency Futures

    Sep-20       605       (44,703,450 )     (1,872,288 )

Australian 10-Year Bond Futures

    Sep-20       21       (2,284,074 )     2,875  

Brent Crude Futures

    Nov-20       71       (3,214,880 )     (1,550 )

Brent Crude Futures

    Dec-20       14       (639,240 )     (19,260 )

Brent Crude Futures

    Jan-21       3       (138,090 )     1,090  

CAC40 10 Euro Futures

    Sep-20       19       (1,002,679 )     1,005  

CAD Currency Futures

    Sep-20       244       (18,731,880 )     (241,252 )

Canola Futures (Winnipeg Commodity Exchange)

    Jan-21       4       (31,004 )     (1,343 )

Cattle Feeder Futures

    Oct-20       1       -       (413 )

Cocoa Futures ICE

    Dec-20       24       (565,287 )     (24,342 )

Coffee ‘C’ Futures

    Dec-20       15       (725,906 )     (77,606 )

Corn Futures

    Dec-20       314       (5,616,675 )     (281,200 )

Corn Futures

    Mar-21       325       (5,971,875 )     (417,338 )

DAX Index Futures

    Sep-20       7       (2,699,408 )     31,236  

DAX-Mini Futures

    Sep-20       1       -       1,074  

DJIA Mini E-CBOT

    Sep-20       1       (142,080 )     (15,040 )

Dollar Index

    Sep-20       43       (3,961,633 )     75,907  

E-Mini Energy Select Futures

    Sep-20       1       (36,880 )     280  

E-Mini Financial Select Futures

    Sep-20       1       (76,962 )     1,325  

EUR Foreign Exchange Currency Futures

    Sep-20       152       (22,685,050 )     (1,027,448 )

Euro STOXX 50

    Sep-20       20       (662,367 )     (6,701 )

Euro/CHF 3-Month Futures ICE

    Dec-20       1       (278,555 )      

Euro/CHF 3-Month Futures ICE

    Mar-21       2       (557,110 )     (28 )

Euro/CHF 3-Month Futures ICE

    Jun-21       2       (557,055 )     138  

Euro/CHF 3-Month Futures ICE

    Sep-21       1       (278,500 )     83  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

20

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Short Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

Euro-Bobl Futures

    Sep-20       224     $ (35,987,876 )   $ 132,235  

Euro-Bund Futures

    Sep-20       184       (38,548,701 )     4,308  

Euro-Schatz Futures

    Sep-20       363       (48,523,169 )     16,337  

FTSE 100 Index Futures

    Sep-20       47       (3,745,462 )     99,856  

FTSE/JSE TOP 40

    Sep-20       1       (30,141 )     569  

FTSE/MIB Index Futures

    Sep-20       10       (1,170,911 )     567  

Gasoline RBOB Futures

    Oct-20       65       (3,313,401 )     79,737  

Gasoline RBOB Futures

    Nov-20       28       (149,688 )     15,200  

Gasoline RBOB Futures

    Dec-20       1       (49,413 )     235  

Gasoline RBOB Futures

    Jan-21       1       (49,594 )     626  

GBP Currency Futures

    Sep-20       164       (13,713,475 )     (517,663 )

Hang Seng Index Futures

    Sep-20       1       (161,770 )     1,923  

IBEX 35 Index Futures

    Sep-20       7       (581,014 )     3,475  

JPN 10-Year Bond (Osaka Securities Exchange)

    Sep-20       62       (75,855,828 )     132,842  

JPY Currency Futures

    Sep-20       14       (1,653,313 )     (2,494 )

Kansas City Hard Red Winter Wheat Futures

    Dec-20       91       (2,162,388 )     (209,250 )

Kansas City Hard Red Winter Wheat Futures

    Mar-21       4       (97,250 )     (8,263 )

Lean Hogs Futures

    Oct-20       87       (1,865,280 )     (116,490 )

Lean Hogs Futures

    Dec-20       27       (595,350 )     (33,780 )

Live Cattle Futures

    Oct-20       11       (463,320 )     (1,760 )

Live Cattle Futures

    Dec-20       13       (566,670 )     (12,910 )

Live Cattle Futures

    Feb-21       11       (494,230 )     1,240  

Live Cattle Futures

    Apr-21       12       (549,840 )     460  

LME Aluminum Forward

    Sep-20       1,800       (79,717,500 )     (7,783,121 )

LME Aluminum Forward

    Oct-20       15       (670,312 )     (9,850 )

LME Aluminum Forward

    Dec-20       432       (19,502,100 )     (263,669 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       6       (264,675 )     (26,175 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       3       (132,402 )     (11,718 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (44,200 )     (3,526 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (44,217 )     (4,355 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (44,250 )     (4,625 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       6       (265,884 )     (22,218 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (44,394 )     (4,369 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (44,407 )     (5,195 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       (89,079 )     (7,498 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       8       (356,474 )     (19,892 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (133,707 )     (8,433 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       7       (312,330 )     (21,429 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (44,628 )     (3,139 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       6       (267,830 )     (18,891 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       21       (938,233 )     (36,657 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (44,688 )     (1,611 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (134,072 )     (7,872 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       18       (804,488 )     (43,100 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (44,740 )     (1,652 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       4       (179,054 )     (1,399 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (134,325 )     (2,640 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       (89,638 )     (2,460 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       (89,650 )     (913 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       12       (537,975 )     (4,073 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

21

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Short Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       10     $ (448,562 )   $ (6,598 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       17       (762,875 )     (5,340 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (44,931 )     (619 )

LME Copper Forward

    Sep-20       654       (109,242,525 )     (11,590,187 )

LME Copper Forward

    Oct-20       12       (2,001,600 )     (69,715 )

LME Copper Forward

    Dec-20       90       (14,999,063 )     (271,681 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       (334,425 )     (44,048 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       (334,250 )     (47,850 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (167,037 )     (23,831 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       7       (1,168,081 )     (85,785 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (166,770 )     (12,075 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       9       (1,501,182 )     (31,993 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (500,419 )     (14,419 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       (333,662 )     (9,613 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       9       (1,501,513 )     (49,712 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       8       (1,334,736 )     (45,254 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       15       (2,502,844 )     (74,431 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       14       (2,333,933 )     (67,025 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       14       (2,334,500 )     (104,456 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       (333,512 )     (14,862 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       14       (2,334,647 )     (53,072 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       (333,525 )     (16,312 )

LME Lead Forward

    Sep-20       42       (2,050,125 )     (125,851 )

LME Lead Forward

    Dec-20       27       (1,334,137 )     (22,842 )

LME Nickel Forward

    Sep-20       77       (7,088,928 )     (1,308,165 )

LME Nickel Forward

    Oct-20       3       (276,399 )     (13,018 )

LME Nickel Forward

    Dec-20       21       (1,938,258 )     (144,069 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (92,048 )     (13,670 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (92,059 )     (11,220 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       (184,129 )     (31,219 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       (184,158 )     (24,155 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (92,099 )     (10,616 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (92,113 )     (10,609 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (276,348 )     (38,442 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       (184,237 )     (25,442 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       (184,260 )     (20,406 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (276,399 )     (17,037 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (276,453 )     (28,722 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       4       (368,631 )     (26,651 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       4       (368,808 )     (16,215 )

LME Nickel Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (92,193 )     (4,047 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (48,734 )     (4,960 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (48,764 )     (5,639 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       (97,615 )     (8,127 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (48,889 )     (4,449 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (147,022 )     (9,059 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (147,070 )     (9,081 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (147,164 )     (10,242 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       7       (343,438 )     (23,878 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       6       (294,345 )     (18,679 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

22

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Short Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2     $ (98,191 )   $ (4,559 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       6       (294,667 )     (1,420 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (49,143 )     (1,275 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (49,159 )     (258 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (49,167 )     (261 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (49,215 )     (282 )

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       9       (443,005 )     419  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       (98,525 )     80  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       (98,512 )     88  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       3       (147,866 )     569  

LME Palladium Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (49,313 )     63  

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       (178,740 )     (9,822 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (89,347 )     (4,860 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       2       (178,670 )     (9,820 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       4       (357,340 )     (16,015 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (89,335 )     (5,060 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (268,005 )     (14,355 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (89,335 )     (1,389 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       (178,630 )     (165 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       (178,630 )     (2,078 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (89,315 )     (1,338 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (89,308 )     (458 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       (178,610 )     (3,598 )

LME Silver Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (89,300 )     (2,290 )

LME Zinc Forward

    Sep-20       62       (3,872,288 )     (611,393 )

LME Zinc Forward

    Oct-20       1       (62,706 )     (3,056 )

LME Zinc Forward

    Dec-20       20       (1,259,875 )     (68,854 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       3       (186,919 )     (35,812 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (62,456 )     (11,581 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Sep-20       1       (62,495 )     (9,302 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (62,593 )     (11,034 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (62,661 )     (7,817 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       (125,400 )     (15,692 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       4       (250,806 )     (26,343 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       6       (376,213 )     (40,218 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       3       (188,116 )     (19,750 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       2       (125,412 )     (13,172 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       12       (752,475 )     (69,410 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (62,744 )     (5,643 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (62,751 )     (5,645 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       14       (878,616 )     (49,266 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (62,803 )     (2,584 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (62,840 )     (3,535 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       (125,710 )     (6,972 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       17       (1,068,663 )     (25,269 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       2       (125,725 )     (1,125 )

LME Zinc Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-25       2       (125,743 )     (1,730 )

Long Gilt Futures

    Dec-20       44       (7,940,915 )     22,083  

Low Sulphur Gasoil G Futures

    Oct-20       103       (3,792,975 )     102,450  

Low Sulphur Gasoil G Futures

    Nov-20       20       (748,000 )     17,500  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

23

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Short Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value And
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

Low Sulphur Gasoil G Futures

    Dec-20       1     $ (37,800 )   $ 625  

Mill Wheat Euro

    May-21       2       (22,435 )     (283 )

Mini FTSE/MIB Pound Futures

    Sep-20       2       (46,836 )     50  

MSCI EAFE Index Futures

    Sep-20       4       (380,020 )     (16,480 )

MSCI Singapore Exchange ETS

    Sep-20       16       (342,391 )     919  

MXN Currency Futures

    Sep-20       102       (2,326,620 )     (65,855 )

Natural Gas Futures

    Oct-20       167       (4,392,100 )     (378,810 )

Natural Gas Futures

    Nov-20       65       (1,898,000 )     (182,020 )

Nikkei 225 (Singapore Exchange)

    Sep-20       70       (7,653,307 )     (106,005 )

NY Harbor Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Futures

    Oct-20       141       (7,208,850 )     228,589  

NY Harbor Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Futures

    Nov-20       15       (781,389 )     21,119  

NY Harbor Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Futures

    Dec-20       6       (318,326 )     5,741  

NZD Currency Futures

    Sep-20       5       (337,300 )     (9,800 )

OAT Futures

    Dec-20       1       (13,750 )     (1,113 )

Orange Juice Futures

    Nov-20       1       (17,520 )     1,005  

Platinum Futures

    Oct-20       137       (6,424,615 )     (205,300 )

Red Wheat Futures (Minneapolis Grain Exchange)

    Dec-20       4       (107,900 )     (4,712 )

Russell 2000 E-Mini

    Sep-20       3       (234,195 )     (19,530 )

S&P 500 E-Mini Futures

    Sep-20       59       (10,321,755 )     (917,693 )

S&P Mid 400 E-Mini

    Sep-20       2       (385,160 )     (19,130 )

S&P/TSX 60 IX Futures

    Sep-20       4       (606,586 )     (44,890 )

SGX Nifty 50

    Sep-20       17       (386,427 )     4,203  

Soybean Futures

    Nov-20       69       (3,289,575 )     (197,550 )

Soybean Futures

    Jan-21       3       (143,962 )     (1,187 )

Soybean Meal Futures

    Dec-20       61       (1,906,250 )     (121,830 )

Soybean Meal Futures

    Jan-21       5       (157,200 )     (6,950 )

SPI 200 Futures

    Sep-20       11       (1,223,042 )     (20,006 )

STOXX Dividend Futures

    Dec-21       5       (48,509 )     (1,563 )

STOXX Europe 600 Banks Index

    Sep-20       11       (60,580 )     (1,557 )

STOXX Europe 600 Institutional Index

    Sep-20       2       (29,965 )     (1,384 )

Sugar No. 11 (World)

    Oct-20       74       (1,049,261 )     (44,265 )

Sugar No. 11 (World)

    May-21       8       (117,018 )     986  

Topix Index Futures

    Sep-20       2       (305,150 )     (14,257 )

U.S. Treasury 10-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       852       (118,641,000 )     (49,234 )

U.S. Treasury 2-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       68       (15,024,281 )     (4,250 )

U.S. Treasury 5-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       76       (9,578,375 )     (10,883 )

U.S. Treasury Long Bond (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       25       (4,392,969 )     15,969  

Wheat (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       163       (4,500,837 )     (393,437 )

WTI Crude Futures

    Oct-20       46       (1,960,060 )     (24,000 )

WTI Crude Futures

    Nov-20       11       (471,900 )     (14,960 )

WTI Crude Futures

    Jan-21       3       (130,590 )     (940 )

WTI Crude Futures IPE

    Oct-20       1       (42,610 )     130  

WTI Crude Futures IPE

    Nov-20       1       (42,900 )     540  
                            $ (30,798,291 )

Total Futures Contracts

                          $ 7,921,158  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

24

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Forward foreign currency contracts outstanding as of August 31, 2020 were as follows:

 

Currency Purchased

Currency Sold

Expiration
Date

Counterparty

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

AUD

1,200,000

 

JPY

93,189,028

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

$ 5,207

AUD

343,323

 

USD

252,081

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

1,137

AUD

17,353,375

 

USD

12,180,759

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

618,905

AUD

32,168,000

 

USD

22,607,695

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

1,119,260

AUD

10,600,000

 

CAD

10,096,606

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

77,440

AUD

1,029,494

 

EUR

625,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

13,139

AUD

5,911,100

 

GBP

3,250,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

14,945

AUD

8,800,000

 

JPY

670,370,800

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

159,674

AUD

18,200,000

 

NZD

20,098,042

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(113,246)

AUD

8,200,000

 

USD

5,904,908

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

143,488

AUD

3,524,000

 

USD

2,560,813

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

38,683

BRL

9,835,436

 

USD

1,889,819

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(95,412)

CAD

26,289,893

 

USD

19,579,250

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

577,201

CAD

20,114,000

 

USD

15,178,860

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

242,623

CAD

200,000

 

JPY

16,119,660

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

1,102

CAD

8,100,000

 

USD

6,161,256

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

49,134

CHF

31,240,979

 

USD

34,374,526

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

186,837

CHF

31,240,979

 

USD

34,510,809

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

51,401

CHF

31,240,979

 

USD

34,564,799

 

Sep 03 2020

BOA

(1,743)

CHF

11,145,000

 

USD

11,888,787

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

446,792

CHF

12,377,347

 

EUR

11,500,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(28,826)

CHF

891,314

 

GBP

750,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(16,040)

CHF

4,500,000

 

JPY

525,128,850

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

21,942

CHF

5,625,000

 

USD

6,220,996

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

5,876

CLP

76,653,000

 

USD

100,000

 

Sep 08 2020

BOA

(1,415)

CLP

158,818,000

 

USD

200,000

 

Sep 14 2020

BOA

4,258

CLP

1,608,826,315

 

USD

2,060,587

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

8,547

CLP

79,555,000

 

USD

100,000

 

Sep 17 2020

BOA

2,317

CLP

78,905,000

 

USD

100,000

 

Sep 21 2020

BOA

1,480

CLP

78,907,000

 

USD

100,000

 

Sep 24 2020

BOA

1,483

CLP

77,959,856

 

USD

100,000

 

Sep 28 2020

BOA

264

CNH

55,911,256

 

USD

8,000,000

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

151,486

CNH

53,332,918

 

USD

7,700,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

70,668

COP

1,645,602,350

 

USD

450,000

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(10,601)

CZK

40,688,920

 

EUR

1,550,000

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(1,643)

EUR

200,000

 

GBP

179,095

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

(732)

EUR

47,352,226

 

USD

55,977,197

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

531,592

EUR

400,000

 

GBP

357,777

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

(905)

EUR

47,352,226

 

USD

56,280,157

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

229,837

EUR

12,315,000

 

CHF

13,258,551

 

Sep 03 2020

BOA

28,567

EUR

53,594,044

 

USD

63,894,819

 

Sep 03 2020

BOA

65,503

EUR

2,750,000

 

CZK

73,285,600

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(46,863)

EUR

7,400,000

 

HUF

2,611,547,218

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

69,187

EUR

4,550,000

 

NOK

48,611,788

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(133,786)

EUR

3,050,000

 

PLN

13,606,653

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(53,882)

EUR

1,300,000

 

SEK

13,583,461

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(18,770)

EUR

20,642,171

 

USD

23,651,673

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

990,316

EUR

27,022,000

 

USD

31,079,540

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

1,179,967

EUR

5,125,000

 

AUD

8,437,856

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(104,795)

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

25

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Currency Purchased

Currency Sold

Expiration
Date

Counterparty

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

EUR

5,750,000

 

CAD

9,021,537

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

$ (51,676)

EUR

4,750,000

 

CHF

5,116,035

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

7,863

EUR

4,800,000

 

GBP

4,346,081

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(79,551)

EUR

600,000

 

HUF

209,884,620

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

11,991

EUR

4,100,000

 

JPY

514,962,050

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

31,701

EUR

900,000

 

PLN

3,961,284

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(1,158)

EUR

5,000,000

 

USD

5,951,690

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

18,111

EUR

659,000

 

USD

783,500

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

3,719

GBP

179,146

 

EUR

200,000

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

801

GBP

10,509,274

 

USD

13,876,183

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

172,200

GBP

89,286

 

EUR

100,000

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

15

GBP

125,000

 

JPY

17,625,323

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

682

GBP

12,261,239

 

USD

16,188,466

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

201,937

GBP

11,425,238

 

USD

15,278,091

 

Sep 03 2020

BOA

(5,167)

GBP

15,665,991

 

USD

19,866,803

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

1,076,889

GBP

19,891,000

 

USD

25,597,736

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

994,757

GBP

1,255,996

 

EUR

1,400,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

7,678

GBP

250,000

 

JPY

34,671,475

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

6,788

GBP

3,812,500

 

USD

5,011,001

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

86,179

HUF

796,896,955

 

EUR

2,300,000

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(71,175)

HUF

2,128,569,231

 

USD

6,986,310

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

157,456

HUF

411,328,260

 

USD

1,400,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(19,558)

HUF

1,864,500,000

 

USD

6,361,790

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

(105,744)

ILS

6,485,270

 

USD

1,900,000

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

33,668

ILS

15,649,752

 

USD

4,600,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

66,644

INR

674,865,000

 

USD

9,000,000

 

Sep 08 2020

BOA

161,757

INR

674,899,200

 

USD

9,000,000

 

Sep 14 2020

BOA

155,818

INR

1,148,385,515

 

USD

15,136,209

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

439,390

INR

662,242,500

 

USD

9,000,000

 

Sep 21 2020

BOA

(23,206)

INR

714,013,579

 

USD

9,600,000

 

Sep 28 2020

BOA

70,679

JPY

93,254,880

 

AUD

1,200,000

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

(4,585)

JPY

341,248,800

 

NZD

4,800,000

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

(11,335)

JPY

323,413,226

 

USD

3,042,757

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

10,790

JPY

32,313,788

 

CAD

400,000

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

(1,570)

JPY

35,795,090

 

EUR

285,182

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

(2,368)

JPY

17,528,000

 

GBP

125,000

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

(1,601)

JPY

170,549,590

 

NZD

2,400,000

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

(6,356)

JPY

250,330,150

 

USD

2,373,979

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

(10,432)

JPY

286,125,240

 

USD

2,702,431

 

Sep 03 2020

BOA

(890)

JPY

3,606,845,518

 

USD

33,856,326

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

204,780

JPY

5,576,588,000

 

USD

52,425,092

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

238,783

JPY

61,282,080

 

AUD

800,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(11,312)

JPY

272,214,320

 

CAD

3,400,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(35,915)

JPY

512,639,360

 

NZD

7,400,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(142,928)

JPY

450,000,000

 

USD

4,264,796

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(14,792)

KRW

5,797,337,000

 

USD

4,900,000

 

Sep 08 2020

BOA

(19,794)

KRW

3,076,268,000

 

USD

2,600,000

 

Sep 14 2020

BOA

(10,376)

KRW

6,345,416,121

 

USD

5,309,742

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

31,885

KRW

8,911,650,000

 

USD

7,500,000

 

Sep 21 2020

BOA

1,946

MXN

173,818,777

 

USD

7,795,752

 

Sep 17 2020

BOA

131,121

MXN

152,188,000

 

USD

6,833,590

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

105,986

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

26

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Currency Purchased

Currency Sold

Expiration
Date

Counterparty

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

MXN

13,500,000

 

USD

605,929

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

$ 9,281

NOK

13,754,162

 

EUR

1,300,000

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

22,778

NOK

43,340,456

 

USD

4,656,956

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

304,979

NOK

11,823,783

 

EUR

1,125,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

10,537

NOK

11,478,171

 

USD

1,300,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

14,172

NZD

4,800,000

 

JPY

340,573,757

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

17,708

NZD

386,375

 

USD

258,512

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

1,750

NZD

200,000

 

JPY

14,268,200

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

3

NZD

9,975,151

 

USD

6,514,923

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

204,234

NZD

14,956,000

 

USD

9,874,722

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

199,462

NZD

9,200,000

 

JPY

646,708,680

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

89,168

NZD

7,100,000

 

USD

4,646,751

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

135,700

NZD

35,820,000

 

USD

23,544,684

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

582,166

PHP

236,231,033

 

USD

4,750,000

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

117,928

PLN

10,803,160

 

EUR

2,450,000

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

8,857

PLN

22,101,655

 

USD

5,692,337

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

309,353

PLN

18,121,670

 

USD

4,900,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

21,103

PLN

53,900,000

 

USD

14,454,943

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

184,007

RUB

37,125,900

 

USD

503,067

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

(1,908)

RUB

3,465,409

 

USD

50,000

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(3,297)

RUB

37,207,050

 

USD

500,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

1,044

SEK

121,919,001

 

EUR

11,800,000

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

11,149

SEK

81,577,726

 

USD

8,936,949

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

495,973

SEK

61,863,282

 

EUR

6,000,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(9,827)

SEK

48,560,391

 

NOK

49,500,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(51,837)

SEK

32,915,182

 

USD

3,800,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

6,346

SEK

96,380,000

 

USD

11,085,802

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

62,490

SGD

16,873,124

 

USD

12,330,000

 

Sep 03 2020

BOA

71,635

SGD

6,245,629

 

USD

4,524,791

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

65,722

SGD

15,584,513

 

USD

11,400,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

54,647

THB

116,649,362

 

USD

3,750,000

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(2,215)

TWD

73,001,500

 

USD

2,500,000

 

Sep 08 2020

BOA

(11,954)

TWD

137,801,355

 

USD

4,708,425

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(11,722)

TWD

38,147,499

 

USD

1,300,000

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

196

TWD

111,400,900

 

USD

3,800,000

 

Sep 21 2020

BOA

(3,037)

TWD

111,336,200

 

USD

3,800,000

 

Sep 28 2020

BOA

(5,144)

USD

252,459

 

AUD

343,323

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

(759)

USD

6,919,248

 

AUD

9,945,758

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(416,637)

USD

11,470,080

 

AUD

16,161,000

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

(450,193)

USD

2,523,056

 

AUD

3,524,000

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

(76,441)

USD

4,209,315

 

BRL

22,680,686

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

71,382

USD

13,952,371

 

CAD

18,939,884

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(568,831)

USD

14,878,387

 

CAD

20,053,000

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

(496,328)

USD

34,508,979

 

CHF

31,240,979

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

(52,384)

USD

34,562,428

 

CHF

31,240,979

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

219

USD

1,380,550

 

CHF

1,267,000

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

(21,799)

USD

100,000

 

CLP

79,418,000

 

Sep 08 2020

BOA

(2,141)

USD

200,000

 

CLP

158,233,288

 

Sep 14 2020

BOA

(3,506)

USD

2,746,410

 

CLP

2,202,718,540

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(86,538)

USD

100,000

 

CLP

79,425,000

 

Sep 17 2020

BOA

(2,150)

USD

100,000

 

CLP

79,563,000

 

Sep 21 2020

BOA

(2,327)

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

27

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Currency Purchased

Currency Sold

Expiration
Date

Counterparty

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

USD

100,000

 

CLP

78,876,144

 

Sep 24 2020

BOA

$ (1,443)

USD

200,000

 

CLP

157,833,000

 

Sep 28 2020

BOA

(2,989)

USD

750,000

 

CNH

5,319,446

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(25,540)

USD

6,400,000

 

CNH

44,433,491

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(74,011)

USD

3,250,000

 

COP

12,219,049,525

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(12,660)

USD

56,278,121

 

EUR

47,352,226

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

(230,668)

USD

56,169,810

 

EUR

47,067,044

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

152

USD

25,886,742

 

EUR

22,697,622

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(1,208,982)

USD

15,440,886

 

EUR

13,175,000

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

(287,742)

USD

53,259,218

 

EUR

44,944,000

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

(429,342)

USD

13,875,463

 

GBP

10,509,325

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

(172,988)

USD

16,394,042

 

GBP

12,261,239

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

3,639

USD

15,062,555

 

GBP

12,011,339

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(995,273)

USD

14,703,185

 

GBP

11,570,000

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

(764,873)

USD

17,264,287

 

GBP

13,176,000

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

(353,764)

USD

1,900,000

 

HUF

564,134,422

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

6,625

USD

3,855,395

 

HUF

1,201,924,030

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(178,424)

USD

197,566

 

HUF

59,500,000

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

(2,077)

USD

1,600,000

 

ILS

5,526,131

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(47,688)

USD

9,000,000

 

INR

678,184,626

 

Sep 08 2020

BOA

(206,823)

USD

9,000,000

 

INR

675,495,000

 

Sep 14 2020

BOA

(163,900)

USD

8,039,735

 

INR

609,055,164

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(220,904)

USD

9,000,000

 

INR

675,574,200

 

Sep 21 2020

BOA

(157,507)

USD

9,600,000

 

INR

715,217,658

 

Sep 28 2020

BOA

(86,987)

USD

9,600,000

 

INR

707,256,000

 

Oct 01 2020

BOA

24,003

USD

3,070,073

 

JPY

324,154,130

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

9,531

USD

2,702,354

 

JPY

286,125,240

 

Sep 02 2020

BOA

840

USD

32,966,469

 

JPY

3,552,170,386

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(578,314)

USD

46,813,666

 

JPY

4,986,081,000

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

(273,611)

USD

40,422,076

 

JPY

4,291,500,000

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

(120,785)

USD

4,900,000

 

KRW

5,804,049,423

 

Sep 08 2020

BOA

14,143

USD

2,600,000

 

KRW

3,083,673,611

 

Sep 14 2020

BOA

4,142

USD

5,388,285

 

KRW

6,497,454,571

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(81,330)

USD

7,500,000

 

KRW

8,874,926,000

 

Sep 21 2020

BOA

28,969

USD

7,500,000

 

KRW

8,912,625,000

 

Sep 28 2020

BOA

(2,825)

USD

3,066,956

 

MXN

69,334,925

 

Sep 17 2020

BOA

(95,011)

USD

3,399,502

 

MXN

76,552,000

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

(91,170)

USD

270,258

 

MXN

6,000,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(3,168)

USD

2,046,612

 

NOK

19,786,906

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(218,739)

USD

1,199,950

 

NOK

10,730,000

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

(28,691)

USD

260,324

 

NZD

386,375

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

62

USD

4,978,026

 

NZD

7,639,288

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(167,719)

USD

8,572,893

 

NZD

13,126,000

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

(268,625)

USD

150,000

 

PHP

7,484,789

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(4,236)

USD

2,260,998

 

PLN

8,954,500

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(170,591)

USD

500,000

 

RUB

37,125,900

 

Sep 01 2020

BOA

(1,159)

USD

3,900,000

 

RUB

282,714,441

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

89,877

USD

1,300,000

 

RUB

95,530,630

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

13,550

USD

3,713,142

 

SEK

33,788,315

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(193,838)

USD

3,540,330

 

SGD

4,929,748

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(83,016)

USD

4,700,000

 

THB

148,132,595

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(59,298)

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

28

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Currency Purchased

Currency Sold

Expiration
Date

Counterparty

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

USD

5,200,000

 

TRY

37,694,899

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

$ 101,062

USD

2,500,000

 

TWD

73,417,500

 

Sep 08 2020

BOA

(2,225)

USD

1,400,000

 

TWD

41,044,299

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

1,082

USD

1,300,000

 

TWD

38,135,500

 

Sep 18 2020

BOA

213

USD

3,800,000

 

TWD

111,454,000

 

Sep 21 2020

BOA

1,228

USD

5,503,446

 

ZAR

96,027,944

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

(150,551)

USD

1,200,000

 

ZAR

21,011,958

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(36,271)

USD

314,997

 

ZAR

5,320,000

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

2,726

ZAR

125,724,698

 

USD

7,345,739

 

Sep 16 2020

BOA

56,762

ZAR

11,854,641

 

USD

700,000

 

Sep 23 2020

BOA

(2,514)

ZAR

121,940,000

 

USD

6,961,017

 

Oct 16 2020

BOA

196,565

Total Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

$ 3,372,037

 

   

Put/Call

   

Counterparty

   

Number Of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value

 

PURCHASED OPTIONS — 0.0%

                                       

IMM Eurodollar Futures, Expires 12/13/21, Strike Price $99.5

    Put       N/A       1,876       EUR 74,874,912     $ 152,425  

IMM Eurodollar Futures, Expires 3/14/22, Strike Price $99.375

    Put       N/A       1,626       EUR 64,909,920       162,600  

10-Year U.S. Treasury Futures, Expires 9/25/20, Strike Price $138.5

    Put       N/A       406       USD 56,535,500       82,469  

TOTAL PURCHASED OPTIONS (COST $716,719)

                                  $ 397,494  
                                         

WRITTEN OPTIONS — (0.0%)

                                       

IMM Eurodollar Futures, Expires 12/13/21, Strike Price $99.25

    Put       N/A       (1,876 )     EUR 74,874,912     $ (93,800 )

IMM Eurodollar Futures, Expires 3/14/2022, Strike Price $99

    Put       N/A       (1,626 )     EUR 64,909,920       (91,463 )

10-Year U.S. Treasury Futures, Expires 9/25/20, Strike Price $137.5

    Put       N/A       (406 )     USD 56,535,500       (25,375 )

TOTAL WRITTEN OPTIONS (PREMIUMS RECEIVED $382,456)

                                  $ (210,638 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

29

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

AUD

Australian Dollar

 

JSE

Johannesburg Stock Exchange

BOA

Bank of America

 

KRW

Korean Won

BRL

Brazilian Real

 

LME

London Mercantile Exchange

BUXL

German Bond

 

MIB

Milano Indice di Borsa

CAD

Canadian Dollar

 

MXN

Mexican Peso

CHF

Swiss Franc

 

NOK

Norwegian Krone

CLP

Chilean Peso

 

NZD

New Zealand Dollar

CNH

Chinese Yuan Renminbi

 

OMX

Stockholm Stock Exchange

COP

Colombian Peso

 

PHP

Philippine Peso

CZK

Czech Koruna

 

PLN

Polish Zloty

DAX

German Stock Exchange

 

RBOB

Reformulated Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending

DJIA

Dow Jones Industrial Average

 

RUB

Russian Ruble

EUR

Euro

 

SEK

Swedish Krona

FTSE

Financial Times Stock Exchange

 

SGD

Singapore Dollar

GBP

British Pound

 

THB

Thai Baht

HUF

Hungarian Forint

 

TRY

Turkish Lira

IBEX

Index of the Bolsa de Madrid

 

TSX

Toronto Stock Exchange

ICE

Intercontinental Exchange

 

TWD

Taiwan Dollar

ILS

Israeli New Shekel

 

USD

United States Dollar

INR

Indian Rupee

 

WTI

West Texas Intermediate

JPY

Japanese Yen

 

ZAR

South African Rand

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

30

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Statement of Assets And Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

ASSETS

       

Investments, at value (cost $774,872,481)

  $ 774,562,283  

Foreign currency deposits with broker for futures contracts (cost $1,900,521)

    1,931,882  

Deposits with broker for forward foreign currency contracts

    25,098,701  

Deposits with broker for futures contracts

    88,563,326  

Receivables for:

       

Capital shares sold

    4,345,489  

Interest and dividends receivable

    1,326  

Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

    15,171,432  

Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts

    43,184,205  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    64,793  

Total assets

    952,923,437  
         

LIABILITIES

       

Options written, at value (premiums received $382,456)

    210,638  

Payables for:

       

Advisory fees

    1,264,778  

Capital shares redeemed

    536,666  

Administration and accounting services fees

    80,841  

Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

    11,799,395  

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts

    35,263,047  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    151,788  

Total liabilities

    49,307,153  

Net assets

  $ 903,616,284  
         

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

       

Par value

  $ 79,423  

Paid-in capital

    985,097,272  

Total distributable earnings/(losses)

    (81,560,411 )

Net assets

  $ 903,616,284  
         

CLASS A SHARES:

       

Net assets

  $ 14,468,531  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    1,283,200  

Net asset value and redemption price per share

  $ 11.28  

Maximum offering price per share (100/94.25 of $12.45)

  $ 11.97  
         

CLASS I SHARES:

       

Net assets

  $ 883,996,514  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 300,000,000 shares authorized)

    77,671,119  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 11.38  
         

CLASS C SHARES:

       

Net assets

  $ 5,151,239  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    469,028  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 10.98  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

31

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Statement of Operations

For the Year Ended August 31, 2020

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

       

Interest

  $ 8,327,113  

Total investment income

    8,327,113  

EXPENSES

       

Advisory fees (Note 2)

    14,135,769  

Administration and accounting services fees (Note 2)

    372,542  

Legal fees

    102,841  

Directors fees

    94,415  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    84,743  

Registration and filing fees

    70,784  

Audit and tax service fees

    69,491  

Officers fees

    61,629  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    60,906  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    38,629  

Distribution fees (Class A Shares) (Note 2)

    35,552  

Distribution fees (Class C Shares) (Note 2)

    32,654  

Other expenses

    58,262  

Total expenses before waivers and/or reimbursements

    15,218,217  

Less: waivers and/or reimbursements (Note 2)

    (843,630 )

Net expenses after waivers and/or reimbursements

    14,374,587  

Net investment income/(loss)

    (6,047,474 )

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

       

Net realized gain/(loss) from:

       

Investments

    (1,459,430 )

Futures contracts

    27,018,417  

Foreign currency transactions

    186,131  

Forward foreign currency contracts

    (5,651,757 )

Written options

    256,073  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:

       

Investments

    (105,913 )

Futures contracts

    (22,717,012 )

Foreign currency translations

    51,214  

Forward foreign currency contracts

    1,594,903  

Written options

    (61,692 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    (889,066 )

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ (6,936,540 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

32

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (6,047,474 )   $ 1,335,321  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments, futures contracts, foreign currency transactions, forward foreign currency contracts and written options

    20,349,434       48,779,073  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments, futures contracts, foreign currency translations, forward foreign currency contracts and written options

    (21,238,500 )     5,783,007  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (6,936,540 )     55,897,401  

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (55,609,182 )     (1,067,180 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (55,609,182 )     (1,067,180 )

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Class A Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    11,637,864       3,556,791  

Proceeds from reinvestment of distributions

    842,070        

Shares redeemed

    (9,326,005 )     (7,628,192 )

Total from Class A Shares

    3,153,929       (4,071,401 )

Class I Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    550,575,119       313,688,622  

Proceeds from reinvestment of distributions

    27,643,486       527,421  

Shares redeemed

    (340,759,738 )     (573,740,986 )

Total from Class I Shares

    237,458,867       (259,524,943 )

Class C Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    1,689,269       255,081  

Proceeds from reinvestment of distributions

    272,687        

Shares redeemed

    (897,578 )     (4,461,451 )

Total from Class C Shares

    1,064,378       (4,206,370 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    241,677,174       (267,802,714 )

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    179,131,452       (212,972,493 )

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    724,484,832       937,457,325  

End of period

  $ 903,616,284     $ 724,484,832  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

33

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets (Concluded)

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Class A Shares

               

Shares sold

    1,030,370       318,840  

Shares reinvested

    78,405        

Shares redeemed

    (824,612 )     (697,645 )

Total Class A Shares

    284,163       (378,805 )

Class I Shares

               

Shares sold

    48,875,127       28,320,027  

Shares reinvested

    2,554,851       48,926  

Shares redeemed

    (30,121,088 )     (52,397,812 )

Total Class I Shares

    21,308,890       (24,028,859 )

Class C Shares

               

Shares sold

    154,982       24,070  

Shares reinvested

    25,921        

Shares redeemed

    (82,318 )     (420,710 )

Total Class C Shares

    98,585       (396,640 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    21,691,638       (24,804,304 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

34

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class A Shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the consolidated financial statements.

 

   

Class A Shares

 
   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 12.45     $ 11.28     $ 11.15     $ 11.77     $ 12.01  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    (0.11 )     (0.01 )     (0.07 )     (0.18 )     (0.24 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    (0.14 )     1.18       0.20       (0.44 )     0.01  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (0.25 )     1.17       0.13       (0.62 )     (0.23 )

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.64 )                       (0.01 )

Net realized capital gains

    (0.28 )                        

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.92 )                       (0.01 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 11.28     $ 12.45     $ 11.28     $ 11.15     $ 11.77  

Total investment return/(loss)(2)

    (1.64 )%     10.37 %     1.08 %     (5.18 )%     (1.94 )%

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 14,469     $ 12,434     $ 15,539     $ 15,401     $ 17,125  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and/or reimbursements (including interest expense)(3)

    2.04 %     2.04 %     2.04 %     2.14 %     2.26 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and/or reimbursements (excluding interest expense)(3)

    2.04 %     2.04 %     2.04 %     2.14 %     2.24 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements (including interest expense)(3)

    2.15 %     2.14 %     2.13 %     2.28 %     2.42 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.98 )%     (0.05 )%     (0.65 )%     (1.60 )%     (2.01 )%

Portfolio turnover rate(4)

    0 %     0 %     0 %     0 %     0 %

 

 

(1)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

(2)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each year reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total return does not reflect any applicable sales charge.

(3)

Effective February 28, 2017, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired Fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 2.04% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A Shares. Prior to February 28, 2017, the contractual fee waiver limited total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 2.24% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A Shares.

(4)

Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the Fund, as a whole, for the entire period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

35

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Financial Highlights (Continued)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class I Shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the consolidated financial statements.

 

   

Class I Shares

 
   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 12.55     $ 11.36     $ 11.20     $ 11.80     $ 12.03  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    (0.09 )     0.02       (0.05 )     (0.15 )     (0.21 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    (0.14 )     1.19       0.21       (0.45 )     0.01  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (0.23 )     1.21       0.16       (0.60 )     (0.20 )

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.66 )     (0.02 )                 (0.03 )

Net realized capital gains

    (0.28 )                        

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.94 )     (0.02 )                 (0.03 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 11.38     $ 12.55     $ 11.36     $ 11.20     $ 11.80  

Total investment return/(loss)(2)

    (1.39 )%     10.63 %     1.34 %     (5.00 )%     (1.68 )%

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 883,997     $ 707,564     $ 913,437     $ 772,413     $ 739,842  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and/or reimbursements (including interest expense)(3)

    1.79 %     1.79 %     1.79 %     1.89 %     2.01 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and/or reimbursements (excluding interest expense)(3)

    1.79 %     1.79 %     1.79 %     1.89 %     1.99 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements (including interest expense)(3)

    1.90 %     1.89 %     1.88 %     2.03 %     2.17 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.73 )%     0.20 %     (0.40 )%     (1.35 )%     (1.76 )%

Portfolio turnover rate(4)

    0 %     0 %     0 %     0 %     0 %

 

 

(1)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

(2)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(3)

Effective February 28, 2017, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired Fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares. Prior to February 28, 2017, the contractual fee waiver limited total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.99% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares.

(4)

Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the Fund, as a whole, for the entire period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

36

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Consolidated Financial Highlights (Concluded)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class C Shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the consolidated financial statements.

 

   

Class C Shares

 
   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Period
Ended
August 31,
2016
(1)

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 12.11     $ 11.06     $ 11.01     $ 11.71     $ 11.99  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    (0.19 )     (0.08 )     (0.16 )     (0.26 )     (0.30 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    (0.14 )     1.13       0.21       (0.44 )     0.03  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (0.33 )     1.05       0.05       (0.70 )     (0.27 )

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.52 )                       (0.01 )

Net realized capital gains

    (0.28 )                        

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.80 )                       (0.01 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 10.98     $ 12.11     $ 11.06     $ 11.01     $ 11.71  

Total investment return/(loss)(3)

    (2.40 )%     9.49 %     0.36 %     (5.89 )%     (2.22 )%(4)

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 5,151     $ 4,487     $ 8,481     $ 9,462     $ 8,380  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and/or reimbursements (including interest expense)(6)

    2.79 %     2.79 %     2.79 %     2.89 %     3.01 %(5)

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and/or reimbursements (excluding interest expense)(6)

    2.79 %     2.79 %     2.79 %     2.89 %     2.99 %(5)

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements (including interest expense)(6)

    2.90 %     2.89 %     2.88 %     3.03 %     3.17 %(5)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (1.73 )%     (0.80 )%     (1.40 )%     (2.35 )%     (2.76 )%(5)

Portfolio turnover rate(7)

    0 %     0 %     0 %     0 %     0 %(4)

 

 

(1)

Inception date of Class C Shares of the Fund was October 6, 2015.

(2)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

(3)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(4)

Not annualized.

(5)

Annualized.

(6)

Effective February 28, 2017, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired Fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 2.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares. Prior to February 28, 2017, the contractual fee waiver limited total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 2.99% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares.

(7)

Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the Fund, as a whole, for the entire period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.

 

37

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements

August 31, 2020

 

1. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund (the “Fund”), which commenced investment operations on July 1, 2014. The Fund is authorized to offer four classes of shares, Class A Shares, Class I Shares, Class C Shares and Class T Shares. Class A Shares are sold subject to a front-end maximum sales charge of 5.75%. Front-end sales charges may be reduced or waived under certain circumstances. Class T Shares are not currently available for sale.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating its assets between a “Managed Futures” strategy and a “Fixed Income” strategy.

 

The Fund is an investment company and follows accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services – Investment Companies.”

 

The end of the reporting period for the Fund is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

CONSOLIDATION OF SUBSIDIARIES – The Managed Futures strategy is achieved by the Fund investing up to 25% of its total assets in Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited (the “Cayman Subsidiary”), a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Effective on or about October 1, 2018, the Fund’s previous wholly-owned subsidiary, the Abbey Capital Offshore Fund Limited became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Cayman Subsidiary through a share exchange between the Fund and the Cayman Subsidiary and registered as a segregated portfolio company under the laws of the Cayman Islands under the name Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC (the “SPC”). The Cayman Subsidiary serves solely as an intermediate entity through which the Fund invests in the SPC and makes no independent investment decisions and has no investment or other discretion over the Fund’s investable assets.

 

The Fund may also invest a portion of its assets in segregated series of another wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund, the Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC (the “Onshore Subsidiary”), which was formed on August 16, 2018.

 

The consolidated financial statements of the Fund include the financial statements of the Cayman Subsidiary, the Onshore Subsidiary and SPC. The Fund consolidates the results of subsidiaries in which the Fund holds a controlling financial interest. All inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated. As of the end of the reporting period, the net assets of the Cayman Subsidiary and SPC were $200,631,239, which represented 22.20% of the Fund’s net assets. As of the end of the reporting period, the net assets of the Onshore Subsidiary were $204,201,846, which represented 22.60% of the Fund’s net assets.

 

Portfolio Valuation — The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by the Fund are valued using the closing price or the last sale price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Forward exchange contracts are valued by interpolating between spot and forward currency rates as quoted by an independent pricing service. Futures contracts are generally valued using the settlement price determined by the relevant exchange. Options for which the primary market is a national securities exchange are valued at the last sale price on the

 

38

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

exchange on which they are traded, or, in the absence of any sale, will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Options not traded on a national securities exchange are valued at the last quoted bid price for long option positions and the closing ask price for short option positions. If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

 

Fair Value Measurements — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Fund’s investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

● Level 1 –

Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

● Level 2 –

Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

 

● Level 3 –

Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at fair value:

 

 

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

 

Short-Term Investments

  $ 774,164,789     $ 774,164,789     $     $  

Commodity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    28,147,657       28,147,657              

Equity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    7,801,348       7,801,348              

Foreign Currency Contracts

                               

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

    15,171,432             15,171,432        

Futures Contracts

    4,662,184       4,662,184              

Interest Rate Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    2,573,016       2,573,016              

Purchased Options

    397,494       397,494              

Total Assets

  $ 832,917,920     $ 817,746,488     $ 15,171,432     $  

 

39

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

 

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

 

Commodity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

  $ (27,056,453 )   $ (27,056,453 )   $     $  

Equity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    (1,987,289 )     (1,987,289 )            

Foreign Currency Contracts

                               

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

    (11,799,395 )           (11,799,395 )      

Futures Contracts

    (3,770,709 )     (3,770,709 )            

Interest Rate Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    (2,448,596 )     (2,448,596 )            

Written Options

    (210,638 )     (210,638 )            

Total Liabilities

  $ (47,273,080 )   $ (35,473,685 )   $ (11,799,395 )   $  

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Fund may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires the Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when the Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for all Level 3 transfers are disclosed if the Fund had an amount of total Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund had no Level 3 transfers.

 

Disclosures about Derivative instruments and Hedging Activities — Derivative instruments are defined as financial instruments whose value and performance are based on the value and performance of another security or financial instrument. Derivative instruments that the Fund used during the period include options, forward foreign currency contracts and futures contracts.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund used long and short contracts on U.S. and foreign equity market indices, U.S. and foreign government bonds, foreign currencies, interest rates and commodities (through investment in the Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited and the SPC), to gain investment exposure in accordance with its investment objective.

 

The following tables provide quantitative disclosures about fair value amounts of, and gains and losses on, the Fund’s derivative instruments as of and for the current fiscal period.

 

40

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following tables list the fair values and location on the Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities of the Fund’s derivative holdings as of the end of the reporting period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statement
of Assets and
Liabilities
Location

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest
Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Total

 

Asset Derivatives

Purchased Options

    Investments, at value     $     $ 397,494     $     $     $ 397,494  

Forward Contracts (a)

    Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency contracts                   15,171,432             15,171,432  

Futures Contracts (a)

    Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts       7,801,348       2,573,016       4,662,184       28,147,657       43,184,205  

Total Value- Assets

          $ 7,801,348     $ 2,970,510     $ 19,833,616     $ 28,147,657     $ 58,753,131  
                                                 

Liability Derivatives

Written Options

    Options written, at value     $     $ (210,638 )   $     $     $ (210,638 )

Forward Contracts (a)

    Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency contracts                   (11,799,395 )           (11,799,395 )

Futures Contracts (a)

    Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts       (1,987,289 )     (2,448,596 )     (3,770,709 )     (27,056,453 )     (35,263,047 )

Total Value- Liabilities

          $ (1,987,289 )   $ (2,659,234 )   $ (15,570,104 )   $ (27,056,453 )   $ (47,273,080 )

 

(a)

This amount represents the cumulative appreciation/(depreciation) of forwards and futures contracts as reported on the Consolidated Portfolio of Investments.

 

The following table lists the amounts of realized gains/(losses) included in net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations during the current fiscal period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statement of
Operations
Location

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest
Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Total

 

Realized Gain/(Loss)

Purchased Options

    Net realized gain/(loss) from investments     $ (61,717 )   $ (1,308,129 )   $ (206,578 )   $ (301,676 )   $ (1,878,100 )

Futures Contracts

    Net realized gain/(loss) from futures contracts       (22,954,800 )     29,061,118       817,268       20,094,831       27,018,417  

Forward Contracts

    Net realized gain/(loss) from forward foreign currency contracts                   (5,651,757 )           (5,651,757 )

Written Options

    Net realized gain/(loss) from written options             202,535       20,964       32,574       256,073  

Total Realized Gain/(Loss)

  $ (23,016,517 )   $ 27,955,524     $ (5,020,103 )   $ 19,825,729     $ 19,744,633  

 

41

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following table lists the amounts of change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) included in net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations during the current fiscal period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statement of
Operations
Location

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest
Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Total

 

Change in Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

Purchased Options

    Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments     $     $ 216,074     $     $     $ 216,074  

Futures Contracts

    Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on futures contracts       6,113,847       (11,592,547 )     (9,612,176 )     (7,626,136 )     (22,717,012 )

Forward Contracts

    Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on forward foreign currency contracts                   1,594,903             1,594,903  

Written Options

    Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on written options             (61,692 )                 (61,692 )

Total Change in Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

  $ 6,113,847     $ (11,438,165 )   $ (8,017,273 )   $ (7,626,136 )   $ (20,967,727 )

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund’s quarterly average volume of derivatives was as follows:

 

Purchased
Options
(Cost)

Written
Options
(Proceeds)

Long Futures
Notional
Amount

Short Futures
Notional
Amount

Forward Foreign
Currency
Contracts — Payable
(Value at Trade Date)

Forward Foreign
Currency
Contracts —
Receivable
(Value at Trade Date)

$584,132

$(237,167)

$4,016,255,312

$(890,165,339)

$(2,121,305,537)

$2,121,239,412

 

For financial reporting purposes, the Fund does not offset fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments and fair value amounts recognized for the right to reclaim cash collateral (receivables) or the obligation to return cash collateral (payables) arising from derivative instruments recognized at fair value executed with the same counterparty under a master netting arrangement.

 

42

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following is a summary of financial and derivative instruments that are subject to enforceable master netting agreements (or similar arrangements) and collateral received and pledged in connection with the master netting agreements (or similar arrangements).

 

           

Gross Amount Not
Offset in Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and Liabilities

                     

Gross Amount Not
Offset in Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and Liabilities

         

Description

 

Gross Amount
Presented
in the
Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities

   

Financial
Instruments

   

Collateral
Received

   

Net
Amount
(1)

     

Gross Amount
Presented
in the
Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities

   

Financial
Instruments

   

Collateral
Pledged
(2)

   

Net
Amount
(3)

 
   

Assets

     

Liabilities

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

  $ 15,171,432     $ (11,799,395 )   $     $ 3,372,037       $ 11,799,395     $ (11,799,395 )   $     $  

 

 
 

(1)

Net amount represents the net amount receivable from the counterparty in the event of default.

 

 

(2)

Actual collateral pledged may be more than the amount shown.

 

 

(3)

Net amount represents the net amount payable to the counterparty in the event of default.

 

Use of Estimates — The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

Investment Transactions, Investment Income and Expenses — The Fund records security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gain are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. The Fund’s investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family of the Company are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all of the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Fund.

 

Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders — Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net realized capital gains, if any, are declared and paid at least annually to shareholders and recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

U.S. Tax Status — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is the Fund’s intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

43

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The Cayman Subsidiary is registered as an “exempted company” and the SPC as an “exempted segregated portfolio company” pursuant to the Companies Law (Revised) of the Cayman Islands (as amended). Each of the Cayman Subsidiary and the SPC has received an undertaking from the Governor in Cabinet of the Cayman Islands to the effect that, for a period of twenty years from the date of the undertaking, no law that thereafter is enacted in the Cayman Islands imposing any tax or duty to be levied on profits, income or on gains or appreciation, or any tax in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax, will apply to any property comprised in or any income arising under the Cayman Subsidiary or the SPC, or to the shareholders thereof, in respect of any such property or income. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Cayman Subsidiary is treated as a “controlled foreign corporation.” The SPCs are treated as an entity disregarded from its owner, the Cayman Subsidiary, for U.S. income tax purposes. The Onshore Subsidiary is treated as an entity disregarded from its owner, the Fund, for U.S. income tax purposes.

 

Foreign Currency Translation — Assets and liabilities initially expressed in non-U.S. currencies are translated into U.S. dollars based on the applicable exchange rates at the date of the last business day of the financial statement period. Purchases and sales of securities, interest income, dividends, variation margin received and expenses denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect on the transaction date.

 

The Fund does not separately report the effect of changes in foreign exchange rates from changes in market prices of securities held. Such changes are included with the net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Other foreign currency transactions resulting in realized and unrealized gain or loss are reported separately as net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on foreign currencies in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

Currency Risk —Investment in foreign securities involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts may limit potential gains from a favorable change in value between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. Unanticipated changes in currency pricing may result in poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not engaged in these contracts.

 

Commodity Sector Risk — Exposure to the commodities markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates or factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. The prices of energy, industrial metals, precious metals, agriculture and livestock sector commodities may fluctuate widely due to factors such as changes in value, supply and demand and governmental regulatory policies. The commodity-linked securities in which the Fund invests may be issued by companies in the financial services sector, and events affecting the financial services sector may cause the Fund’s share value to fluctuate.

 

Foreign Securities Market Risk — A substantial portion of the trades of the Fund are expected to take place on markets or exchanges outside the United States. There is no limit to the amount of assets of the Fund that may be committed to trading on foreign markets. The risk of loss in trading foreign futures and options on futures contracts can be substantial. Participation in foreign futures and options on futures contracts involves the execution and clearing of trades on, or subject to the rules of, a foreign board of trade or exchange. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals’ markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a commodity interest transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.

 

44

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Counterparty Risk — The derivative contracts entered into by the Fund, the SPC or Onshore Subsidiary may be privately negotiated in the over-the-counter market. These contracts also involve exposure to credit risk, since contract performance depends in part on the financial condition of the counterparty. Relying on a counterparty exposes the Fund to the risk that a counterparty will not settle a transaction in accordance with its terms and conditions because of a dispute over the terms of the contract (whether or not bona fide) or because of a credit or liquidity problem, thus causing the Fund to suffer a loss. If a counterparty defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, this default will cause the value of an investment in the Fund to decrease.

 

Credit Risk — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of the security or a counterparty in respect of a derivative instrument will not be able to satisfy its payment obligations to the Fund when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. Securities rated in the four highest categories by the rating agencies are considered investment grade but they may also have some speculative characteristics. Investment grade ratings do not guarantee that bonds will not lose value or default. In addition, the credit quality of securities may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes.

 

Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual companies are not known. The operational and financial performance of individual companies and the market in general depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance.

 

Options — An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in exchange for a premium, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. The Fund may use futures contracts and related options for: bona fide hedging; attempting to offset changes in the value of securities held or expected to be acquired or be disposed of; attempting to minimize fluctuations in foreign currencies; attempting to gain exposure to a particular market, index or instrument; or other risk management purposes. The risk associated with purchasing an option is that the Fund pays a premium whether or not the option is exercised. Additionally, the Fund bears the risk of loss of premium and change in market value should the counterparty not perform under the contract. Put and call options are accounted for in the same manner as other securities owned. The cost of securities acquired through the exercise of call options is increased by the premiums paid. The proceeds from securities sold through the exercise of put options are decreased by the premiums paid.

 

Options Written — The Fund may enter into options written for: bona fide hedging; attempting to offset changes in the value of securities held or expected to be acquired or be disposed of; attempting to minimize fluctuations in foreign currencies; attempting to gain exposure to a particular market, index or instrument; or other risk management purposes. Such options may relate to particular securities or domestic stock indices, and may or may not be listed on exchanges regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission or on other non-U.S. exchanges. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put) at a specified exercise price at any time during the option exercise period. The writer of the option is required upon exercise to assume a short futures position (if the option is a call) or a long futures position (if the option is a put). Upon exercise of the option, the accumulated cash balance in the writer’s futures margin account is delivered to the holder of the option. That balance represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract at exercise exceeds, in the case of a call, or is less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. The maximum risk of loss associated with writing put options is limited to the exercised fair value of the option contract. The maximum risk of loss associated with writing call options is potentially unlimited. The Fund also has the additional risk of being unable to enter into a closing transaction at an acceptable price if a liquid secondary market does not exist. The Fund also may write over-the-counter options where completing the obligation depends upon the credit standing of the other party. Option contracts also involve the risk that they may result in loss due to unanticipated developments in market conditions or other causes. Written options are initially recorded as liabilities to the extent of premiums received and subsequently marked to market to reflect the current value of the option written. Gains or losses are realized when the option transaction expires or closes.

 

45

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

When an option is exercised, the proceeds on sales for a written call option or the purchase cost for a written put option is adjusted by the amount of the premium received. Listed option contracts present minimal counterparty credit risk since they are exchange traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as counterparty to all exchange-traded options, guarantees the options against default. As of the end of the reporting period, all of the Fund’s written options are exchange-traded options.

 

Futures Contracts — The Fund uses futures contracts in the normal course of pursuing its investment objective. Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund must deposit initial margin in addition to segregating cash or liquid assets sufficient to meet its obligation to purchase or provide securities, or to pay the amount owed at the expiration of an index-based futures contract. Such liquid assets may consist of cash, cash equivalents, liquid debt or equity securities or other acceptable assets. Pursuant to the futures contract, the Fund agrees to receive from, or pay to the broker, an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in value of the contract. Such a receipt of payment is known as “variation margin” and is recorded by the Fund as an unrealized gain or loss. When the contract is closed, the Fund records a realized gain or loss equal to the difference between the proceeds from (or cost of) the closing transactions and the Fund’s basis in the contract. Futures contracts have market risks, including the risk that the change in the value of the contract may not correlate with changes in the value of the underlying securities. Use of long futures contracts subjects the Fund to risk of loss in excess of the amount shown on the Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities, up to the notional value of the futures contract. Use of short futures contracts subjects the Fund to unlimited risk of loss.

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts — In the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives, the Fund is subject to foreign investment and currency risk. The Fund uses forward foreign currency contracts (“forward contracts”) for purposes of hedging, duration management, as a substitute for securities, to increase returns, for currency hedging or risk management, or to otherwise help achieve the Fund’s investment objective. These contracts are marked-to-market daily at the applicable translation rates. The Fund records realized gains or losses at the time the forward contract is closed. A forward contract is extinguished through a closing transaction or upon delivery of the currency or entering an offsetting contract. Risks may arise upon entering these contracts from the potential inability of a counterparty to meet the terms of their contracts and from unanticipated movements in the value of a foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar or other currencies. The Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty credit risk related to forward foreign currency contracts is the fair value of the contract. The risk may be mitigated to some extent if a master netting arrangement between the Fund and the counterparty is in place and to the extent the Fund obtains collateral to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

Other — In the normal course of business, the Fund may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Fund in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Fund expects the risk of material loss from such claims to be remote.

 

2. Investment Adviser and Other Services

 

Abbey Capital Limited (“Abbey Capital” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund and the Cayman Subsidiary, Onshore Subsidiary and SPC. The Adviser allocates the assets of the Onshore Subsidiary and SPC (via the Cayman Subsidiary) to one or more Trading Advisers unaffiliated with the Adviser to manage. The Adviser also has the ultimate responsibility to oversee the Trading Advisers, and to recommend their hiring, termination and replacement, subject to approval by the Board. The Fund compensates the Adviser for its services at an annual rate based on the Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Advisory Fee”), payable on a monthly basis in arrears, as shown in the following table. The Adviser compensates the Trading Advisers out of the Advisory Fee.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) to the rates (“Expense Caps”) shown in the following table of the Fund’s average daily net assets. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees

 

46

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed the Expense Caps as applicable: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses, interest and taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after February 28, 2021.

 

Advisory
Fee

Expense Caps

 

Class A

Class I

Class C

Class T

1.77%

2.04%

1.79%

2.79%

2.04%

 

During the current fiscal period, investment advisory fees accrued, waived and/or reimbursed were as follows:

 

Gross
Advisory
Fees

Waivers and/or
Reimbursements

Net
Advisory
Fees

$14,135,769

$(843,630)

$13,292,139

 

If at any time the Fund’s total annual fund operating expenses (not including acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than the relevant share class’s Expense Cap, the Adviser may recoup any waived or reimbursed amounts from the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

As of the end of the reporting period, the Fund had amounts available for recoupment as follows:

 

Expiration

August 31,
2021

August 31,
2022

August 31,
2023

Total

$815,529

$770,182

$843,630

$2,429,341

 

Aspect Capital Limited, Crabel Capital Management, LLC, Eclipse Capital Management, Inc., Episteme Capital Partners LLP, GAM Systematic LLP, (formerly known as Cantab Capital Partners LLP), Graham Capital Management, LP, P/E Global, LLC, Revolution Capital Management, LLC, Trigon Investment Advisors, LLC, Tudor Investment Corporation and Welton Investment Partners, LLC each served as a Trading Adviser to the Fund during the current fiscal period.

 

Effective November 18, 2019, Crabel Capital Management, LLC serves as a Trading Adviser to the Fund.

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Fund. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Fund’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Fund. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

47

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Fund’s distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Fund’s distributor.

 

The Board has adopted a Plan of Distribution for the Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class T Shares (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Fund’s distributor is entitled to receive from the Fund a distribution fee with respect to the Shares, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Class A Shares and Class T Shares and up to 1.00% of the Class C Shares. The actual amount of such compensation under the Plan is agreed upon by the Board and by the Distributor. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. Amounts paid to the Distributor under the Plan may be used by the Distributor to cover expenses that are related to (i) the sale of the Shares, (ii) ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders, and (iii) sub-transfer agency services, subaccounting services or administrative services related to the sale of the Shares, all as set forth in the Fund’s 12b-1 Plan.

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

3. Director And Officer Compensation

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Fund or the Company. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

4. Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities

 

During the current fiscal period, there were no purchases or sales of investment securities or long-term U.S. Government securities (excluding short-term investments and derivative transactions) by the Fund.

 

5. Federal Income Tax Information

 

The Fund has followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Fund to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund has determined that there was no effect on the consolidated financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Fund is subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

48

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by the Fund were as follows(a):

 

Federal Tax
Cost

Unrealized
Appreciation

Unrealized
(Depreciation)

Net
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

$897,094,482

$33,240,239

$(78,885,792)

$(45,645,553)

 

 

(a)

The difference between the book basis and tax basis cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments is attributable primarily to timing differences related to taxable income from a wholly-owned controlled foreign corporation.

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

Permanent differences as of August 31, 2020, primarily attributable to disallowed book income from the Cayman Subsidiary, were reclassified to the following accounts:

 

Distributable
Earnings/(Loss)

Paid-In
Capital

$(36,660,580)

$36,660,580

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings/(deficits) on a tax basis were as follows:

 

Undistributed
Ordinary
Income

Undistributed
Long-Term
Capital Gains

Net Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

Capital Loss
Carryforwards

Qualified
Late-Year
Losses

Other
Temporary
Differences

$13,983,998

$—

$(74,889,584)

$(20,654,825)

$—

$—

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings/(deficits) relate principally to the timing of recognition of income and gains of the Cayman Subsidiary for federal income tax purposes.

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019 were as follows:

 

 

Ordinary
Income

Long-Term
Gains

Total

2020

$46,899,626

$8,709,556

$55,609,182

2019

$1,067,180

$—

$1,067,180

 

Accumulated capital losses represent net capital loss carry forwards as of August 31, 2020 that may be available to offset future realized capital gains and thereby reduce future capital gains distributions. Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the Fund is permitted to carry forward capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 for an unlimited period. Additionally, capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under the previous law. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund had short-term capital losses of $(18,473,632) and long-term capital losses of $(2,181,193) to offset future capital gains of $20,654,825.

 

49

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

6. New Accounting Pronouncements and Regulatory Updates

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Fund’s financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

7. Subsequent Events

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there was the following subsequent event:

 

Expense Limitation Agreement

 

Subsequent to the end of the reporting period, the Fund’s contractual limitation agreement was extended through December 31, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after December 31, 2021.

 

50

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. and
Shareholders of Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated statement of assets and liabilities of Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund (the “Fund”) (one of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”)), including the consolidated portfolio of investments, as of August 31, 2020, and the related consolidated statement of operations for the year then ended, the consolidated statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, the consolidated financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Fund (one of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc.) at August 31, 2020, the consolidated results of its operations for the year then ended, the consolidated changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and its consolidated financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers were not received. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Abbey Capital investment companies since 2014.

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 30, 2020

 

51

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Shareholder Tax Information

(Unaudited)

 

Certain tax information regarding the Fund is required to be provided to shareholders based upon the Fund’s income and distributions for the taxable year ended August 31, 2020. The information and distribution reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ended December 31, 2020. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the Fund paid no ordinary income dividends to its shareholders. Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

The percentage of taxable ordinary income distributions that are designated as short-term capital gain distributions under Internal Revenue Section 871(k)(2)(c) for the Fund is 16.86%.

 

Because the Fund’s fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Fund, if any.

 

In general, dividends received by tax exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Fund.

 

52

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Other Information

(Unaudited)

 

Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling (844) 261-6484 and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedules

 

The Company files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Approval of Advisory Agreements and Trading Advisory Agreements

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered the renewal of (1) the investment advisory agreement between Abbey Capital and the Company on behalf of the Fund (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), (2) each of the separate Advisory Agreements between Abbey Capital Onshore Series LLC, Abbey Capital Master Offshore Fund Limited, and Abbey Capital Offshore Fund SPC (the “Subsidiaries”) and Abbey Capital (collectively, the “Subsidiary Investment Advisory Agreements”), and (3) the trading advisory agreements among Abbey Capital, and Aspect Capital Limited, Crabel Capital Management, LLP, Eclipse Capital Management, Inc., Episteme Capital Partners (UK), LLP, GAM Systematic LLP, Graham Capital Management, LP, P/E Global, LLC, Revolution Capital Management, LLC, Trigon Investment Advisors LLC, Tudor Investment Corporation and Welton Investment Partners LLC (each, a “Trading Adviser”)(the “Trading Advisory Agreements”), at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Advisory Agreement, the Subsidiary Investment Advisory Agreements, and the Trading Advisory Agreements for an additional one-year term ending August 16, 2021. The Board’s decision to approve the Advisory Agreement, the Subsidiary Investment Advisory Agreements, and the Trading Advisory Agreements reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Advisory Agreement, Subsidiary Investment Advisory Agreements, and the Trading Advisory Agreements, the Board considered information provided by Abbey Capital and each of the Trading Advisers with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Company and Abbey Capital with respect to the Fund, the Subsidiary Investment Advisory Agreements, and the Trading Advisory Agreements between Abbey Capital and each Trading Adviser with respect to the Fund, the Directors took into account all materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of services provided to the Fund by Abbey Capital and each Trading Adviser; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of the personnel providing those services; (iii) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ advisory fee arrangements with the Company and other similarly managed clients, as applicable; (vii) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ compliance procedures; (viii) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ financial information and insurance coverage, as applicable, and Abbey Capital’s profitability analysis; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Fund; (x) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing the Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its Lipper Group and comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its Lipper Group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its benchmark.

 

53

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Other Information (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Abbey Capital and each Trading Adviser. The Directors concluded that Abbey Capital and each Trading Adviser had substantial resources to provide services to the Fund and the Subsidiaries, as applicable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Fund, noting that the Fund had outperformed its benchmark for the year-to-date and one-year periods ended March 31, 2020, but had underperformed its benchmark for the three-year, five-year, and since-inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors considered the Fund’s investment performance in light of its investment objective and investment strategies. The Directors noted that the Fund ranked in the 1st quintile within its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year and two-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rate payable by the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Fund and the Fund’s total operating expense ratio (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms. The Directors noted that the Fund’s actual advisor fees ranked in the 5th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 4th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group. The Directors also considered the fees payable to each Trading Adviser under the Trading Advisory Agreements and the information provided by Abbey Capital on the services provided by the different Trading Advisers. In this regard, the Directors noted that the fees for each Trading Adviser were paid directly by Abbey Capital and not by the Fund. The Directors noted that Abbey Capital had contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses through at least February 28, 2021 to limit total annual operating expenses to agreed upon levels for the Fund.

 

After reviewing the information regarding Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering the services to be provided by Abbey Capital and each Trading Adviser, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees to be paid by the Fund to Abbey Capital and the trading advisory fees to be paid by Abbey Capital to each Trading Adviser were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Subsidiary Investment Advisory Agreements, and the Trading Advisory Agreements should be approved and continued for an additional one-year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

54

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Company Management

(Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling (844) 261-6484.

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Independent Directors

Julian A. Brodsky

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

Nicholas A. Giordano

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

Arnold M. Reichman

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 72

Chairman

 

Director

2005 to present

 

1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

 

55

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Company Management (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Brian T. Shea

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

Interested Director2

Robert Sablowsky

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 82

Vice Chairman

 

Director

2016 to present

 

 

1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

Officers

Salvatore Faia, JD, CPA, CFE

Vigilant Compliance, LLC

Gateway Corporate Center

Suite 216

223 Wilmington West Chester Pike

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Age: 57

President

 

Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present

 

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 59

Treasurer and Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

Craig A. Urciuoli
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

 

 

56

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Company Management (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Jennifer Witt

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (investment company).

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 61

Assistant Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1.

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2.

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

57

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Company Management (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive-level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

58

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Privacy Notice

(Unaudited)

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

FACTS

WHAT DOES THE ABBEY CAPITAL FUTURES STRATEGY FUND DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

● Social Security number

● account balances

● account transactions

● transaction history

● wire transfer instructions

● checking account information

 

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How?

All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

       

Reasons we can share your information

Does the Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund share?

Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purpose —
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal
investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes —
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

No

We don’t share.

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

 

Questions?

Call 1-844-261-6484 or go to www.abbeycapital.com

 

59

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Privacy Notice (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

What we do

How does the Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.

How does the Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

 

● open an account

● provide account information

● give us your contact information

● make a wire transfer

● tell us where to send the money

 

We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

 

● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness

● affiliates from using your information to market to you

● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation

In addition to the above information, where applicable, you have the following rights under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and U.S. Privacy Laws, as applicable and to the extent permitted by law, to

 

● Check whether we hold personal information about you and to access such data (in accordance with our policy)

 

● Request the correction of personal information about you that is inaccurate

 

● Have a copy of the personal information we hold about you provided to you or another “controller” where technically feasible

 

● Request the erasure of your personal information

 

● Request the restriction of processing concerning you

 

The legal grounds for processing of your personal information is for contractual necessity and compliance with law.

 

If you wish to exercise any of your rights above, please call: 1-844-261-6484. You are required to ensure the personal information we hold about you is up-to-date and accurate and you must notify us of any changes to the personal data you provided to us.

 

 

60

 

 

Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund

 

Privacy Notice (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

 

The Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund shall retain your personal data for as long as you are an investor in the Fund and thereafter as long as necessary to comply with applicable laws that require the Fund to retain your personal data, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s data retention rules. Your personal data will be transferred to the United States so that the Fund may provide the agreed upon services for you. No adequacy decision has been rendered by the European Commission as to the data protection of your personal data when transferring it to the United States. However, the Fund does take the security of your personal data seriously.

 

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the appropriate regulatory authority with respect to issues you may have.

Definitions

Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

Our affiliates include Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund’s investment adviser, Abbey Capital Limited, and each sub-adviser.

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

The Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund doesn’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

 

The Abbey Capital Futures Strategy Fund does not jointly market.

Controller

“Controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by European Union or European Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by European Union or European Member State law.

 

61

 

 

Investment Adviser
Abbey Capital Limited
1-2 Cavendish Row
Dublin 1, Ireland

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Principal Underwriter
Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Custodian
U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, Suite 700
Philadelphia, PA 19103

 

Legal Counsel
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

AFS-AR20

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

of

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

 

 

Annual Report

 

 

 

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-844-261-6484.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Fund, you can call 1-844-261-6484 to inform the Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Fund.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Fund. It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Fund.

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund (the “Fund”) Class I Shares returned +12.20% net of fees for the 12-month fiscal period ended August 31, 2020.

 

Positive performance was driven by the Fund’s long equity allocation. The Fund’s managed futures allocation was also positive, with trading in energy the primary source of gains. The Fund allocates assets to its underlying trading advisers through its investment in Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited (the “ACMAOF”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund. The Fund invests up to 25% of its assets into the ACMAOF and invests its remaining assets in a long-only US equity strategy consisting of S&P 500 futures only and a fixed income strategy consisting primarily of U.S. Treasury obligations.

 

Abbey Global, LP (the “Predecessor Fund”), transferred all of its assets to the Fund on April 11, 2018. The Fund targets approximately 50% exposure of its net assets to S&P 500 futures and 100% exposure of its net assets to a managed futures strategy.

 

Average Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020 (unless otherwise noted)

 

 

2020 YTD

1 Year

SEP. 1, 2018 TO
AUG. 31, 2019

5 Year
Annualized

10 Year
Annualized

ANNUALIZED
SINCE
INCEPTION ON
MAY 14, 2002

Class I Shares

17.02%

13.97%

12.20%

10.21%

12.14%

10.68%

BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month T-Bill Index *

0.62%

1.26%

2.36%

1.20%

0.64%

1.37%

S&P 500® Total Return Index *

9.74%

21.94%

2.92%

14.46%

15.16%

8.85%

Barclay CTA Index *

2.86%

0.45%

5.71%

0.79%

0.99%

3.48%

 

Barclay CTA numbers are based on the estimates available on the BarclayHedge website as of September 5, 2020

Source: Abbey Capital and Bloomberg

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. Additionally, the Predecessor Fund was not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“1940 Act”), and thus was not subject to certain investment and operational restrictions that are imposed by the 1940 Act. If the Predecessor Fund had been registered under the 1940 Act, its performance may have been adversely affected. Accordingly, Fund performance may be different than the Predecessor Fund’s restated past performance, which is included in the table above for the period between inception of the Fund on May 14, 2002 and April 11, 2018. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted. Visit www.abbeycapital.com for returns updated daily. Call (US Toll Free) 1-844-261-6484 or (international callers) + 1-508-871-3276 for returns current to the most recent month-end.

 

Please note the above is shown for illustrative purposes only.

 

Performance from May 14, 2002 to April 11, 2018 is performance of the Predecessor Fund. The Fund commenced operations as a series of The RBB Fund, Inc. on April 11, 2018, when all of the assets of the Predecessor Fund transferred to Class I Shares of the Fund. The Fund’s objectives, policies, guidelines and restrictions are in all material respects equivalent to the Predecessor Fund. Performance of the Predecessor Fund is not an indicator of future Fund results. Performance from April 2014 to April 2018 represents proprietary performance as the only investors for that period were Abbey Capital Limited and its officers.

 

*

The Barclay CTA Index is derived from data that is self-reported by investment managers based on the performance of privately managed funds. In contrast, the S&P 500® Total Return Index and the Bank of America Merrill Lynch 3-Month T-Bill Index are comprised of publicly traded securities. As a result of these differences, these indices may not be directly comparable and the table above is shown for illustrative purposes only.

 

1

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Abbey Capital Limited (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares. This represents the net expense ratio and is applicable to investors. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021, and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. In addition, the Adviser may recoup any waived or reimbursed amounts from the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made by the Adviser, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Without the expense limitation agreement, the expense ratio is 2.27% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares, as stated in the Fund’s current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, as supplemented (and which may differ from the actual expense ratios for the period covered by this report). The quoted performance would have been lower without the expense limitation.

 

Please refer to the prospectus for further information on expenses and fees.

 

Market Commentary

 

Performance Analysis

 

The fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 saw a number of shifts in risk sentiment. In the last four months of 2019, risk sentiment was mostly positive, with global stocks rallying and bond yields generally rising as the US and China made progress towards a ‘phase one’ trade deal. This rally in global equities continued in early 2020, despite the emergence of the COVID-19 virus in China, although we also saw a rally in fixed income products. A significant rise in new cases of the COVID-19 virus outside of Asia in mid-February, most notably in Italy, led to a rise in risk aversion and sharp price declines in many risk assets, most notably equities, and a notable jump in market volatility. In late March, approximately 5 weeks after the sell-off in equities began, global stocks and other risk assets began to recover and volatility in many markets began to return to more normal levels. The prospect of the global economy re-opening, a slowdown in new virus cases in many regions, optimism about a potential COVID-19 vaccine and significant policy support from both central banks and governments were important factors driving the rebound in risk sentiment during this period.

 

From September to December 2019, Fund performance was negative as a result of losses from the managed futures strategy, which saw negative performance as previous trends in fixed income and currencies reversed, while the long equity component performed positively. Fund performance in Q1 2020 was slightly negative, this time due to the long equity component, which saw losses as the S&P 500 Index fell sharply amid the COVID-19 outbreak. However, losses from the long equity component were almost entirely offset by strong returns from the managed futures component, which profited from notable trends in fixed income and energy markets. From Q2 2020 onwards, Fund performance was positive, largely on account of the long equity component benefiting from the strong rebound in the S&P 500 Index, which rallied to new record highs in August 2020. The managed futures component was also positive over this period.

 

For the twelve-month period overall, the long equity component was the largest contributor to positive Fund performance, while the managed futures component was also positive.

 

The Fund’s long equity component saw strong gains over the twelve-month period due to its long only exposure to S&P 500 Index futures, as the S&P 500 Index rose +21.9% during the twelve-month period. The long equity component saw losses in equities in Q1 2020, as global stocks fell sharply amid uncertainty about the COVID-19 outbreak and the associated impact on the global economy, with the S&P 500 Index experiencing its fastest bear market in history, and US equity market volatility increasing to its highest level since the global financial crisis in 2008-2009. However, these losses were more than outweighed by the strong gains recorded in the latter part of 2019 and from April 2020 onwards, as global stocks rebounded sharply from the losses in Q1 2020.

 

For the managed futures component, positive performance was primarily driven by gains in energy and fixed income, with losses realised in agricultural commodities and currencies.

 

2

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Energy was the top-performing sector for the managed futures component. Losses were seen from September to December 2019 as crude oil and distillates traded in a relatively narrow range. The Diversified Trendfollowing sub-advisers within the managed futures component began to build short positions in the sector in early 2020. Thus, these sub-advisers were well positioned to profit from the sharp fall in energy prices that accompanied the COVID-19 related slowdown in global economic activity, which included front-month crude oil futures briefly trading at a negative price in April 2020. Shorts in crude oil and heating oil were the largest positive contributors in energy.

 

Performance in fixed income was initially negative as global yields reversed and trended higher in the second half of 2019 on improving US-China trade sentiment and higher equity prices. However, performance turned positive from early 2020 onwards as strong uptrends in global fixed income prices emerged as global monetary policy turned more dovish, with numerous central banks cutting rates and enacting new bond buying programs to counteract the slowdown in economic growth and deflationary pressures that arose following the COVID-19 outbreak. Longs in US Treasury and interest rate contracts saw the largest gains within the sector.

 

Performance in precious metals was positive on account of long silver positions, while modest losses were recorded in base metals.

 

Meanwhile, the performance of equities in the managed futures component was close to flat. Performance was initially positive, with gains seen from long positions held between September 2019 and January 2020. However, notable losses were recorded in February and March 2020. The sudden drawdown experienced by global stocks proved problematic, as long equity positions were held prior to the sell-off given the strong uptrend in many global indices in 2019 and early 2020, and thus notable losses occurred. Long positions were then cut significantly, with short positions held in equities for much of Q2 2020. Performance in the sector picked up again from late Q2 2020 onwards, as long positions were re-instated and global stocks continued to recover from their March 2020 lows as the global economy re-opened and amid optimism about a potential COVID-19 vaccine.

 

On the downside, the largest losses for the managed futures component were recorded in agricultural commodities, with performance in currencies also negative.

 

In agricultural commodities, soft commodities and grains were the main source of losses. In soft commodities, soybeans, coffee and sugar were the largest negative contributors as choppy price moves created a difficult trading environment for trend-based trading strategies in these contracts. A similarly difficult trading environment also occurred in grains, with losses from trading in wheat. Meanwhile, partially-offsetting gains were recorded in meats, as the managed futures component profited from a notable downtrend in pig prices by holding short positions.

 

In currencies, losses occurred in major currencies and emerging market currencies. In the early part of the 12-month period, the USD trended lower as the US cut rates and as US-China trade sentiment improved. This changed in Q1 2020, as demand for haven assets increased amid the COVID-19 outbreak and fears of a USD shortage saw the greenback rally before downtrends in the USD resumed from Q2 2020 onwards as risk sentiment improved. Losses in major currencies largely came from long USD exposures during the period of USD weakness from September to December 2019, with trading in USD/JPY, GBP/USD, the US Dollar Index the most notable detractors. Losses in emerging market currencies were mostly due to a positioning in the USD/MXN currency pair.

 

Key to Currency Abbreviations

GBP

British Pound Sterling

JPY

Japanese Yen

USD

US Dollar

MXN

Mexican Peso

 

An investment in the Fund is speculative and involves substantial risk. It is possible that an investor may lose some or all of their investment. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund that invests in managed futures and foreign

 

3

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Concluded)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

exchange. All investments in securities involve risk of the loss of capital. An investment in the Fund includes the risks inherent in an investment in securities, as well as specific risks associated with this open-ended investment product. Among the risks associated with investing in this Fund are Commodity Sector Risk, Counter-Party Risk, Credit Risk, Currency Risk, Manager and Management Risks, Subsidiary Risk, Tax Risk, Emerging Markets Risk, Leveraging Risk, Foreign Investment Risk, Fixed Income Securities Risks, Short Sale Risk and Portfolio Turnover Risks. The Fund may invest in or utilize derivative investments, futures contracts, and hedging strategies. One or more Trading Advisers, from time to time, may invest a substantial portion of the assets managed in a specific industry sector. As a result, the Fund’s investment portfolio may be subject to greater risk and volatility than if investments had been made in the securities of a broader range of issuers. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s strategy (hedging or otherwise) will be successful or that it will employ such strategies with respect to all or any portion of its portfolio. The value of the Fund’s portfolio investments should be expected to fluctuate. Investing in managed futures is not suitable for all investors given its speculative nature and the high level of risk involved. The Fund is appropriate only for investors who can bear the risks associated with the product. This brief statement cannot disclose all of the risks and other factors necessary to evaluate an investment in the Fund. Investors are urged to take appropriate investment advice and to carefully consider their investment objectives, personal situation, and factors such as net worth, income, age, risk tolerance and liquidity needs before investing in the Fund. Before investing, investors should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, tax considerations, sales charges and expenses.

 

Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security. Please refer to the Consolidated Portfolio of Investments in this report for a complete list of Fund holdings.

 

The Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund is distributed by Quasar Distributions, LLC.

 

4

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Performance Data

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $1,000,000 Investment in Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund - Class I Shares
vs. BoFA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index,
S&P 500® Total Return Index and Barclay CTA Index

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Five
Years

Ten
Years

Since
Inception

 

Class I Shares*

13.97%

10.21%

12.14%

10.68%

 

BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index

1.26%

1.20%

0.64%

1.37%**

 

S&P 500® Total Return Index

21.94%

14.46%

15.16%

8.85%**

 

Barclay CTA Index

0.45%

0.79%

0.99%

3.48%**

 

 

*

Performance from May 14, 2002 to April 10, 2018 is performance of Abbey Global LP (the “Predecessor Fund”). The Fund commenced operations as a series of The RBB Fund, Inc. on April 11, 2018, when all the assets of the Predecessor Fund transferred to Class I Shares of the Fund.

 

**

Performance is from the inception date of the Predecessor Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

The performance quoted reflects fee waivers in effect and would have been less in their absence. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares. Without the limitation arrangement, the gross expense ratio is 2.27% for Class I Shares, as stated in the current prospectus (and which may differ from the actual expense ratio for the period covered by this report). This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. Please see the Consolidated Financial Highlights for current figures.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted. Visit www.abbeycapital.com for returns updated daily. Call (US Toll Free) 1-844-261-6484 or (international callers) + 1-508-871-3276 for returns current to the most recent month-end.

 

5

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Performance Data (Concluded)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Barclay CTA Index

 

The Barclay CTA Index is a leading industry benchmark of representative performance of commodity trading advisors. There are currently 510 programs included in the calculation of the Barclay CTA Index for 2020. The Barclay CTA Index is equally weighted and rebalanced at the beginning of each year.

 

BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index

 

The BofA Merrill Lynch 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index is an unmanaged market index of U.S. Treasury securities maturing in 90 days that assumes reinvestment of all income.

 

S&P 500® Index

 

The S&P 500® Index is a market-capitalization-weighted index of 500 U.S. stocks chosen for market size, liquidity and industry grouping, among other factors. The S&P 500® Index is designed to be a leading indicator of U.S. equities and is meant to reflect the risk/return characteristics of the large cap universe. The S&P 500® Index was first introduced on January 1, 1923, though expanded to 500 stocks on March 4, 1957.

 

The S&P 500® Total Return Index

 

The S&P 500® Total Return Index is the total return version of the S&P 500® Index. Dividends are reinvested on a daily basis and all regular cash dividends are assumed reinvested in the index on the ex-dividend date.

 

A basis point is one hundredth of one percent.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

6

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Fund Expense Example

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on purchase payments, (if any) and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees, distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees and other Fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

This example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020, and held for the entire period.

 

ACTUAL EXPENSES

 

The first line of the accompanying table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES

 

The second line of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads) on purchase payments (if any). Therefore, the second line of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

Class I Shares

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses Paid
During Period
*

Annualized
Expense Ratio

Actual Six-Month
Total Investment
Return
for the Fund

Actual

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,194.20

$ 9.87

1.79%

19.42%

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

1,000.00

1,016.14

9.07

1.79

N/A

 

*

Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized six-month expense ratio for the period March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one half year period. The Fund’s ending account value on the first line in the table is based on the actual six-month total investment return for the Fund.

 

7

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The following table presents a consolidated summary of the portfolio holdings of the Fund at August 31, 2020.

 

 

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS:

               

U.S. Treasury Obligations

    81.2 %   $ 30,503,323  

Money Market Deposit Account

    2.3       855,623  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES

               

(including futures and forward foreign currency contracts)

    16.5       6,212,644  

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 37,571,590  

 

 

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating its assets between a “Managed Futures” strategy, a “Long U.S. Equity” strategy and a “Fixed Income” strategy.

 

As a result of the Fund’s use of derivatives, the Fund may hold significant amounts of U.S. Treasuries or short-term investments.

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

Refer to the Consolidated Portfolio of Investments for a detailed listing of the Fund’s holdings.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
8

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

Coupon*

   

Maturity
Date

   

Par
(000’s)

   

Value

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 83.5%

                               

U.S. TREASURY OBLIGATIONS — 81.2%

                               

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.429%       09/03/20     $ 1,015     $ 1,014,997  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.240%       09/10/20       1,632       1,631,968  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    -0.038%       09/17/20       1,638       1,637,940  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    -0.018%       09/24/20       2,422       2,421,876  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.119%       10/01/20       1,100       1,099,915  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.200%       10/08/20       1,241       1,240,890  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.132%       10/15/20       499       498,945  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.112%       10/22/20       800       799,892  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.086%       10/29/20       700       699,895  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.112%       11/12/20       590       589,888  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.132%       11/19/20       299       298,936  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.145%       11/27/20       1,116       1,115,727  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.203%       12/03/20       400       399,886  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.157%       12/10/20       600       599,830  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.142%       12/17/20       2,878       2,877,123  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.122%       12/24/20       502       501,825  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.138%       12/31/20       582       581,785  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.132%       01/07/21       969       968,604  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.112%       01/14/21       508       507,781  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.087%       01/28/21       1,005       1,004,584  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.100%       02/04/21       4,509       4,506,899  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.096%       02/11/21       2,232       2,230,939  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.098%       02/18/21       1,068       1,067,446  

U.S. Treasury Bills

    0.091%       02/25/21       2,207       2,205,752  

TOTAL U.S. TREASURY OBLIGATIONS ($30,503,193)

                            30,503,323  
                                 
                   

Number of
Shares
(000s)

         

MONEY MARKET DEPOSIT ACCOUNT — 2.3%

                               

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05% (United States)(a)

                    856       855,623  

TOTAL MONEY MARKET DEPOSIT ACCOUNT ($855,623)

                            855,623  
                                 

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

                               

(Cost $31,358,816)

                            31,358,946  

TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 83.5%

                               

(Cost $31,358,816)

                            31,358,946  
                                 

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES — 16.5%

                            6,212,644  

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

                          $ 37,571,590  

 

 

*

Short-term investments’ coupon reflect the annualized effective yield on the date of purchase for discounted investments.

 

(a)

The rate shown is as of August, 31, 2020.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
9

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Futures contracts outstanding as of August 31, 2020 were as follows:

 

Long Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Jun-21       13     $ 3,897,184     $ 1,379  

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Dec-21       7       2,098,379       (313 )

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Dec-22       1       299,694       15  

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Mar-23       2       599,298        

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Jun-23       2       599,239       119  

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Dec-23       1       299,500        

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Dec-20       8       5,898,801       145  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Mar-21       25       18,432,845       1,653  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Jun-21       10       7,372,956       400  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Sep-21       8       5,898,220       1,271  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Dec-21       5       3,686,115       200  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Mar-22       4       2,948,819       91  

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Jun-22       1       591,661       (18 )

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Dec-20       31       7,727,913       900  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Mar-21       8       1,996,000       413  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Jun-21       20       4,990,500       2,788  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Sep-21       7       1,746,588       200  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Dec-21       6       1,496,700       350  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Mar-22       5       1,247,500       125  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Jun-22       20       4,989,500       (225 )

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Sep-22       7       1,746,063       (100 )

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Dec-22       5       1,246,750       425  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Mar-23       5       1,246,625       300  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Jun-23       11       2,741,750       450  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Sep-23       1       249,163       38  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Dec-20       32       5,341,407       1,596  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Mar-21       9       1,502,797       (309 )

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Jun-21       73       12,191,794       4,374  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Sep-21       19       3,174,000       343  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Dec-21       39       6,515,379       4,720  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Mar-22       19       3,174,159       1,186  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Jun-22       44       7,349,949       2,682  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Sep-22       18       3,006,497       1,780  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Dec-22       13       2,170,924       334  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Mar-23       11       1,836,476       184  

90-DAY Sterling Futures

    Jun-23       22       3,672,034       (1,303 )

Amsterdam Index Futures

    Sep-20       2       261,987       (3,986 )

AUD/USD Currency Futures

    Sep-20       27       1,995,030       55,100  

Australian 10-Year Bond Futures

    Sep-20       17       1,014,458       (7,117 )

Australian 3-Year Bond Futures

    Sep-20       86       7,417,740       (7,201 )

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Mar-21       8       1,525,511       220  

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Jun-21       11       2,097,472       517  

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Sep-21       9       1,715,768       441  

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Dec-21       6       1,143,558       230  

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Mar-22       4       762,142       38  

Bank Acceptance Futures

    Jun-22       3       571,463       67  

Brent Crude Futures

    Nov-20       2       90,560       (990 )

CAD Currency Futures

    Sep-20       8       460,620       10,915  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
10

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Long Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

Canadian 10-Year Bond Futures

    Dec-20       13     $ 1,504,366     $ (7,598 )

Canola Futures (Winnipeg Commodity Exchange)

    Nov-20       1       7,639       51  

CHF Currency Futures

    Sep-20       14       1,938,125       27,338  

Cocoa Futures

    Dec-20       2       53,080       3,310  

Cocoa Futures

    Mar-21       1       26,380       430  

Coffee ‘C’ Futures

    Mar-21       1       48,675       4,050  

Copper Futures

    Dec-20       11       841,913       16,175  

Copper Futures

    Mar-21       2       153,825       3,550  

Corn Futures

    Dec-20       83       1,484,663       1,188  

Cotton No.2 Futures

    Dec-20       8       260,640       5,740  

DAX Index Futures

    Sep-20       3       1,156,889       (10,233 )

DJIA Mini E-CBOT

    Sep-20       4       568,320       15,165  

E-Mini Natural Gas Futures

    Oct-20       1       6,575       225  

Emissions ICE

    Dec-20       6       205,208       10,275  

EUR Foreign Exchange Currency Futures

    Sep-20       47       7,014,456       114,519  

Euro STOXX 50

    Sep-20       2       77,925       (1,718 )

Euro/JPY Futures

    Sep-20       2       298,305       9,170  

Euro-Bobl Futures

    Sep-20       11       1,767,262       (4,081 )

Euro-BTP Futures

    Sep-20       10       1,744,791       33,664  

Euro-Bund Futures

    Sep-20       9       1,885,534       (9,451 )

Euro-Oat Futures

    Sep-20       9       1,798,647       (835 )

Euro-Schatz Futures

    Sep-20       10       1,336,726       (531 )

FTSE China A50 Index

    Sep-20       11       171,298       2,090  

Gasoline RBOB Futures

    Oct-20       2       101,951       (1,201 )

Gasoline RBOB Futures

    Nov-20       1       49,896       (130 )

GBP Currency Futures

    Sep-20       11       919,806       14,194  

Gold 100 Oz Futures

    Dec-20       4       791,440       14,180  

Hang Seng China Enterprises Index Futures

    Sep-20       2       128,784       (3,632 )

Hang Seng Index Futures

    Sep-20       3       485,310       (6,187 )

JPY Currency Futures

    Sep-20       23       2,716,156       2,681  

Live Cattle Futures

    Oct-20       1       42,120       (160 )

LME Aluminum Forward

    Sep-20       132       5,845,950       508,340  

LME Aluminum Forward

    Dec-20       40       1,805,750       29,663  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       44,694       1,614  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       44,764       334  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       44,775       1,625  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       44,856       581  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       44,875       173  

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       44,944       150  

LME Copper Forward

    Sep-20       53       8,852,988       949,422  

LME Copper Forward

    Dec-20       13       2,166,531       65,882  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       166,756       6,794  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       166,761       7,420  

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       166,669       3,487  

LME Lead Forward

    Sep-20       1       48,813       2,317  

LME Nickel Forward

    Sep-20       6       552,384       76,460  

LME Nickel Forward

    Dec-20       4       369,192       8,904  

LME Zinc Forward

    Sep-20       4       249,825       34,906  

LME Zinc Forward

    Dec-20       4       251,975       665  

Long Gilt Futures

    Dec-20       30       5,414,261       (22,725 )

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
11

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Long Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

Low Sulphur Gasoil G Futures

    Oct-20       1     $ 36,825     $ (1,550 )

Micro EUR/USD Futures

    Sep-20       1       14,924       610  

Mill Wheat Euro

    Mar-21       1       11,143       134  

Mini H-Shares Index Futures

    Sep-20       2       25,757       (657 )

Mini TOPIX Index Futures

    Sep-20       1       15,258       85  

MSCI EAFE Index Futures

    Sep-20       1       95,005       4,520  

MSCI Emerging Markets Index Futures

    Sep-20       2       110,040       1,360  

MSCI Taiwan Index

    Sep-20       8       392,880       (7,843 )

Nasdaq 100 E-Mini

    Sep-20       12       2,907,360       199,379  

Natural Gas Futures

    Oct-20       11       289,300       5,320  

Natural Gas Futures

    Nov-20       1       29,200       970  

Nikkei 225 (Singapore Exchange)

    Sep-20       8       765,331       6,231  

Nikkei 225 Mini

    Sep-20       3       65,600       (472 )

NY Harbor Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Futures

    Oct-20       1       51,127       (2,491 )

NZD Currency Futures

    Sep-20       10       674,600       19,680  

OMX Stockholm 30 Index Futures

    Sep-20       19       387,697       (1,148 )

Palm Oil Futures

    Nov-20       2       32,865       1,014  

Russell 2000 E-Mini

    Sep-20       3       234,195       1,670  

S&P 500 E-Mini Futures

    Sep-20       133       23,267,685       2,186,123  

S&P/TSX 60 IX Futures

    Sep-20       3       454,939       13,539  

SGX Iron Ore 62% Futures

    Oct-20       1       11,834       374  

SGX Nifty 50

    Sep-20       2       45,462       (600 )

Short BTP Future

    Sep-20       3       402,217       1,074  

Silver Futures

    Dec-20       2       142,970       8,865  

Soybean Futures

    Nov-20       14       667,450       4,650  

Soybean Futures

    Mar-21       7       335,913       4,975  

Soybean Meal Futures

    Dec-20       1       31,250       1,020  

Soybean Oil Futures

    Dec-20       4       78,864       3,306  

SPI 200 Futures

    Sep-20       1       111,186       774  

STOXX Europe 600 Index

    Sep-20       2       43,593       (209 )

Sugar No. 11 (World)

    Oct-20       10       141,792       90  

Sugar No. 11 (World)

    Mar-21       9       133,862       (3,394 )

Sugar No. 11 (World)

    May-21       1       14,627       134  

U.S. Treasury 10-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       32       4,456,000       3,234  

U.S. Treasury 2-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       23       5,081,742       2,172  

U.S. Treasury 5-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       43       5,419,344       6,945  

U.S. Treasury Long Bond (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       8       1,230,031       (1,805 )

U.S. Treasury Ultra 10-Year Notes

    Dec-20       4       637,750       984  

U.S. Treasury Ultra Long Bond (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       2       441,813       (3,508 )

Wheat (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       7       193,288       3,400  

White Maize Futures

    Dec-20       1       18,553       973  

WTI Crude Futures

    Oct-20       4       170,440       (110 )

WTI Crude Futures

    Dec-20       2       86,420       820  

Yellow Maize Futures

    Dec-20       1       18,541       1,144  
                            $ 4,444,459  

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
12

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Short Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

10-Year Mini Japanese Government Bond Futures

    Sep-20       13     $ (1,859,755 )   $ 2,814  

90-DAY Eurodollar Futures

    Jun-21       7       (1,746,675 )     (350 )

Amsterdam Index Futures

    Sep-20       1       (130,994 )     990  

AUD/USD Currency Futures

    Sep-20       11       (812,790 )     (12,050 )

Australian 10-Year Bond Futures

    Sep-20       1       (4,446 )     (88 )

Brent Crude Futures

    Nov-20       1       (45,280 )     (1,270 )

Brent Crude Futures

    Dec-20       2       (91,320 )     (1,580 )

CAC40 10 Euro Futures

    Sep-20       1       (58,981 )     (185 )

CAD Currency Futures

    Sep-20       14       (1,074,780 )     (6,755 )

Cocoa Futures

    Mar-21       1       (26,380 )     (1,490 )

Corn Futures

    Dec-20       3       (53,663 )     (2,838 )

Corn Futures

    Mar-21       18       (330,750 )     (23,425 )

Dollar Index

    Sep-20       1       (92,131 )     3,754  

EUR Foreign Exchange Currency Futures

    Sep-20       1       (149,244 )     (6,263 )

Euro STOXX 50

    Sep-20       1       (38,963 )     (877 )

Euro-Bobl Futures

    Sep-20       17       (2,731,223 )     9,296  

Euro-Bund Futures

    Sep-20       7       (1,466,527 )     2,339  

Euro-Schatz Futures

    Sep-20       21       (2,807,125 )     722  

FTSE 100 Index Futures

    Sep-20       3       (239,072 )     7,319  

Gasoline RBOB Futures

    Nov-20       2       (99,792 )     1,059  

Gasoline RBOB Futures

    Dec-20       1       (49,413 )     155  

GBP Currency Futures

    Sep-20       1       (83,619 )     (325 )

IBEX 35 Index Futures

    Sep-20       1       (83,002 )     413  

JPN 10-Year Bond (Osaka Securities Exchange)

    Sep-20       1       (1,431,242 )     (94 )

JPY Currency Futures

    Sep-20       1       (118,094 )     (406 )

Kansas City Hard Red Winter Wheat Futures

    Dec-20       3       (71,288 )     (6,413 )

Lean Hogs Futures

    Oct-20       6       (128,640 )     (7,050 )

Lean Hogs Futures

    Dec-20       2       (44,100 )     (2,730 )

Live Cattle Futures

    Dec-20       1       (43,590 )     480  

Live Cattle Futures

    Feb-21       1       (44,930 )     1,260  

Live Cattle Futures

    Apr-21       1       (45,820 )     110  

LME Aluminum Forward

    Sep-20       132       (5,845,950 )     (568,434 )

LME Aluminum Forward

    Dec-20       31       (1,399,456 )     (16,799 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (44,694 )     (2,344 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (44,764 )     (1,662 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Oct-20       1       (44,775 )     (349 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (44,856 )     (271 )

LME Aluminum Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (44,875 )     (236 )

LME Copper Forward

    Sep-20       53       (8,852,988 )     (931,248 )

LME Copper Forward

    Dec-20       6       (999,938 )     (15,719 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (166,756 )     (7,431 )

LME Copper Forward — 90 Day Settlement

    Nov-20       1       (166,761 )     (3,511 )

LME Lead Forward

    Sep-20       1       (48,813 )     (3,018 )

LME Lead Forward

    Dec-20       1       (49,413 )     (450 )

LME Nickel Forward

    Sep-20       6       (552,384 )     (106,650 )

LME Nickel Forward

    Dec-20       1       (92,298 )     (6,028 )

LME Zinc Forward

    Sep-20       4       (249,825 )     (30,746 )

Long Gilt Futures

    Dec-20       2       (360,951 )     722  

Low Sulphur Gasoil G Futures

    Oct-20       3       (110,475 )     2,800  

Low Sulphur Gasoil G Futures

    Nov-20       2       (74,800 )     1,900  

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
13

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Short Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

Milk Futures

    Sep-20       1     $ (31,360 )   $ 1,660  

Mini FTSE/MIB Pound Futures

    Sep-20       1       (23,418 )     861  

Mini HSI Index Futures

    Sep-20       1       (32,354 )     410  

MXN Currency Futures

    Sep-20       6       (136,860 )     (3,840 )

Natural Gas Futures

    Oct-20       6       (157,800 )     (6,580 )

Natural Gas Futures

    Nov-20       4       (116,800 )     (8,600 )

NY Harbor Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Futures

    Oct-20       3       (102,253 )     1,701  

NY Harbor Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel Futures

    Nov-20       3       (156,278 )     7,144  

SGX Nifty 50

    Sep-20       1       (22,731 )     188  

Soybean Meal Futures

    Dec-20       2       (62,500 )     (4,480 )

Soybean Meal Futures

    Jan-21       1       (31,440 )     (1,400 )

SPI 200 Futures

    Sep-20       2       (222,371 )     92  

STOXX Dividend Futures

    Dec-21       1       (9,702 )     (94 )

Sugar No. 11 (World)

    Oct-20       6       (85,075 )     (3,147 )

Sugar No. 11 (World)

    May-21       1       (14,627 )     123  

U.S. Treasury 10-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       1       (139,250 )     (203 )

U.S. Treasury 2-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       5       (1,104,727 )     (313 )

U.S. Treasury 5-Year Notes (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       6       (756,188 )     (844 )

U.S. Treasury Long Bond (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       2       (351,438 )     1,399  

Wheat (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       6       (165,675 )     (15,525 )

WTI Crude Futures

    Oct-20       1       (42,610 )     (620 )

WTI Crude Futures

    Nov-20       2       (85,800 )     90  

WTI Crude Futures

    Dec-20       1       (43,210 )     (2,010 )

WTI Crude Futures IPE

    Oct-20       1       (42,610 )     610  
                            $ (1,766,330 )

Total Futures Contracts

                          $ 2,678,129  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
14

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Forward foreign currency contracts outstanding as of August 31, 2020 were as follows:

 

Currency Purchased

 

   

Currency Sold

   

   

Expiration
Date

   

Counterparty

   

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

AUD

    600,000          

CAD

    571,479               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE     $ 4,404  

AUD

    205,905          

EUR

    125,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       2,633  

AUD

    454,765          

GBP

    250,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,197  

AUD

    400,000          

JPY

    30,404,004               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       7,894  

AUD

    1,200,000          

NZD

    1,324,729               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (7,186 )

AUD

    600,000          

USD

    431,720               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       10,845  

CAD

    400,000          

USD

    303,881               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       2,805  

CHF

    2,318,235          

USD

    2,551,512               Sep 01 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       13,112  

CHF

    2,318,235          

USD

    2,560,816               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       3,871  

CHF

    2,318,235          

USD

    2,565,924               Sep 03 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (1,174 )

CHF

    403,576          

EUR

    375,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (976 )

CHF

    250,000          

JPY

    29,174,500               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,213  

CHF

    125,000          

USD

    138,229               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       146  

CLP

    78,925,263          

USD

    100,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,507  

CNH

    4,188,130          

USD

    600,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       10,601  

CNH

    2,772,223          

USD

    400,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       3,916  

COP

    179,074,075          

USD

    50,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (2,185 )

CZK

    2,622,830          

EUR

    100,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (209 )

EUR

    3,513,769          

USD

    4,156,181               Sep 01 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       37,050  

EUR

    100,000          

GBP

    89,323               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (64 )

EUR

    3,513,769          

USD

    4,177,615               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       15,706  

EUR

    3,492,607          

USD

    4,170,267               Sep 03 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (2,112 )

EUR

    200,000          

CZK

    5,313,866               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (2,681 )

EUR

    500,000          

HUF

    176,734,777               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       3,739  

EUR

    300,000          

NOK

    3,208,863               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (9,244 )

EUR

    200,000          

PLN

    892,447               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (3,590 )

EUR

    200,000          

SEK

    2,085,584               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (2,404 )

EUR

    375,000          

AUD

    618,814               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (8,708 )

EUR

    375,000          

CAD

    588,414               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (3,410 )

EUR

    300,000          

GBP

    271,692               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (5,054 )

EUR

    200,000          

JPY

    25,120,520               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,543  

EUR

    375,000          

USD

    446,134               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,601  

GBP

    779,840          

USD

    1,029,718               Sep 01 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       12,741  

GBP

    895,334          

USD

    1,183,158               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       13,694  

GBP

    847,809          

USD

    1,133,605               Sep 03 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (279 )

GBP

    89,481          

EUR

    100,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       238  

GBP

    125,000          

JPY

    17,336,253               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       3,389  

GBP

    250,000          

USD

    328,499               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       5,743  

HUF

    70,014,837          

EUR

    200,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (3,775 )

HUF

    29,391,160          

USD

    100,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (1,362 )

ILS

    342,020          

USD

    100,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,978  

ILS

    1,021,110          

USD

    300,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       4,488  

INR

    29,994,000          

USD

    400,000               Sep 08 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       7,189  

INR

    29,995,520          

USD

    400,000               Sep 14 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       6,925  

INR

    15,045,599          

USD

    200,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       4,064  

INR

    29,433,000          

USD

    400,000               Sep 21 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (1,031 )

INR

    29,763,765          

USD

    400,000               Sep 28 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       3,124  

JPY

    42,685,944          

NZD

    600,000               Sep 01 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (1,135 )

JPY

    18,575,670          

USD

    174,307               Sep 01 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,077  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
15

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Currency Purchased

 

   

Currency Sold

   

   

Expiration
Date

   

Counterparty

   

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

JPY

    2,656,180          

EUR

    21,162               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE     $ (176 )

JPY

    14,219,776          

NZD

    200,000               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (461 )

JPY

    18,575,670          

USD

    176,225               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (839 )

JPY

    21,231,850          

USD

    200,492               Sep 03 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (24 )

JPY

    32,011,996          

CAD

    400,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (4,350 )

JPY

    41,837,976          

NZD

    600,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (9,014 )

JPY

    12,500,000          

USD

    118,472               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (417 )

KRW

    354,939,000          

USD

    300,000               Sep 08 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (1,212 )

KRW

    118,318,000          

USD

    100,000               Sep 14 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (399 )

KRW

    178,922,384          

USD

    150,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       618  

KRW

    475,288,000          

USD

    400,000               Sep 21 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       104  

MXN

    500,000          

USD

    22,488               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       297  

NOK

    1,057,653          

EUR

    100,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,711  

NOK

    883,220          

USD

    100,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,123  

NZD

    600,000          

JPY

    42,522,383               Sep 01 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       2,679  

NZD

    600,000          

JPY

    42,678,024               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,080  

NZD

    400,000          

USD

    261,680               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       7,754  

PHP

    17,409,330          

USD

    350,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       8,748  

PLN

    664,619          

EUR

    150,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,411  

PLN

    740,221          

USD

    200,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,014  

SEK

    9,305,387          

EUR

    900,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,600  

SEK

    2,577,591          

EUR

    250,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (415 )

SEK

    2,451,760          

NOK

    2,500,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (2,709 )

SEK

    1,733,080          

USD

    200,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       415  

SGD

    206,296          

USD

    150,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,627  

SGD

    820,290          

USD

    600,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       2,915  

THB

    4,666,273          

USD

    150,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (79 )

TWD

    2,919,600          

USD

    100,000               Sep 08 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (494 )

TWD

    10,239,408          

USD

    350,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (1,009 )

TWD

    2,934,495          

USD

    100,000               Sep 18 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       18  

TWD

    5,863,300          

USD

    200,000               Sep 21 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (157 )

TWD

    5,859,800          

USD

    200,000               Sep 28 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (271 )

USD

    150,000          

BRL

    824,122               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (355 )

USD

    2,560,737          

CHF

    2,318,235               Sep 01 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (3,887 )

USD

    2,565,838          

CHF

    2,318,235               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,152  

USD

    150,000          

CLP

    121,224,739               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (5,909 )

USD

    100,000          

CNH

    705,324               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (2,832 )

USD

    400,000          

CNH

    2,777,746               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (4,721 )

USD

    250,000          

COP

    937,707,163               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (381 )

USD

    4,177,520          

EUR

    3,513,769               Sep 01 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (15,711 )

USD

    4,170,173          

EUR

    3,492,607               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       2,107  

USD

    1,030,793          

GBP

    779,840               Sep 01 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (11,667 )

USD

    1,196,995          

GBP

    895,334               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       143  

USD

    100,000          

HUF

    29,690,245               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       352  

USD

    100,000          

ILS

    342,185               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (2,027 )

USD

    400,000          

INR

    30,143,000               Sep 08 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (9,212 )

USD

    400,000          

INR

    30,022,000               Sep 14 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (7,284 )

USD

    250,000          

INR

    19,074,153               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (8,704 )

USD

    400,000          

INR

    30,025,520               Sep 21 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (7,000 )

USD

    400,000          

INR

    29,805,409               Sep 28 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (3,688 )

USD

    400,000          

INR

    29,469,000               Oct 01 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,000  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
16

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

Currency Purchased

 

   

Currency Sold

   

   

Expiration
Date

   

Counterparty

   

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

USD

    177,752          

JPY

    18,739,231               Sep 01 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE     $ 824  

USD

    200,490          

JPY

    21,231,850               Sep 02 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       24  

USD

    300,000          

KRW

    355,233,000               Sep 08 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       965  

USD

    100,000          

KRW

    118,601,722               Sep 14 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       160  

USD

    150,000          

KRW

    181,622,381               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (2,891 )

USD

    400,000          

KRW

    473,329,000               Sep 21 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       1,545  

USD

    400,000          

KRW

    475,340,000               Sep 28 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (151 )

USD

    22,455          

MXN

    500,000               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (330 )

USD

    50,000          

PHP

    2,533,163               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (2,200 )

USD

    250,000          

RUB

    18,242,302               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       4,150  

USD

    100,000          

SGD

    139,131               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (2,261 )

USD

    200,000          

THB

    6,331,252               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (3,414 )

USD

    900,000          

TRY

    6,490,220               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       22,077  

USD

    100,000          

TWD

    2,936,700               Sep 08 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (89 )

USD

    150,000          

TWD

    4,396,798               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       143  

USD

    100,000          

TWD

    2,933,500               Sep 18 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       16  

USD

    200,000          

TWD

    5,866,000               Sep 21 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       65  

USD

    200,000          

ZAR

    3,456,337               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (3,505 )

USD

    100,000          

ZAR

    1,756,064               Sep 23 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       (3,321 )

ZAR

    1,703,694          

USD

    100,000               Sep 16 2020       SOCIETE GENERALE       311  

Total Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

                          $ 76,436  

 

AUD

Australian Dollar

 

LME

London Mercantile Exchange

BRL

Brazilian Real

 

MIB

Milano Indice di Borsa

CAD

Canadian Dollar

 

MXN

Mexican Peso

CHF

Swiss Franc

 

NOK

Norwegian Krone

CLP

Chilean Peso

 

NZD

New Zealand Dollar

CNH

Chinese Yuan Renminbi

 

OMX

Stockholm Stock Exchange

COP

Colombian Peso

 

PHP

Philippine Peso

CZK

Czech Koruna

 

PLN

Polish Zloty

DAX

Deutscher Aktienindex

 

RBOB

Reformulated Blendstock for Oxygenate Blending

DJIA

Dow Jones Industrial Average

 

RUB

Russian Ruble

EUR

Euro

 

SEK

Swedish Krona

FTSE

Financial Times Stock Exchange

 

SGD

Singapore Dollar

GBP

British Pound

 

THB

Thai Baht

HUF

Hungarian Forint

 

TRY

Turkish Lira

ILS

Israeli New Shekel

 

TWD

Taiwan Dollar

INR

Indian Rupee

 

USD

United States Dollar

JPY

Japanese Yen

 

WTI

West Texas Intermediate

KRW

Korean Won

 

ZAR

South African Rand

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
17

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Statement of Assets And Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

ASSETS

       

Investments, at value (cost $31,358,816)

  $ 31,358,946  

Foreign currency deposits with broker for futures contracts (cost $20,868)

    21,342  

Deposits with broker for forward foreign currency contracts

    274,933  

Deposits with broker for futures contracts

    3,025,505  

Receivables for:

       

Capital shares sold

    200,000  

Interest and dividends receivable

    77  

Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

    256,581  

Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts

    4,608,701  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    19,994  

Total assets

    39,766,079  
         

LIABILITIES

       

Payables for:

       

Advisory fees

    33,985  

Administration and accounting services fees

    14,101  

Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

    180,145  

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts

    1,930,572  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    35,686  

Total liabilities

    2,194,489  

Net assets

  $ 37,571,590  
         

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

       

Par value

  $ 3,395  

Paid-in capital

    36,865,534  

Total distributable earnings/(losses)

    702,661  

Net assets

  $ 37,571,590  
         

CLASS I SHARES:

       

Net assets

  $ 37,571,590  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    3,394,740  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 11.07  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
18

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Statement of Operations

For the Year Ended August 31, 2020

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

       

Interest

  $ 307,624  

Total investment income

    307,624  

EXPENSES

       

Advisory fees (Note 2)

    528,366  

Administration and accounting services fees (Note 2)

    74,328  

Audit and tax service fees

    60,515  

Registration and filing fees

    25,428  

Director fees

    13,371  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    10,365  

Legal fees

    7,951  

Officer fees

    2,073  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    1,236  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    932  

Other expenses

    5,421  

Total expenses before waivers and/or reimbursements

    729,986  

Less: waivers and/or reimbursements (Note 2)

    (195,654 )

Net expenses after waivers and/or reimbursements

    534,332  

Net investment income/(loss)

    (226,708 )

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

       

Net realized gain/(loss) from:

       

Investments

    8,773  

Futures contracts

    3,240,778  

Foreign currency transactions

    310  

Forward foreign currency contracts

    2,916  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:

       

Investments

    (11,098 )

Futures contracts

    1,429,771  

Foreign currency translations

    4,082  

Forward foreign currency contracts

    87,472  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    4,763,004  

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ 4,536,296  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
19

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (226,708 )   $ 56,172  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments, futures contracts, foreign currency transactions and forward foreign currency contracts

    3,252,777       2,667,776  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments, futures contracts, foreign currency translations and forward foreign currency contracts

    1,510,227       295,999  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    4,536,296       3,019,947  

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (3,011,201 )     (1,736,107 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (3,011,201 )     (1,736,107 )

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Class I Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    5,162,687       3,807,213  

Proceeds from reinvestment of distributions

    2,892,850       1,699,774  

Shares redeemed

    (250,926 )     (156,967 )

Total from Class I Shares

    7,804,611       5,350,020  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    7,804,611       5,350,020  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    9,329,706       6,633,860  

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    28,241,884       21,608,024  

End of period

  $ 37,571,590     $ 28,241,884  

SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Class I Shares

               

Shares sold

    524,318       378,195  

Shares reinvested

    314,099       191,201  

Shares redeemed

    (25,056 )     (17,613 )

Total Class I Shares

    813,361       551,783  

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    813,361       551,783  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
20

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Consolidated Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class I Shares outstanding, total investment return, ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the consolidated financial statements.

 

 

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Period
Ended
August 31,
2018
(1)

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 10.94     $ 10.65     $ 10.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    (0.08 )     0.02       (0.01 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    1.38       1.09       0.66  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    1.30       1.11       0.65  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                       

Net investment income

    (0.96 )     (0.36 )      

Net realized capital gains

    (0.21 )     (0.46 )      

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.17 )     (0.82 )      

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 11.07     $ 10.94     $ 10.65  

Total investment return/(loss)(3)

    13.97 %     12.20 %     6.50 %(4)

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 37,572     $ 28,242     $ 21,608  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and/or reimbursements(6)

    1.79 %     1.79 %     1.79 %(5)

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements(6)

    2.45 %     2.27 %     2.84 %(5)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.76 )%     0.25 %     (0.25 )%(5)

Portfolio turnover rate

    0 %     0 %     0 %(4)

 

 

(1)

Inception date of Class I Shares of the Fund was April 11, 2018.

(2)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

(3)

Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(4)

Not annualized.

(5)

Annualized.

(6)

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired Fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
21

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements

August 31, 2020

 

1. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund (the “Fund”), which commenced investment operations on April 11, 2018. The Fund is authorized to offer three classes of shares, Class A Shares, Class I Shares and Class C Shares. Class A Shares will be sold subject to a front-end maximum sales charge of 5.75%. Front-end sales charges may be reduced or waived under certain circumstances. Class A Shares and Class C Shares have not yet commenced operations as of the end of the reporting period.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating its assets between a “Managed Futures” strategy, a “Long U.S. Equity” strategy and a “Fixed Income” strategy.

 

The Fund is an investment company and follows accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services – Investment Companies.”

 

The end of the reporting period for the Fund is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements is the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

Consolidation of Subsidiary — The Managed Futures strategy will be achieved by the Fund investing up to 25% of its total assets in Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited (the “Subsidiary”), a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The consolidated financial statements of the Fund include the financial statements of the Subsidiary. The Fund consolidates the results of subsidiaries in which the Fund holds a controlling financial interest. All inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated. As of the end of the reporting period, the net assets of the Subsidiary were $8,039,094, which represented 21.40% of the Fund’s net assets.

 

Portfolio Valuation — The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by the Fund are valued using the closing price or the last sale price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Forward exchange contracts are valued by interpolating between spot and forward currency rates as quoted by an independent pricing service. Futures contracts are generally valued using the settlement price determined by the relevant exchange. If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

 

Fair Value Measurements — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Fund’s investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

● Level 1 –

Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

● Level 2 –

Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

22

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

 

● Level 3 –

Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at fair value:

 

 

Total

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

 

Short-Term Investments

  $ 31,358,946     $ 31,358,946     $     $  

Commodity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    1,814,192       1,814,192              

Equity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    2,441,209       2,441,209              

Foreign Currency Contracts

                               

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

    256,581             256,581        

Futures Contracts

    257,961       257,961              

Interest Rate Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    95,339       95,339              

Total Assets

  $ 36,224,228     $ 35,967,647     $ 256,581     $  

 

 

Total

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

 

Commodity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

  $ (1,794,080 )   $ (1,794,080 )   $     $  

Equity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    (37,841 )     (37,841 )            

Foreign Currency Contracts

                               

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

    (180,145 )           (180,145 )      

Futures Contracts

    (29,639 )     (29,639 )            

Interest Rate Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    (69,012 )     (69,012 )            

Total Liabilities

  $ (2,110,717 )   $ (1,930,572 )   $ (180,145 )   $  

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Fund may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires the Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when the Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end

 

23

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for Level 3 transfers are disclosed if the Fund had an amount of total Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund had no Level 3 transfers.

 

Disclosures about Derivative instruments and Hedging Activities — Derivative instruments are defined as financial instruments whose value and performance are based on the value and performance of another security or financial instrument. Derivative instruments that the Fund used during the period include forward foreign currency contracts and futures contracts.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund used long and short contracts on U.S. and foreign equity market indices, U.S. and foreign government bonds, foreign currencies, interest rates and commodities (through investment in the Subsidiary), to gain investment exposure in accordance with its investment objective.

 

The following tables provide quantitative disclosures about fair value amounts of, and gains and losses on, the Fund’s derivative instruments as of and for the current fiscal period.

 

The following tables list the fair values of the Fund’s derivative holdings and location on the Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities as of the end of the reporting period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statement
of Assets and
Liabilities
Location

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest
Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Total

 

Asset Derivatives

Forward Contracts (a)

    Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency contracts     $     $     $ 256,581     $     $ 256,581  

Futures Contracts (a)

    Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts       2,441,209       95,339       257,961       1,814,192       4,608,701  

Total Value- Assets

          $ 2,441,209     $ 95,339     $ 514,542     $ 1,814,192     $ 4,865,282  

Liability Derivatives

Forward Contracts (a)

    Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency contracts     $     $     $ (180,145 )   $     $ (180,145 )

Futures Contracts (a)

    Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts       (37,841 )     (69,012 )     (29,639 )     (1,794,080 )     (1,930,572 )

Total Value- Liabilities

  $ (37,841 )   $ (69,012 )   $ (209,784 )   $ (1,794,080 )   $ (2,110,717 )

 

(a)

This amount represents the cumulative appreciation/(depreciation) of forwards and futures contracts as reported on the Consolidated Portfolio of Investments.

 

24

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following table lists the amounts of realized gains/(losses) included in net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations during the current fiscal period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statement of
Operations
Location

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest
Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Total

 

Realized Gain/(Loss)

Futures Contracts

    Net realized gain/(loss) from Futures Contracts     $ 1,371,270     $ 911,023     $ (120,217 )   $ 1,078,702     $ 3,240,778  

Forward Contracts

    Net realized gain/(loss) from Forward Foreign Currency Contracts                   2,916             2,916  

Total Realized Gain/(Loss)

  $ 1,371,270     $ 911,023     $ (117,301 )   $ 1,078,702     $ 3,243,694  

 

The following table lists the amounts of change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) included in net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations during the current fiscal period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statement of
Operations
Location

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest
Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Total

 

Change in Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

Futures Contracts

    Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on futures contracts     $ 2,457,381     $ (487,591 )   $ (167,946 )   $ (372,073 )   $ 1,429,771  

Forward Contracts

    Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on forward foreign currency contracts                   87,472             87,472  

Total Change in Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

  $ 2,457,381     $ (487,591 )   $ (80,474 )   $ (372,073 )   $ 1,517,243  

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund’s quarterly average volume of derivatives was as follows:

 

Long Futures
Notional
Amount

Short Futures
Notional
Amount

Forward Foreign
Currency
Contracts — Payable
(Value at Trade Date)

Forward Foreign
Currency
Contracts —
Receivable
(Value at Trade Date)

$197,584,041

$(36,356,508)

$(49,702,806)

$49,703,214

 

For financial reporting purposes, the Fund does not offset fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments and fair value amounts recognized for the right to reclaim cash collateral (receivables) or the obligation to return cash collateral (payables) arising from derivative instruments recognized at fair value executed with the same counterparty under a master netting arrangement.

 

25

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following is a summary of financial and derivative instruments that are subject to enforceable master netting agreements (or similar arrangements) and collateral received and pledged in connection with the master netting agreements (or similar arrangements).

 

           

Gross Amount Not
Offset in Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and Liabilities

                           

Gross Amount Not
Offset in Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and Liabilities

         

Description

 

Gross Amount
Presented
in the
Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities

   

Financial
Instruments

   

Collateral
Received

   

Net
Amount
(1)

           

Gross Amount
Presented
in the
Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities

   

Financial
Instruments

   

Collateral
Pledged
(2)

   

Net
Amount
(3)

 
   

Assets

           

Liabilities

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

  $ 256,581     $ (180,145 )   $     $ 76,436             $ 180,145     $ (180,145 )   $     $  

 

 
 

(1)

Net amount represents the net amount receivable from the counterparty in the event of default.

 

 

(2)

Actual collateral pledged may be more than the amount shown.

 

 

(3)

Net amount represents the net amount payable to the counterparty in the event of default.

 

Use of Estimates — The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

Investment Transactions, Investment Income and Expenses — The Fund records security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gain are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. The Fund’s investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family of the Company are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all of the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Fund.

 

Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders — Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net realized capital gains, if any, are declared and paid at least annually to shareholders and recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

U.S. Tax Status — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is the Fund’s intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

26

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

For tax purposes, the Subsidiary is an exempted Cayman Islands investment company. The Subsidiary has received an undertaking from the Government of the Cayman Islands exempting it from all local income, profits and capital gains taxes. No such taxes are levied in the Cayman Islands at the present time. For U.S. income tax purposes, the Subsidiary is a Controlled Foreign Corporation and as such is not subject to U.S. income tax.

 

Foreign Currency Translation — Assets and liabilities initially expressed in non-U.S. currencies are translated into U.S. dollars based on the applicable exchange rates at the date of the last business day of the financial statement period. Purchases and sales of securities, interest income, dividends, variation margin received and expenses denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect on the transaction date.

 

The Fund does not separately report the effect of changes in foreign exchange rates from changes in market prices of securities held. Such changes are included with the net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Other foreign currency transactions resulting in realized and unrealized gain or loss are reported separately as net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on foreign currencies in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

Currency Risk —Investment in foreign securities involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts may limit potential gains from a favorable change in value between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. Unanticipated changes in currency pricing may result in poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not engaged in these contracts.

 

Commodity Sector Risk — Exposure to the commodities markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates or factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. The prices of energy, industrial metals, precious metals, agriculture and livestock sector commodities may fluctuate widely due to factors such as changes in value, supply and demand and governmental regulatory policies. The commodity-linked securities in which the Fund invests may be issued by companies in the financial services sector, and events affecting the financial services sector may cause the Fund’s share value to fluctuate.

 

Foreign Securities Market Risk — A substantial portion of the trades of the Fund are expected to take place on markets or exchanges outside the United States. There is no limit to the amount of assets of the Fund that may be committed to trading on foreign markets. The risk of loss in trading foreign futures and options on futures contracts can be substantial. Participation in foreign futures and options on futures contracts involves the execution and clearing of trades on, or subject to the rules of, a foreign board of trade or exchange. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals’ markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a commodity interest transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.

 

Counterparty Risk — The derivative contracts entered into by the Fund or its Subsidiary may be privately negotiated in the over-the-counter market. These contracts also involve exposure to credit risk, since contract performance depends in part on the financial condition of the counterparty. Relying on a counterparty exposes the Fund to the risk that a counterparty will not settle a transaction in accordance with its terms and conditions because of a dispute over the terms of the contract (whether or not bona fide) or because of a credit or liquidity problem, thus causing the Fund to suffer a loss. If a counterparty defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, this default will cause the value of an investment in the Fund to decrease.

 

27

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Credit Risk — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of the security or a counterparty in respect of a derivative instrument will not be able to satisfy its payment obligations to the Fund when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. Securities rated in the four highest categories by the rating agencies are considered investment grade but they may also have some speculative characteristics. Investment grade ratings do not guarantee that bonds will not lose value or default. In addition, the credit quality of securities may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes.

 

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual companies are not known. The operational and financial performance of individual companies and the market in general depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance.

 

Futures Contracts — The Fund uses futures contracts in the normal course of pursuing its investment objective. Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund must deposit initial margin in addition to segregating cash or liquid assets sufficient to meet its obligation to purchase or provide securities, or to pay the amount owed at the expiration of an index-based futures contract. Such liquid assets may consist of cash, cash equivalents, liquid debt or equity securities or other acceptable assets. Pursuant to the futures contract, the Fund agrees to receive from, or pay to the broker, an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in value of the contract. Such a receipt of payment is known as “variation margin” and is recorded by the Fund as an unrealized gain or loss. When the contract is closed, the Fund records a realized gain or loss equal to the difference between the proceeds from (or cost of) the closing transactions and the Fund’s basis in the contract. Futures contracts have market risks, including the risk that the change in the value of the contract may not correlate with changes in the value of the underlying securities. Use of long futures contracts subjects the Fund to risk of loss in excess of the amount shown on the Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities, up to the notional value of the futures contract. Use of short futures contracts subjects the Fund to unlimited risk of loss.

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts — In the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives, the Fund is subject to foreign investment and currency risk. The Fund uses forward foreign currency contracts (“forward contracts”) for purposes of hedging, duration management, as a substitute for securities, to increase returns, for currency hedging or risk management, or to otherwise help achieve the Fund’s investment objective. These contracts are marked-to-market daily at the applicable translation rates. The Fund records realized gains or losses at the time the forward contract is closed. A forward contract is extinguished through a closing transaction or upon delivery of the currency or entering an offsetting contract. Risks may arise upon entering these contracts from the potential inability of a counterparty to meet the terms of their contracts and from unanticipated movements in the value of a foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar or other currencies. The Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty credit risk related to forward foreign currency contracts is the fair value of the contract. The risk may be mitigated to some extent if a master netting arrangement between the Fund and the counterparty is in place and to the extent the Fund obtains collateral to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

Other — In the normal course of business, the Fund may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Fund in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Fund expects the risk of material loss from such claims to be remote.

 

28

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

2. Investment Adviser and Other Services

 

Abbey Capital Limited (“Abbey Capital” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund and its Subsidiary. The Adviser allocates the assets of the Subsidiary to one or more Trading Advisers unaffiliated with the Adviser to manage. The Adviser also has the ultimate responsibility to oversee the Trading Advisers, and to recommend their hiring, termination and replacement, subject to approval by the Board. The Fund compensates the Adviser for its services at an annual rate based on the Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Advisory Fee”), payable on a monthly basis in arrears, as shown in the following table. The Adviser compensates the Trading Advisers out of the Advisory Fee.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) to the rates (“Expense Caps”) shown in the following table of the Fund’s average daily net assets. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed the Expense Caps as applicable: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses, interest and taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after February 28, 2021.

 

Advisory
Fee

Expense Caps

 

Class A

Class I

Class C

1.77%

2.04%

1.79%

2.79%

 

During the current fiscal period, investment advisory fees accrued, waived and/or reimbursed were as follows:

 

Gross
Advisory
Fees

Waivers and/or
Reimbursements

Net
Advisory
Fees

$528,366

$(195,654)

$332,712

 

If at any time the Fund’s total annual fund operating expenses (not including acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than the relevant share class’s Expense Cap, the Adviser may recoup any waived or reimbursed amounts from the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

As of the end of the reporting period, the Fund had amounts available for recoupment as follows:

 

Expiration

August 31,
2021

August 31,
2022

August 31,
2023

Total

$84,306

$106,779

$195,654

$386,739

 

Aspect Capital Limited, Crabel Capital Management, LLC, Eclipse Capital Management, Inc., Revolution Capital Management, LLC, Tudor Investment Corporation and Welton Investment Partners, LLC each served as a Trading Adviser to the Fund during the period.

 

Effective July 20, 2020, Crabel Capital Management, LLC serves as a Trading Adviser to the Fund.

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Fund. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

29

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Fund Services serves as the Fund’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Fund. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Fund’s distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Fund’s distributor.

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

The Board has adopted a Plan of Distribution for the Class A Shares and Class C Shares (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Fund’s distributor is entitled to receive from the Fund a distribution fee with respect to the Shares, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Class A Shares and up to 1.00% of the Class C Shares. The actual amount of such compensation under the Plan is agreed upon by the Board and by the Distributor. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. Amounts paid to the Distributor under the Plan may be used by the Distributor to cover expenses that are related to (i) the sale of the Shares, (ii) ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders, and (iii) sub-transfer agency services, subaccounting services or administrative services related to the sale of the Shares, all as set forth in the Fund’s 12b-1 Plan.

 

3. Director And Officer Compensation

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Fund or the Company. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

4. Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities

 

During the current fiscal period, there were no purchases or sales of investment securities or long-term U.S. Government securities (excluding short-term investments and derivative transactions) by the Fund.

 

5. Federal Income Tax Information

 

The Fund has followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Fund to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund has determined that there was no effect on the consolidated financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Fund is subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

30

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by the Fund were as follows(a):

 

Federal Tax
Cost

Unrealized
Appreciation

Unrealized
(Depreciation)

Net
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

$37,526,764

$1,063

$(2,161,673)

$(2,160,610)

 

 

(a)

The difference between the book basis and tax basis cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments is attributable primarily to timing differences related to taxable income from a wholly-owned controlled foreign corporation.

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

Permanent differences as of August 31, 2020, primarily attributable to disallowed book income from the Subsidiary were reclassified to the following accounts:

 

Distributable
Earnings/(Loss)

Paid-In
Capital

$(1,405,513)

$1,405,513

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

Undistributed
Ordinary
Income

Undistributed
Long-Term
Capital Gains

Net Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

Capital Loss
Carryforwards

Qualified
Late-Year
Losses

Other
Temporary
Differences

$2,064,937

$2,069,200

$(3,431,476)

$—

$—

$—

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate principally to the timing of recognition of income and gains of the Subsidiary for federal income tax purposes.

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019, were as follows:

 

 

Ordinary
Income

Long-Term
Gains

Total

2020

$2,675,202

$335,999

$3,011,201

2019

$1,151,783

$584,324

$1,736,107

 

6. New Accounting Pronouncements and Regulatory Updates

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after

 

31

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Fund’s financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

7. Subsequent Events

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there was the following subsequent event:

 

Expense Limitation Agreement

 

Subsequent to the end of the reporting period, the Fund’s contractual limitation agreement was extended through December 31, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after December 31, 2021.

 

32

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. and
Shareholders of Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated statement of assets and liabilities of Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund (the “Fund”) (one of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”)), including the consolidated portfolio of investments, as of August 31, 2020, and the related consolidated statement of operations for the year then ended, the consolidated statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, the consolidated financial highlights for each of the two years in the period then ended and the period April 11, 2018 (commencement of operations) to August 31, 2018 and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Fund (one of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc.) at August 31, 2020, the consolidated results of its operations for the year then ended, the consolidated changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended and its consolidated financial highlights for each of the two years in the period then ended and for the period April 11, 2018 (commencement of operations) to August 31, 2018, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers were not received. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Abbey Capital investment companies since 2014.

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 30, 2020

 

33

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Shareholder Tax Information

(Unaudited)

 

Certain tax information regarding the Fund is required to be provided to shareholders based upon the Fund’s income and distributions for the taxable year ended August 31, 2020. The information and distribution reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ended December 31, 2020. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the Fund paid no ordinary income dividends to its shareholders. Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

The percentage of taxable ordinary income distributions that are designated as short-term capital gain distributions under Internal Revenue Section 871(k)(2)(c) for the Fund is 7.61%.

 

Because the Fund’s fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Fund, if any.

 

In general, dividends received by tax exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Fund.

 

34

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Other Information

(Unaudited)

 

Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling (844) 261-6484 and on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedules

 

The Company files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Approval of Investment Advisory Agreements and Trading Advisory Agreements

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered the renewal of (1) the investment advisory agreement between Abbey Capital and the Company on behalf of the Fund (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), (2) the investment advisory agreement between Abbey Capital and Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited (“ACMAF”) (together with the Investment Advisory Agreement, the “Advisory Agreements”), and (3) the trading advisory agreements among Abbey Capital, ACMAF and Aspect Capital Limited, Eclipse Capital Management, Inc., Revolution Capital Management, LLC, Tudor Investment Corporation and Welton Investment Partners LLC (each, a “Trading Adviser”)(the “Trading Advisory Agreements”), at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Advisory Agreements and the Trading Advisory Agreements for an additional one-year term ending August 16, 2021. The Board’s decision to approve the Advisory Agreements and the Trading Advisory Agreements reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Advisory Agreements and the Trading Advisory Agreements, the Board considered information provided by Abbey Capital and each of the Trading Advisers with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Company and Abbey Capital, the approval of the investment advisory agreement between Abbey Capital and ACMAF, and the approval of the Trading Advisory Agreements with respect to the Fund, the Directors took into account all materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of services provided to the Fund by Abbey Capital and each Trading Adviser; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of the personnel providing those services; (iii) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ advisory fee arrangements with the Company and other similarly managed clients, as applicable; (vii) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ compliance procedures; (viii) Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ financial information and insurance coverage, as applicable, and Abbey Capital’s profitability analysis; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Fund; (x) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing the Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its Lipper Group and comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its Lipper Group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Abbey Capital and each Trading Adviser. The Directors concluded that Abbey Capital and each Trading Adviser had substantial resources to provide services to the Fund and ACMAF, as applicable.

 

35

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Other Information (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Fund, noting that the Fund had outperformed its benchmark for the year-to-date, one-year, three-year, and since-inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors considered the Fund’s investment performance in light of its investment objective and investment strategies. The Directors noted that the Fund ranked in the 1st quintile within its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year and since-inception periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rate payable by the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Fund and the Fund’s total operating expense ratio (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms. The Directors noted that the Fund’s actual advisor fee ranked in the 4th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 4th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group. The Directors also considered the fees payable to each Trading Adviser under the Trading Advisory Agreements and the information provided by Abbey Capital on the services provided by the different Trading Advisers. In this regard, the Directors noted that the fees for each Trading Adviser were payable by Abbey Capital. The Directors noted that Abbey Capital had contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses through at least February 28, 2021 to limit total annual operating expenses to agreed upon levels for the Fund.

 

After reviewing the information regarding Abbey Capital’s and the Trading Advisers’ costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering the services to be provided by Abbey Capital and each Trading Adviser, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees to be paid by the Fund to Abbey Capital and the trading advisory fees to be paid by Abbey Capital to each Trading Adviser were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreements and Trading Advisory Agreements should be approved and continued for an additional one-year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

Approval of Trading Advisory Agreement

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, considered the approval of a new Trading Advisory Agreement by and among Abbey Capital, Abbey Capital Multi Asset Offshore Fund Limited and Crabel Capital Management LLC (“Crabel”) at a meeting of the Board held on June 23, 2020 (the “June Meeting”). At the June Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the new Trading Advisory Agreement for an initial period ending August 16, 2021. The Board’s decision to approve the Trading Advisory Agreement reflects the exercise of its business judgment. In approving the Trading Advisory Agreement, the Board considered information provided by Abbey Capital and Crabel, with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the approval of the Trading Advisory Agreement between Abbey Capital and Crabel, the Board took into account all materials provided prior to and during the June Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the June Meeting, and the discussions held during the June Meeting. Among other things, the Board considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of services to be provided to the Fund by Crabel; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of the personnel providing those services; (iii) Crabel’s investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Crabel’s assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Crabel’s soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies; (vi) Crabel’s advisory fee arrangements with the Company and other similarly managed clients, as applicable; (vii) Crabel’s compliance procedures; and (viii) Crabel’s financial information and insurance coverage.

 

The Board also considered the fees payable to Crabel under the proposed Trading Advisory Agreement with Crabel and the services to be provided by Crabel. In this regard, the Board noted that the fees for Crabel were payable by Abbey Capital.

 

After reviewing the information regarding the Adviser’s and Crabel’s costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering the services to be provided by Crabel, the Board concluded that the trading advisory fees to be paid by Abbey Capital to Crabel were fair and reasonable, the Trading Advisory Agreement was in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders and does not involve a conflict of interest from which the Adviser derives an inappropriate advantage, and that the Trading Advisory Agreement with Crabel should be approved for an initial period ending August 16, 2021.

 

36

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Company Management

(Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling (844) 261-6484.

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Independent Directors

Julian A. Brodsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

Nicholas A. Giordano

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

Arnold M. Reichman 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 72

Chairman

 

Director

2005 to present

 

1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

 

37

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Company Management (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Brian T. Shea

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

Interested Director2

Robert Sablowsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 82

Vice Chairman

 

Director

2016 to present

 

 

1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

Officers

Salvatore Faia, JD,

CPA, CFE

Vigilant Compliance, LLC

Gateway Corporate Center

Suite 216

223 Wilmington West

Chester Pike

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Age: 57

President

 

Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present

 

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 59

Treasurer and Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

Craig A. Urciuoli

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

 

 

38

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Company Management (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Jennifer Witt

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 61

Assistant Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1.

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2.

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

 

39

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Company Management (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the past five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

40

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Privacy Notice

(Unaudited)

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

FACTS

WHAT DOES THE ABBEY CAPITAL MULTI ASSET FUND DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

● Social Security number

● account balances

● account transactions

● transaction history

● wire transfer instructions

● checking account information

 

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How?

All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

       

Reasons we can share your information

Does the Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund share?

Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purpose —
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal
investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes —
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

No

We don’t share.

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

 

Questions?

Call 1-844-261-6484 or go to www.abbeycapital.com

 

41

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Privacy Notice (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

What we do

How does the Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.

How does the Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

 

● open an account

● provide account information

● give us your contact information

● make a wire transfer

● tell us where to send the money

 

We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

 

● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness

● affiliates from using your information to market to you

● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation

In addition to the above information, where applicable, you have the following rights under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and U.S. Privacy Laws, as applicable and to the extent permitted by law, to

 

● Check whether we hold personal information about you and to access such data (in accordance with our policy)

 

● Request the correction of personal information about you that is inaccurate

 

● Have a copy of the personal information we hold about you provided to you or another “controller” where technically feasible

 

● Request the erasure of your personal information

 

● Request the restriction of processing concerning you

 

The legal grounds for processing of your personal information is for contractual necessity and compliance with law.

 

If you wish to exercise any of your rights above, please call: 1-844-261-6484.

 

You are required to ensure the personal information we hold about you is up-to-date and accurate and you must notify us of any changes to the personal data you provided to us.

 

 

42

 

 

Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund

 

Privacy Notice (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

 

The Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund shall retain your personal data for as long as you are an investor in the Fund and thereafter as long as necessary to comply with applicable laws that require the Fund to retain your personal data, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s data retention rules. Your personal data will be transferred to the United States so that the Fund may provide the agreed upon services for you. No adequacy decision has been rendered by the European Commission as to the data protection of your personal data when transferring it to the United States. However, the Fund does take the security of your personal data seriously.

 

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the appropriate regulatory authority with respect to issues you may have.

Definitions

Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

Our affiliates include Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund’s investment adviser, Abbey Capital Limited, and each sub-adviser.

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

The Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund doesn’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

 

The Abbey Capital Multi Asset Fund does not jointly market.

Controller

“Controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by European Union or European Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by European Union or European Member State law.

 

 

43

 

 

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

Investment Adviser
Abbey Capital Limited
1-2 Cavendish Row
Dublin 1, Ireland

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Principal Underwriter
Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Custodian
U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, Suite 700
Philadelphia, PA 19103

 

Legal Counsel
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP.
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

AMA-AR20

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 

of

 

The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

ANNUAL REPORT

 

August 31, 2020

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-844-261-6482.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Fund, you can call 1-844-261-6482 to inform the Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Fund.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Fund. It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Fund.

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 

ANNUAL INVESTMENT ADVISER’S REPORT

AUGUST 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The Adara Smaller Companies Fund (the “Fund”) generated a return of 10.47% in the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, and outperformed the benchmark Russell 2000 Index, which returned 6.02% over the same period.

 

The Fund ended the fiscal year with five underlying sub-advisers: microcap managers Driehaus Capital Management LLC (“Driehaus”) and Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC (“Pacific Ridge”) and small-cap managers Pier Capital LLC (“Pier”), River Road Asset Management, LLC (“River Road”) and our tax-loss harvesting manager Aperio Group, LLC (“Aperio”). In December 2019, the Fund decided to make a sub-adviser change and terminated its relationship with microcap manager Granite Investment Partners, LLC (“Granite”), allocating the assets previously managed by Granite to existing microcap mangers Driehaus and Pacific Ridge. Returns for the underlying sub-advisers in the 2020 fiscal year were as follows: Driehaus +43.60%, Pier +26.54%, Aperio +3.60%, River Road -4.57%, and Pacific Ridge -10.56%. The return for Granite during the portion of the 2020 fiscal year when it was a sub-adviser was -8.65%.

 

Altair continues to believe that the small and microcap space of the market remains highly inefficient, with little analyst coverage or institutional ownership. We believe these inefficiencies provide the potential for active managers to generate meaningful outperformance over the long term.

 

Sincerely,
Altair Advisers LLC

 

Opinions expressed are those of the Investment Adviser and are subject to change, are not guaranteed and should not be considered investment advice.

 

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

 

The Russell 2000® Index consists of the smallest 2,000 companies in a group of 3,000 U.S. companies in the Russell 3000® Index, as ranked by market capitalization.

 

It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.

 

1

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 

ANNUAL report
Performance Data

August 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Invested in
ADARA Smaller Companies Fund vs. Russell 2000
® Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund made on October 21, 2014 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the Russell 2000® Index is unmanaged, and does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

One
Year

Three
Years

Five
Years

Since
Inception

 

Adara Smaller Companies Fund

10.47%

9.70%

10.04%

9.57%*

 

Russell 2000® Index

6.02%

5.03%

7.65%

7.44%**

 

 

*

The Fund commenced operations on October 21, 2014.

 

**

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling (844) 261-6482.

 

The Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated December 31, 2019, are 0.98% of average daily net assets. This ratio may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report.

 

The Fund invests in common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stocks and securities convertible into common stocks. Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

The Fund evaluates performance as compared to that of the Russell 2000® Index. The Russell 2000® Index is a widely-recognized, capitalization-weighted index that measures the performance of the smallest 2,000 companies in the Russell 3000® Index and is considered representative of small-cap stocks. It is impossible to invest directly in an index.

 

Investment Considerations

 

Investing in the Fund involves risk and an investor may lose money. The success of the Fund’s strategy depends on the Adviser’s ability to select Sub-Advisers and each manager’s ability to select investments for the Fund. The Fund may invest in riskier types of investments including small and micro-cap stocks, Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), special situations and illiquid securities all of which may be more volatile and less liquid.

 

2

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Fund Expense Example

August 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees and other Fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

This example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020 and held for the entire period.

 

Actual Expenses

 

The first line of the accompanying table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

 

The second line of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs. Therefore, the second line of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses Paid
During Period*

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual Six Month
Total Investment
Return

Class I Shares

         

Actual

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,126.30

$ 4.86

0.91%

12.63%

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

1,000.00

1,020.56

4.62

0.91

N/A

 

 

*

Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized six-month expense ratio in the table above, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one-half year period. The Fund’s ending account value on the first line in the table is based on the actual six-month total investment return for the Fund.

 

3

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

The following table presents a summary by security type of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

COMMON STOCKS:

               

Banks

    7.4 %   $ 26,564,629  

Retail

    6.5       23,531,738  

Software

    6.1       22,034,770  

Healthcare-Products

    5.4       19,432,349  

Semiconductors

    5.1       18,355,125  

Commercial Services

    4.8       17,272,428  

Internet

    4.5       16,333,377  

Biotechnology

    4.1       14,878,689  

Insurance

    3.6       12,865,136  

Pharmaceuticals

    3.2       11,669,784  

REITS

    2.8       9,987,360  

Transportation

    2.6       9,475,907  

Computers

    2.3       8,422,725  

Leisure Time

    2.1       7,654,370  

Home Builders

    2.1       7,630,725  

Food

    1.7       6,166,847  

Building Materials

    1.6       5,927,863  

Electronics

    1.6       5,665,832  

Auto Parts & Equipment

    1.5       5,496,570  

Engineering & Construction

    1.4       5,168,299  

Diversified Financial Services

    1.4       5,087,612  

Energy-Alternate Sources

    1.4       4,920,383  

Miscellaneous Manufacturing

    1.2       4,482,031  

Machinery-Diversified

    1.2       4,368,010  

Healthcare-Services

    1.2       4,129,226  

Aerospace/Defense

    1.0       3,500,889  

Electrical Components & Equipment

    0.9       3,402,192  

Distribution/Wholesale

    0.9       3,167,454  

Telecommunications

    0.9       3,082,807  

Savings & Loans

    0.8       2,746,819  

Oil & Gas

    0.8       2,694,480  

Metal Fabricate/Hardware

    0.7       2,625,785  

Environmental Control

    0.7       2,556,503  

Hand/Machine Tools

    0.7       2,553,848  

Textiles

    0.6       2,156,381  

Housewares

    0.6   2,126,933  

Home Furnishings

    0.6       2,056,552  

Apparel

    0.5       1,904,135  

Agriculture

    0.5       1,899,679  

Entertainment

    0.5       1,885,250  

Cosmetics/Personal Care

    0.5       1,831,627  

Oil & Gas Services

    0.5       1,807,488  

Chemicals

    0.5       1,693,636  

Real Estate

    0.4       1,366,153  

Machinery-Construction & Mining

    0.3       1,121,745  

Beverages

    0.2       876,056  

Household Products/Wares

    0.2       854,734  

Mining

    0.2       737,698  

Auto Manufacturers

    0.2       705,932  

Electric

    0.2       595,964  

Airlines

    0.2       546,864  

Packaging & Containers

    0.1       467,801  

Gas

    0.1       459,458  

Investment Companies

    0.1       418,547  

Forest Products & Paper

    0.1       315,023  

Water

    0.1       223,023  

Iron/Steel

    0.1       190,910  

Coal

    0.0       147,754  

Lodging

    0.0       127,901  

Office/Business Equipment

    0.0       107,714  

Media

    0.0       71,891  

Office Furnishings

    0.0       34,201  

PREFERRED STOCKS:

               

Distribution/Wholesale

    0.0       27,326  

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

    7.7       27,812,657  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES

    0.8       3,018,607  

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 361,442,202  

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
4

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

COMMON STOCKS — 91.5%

               

Aerospace/Defense — 1.0%

               

AAR Corp.*

    11,755     $ 237,216  

Aerovironment, Inc.*

    1,433       109,467  

Barnes Group, Inc.

    5,132       203,227  

Cubic Corp.

    34,959       1,645,870  

Mercury Systems, Inc.*

    8,562       648,486  

Moog, Inc., Class A

    1,762       106,231  

National Presto Industries, Inc.

    728       65,469  

Park Aerospace Corp.

    35,959       398,785  

Triumph Group, Inc.*

    11,914       86,138  
              3,500,889  

Agriculture — 0.5%

               

Darling Ingredients, Inc.*

    8,943       285,908  

Phibro Animal Health Corp., Class A

    1,739       37,319  

Sanderson Farms, Inc.

    1,371       160,352  

Turning Point Brands, Inc.

    30,557       883,097  

Vital Farms, Inc.*

    13,528       533,003  
              1,899,679  

Airlines — 0.2%

               

Allegiant Travel Co.*

    418       53,755  

Hawaiian Holdings, Inc.*

    6,287       84,497  

SkyWest, Inc.*

    12,143       408,612  
              546,864  

Apparel — 0.5%

               

Capri Holdings Ltd.*

    5,836       92,442  

Crocs, Inc.*

    40,344       1,610,129  

Kontoor Brands, Inc.*

    4,168       92,113  

Skechers U.S.A., Inc., Class A*

    3,666       109,430  

Steven Madden Ltd.*

    1       21  
              1,904,135  

Auto Manufacturers — 0.2%

               

GreenPower Motor Co., Inc.*

    30,167       595,798  

Wabash National Corp.

    9,020       110,134  
              705,932  

Auto Parts & Equipment — 1.5%

American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc.*

    4,229       32,902  

Dorman Products, Inc.*

    1,452       122,970  

Gentherm, Inc.*

    3,355       151,747  

Meritor, Inc.*

    2,172       49,435  

Methode Electronics, Inc.

    18,360       519,771  

Motorcar Parts of America, Inc.*

    1,467       25,540  

Shyft Group Inc., (The)

    174,829       3,491,335  

Unique Fabricating, Inc.*

    211,220       709,699  

XPEL, Inc.*

    15,790       393,171  
              5,496,570  

 

Banks — 7.4%

   

Number of

Shares

      Value  

Allegiance Bancshares, Inc.

    887     $ 22,548  

American River Bankshares

    111,864       1,102,979  

Atlantic Capital Bancshares, Inc.*

    58,762       677,820  

Bank of Commerce Holdings

    153,260       1,126,461  

Baycom Corp.*

    31,568       365,715  

Boston Private Financial Holdings, Inc.

    8,260       49,064  

Cadence BanCorp

    43,952       417,544  

Capital Bancorp, Inc.*

    90,320       940,231  

Central Pacific Financial Corp.

    2,923       45,277  

City Holding Co.

    4,208       269,228  

Civista Bancshares, Inc.

    43,180       576,453  

Columbia Banking System, Inc.

    3,060       85,405  

Community Bank System, Inc.

    1,997       120,159  

Customers Bancorp, Inc.*

    9,124       116,513  

CVB Financial Corp.

    8,715       158,700  

Esquire Financial Holdings, Inc.*

    93,905       1,549,433  

Farmers National Bancorp

    97,200       1,133,352  

First BanCorp

    46,257       265,053  

First Bancshares, Inc., (The)

    37,480       803,571  

First Business Financial Services, Inc.

    67,789       1,050,730  

First Commonwealth Financial Corp.

    5,580       45,756  

First Financial Bancorp

    16,170       221,852  

First Financial Bankshares, Inc.

    13,162       398,480  

First Merchants Corp.

    26,206       670,349  

First Midwest Bancorp, Inc.

    2,645       32,957  

First Northwest Bancorp

    78,120       867,132  

Flagstar Bancorp, Inc.

    2,203       69,218  

Glacier Bancorp, Inc.

    3,879       136,095  

Hanmi Financial Corp.

    5,489       52,310  

Heritage Financial Corp.

    3,943       78,623  

HomeStreet, Inc.

    2,570       70,341  

Hope Bancorp, Inc.

    23,822       201,534  

Horizon Bancorp

    89,947       1,005,607  

Independent Bank Corp.

    1,226       77,054  

Independent Bank Group, Inc.

    581       27,017  

LCNB Corp.

    75,165       1,101,919  

Live Oak Bancshares, Inc.

    39,705       880,657  

Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp.*

    37,106       1,149,173  

Northeast Bank

    100,640       1,877,942  

OFG Bancorp

    8,517       109,358  

Orrstown Financial Services, Inc.

    37,330       514,034  

Parke Bancorp, Inc.

    80,371       988,563  

Preferred Bank

    2,249       84,113  

Premier Financial Bancorp, Inc.

    96,777       1,240,681  

S&T Bancorp, Inc.

    3,311       66,866  

Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida*

    40,287       815,409  

Southside Bancshares, Inc.

    4,513       124,356  

Tompkins Financial Corp.

    1,660       109,859  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
5

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Banks — (Continued)

Triumph Bancorp, Inc.*

    21,686     $ 619,352  

TrustCo Bank Corp.

    10,872       64,797  

UMB Financial Corp.

    3,164       169,970  

United Community Banks, Inc.

    5,713       103,520  

Veritex Holdings, Inc.

    11,815       212,434  

Walker & Dunlop, Inc.

    1,239       67,872  

Webster Financial Corp.

    6,667       183,343  

West Bancorporation, Inc.

    62,850       1,106,160  

Westamerica Bancorp

    2,361       143,690  
              26,564,629  

Beverages — 0.2%

               

Celsius Holdings, Inc.*

    45,111       876,056  

Biotechnology — 4.1%

               

Allogene Therapeutics, Inc.*

    7,438       265,165  

Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    18,432       568,258  

Applied Therapeutics, Inc.*

    25,101       604,934  

Avid Bioservices, Inc.*

    35,599       298,676  

Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Ltd.*

    4,958       314,288  

Black Diamond Therapeutics, Inc.*

    17,957       516,623  

Blueprint Medicines Corp.*

    3,379       261,636  

Crinetics Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    28,663       459,468  

Emergent BioSolutions, Inc.*

    7,767       885,826  

Epizyme, Inc.*

    31,795       413,335  

Gamida Cell Ltd.*

    45,207       197,102  

Guardant Health, Inc.*

    3,397       324,413  

Immunovant, Inc.*

    30,041       1,020,192  

Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.*

    17,303       576,709  

Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    978       99,756  

Mirati Therapeutics, Inc.*

    6,426       959,852  

Nektar Therapeutics*

    5,506       106,486  

NeoGenomics, Inc.*

    24,338       947,965  

PTC Therapeutics, Inc.*

    5,831       288,197  

Relay Therapeutics, Inc.*

    23,403       940,567  

SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc.*

    31,113       1,381,728  

Turning Point Therapeutics, Inc.*

    9,800       766,164  

Twist Bioscience Corp.*

    23,605       1,650,698  

Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    21,798       264,846  

Y-mAbs Therapeutics, Inc.*

    17,797       765,805  
              14,878,689  

Building Materials — 1.6%

               

AAON, Inc.

    2,783       158,436  

American Woodmark Corp.*

    2,580       225,750  

Apogee Enterprises, Inc.

    3,414       71,455  

Armstrong World Industries, Inc.

    11,835       872,713  

AZEK Co., Inc., (The)*

    14,915       588,844  

Boise Cascade Co.

    3,571       163,552  

Forterra, Inc.*

    15,589       206,554  

Gibraltar Industries, Inc.*

    4,141       258,585  

Griffon Corp.

    21,998       478,017  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Building Materials — (Continued)

Masonite International Corp.*

    7,316     $ 667,878  

PGT Innovations, Inc.*

    40,270       730,095  

Simpson Manufacturing Co., Inc.

    2,069       203,466  

SPX Corp.*

    4,521       189,113  

Trex Co., Inc.*

    4,231       632,492  

UFP Industries, Inc.

    8,103       480,913  
              5,927,863  

Chemicals — 0.5%

               

AdvanSix, Inc.*

    2,237       28,477  

American Vanguard Corp.*

    1,365       19,315  

Axalta Coating Systems Ltd.*

    17,118       408,264  

Balchem Corp.

    1,142       111,573  

Chemours Co., (The)

    9,276       191,642  

GCP Applied Technologies, Inc.*

    3,880       101,113  

Innospec, Inc.

    1,121       83,728  

Koppers Holdings, Inc.*

    7,974       191,854  

Kraton Corp.*

    2,465       34,609  

Rogers Corp.*

    1,868       211,663  

Stepan Co.

    2,701       311,398  
              1,693,636  

Coal — 0.0%

               

Warrior Met Coal, Inc.

    9,551       147,754  

Commercial Services — 4.8%

               

Acacia Research Corp.*

    304,070       1,153,946  

American Public Education, Inc.*

    1,140       35,842  

AMN Healthcare Services, Inc.*

    3,294       177,349  

ARC Document Solutions, Inc.*

    268,200       284,292  

ASGN, Inc.*

    2,386       171,243  

Barrett Business Services, Inc.

    39,178       2,255,478  

BG Staffing, Inc.

    113,750       1,066,975  

Brink’s Co., (The)

    4,054       196,051  

CAI International, Inc.

    80,880       1,763,993  

CRA International, Inc.

    41,300       1,755,663  

EVERTEC, Inc.

    11,006       385,430  

Forrester Research, Inc.*

    938       33,262  

FTI Consulting, Inc.*

    5,623       645,296  

Green Dot Corp., Class A*

    4,948       257,593  

HealthEquity, Inc.*

    10,113       581,295  

Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

    3,300       71,379  

HMS Holdings Corp.*

    9,256       258,150  

Insperity, Inc.

    17,793       1,198,714  

K12, Inc.*

    13,162       489,758  

MarketAxess Holdings, Inc.

    1,203       584,586  

Medifast, Inc.

    1,970       320,558  

Progyny, Inc.*

    20,898       596,638  

Rent-A-Center, Inc.

    3,409       104,656  

Repay Holdings Corp.*

    20,371       515,386  

Resources Connection, Inc.

    1,426       17,526  

Sabre Corp.*

    29,781       208,169  

SP Plus Corp.*

    20,477       419,983  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
6

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Commercial Services — (Continued)

Strategic Education, Inc.

    2,810     $ 288,222  

TechTarget, Inc.*

    10,872       431,401  

TriNet Group, Inc.*

    2,805       190,291  

Universal Technical Institute, Inc.*

    42,406       298,962  

Viad Corp.*

    24,001       514,341  
              17,272,428  

Computers — 2.3%

               

CACI International, Inc., Class A*

    1,145       268,147  

Computer Services, Inc.

    17,366       1,050,643  

Diebold Nixdorf, Inc.*

    12,251       102,173  

DXC Technology Co.*

    25,615       511,788  

Endava PLC, SP ADR*

    21,673       1,180,962  

ExlService Holdings, Inc.*

    1,497       95,344  

Globant S.A.*

    2,938       521,730  

Insight Enterprises, Inc.*

    2,176       130,136  

Kornit Digital Ltd.*

    8,907       551,610  

MAXIMUS, Inc.

    9,412       729,901  

MTS Systems Corp.*

    9,270       226,188  

Quantum Corp.*

    143,730       784,766  

Rimini Street, Inc.*

    138,340       605,929  

Science Applications International Corp.

    1,681       140,296  

TTEC Holdings, Inc.

    3,501       198,472  

Virtusa Corp.*

    4,689       185,403  

Vocera Communications, Inc.*

    17,357       485,822  

WNS Holdings Ltd., ADR*

    9,848       653,415  
              8,422,725  

Cosmetics/Personal Care — 0.5%

elf Beauty, Inc.*

    54,591       1,066,162  

Inter Parfums, Inc.*

    17,136       765,465  
              1,831,627  

Distribution/Wholesale — 0.9%

               

Core-Mark Holding Co, Inc.

    7,246       242,161  

G-III Apparel Group Ltd.*

    19,012       210,273  

Manitex International, Inc.*

    275,100       1,240,701  

Pool Corp.

    2,106       690,431  

RESIDEO TECHNOLOGIES, Inc.*

    4,980       66,533  

ScanSource, Inc.*

    2,834       69,972  

SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc.*

    5,038       630,002  

WESCO International, Inc.*

    371       17,381  
              3,167,454  

Diversified Financial Services — 1.4%

Blucora, Inc.*

    3,569       42,578  

Cohen & Steers, Inc.

    6,539       395,609  

Encore Capital Group, Inc.*

    3,458       158,861  

Enova International, Inc.*

    3,612       61,693  

Evercore Partners, Inc., Class A

    12,734       787,980  

Houlihan Lokey, Inc.

    9,761       571,995  

I3 Verticals, Inc., Class A*

    21,477       598,994  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Diversified Financial Services — (Continued)

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc., Class A

    3,063     $ 162,400  

Moelis & Co., Class A

    13,425       428,392  

Silvercrest Asset Management Group, Inc., Class A

    112,956       1,416,468  

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.

    807       114,513  

Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc., Class A

    5,577       87,838  

WisdomTree Investments, Inc.

    17,168       64,208  

World Acceptance Corp.*

    2,155       196,083  
              5,087,612  

Electric — 0.2%

               

ALLETE, Inc.

    614       33,132  

Ameresco, Inc., Class A*

    16,486       562,832  
              595,964  

Electrical Components & Equipment — 0.9%

Encore Wire Corp.

    1,278       65,958  

Insteel Industries, Inc.

    708       13,056  

Littelfuse, Inc.

    1,079       195,126  

nLight, Inc.*

    60,490       1,413,047  

Powell Industries, Inc.

    1,167       31,497  

Vicor Corp.*

    19,344       1,683,508  
              3,402,192  

Electronics — 1.6%

               

Atkore International Group, Inc.*

    19,722       527,169  

Brady Corp., Class A

    2,928       137,294  

Coherent, Inc.*

    1,014       114,237  

Comtech Telecommunications Corp.

    103,437       1,717,054  

FARO Technologies, Inc.*

    2,255       127,407  

II-VI, Inc.*

    3,812       169,634  

Itron, Inc.*

    12,808       762,973  

Ituran Location and Control Ltd.*

    27,351       396,590  

nVent Electric PLC

    32,332       618,188  

OSI Systems, Inc.*

    1,136       89,460  

Plexus Corp.*

    2,641       200,901  

Sanmina Corp.*

    6,648       188,138  

SMTC Corp.*

    121,200       413,292  

SYNNEX Corp.*

    830       105,535  

TTM Technologies, Inc.*

    8,548       97,960  
              5,665,832  

Energy-Alternate Sources — 1.4%

Enphase Energy, Inc.*

    8,354       645,179  

Plug Power, Inc.*

    71,334       925,915  

Renewable Energy Group, Inc.*

    4,229       141,376  

REX American Resources Corp.*

    840       51,895  

SolarEdge Technologies, Inc.*

    1,052       232,650  

Sunnova Energy International, Inc.*

    53,210       1,262,141  

TPI Composites, Inc.*

    54,094       1,661,227  
              4,920,383  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
7

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Engineering & Construction — 1.4%

Aegion Corp.*

    1,910     $ 30,913  

Arcosa, Inc.

    619       28,654  

Comfort Systems USA, Inc.

    25,100       1,271,817  

EMCOR Group, Inc.

    4,741       355,622  

Exponent, Inc.

    10,136       815,492  

Mistras Group, Inc.*

    47,590       226,528  

MYR Group, Inc.*

    5,139       199,445  

Sterling Construction Co., Inc.*

    79,950       1,130,493  

TopBuild Corp.*

    2,707       416,337  

WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp.*

    38,715       692,998  
              5,168,299  

Entertainment — 0.5%

               

Cinemark Holdings, Inc.*

    12,536       183,653  

GAN Ltd.*

    37,905       778,948  

Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc.*

    3,215       147,922  

Scientific Games Corp.*

    6,167       127,564  

Twin River Worldwide Holdings, Inc.*

    27,044       647,163  
              1,885,250  

Environmental Control — 0.7%

               

Casella Waste Systems, Inc., Class A*

    8,444       474,131  

Harsco Corp.*

    20,178       285,519  

Montrose Environmental Group, Inc.*

    27,420       772,970  

Tetra Tech, Inc.

    3,198       295,207  

US Ecology, Inc.*

    19,625       728,676  
              2,556,503  

Food — 1.7%

               

B&G Foods, Inc.

    10,026       312,210  

BellRing Brands, Inc., Class A*

    22,295       433,415  

Chefs’ Warehouse, Inc. (The)*

    2,000       29,620  

Hostess Brands, Inc.*

    137,570       1,766,399  

Ingles Markets, Inc., Class A

    19,436       785,214  

J&J Snack Foods Corp.

    578       78,579  

Landec Corp.*

    128,758       1,318,482  

Pilgrim’s Pride Corp.*

    14,873       237,968  

SpartanNash Co.

    5,509       110,070  

Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc.*

    17,992       420,113  

United Natural Foods, Inc.*

    8,258       149,057  

Whole Earth Brands, Inc.*

    65,633       525,720  
              6,166,847  

Forest Products & Paper — 0.1%

       

Clearwater Paper Corp.*

    2,737       92,127  

Mercer International, Inc.

    3,746       31,392  

Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc.

    6,314       191,504  
              315,023  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Gas — 0.1%

               

Northwest Natural Holding Co.

    2,390     $ 122,153  

Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc.

    1,157       72,741  

Spire, Inc.

    4,545       264,564  
              459,458  

Hand/Machine Tools — 0.7%

               

Colfax Corp.*

    18,523       616,445  

Franklin Electric Co., Inc.

    1,896       112,547  

Hurco Cos., Inc.

    42,910       1,213,495  

MSA Safety, Inc.

    4,854       611,361  
              2,553,848  

Healthcare-Products — 5.4%

               

ABIOMED, Inc.*

    1,453       446,972  

Adaptive Biotechnologies Corp.*

    11,011       458,168  

Alphatec Holdings, Inc.*

    95,493       572,003  

Axonics Modulation Technologies, Inc.*

    20,157       851,835  

Castle Biosciences, Inc.*

    25,664       1,173,615  

Cerus Corp.*

    52,387       333,705  

CRH Medical Corp.*

    625,143       1,481,589  

GenMark Diagnostics, Inc.*

    44,142       572,522  

Haemonetics Corp.*

    3,260       292,292  

ICU Medical, Inc.*

    578       115,739  

Inari Medical, Inc.*

    6,615       528,803  

Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.*

    15,494       1,850,758  

Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corp.*

    3,088       147,575  

Luminex Corp.

    1,725       46,040  

Masimo Corp.*

    2,530       566,720  

Merit Medical Systems, Inc.*

    3,088       151,621  

Natera, Inc.*

    29,397       1,872,883  

NuVasive, Inc.*

    789       41,130  

OraSure Technologies, Inc.*

    5,505       64,519  

OrthoPediatrics Corp.*

    30,724       1,548,490  

Quanterix Corp.*

    27,978       996,017  

Repligen Corp.*

    6,174       956,414  

SeaSpine Holdings Corp.*

    46,141       614,137  

SI-BONE, Inc.*

    35,853       782,312  

Tandem Diabetes Care, Inc.*

    19,173       2,161,180  

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.

    2,836       805,310  
              19,432,349  

Healthcare-Services — 1.2%

               

Amedisys, Inc.*

    5,032       1,217,241  

Chemed Corp.

    621       321,125  

eHealth, Inc.*

    1,438       90,767  

Ensign Group, Inc., (The)

    2,070       121,178  

Fulgent Genetics, Inc.*

    4,715       139,375  

LHC Group, Inc.*

    6,344       1,322,343  

Pennant Group Inc., (The)*

    2,221       82,266  

Providence Service Corp., (The)*

    2,212       204,809  

RadNet, Inc.*

    2,821       40,679  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
8

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Healthcare-Services — (Continued)

Tivity Health, Inc.*

    2,357     $ 38,560  

US Physical Therapy, Inc.*

    1,232       109,525  

Vapotherm, Inc.*

    14,187       441,358  
              4,129,226  

Home Builders — 2.1%

               

Century Communities, Inc.*

    34,525       1,231,852  

Installed Building Products, Inc.*

    21,538       1,869,929  

LCI Industries

    2,012       228,624  

LGI Homes, Inc.*

    16,753       1,873,991  

M/I Homes, Inc.*

    5,874       249,997  

MDC Holdings, Inc.

    4,064       176,296  

Skyline Corp.*

    39,542       1,128,529  

Winnebago Industries, Inc.

    16,145       871,507  
              7,630,725  

Home Furnishings — 0.6%

               

iRobot Corp.*

    968       71,661  

Purple Innovation, Inc.*

    33,548       634,393  

Sleep Number Corp.*

    2,991       143,568  

Universal Electronics, Inc.*

    29,380       1,206,930  
              2,056,552  

Household Products/Wares — 0.2%

Central Garden & Pet Co.*

    1,283       52,206  

Helen of Troy Ltd.*

    2,738       566,273  

Quanex Building Products Corp.

    1,957       32,897  

WD-40 Co.

    995       203,358  
              854,734  

Housewares — 0.6%

               

Lifetime Brands, Inc.

    141,800       1,392,476  

Toro Co., (The)

    5,348       402,597  

Tupperware Brands Corp.

    20,372       331,860  
              2,126,933  

Insurance — 3.6%

               

American Equity Investment Life Holding Co.

    7,985       190,921  

Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.

    27,937       1,334,271  

BRP Group, Inc., Class A*

    57,219       1,574,095  

Employers Holdings, Inc.

    3,729       121,491  

Goosehead Insurance, Inc., Class A

    12,297       1,263,640  

HCI Group, Inc.

    2,480       135,706  

Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc.

    109,700       1,431,585  

Horace Mann Educators Corp.

    1,864       72,808  

James River Group Holdings Ltd.

    22,259       1,084,236  

Kinsale Capital Group, Inc.

    4,067       842,804  

NMI Holdings, Inc., Class A*

    34,947       599,341  

Palomar Holdings, Inc.*

    16,399       1,842,428  

RLI Corp.

    1,478       138,622  

Safety Insurance Group, Inc.

    1,702       123,225  

Selective Insurance Group, Inc.

    3,866       231,225  

 

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Insurance — (Continued)

Stewart Information Services Corp.

    2,200     $ 93,874  

Trean Insurance Group, Inc.*

    31,573       494,117  

White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd.

    1,448       1,290,747  
              12,865,136  

Internet — 4.5%

               

Aspen Group, Inc.*

    34,053       435,197  

Bandwidth, Inc., Class A*

    16,999       2,677,002  

Cardlytics, Inc.*

    17,405       1,320,169  

CarParts.com, Inc.*

    97,932       1,375,945  

ChannelAdvisor Corp.*

    98,040       1,649,033  

DHI Group, Inc.*

    69,090       167,889  

ePlus, Inc.*

    10,797       828,346  

Fiverr International Ltd.*

    9,059       1,092,968  

Limelight Networks, Inc.*

    229,293       1,300,091  

Magnite, Inc.*

    166,064       1,220,570  

Mimecast Ltd.*

    11,919       586,892  

Open Lending Corp., Class A*

    21,420       468,241  

Overstock.com, Inc.*

    6,248       546,700  

Q2 Holdings, Inc.*

    3,844       373,983  

Stamps.com, Inc.*

    659       164,315  

Upwork, Inc.*

    96,739       1,473,335  

Yelp, Inc.*

    28,231       652,701  
              16,333,377  

Investment Companies — 0.1%

               

Grid Dynamics Holdings, Inc.*

    56,408       418,547  

Iron/Steel — 0.1%

               

Carpenter Technology Corp.

    9,078       190,910  

Leisure Time — 2.1%

               

Callaway Golf Co.*

    4,678       97,583  

Camping World Holdings, Inc., Class A

    37,969       1,103,379  

Fox Factory Holding Corp.*

    21,493       2,166,709  

Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings, Inc., Class A*

    37,187       104,124  

Malibu Boats, Inc., Class A*

    20,779       1,077,391  

Nautilus, Inc.*

    76,476       906,241  

OneWater Marine, Inc., Class A*

    24,029       686,749  

Vista Outdoor, Inc.*

    77,908       1,512,194  
              7,654,370  

Lodging — 0.0%

               

Boyd Gaming Corp.*

    4,776       127,901  

Machinery-Construction & Mining — 0.3%

Argan, Inc.

    26,500       1,121,745  

Machinery-Diversified — 1.2%

               

Albany International Corp., Class A

    1,126       58,439  

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc.

    1,045       62,920  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
9

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Machinery-Diversified — (Continued)

Chart Industries, Inc.*

    18,839     $ 1,238,099  

CIRCOR International, Inc.*

    6,879       203,962  

Columbus McKinnon Corp.

    28,610       1,040,689  

Curtiss-Wright Corp.

    2,004       205,049  

DXP Enterprises, Inc.*

    3,206       61,684  

Ichor Holdings Ltd.*

    22,738       572,088  

SPX FLOW, Inc.*

    1,840       80,003  

Tennant Co.

    2,414       160,459  

Twin Disc, Inc.*

    113,160       684,618  
              4,368,010  

Media — 0.0%

               

EW Scripps Co., (The), Class A

    6,465       71,891  

Metal Fabricate/Hardware — 0.7%

AZZ, Inc.

    1,964       68,210  

Mueller Industries, Inc.

    5,975       177,458  

Northwest Pipe Co.*

    82,480       2,336,658  

Tredegar Corp.

    2,567       43,459  
              2,625,785  

Mining — 0.2%

               

Arconic Corp.*

    16,924       376,559  

Astec Industries, Inc.

    3,361       177,192  

Century Aluminum Co.*

    18,637       183,947  
              737,698  

Miscellaneous Manufacturing — 1.2%

Axon Enterprise, Inc.*

    11,494       984,806  

EnPro Industries, Inc.

    4,961       290,318  

ESCO Technologies, Inc.

    8,363       752,001  

Fabrinet*

    10,223       713,361  

John Bean Technologies Corp.

    2,493       255,557  

Materion Corp.

    2,877       157,055  

Myers Industries, Inc.

    2,441       37,347  

Proto Labs, Inc.*

    1,026       150,822  

Raven Industries, Inc.*

    26,709       663,719  

Standex International Corp.

    1,485       85,892  

Sturm Ruger & Co., Inc.

    968       68,593  

Trinseo SA

    12,949       322,560  
              4,482,031  

Office Furnishings — 0.0%

               

Interface, Inc.

    4,524       34,201  

Office/Business Equipment — 0.0%

Pitney Bowes, Inc.

    19,620       107,714  

Oil & Gas — 0.8%

               

Archrock, Inc.

    9,436       61,900  

Evolution Petroleum Corp.

    72,213       197,142  

Helmerich & Payne, Inc.

    3,298       54,351  

HollyFrontier Corp.

    24,475       584,218  

Matador Resources Co.*

    11,463       111,535  

Murphy USA, Inc.*

    3,972       535,664  

Par Pacific Holdings, Inc.*

    10,090       87,581  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Oil & Gas — (Continued)

Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.

    40,974     $ 157,750  

PDC Energy, Inc.*

    21,646       327,720  

QEP Resources, Inc.*

    29,032       37,742  

Range Resources Corp.*

    29,237       218,108  

Southwestern Energy Co.*

    112,602       313,034  

Talos Energy, Inc.*

    1,030       7,735  
              2,694,480  

Oil & Gas Services — 0.5%

               

Core Laboratories NV

    5,781       120,996  

DMC Global, Inc.*

    29,444       1,043,201  

Dril-Quip, Inc.*

    3,179       105,320  

Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc.*

    7,294       26,112  

Oceaneering International, Inc.*

    13,540       72,981  

Profire Energy, Inc.*

    439,640       324,147  

RPC, Inc.

    24,639       77,120  

US Silica Holdings, Inc.*

    8,433       37,611  
              1,807,488  

Packaging & Containers — 0.1%

Matthews International Corp., Class A

    5,499       120,428  

TriMas Corp.*

    13,741       347,373  
              467,801  

Pharmaceuticals — 3.2%

               

AdaptHealth Corp.*

    26,608       564,888  

Aeglea BioTherapeutics, Inc.*

    15,646       113,825  

Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    3,464       70,596  

Anika Therapeutics, Inc.*

    831       31,852  

Axsome Therapeutics, Inc.*

    7,814       572,844  

Covetrus, Inc.*

    1,540       35,282  

Cytokinetics, Inc.*

    97,531       2,336,843  

Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    4,093       213,614  

Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc.*

    8,768       550,455  

MERUS NV*

    36,217       437,139  

Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    8,455       441,097  

MyoKardia, Inc.*

    16,471       1,802,586  

Neogen Corp.*

    2,310       176,022  

Odonate Therapeutics, Inc.*

    38,310       618,707  

Owens & Minor, Inc.

    3,772       62,540  

Premier, Inc., Class A

    55,476       1,816,839  

Revance Therapeutics, Inc.*

    35,187       1,028,516  

scPharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    24,454       209,326  

TG Therapeutics, Inc.*

    20,703       513,538  

Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    7,121       73,275  
              11,669,784  

Real Estate — 0.4%

               

Cushman & Wakefield PLC*

    32,643       378,985  

Marcus & Millichap, Inc.*

    9,615       271,239  

Newmark Group, Inc., Class A

    27,808       123,190  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
10

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Real Estate — (Continued)

Realogy Holdings Corp.*

    7,502     $ 83,122  

Redfin Corp.*

    10,713       509,617  
              1,366,153  

REITS — 2.8%

               

Agree Realty Corp.

    1,641       109,816  

Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.*

    11,176       135,341  

Alpine Income Property Trust, Inc.

    88,024       1,277,228  

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc.

    44,054       393,843  

Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc.

    8,937       90,264  

ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc.

    7,185       69,623  

CareTrust REIT, Inc.

    3,664       70,972  

Chatham Lodging Trust*

    17,141       118,616  

Community Healthcare Trust, Inc.

    2,769       129,312  

CoreCivic, Inc.*

    11,207       104,337  

CoreSite Realty Corp.

    1,355       165,920  

DiamondRock Hospitality Co.*

    20,332       107,760  

Diversified Healthcare Trust

    12,527       47,603  

EastGroup Properties, Inc.

    2,590       344,884  

Franklin Street Properties Corp.

    3,775       16,723  

Getty Realty Corp.

    5,173       151,517  

Global Medical REIT, Inc.

    134,830       1,724,476  

Granite Point Mortgage Trust, Inc.

    15,285       101,492  

Great Ajax Corp.

    118,760       1,083,092  

Healthcare Realty Trust, Inc.

    2,820       81,357  

Investors Real Estate Trust

    1,467       104,304  

Kite Realty Group Trust

    13,773       154,808  

KKR Real Estate Finance Trust, Inc.

    9,611       174,920  

Lexington Realty Trust

    12,112       137,713  

LTC Properties, Inc.

    1,083       39,519  

Medical Properties Trust, Inc.

    5,867       109,009  

New York Mortgage Trust, Inc.

    183,589       484,675  

NexPoint Residential Trust, Inc.

    2,319       96,007  

Office Properties Income Trust

    475       11,324  

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust

    24,404       418,285  

PS Business Parks, Inc.

    1,242       156,740  

Ready Capital Corp.

    6,588       67,395  

Redwood Trust, Inc.

    77,920       539,986  

Retail Opportunity Investments Corp.*

    28,261       314,545  

Retail Properties of America, Inc.*

    29,458       185,880  

RPT Realty*

    10,552       61,835  

Saul Centers, Inc.

    853       23,901  

SITE Centers Corp.

    18,548       139,295  

Summit Hotel Properties, Inc.*

    7,244       42,667  

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.

    10,208       58,083  

Uniti Group, Inc.

    8,019       78,747  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

REITS — (Continued)

Universal Health Realty Income Trust

    3,469     $ 231,452  

Xenia Hotels & Resorts, Inc.*

    3,574       32,094  
              9,987,360  

Retail — 6.5%

               

Asbury Automotive Group, Inc.*

    2,463       260,561  

At Home Group, Inc.*

    61,112       1,167,850  

Big Lots, Inc.

    7,174       338,254  

BJ’s Restaurants, Inc.*

    7,047       222,121  

BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.*

    47,977       2,130,659  

Bloomin’ Brands, Inc.*

    20,453       293,296  

BMC Stock Holdings, Inc.*

    28,222       1,126,622  

Boot Barn Holdings, Inc.*

    5,509       155,519  

Buckle, Inc., (The)

    2,951       55,302  

Cannae Holdings, Inc.*

    52,132       1,966,940  

Casey’s General Stores, Inc.

    1,888       335,781  

Designer Brands, Inc., Class A*

    1,741       12,274  

DineEquity, Inc.*

    1,134       67,541  

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.*

    44,352       792,570  

FirstCash, Inc.

    2,930       175,067  

Five Below, Inc.*

    3,696       404,527  

Foundation Building Materials, Inc.*

    7,247       117,619  

Freshpet, Inc.*

    10,836       1,230,970  

GameStop Corp., Class A*

    29,252       195,403  

GMS, Inc.*

    12,369       327,655  

Group 1 Automotive, Inc.*

    2,270       196,219  

GrowGeneration Corp.*

    91,822       1,465,020  

Guess?, Inc.

    12,246       140,829  

Hibbett Sports, Inc.*

    1,413       47,152  

J. Alexander’s Holdings, Inc.*

    44,156       180,598  

Lithia Motors, Inc., Class A

    382       95,103  

Lovesac Co., (The)*

    33,553       888,148  

MarineMax, Inc.*

    16,721       491,765  

Michaels Cos., Inc., (The)*

    6,050       68,062  

MSC Industrial Direct Co, Inc., Class A

    9,361       616,890  

Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings, Inc.*

    4,601       439,580  

Papa John’s International, Inc.

    2,950       289,955  

PriceSmart, Inc.

    1,079       70,944  

RH*

    2,399       792,989  

Shoe Carnival, Inc.

    32,852       1,080,174  

Signet Jewelers Ltd.*

    5,100       88,077  

Sonic Automotive, Inc., Class A

    37,170       1,570,804  

Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings, Inc.*

    61,881       971,222  

Texas Roadhouse, Inc.*

    11,444       720,858  

Vroom, Inc.*

    7,036       482,881  

Waitr Holdings, Inc.*

    116,985       471,450  

Wingstop, Inc.

    2,430       397,062  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
11

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Retail — (Continued)

World Fuel Services Corp.

    18,749     $ 494,974  

Zumiez, Inc.*

    3,678       94,451  
              23,531,738  

Savings & Loans — 0.8%

               

Axos Financial, Inc.*

    3,461       85,763  

Banc of California, Inc.

    9,981       109,691  

Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc.

    8,038       73,789  

Brookline Bancorp, Inc.

    856       8,218  

Dime Community Bancshares, Inc.

    3,884       50,104  

Eagle Bancorp Montana, Inc.

    45,430       800,931  

FS Bancorp, Inc.

    33,352       1,321,406  

Northfield Bancorp, Inc.

    1,956       18,895  

Pacific Premier Bancorp, Inc.

    8,033       181,465  

Provident Financial Services, Inc.

    7,326       96,557  
              2,746,819  

Semiconductors — 5.1%

               

Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.*

    2,466       182,780  

AXT, Inc.*

    364,652       2,056,637  

Bloom Energy Corp.*

    55,376       867,188  

Brooks Automation, Inc.

    13,098       676,250  

Cabot Microelectronics Corp.

    1,581       240,770  

Cirrus Logic, Inc.*

    3,525       213,580  

Cohu, Inc.*

    121,240       2,085,328  

FormFactor, Inc.*

    45,168       1,180,240  

Inphi Corp.*

    9,370       1,067,993  

inTEST Corp.*

    113,300       557,436  

Kulicke & Soffa Industries, Inc.

    6,419       153,928  

Lattice Semiconductor Corp.*

    24,407       698,040  

MKS Instruments, Inc.

    1,371       163,876  

Monolithic Power Systems, Inc.

    1,952       521,438  

Onto Innovation, Inc.*

    3,032       94,720  

Photronics, Inc.*

    7,595       76,178  

Power Integrations, Inc.

    6,328       354,178  

Semtech Corp.*

    15,102       885,732  

Silicon Laboratories, Inc.*

    5,372       550,146  

SiTime Corp.*

    38,170       2,514,640  

Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc.*

    129,395       3,172,765  

Veeco Instruments, Inc.*

    3,472       41,282  
              18,355,125  

Software — 6.1%

               

1Life Healthcare, Inc.*

    13,800       402,546  

8x8, Inc.*

    4,085       68,955  

ACI Worldwide, Inc.*

    29,129       855,810  

Appfolio, Inc.*

    2,924       491,320  

Appian Corp.*

    8,599       526,603  

Asure Software, Inc.*

    265,392       1,786,088  

Avalara, Inc.*

    1,899       251,447  

Avaya Holdings Corp.*

    69,150       1,073,208  

Blackbaud, Inc.*

    1,749       111,674  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Software — (Continued)

Blackline, Inc.*

    8,012     $ 700,008  

Bottomline Technologies de, Inc.*

    2,442       116,312  

CDK Global, Inc.

    25,839       1,204,614  

Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc.

    1,297       87,236  

Computer Programs & Systems, Inc.

    29,464       806,135  

CSG Systems International, Inc.

    2,981       126,901  

Digital Turbine, Inc.*

    46,288       1,119,707  

Domo, Inc., Class B*

    21,166       861,879  

Ebix, Inc.

    5,151       118,834  

Elastic NV*

    4,282       464,939  

Everbridge, Inc.*

    6,210       922,868  

Five9, Inc.*

    10,330       1,316,455  

IBEX Ltd.*

    14,943       238,939  

InnerWorkings, Inc.*

    248,470       705,655  

Intelligent Systems Corp.*

    14,492       544,754  

LivePerson, Inc.*

    13,964       833,092  

ManTech International Corp., Class A

    2,301       172,230  

Model N, Inc.*

    15,693       617,049  

Omnicell, Inc.*

    9,784       652,397  

Ontrak, Inc.*

    6,181       450,904  

Phreesia, Inc.*

    19,781       623,893  

Progress Software Corp.

    5,306       201,044  

Schrodinger, Inc.*

    12,941       782,413  

Smith Micro Software, Inc.*

    92,350       354,624  

SVMK, Inc.*

    30,129       749,911  

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.*

    3,504       599,850  

Workiva, Inc.*

    11,267       664,753  

Zovio, Inc.*

    99,473       429,723  
              22,034,770  

Telecommunications — 0.9%

               

ATN International, Inc.

    995       57,710  

Cincinnati Bell, Inc.*

    2,642       39,789  

Iridium Communications, Inc.*

    9,628       269,680  

LogMeIn, Inc.*

    1,382       118,907  

NetGear, Inc.*

    2,616       87,244  

One Stop Systems, Inc.*

    197,682       502,112  

ORBCOMM, Inc.*

    97,210       389,812  

Pagerduty, Inc.*

    15,151       494,983  

Shenandoah Telecommunications Co.

    451       24,940  

Viavi Solutions, Inc.*

    23,640       315,240  

Vonage Holdings Corp.*

    68,331       782,390  
              3,082,807  

Textiles — 0.6%

               

UniFirst Corp.

    11,195       2,156,381  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
12

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (CONCLUDED)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Transportation — 2.6%

               

Air Transport Services Group, Inc.*

    116,764     $ 2,968,141  

ArcBest Corp.

    22,821       771,806  

Bristow Group, Inc.*

    615       11,630  

CryoPort, Inc.*

    20,593       1,142,500  

Echo Global Logistics, Inc.*

    21,692       592,625  

Forward Air Corp.

    9,439       556,807  

Heartland Express, Inc.

    3,583       74,114  

Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings, Inc.

    1,873       85,147  

Marten Transport Ltd.

    61,802       1,122,315  

PAM Transportation Services, Inc.*

    27,579       1,006,633  

Saia, Inc.*

    8,526       1,144,189  
              9,475,907  

Water — 0.1%

               

American States Water Co.

    1,758       133,749  

California Water Service Group

    1,969       89,274  
              223,023  

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

               

(Cost $243,626,857)

            330,583,612  
                 

PREFERRED STOCKS — 0.0%

               

Distribution/Wholesale — 0.0%

               

WESCO International, Inc.*

    984       27,326  

TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS

               

(Cost $26,125)

            27,326  
                 

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 7.7%

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(a)

    27,812,657     $ 27,812,657  

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

               

(Cost $27,812,657)

            27,812,657  

TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 99.2%

               

(Cost $271,465,639)

            358,423,595  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES — 0.8%

            3,018,607  

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 361,442,202  

 

 

*    Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

 

PLC

Public Limited Company

 

REIT

Real Estate Investment Trust

 

SP ADR

Sponsored ADR

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
13

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


STATEMENT of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

ASSETS

       

Investments, at value (cost $243,652,982)

  $ 330,610,938  

Short-term investments, at value (cost $27,812,657)

    27,812,657  

Receivables for:

       

Investments sold

    5,566,284  

Capital shares sold

    137,489  

Dividends

    7,291  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    34,809  

Total assets

    364,169,468  
         

LIABILITIES

       

Payables for:

       

Investments purchased

    2,428,631  

Sub-advisory fees

    204,638  

Capital shares redeemed

    707  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    93,290  

Total liabilities

    2,727,266  

Net assets

  $ 361,442,202  
         

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

       

Par value

  $ 26,333  

Paid-in capital

    282,160,377  

Total distributable earnings/(loss)

    79,255,492  

Net assets

  $ 361,442,202  
         

CAPITAL SHARES:

       

Net Assets

  $ 361,442,202  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    26,333,222  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 13.73  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
14

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Statement of Operations

FOR THE Year ENDED August 31, 2020

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

       

Dividends (net of foreign taxes withheld of $7,428)

  $ 2,511,246  

Total investment income

    2,511,246  
         

EXPENSES

       

Sub-advisory fees (Note 2)

    2,257,717  

Administration and accounting services fees (Note 2)

    139,916  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    52,266  

Legal fees

    44,737  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    39,323  

Director fees

    34,324  

Officer fees

    34,123  

Registration and filing fees

    25,754  

Audit and tax service fees

    20,855  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    9,167  

Other expenses

    82,605  

Total expenses

    2,740,787  

Net investment income/(loss)

    (229,541 )
         

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

       

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    6,307,080  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    28,965,105  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    35,272,185  

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ 35,042,644  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
15

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (229,541 )   $ (225,922 )

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    6,307,080       4,988,025  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    28,965,105       (46,405,937 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    35,042,644       (41,643,834 )
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (11,162,154 )     (38,776,479 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (11,162,154 )     (38,776,479 )
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    63,211,072       26,867,823  

Reinvestment of distributions

    9,841,826       34,269,675  

Shares redeemed

    (27,350,514 )     (38,209,914 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

    45,702,384       22,927,584  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    69,582,874       (57,492,729 )
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    291,859,328       349,352,057  

End of period

  $ 361,442,202     $ 291,859,328  
                 

SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Shares sold

    5,655,888       2,069,021  

Shares reinvested

    755,321       2,836,894  

Shares redeemed

    (2,715,130 )     (3,114,162 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares

    3,696,079       1,791,753  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
16

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 12.89     $ 16.76     $ 12.94     $ 11.20     $ 10.59  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    (0.01 )     (0.01 )     (0.01 )     (0.02 )     (0.03 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    1.33       (1.99 )     4.36       1.76       0.64  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    1.32       (2.00 )     4.35       1.74       0.61  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net realized capital gains

    (0.48 )     (1.87 )     (0.53 )           (2) 

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.48 )     (1.87 )     (0.53 )            

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 13.73     $ 12.89     $ 16.76     $ 12.94     $ 11.20  

Total investment return/(loss)(3)

    10.47 %     (11.16 )%     34.54 %     15.54 %     5.76 %
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 361,442     $ 291,859     $ 349,352     $ 262,480     $ 225,101  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

    0.90 %     0.93 %     0.90 %     0.92 %     1.15 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.08 )%     (0.08 )%     (0.07 )%     (0.15 )%     (0.26 )%

Portfolio turnover rate

    101 %     80 %     86 %     88 %     101 %

 

 

(1)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

 

(2)

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

 

(3)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
17

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

August 31, 2020

 

1. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the Adara Smaller Companies Fund (the “Fund”), which commenced investment operations on October 21, 2014.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

The Fund’s investment objective seeks capital appreciation.

 

The Fund is an investment company and follows accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services - Investment Companies”.

 

The end of the reporting period for the Fund is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is for the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

PORTFOLIO VALUATION – The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by the Fund are valued using the closing price or the last sale price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Foreign securities are valued based on prices from the primary market in which they are traded, and are translated from the local currency into U.S. dollars using current exchange rates. Investments in other open-end investment companies, if any, are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses). If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS – The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Fund’s investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

● Level 1 —

Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

● Level 2 —

Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

 

● Level 3 —

Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

18

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

August 31, 2020

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at fair value:

 

   

Total

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

 

Common Stocks

  $ 330,583,612     $ 330,583,612     $     $  

Preferred Stocks

    27,326       27,326              

Short-Term Investments

    27,812,657       27,812,657              

Total Investments*

  $ 358,423,595     $ 358,423,595     $     $  

 

*

Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments for further details.

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Fund may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires the Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when the Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for Level 3 transfers are disclosed if the Fund had an amount of total Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund had no Level 3 transfers.

 

REITS — The Fund has made certain investments in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) which pay dividends to their shareholders based upon available funds from operations. It is quite common for these dividends to exceed the REITs’ taxable earnings and profits resulting in the excess portion being designated as a return of capital. The Fund intends to include the gross dividends from such REITs in its annual distributions to shareholders and, accordingly, a portion of the Fund’s distributions may also be designated as a return of capital.

 

USE OF ESTIMATES — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS, INVESTMENT INCOME AND EXPENSES — The Fund records security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gain are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. The Fund’s

 

19

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

August 31, 2020

 

investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family of the Company are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all of the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Fund.

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS — Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, are declared and paid at least annually to shareholders recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

U.S. TAX STATUS — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is the Fund’s intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers are not known. The operational and financial performance of the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance.

 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

OTHER — In the normal course of business, the Fund may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Fund in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Fund expects the risk of material loss from such claims to be remote.

 

2. Investment Adviser and Other Services

 

Altair Advisers, LLC (“Altair” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Aperio Group, LLC, Driehaus Capital Management, LLC, Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC, Pier Capital, LLC and River Road Asset Management, LLC each serve as an investment sub-adviser (“Sub-Adviser”) to the Fund. Effective December 31, 2019, Granite Investment Partners, LLC no longer serves as a sub-adviser to the Fund.

 

The Fund is managed by the Adviser and one or more Sub-Advisers unaffiliated with the Adviser. The Adviser also has the ultimate responsibility to oversee the Sub-Advisers, and to recommend their hiring, termination and replacement, subject to approval by the Board. The Adviser has an investment team that is jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. The Sub-Advisers provide investment advisory services to the portion of the Fund’s portfolio allocated to them by the Adviser. The Adviser and the Fund have entered into sub-advisory agreements with the Sub-Advisers to manage the Fund, subject to supervision of the Adviser and the Board, and in accordance with the investment objective and restrictions of the Fund. The Fund compensates the Sub-Advisers for their services at an annual rate based on the Fund’s average daily net assets, (the “Sub-Advisory Fee”), not to exceed 1.00%, payable on a monthly basis in arrears.

 

During the current fiscal period, collectively, sub-advisory fees accrued were $2,257,717, or the rate of 0.75%.

 

20

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

August 31, 2020

 

The Fund is currently only available to clients of the Adviser and to other investors at the Fund’s discretion. The Adviser does not receive a separate management fee from the Fund. However, pursuant to the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with the Adviser, the Adviser is entitled to receive reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses it incurs in connection with its compliance monitoring of Fund trading, up to 0.01% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. During the current fiscal period, the Adviser received $21,010.

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Fund. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Fund’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Fund. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Fund’s distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Fund’s distributor.

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Statement of Operations.

 

3. Director and Officer Compensation

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Fund or the Company. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Statement of Operations.

 

4. Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities

 

During the current fiscal period, aggregate purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) of the Fund were as follows:

 

PURCHASES

SALES

$309,675,602

$286,947,482

 

There were no purchases or sales of long-term U.S. Government securities during the current fiscal period.

 

5. Federal Income Tax Information

 

The Fund has followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Fund to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund has determined that there was no effect on the financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Fund is subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

21

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

August 31, 2020

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by the Fund were as follows:

 

FEDERAL
TAX COST

UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION

UNREALIZED
(DEPRECIATION)

Net Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

$275,401,252

$106,431,837

$(23,409,494)

$83,022,343

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

Permanent differences as of August 31, 2020, primarily attributable to current year write-off of Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC) sales and distributions, were reclassified among the following accounts:

 

Distributable
earnings/(loss)

PAID-IN
CAPITAL

$106,846

$(106,846)

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

UNDISTRIBUTED
ORDINARY
INCOME

UNDISTRIBUTED
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS

CAPITAL LOSS
CARRYFORWARDS

NET UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION/
(DEPRECIATION)

QUALIFIED
LATE-YEAR
LOSSES

$—

$—

$(3,603,734)

$83,022,343

$(163,117)

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate primarily to the timing of recognition of income and gains for federal income tax purposes. Short-term and foreign currency gains, if applicable, are reported as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019 were as follows:

 

   

ORDINARY
INCOME

   

LONG-TERM
GAINS

   

TOTAL

 

2020

  $     $ 11,162,154     $ 11,162,154  

2019

    11,724,339       27,052,140       38,776,479  

 

Pursuant to federal income tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies, the Fund may elect to treat certain capital losses between November 1 and August 31 and late year ordinary losses ((i) ordinary losses between January 1 and August 31, and (ii) specified ordinary and currency losses between November 1 and August 31) as occurring on the first day of the following tax year. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, any amount of losses elected within the tax return will not be recognized for federal income tax purposes until September 1, 2020. The Fund deferred qualified late-year losses of $163,117 which will be treated as arising on the first business day of the following fiscal year.

 

22

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONCLUDED)

August 31, 2020

 

Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the Fund is permitted to carry forward capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 for an unlimited period. Additionally, capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under the previous law. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund had capital loss carryforwards of $3,603,734.

 

6. NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS AND REGULATORY UPDATES

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Fund’s financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

7. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no significant events requiring recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

23

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. and Shareholders of Adara Smaller Companies Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments, of Adara Smaller Companies Fund (the “Fund”), a separately managed portfolio of The RBB Fund, Inc., as of August 31, 2020, the related statement of operations for the year ended August 31, 2020, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2020 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of August 31, 2020, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020 and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2020 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020 by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 27, 2020

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Altair Advisers, LLC investment companies since 2015.

 

24

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


SHAREHOLDER TAX INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)

 

Certain tax information regarding the Fund is required to be provided to shareholders based upon the Fund’s income and distributions for the taxable period ended August 31, 2020. The information and distributions reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ending December 31, 2020. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the following dividends and distributions were paid by the Fund:

 

Ordinary
Income

Long-Term
Gains

$—

$11,162,154

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

Under the Jobs and Growth Tax relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 the following percentages of ordinary dividends paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 are designated as “qualified dividend income,” as defined in the Act, and are subject to reduced tax rates:

 

Adara Smaller Companies Fund

0%

 

The percentage of total ordinary income dividends paid qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction for the Fund is as follows:

 

Adara Smaller Companies Fund

0%

 

The percentage of ordinary income distributions designated as qualified short-term gains pursuant to the American Job Creation Act of 2004 is as follows:

 

Adara Smaller Companies Fund

0%

 

Because the Fund’s fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Fund, if any.

 

In general, dividends received by tax-exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Fund.

 

25

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Other Information (Unaudited)

 

Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling (844) 261-6482 and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedules

 

The Company files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Approval of investment advisory agreement

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered (1) the renewal of the investment advisory agreement between Altair and the Company (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Fund, and (2) the renewal of the sub-advisory agreements among Altair, the Company and each of Aperio Group, LLC, Driehaus Capital Management, LLC, Pacific Ridge Capital Partners, LLC, Pier Capital, LLC, and River Road Asset Management, LLC (collectively, the “Sub-Advisers”) (together, the “Sub-Advisory Agreements”), at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreements for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreements reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreements, the Board considered information provided by Altair and each of the Sub-Advisers with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreements between the Company and Altair with respect to the Fund, the Directors took into account all materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of services provided to the Fund by Altair and each Sub-Adviser; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of the personnel providing those services; (iii) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ advisory fee arrangements and other similarly managed clients, as applicable; (vii) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ compliance procedures; (viii) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ financial information and insurance coverage, as applicable; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Fund; (x) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing the Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its Lipper Group and comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its Lipper Group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Altair and each Sub-Adviser. The Directors concluded that Altair and each Sub-Adviser had substantial resources to provide services to the Fund, and that Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ services had been acceptable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Fund and considered the Fund’s investment performance in light of its investment objective and investment strategies. The Directors noted that the Fund had outperformed its primary benchmark for the year-to-date, one-year, three-year, and five-year periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also considered the Fund’s 1st quintile ranking within its Lipper Performance Group for the two-, three-, four-, and five-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

26

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Other Information (Unaudited) (CONCLUDED)

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rate payable by the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Fund and the Fund’s total operating expense ratio were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms. The Directors noted that the Fund’s actual advisor fees ranked in the 3rd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 2nd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors considered that the Fund does not pay a contractual management fee to Altair, but instead reimburses for out-of-pocket expenses in connection with its compliance monitoring of the Fund’s trading, up to 0.01% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The Directors also considered the fees payable to each Sub-Adviser under the Sub-Advisory Agreements.

 

After reviewing the information regarding Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering the services to be provided by Altair and the Sub-Advisers, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees to be paid by the Fund to Altair and the sub-advisory fees to be paid to each Sub-Adviser were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements should be approved and continued for an additional one-year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

27

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Company Management (Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling (844) 261-6482.

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

 

28

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Company Management (Unaudited) (continued)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Nicholas A. Giordano
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

Arnold M. Reichman
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 72

Chairman

 

Director

2005 to present

1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

Brian T. Shea
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company) Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

 

 

29

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Company Management (Unaudited) (continued)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

Robert Sablowsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 82

Vice Chairman

 

Director

2016 to present

 

1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director - Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

OFFICERS

Salvatore Faia, JD,
CPA, CFE
Vigilant Compliance, LLC
Gateway Corporate Center Suite 216
223 Wilmington West
Chester Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Age: 57

President

 

 

Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present

 

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 59

Treasurer and Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

Craig A. Urciuoli

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

 

 

30

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Company Management (Unaudited) (continued)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Edward Paz
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 61

Assistant Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1.

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2.

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

31

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


Company Management (Unaudited) (CONCLUDED)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the past five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

32

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


PRIVACY NOTICE (Unaudited)

 

FACTS

WHAT DOES THE ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

● Social Security number

● account balances

● account transactions

● transaction history

● wire transfer instructions

● checking account information

 

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How?

All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Adara Smaller Companies Fund chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

       

Reasons we can share your information

Does the Adara Smaller Companies Fund share?

Can you limit
this sharing?

For our everyday business purpose
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal
investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

Yes

No

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes
information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

 

Questions?

Call 1-844-261-6482

 

 

33

 

 

ADARA SMALLER COMPANIES FUND

 


PRIVACY NOTICE (Unaudited)

 

What we do

 

How does the Adara Smaller Companies Fund protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.

How does the Adara Smaller Companies Fund collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

 

● open an account

● provide account information

● give us your contact information

● make a wire transfer

● tell us where to send the money

 

We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

 

● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness

● affiliates from using your information to market to you

● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

Definitions

 

Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

Our affiliates include Altair Advisers, LLC, the investment adviser to the Adara Smaller Companies Fund.

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

Adara Smaller Companies Fund doesn’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

 

Adara Smaller Companies Fund may share your information with other financial institutions with whom they have joint marketing arrangements who may suggest additional fund services or other investments products which may be of interest to you. We do not currently have any joint marketing arrangements with other financial institutions.

 

 

34

 

 

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Investment Adviser
Altair Advisers, LLC
303 West Madison Street, Suite 600
Chicago, IL 60606

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Principal Underwriter
Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Custodian
U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Two Commerce Square
2001 Market Street, Suite 1800
Philadelphia, PA 19103

 

Legal Counsel
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

ADA-AR20

 

 

 

 

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 

of

 

The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

ANNUAL REPORT

 

August 31, 2020

 

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-844-261-6482.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Fund, you can call 1-844-261-6482 to inform the Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Fund.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Fund.
It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Fund.

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 

ANNUAL INVESTMENT ADVISER’S REPORT

AUGUST 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The Aquarius International Fund (the “Fund”) generated a return of 8.61% during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, which largely matched the 8.79% return of the benchmark MSCI ACWI ex USA Index during the same period.

 

The Fund is managed by four underlying sub-advisers: international developed managers Mawer Investment Management Ltd. (“Mawer”) and Setanta Asset Management Limited (“Setanta”), emerging markets manager Driehaus Capital Management LLC (“Driehaus”) and tax-loss harvesting manager Aperio Group, LLC (“Aperio”). During the 2020 fiscal year, returns for the underlying sub-advisers were as follows: Driehaus +23.24%, Mawer +15.63%, Aperio +8.17% and Setanta -2.09%.

 

Altair continues to believe international equities play an important role in a diversified portfolio. By investing directly in overseas companies, the potential exists to obtain exposure to economies with higher growth or companies trading at more attractive valuations than similar companies in the United States. International equities also can help mitigate certain risks associated with investing only in U.S. companies and the dollar. They also represent an opportunity for U.S. investors to diversify their equity portfolios.

 

Sincerely,
Altair Advisers LLC

 

Opinions expressed are those of the Investment Adviser and are subject to change, are not guaranteed and should not be considered investment advice.

 

Diversification does not assure a profit or protect against a loss in a declining market.

 

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

 

The MSCI ACWI ex USA Index captures large and mid cap representation across 22 of 23 Developed Markets (DM) countries (excluding the US) and 26 Emerging Markets (EM) countries*. With 2,375 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the global equity opportunity set outside the US.

 

*

DM countries include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. EM countries include: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.

 

It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.

 

1

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 

Annual Report
Performance Data

August 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Invested in Aquarius International Fund
vs. MSCI ACWI EX USA INDEX

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund made on April 17, 2018 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the MSCI ACWI ex USA Index is unmanaged, and does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Since
Inception

 

Aquarius International Fund

8.61%

0.90%*

 

MSCI AC WORLD INDEX ex USA Gross Index

8.79%

0.75%**

 

 

*

The Fund commenced operations on April 17, 2018.

 

**

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling (844) 261-6482.

 

The Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated December 31, 2019, are 0.96% of average daily net assets. This ratio may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report.

 

The Fund invests in common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stocks and securities convertible into common stocks. Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

The MSCI ACWI ex USA Index captures large and mid cap representation across 22 of 23 Developed Markets (DM) countries (excluding the US) and 26 Emerging Markets (EM) countries. With 2,375 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the global equity opportunity set outside the US.

 

Investment Considerations

 

Investing in the Fund involves risk and an investor may lose money. The success of the Fund’s strategy depends on the Adviser’s ability to select Sub-Advisers and each manager’s ability to select investments for the Fund. The Fund may invest in riskier type investments including small, micro-cap and large cap stocks, Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), special situations, foreign markets, emerging markets and illiquid securities all of which may be more volatile and less liquid.

 

2

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Fund Expense Example

August 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees and other Fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

This example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020 and held for the entire period.

 

Actual Expenses

 

The first line of the accompanying table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

 

The second line of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs. Therefore, the second line of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses Paid
During Period*

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual Six Month
Total Investment
Return

Actual

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,080.50

$ 42.10

0.74%

8.05%

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

1,000.00

966.93

39.80

0.74

N/A

 

 

*

Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized six-month expense ratio in the table above, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one-half year period. The Fund’s ending account value on the first line in the table is based on the actual six-month total investment return for the Fund.

 

3

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS SUMMARY TABLE

August 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

The following table presents a summary by security type of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

COMMON STOCKS:

               

Pharmaceuticals

    8.1 %   $ 22,438,235  

Internet

    6.4       17,769,638  

Semiconductors

    5.5       15,336,680  

Banks

    5.1       14,205,116  

Insurance

    4.6       12,930,686  

Beverages

    4.6       12,874,579  

Commercial Services

    4.1       11,542,014  

Telecommunications

    3.9       10,955,201  

Chemicals

    3.6       10,114,652  

Oil & Gas

    3.3       9,082,765  

Diversified Financial Services

    3.1       8,633,679  

Food

    3.0       8,447,744  

Software

    3.0       8,404,961  

Retail

    2.8       7,770,258  

Investment Companies

    2.3       6,452,699  

Cosmetics/Personal Care

    2.0       5,630,119  

Machinery-Diversified

    1.9       5,297,951  

Electronics

    1.9       5,239,796  

Building Materials

    1.7       4,768,330  

Healthcare-Products

    1.7       4,677,388  

Apparel

    1.6       4,427,563  

Media

    1.3       3,696,952  

Computers

    1.3       3,482,820  

Distribution/Wholesale

    1.1       3,161,890  

Miscellaneous Manufacturing

    1.1       3,033,802  

Airlines

    0.9       2,621,240  

Lodging

    0.9       2,576,588  

Real Estate

    0.9       2,534,498  

Water

    0.8       2,162,531  

Mining

    0.8       2,125,876  

Electrical Components & Equipment

    0.7       1,892,399  

Auto Manufacturers

    0.6       1,720,350  

Hand/Machine Tools

    0.6       1,685,225  

Food Service

    0.5       1,455,218  

Healthcare-Services

    0.5       1,422,561  

Home Builders

    0.5       1,402,408  

Biotechnology

    0.5       1,253,327  

REITS

    0.4       1,215,939  

Transportation

    0.4   1,150,637  

Iron/Steel

    0.4       1,131,934  

Auto Parts & Equipment

    0.3       942,661  

Agriculture

    0.3       905,460  

Electric

    0.3       850,005  

Household Products/Wares

    0.2       585,844  

Gas

    0.2       525,055  

Leisure Time

    0.2       523,211  

Advertising

    0.2       501,324  

Home Furnishings

    0.2       436,238  

Engineering & Construction

    0.2       416,768  

Machinery-Construction & Mining

    0.1       326,101  

Private Equity

    0.1       322,937  

Toys/Games/Hobbies

    0.1       234,376  

Pipelines

    0.1       215,620  

Oil & Gas Services

    0.1       198,481  

Aerospace/Defense

    0.1       137,726  

Entertainment

    0.1       137,159  

Environmental Control

    0.0       93,088  

Energy-Alternate Sources

    0.0       74,991  

Forest Products & Paper

    0.0       74,762  

Office/Business Equipment

    0.0       52,322  

PREFERRED STOCKS:

               

Semiconductors

    0.4       1,222,564  

Cosmetics/Personal Care

    0.4       959,288  

Chemicals

    0.3       841,159  

Banks

    0.1       178,484  

Auto Manufacturers

    0.0       52,334  

Electric

    0.0       37,549  

Electronics

    0.0       37,357  

Telecommunications

    0.0       32,467  

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS:

               

Diversified Financial Services

    0.1       338,372  

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

    7.3       20,344,566  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES

    0.2       631,644  

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 278,956,162  

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

4

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS SUMMARY TABLE

August 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

The following table presents a summary by country of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

COMMON STOCKS:

               

Australia

    2.0 %   $ 5,673,641  

Austria

    0.1       158,404  

Belgium

    2.5       6,878,700  

Bermuda

    1.7       4,682,387  

Brazil

    0.6       1,745,044  

Canada

    1.5       4,099,915  

Cayman Islands

    9.3       25,918,399  

Chile

    0.2       512,614  

China

    2.6       7,129,084  

Colombia

    0.0       41,828  

Denmark

    1.4       4,004,260  

Egypt

    0.1       224,722  

Finland

    0.8       2,322,706  

France

    5.4       14,943,160  

Germany

    3.8       10,536,431  

Hong Kong

    1.8       4,927,478  

Hungary

    0.1       318,126  

India

    2.7       7,466,517  

Indonesia

    0.2       619,419  

Ireland

    6.3       17,703,857  

Israel

    0.6       1,800,288  

Italy

    1.1       3,191,447  

Japan

    8.8       24,554,769  

Luxembourg

    0.2       504,745  

Malaysia

    0.1       198,481  

Mexico

    0.2       538,612  

Netherlands

    3.8       10,611,011  

New Zealand

    0.0       88,932  

Norway

    0.1       407,575  

Panama

    0.1   157,673  

Papua New Guinea

    0.0       76,632  

Philippines

    0.0       77,822  

Poland

    0.2       519,067  

Russia

    0.4       1,088,007  

Singapore

    0.5       1,494,994  

South Africa

    0.2       475,387  

South Korea

    3.6       10,043,748  

Spain

    0.8       2,237,009  

Sweden

    2.5       6,937,889  

Switzerland

    7.2       20,127,865  

Taiwan

    3.4       9,368,650  

Thailand

    1.2       3,470,629  

Turkey

    0.0       30,100  

United Kingdom

    12.1       33,745,467  

United States

    0.9       2,626,887  

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS:

               

United States

    0.1       338,372  

PREFERRED STOCKS:

               

Brazil

    0.1       208,824  

Colombia

    0.0       39,677  

Germany

    0.3       930,849  

South Korea

    0.8       2,181,852  

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

               

United States

    7.3       20,344,566  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES

    0.2       631,644  

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 278,956,162  

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

5

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

COMMON STOCKS — 91.2%

               

Advertising — 0.2%

               

Dentsu, Inc.

    1,800     $ 47,202  

Publicis Groupe SA

    2,188       76,521  

Weimob, Inc.(a)*

    207,809       347,652  

WPP, PLC

    3,536       29,949  

 

            501,324  

Aerospace/Defense — 0.1%

               

BAE Systems PLC, SP ADR

    256       7,124  

MTU Aero Engines AG, ADR

    562       52,460  

Safran SA

    348       40,188  

Thales SA

    486       37,954  
              137,726  

Agriculture — 0.3%

               

British American Tabacco, PLC, SP ADR

    5,194       175,402  

Japan Tobacco, Inc.

    4,730       88,436  

Origin Enterprises, PLC

    147,132       603,799  

Swedish Match AB

    498       37,823  
              905,460  

Airlines — 0.9%

               

Copa Holdings SA, Class A*

    2,961       157,673  

Ryanair Holding, PLC, SP ADR*

    30,452       2,463,567  
              2,621,240  

Apparel — 1.6%

               

Adidas AG, SP ADR

    1,152       176,118  

Gildan Activewear, Inc.*

    5,757       111,340  

Hermes International

    80       68,754  

Kering SA

    139       85,285  

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE

    6,182       2,903,197  

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, ADR

    2,000       187,907  

NIKE, Inc., Class B

    7,423       830,559  

Shenzhou International Group Holdings, Ltd.

    4,000       64,403  
              4,427,563  

Auto Manufacturers — 0.6%

               

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, SP ADR

    3,309       79,350  

Daimler AG

    3,623       185,761  

Ferrari NV

    141       27,524  

Ferrari NV

    642       125,029  

Geely Automobile Holdings, Ltd.

    6,982       14,860  

Geely Automobile Holdings, Ltd., ADR

    883       37,298  

Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

    4,500       114,564  

Hyundai Motor Co.

    353       51,988  

Kia Motors Corp.

    7,485       266,214  

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

    10,100       40,705  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Auto Manufacturers — (Continued)

Peugeot SA

    2,962     $ 51,066  

Tata Motors, Ltd., SP ADR*

    32,755       319,034  

Toyota Motor Corp., SP ADR

    1,862       246,585  

Volkswagen AG, ADR

    5,060       90,726  

Volvo AB, Class B

    3,636       69,646  
              1,720,350  

Auto Parts & Equipment — 0.3%

Continental AG

    442       48,496  

Fuyao Glass Industrials Group, Ltd.(a)

    172,400       556,523  

Magna International, Inc.

    3,010       146,316  

Michelin

    463       52,439  

Weichai Power Co. Ltd.

    69,191       138,887  
              942,661  

Banks — 5.1%

               

Australia & New Zealand Banking Group, Ltd.

    5,980       80,571  

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA

    13,134       38,463  

Banco Santander SA

    37,238       82,908  

Bangkok Bank

    234,200       802,243  

Bank Central Asia Tbk PT

    241,417       520,005  

Bank Leumi Le Israel

    317,347       1,623,726  

Bank Montreal

    867       55,115  

Bank of China, Ltd.

    41,028       13,342  

Bank of Ireland Group, PLC

    428,268       959,484  

Bank of Nova Scotia, (The)

    1,749       75,592  

Bank Rakyat Indonesia Persero Tbk PT, ADR

    2,219       26,473  

Bankia SA

    40,101       50,515  

Barclays PLC

    126,063       184,574  

Bendigo & Adelaide Bank, Ltd.

    12,614       60,711  

BNP Paribas SA

    2,636       114,845  

BOC Hong Kong Holdings, Ltd.

    28,000       79,425  

CaixaBank SA

    52,488       115,308  

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

    573       45,468  

China Construction Bank Corp.

    614       433  

China Construction Bank Corp., ADR

    4,083       57,244  

China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd., ADR

    554       13,205  

China Merchants Bank Co., Ltd.

    54,836       261,620  

China Minsheng Banking Corp., Ltd.

    77,000       46,872  

Commercial International Bank Egypt SAE, ADR

    4,572       19,614  

Commercial International Bank Egypt SAE

    48,225       205,108  

Commerzbank AG

    18,102       105,138  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

6

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Banks — (Continued)

Commonwealth Bank Of Australia

    4,044     $ 203,261  

Concordia Financial Group, Ltd.

    11,723       38,862  

Credit Suisse Group AG

    13,720       150,966  

Dah Sing Financial Holdings, Ltd.

    210,000       596,973  

DBS Group Holdings, Ltd.

    72,900       1,117,190  

Deutsche Bank AG

    8,776       83,635  

DNB ASA

    12,189       195,257  

Erste Group Bank AG

    4,719       114,595  

FinecoBank Banca Fineco SpA

    5,751       87,062  

Fukuoka Financial Group, Inc.

    3,000       49,526  

Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores SA, ADR

    8,589       41,828  

HDFC Bank, Ltd.

    90,648       1,375,501  

HDFC Bank, Ltd., ADR

    15,129       750,398  

ICICI Bank, Ltd., SP ADR

    67,830       728,494  

Industrial & Commerical Bank China, Ltd., ADR

    1,942       21,595  

Industrial & Commerical Bank China, Ltd.

    24,379       13,588  

ING Groep NV

    7,103       57,975  

Macquarie Group, Ltd.

    749       70,417  

Mediobanca Banca di Credito Finanziario SpA

    3,974       34,561  

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., SP ADR

    53,334       222,936  

National Australia Bank, Ltd., SP ADR

    11,208       74,310  

National Australia Bank, Ltd.

    7,689       101,255  

Nedbank Group, Ltd., SP ADR

    2,666       15,106  

Nordea Bank Abp

    93       749  

Nordea Bank Abp

    11,504       92,744  

OTP Bank, PLC

    9,446       318,126  

Royal Bank Canada

    3,116       237,190  

Royal Bank of Scotland Group, PLC

    45,883       68,309  

Sberbank Russia, SP ADR

    45,035       549,427  

Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd., ADR

    9,162       228,317  

Societe Generale SA

    2,392       38,721  

Standard Bank Group, Ltd.

    9,099       56,502  

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc., SP ADR

    56,610       332,867  

Svenska Handelsbanken AB, Class A

    6,031       60,672  

Toronto-Dominion Bank, (The)

    3,414       170,222  

UBS Group AG

    13,717       166,872  

Woori Financial Group, Inc., SP ADR

    4,696       101,105  
              14,205,116  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Beverages — 4.6%

               

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA NV

    10,618     $ 617,111  

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA NV, SP ADR

    2,087       121,359  

Carlsberg A/S, Class B

    499       70,145  

China Resources Beer Holdings Co. Ltd.

    10,000       65,001  

Coca-Cola Amatil, Ltd.

    531,766       3,562,172  

Coca-Cola European Partners, PLC

    1,540       63,386  

Compania Cervecerias Unidas SA, SP ADR

    10,551       139,273  

Diageo, PLC

    121,183       4,048,879  

Diageo, PLC, SP ADR

    2,267       304,685  

Heineken Holding NV

    491       40,175  

Heineken NV

    592       54,750  

Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd.

    57       1,121  

Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd., Class A

    2,991       778,998  

Thai Beverage, PLC

    5,470,200       2,468,797  

Wuliangye Yibin Co., Ltd., Class A

    15,399       538,727  
              12,874,579  

Biotechnology — 0.5%

               

BeiGene Ltd., ADR*

    820       198,087  

CSL Ltd., SP ADR

    1,030       107,913  

CSL Ltd.

    628       131,780  

Genmab A/S, SP ADR*

    2,330       87,981  

Genmab A/S*

    184       69,437  

Legend Biotech Corp., ADR*

    3,673       124,882  

Samsung Biologics Co., Ltd.(a)*

    771       503,721  

Zai Lab Ltd., ADR*

    372       29,526  
              1,253,327  

Building Materials — 1.7%

               

Anhui Conch Cement Co., Ltd., ADR

    455       16,471  

Anhui Conch Cement Co., Ltd.

    3,500       25,338  

Cemex SAB de CV, SP ADR

    5,460       17,527  

China Resources Cement Holdings, Ltd.

    259,490       377,896  

CRH, PLC

    55,852       2,083,033  

CRH, PLC, SP ADR

    3,605       133,745  

Daikin Industries, Ltd., ADR

    1,490       27,984  

Daikin Industries, Ltd.

    149       28,066  

Geberit AG

    90       51,805  

James Hardie Industries PLC*

    2,896       65,707  

LafargeHolcim, Ltd.*

    2,013       95,566  

Semen Indonesia Persero Tbk PT, ADR

    2,421       34,911  

Sika AG

    7,504       1,794,261  

TOTO, Ltd.

    365       16,020  
              4,768,330  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

7

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Chemicals — 3.6%

               

Air Liquide SA

    20,366     $ 3,377,176  

Air Liquide SA, ADR

    1,771       58,921  

Akzo Nobel NV, ADR

    2,496       82,443  

Asahi Kasei Corp.

    6,000       50,264  

Asian Paints Ltd.

    14,003       361,335  

BASF SE, SP ADR

    9,844       150,281  

Covestro AG(a)

    1,716       81,808  

Croda International PLC

    22,194       1,746,922  

Fuchs Petrolub SE

    26,345       952,678  

Givaudan SA, ADR

    600       50,586  

Givaudan SA

    27       113,483  

ICL Group, Ltd.

    12,592       46,716  

Johnson Matthey, PLC

    1,377       43,430  

Kansai Paint Co., Ltd.

    1,360       32,353  

Koninklijke DSM NV

    561       89,845  

LANXESS AG

    1,023       59,889  

LG Chem, Ltd.

    1,293       804,236  

Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.

    22       516  

Nippon Paint Holdings Co., Ltd.

    722       62,018  

Novozymes A/S, ADR

    920       54,239  

Novozymes A/S, Class B

    19,978       1,180,591  

Shin Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., ADR

    2,744       83,555  

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.

    654       79,477  

Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile SA SP ADR

    11,905       373,341  

Solvay SA

    373       32,138  

Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.

    13,000       42,164  

Symrise AG

    500       69,149  

Umicore SA, ADR

    3,052       35,098  
              10,114,652  

Commercial Services — 4.1%

               

Adecco Group AG

    374       19,582  

Adyen NV(a)*

    850       1,432,799  

ALD SA(a)

    63,281       647,941  

Amadeus IT Group SA, ADR

    1,437       81,334  

Amadeus IT Holdings SA

    12,866       722,774  

Ashtead Group, PLC

    2,764       95,835  

Bureau Veritas SA

    1,739       39,487  

China Merchants Port Holdings Co., Ltd.

    60,000       68,593  

Edenred

    1,223       63,131  

Experian, PLC

    2,543       95,013  

GMO Payment Gateway, Inc.

    287       30,351  

IHS Markit, Ltd.

    10,130       809,590  

Intertek Group, PLC

    36,138       2,831,498  

Localiza Rent a Car SA, SP ADR

    4,006       35,762  

New Oriental Education & Tech Group, Inc., SP ADR*

    662       97,069  

Offcn Education Technology Co., Ltd., Class A

    81,131       422,306  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Commercial Services — (Continued)

Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd.

    3,292     $ 124,769  

RELX, PLC

    96,893       2,198,787  

RELX, PLC, SP ADR

    10,586       239,879  

Rentokil Initial PLC*

    7,414       52,792  

Secom Co., Ltd.

    358       33,880  

SGS SA

    401       1,039,157  

TAL Education Group, ADR*

    4,020       296,716  

Transurban Group

    6,366       62,969  
              11,542,014  

Computers — 1.3%

               

CGI, Inc.*

    1,074       75,384  

CyberArk Software Ltd.*

    576       63,648  

EPAM Systems, Inc.*

    660       215,886  

Fujitsu Ltd.

    422       55,088  

Infosys Ltd., SP ADR

    12,897       162,502  

Logitech International SA

    536       40,082  

Nomura Research Institute Ltd.

    51,300       1,364,014  

Obic Co., Ltd.

    400       70,815  

Sangfor Technologies, Inc., Class A

    12,200       391,441  

Tata Consultancy Services, Ltd.

    16,688       512,097  

Teleperformance

    266       82,025  

Wipro Ltd., ADR

    38,844       167,029  

Wiwynn Corp.

    10,602       282,809  
              3,482,820  

Cosmetics/Personal Care — 2.0%

Beiersdorf AG

    356       41,150  

Essity AB, Class B

    1,117       38,468  

Estee Lauder Cos., Inc., (The), Class A

    1,165       258,304  

Kao Corp.

    1,250       95,247  

Kao Corp., ADR

    2,590       39,213  

LG Household & Health Care, Ltd.

    262       324,442  

Lion Corp.

    2,436       51,672  

L’Oreal SA

    1,500       497,773  

L’Oreal SA, ADR

    3,400       225,186  

Natura & Co. Holding SA, ADR*

    5,256       94,187  

Shiseido Co., Ltd.

    1,126       65,484  

Shiseido Co., Ltd., SP ADR

    1,013       58,876  

Unicharm Corp.

    1,087       47,348  

Unilever NV

    4,479       259,782  

Unilever NV-CVA

    60,802       3,532,987  
              5,630,119  

Distribution/Wholesale — 1.1%

               

Bunzl, PLC

    93,726       3,023,544  

ITOCHU Corp.

    3,700       94,950  

ITOCHU Corp., ADR

    426       22,493  

Mitsui & Co., Ltd.

    1,159       20,903  
              3,161,890  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

8

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Diversified Financial Services — 3.1%

ASX, Ltd.

    1,017     $ 65,487  

B3 SA - Brasil Bolsa Balcao*

    60,254       648,348  

Bajaj Finance Ltd.

    8,771       416,231  

Deutsche Boerse AG

    10,370       1,961,842  

Deutsche Boerse AG, ADR

    7,040       133,091  

East Money Information Co., Ltd., Class A

    61,400       234,563  

Guotai Junan Securities Co., Ltd.(a)

    33,000       51,467  

Hong Kong Exchange & Clearing, Ltd.

    14,203       716,121  

Japan Exchange Group, Inc.

    73,700       1,911,156  

KB Financial Group, Inc.

    14,473       449,034  

KB Financial Group, Inc., ADR

    6,431       199,039  

London Stock Exchange Group PLC, ADR

    2,464       73,624  

London Stock Exchange Group, PLC

    791       93,434  

Nomura Holdings, Inc.

    14,100       72,423  

Pagseguro Digital, Ltd., Class A*

    8,977       378,291  

Rathbone Brothers, PLC

    26,162       589,292  

SBI Holdings, Inc.

    2,600       59,111  

Singapore Exchange, Ltd.

    6,000       37,941  

St James’s Place, PLC

    5,807       75,251  

Standard Life Aberdeen PLC

    15,283       47,822  

XP, Inc., Class A*

    8,506       420,111  
              8,633,679  

Electric — 0.3%

               

Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.

    2,700       33,362  

Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc., (The)

    2,300       28,053  

CLP Holdings, Ltd.

    447       4,389  

E.ON SE

    4,210       49,862  

Enel SpA

    12,990       117,627  

Engie SA, ADR

    8,968       125,283  

Fortis, Inc.

    2,870       114,915  

Iberdrola SA

    8,686       109,590  

Iberdrola SA, SP ADR

    1,618       81,658  

Orsted A/S(a)

    381       53,935  

RWE AG

    1,019       40,576  

SSE PLC, ADR

    5,415       90,755  
              850,005  

Electrical Components & Equipment — 0.7%

Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Ltd., Class A

    7,844       241,142  

Legrand SA

    17,556       1,465,396  

Schneider Electric SE

    698       86,323  

Schneider Electric SE, ADR

    4,025       99,538  
              1,892,399  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Electronics — 1.9%

               

ABB Ltd.

    4,533     $ 115,588  

Assa Abloy AB, Class B

    102,707       2,379,341  

Halma, PLC

    50,189       1,488,152  

Hirose Electric Co., Ltd.

    427       48,325  

Hon Hai Precision

    56,353       147,796  

Hoya Corp.

    670       65,911  

Hoya Corp., SP ADR

    487       47,830  

Kyocera Corp.

    900       51,644  

Luxshare Precision Industry Co., Ltd., Class A

    46,000       370,351  

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

    1,119       66,179  

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd., ADR

    5,048       74,660  

Nidec Corp.

    78       6,547  

Nidec Corp., SP ADR

    4,640       97,475  

Silergy Corp.

    4,414       279,997  
              5,239,796  

Energy-Alternate Sources — 0.0%

Vestas Wind Systems A/S

    496       74,991  

Engineering & Construction — 0.2%

Ferrovial SA

    3,085       82,431  

Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide

    1,032       47,074  

Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico SAB de CV, SP ADR

    392       30,372  

Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste SAB de CV, SP ADR

    471       53,440  

HOCHTIEF AG

    774       68,629  

Keppel Corp., Ltd.

    9,000       30,266  

Shimizu Corp.

    3,000       23,044  

Vinci SA, ADR

    3,476       81,512  
              416,768  

Entertainment — 0.1%

               

Oriental Land Co., Ltd.

    613       83,203  

Paddy Power Betfair PLC*

    321       53,956  
              137,159  

Environmental Control — 0.0%

               

China Conch Venture Holdings, Ltd.

    21,500       93,088  

Food — 3.0%

               

a2 Milk Co., Ltd.*

    3,002       37,467  

BRF SA, ADR*

    12,058       43,409  

China Feihe Ltd.(a)

    268,410       542,840  

China Mengniu Dairy Co., Ltd.*

    110,755       543,906  

Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Spruengli AG

    6       51,152  

Cia Brasileira de Distribuicao, SP ADR

    2,775       32,135  

Coles Group Ltd.

    4,109       53,551  

Colruyt SA

    628       39,583  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

9

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Food — (Continued)

Dino Polska SA(a)*

    2,183     $ 132,378  

Foshan Haitian Flavouring & Food Co., Ltd., Class A

    18,920       505,654  

Glanbia, PLC

    88,877       1,021,706  

ICA Gruppen AB

    691       33,912  

J Sainsbury PLC

    8,762       21,529  

JBS SA, SP ADR

    690       5,610  

Kerry Group, PLC, Class A

    7,146       938,404  

Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV

    696       20,940  

Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV, SP ADR

    4,031       121,212  

Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd.

    400       32,343  

Nestle India Ltd.

    1,584       343,422  

Nestle SA

    13,542       1,631,095  

Nestle SA, SP ADR

    6,845       824,172  

Ocado Group PLC*

    2,138       71,206  

Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd.

    34,100       1,100,131  

Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd., ADR

    3,000       48,270  

Tesco, PLC

    1,784       5,210  

Toyo Suisan Kaisha Ltd.

    1,000       56,857  

Wilmar International Ltd.

    29,000       92,781  

Woolworths Group, Ltd.

    2,137       62,623  

Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd.

    600       34,246  
              8,447,744  

Food Service — 0.5%

               

Compass Group, PLC

    82,635       1,337,202  

Compass Group, PLC, SP ADR

    7,353       118,016  
              1,455,218  

Forest Products & Paper — 0.0%

Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, ADR

    736       26,503  

UPM-Kymmene Corp.

    1,590       48,259  
              74,762  

Gas — 0.2%

               

Beijing Enterprises Holdings, Ltd.

    11,000       34,949  

China Gas Holdings, Ltd.

    2,999       8,210  

China Resources Gas Group Ltd.

    10,000       46,907  

Enagas SA

    1,404       34,381  

ENN Energy Holdings, Ltd.

    6,000       66,480  

Hong Kong & China Gas Co., Ltd.

    790       1,149  

National Grid PLC

    2,867       32,111  

National Grid, PLC, SP ADR

    2,605       147,130  

Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.

    2,000       39,171  

Snam SpA

    9,397       48,124  

TOHO GAS Co.

    1,000       44,177  

Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.

    1,000       22,266  
              525,055  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Hand/Machine Tools — 0.6%

               

Amada Co., Ltd.

    120,100     $ 1,067,326  

Sandvik AB

    3,286       64,704  

Schindler Holding AG

    216       56,887  

Techtronic Industrials Co., Ltd.

    39,190       496,308  
              1,685,225  

Healthcare-Products — 1.7%

               

Alcon, Inc.*

    515       29,530  

Alcon, Inc.*

    61,725       3,511,964  

Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd.

    1,004       29,796  

Cochlear, Ltd.*

    376       53,134  

Coloplast A/S, SP ADR

    1,070       18,206  

Coloplast A/S, Class B

    327       55,466  

Essilor International Cie Generale d’Opitque SA

    384       51,404  

EssilorLuxottica SA, ADR

    1,096       73,596  

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp., Ltd.

    2,078       51,465  

Hengan International Group Co., Ltd.

    6,010       47,323  

Koninklijke Philips NV

    1,898       90,136  

Olympus Corp.

    2,000       39,589  

QIAGEN NV*

    2,099       106,965  

Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd., Class A

    7,987       398,523  

Smith & Nephew PLC

    2,242       45,245  

Sysmex Corp., ADR

    450       19,639  

Terumo Corp.

    1,362       55,407  
              4,677,388  

Healthcare-Services — 0.5%

               

Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd.

    1,978       43,924  

Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co., KGaA, ADR

    1,104       46,787  

Fresenius SE & Co., KGaA

    707       32,807  

Lonza Group AG

    182       113,097  

Lonza Group AG, ADR*

    370       22,992  

Ping An Healthcare and Technology Co., Ltd.(a)*

    11,688       170,354  

Sonic Healthcare Ltd., SP ADR

    3,345       78,708  

Wuxi Biologics Cayman, Inc.(a)*

    35,299       913,892  
              1,422,561  

Home Builders — 0.5%

               

Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd.

    730       19,520  

Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd.

    81,500       1,303,867  

Sekisui House Ltd.

    4,000       79,021  
              1,402,408  

Home Furnishings — 0.2%

               

Electrolux AB, Class B

    972       21,101  

Sharp Corp.

    3,000       37,193  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

10

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Home Furnishings — (Continued)

Sony Corp., SP ADR

    4,806     $ 377,944  
              436,238  

Household Products/Wares — 0.2%

Hindustan Unilever Ltd.

    13,993       402,514  

Reckitt Benckiser Group, PLC, SP ADR

    9,130       183,330  
              585,844  

Insurance — 4.6%

               

Aegon NV

    14,288       39,563  

Ageas SA

    2,481       103,385  

AIA Group, Ltd.

    140,661       1,441,038  

AIA Group, Ltd., SP ADR

    9,630       393,000  

Allianz SE, SP ADR

    6,060       131,260  

Aon, PLC, Class A

    18,100       3,619,819  

Baloise Holding AG

    522       81,321  

Cathay Financials Holdings Co., Ltd.

    38,000       51,613  

China Life Insurance Co., Ltd., ADR

    4,936       60,120  

China Pacific Insurance Group Co., Ltd.

    12,200       33,844  

CNP Assurances

    12,462       167,080  

Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc.

    6,692       101,398  

Hannover Rueck SE

    286       48,771  

Insurance Australia Group Ltd.

    12,776       44,768  

Lancashire Holdings, Ltd.

    265,548       2,711,121  

Legal & General Group PLC

    36,815       105,823  

Manulife Finanical Corp.

    6,860       101,185  

New China Life Insurance Co., Ltd.

    16,800       66,936  

NN Group NV

    3,039       114,243  

PICC Property & Casualty Co., Ltd.

    50,000       38,558  

Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd.

    8,171       87,237  

Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China, Ltd., ADR

    8,016       171,462  

Prudential PLC, SP ADR

    2,925       47,155  

RSA Insurance Group, PLC

    8,130       48,523  

Sampo, PLC, Class A

    41,482       1,671,041  

Sanlam Ltd., SP ADR

    5,156       33,230  

Sun Life Financial, Inc.

    2,753       114,993  

Suncorp Group, Ltd.

    18,597       127,219  

T&D Holdings, Inc.

    5,200       54,428  

Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc.

    460       21,230  

Topdanmark AS

    25,523       1,099,322  
              12,930,686  

Internet — 6.4%

               

51job, Inc., ADR*

    1,093       71,635  

58.com, Inc., ADR*

    597       33,050  

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.*

    11,565       416,280  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Internet — (Continued)

Alibaba Group Holdings, Ltd., SP ADR*

    22,821     $ 6,550,312  

Autohome, Inc., ADR

    467       37,472  

Baidu, Inc., SP ADR*

    1,335       166,301  

Delivery Hero SE(a)*

    387       41,634  

iQIYI, Inc., ADR*

    1,374       29,747  

JD.com, Inc., ADR*

    9,928       780,738  

JOYY, Inc.

    721       61,602  

Kakao Corp.

    1,237       422,660  

LINE Corp.*

    99       5,046  

LINE Corp., SP ADR*

    1,409       71,718  

M3, Inc.

    1,300       75,307  

Meituan Dianping, Class B*

    13,613       448,742  

Naspers, Ltd.

    953       173,765  

Naver Corp.

    1,033       279,715  

Prosus NV*

    949       95,120  

SEEK Ltd.

    4,272       64,897  

SINA Corp. (China)*

    739       30,066  

Spotify Technology SA*

    1,653       466,411  

Tencent Holdings, Ltd.

    82,041       5,604,907  

Tencent Holdings, Ltd., ADR

    17,513       1,196,838  

Vipshop Holdings, Ltd. ADR*

    4,069       67,179  

Weibo Corp., SP ADR*

    653       24,357  

Yandex NV, Class A*

    7,480       510,360  

Z Holdings Corp.

    6,577       43,779  
              17,769,638  

Investment Companies — 2.3%

               

Groupe Bruxelles Lambert SA

    53,848       4,968,758  

Kinnevik AB

    849       32,931  

Melrose Industries, PLC

    1,019,208       1,359,904  

Wendel SA

    888       91,106  
              6,452,699  

Iron/Steel — 0.4%

               

BlueScope Steel, Ltd.

    6,357       59,375  

Century Iron & Steel Industrial Co., Ltd.

    70,468       295,347  

Cia Siderurgica Nacional SA, SP ADR

    41,580       113,514  

Fortescue Metals Group, Ltd.

    5,658       72,317  

Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp.

    8,000       78,757  

Posco, SP ADR

    3,580       138,331  

Vale SA, SP ADR*

    30,044       330,484  

voestalpine AG

    1,763       43,809  
              1,131,934  

Leisure Time — 0.2%

               

China International Travel Service Corp., Ltd., Class A

    8,672       262,814  

Merida Industry Co., Ltd.

    25,165       210,421  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

11

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Leisure Time — (Continued)

Shimano, Inc.

    236     $ 49,976  
              523,211  

Lodging — 0.9%

               

City Developments Ltd.

    2,005       11,815  

Galaxy Entertainment Group, Ltd.*

    71,229       559,946  

Huazhu Group, Ltd., ADR

    1,213       54,258  

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC

    32,064       1,851,301  

Melco Resorts & Entertainment, Ltd., ADR*

    988       19,286  

Sands China, Ltd., ADR

    1,615       70,139  

Sands China, Ltd.

    2,236       9,843  
              2,576,588  

Machinery-Construction & Mining — 0.1%

Hitachi Ltd.

    901       29,975  

Hitachi Ltd., ADR

    1,830       121,833  

Komatsu, Ltd.

    4,400       95,799  

Mitsubishi Electical Corp.

    3,000       41,328  

Mitsubishi Electric Corp., ADR

    1,350       37,166  
              326,101  

Machinery-Diversified — 1.9%

               

Atlas Copco AB, Class A

    1,701       78,729  

Atlas Copco AB, Class A, SP ADR

    1,656       76,871  

CNH Industrial NV

    6,623       52,465  

Daifuku Co., Ltd.

    400       35,216  

FANUC Corp.

    300       52,630  

GEA Group AG

    67,540       2,466,189  

Hefei Meiya Optoelectronic Technology, Inc., Class A

    41,200       350,526  

Keyence Corp.

    922       379,729  

Kone Corp., Class B

    3,518       301,734  

Kubota Corp., SP ADR

    883       79,790  

SMC Corp.

    110       60,447  

SMC Corp., ADR

    2,280       62,905  

Spirax-Sarco Engineering, PLC

    9,212       1,255,195  

Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ltd.

    2,000       45,525  
              5,297,951  

Media — 1.3%

               

Informa, PLC*

    4,850       26,760  

MultiChoice Group

    5,548       31,563  

MultiChoice Group, Ltd., ADR

    93       539  

Pearson, PLC, SP ADR

    15,198       113,225  

Shaw Communications, Inc., Class B

    9,386       175,424  

Thomson Reuters Corp.

    1,419       108,369  

Vivendi SA, ADR

    5,370       152,347  

Wolters Kluwer

    36,985       3,033,984  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Media — (Continued)

Wolters Kluwer NV, SP ADR

    667     $ 54,741  
              3,696,952  

Mining — 0.8%

               

Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.

    1,499       123,667  

Antofagasta, PLC

    8,790       126,026  

Barrick Gold Corp.

    6,196       183,711  

BHP Billiton Ltd., SP ADR

    2,572       141,614  

Boliden AB

    2,900       86,643  

Cameco Corp.

    3,460       40,032  

Franco-Nevada Corp.

    1,038       156,198  

Newcrest Mining Ltd.

    1,769       41,657  

Norsk Hydro ASA

    15,202       48,489  

Rio Tinto, PLC, SP ADR

    1,211       74,150  

South32 Ltd.

    44,192       68,320  

Southern Copper Corp.

    3,807       183,117  

Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.

    2,000       61,011  

Teck Resources, Ltd., Class B

    8,215       94,637  

Vedanta, Ltd., ADR

    24,495       171,710  

Wheaton Precious Metals Corp.

    9,835       524,894  
              2,125,876  

Miscellaneous Manufacturing — 1.1%

Airtac International Group

    18,092       400,757  

Orica Ltd.

    5,536       70,776  

Siemens AG

    1,920       266,045  

Smiths Group, PLC

    99,352       1,844,039  

Sunny Optical Technology Group Co., Ltd.

    3,869       57,242  

Toshiba Corp.

    96       2,766  

Weihai Guangwei Composites Co., Ltd., Class A

    34,500       392,177  

 

            3,033,802  

Office/Business Equipment — 0.0%

Fujifilm Holdings Corp.

    1,100       52,322  

Oil & Gas — 3.3%

               

BP, PLC, SP ADR

    3,640       76,185  

Canadian Natural Resources, Ltd.

    1,292       25,414  

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp.

    130,000       59,688  

DCC, PLC

    64,544       5,734,133  

Eni SpA

    90,689       842,535  

Equinor ASA, SP ADR

    6,656       106,829  

Lukoil , PJSC, SP ADR

    8,011       538,580  

Neste Oyj

    756       40,473  

Oil Search Ltd.

    31,786       76,632  

Petroleo Brasileiro, SP ADR

    10,959       89,535  

Reliance Industries Ltd.

    20,998       593,079  

Repsol SA

    10,293       81,306  

Royal Dutch Shell, PLC, Class A, SP ADR

    13,800       409,584  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

12

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Oil & Gas — (Continued)

Total SA, SP ADR

    9,625     $ 380,861  

Ultrapar Participacoes SA, SP ADR

    7,935       27,931  
              9,082,765  

Oil & Gas Services — 0.1%

               

Dialog Group Bhd

    230,710       198,481  

Pharmaceuticals — 8.1%

               

Alfresa Holdings Corp.

    180,900       3,634,997  

Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd., ADR

    6,986       55,643  

Astellas Pharma, Inc.

    3,700       58,046  

Astellas Pharma, Inc., ADR

    1,987       31,136  

AstraZeneca, PLC, SP ADR

    5,764       322,784  

Bausch Health Cos., Inc.*

    3,548       58,968  

Bayer AG

    1,297       86,266  

Bayer AG, SP ADR

    3,620       60,273  

By-health Co Ltd., Class A

    58,994       210,958  

Celltrion, Inc.*

    118       29,453  

Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

    2,100       93,570  

CSPC Pharmaceutical Group, Ltd.

    14,400       31,816  

Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd.

    916       81,710  

Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd., ADR

    292       26,169  

Divi’s Laboratories Ltd.

    10,293       435,804  

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Ltd., ADR

    3,953       229,946  

Eisai Co., Ltd.

    492       42,973  

Glaxosmithkline, PLC

    133,065       2,599,214  

Glaxosmithkline, PLC, SP ADR

    5,768       228,413  

Grifols SA, ADR

    808       12,952  

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

    471       41,996  

Merck KGaA

    587       79,782  

Novartis AG

    37,982       3,273,556  

Novartis AG, SP ADR

    25,683       2,210,279  

Novo-Nordisk AS, SP ADR

    6,449       425,892  

Orion Corporation, Class B

    672       31,555  

Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd.

    1,100       48,277  

Recordati SpA

    37,793       2,061,537  

Roche Holdings AG

    5,853       2,047,491  

Roche Holdings AG, SP ADR

    12,760       557,612  

Sanofi

    30,141       3,052,933  

Sanofi, ADR

    4,424       223,766  

Shionogi & Co., Ltd.

    227       12,605  

Sino Biopharmaceutical, Ltd.

    24,000       27,619  

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., SP ADR

    524       9,752  

UCB SA

    21       2,492  
              22,438,235  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Pipelines — 0.1%

               

Enbridge, Inc.

    822     $ 26,320  

TC Energy Corp.

    4,057       189,300  
              215,620  

Private Equity — 0.1%

               

3i Group, PLC

    3,463       42,555  

Macquarie Korea Infrastructure Fund

    23,033       213,147  

Partners Group Holding AG

    66       67,235  
              322,937  

Real Estate — 0.9%

               

Aroundtown SA

    6,368       34,884  

CapitaLand, Ltd.

    654       1,330  

China Overseas Land & Investment, Ltd.

    9,605       27,782  

China Resources Land, Ltd.

    13,714       63,353  

China Vanke Co., Ltd.

    6,000       18,625  

CIFI Holdings Group Co., Ltd.

    251,812       214,040  

CK Asset Holdings, Ltd.

    10,500       56,991  

Country Garden Holdings Co., Ltd.

    31,000       38,383  

Country Garden Services Holdings Co., Ltd.

    80,250       559,112  

Daito Trust Construction Co., Ltd.

    300       26,589  

Deutsche Wohnen SE

    1,095       58,416  

Great Eagle Holdings, Ltd.

    356,662       916,382  

Longfor Group Holdings, Ltd.(a)

    6,500       34,388  

REA Group, Ltd.

    633       53,238  

Shanghai Industrial Urban Development Group, Ltd.

    20,000       2,344  

Shimao Group Holdings Ltd.

    7,500       33,707  

Sun Hung Kai Properties, Ltd.

    8,472       113,665  

Sunac China Holdings, Ltd.

    10,261       43,074  

UOL Group, Ltd.

    8,000       38,584  

Vonovia SE

    1,595       114,147  

Wharf Holdings Ltd., (The)

    14,000       27,277  

Wharf Real Estate Investment Co., Ltd.

    14,000       58,187  
              2,534,498  

REITS — 0.4%

               

Ascendas Real Estate Investment Trust

    53,000       129,129  

CapitaLand Mall Trust

    25,000       35,958  

Daiwa House REIT Investment Corp.

    25       65,318  

Goodman Group

    6,677       89,886  

Japan Retail Fund Investment Corp.

    38       57,190  

Link

    2,403       19,117  

Merlin Properties Socimi SA

    65,058       584,223  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

13

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

REITS — (Continued)

Nippon Building Fund Inc.

    10     $ 60,216  

Nippon Prologis REIT, Inc.

    15       49,129  

Segro, PLC

    5,434       69,089  

United Urban Investment Corp.

    51       56,684  
              1,215,939  

Retail — 2.8%

               

Aeon Co., Ltd.

    676       16,781  

Alibaba Health Information Technology, Ltd.*

    77,931       187,832  

ANTA Sports Products, Ltd.

    5,561       54,817  

Astra International Tbk PT, ADR

    3,615       24,817  

Bidvest Group, Ltd., (The)

    3,146       25,143  

Cie Financiere Richemont SA, ADR

    12,160       80,074  

CP ALL PCL, NVDR

    97,690       199,588  

Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.

    147       87,643  

Industria de Diseno Textil SA, ADR

    7,152       100,843  

Lawson, Inc.

    1,000       49,428  

Li Ning Co., Ltd.

    124,772       527,025  

McDonald’s Holdings Co. Japan Ltd.

    600       29,442  

Next, PLC

    352       28,205  

Nitori Holdings Co., Ltd.

    353       73,928  

Pan Pacific International Holdings Corp.

    2,000       47,083  

Raia Drogasil SA

    15,145       300,301  

Restaurant Brands International, Inc.

    3,260       176,496  

Sun Art Retail Group Ltd.

    180,896       235,337  

Sundrug Co., Ltd.

    6,640       247,101  

Swatch Group AG, (The)

    8,918       1,887,167  

TITAN COMPANY, Ltd.

    11,580       173,193  

Tsuruha Holdings

    18,400       2,462,638  

Wal-Mart de Mexico SAB de CV

    122,502       293,351  

Wal-Mart de Mexico SAB de CV, SP ADR

    2,313       55,605  

Yum China Holdings, Inc.

    6,286       362,765  

Zhongsheng Group Holdings Ltd.

    7,000       43,655  

 

            7,770,258  

Semiconductors — 5.5%

               

ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd. ADR

    6,033       24,796  

ASM Pacific Technology, Ltd.

    9       97  

ASML Holding NV

    657       245,524  

ASML Holding NV

    1,129       422,449  

Mediatek, Inc.

    26,159       494,663  

NVIDIA Corp.

    1,451       776,256  

Rohm Co., Ltd.

    40       2,577  

Samsung Electronic Co., Ltd.

    48,080       2,183,128  

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Semiconductors — (Continued)

Samsung Electronic Co., Ltd., GDR

    2,888     $ 3,473,570  

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp.*

    8,500       26,851  

SK Hynix, Inc.

    3,699       233,762  

SUMCO Corp.

    34       462  

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

    171,000       2,492,339  

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., SP ADR

    58,820       4,661,485  

Tokyo Electron, Ltd.

    400       102,603  

Tokyo Electron, Ltd., ADR

    1,048       67,198  

United Microelectronics Corp., SP ADR

    36,418       128,920  
              15,336,680  

Software — 3.0%

               

Agora, Inc., ADR*

    5,848       279,417  

Arco Platform, Ltd., Class A*

    2,114       95,637  

Bilibili, Inc., SP ADR*

    5,155       243,574  

BlackBerry Ltd.*

    10,732       56,021  

CD Projekt SA*

    3,252       386,689  

Dassault Systemes SE, SP ADR

    490       92,504  

Dassault Systemes SE

    475       89,631  

Hundsun Technologies, Inc., Class A

    17,100       277,851  

NetEase, Inc.

    16,100       323,238  

NetEase, Inc., ADR

    2,486       1,211,204  

Nexon Co., Ltd.

    2,300       53,819  

Open Text Corp.

    5,184       235,250  

Oracle Corp.

    300       35,158  

Playtech, PLC

    266,221       1,312,210  

SAP SE

    12,426       2,054,568  

SAP SE, SP ADR

    2,021       334,294  

Sea, Ltd., ADR*

    3,758       574,260  

SimCorp A/S

    5,896       749,636  
              8,404,961  

Telecommunications — 3.9%

               

America Movil SAB de CV, Class L, SP ADR

    7,257       88,318  

BCE, Inc.

    5,954       256,081  

Belgacom SA

    48,548       958,775  

Bharti Airtel Ltd.

    40,213       280,303  

Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd.

    54,488       201,435  

Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd., SP ADR

    10,212       377,027  

Deutsche Telekom AG, SP ADR

    5,690       100,373  

Elisa OYJ

    619       36,432  

GDS Holdings Ltd., ADR*

    1,566       126,752  

Hikari Tsushin, Inc.

    200       48,280  

KDDI Corp.

    112,264       3,263,275  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

14

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Telecommunications — (Continued)

Millicom International Cellular SA, SDR

    116     $ 3,451  

MTN Group, Ltd.

    23,254       83,895  

NICE Ltd., SP ADR

    288       66,197  

Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. ADR

    4,220       95,964  

Nokia OYJ, SP ADR

    20,351       99,720  

NTT DOCOMO, Inc.

    703       19,603  

NTT DOCOMO, Inc., SP ADR

    2,092       58,373  

Orange SA

    5,493       61,361  

PLDT, Inc., SP ADR

    2,630       77,822  

SK Telecom Ltd., SP ADR

    6,177       141,886  

SoftBank Corp.

    3,856       50,669  

Softbank Group Corp., ADR

    7,968       246,530  

Swisscom AG

    80       44,296  

Tele2 AB, Class B

    1,551       22,015  

Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, Class B

    334,991       3,905,966  

Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, SP ADR

    2,495       29,067  

Telefonica SA, SP ADR

    14,765       58,322  

Telekomunikasi Indonesia Persero Tbk PT, SP ADR

    663       13,214  

Telenor ASA, ADR

    3,481       57,000  

Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS, ADR

    6,168       30,100  

Vodafone Group, PLC, SP ADR

    3,568       52,699  
              10,955,201  

Toys/Games/Hobbies — 0.1%

               

Bandai Namco Holdings, Inc.

    800       49,666  

Nintendo Co., Ltd.

    200       107,662  

Nintendo, Ltd., ADR

    1,152       77,048  

 

            234,376  

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

Transportation — 0.4%

               

Aurizon Holdings Ltd.

    22,111     $ 70,712  

Canadian National Railway Co.

    3,433       359,023  

Canadian Pacific Railway, Ltd.

    211       62,388  

Deutsche Post AG, SP ADR

    3,012       137,106  

DSV PANALPINA A S, ADR

    826       64,420  

Keihan Holdings Co., Ltd.

    1,000       43,119  

Keio Corp.

    1,000       60,476  

Kintetsu Group Holdings Co., Ltd.

    577       25,384  

Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd.

    3,000       55,430  

Nagoya Railroad Co., Ltd.

    1,000       27,919  

Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd.

    2,000       49,531  

SG Holdings Co., Ltd.

    1,223       56,280  

Tobu Railway Co., Ltd.

    1,000       31,251  

ZTO Express Cayman, Inc., ADR

    3,209       107,598  
              1,150,637  

Water — 0.8%

               

Cia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo, ADR*

    2,739       23,829  

Guangdong Investment Ltd.

    10,000       15,593  

Severn Trent, PLC

    1,160       35,980  

United Utilities Group, PLC

    189,951       2,087,129  
              2,162,531  

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

               

(Cost $221,857,879)

            254,280,378  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

15

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Portfolio of Investments (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

PREFERRED STOCKS — 1.2%

               

Auto Manufacturers — 0.0%

               

Porsche Auto SE

    851     $ 52,334  

Banks — 0.1%

               

Banco Bradesco SA, ADR, 10.474%

    36,819       138,807  

Bancolombia SA, SP ADR, 5.344%

    1,414       39,677  
              178,484  

Chemicals — 0.3%

               

Fuchs Petrolub SE, 2.445%

    17,783       841,159  

Cosmetics/Personal Care — 0.4%

LG Household & Health Care, Ltd., 1.559%

    1,628       959,288  

Electric — 0.0%

               

Cia Paranaense de Energia, SP ADR*, 4.415%

    3,320       37,549  

Electronics — 0.0%

               

Sartorius AG, 0.103%

    88       37,357  

Semiconductors — 0.4%

               

Samsung Electronic Co., Ltd., 2.952%

    30,605       1,222,564  

Telecommunications — 0.0%

               

Telefonica Brasil SA, ADR, 6.220%

    3,719       32,467  

TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS

               

(Cost $3,303,616)

            3,361,202  
                 

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS — 0.1%

Diversified Financial Services — 0.1%

Ishares MSCI India ETF

    10,140       338,372  

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

       

(Cost $331,887)

            338,372  
                 

 

 

   

Number of
Shares

   

Value

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 7.3%

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(b)

    20,344,566     $ 20,344,566  

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

       

(Cost $20,344,566)

            20,344,566  

TOTAL INVESTMENTS 99.8%

               

(Cost $245,837,948)

            278,324,518  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES 0.2%

            631,644  

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 278,956,162  

 

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

Security exempt from registration under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933. These securities may be resold in transactions exempt from registration to qualified institutional buyers. As of August 31, 2020, total market value of Rule 144A securities is $5,511,332 and represents 1.98% of net assets.

 

(b)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

ADR

American Depositary Receipt

 

GDR

Global Depositary Receipt

 

NVDR

Non-Voting Depositary Receipt

 

PLC

Public Limited Company

 

REIT

Real Estate Investment Trust

 

SDR

Special Drawing Right

 

SP ADR

Sponsored ADR

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

16

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


STATEMENT of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

ASSETS

       

Investments, at value (cost $225,493,382)

  $ 257,979,952  

Short-term investments, at value (cost $20,344,566)

    20,344,566  

Foreign currency at value (cost $80,999)

    103,731  

Receivables for:

       

Dividends

    657,843  

Capital shares sold

    535,606  

Investments sold

    3,293  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    21,284  

Total assets

    279,646,275  
         

LIABILITIES

       

Payables for:

       

Investments purchased

    301,408  

Capital shares redeemed

    193,314  

Sub-advisory fees

    110,221  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    85,170  

Total liabilities

    690,113  

Net assets

  $ 278,956,162  
         

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

       

Par value

  $ 28,088  

Paid-in capital

    268,431,426  

Total distributable earnings/(loss)

    10,496,648  

Net assets

  $ 278,956,162  
         

CAPITAL SHARES:

       

Net Assets

  $ 278,956,162  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    28,087,825  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 9.93  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

17

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Statement of Operations

FOR THE Year ENDED August 31, 2020

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

       

Dividends (net of foreign taxes withheld of $411,581)

  $ 4,067,000  

Total investment income

    4,067,000  
         

EXPENSES

       

Sub-advisory fees (Note 2)

    935,077  

Administration and accounting services fees (Note 2)

    185,899  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    175,337  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    45,842  

Registration and filing fees

    30,329  

Audit and tax service fees

    26,184  

Legal fees

    24,817  

Director fees

    20,949  

Officer fees

    19,496  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    9,742  

Other expenses

    56,448  

Total expenses

    1,530,120  

Net investment income/(loss)

    2,536,880  
         

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

       

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments and foreign currency transactions

    (10,909,975 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments and foreign currency translation

    36,219,749  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    25,309,774  

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ 27,846,654  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

18

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FORM OPERATIONS

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 2,536,880     $ 2,469,734  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments and foreign currency transactions

    (10,909,975 )     (8,506,256 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments and foreign currency translation

    36,219,749       (2,529,903 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    27,846,654       (8,566,425 )
                 

DIVIDEND AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (2,498,204 )     (1,307,749 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (2,498,204 )     (1,307,749 )
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    111,312,020       153,773,759  

Reinvestment of distributions

    1,933,346       1,153,300  

Shares redeemed

    (23,012,232 )     (158,646,047 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from capital share transactions

    90,233,134       (3,718,988 )

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    115,581,584       (13,593,162 )
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    163,374,578       176,967,740  

End of period

  $ 278,956,162     $ 163,374,578  
                 

SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Shares sold

    12,830,560       17,019,112  

Shares reinvested

    199,314       133,638  

Shares redeemed

    (2,575,314 )     (17,930,022 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares

    10,454,560       (777,272 )

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

19

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

   

For the Period
April 17, 2018
(1) to
August 31, 2018

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 9.27     $ 9.61     $ 10.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    0.12       0.14       0.08  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    0.67       (0.35 )     (0.47 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    0.79       (0.21 )     (0.39 )

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                       

Net investment income

    (0.13 )     (0.13 )      

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.13 )     (0.13 )      

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 9.93     $ 9.27     $ 9.61  

Total investment return/(loss)(3)

    8.61 %     (2.12 )%     (3.90 )%(4)
                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s)

  $ 278,956     $ 163,375     $ 176,968  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

    0.75 %     0.94 %     0.80 %(5)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    1.24 %     1.56 %     2.21 %(5)

Portfolio turnover rate

    55 %     81 %     36 %(4)

 

 

(1)

Commencement of operations.

 

(2)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

 

(3)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

 

(4)

Not annualized.

 

(5)

Annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

20

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

August 31, 2020

 

1. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the Aquarius International Fund (the “Fund”), which commenced investment operations on April 17, 2018.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

The Fund’s investment objective seeks capital appreciation.

 

The Fund is an investment company and follows accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services - Investment Companies”.

 

The end of the reporting period for the Fund is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

PORTFOLIO VALUATION – The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by the Fund are valued using the closing price or the last sale price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Foreign securities are valued based on prices from the primary market in which they are traded, and are translated from the local currency into U.S. dollars using current exchange rates. Investments in other open-end investment companies, if any, are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses). If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments. Such procedures use fundamental valuation methods, which may include, but are not limited to, an analysis of the effect of any restrictions on the resale of the security, industry analysis and trends, significant changes in the issuer’s financial position, and any other event which could have a significant impact on the value of the security. Determination of fair value involves subjective judgment as the actual market value of a particular security can be established only by negotiations between the parties in a sales transaction, and the difference between the recorded fair value and the value that would be received in a sale could be significant. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities traded primarily in non-U.S. markets because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Fund values its securities, generally as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. The earlier close of these foreign markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, government actions or pronouncements, aftermarket trading, or news events may have occurred in the interim. To account for this, the Fund may value foreign securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools (international fair value pricing).

 

21

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

August 31, 2020

 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS – The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Fund’s investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

● Level 1

— Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

● Level 2

— Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

 

● Level 3

— Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at fair value:

 

   

Total

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

 

Common Stocks

  $ 254,280,378     $ 56,460,348     $ 197,820,030     $  

Exchange Traded Funds

    338,372       338,372              

Preferred Stocks

    3,361,202       248,500       3,112,702        

Short-Term Investments

    20,344,566       20,344,566              

Total Investments*

  $ 278,324,518     $ 77,391,786     $ 200,932,732     $  

 

*

Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments for further details.

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Fund may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires the Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when the Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for Level 3 transfers are disclosed if the Fund had an amount of total Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund had no Level 3 transfers.

 

22

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

August 31, 2020

 

REITS — The Fund has made certain investments in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) which pay dividends to their shareholders based upon available funds from operations. It is quite common for these dividends to exceed the REITs’ taxable earnings and profits resulting in the excess portion being designated as a return of capital. The Fund intends to include the gross dividends from such REITs in its annual distributions to shareholders and, accordingly, a portion of the Fund’s distributions may also be designated as a return of capital.

 

USE OF ESTIMATES — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS, INVESTMENT INCOME AND EXPENSES — The Fund records security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gain are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. The Fund’s investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family of the Company are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all of the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Fund.

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS — Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, are declared and paid at least annually to shareholders recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

U.S. TAX STATUS — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is the Fund’s intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION — Assets and liabilities initially expressed in non-U.S. currencies are translated into U.S. dollars based on the applicable exchange rates at the date of the last business day of the financial statement period. Purchases and sales of securities, interest income, dividends, variation margin received and expenses denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect on the transaction date.

 

The Fund does not separately report the effect of changes in foreign exchange rates from changes in market prices of securities held. Such changes are included with the net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments in the Statement of Operations. Other foreign currency transactions resulting in realized and unrealized gain or loss are reported separately as net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on foreign currencies in the Statement of Operations.

 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

OTHER — In the normal course of business, the Fund may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Fund in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Fund expects the risk of material loss from such claims to be remote.

 

23

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

August 31, 2020

 

The Fund may be subject to taxes imposed by countries in which it invests, with respect to its investments in issuers existing or operating in such countries. Such taxes are generally based on income earned or repatriated and capital gains realized on the sale of such investments. The Fund accrues such taxes when the related income or capital gains are earned or throughout the holding period. Some countries require governmental approval for the repatriation of investment income, capital or the proceeds of sales earned by foreign investors. Additionally, if there is a deterioration in a country’s balance of payments or for other reasons, a country may impose temporary restrictions on foreign capital remittances abroad.

 

MARKET RISK — Investments in foreign markets may involve certain considerations and risks not typically associated with investments in the United States of America, including the possibility of future political and economic developments and the level of foreign governmental supervision and regulation of foreign securities markets. These markets are generally smaller, less liquid and more volatile than the major securities markets in the United States of America. Consequently, acquisition and disposition of international securities held by the Fund may be inhibited.

 

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers are not known. The operational and financial performance of the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance.

 

2. INVESTMENT ADVISER AND OTHER SERVICES

 

Altair Advisers, LLC (“Altair” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Aperio Group, LLC, Driehaus Capital Management, LLC, Mawer Investment Management, Ltd. and Setanta Asset Management Limited each serve as an investment sub-adviser (“Sub-Adviser”) to the Fund.

 

The Fund is managed by the Adviser and one or more Sub-Advisers unaffiliated with the Adviser. The Adviser also has the ultimate responsibility to oversee the Sub-Advisers, and to recommend their hiring, termination and replacement, subject to approval by the Board. The Adviser has an investment team that is jointly responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. The Sub-Advisers provide investment advisory services to the portion of the Fund’s portfolio allocated to them by the Adviser. The Adviser and the Fund have entered into sub-advisory agreements with the Sub-Advisers to manage the Fund, subject to supervision of the Adviser and the Board, and in accordance with the investment objective and restrictions of the Fund. The Fund compensates the Sub-Advisers for their services at an annual rate based on the Fund’s average daily net assets, (the “Sub-Advisory Fee”), not to exceed 0.90%, payable on a monthly basis in arrears.

 

During the current fiscal period, collectively, sub-advisory fees accrued were $935,077, or the rate of 0.46%.

 

The Fund is currently only available to clients of the Adviser and to other investors at the Fund’s discretion. The Adviser does not receive a separate management fee from the Fund. However, pursuant to the Fund’s investment advisory agreement with the Adviser, the Adviser is entitled to receive reimbursement for compliance expenses in connection with managing the Fund, up to 0.03% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. During the current fiscal period, the Adviser received $52,044.

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Fund. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Fund’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

24

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

August 31, 2020

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Fund. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Fund’s distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Fund’s distributor.

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Statement of Operations.

 

3. DIRECTOR AND OFFICER COMPENSATION

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Fund or the Company. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Statement of Operations.

 

4. PURCHASES AND SALES OF INVESTMENT SECURITIES

 

During the current fiscal period, aggregate purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) of the Fund were as follows:

 

PURCHASES

SALES

$186,119,070

$101,562,587

 

There were no purchases or sales of long-term U.S. Government securities during the current fiscal period.

 

5. FEDERAL INCOME TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund has followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Fund to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund has determined that there was no effect on the financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Fund is subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by the Fund were as follows:

 

FEDERAL
TAX COST

UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION

UNREALIZED
(DEPRECIATION)

Net Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

$249,065,792

$45,744,933

$(16,382,478)

$29,362,455

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

25

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONCLUDED)

August 31, 2020

 

As of August 31, 2020, there were no permanent differences between distributable earning/(loss) and paid-in capital, respectively.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

UNDISTRIBUTED
ORDINARY
INCOME

UNDISTRIBUTED
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS

CAPITAL LOSS
CARRYFORWARDS

NET UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION/
(DEPRECIATION)

QUALIFIED
LATE-YEAR
LOSSES

$2,088,526

$—

$(20,954,333)

$29,362,455

$—

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate primarily to the timing of recognition of income and gains for federal income tax purposes. Short-term and foreign currency gains are reported as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019 were as follows:

 

 

ORDINARY
INCOME

LONG-TERM
GAINS

TOTAL

2020   $2,498,204 $— $2,498,204
2019   1,307,749 1,307,749

 

Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the Fund is permitted to carry forward capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 for an unlimited period. Additionally, capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under the previous law. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund had capital loss carryforwards of $20,954,333.

 

6. NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS and regulatory updates

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Fund’s financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

7. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no significant events requiring recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

26

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. and Shareholders of Aquarius International Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments, of Aquarius International Fund (the “Fund”), a separately managed portfolio of The RBB Fund, Inc., as of August 31, 2020, the related statement of operations for the year ended August 31, 2020, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020 and for the period April 17, 2018 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2018 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of August 31, 2020, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020 and the financial highlights for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020 and for the period April 17, 2018 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2018 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020 by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 27, 2020

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Altair Advisers, LLC investment companies since 2015.

 

27

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


SHAREHOLDER TAX INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)

 

Certain tax information regarding the Fund is required to be provided to shareholders based upon the Fund’s income and distributions for the taxable period ended August 31, 2020. The information and distributions reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ending December 31, 2020. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the following dividends and distributions were paid by the Fund:

 

Ordinary
Income

Long-Term
Gains

$2,498,204

$—

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

Under the Jobs and Growth Tax relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 the following percentages of ordinary dividends paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 are designated as “qualified dividend income,” as defined in the Act, and are subject to reduced tax rates:

 

Aquarius International Fund

100%

 

The percentage of total ordinary income dividends paid qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction for the Fund is as follows:

 

Aquarius International Fund

0%

 

The percentage of ordinary income distributions designated as qualified short-term gains pursuant to the American Job Creation Act of 2004 is as follows:

 

Aquarius International Fund

0%

 

Because the Fund’s fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Fund, if any. The Fund passed through foreign tax credits of $408,500 and earned $4,324,801 of gross foreign source income during the fiscal year.

 

In general, dividends received by tax-exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Fund.

 

28

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Other Information (Unaudited)

 

Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling (844) 261-6482 and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedules

 

The Company files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

APPROVAL OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered (1) the renewal of the investment advisory agreement between Altair and the Company (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Fund, and (2) the renewal of the sub-advisory agreements among Altair, the Company and each of Aperio Group, LLC, Driehaus Capital Management, LLC, Mawer Investment Management, Ltd. and Setanta Asset Management Limited (collectively, the “Sub-Advisers”) (together, the “Sub-Advisory Agreements”), at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreements for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreements reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreements, the Board considered information provided by Altair and each of the Sub-Advisers with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Advisory Agreements between the Company and Altair with respect to the Fund, the Directors took into account all materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of services provided to the Fund by Altair and each Sub-Adviser; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of the personnel providing those services; (iii) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ advisory fee arrangements and other similarly managed clients, as applicable; (vii) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ compliance procedures; (viii) Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ financial information and insurance coverage, as applicable; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Fund; (x) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing the Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its Lipper Group and comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its Lipper Group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Altair and each Sub-Adviser. The Directors concluded that Altair and each Sub-Adviser had substantial resources to provide services to the Fund, and that Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ services had been acceptable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Fund and considered the Fund’s investment performance in light of its investment objective and investment strategies, noting that the Fund had commenced operations on April 17, 2018. The Directors noted that the Fund had outperformed its primary benchmark for the year-to-date and one-year periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also considered the Fund’s 3rd quintile ranking within its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year period ended December 31, 2019.

 

29

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


Other Information (Unaudited) (CONCLUDED)

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rate payable by the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Fund and the Fund’s total operating expense ratio were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms. The Directors noted that the Fund’s actual advisor fees ranked in the 3rd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group and ranked within the 2nd quintile within its Lipper Expense Universe, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 3rd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group and Lipper Expense Universe. The Directors considered that the Fund does not pay a contractual management fee to Altair, but instead reimburses for out-of-pocket expenses in connection with its compliance monitoring of the Fund’s trading, up to 0.03% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. The Directors also considered the fees payable to each Sub-Adviser under the Sub-Advisory Agreements.

 

After reviewing the information regarding Altair’s and the Sub-Advisers’ costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering the services to be provided by Altair and the Sub-Advisers, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees to be paid by the Fund to Altair and the sub-advisory fees to be paid to each Sub-Adviser were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreements should be approved and continued for an additional one-year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

30

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


COMPANY MANAGEMENT (Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling (877) 264-5346.

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of
Office and
Length
of Time
Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen
by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc.(until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

 

31

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


COMPANY MANAGEMENT (Unaudited) (continued)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of
Office and
Length
of Time
Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen
by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Nicholas A. Giordano
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

Arnold M. Reichman
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 72

Chairman


Director

2005 to present

1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

Brian T. Shea
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

 

 

32

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


COMPANY MANAGEMENT (Unaudited) (continued)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of
Office and
Length
of Time
Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen
by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

Robert Sablowsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 82

Vice Chairman

Director

2016 to present

1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

OFFICERS

Salvatore Faia, JD,
CPA, CFE
Vigilant Compliance, LLC
Gateway Corporate Center Suite 216
223 Wilmington West
Chester Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Age: 57

President


Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 59

Treasurer and Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

Craig A. Urciuoli
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (investment company).

N/A

N/A

 

 

33

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


COMPANY MANAGEMENT (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of
Office and
Length
of Time
Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen
by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Edward Paz
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 61

Assistant Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1.

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2.

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

 

34

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


COMPANY MANAGEMENT (Unaudited) (CONCLUDED)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive-level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

35

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


PRIVACY NOTICE (UNAUDITED)

 

FACTS

WHAT DOES THE AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

● Social Security number

● account balances

● account transactions

● transaction history

● wire transfer instructions

● checking account information

 

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How?

All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Aquarius International Fund chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

       

Reasons we can share your information

Does the Aquarius International Fund share?

Can you limit
this sharing?

For our everyday business purpose
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal
investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

Yes

No

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes
information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

 

Questions?

Call 1-844-261-6482

 

 

36

 

 

AQUARIUS INTERNATIONAL FUND

 


PRIVACY NOTICE (UNAUDITED)

 

What we do

 

How does the Aquarius International Fund protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.

How does the Aquarius International Fund collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

 

● open an account

● provide account information

● give us your contact information

● make a wire transfer

● tell us where to send the money

 

We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

 

● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness

● affiliates from using your information to market to you

● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

Definitions

 

Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

Our affiliates include Altair Advisers, LLC, the investment adviser to the Aquarius International Fund.

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

Aquarius International Fund doesn’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

 

Aquarius International Fund may share your information with other financial institutions with whom they have joint marketing arrangements who may suggest additional fund services or other investments products which may be of interest to you. We do not currently have any joint marketing arrangements with other financial institutions.

 

 

37

 

 

Investment Adviser
Altair Advisers, LLC
303 West Madison Street, Suite 600
Chicago, IL 60606

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Principal Underwriter
Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Custodian
U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Two Commerce Square
2001 Market Street, Suite 1800
Philadelphia, PA 19103

 

Legal Counsel
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

AQU-AR20

 

 

 

 

 

Bogle Investment
Management

 

Small Cap
Growth Fund

 

of THE RBB FUND, INC.

 

Annual Report
August 31, 2020

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-877-264-5346.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Fund, you can call 1-877-264-5346 to inform the Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Fund.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Fund. It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Fund.

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

Fellow Shareholder:

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund (the “Fund”) returned +10.04%, outperforming by +4.02% the unmanaged Russell 2000® Index of small cap stocks (the “Benchmark”), which returned +6.02% over the same period. The Fund’s periodic returns and returns since inception are shown in the chart on page four. The following sections of this letter will provide background on the market environment, performance attribution, Fund characteristics as of its fiscal year end, and a Bogle Investment Management, L.P. business update.

 

Market Environment. U.S. small cap equity markets, as measured by the Benchmark, delivered positive performance for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, with significant volatility driven by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Benchmark began the period with positive performance, returning +14.23% from September 1, 2019 through February 20, 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic began spreading across the globe, many non-essential businesses were forced to temporarily close or have employees work remotely, communities were encouraged to social distance, and unemployment claims increased significantly. Equity markets declined significantly, with the Benchmark returning -37.80% from February 21, 2020 through April 3, 2020. The Federal Reserve responded with massive amounts of fiscal and monetary stimulus, including lowering short-term interest rates to zero, purchasing corporate and high yield bonds, providing attractive small business loans, and increasing unemployment benefits to those in need. Equity markets responded positively and the Russell 2000® Index rebounded, returning +49.21% from April 6, 2020 through August 31, 2020. Despite the rebound in the equity markets, the general economy remained fragile as businesses attempted to adjust to social distancing guidelines and unemployment remained high. Market volatility, as measured by the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), which measures the market’s implied, expected future volatility, remained above normal levels at the end of the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020.

 

Large cap stocks appeared better equipped to face the challenges of the pandemic as they outperformed small cap stocks for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, with the Russell 1000® Index of large cap stocks beating the Russell 2000® Index of small cap stocks by +16.48% (+22.50% versus +6.02%). The ongoing pandemic also appeared to add fuel to several secular growth trends that benefited from the work-from-home environment and social distancing guidelines. For the fiscal year, the Russell 2000® Growth Index outperformed the Russell 2000® Value Index by 23.42% (+17.28% versus -6.14%).

 

Performance Attribution. The Fund outperformed the Benchmark by +4.02%, net of all fees and expenses, over the course of the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020. The Fund performed in line with the Benchmark from the start of the fiscal year on September 1, 2019 through April 3, 2020 (-29.04% versus -28.94%). Most of the Fund’s outperformance occurred from April 6, 2020 through August 31, 2020, when the Fund outperformed the Benchmark by +5.86% (+55.07% versus +49.21%). Both stock selection and market capitalization exposure contributed positively to net excess return for the period. Growth exposures detracted. Specific Fund holdings with significant positive contributions were Macrogenix, Inc. (MGNX), Vista Outdoor, Inc. (VSTO), and Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. (SPB). Stocks with significant negative contributions included Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (TMHC), M/I Homes, Inc. (MHO), and Everi Holdings, Inc. (EVRI).

 

In addition to stock selection and common factor exposures, we also evaluate the effectiveness of the individual models that form our composite stock selection process. The investment process combines insights derived from a rigorous and systematic analysis of fundamental financial data and complementary sources of information that measure non-fundamental, often shorter-horizon, data. This combination of signals can be thought of, conceptually, as the exploitation of investment opportunities created, primarily, by stocks with attractive fundamental financial characteristics whose appeal hasn’t yet been fully appreciated by the market, and secondarily, by opportunistically trading these securities when market data indicate that there is a statistical probability that their current prices will either revert toward, or start to diverge from, their short-term equilibrium price levels. For the full fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the Fund’s exposure to what we believed were fundamentally attractive stocks that had better prospects for earnings, were relatively undervalued, and exhibited stronger financial quality characteristics in comparison to peers, were the primary drivers of positive net excess return. The Fund’s exposure to our non-fundamental sub-models detracted during the period.

 

1

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

We should also note that the Fund achieved its outperformance versus the Benchmark with less volatility than the Benchmark. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the Fund’s annualized standard deviation of daily returns was 36.8% in comparison to 41.0% for the Benchmark.

 

Fund Characteristics. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund held 141 stocks, with the largest position representing 1.32% of net assets. As shown in the table to the right, the Fund is generally similar to the Benchmark across a variety of fundamental risk characteristics. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund’s median market capitalization was smaller than the Benchmark’s. The Fund’s median price-to-sales ratio was also below the Benchmark’s, reflecting the influence of our relative valuation model.

 

The Fund’s annualized active volatility (the variability of the difference between Fund’s and Benchmark’s performance, also called “tracking error”) was 9.8% in the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, above the Fund’s since inception average of 6.8%. We believe this increase in active volatility is due to increased equity market and individual stock volatility related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fund’s 0.88 beta with the Benchmark was lower than the Fund’s since inception beta.

 

Self-Assessment. In 2019, we made improvements to the Fund’s investment process with the goal of attempting to improve investment results and lower overall Fund volatility. While the Fund’s overall volatility, as measured by standard deviation, was above longer-term averages (36.8% for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 versus 21.5% since inception), we did outperform the Benchmark by +4.02% with less overall volatility than the Benchmark (standard deviation of 36.8% versus 41.0%). We are pleased to achieve these results, and to have delivered value to your portfolios during these difficult times.

 

While investment results are our primary focus, our shareholder services are important as well. We work with U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC, doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, to provide shareholder services, giving them feedback that we have received from you as well as feedback from us based on our own experiences as fellow shareholders. We encourage you to let us know how we can improve your shareholder experience.

 

Progress at Bogle Investment Management. At the end of August 2020, net assets in the Fund were approximately $57 million. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us all in various ways and our hearts go out to those who have been impacted directly. Employees at Bogle began working remotely in mid-March 2020 and continue to do so through the end of August 2020. Many uncertainties remain regarding the resolution of the pandemic and its impacts to the economy, individual business and the stock market broadly. While we are pleased with Fund’s performance for the fiscal year, we expect Fund and equity market volatility to remain higher until there is a resolution. We appreciate you staying the course with your investments.

 

Fundamental Characteristics
August 31, 2020

Median

BOGIX*

Russell 2000®
Index

Median Market Cap ($mil.)

$1,648

$2,117

Price/Historical Earnings

20.6x

25.8x

Price/Forward Earnings

17.8x

23.3x

Price/Sales

1.4x

2.2x

* The Fund’s median characteristics refer to the Fund’s holdings, not the Fund itself. Price/Historical Earnings is a measure of the price paid for a share relative to the last year of earnings per share. Price/Forward Earnings is a measure of the price paid for a share relative to the estimated future earnings (over the next one to two years) per share. Estimated future earnings come from the First Call database and actual earnings may vary from this figure. Price/Sales is a measure of the price paid for a share relative to the last year of revenues per share.

 

Risk Statistics*
Fiscal Year Period

Measurement

BOGIX

Russell 2000®
Index

Standard Deviation

36.8%

41.0%

Active Volatility

9.8%

 

Beta with Russell 2000® Index

0.88

 

* Risk statistics apply to the Fund and Benchmark. Standard deviation is a statistical measure of the range of performance. Active volatility is the standard deviation of the difference between the Fund and Benchmark performance. Beta is a measure of a portfolio’s sensitivity to market movements.

 

2

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

More information about the Fund, including sector allocation, fundamental characteristics, and top ten holdings, can be viewed on our website, www.boglefunds.com. The Fund’s net asset value is updated daily while other Fund information is updated quarterly. Fund information is also available on Morningstar.com and other internet-based financial data providers. We thank you for your ongoing support and, moreover, for the trust and confidence you have placed in us.

 

Respectfully,

 

Bogle Investment Management, L.P.
Management Office: 781-283-5000
Shareholder Services Toll Free: 1-877-BOGLEIM (264-5346)

 

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained at 1-877-264-5346. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The performance quoted reflects fee waivers in effect and would have been less in their absence.

 

The Fund’s investment adviser, Bogle Investment Management, L.P. (the “Adviser”), has contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses through December 31, 2020 to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain expenses) exceed 1.25%. The Adviser, in its discretion, has the right to extend this waiver. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain expenses) for a year are less than 1.25%, the Adviser may recoup any waived or reimbursed amounts from the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made by the Adviser, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed the expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. The total expense ratio for the Fund, prior to fee waivers, as stated in the current prospectus dated December 31, 2019, as supplemented, is 1.38%. The net expense ratio of 1.26% is applicable to investors.

 

The Russell 1000® Index is a market capitalization weighted index of approximately 1,000 of the largest companies in the U.S. equity markets. The Russell 2000® Index is an index of stocks 1001 through 3000 in the Russell 3000® Index, which is made up of 3,000 of the largest U.S. stocks ranked by market capitalization. The Russell 2000 Value® Index is a subset of the securities found in the Russell 2000® Index that exhibit a value probability using the price-to-book ratio. The Russell 2000 Growth® Index is a subset of the securities found in the Russell 2000® Index that exhibit a growth probability using the Institutional Brokers’ Estimate System (I/B/E/S) forecast medium-term growth (2-year) and sales per share historical growth (5-year). The indexes are published and maintained by FTSE Russell and a direct investment in the indexes is not possible. Frank Russell Company (“Russell”) is the source and owner of the trademarks, service marks and copyrights related to the Russell Indexes. Russell® is a trademark of Frank Russell Company. Neither Russell nor its licensors accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the Russell Indexes and / or Russell ratings or underlying data and no party may rely on any Russell Indexes and / or Russell ratings and / or underlying data contained in this communication. No further distribution of Russell Data is permitted without Russell’s express written consent. Russell does not promote, sponsor or endorse the content of this communication. VIX is the ticker symbol for the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) Volatility Index, which shows the market’s expectation of 30-day volatility.

 

Mutual Fund investing involves risk including the possible loss of principal. Investing in small companies can involve more volatility, less liquidity and less available information than investing in large companies. The Fund may invest in undervalued securities which may not appreciate in value as anticipated or may remain undervalued for long periods of time. The Fund recently experienced significant short-term performance due to market volatility associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Performance for very short time periods may not be indicative of future performance. The full impacts of a pandemic or disease outbreaks are unknown, resulting in a high degree of uncertainty for potentially extended periods of time.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change. The current and future portfolio holdings of the Fund are subject to investment risk.

 

Please refer to the Schedule of Investments in this report for a complete list of Fund holdings as of August 31, 2020.

 

3

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Performance Data

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund vs. Russell 2000® Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the Russell 2000® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Five
Year

Ten
Year

Since
Inception(1)

 

Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund

10.04%

6.87%

12.57%

10.22%

 

Russell 2000® Index

6.02%

7.65%

11.53%

7.87%

 

 

 

(1)

For the period October 1, 1999 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2020.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained at 1-877-264-5346. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The performance quoted reflects fee waivers in effect and would have been less in their absence. The total annual Fund operating expense ratio, as stated in the current prospectus dated December 31, 2019, is 1.38% for the Fund prior to fee waivers.

 

Bogle Investment Management, L.P. (the “Adviser” or “Bogle”) waived a portion of its advisory fee and agreed to reimburse a portion of the Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund’s (the “Fund”) operating expenses, if necessary, to maintain the expense limitation as set forth in the notes to the financial statements. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no waivers and reimbursements of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions.

 

4

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Fund Expense Example

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees and other Fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

This example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020 and held for the entire period.

 

Actual Expenses

 

The first line of the accompanying table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

 

The second line of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

The expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as redemption fees. Therefore, the second line of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses Paid
During Period*

Annualized
Expense Ratio

Actual
Six-Month
Total Investment
Return for
the Fund

Actual

$1,000.00

$1,112.60

$6.64

1.25%

11.26%

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

1,000.00

1,018.85

6.34

1.25%

N/A

 

*

Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized six-month expense ratio for the period March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one half-year period. The Fund’s ending account value on the first line in the table is based on the actual six-month total investment return for the Fund.

 

5

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The following table presents a summary by security type of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

COMMON STOCKS:

               

Finance

    19.6%     $ 11,215,483  

Health Technology

    14.6       8,335,068  

Technology Services

    8.7       4,987,249  

Electronic Technology

    7.8       4,452,236  

Producer Manufacturing

    7.7       4,385,346  

Commercial Services

    5.3       3,006,084  

Consumer Non-Durables

    5.0       2,888,418  

Process Industries

    3.9       2,218,650  

Non-Energy Minerals

    3.5       2,021,504  

Consumer Durables

    3.4       1,969,999  

Industrial Services

    3.2       1,838,725  

Retail Trade

    3.2       1,819,740  

Distribution Services

    3.1       1,776,010  

Utilities

    2.4       1,349,851  

Transportation

    2.0       1,123,241  

Consumer Services

    1.6       911,315  

Health Services

    1.2       668,434  

Communications

    1.0       555,120  

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

    2.7       1,550,319  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES

    0.1       36,404  

NET ASSETS

    100.0%     $ 57,109,196  

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
6

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number
of Shares

   

Value

 

Common Stocks—97.2%

Commercial Services—5.3%

Etsy, Inc.*

    2,200     $ 263,340  

Huron Consulting Group, Inc.*

    11,254       488,199  

KAR Auction Services, Inc.*

    23,219       402,617  

Magnite, Inc.*

    36,144       265,658  

Quotient Technology, Inc.*

    57,932       504,588  

Stamps.com, Inc.*

    1,900       473,746  

TrueBlue, Inc.*

    35,930       607,936  
              3,006,084  

Communications—1.0%

Telephone & Data Systems, Inc.

    24,000       555,120  
 

Consumer Durables—3.4%

American Outdoor Brands, Inc.*

    3,375       51,401  

Arlo Technologies, Inc.*

    34,000       194,820  

Beazer Homes USA, Inc.*

    30,191       369,538  

Nautilus, Inc.*

    21,749       257,726  

Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.

    9,567       570,193  

Vista Outdoor, Inc.*

    27,116       526,321  
              1,969,999  

Consumer Non-Durables—5.0%

Central Garden & Pet Co., Class A*

    20,332       755,537  

Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc.

    2,200       601,260  

Nomad Foods Ltd.*

    22,342       550,954  

Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc., Class A

    10,543       498,367  

USANA Health Sciences, Inc.*

    6,151       482,300  
              2,888,418  

Consumer Services—1.6%

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Class A

    3,000       94,950  

Medifast, Inc.

    2,942       478,722  

WW International, Inc.*

    14,380       337,643  
              911,315  

Distribution Services—3.1%

Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc.*

    12,000       406,680  

GMS, Inc.*

    18,233       482,992  

Installed Building Products, Inc.*

    5,300       460,146  

Pool Corp.

    1,300       426,192  
              1,776,010  

 

 

   

Number
of Shares

   

Value

 

Electronic Technology—7.8%

ADTRAN, Inc.

    11,235     $ 124,596  

Amkor Technology, Inc.*

    44,418       541,677  

Calix, Inc.*

    22,900       445,405  

CyberOptics Corp.*

    11,700       374,985  

Enphase Energy, Inc.*

    4,100       316,643  

Himax Technologies, Inc., ADR

    21,200       79,712  

MagnaChip Semiconductor Corp.*

    47,531       570,372  

NeoPhotonics Corp.*

    62,966       419,354  

Plantronics, Inc.*

    25,000       309,000  

Silicon Motion Technology Corp., ADR

    12,314       466,824  

Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc.*

    16,400       299,464  

Sonos, Inc.*

    32,706       460,173  

United Microelectronics Corp., SP ADR

    12,438       44,031  
              4,452,236  

Finance—19.6%

Aaron’s, Inc.

    8,981       501,948  

Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd.

    13,600       505,104  

Cohen & Steers, Inc.

    6,100       369,050  

Cowen, Inc., Class A

    28,100       508,329  

Employers Holdings, Inc.

    15,430       502,709  

Focus Financial Partners, Inc., Class A*

    10,969       388,193  

Forum Merger II Corp., Class A*

    15,965       275,396  

Goosehead Insurance, Inc., Class A

    4,577       470,333  

Green Dot Corp., Class A*

    6,300       327,978  

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc., Class A

    9,674       512,915  

Jamf Holding Corp.*

    2,522       97,349  

LPL Financial Holdings, Inc.

    5,100       419,016  

Macquarie Infrastructure Corp.*

    17,025       477,041  

McGrath RentCorp

    8,846       587,021  

Mercury General Corp.

    11,468       512,964  

Newmark Group, Inc., Class A

    34,800       154,164  

On Deck Capital, Inc.*

    88,608       143,545  

PJT Partners, Inc., Class A

    9,398       556,174  

ProAssurance Corp.

    25,507       390,767  

Realogy Holdings Corp.*

    27,600       305,808  

Rent A Center, Inc.

    15,723       482,696  

SEI Investments Co.

    7,995       418,618  

Selectquote, Inc.*

    20,300       370,475  

StoneX Group, Inc.*

    10,433       591,551  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
7

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number
of Shares

   

Value

 

Finance—19.6%

               

TCG BDC, Inc.

    58,900     $ 518,909  

Third Point Reinsurance Ltd.*

    36,390       311,498  

Trupanion, Inc.*

    5,716       358,565  

Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.

    1,109       157,367  
              11,215,483  

Health Services—1.2%

Castle Biosciences, Inc.*

    7,800       356,694  

Fulgent Genetics, Inc.*

    10,546       311,740  
              668,434  

Health Technology—14.6%

Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    85,300       350,583  

Arbutus Biopharma Corp.*

    41,700       121,347  

Assertio Holdings, Inc.*

    7,375       5,974  

Bio-Techne Corp.

    1,400       357,644  

Cerus Corp.*

    62,400       397,488  

Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    13,100       519,808  

Emergent BioSolutions, Inc.*

    3,731       425,521  

Fluidigm Corp.*

    37,162       291,722  

GenMark Diagnostics, Inc.*

    20,100       260,697  

ICU Medical, Inc.*

    2,584       517,420  

Inari Medical, Inc.*

    2,949       235,743  

Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    8,300       414,004  

Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC*

    3,546       476,547  

Meridian Bioscience, Inc.*

    24,758       350,078  

Myovant Sciences Ltd.*

    16,934       345,115  

Natus Medical, Inc.*

    30,875       560,690  

NextCure, Inc.*

    25,485       229,110  

Orthofix Medical, Inc.*

    18,212       552,552  

Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc.*

    76,085       502,161  

Puma Biotechnology, Inc.*

    23,400       240,786  

Quidel Corp.*

    1,591       279,952  

Radius Health, Inc.*

    25,732       318,562  

Retractable Technologies, Inc.*

    24,200       152,944  

Vanda Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*

    41,654       428,620  
              8,335,068  

Industrial Services—3.2%

Argan, Inc.

    12,711       538,057  

Evoqua Water Technologies Corp.*

    23,000       470,580  

Primoris Services Corp.

    26,300       501,278  

Tutor Perini Corp.*

    26,200       328,810  
              1,838,725  

 

 

   

Number
of Shares

   

Value

 

Non-Energy Minerals—3.5%

Boise Cascade Co.

    15,780     $ 722,724  

Gold Resource Corp.

    56,679       225,582  

JELD-WEN Holding, Inc.*

    16,611       349,662  

UFP Industries, Inc.

    12,191       723,536  
              2,021,504  

Process Industries—3.9%

Clearwater Paper Corp.*

    13,300       447,678  

Daqo New Energy Corp., ADR*

    4,300       485,083  

Ingredion, Inc.

    5,700       458,508  

Kraton Corp.*

    17,482       245,447  

Scotts Miracle-Gro Co., (The)

    3,453       581,934  
              2,218,650  

Producer Manufacturing—7.7%

American Woodmark Corp.*

    4,600       402,500  

Apogee Enterprises, Inc.

    10,000       209,300  

Atkore International Group, Inc.*

    17,500       467,775  

Builders FirstSource, Inc.*

    13,400       410,308  

Canadian Solar, Inc.*

    19,900       646,551  

PGT Innovations, Inc.*

    26,828       486,392  

SolarEdge Technologies, Inc.*

    2,100       464,415  

TopBuild Corp.*

    2,800       430,640  

Valmont Industries, Inc.

    3,567       453,187  

Watsco, Inc.

    1,691       414,278  
              4,385,346  

Retail Trade—3.2%

BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.*

    12,010       533,364  

CarParts.com, Inc.*

    16,400       230,420  

ODP Corp, (The)*

    14,107       329,822  

Qurate Retail, Inc., Class A*

    36,312       401,248  

Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings, Inc.*

    20,700       324,886  
              1,819,740  

Technology Services—8.7%

Blucora, Inc.*

    31,444       375,127  

Box, Inc., Class A*

    29,328       575,709  

ChannelAdvisor Corp.*

    19,600       329,672  

CoreLogic, Inc.

    6,900       458,160  

Dropbox, Inc., Class A*

    19,500       412,815  

EverQuote, Inc., Class A*

    7,600       269,800  

FireEye, Inc.*

    33,400       490,312  

Fiverr International Ltd.*

    2,600       313,690  

NETGEAR, Inc.*

    16,741       558,312  

Sciplay Corp., Class A*

    27,851       367,215  

Upwork, Inc.*

    23,600       359,428  

Zuora, Inc., Class A*

    35,100       477,009  
              4,987,249  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
8

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Portfolio of Investments (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Number
of Shares

   

Value

 

Transportation—2.0%

Hub Group, Inc., Class A*

    9,547     $ 514,011  

Marten Transport Ltd.

    1,896       34,431  

Providence Service Corp, (The)*

    6,208       574,799  
              1,123,241  

Utilities—2.4%

MDU Resources Group, Inc.

    19,621       463,448  

NRG Energy, Inc.

    11,600       399,156  

Pampa Energia SA, SP ADR

    831       9,548  

TransAlta Corp.

    14,755       95,022  

Vistra Corp.

    19,900       382,677  
              1,349,851  

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

(Cost $49,881,106)

    55,522,473  
 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—2.7%

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(a)

    1,550,319  

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

(Cost $1,550,319)

    1,550,319  

TOTAL INVESTMENTS—99.9%

(Cost $51,431,425)

    57,072,792  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES—0.1%

    36,404  

NET ASSETS—100.0%

  $ 57,109,196  

 

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

ADR - American Depositary Receipt

 

PLC - Public Limited Company

 

SP ADR - Sponsored American Depositary Receipt

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
9

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Statement Of Assets And Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

Assets

       

Investments, at value (cost $49,881,106)

  $ 55,522,473  

Short-term investments, at value (cost $1,550,319)

    1,550,319  

Receivables for:

       

Investments sold

    3,600,490  

Dividends

    41,686  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    17,143  

Total assets

    60,732,111  
         

Liabilities

       

Payables for:

       

Investments purchased

    3,488,557  

Capital shares redeemed

    46,607  

Advisory fees

    42,598  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    45,153  

Total liabilities

    3,622,915  

Net assets

  $ 57,109,196  
         

Net Assets Consist of:

       

Par value

  $ 2,028  

Paid-in capital

    51,898,793  

Total distributable earnings/(loss)

    5,208,375  

Net assets

  $ 57,109,196  
         

Capital Shares:

       

Net assets

  $ 57,109,196  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    2,028,112  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 28.16  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
10

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Statement Of Operations

For the Year Ended August 31, 2020

 

Investment Income

       

Dividends (net of foreign taxes withheld of $1,414)

  $ 516,821  

Total investment income

    516,821  
         

Expenses

       

Advisory fees (Note 2)

    594,063  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 2)

    51,594  

Audit and tax service fees

    32,884  

Legal fees

    27,102  

Registration and filing fees

    24,004  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    21,929  

Officer fees

    19,372  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    12,796  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    12,451  

Director fees

    10,870  

Other expenses

    11,198  

Total expenses before waivers

    818,263  

Less: waivers (Note 2)

    (75,685 )

Net expenses after waivers

    742,578  

Net investment income/(loss)

    (225,757 )
         

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain/(Loss) from Investments

       

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    378,756  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    5,209,500  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    5,588,256  

Net Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

  $ 5,362,499  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
11

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets From Operations:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (225,757 )   $ (409,303 )

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    378,756       292,411  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    5,209,500       (15,076,628 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    5,362,499       (15,193,520 )
                 

Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (208,711 )     (9,977,095 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (208,711 )     (9,977,095 )
                 

Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets Derived From Capital Share Transactions:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    486,094       1,103,223  

Reinvestment of distributions

    199,405       9,551,887  

Distributions for shares redeemed

    (18,031,798 )     (12,761,667 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    (17,346,299 )     (2,106,557 )

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    (12,192,511 )     (27,277,172 )
                 

Net Assets:

               

Beginning of period

    69,301,707       96,578,879  

End of period

  $ 57,109,196     $ 69,301,707  
                 

Shares Transactions:

               

Shares sold

    19,675       42,495  

Shares reinvested

    7,251       379,043  

Shares redeemed

    (698,757 )     (469,806 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    (671,831 )     (48,268 )

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
12

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 25.67     $ 35.14     $ 32.04     $ 27.00     $ 30.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    (0.10 )     (0.15 )     (0.19 )     (0.18 )     (0.13 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    2.68       (5.55 )     6.63       5.22       1.21  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    2.58       (5.70 )     6.44       5.04       1.08  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net realized capital gains

    (0.09 )     (3.77 )     (3.34 )           (4.08 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.09 )     (3.77 )     (3.34 )           (4.08 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 28.16     $ 25.67     $ 35.14     $ 32.04     $ 27.00  

Total investment return(2)

    10.04 %     (16.02 )%     21.77 %     18.69 %     4.37 %
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 57,109     $ 69,302     $ 96,579       $ 106,278     $ 57,180  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements

    1.25 %     1.25 %     1.25 %     1.27 %     1.25 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waiver and reimbursements(3)

    1.38 %     1.37 %     1.29 %     1.37 %     1.42 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.38 )%     (0.53 )%     (0.57 )%     (0.61 )%     (0.50 )%

Portfolio turnover rate

    302 %     344 %     349 %     366 %     380 %

 

 

(1)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

(2)

Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(3)

During the current fiscal period, certain fees were waived and/or reimbursed. If such fee waivers and/or reimbursements had not occurred, the ratios would have been as indicated (See Note 2).

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
13

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Notes To Financial Statements

August 31, 2020

 

1. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund (the “Fund”), which commenced investment operations on October 1, 1999.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

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

 

The Fund is an investment company and follows accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services - Investment Companies”.

 

The end of the reporting period for the Fund is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

Portfolio Valuation — The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by the Fund are valued using the closing price or the last sale price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Investments in other open-end investment companies, if any, are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses). If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

 

Fair Value Measurements — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Fund’s investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

● Level 1 –

Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

● Level 2 –

Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

 

● Level 3 –

Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

14

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at fair value:

 

   

Total

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

 

Common Stocks

  $ 55,522,473     $ 55,522,473     $     $  

Short-Term Investments

    1,550,319       1,550,319              

Total Investments*

  $ 57,072,792     $ 57,072,792     $     $  

 

*

Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments for further details.

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Fund may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires the Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when the Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for Level 3 transfers are disclosed if the Fund had an amount of total Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund had no Level 3 transfers.

 

Use of Estimates — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

Investment Transactions, Investment Income and Expenses — The Fund records security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gains are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. The Fund’s investment income, expenses (other than class specific distribution fees) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family of the Company are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all of the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Fund.

 

15

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Dividends And Distributions To Shareholders — Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net realized capital gains, if any, are declared and paid at least annually to shareholders and recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

U.S. Tax Status — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is the Fund’s intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers are not known. The operational and financial performance of the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

Other — In the normal course of business, the Fund may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Fund in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Fund expects the risk of material loss from such claims to be remote.

 

2. Investment Adviser and Other Services

 

Bogle Investment Management, L.P. (“Bogle” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Fund compensates the Adviser for its services at an annual rate based on the Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Advisory Fee”), payable on a monthly basis in arrears, as shown in the accompanying table.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent that total Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed the rate (“Expense Cap”) shown in the accompanying table. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and certain of these expenses could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed the Expense Cap: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until December 31, 2020 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after December 31, 2020. The Fund will not pay the Adviser at a later time for any amounts the Adviser may waive and/or any amounts that the Adviser has assumed.

 

Advisory Fee

Expense Cap

1.00%

1.25%

 

During the current fiscal period, investment advisory fees accrued and waived were as follows:

 

Gross
Advisory Fees

Waivers

Net
Advisory Fees

$594,063

$(75,685)

$518,378

 

16

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Effective September 1, 2019, if at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed above) for a year are less than the Expense Cap, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed the Expense Cap that was in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. As of the end of the reporting period, the Fund had amounts available for recoupment as follows:

 

EXPIRATION

 

August 31, 2021

August 31, 2022

August 31, 2023

Total

$—

$—

$75,685

$75,685

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Fund. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Fund’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Fund. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Fund’s distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Fund’s distributor.

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Statement of Operations.

 

3. Director and Officer Compensation

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Fund or the Company. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Statement of Operations.

 

4. Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities

 

During the current fiscal period, aggregate purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) of the Fund were as follows:

 

Purchases

Sales

$175,632,420

$193,569,442

 

There were no purchases or sales of long-term U.S. Government securities during the current fiscal period.

 

17

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

5. Federal Income Tax Information

 

The Fund has followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Fund to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund has determined that there was no effect on the financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Fund is subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by the Fund were as follows:

 

Federal Tax
Cost

Unrealized
Appreciation

Unrealized
(Depreciation)

Net
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

$51,868,805

$8,550,255

$(3,346,268)

$5,203,987

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

Permanent differences as of August 31, 2020, primarily attributable to tax equalization and PFICs, were reclassified among the following accounts:

 

DISTRIBUTABLE
EARNINGS/(LOSS)

Paid-In
Capital

$(267)

$267

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

CAPITAL LOSS
CARRYFORWARD

UNDISTRIBUTED
ORDINARY
INCOME

Undistributed
Long-Term
Capital Gains

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

Qualified
Late-Year Loss
Deferral

$(16,658)

$21,046

$—

$5,203,987

$—

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate principally to the timing of recognition of income and gains for federal income tax purposes. Short-term and foreign currency gains, if applicable, are reported as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019 were as follows:

 

 

Ordinary
Income

LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS

Total

2020

$ —

$ 208,711

$ 208,711

2019

8,520,438

1,456,657

9,977,095

 

18

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Notes To Financial Statements (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

The Fund is permitted to carry forward capital losses for an unlimited period. Capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund had capital loss carryforwards of $16,658.

 

6. New Accounting Pronouncements and regulatory updates

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurement. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Fund’s financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

7. Subsequent Events

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no significant events requiring recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

19

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. and Shareholders of Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the portfolio of investments, of Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund (the “Fund”), a separately managed portfolio of The RBB Fund, Inc., as of August 31, 2020, the related statement of operations for the year ended August 31, 2020, the statement of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2020 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of August 31, 2020, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020 and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2020 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020 by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 27, 2020

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Bogle Investment Management, L.P. investment companies since 2000.

 

20

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Shareholder Tax Information

(Unaudited)

 

Certain tax information regarding the Fund is required to be provided to shareholders based upon the Fund’s income and distributions for the taxable year ended August 31, 2020. The information and distributions reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ended December 31, 2020. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the following dividends and distributions were paid by the Fund:

 

Ordinary
Income
Dividend

Long-Term
Capital Gain
Dividends

$— $208,711

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

The percentage of ordinary income dividends qualifying for the 15% dividend tax rate is 0.00%.

 

The percentage of ordinary income dividends qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction is 0.00%.

 

The Fund designates 0.00% of the ordinary income distributions as qualified short-term gain pursuant to the American Job Creation Act of 2004.

 

Because the Fund’s fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Fund, if any.

 

In general, dividends received by tax exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting. Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Fund.

 

21

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Other Information (Unaudited)

 

Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling (877) 264-5346 and on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedules

 

The Company files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Approval Of Investment Advisory Agreement

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered the renewal of the investment advisory agreement between Bogle and the Company (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Fund, at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreement for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Board considered information provided by Bogle with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Company and Bogle with respect to the Fund, the Directors took into account all the materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of Bogle’s services provided to the Fund; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of Bogle’s personnel providing those services; (iii) Bogle’s investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Bogle’s assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Bogle’s soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) Bogle’s current advisory fee arrangement with the Company and other similarly managed clients; (vii) Bogle’s compliance procedures; (viii) Bogle’s financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Fund; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Fund; (x) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing the Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its Lipper Group and comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its Lipper Group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Bogle. The Directors concluded that Bogle had substantial resources to provide services to the Fund and that Bogle’s services had been acceptable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Fund and Bogle. The Directors noted that the Fund had outperformed the Fund’s primary benchmark for the ten-year and since-inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also considered the Fund’s 3rd quintile ranking within its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year, three-year and four-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

22

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Other Information (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rate payable by the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Fund and the Fund’s total operating expense ratio (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) was compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms. The Directors noted that the Fund’s actual advisor fees ranked in the 3rd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 2nd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group. In addition, the Directors noted that Bogle has contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses through December 31, 2020 to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses exceed 1.25% for the Fund.

 

After reviewing the information regarding the Fund’s costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering Bogle’s services, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees paid by the Fund were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreement should be approved and continued for an additional one-year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

23

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Company Management

(Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling (877) 264-5346.

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held
with Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

Nicholas A. Giordano 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

 

24

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Company Management (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held
with Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Arnold M. Reichman 615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 72

Chairman Director

2005 to present 1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

Brian T. Shea
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

Robert Sablowsky
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 82

Vice Chairman Director

2016 to present 1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

OFFICERS

Salvatore Faia, JD,
CPA, CFE
Vigilant Compliance, LLC Gateway Corporate Center Suite 216
223 Wilmington West Chester Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Age: 57

President Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present 2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 59

Treasurer and Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

 

 

25

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Company Management (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held
with Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

OFFICERS

Craig A. Urciuoli
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (investment company).

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103 Age: 61

Assistant Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103 Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1.

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2.

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

26

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Company Management (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the past five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive-level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

27

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Privacy Notice

(Unaudited)

 

FACTS

WHAT DOES THE Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

● Social Security number

● account balances

● account transactions

● transaction history

● wire transfer instructions

● checking account information

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How?

All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

       

Reasons we can share your personal information

Does the Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund share?

Can you limit this
sharing?

For our everyday business purposes —
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes —
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

No

We don’t share.

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share.

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share.

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share.

 

Questions?

Call (877) 264-5346 or go to www.boglefunds.com

 

 

28

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Privacy Notice (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

What we do

 

How does the Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.

How does the Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

● open an account

● provide account information

● give us your contact information

● make a wire transfer

● tell us where to send the money

We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness

● affiliates from using your information to market to you

● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation

In addition to the above information, where applicable, you have the following rights under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and U.S. Privacy Laws, as applicable and to the extent permitted by law, to

● Check whether we hold personal information about you and to access such data (in accordance with our policy)

● Request the correction of personal information about you that is inaccurate

● Have a copy of the personal information we hold about you provided to you or another “controller” where technically feasible

● Request the erasure of your personal information

● Request the restriction of processing concerning you

The legal grounds for processing of your personal information is for contractual necessity and compliance with law.

If you wish to exercise any of your rights above, please call: 1-844-261-6484.

You are required to ensure the personal information we hold about you is up-to-date and accurate and you must notify us of any changes to the personal data you provided to us.

The Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund shall retain your personal data for as long as you are an investor in the Fund and thereafter as long as necessary to comply with applicable laws that require the Fund to retain your personal data, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s data retention rules. Your personal data will be transferred to the United States so that the Fund may provide the agreed upon services for you. No adequacy decision has been rendered by the European Commission as to the data protection of your personal data when transferring it to the United States. However, the Fund does take the security of your personal data seriously.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the appropriate regulatory authority with respect to issues you may have.

 

 

29

 

 

Bogle Investment Management
Small Cap Growth Fund

 

Privacy Notice (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

Definitions

 

Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

Our affiliates include Bogle Investment Management, L.P.

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

●    The Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund doesn’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you. The Fund may share information with nonaffiliates that perform marketing services on our behalf.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

The Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth Fund does not jointly market.

Controller

“Controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by European Union or European Member State law, the Controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by European Union or European Member State law.

 

 

30

 

 

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

Investment Adviser
Bogle Investment Management, L.P.
2310 Washington Street
Suite 310
Newton Lower Falls, MA 02462

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Principal Underwriter
Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Custodian
U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Two Commerce Square, Suite 1800
2001 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-7042

 

Legal Counsel
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

BOG-AR20

 

 

 
 

Boston Partners Investment Funds

of The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

Annual Report

August 31, 2020

 

Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II

Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund

Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund

Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund

WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund

Boston Partners Global Equity Fund

Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund

Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund (formerly Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund)

Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund

Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Funds electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-888-261-4073.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Funds, you can call 1-888-261-4073 to inform the Funds that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Funds.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Funds. It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Funds.

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

 

Table of Contents

 

General Market Commentary 1
Fund Expense Examples 37
Portfolio Holdings Summary Tables 39
Portfolio of Investments 42
Statements of Assets and Liabilities 82
Statements of Operations 85
Statements of Changes in Net Assets 88
Financial Highlights 94
Notes to Financial Statements 100
Other Information 116
Privacy Notice 123
 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

GENERAL MARKET COMMENTARY

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

If Rip Van Winkle awoke from a year-long sleep on August 31, 2020 and opened his 401K Statement for the period, he would have thought that the stock market had once again produced a year of superlative returns, with the S&P 500 Index posting a total return gain of +29.9% over the period. Little would he have known about the tumultuous events that shook many investors to the core during the course of the year.

 

In the real world, the performance of the S&P 500 Index over the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 is best described by breaking the period into two sub-periods: pre-COVID and post-COVID. From August 30, 2019 to its initial peak on February 19, 2020, the S&P 500 Index gained +16.7%, benefitting from a combination of a dovish Federal Reserve (“Fed”) policy (the so-called “Powell Put”), upside earnings revisions and steady GDP growth.

 

The first recorded case of the 2019 novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) in the United States was reported on January 20th, the first U.S. confirmed person-to-person transmission of COVID-19 occurred on January 30th and the first known U.S. death from COVID-19 occurred on February 6th. While new cases of the virus had begun to subside in China, outbreaks in the U.S. and other countries began to rocket higher. South Korea, which had reported 51 cases on February 19th, saw the number of those infected swell to 2,931 by the end of the month. Over the last seven trading days of February 2020, the S&P 500 Index dropped -12.8% from its February 19th peak, including a final week loss of -11.5% (its worst weekly performance since the Financial Crisis of 2008), as the U.S. officially entered into a recession.

 

As U.S. and global infections, hospitalizations and deaths continued to mount, the S&P 500 Index entered bear-market territory on March 12th, and by March 23rd had suffered a drawdown of nearly 34% from its peak to trough, with all eleven sectors comprising the index falling deep into “red” territory. Although still posting significant losses, large-cap lost less than small-cap stocks, growth bettered value, high quality beat low quality and the U.S. slightly outpaced both the MSCI EAFE Index and emerging markets. Outflows from equities were enormous, with bonds and money market instruments becoming the beneficiaries of inflows.

 

From there, an unprecedented amount of monetary and fiscal stimulus ensued, with the Fed expanding its balance sheet from $4.158 trillion on February 26th to $7.168 trillion by early June and cutting the Fed Funds rate from 1.5% in February to 0.0% by March. During March and April, the U.S. government passed three main relief packages and one supplemental one, totaling nearly $2.8 trillion.

 

Massive liquidity was the initial spark that led stocks to rally off the lows of March 2020. However, evidence of a potential “V-shaped” economic recovery also began to emerge, making the economic backdrop less of a hindrance and enabling the S&P 500 Index to string together five consecutive months of gains through August, returning +36.5% over the period and its best five-month gain since 1938. The rally was also supported by signs of progress towards a “CARES 2” act out of Congress, encouraging news regarding a coronavirus vaccine, a lower U.S. dollar value, a blowout second quarter 2020 earnings season and a dovish shift in Fed policy regarding inflation and employment targets.

 

Over the one-year period ended August 31, 2020, all sectors of the S&P 500 Index had gains, though Consumer Discretionary and Technology stocks stood out, returning +58.6% and +54.4% respectively. The FAANMG stocks (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Microsoft, Google) gained +68.4% on a capitalization-weighted basis during the same period, contributing 35% of the S&P 500 Index’s total return.

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, return rankings were as follows: Large-cap beat small cap stocks (Russell 1000 Index: +22.5%; Russell 2000 Index: +6.0%), growth outpaced value (Russell 1000 Growth Index: +44.3%; Russell 1000 Value Index: +0.8%), the S&P 500 Index surpassed both the MSCI EAFE Index and emerging markets in dollar and local currency terms (MSCI EAFE Index: +6.6% $USD, +0.05% local; MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Index: +14.9% $USD, +16.4% local) but in a reversal of the post-COVID-19 trend, low-quality beat high-quality stocks (Standard & Poor’s B+ or better: +4.3%; Standard & Poor’s B- or worse: +10.1%).

 

Looking Ahead

 

At its Jackson Hole Symposium that was held in August, the Fed unveiled the results of its Monetary Policy Framework Review, adopting “average inflation targeting”1 that will allow the economy to “run hot” during expansions. This plan aims for average inflation of 2% over an entire economic cycle, offsetting any prolonged periods of sub-2% inflation occurring during downturns. Fed Chairman Powell noted that a low unemployment rate would not be a governor on the Fed’s policy, effectively dispelling the former “Phillip’s Curve” guidepost of low unemployment being a trigger to higher inflation. This change should lead to a “lower for longer” interest rate environment that we believe would most likely be conducive to additional gains in equities and help justify elevated price/earnings ratios.

 

Negative real interest rates and an expanding budget deficit should continue to pressure the U.S. dollar’s value, which should be beneficial to multi-national corporations, and both developed and emerging market stocks. The creation of the European recovery fund and the upcoming issuance of joint pan-European bonds to fund the initiative could finally be a positive game-changer for the Eurozone.

 

While there are many open questions regarding the path to further progress for both the economy and the stock market, to quote former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the following three stand out as “known, unknowns”:

 

Annual Report 2020  |  1

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

GENERAL MARKET COMMENTARY (CONCLUDED)

 

1) Barring a school-opening-induced spike in COVID-19 cases that could shut down U.S. cities, counties or states, will the monetary and fiscal stimulus measures enacted to date be enough to sustain growth for the U.S. economy until a vaccine is available, or will additional measures be needed to circumvent the potential for a series of “aftershock” events that could lead to a “K”-shaped recovery, with segments of the economy doing well while others continue to suffer?
2) If the Fed is successful in its efforts to spur an increase in inflation, will its bond purchases be sufficient to keep rates low, or will “bond market vigilantes” demand to be compensated with higher real rates, potentially reversing the price/earnings ratio expansion that has fueled this year’s bull market?
3) Will further stock market appreciation require investor rotation into styles/sectors (Value, Financials) that have not enjoyed the level of investor enthusiasm that has driven the recent market rally’s winners (Growth, Tech)?

 

And lastly, during election years, the September/October period has historically been harsh to stocks returns. In fact, September has been the weakest month of the year over the last twenty years, and second only to October as the worst month of the year during election years, based on results dating back to 1950. On August 17th, the VIX Index of implied S&P 500 Index volatility hit a post-COVID-19 low of 21.4 and, as of month-end, had risen to 26.5 (a 24% increase). During the last election year that coincided with a recession (2008), the VIX Index had an average level of 45.7 during the September/October period.

 

Given the contentious nature of this year’s election, we would not be surprised to see the VIX Index gravitate higher.

 

Past Performance is not a guarantee of future results.

 

Opinions expressed herein are as of August 31, 2020 and are subject to change at any time, are not guaranteed and should not be considered investment advice. This report is for the information of shareholders of the Funds. It may also be used as sales literature when preceded or accompanied by the current prospectus.

 

MSCI EAFE (EAFE) Index is a stock market index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets outside of the U.S. & Canada. It is maintained by MSCI Inc., a provider of investment decision support tools; the EAFE acronym stands for Europe, Australasia and Far East.

 
1 Speech by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell at an economic symposium in Jackson Hole, WY on August 27, 2020.

 

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BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE FUND II (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

In the first quarter of 2020, equity markets in the United States as measured by the S&P 500 Index suffered their worst quarter since the financial crisis in 2008, bringing the longest bull market in US history to an abrupt halt. Economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak closed businesses and social distancing measures were implemented across the country. Small cap stocks struggled in this volatile environment, and the Russell 2000 Value Index was the poorest performing segment of the US economy during the first quarter, down over 35%. The S&P 500 Index rebounded in the second quarter of 2020 on investor optimism from state economies reopening across the country along with massive monetary and fiscal stimulus packages. The Russell 2000 Value Index also climbed, up 18.9% for the second quarter, followed by positive returns for July and August 2020.

 

For the one-year period ended August 31, 2020, the small cap value market as represented by the Russell 2000 Value Index (the “Index”) declined -6.14% as solid positive returns in 2019 were erased by the sharp decline in Q1 2020. The Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (the “Fund”) returned -8.07% (net of fees) for the year, underperforming its benchmark Index. Stock selection for the strategy detracted from performance for the period, with the bulk of relative underperformance coming from the Financials sector. The Fund’s mortgage REIT positions detracted significantly in the first quarter, as turmoil hit the mortgage markets. Triggered by the pandemic, concerns about credit and liquidity pushed down mortgage bond prices and reduced the value of many mortgage REIT companies’ portfolios. Their lenders demanded more cash (margin) due to lower collateral values, which caused the companies to sell assets to raise cash and pressured their businesses. We sold the Fund’s holdings in MFA Financial when the company announced it could not meet margin calls. A bit belatedly, the Federal Reserve stepped in to stabilize the mortgage market. Also detracting on a relative basis were the Fund’s positions within the Consumer Discretionary and Health Care sectors. Though the Fund’s positions in both sectors outperformed the small cap value market generally, they lagged the performance of the Consumer Discretionary and Health Care sector stocks included in the Index. Within the Discretionary sector, the Fund’s holdings were based on attractive valuation, along with fundamentals that we believed could weather a difficult period as well as profit when the environment improved. With the market’s quick turnaround starting in late March, however, some of the stocks that we believed were most at risk surged, including hotels, restaurants and leisure stocks. We believed an economic rebound would be bumpy and it remains unclear whether many companies will meet expectations set by their recent prices.

 

On the positive side, sector allocation added to relative performance across almost all sectors. Underweights to the Real Estate and Utilities sectors added value for the Fund, as these sectors declined over -17% for the one-year period ended August 31, 2020. We continued to find opportunities elsewhere, particularly during this volatile time, in quality companies that had more attractive valuations coupled with better return outlooks. This led to overweights to sectors such as Consumer Discretionary, Information Technology and Health Care, all up over 18% for the period, which added to relative performance.

Top Ten Positions (as of 8/31/20)% of Net Assets
Graphic Packaging Holding Co.   2.7%
Lithia Motors, Inc., Class A   2.4%
SYNNEX Corp.   2.2%
Change Healthcare, Inc.   2.1%
National General Holdings Corp.   2.0%
ABM Industries, Inc.   1.8%
Valvoline, Inc.   1.8%
SLM Corp.   1.6%
Walker & Dunlop, Inc.   1.6%
Energizer Holdings, Inc.   1.6%
      
Portfolio Review (as of 8/31/20)     
P/E: Price/Earnings:   13.1x
P/B: Price/Book:   1.5x
Holdings:   145 
Weighted Average Market Capitalization (millions):   $3,037 
ROE: Return on Equity:   8.5%
OROA: Operating Return on Operating Assets:   62.9%

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

Small cap companies are those with a market capitalization similar to the Russell 2000® Index. These companies tend to be more volatile, less liquid, not as diversified in their business activities as companies with market capitalizations greater than the market capitalization of companies in the Russell 2000® Index, and they may fluctuate widely in market value. Small caps may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. Foreign securities may expose the Fund to currency and exchange rate fluctuations. Illiquid securities may be limited in resale and cause uncertainty in determining valuation. As a result, an investment in Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II should be part of a carefully diversified portfolio.

 

 

 

Despite the volatility of 2020, the Fund has continued to exhibit attractive valuation, solid fundamentals and respectable business momentum relative to the Index. We have taken advantage of the changing environment to purchase high-quality names that are typically unavailable to the Fund due to size or valuations, which we believe have better balance sheets and geographic diversity. While investors are looking out to 2021 or beyond for company earnings to ‘normalize’, we are following the same philosophy and process that supported the Fund coming out of the financial crisis of 2008 and the internet bubble of the late 1990’s. As always, we continue to structure the Fund with better than market valuation, strong fundamentals and positive business momentum, which has provided outperformance since the fund inception.

 

Sincerely,

 

David Dabora, CFA
Portfolio Manager, Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II


Annual Report 2020  |  3

   

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE FUND II (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $100,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II vs. Russell Indices

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $100,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the Russell indices are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

            Gross  Net
   Average Annual Total Return  Expense  Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II                         
Institutional Class   –7.88%   3.44%   9.33%   1.17%   1.10%
Russell 2000® Value Index   –6.14%   4.37%   8.71%   n/a    n/a 
Russell 2000® Index(1)   6.02%   7.65%   11.53%   n/a    n/a 
   
1 This is not a primary benchmark of the Fund. Results of the index performance are presented for general comparative purposes.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Effective as of June 1, 2020 the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares exceeds 0.99% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Institutional Class shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 0.99%: acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”). Prior to June 1, 2020, the Fund’s contractual expense cap with respect to Institutional Class shares was 1.10%. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (not including acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 0.99% or the expense cap then in effect, whatever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. Annual operating expense ratios above are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

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BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE FUND II (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II vs. Russell Indices

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the Russell indices are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

            Gross  Net
   Average Annual Total Return  Expense  Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II                         
Investor Class   –8.07%   3.18%   9.05%   1.42%   1.35%
Russell 2000® Value Index   –6.14%   4.37%   8.71%   n/a    n/a 
Russell 2000® Index(1)   6.02%   7.65%   11.53%   n/a    n/a 
   
1 This is not a primary benchmark of the Fund. Results of the index performance are presented for general comparative purposes.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Effective as of June 1, 2020, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) for the Fund’s Investor Class shares exceeds 1.24% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Investor Class shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 1.24%: acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. Prior to June 1, 2020, the Fund’s contractual expense cap with respect to Investor Class shares was 1.35%. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (not including acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 1.24% or the expense cap then in effect, whatever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  5

   

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (the “Fund”) - Institutional Class shares returned -5.78% net of fees while averaging 54% net long exposure for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020. This compares to the 21.94% return posted by the S&P 500 Index during the same period.

 

The fiscal year was marked by erratic stock market performance, as the S&P 500 Index plummeted as the spread of the coronavirus identified as COVID-19 wreaked personal, economic, and financial havoc globally. The S&P 500 Index’s historically quick decline was soon followed by a similarly rapid advance. While the market was extraordinarily volatile, the performance of certain investment factors was somewhat consistent in that the companies with the most expensive valuations and best revenue growth led the market during both the drawdown and recovery, an extremely rare feat. In the end, we observed the amplification of recent years’ trends, as investors seemingly disregarded valuations and continued to favor stocks with high revenue growth, good price momentum, and expensive valuations. As a result, growth continued its dominance over value, as the Russell 3000 Growth Index returned 42.59% while the Russell 3000 Value Index returned 0.39% for the fiscal year. This was a “gale force headwind” for our value-oriented approach, as the most expensive cohort of the S&P 500 Index drove the Index’s return.

 

The Fund’s long holdings rose in price approximately 6.33%, with the Fund’s low price-to-earnings tilt relative to the S&P 500 Index (owning inexpensive, not owning expensive stocks) being the primary driver of long underperformance relative to the S&P 500 Index. Technology, Industrials and Consumer Discretionary holdings were the top sector contributors during the year. Electronics and technology hardware holdings soared higher in price amid an improving demand backdrop. Industrials gains were driven by housing-related stocks, as housing demand soared higher amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumer Discretionary gains were primarily driven by non-US e-commerce positions, as we are finding better valuations in the space outside of the US.

 

The Fund’s short holdings rose in price approximately 71.07% and detracted from Fund performance, though losses were mitigated due to cutting short exposure roughly in half ahead of the market’s strong recovery in Q2 2020. Losses were most pronounced in the Technology, Consumer Discretionary, and Communication Services sectors. Small- to mid-cap ’software as a service’ companies within the Technology sector soared higher in price during the year. Within the Consumer Discretionary sector, auto-related and e-commerce shorts detracted from results. Communication Services sector shorts were aided by the nature of the pandemic, though prospectively we believe many of these holdings are poised to revert to mean prices from statistically exorbitant valuations.

 

The Fund began the period with 45% net long exposure and ended the fiscal year with 68% net long exposure, with the reduction being primarily a result of covering short holdings amid the market’s downturn early in the calendar year. The Fund ended the fiscal year with largest long exposures to the Technology, Health Care and Financials sectors and largest short exposures to the Technology, Health Care and Consumer Discretionary sectors.

Top Ten Positions (as of 8/31/20)  % of Net Assets
Facebook, Inc., Class A        2.6% 
Citigroup, Inc.        1.8% 
BMC Stock Holdings, Inc.        1.8% 
Novartis AG - SP ADR        1.6% 
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. - SP ADR        1.4% 
Johnson & Johnson        1.3% 
Pfizer, Inc.        1.3% 
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B        1.2% 
Cigna Corp.        1.2% 
Berry Global Group, Inc.        1.2% 
           
Portfolio Review (as of 8/31/20)   Long    Short 
P/E: Price/Earnings:   15.2x   60.3x
P/B: Price/Book:   1.6x   11.0x
Holdings:   133    65 
Weighted Average Market Capitalization (millions):   $75,125    $21,944 
ROE: Return on Equity:   15.0%   –18.6%
OROA: Operating Return on Operating Assets:   53.1%   24.4%

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund may be more volatile and risky than some other forms of investments. Since the Fund has both a long and a short portfolio, there is the risk that the portfolio managers may make more poor investment decisions than those of a fund with only a long portfolio. The Fund may have a high portfolio turnover rate that could increase transaction costs and cause short-term capital gains to be realized. Investments made in small or mid- capitalization companies may be more volatile, less liquid, not as diversified in their business activities as companies with greater market capitalizations, and they may fluctuate widely in market value. Small caps may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. Foreign securities may expose the Fund to currency and exchange rate fluctuations. Illiquid securities may be limited in resale and cause great uncertainty in determining valuation. High yield debt (also known as “junk bonds”), may be sensitive to changes in financial strength of an issuer or the debt’s credit rating; an issuer of high yield debt may default on its obligation to pay interest and principal. All of these factors may cause greater volatility and less liquidity. An investment in the Fund should be part of a carefully diversified portfolio.

 

 

 

We have for several years held the view that the US equity market needed to break out of the status quo that significantly favored growth over value investments since 2017 - a flattening yield curve and sluggish yet positive growth. We are now clearly out of what was commonly described as the “Goldilocks” economy, having gone through a recession with a recovery now seemingly underway. From a starting point of historically wide valuation spreads (the price-to-earnings multiple differential between cheap and expensive stocks), historically low interest rates (a negative real U.S. 10-year Treasury yield!) and trillions of dollars of fiscal and monetary stimulus resulting in 25% year-over-year growth in M2 money supply (a post WWII record), we believe the prospects for value investing are quite bright. Despite the skeptics - growing more numerous by the day - we believe value is not dead by any means, as value investing relies upon a recurring pattern of human behavior as old as time: as investors repeatedly become too optimistic about one cohort of stocks and too pessimistic toward another; once these preferences reach an extreme, value is probabilistically advantaged. We continue to steadfastly imple-


 

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BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

ment our investment approach and, as the late Winston Churchill once famously said, “take refuge under the impenetrable arch of probability.”

 

We continue to focus our efforts on purchasing shares of only those companies we deem most likely to appreciate on the long side, while selling short securities likely to fail due to a combination of valuation risk, earnings risk, and/or balance sheet risk. Our analysis process is bottom-up and rooted in the three-circle framework of low valuation, positive momentum and strong business fundamentals that the portfolio managers of Boston Partners and its predecessors have been employing for over a quarter century.

 

Sincerely,

 

Pat Regan, CFA and Robert Jones, CFA
Portfolio Managers for the Boston Partners Long/
Short Equity Fund


Annual Report 2020  |  7

   

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $100,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund vs. S&P 500® Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $100,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the S&P 500® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

   Average Annual Total Return  Gross
Expense
  Net
Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund                     
Institutional Class  –5.78%    0.99%    5.40%    2.68%  2.18%
S&P 500® Index  21.94%    14.46%    15.16%    n/a  n/a

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Effective as of February 28, 2020, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (other than acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for the Fund’s Institutional Class exceeds 1.96% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Institutional Class shares. Because dividend expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes are excluded from the expense limitation, total annual Fund operating expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 1.96%. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. Prior to February 28, 2020, the Fund's contractual expense cap with respect to Institutional Class shares was 2.50%. If at any time the Fund's total annual Fund operating expenses (not including short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 1.96% or the expense cap then in effect, whichever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above (including interest and dividend expense on short sales) are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

8  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund vs. S&P 500® Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the S&P 500® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

   Average Annual Total Return  Gross
Expense
  Net
Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Investor Class  –5.99%    0.75%    5.15%    2.93%  2.43%
S&P 500® Index  21.94%    14.46%    15.16%    n/a  n/a

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Effective as of February 28, 2020, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (other than acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for the Fund’s Investor Class shares exceeds 2.21% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Investor Class shares. Because dividend expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes are excluded from the expense limitation, total annual Fund operating expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 2.21%. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. Prior to February 28, 2020, the Fund's contractual expense cap with respect to Investor Class shares was 2.75%. If at any time the Fund's total annual Fund operating expenses (not including short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 2.21% or the expense cap then in effect, whichever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above (including interest and dividend expense on short sales) are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  9

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund (“Fund”) -Institutional Class shares returned -10.13% net of fees while averaging 47% net long exposure for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020. This compares to the 21.94% return posted by the S&P 500 Index during the same period.

 

The fiscal year was marked by erratic stock market performance, as the S&P 500 Index plummeted as the spread of the coronavirus identified as COVID-19 wreaked personal, economic, and financial havoc globally. The S&P 500 Index’s historically quick decline was soon followed by a similarly rapid advance. While the market was extraordinarily volatile, the performance of certain investment factors was somewhat consistent in that the companies with the most expensive valuations and best revenue growth led the market during both the drawdown and recovery, an extremely rare feat. In the end, we observed the amplification of recent years’ trends, as investors seemingly disregarded valuations and continued to favor stocks with high revenue growth, good price momentum, and expensive valuations. As a result, growth continued its dominance over value, as the Russell 3000 Growth Index returned 42.59% while the Russell 3000 Value Index returned 0.39% for the fiscal year. This was a “gale force headwind” for our value-oriented approach, as the most expensive cohort of the S&P 500 Index drove the Index’s return.

 

The Fund’s long holdings rose in price approximately 4.85% during the fiscal year. Top contributors included holdings in the Technology, Industrials and Health Care sectors. Technology gains were driven by semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment holdings on strengthening demand from a variety of end markets. Industrials gains came primarily from railroads and machinery where business momentum strongly improved over the final several months of the period. Managed care and pharmaceutical holdings within the Health Care sector also benefitted from a combination of improving business momentum as well as receding regulatory risk.

 

The Fund’s short holdings were up in price approximately 32.05% and detracted from Fund returns. We aim to short expensive stocks with earnings risk and weak profitability, and as previously mentioned, many stocks with more expensive price-to-earnings ratios soared higher in price during the year. Technology, Consumer Discretionary, and Industrials sector shorts were the top detractors. Within the Technology sector, high revenue growth - yet in most cases profitless - software stocks moved higher primarily due to price-to-sales multiple expansion during the year. Auto-related and e-commerce shorts in the Consumer Discretionary sector detracted from performance. Lastly, machinery and housing-related shorts in the Industrials sector rose in price primarily during the post-March recovery and detracted from Fund returns.

 

The Fund began the period with 47% net long exposure and ended with 50% net long exposure, an increase attributable to covering several shorts during the fiscal year. At the end of the period, the largest exposures in the long portfolio resided in the Finance, Technology, and Industrials sectors, while largest short exposures were in the Finance, Consumer Discretionary, and Technology sectors. We continue to favor large-cap stocks on

Top Ten Positions (as of 8/31/20)% of Net Assets
Alphabet, Inc., Class A   3.3%
Facebook, Inc., Class A   2.2%
Alphabet, Inc., Class C   1.6%
Microsoft Corp.   1.5%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   1.3%
Coca-Cola European Partners PLC   1.3%
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.   1.1%
Philip Morris International, Inc.   1.1%
Bank of America Corp.   1.1%
Nomad Foods Ltd.   1.1%

 

Portfolio Review (as of 8/31/20)   Long     Short  
P/E: Price/Earnings:   17.2 x   22.8 x
P/B: Price/Book:   1.9 x   2.0 x
Holdings:   198     145  
Weighted Average Market Capitalization (millions):   $119,482     $34,004  
ROE: Return on Equity:   19.7 %   3.0 %
OROA: Operating Return on Operating Assets:   68.2 %   19.1 %

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund may be more volatile and risky than some other forms of investments. Fund will engage in short sales, which creates a form of investment leverage and means the Fund’s loss potential on a short sale is unlimited. Fluctuations in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio may have disproportionately large effects or cause the NAV of the Fund to decline faster than it would otherwise. Investments made in small or mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile, less liquid, not as diversified in their business activities as companies with greater market capitalizations, and they may fluctuate widely in market value. Small caps may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. Foreign securities may expose the Fund to currency and exchange rate fluctuations. Derivatives (futures, options, swaps) may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. REITs include the risk of possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. Illiquid securities may be limited in resale and cause great uncertainty in determining valuation. High yield debt (also known as “junk bonds”) may be sensitive to changes in financial strength of an issuer or the debt’s credit rating; an issuer of high yield debt may default on its obligation to pay interest and principal. The Fund may experience high portfolio turnover which may result in higher costs and capital gains. An investment in the Fund should be part of a carefully diversified portfolio.

 

 

 

the long side and small- to mid-cap stocks on the short side of the Fund’s portfolio.

 

We have for several years held the view that the US equity market needed to break out of the status quo that significantly favored growth over value investments since 2017 - a flattening yield curve and sluggish yet positive growth. We are now clearly out of what was commonly described as the “Goldilocks” economy, having gone through a recession with a recovery now seemingly underway. From a starting point of historically wide valuation spreads (the price-to-earnings multiple differential between cheap and expensive stocks), historically low interest rates (a negative real U.S. 10-year Treasury yield!) and trillions of dollars of fiscal and monetary stimulus resulting in 25% year-over-year growth in


 

10  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

M2 money supply (a post WWII record), we believe the prospects for value investing are quite bright. Despite the skeptics - growing more numerous by the day - we believe value is not dead by any means, as value investing relies upon a recurring pattern of human behavior as old as time, as investors repeatedly become too optimistic about one cohort of stocks and too pessimistic toward another; once these preferences reach an extreme, value is probabilistically advantaged. We continue to steadfastly implement our investment approach and, as the late Winston Churchill once famously said, “take refuge under the impenetrable arch of probability.”

 

The portfolio managers managing the Fund continue to focus their efforts on purchasing shares of only those companies they deem most likely to appreciate on the long side, while selling short securities likely to fail due to a combination of valuation risk, earnings risk, and/or balance sheet risk. Our analysis process is bottom-up and rooted in the three-circle framework of low valuation, positive momentum and strong business fundamentals that the portfolio managers of Boston Partners and its predecessors have been employing for over a quarter century.

 

Sincerely,

 

Joseph Feeney, CFA & Eric Connerly, CFA

Portfolio Managers for the Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund


 

Annual Report 2020  |  11

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $100,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund vs. S&P 500® Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $100,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on September 30, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the S&P 500® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

               Gross  Net
   Average Annual Total Return  Since  Expense  Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Inception  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund                            
Institutional Class(1)   –10.13%   –0.39%  n/a   4.48%   2.15%   2.15%
S&P 500 Index   21.94%   14.46%  n/a   14.31%(2)   n/a    n/a 

 

1 Inception date of the class was September 30, 2010.
2 Index Performance is from inception date of the Class only and is not the inception date of the index itself.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The Adviser has contractually agreed to forgo all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (other than acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) exceeds 1.50% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Institutional Class shares. Because acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes are excluded from the expense limitation, total annual Fund operating expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 1.50%. This contractual limitation is in effect until at least February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without approval of the Board of Directors. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (not including acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 1.50% or the expense cap then in effect, whatever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above (including interest and dividend expense on short sales) are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www. boston-partners.com.

 

12  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund vs. S&P 500® Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund made on November 29, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the S&P 500® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

               Gross  Net
   Average Annual Total Return  Since  Expense  Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Inception  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund                            
Investor Class(1)   –10.32%   -0.61%  n/a   3.89%   2.40%   2.40%
S&P 500® Index   21.94%   14.46%  n/a   14.06%(2)   n/a    n/a 

 

1 Inception date of the class was November 29, 2010.
2 Index Performance is from inception date of the Class only and is not the inception date of the index itself.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The Adviser has contractually agreed to forgo all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (other than acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) exceeds 1.75% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Investor Class shares. Because acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes are excluded from the expense limitation, total annual Fund operating expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 1.75%. This contractual limitation is in effect until at least February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without approval of the Board of Directors. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (not including acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 1.75% or the expense cap then in effect, whatever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above (including interest and dividend expense on short sales) are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www. boston-partners.com.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  13

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS ALL-CAP VALUE FUND (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund - Institutional Class (“Fund”) outperformed its benchmark, the Russell 3000® Value Index (“Benchmark”), for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020. The Fund generated a net return of 0.84% for its Institutional Class shares during the past year, versus its Benchmark’s return of 0.39%.

 

During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, allocation effects in the Health Care, Information Technology, and Real Estate sectors were the primary drivers of the Fund’s outperformance. Relative to the Benchmark, our overweight positioning in Health Care and Technology was beneficial, as these sectors led the market through the COVID-19 induced sell-off and subsequent rebound. Similarly, our underweight positioning to the Real Estate sector proved beneficial. The Fund had little to no exposure to this high-yielding, expensive, and defensive sector. Sector positioning is entirely a result of our bottom-up stock selection process of finding inexpensive, high quality investments with improving business momentum. Stock selection in the Consumer Discretionary and Communication Services sectors also benefitted relative Fund performance. In the Consumer Discretionary sector, appliance manufacturer Whirlpool and home-builder NVR benefitted from strengthening sales due to a stronger-than-anticipated housing market supported by record low mortgage rates. Similarly, our video game holdings Activision Blizzard, NetEase and Electronic Arts in the Communication Services sector performed well, as entertainment consumption shifted abruptly from travel and restaurants to at-home activities in the first half of the 2020.

 

Stock selection in the Financials sector was the primary detractor from relative performance in the year. Our preference for low valuation companies impacted our performance, as more expensive stocks outperformed. The insurance industry was the segment of the Financials sector that was impacted the most during the year, as it sold off in March and did not recover fully along with the overall market. The Fund’s investment in insurer AIG detracted as investors became concerned that reinsurance claims for business interruption insurance would increase rapidly, and the company had a more leveraged balance sheet than some of its competitors. Other property and casualty insurers held in the Fund’s portfolio, including Alleghany and Loews, also underperformed during the year due to higher-than-expected claims. We continue to hold Alleghany and Loews for their good fundamentals and attractive valuation.

 

During the period, we bought and sold companies when opportunities that fit our three-circle criteria presented themselves or if our sell discipline triggered. In the Consumer Discretionary sector, we added Harley-Davidson, which is a strong cash generator with disciplined capital allocation that we believe is positioned to gain market share after a successful remerchandising of their product line. We also added high quality auto parts companies LKQ and Gentex, which should benefit from improving consumer spending once the US economy re-opens. We reduced our exposure to the Financials sector by eliminating our positions in life insurers MetLife and Prudential, and in consumer credit company Capital One. While attractively priced, uncertain credit quality and low rates will likely pressure Capital One’s near-term business

Top Ten Positions (as of 8/31/20)  % of Net Assets  
Bank of America Corp.   2.3%  
Pfizer, Inc.   2.0%  
Johnson & Johnson   2.0%  
Medtronic PLC   2.0%  
Qorvo, Inc.   1.9%  
JPMorgan Chase & Co.   1.8%  
Citigroup, Inc.   1.8%  
Novartis AG - SP ADR   1.6%  
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.   1.5%  
Oracle Corp.   1.5%  
        
Portfolio Review (as of 8/31/20)       
P/E: Price/Earnings:   17.1x  
P/B: Price/Book:   2.0x  
Holdings:   149   
Weighted Average Market Capitalization (millions):   $89,294   
ROE: Return on Equity:   16.5%  
OROA: Operating Return on Operating Assets:   62.4%  

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund may invest small cap companies. These companies may be more volatile, less liquid, not as diversified in their business activities as companies with greater market capitalizations, and they may fluctuate widely in market value. Small caps may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. Derivatives (futures, options, swaps) may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. Foreign securities may expose the Fund to currency and exchange rate fluctuations. Illiquid securities may be limited in resale and cause great uncertainty in determining valuation. Options (a type of derivative) can be highly volatile and their use can result in loss if the portfolio manager is incorrect in its expectation of price fluctuations. All of these factors may cause greater volatility and less liquidity. An investment in the Fund should be part of a carefully diversified portfolio.

 

 

 

momentum and valuation. In the Communication Services sector, we trimmed positions in outperforming companies Activision and Microsoft, as they are approaching our price targets, while adding T-Mobile to the portfolio as the company is gaining market share and rationalizing costs in the wireless business. Over the past year, we have increased our exposure to the Industrials and Consumer Discretionary sectors and reduced our weighting to the Financials and Energy sectors. Looking ahead, we will continue to invest your Fund on a stock-by-stock basis within our three-circle framework of attractive valuation, sound fundamentals and a catalyst for improvement. We believe that the Fund’s valuation edge and quality advantage over the Benchmark has positioned it favorably for the longer term. We look forward to keeping you informed of the work we are doing on your Fund’s behalf.

 

Sincerely,

 

Duilio Ramallo, CFA
Portfolio Manager for the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund


 

14  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS ALL-CAP VALUE FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $100,000 Investment in
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund vs. Russell Indices

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $100,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the Russell indices are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

            Gross  Net
   Average Annual Total Return  Expense  Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund                         
Institutional Class   0.84%   7.00%   11.43%   0.83%   0.80%
Russell 3000® Value Index   0.39%   7.33%   10.89%   n/a    n/a 
Russell 3000® Index(1)   21.44%   13.86%   14.94%   n/a    n/a 

 

1 This is not a primary benchmark of the Fund. Results of the index performance are presented for general comparative purposes.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares exceeds 0.80% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Institutional Class shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 0.80%: acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (not including short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 0.80% or the expense cap then in effect, whichever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  15

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS ALL-CAP VALUE FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund vs. Russell Indices

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the Russell indices are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

            Gross  Net
   Average Annual Total Return  Expense  Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund                         
Investor Class   0.59%   6.73%   11.17%   1.08%   1.05%
Russell 3000® Value Index   0.39%   7.33%   10.89%   n/a    n/a 
Russell 3000® Index(1)   21.44%   13.86%   14.94%   n/a    n/a 

 

1 This is not a primary benchmark of the Fund. Results of the index performance are presented for general comparative purposes.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) for the Fund’s Investor Class shares exceeds 1.05% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Investor Class shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 1.05%: acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (not including short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 1.05% or the expense cap then in effect, whichever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

16  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

WPG PARTNERS SMALL/MICRO CAP VALUE FUND (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 was one of the most volatile periods in stock market history. Despite data suggesting that small businesses and non-technology industries were accelerating their cash flows, large cap technology stocks outperformed in the second half of 2019. This outperformance continued despite warning signs that the market was verging on a once-in-a-generation, multi-year rotation away from a preference for “growth” into one for “value”. Below is a recap of the past year’s events, how we navigated the turmoil, and where we think we go from here.

 

Geopolitical tensions between US and China began to abate when the Phase 1 trade deal was signed in January 2020, just as the US industrial economy began accelerating and on-shoring momentum started to build. We began tracking COVID-19 in mid-January and learned of its unique characteristics then. We positioned the WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund (the “Fund”) defensively, adding exposure to recession-resistant companies (e.g., Government Services), and reduced exposure to industries over-exposed to pandemic-related recessions (e.g., Travel/Leisure, Oil/Gas). Further complicating the picture in the first week March, OPEC+ (a larger version of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) decided to disband, leading WTI crude oil prices to trade from the high $50s down to $20s per barrel, wreaking havoc on the industrial economy just as the impact from COVID-19 was gaining attention in Europe, and then the US.

 

The market draw down was steep and swift. We are proud of our ability to produce outperformance as active managers during and after the drawdown (during the period from February 20, 2020 to June 30, 2020, our internal analysis estimates that SCV outperformed the benchmark by ~311bps). The fiscal and monetary response to the pandemic, both in terms of speed and quantity, was unparalleled in history. The Federal Reserve’s balance sheet increased by approximately $3 trillion. These measures eased liquidity concerns and immediately calmed the debt markets. The US government passed legislation for roughly $3 trillion of fiscal stimulus, the majority of which focused on quickly distributing money directly to small businesses and consumers via regional banks and the US Department of Treasury. The speed at which these initiatives were undertaken cannot be understated. The pandemic also brought changes to lifestyle. “Work-from-home” became an undeniable trend. Other changes drove shifts in where and when people spend money. These evolutions in consumer behavior spawned an intense focus on technology stocks, which gained momentum as retail investors have become a larger part of the active daily volume. The Nasdaq Index’s peak-to-trough decline was approximately 27%, then the Index appreciated 78% off of March lows to reach all-time highs. At August 31, 2020, the Nasdaq Index sits at about 30% above its pre-COVID-19 levels. This compares to the Russell 2000 Value Index, which is still 18% below its 2020 highs, and 25% below its 2018 highs as of August 31, 2020. When compared to other asset bubbles, technology stocks appear to be the priciest asset class in history.

 

The valuation disparities are at extreme levels. “Value” compared to “Growth” returns are at historic lows, regardless of analysis duration. The world has decided that revenue growth is

Top Ten Positions (as of 8/31/20)  % of Net Assets  
Popular, Inc.   2.3%  
Essent Group Ltd.   2.1%  
UMH Properties, Inc.   2.0%  
Fresh Del Monte Produce, Inc.   2.0%  
Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp., Class A   2.0%  
Webster Financial Corp.   1.9%  
HomeStreet, Inc.   1.9%  
BJ’s Restaurants, Inc.   1.9%  
KBR, Inc.   1.8%  
Realogy Holdings Corp.   1.7%  
        
Portfolio Review (as of 8/31/20)       
P/E: Price/Earnings:   13.1x  
P/B: Price/Book:   1.1x  
Holdings:   102   
Weighted Average Market Capitalization (millions):   $1,799   
ROE: Return on Equity:   0.5%  
OROA: Operating Return on Operating Assets:   11.5%  

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

Value investing involves buying the stocks of companies that are out of favor or are undervalued. This may adversely affect The WPG Partners Small/ Micro Cap Value Fund’s value and return. Investments in REITs include the risk of possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. The purchase of rights and warrants involves risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of the right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not executed prior to the right’s or warrant’s expiration. The effective price paid for a right or warrant may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price. Investments made in small or micro-capitalization companies may be more volatile, less liquid, not as diversified in their business activities as companies with greater market capitalizations, and they may fluctuate widely in market value. Small and micro-caps may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. An investment in the Fund should be part of a carefully diversified portfolio.

 

 

 

the only metric that matters in a lower-for-longer interest rate environment. But we see green shoots that give us confidence in our strategy. Many underlying drivers of the economy suggest the US industrial complex remains healthier than overall perception. Labor productivity continues to strengthen since 2011, and reached +7% quarter-over-quarter in 2Q 2020. Productivity is an important leading indicator of economic growth, and often presages employment gains, a widely misunderstood fact. We believe that consumer balance sheets are the healthiest that they have ever been. Stimulus measures, coupled with an uptick in savings rates for Q2, created a “V” recovery and positioned consumer spending for growth, even as increased unemployment benefits tapered off. The canary in the coal mine is US capex spending. We believe that Q3 capex spending is set to increase +15% on an annualized rate from the second quarter into the second half of 2020 as estimated by Cornerstone Macro[

 

For the 2020 fiscal year, the vast majority of the Fund’s under-performance can again be attributed to an overweight in the Energy sector. The Energy sector was down over 36% in the fiscal year, on top of an almost 60% drawdown in the previous fiscal year. Encouragingly, Fund performance since the COVID-19 pandemic began has been strong, as our active management


 

Annual Report 2020  |  17

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

WPG PARTNERS SMALL/MICRO CAP VALUE FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

style has led to outperformance against the Fund’s benchmark index, the Russell 2000 Value Index, for the period from February 20, 2020 to June 30, 2020. Being contrarian thinkers is more important than ever. We think a focus on active investing will not only limit damage from the fallout should technology stocks cool off, but position our capital to potentially take advantage of the pending re-acceleration of the US small business economy we expect. We are methodically shifting away from defensive into cyclical positions as we continue to see evidence of a recovery.

 

Sincerely,

 

Richard Shuster, CFA
Portfolio Manager, Boston Partners WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund


 

18  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

WPG PARTNERS SMALL/MICRO CAP VALUE FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $100,000 Investment in
WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund vs. Russell 2000® Value Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $100,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the Russell 2000® Value Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

                       
For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020
                   
               Gross  Net  
   Average Annual Total Return  Expense  Expense  
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Ratio  Ratio  
WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund                           
Institutional Class   –8.92%   –1.43%   4.45%   1.23%   1.10%  
Russell 2000® Value Index   –6.14%   4.37%   8.71%   n/a    n/a   
                            

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares exceeds 1.10% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Institutional Class shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 1.10%: acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (not including acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 1.10% or the expense cap then in effect, whatever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  19

   

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY FUND (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

Global Value stocks continued to underperform global growth stocks during the trailing year ended August 31, 2020. For the period, the MSCI World Growth Index rose 36.08% and the MSCI World Value Index declined by 1.60%. Over the same period, the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund (the “Fund”) declined by 3.40%, underperforming the MSCI World Index - Net Return (the “Benchmark”), which rose by 16.79%. The Fund’s underperfor-mance was mostly due to the emphasis on valuation in our three-circle framework.

 

Stock selection within the Information Technology, Financials, Health Care, Energy, Consumer Discretionary, and Communication sectors was the largest detractor from relative performance. In technology, the Fund did not own Apple Inc., which was the largest constituent in the Benchmark. Other notable detractors from performance within the Technology sector included the Fund’s underweight position in Microsoft Corp. and having no weight in Benchmark constituents NVIDIA Corp., PayPal Holdings, and Adobe Inc. All of these stocks traded at valuation multiples in excess of our value discipline.

 

In the Financials sector, the Fund’s bank holdings underper-formed the broader market as interest rates declined and economic activity slowed. Insurance stocks also lagged the market during the year, driven by both concerns about potential COVID-19 related claims and indiscriminate regulatory constraints on capital return policies. Large individual detractors from performance held by the Fund within the Financials sector included BNP Paribas, Citigroup Inc., and American Express Company.

 

Overweight positions in health care providers & services stocks were among the larger detractors from Fund performance within the Health Care sector. The industry lagged the Health Care sector as sentiment favored biotech and life sciences stocks, which were generally expensive but did well on the hope that one of these companies would participate in a cure for COVID-19. Fund positions in Merck & Co. and Novartis also detracted from relative performance.

 

Energy was the worst-performing sector within the Benchmark over the trailing year. Shares of Energy sector stocks were hurt by the slump in demand resulting from the pandemic, and threats of oversupply stemming from disagreements between the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia. Marathon Petroleum, which was the Fund’s largest energy holding before the COVID-19 crisis unfolded, was also the largest detractor from relative performance. A position in Tullow Oil plc also hurt performance. Shares slumped after the company reduced its production outlook following operational problems late last year. The position was subsequently closed.

 

Similar to the Fund’s positioning in the Information Technology sector, the Fund was also underweight expensive US technology-related stocks in the Consumer Discretionary and Consumer Staples sectors. In these sectors, not holding Benchmark constituents Amazon.com, Tesla Inc., and Facebook Inc. were the largest detractors.

 

The entire investment team at Boston Partners is relentlessly searching for investments that have not only attractive valuation characteristics and solid business fundamentals, but also improv-

Top Ten Positions (as of 8/31/20)  % of Net Assets  
Sony Corp.   2.3%  
Capgemini SA   2.1%  
DuPont de Nemours, Inc.   1.9%  
Cigna Corp.   1.8%  
Owens Corning   1.6%  
CVS Health Corp.   1.6%  
Siemens AG   1.6%  
Vistra Energy Corp.   1.5%  
Novartis AG   1.5%  
CRH PLC   1.5%  
        
Portfolio Review (as of 8/31/20)       
P/E: Price/Earnings:   14.7x  
P/B: Price/Book:   1.4x  
Holdings:   120   
Weighted Average Market Capitalization (millions):   $55,988   
ROE: Return on Equity:   13.8%  
OROA: Operating Return on Operating Assets:   33.6%  

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

International investing is subject to special risks including, but not limited to, currency risk associated with securities denominated in other than US dollar, which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Investment in emerging market securities may increase these risks. Emerging markets investments are subject to the aforementioned risks, along with periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, lack of liquidity in the markets and significantly smaller market capitalizations. The Fund may invest in small and mid-cap companies which may be more volatile, less liquid, not as diversified in their business activities as companies with greater market capitalizations, and they may fluctuate widely in market value. Small caps may be traded only in the over-the- counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. Illiquid securities may be limited in resale and cause great uncertainty in determining valuation. An investment in the Fund should be part of a carefully diversified portfolio.

 

 

 

ing business momentum and catalysts to help drive their stock prices higher. This is a repeatable process that we have honed for nearly three decades, and our team is well suited to navigate this tricky time by focusing on securities from the bottom up, rather than getting bogged down in a relentless torrent of macro and political news flow. The global economy will most likely trough in 2020 and we expect a steady cyclical recovery over the next few years. Historically, environments like these have been very good windows for value investing, as more economically sensitive companies have outperformed growth favorites. And when one considers that the starting point is exceptional, with valuation spreads at extreme levels, it is hard not to be optimistic about the future and how our Fund is positioned today.

 

Sincerely,

 

Christopher K. Hart, CFA
Senior Portfolio Manager for the Boston Partners
Global Equity Fund


 

20  |  Annual Report 2020

   

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $100,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund vs. MSCI World Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $100,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on December 30, 2011 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the MSCI World Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

                           
For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020
                          
                   Gross  Net  
   Average Annual Total Return  Since  Expense  Expense  
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Inception  Ratio  Ratio  
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund                                
Institutional Class(1)   –3.40%   3.49%   n/a    7.70%   1.04%   0.95%  
MSCI World Index – Net Return   16.79%   10.42%   n/a    10.97%(2)   n/a    n/a   
1    Inception date of the fund was December 30, 2011.  
2    Index Performance is from inception date of the Class only and is not the inception date of the index itself.  
   

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares exceeds 0.95% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Institutional Class shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 0.95%: acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (not including acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 0.95% or the expense cap then in effect, or whatever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees waived and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  21

   

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund (“Fund”) -Institutional Class shares returned -8.30% net of fees while averaging 49% net long exposure for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020. This compares to the 16.79% return posted by the MSCI World NR Index during the same period.

 

The fiscal year was marked by erratic stock market performance, as the MSCI World NR Index plummeted as the spread of the coronavirus identified as COVID-19 wreaked personal, economic, and financial havoc globally. The MSCI World NR Index’s historically quick decline was soon followed by a similarly rapid advance. While the market was extraordinarily volatile, the performance of certain investment factors was somewhat consistent in that the companies with the most expensive valuations and best revenue growth led the market during both the drawdown and recovery, an extremely rare feat. In the end, we observed the amplification of recent years’ trends, as investors seemingly disregarded valuations and continued to favor stocks with high revenue growth, good price momentum, and expensive valuations. As a result, growth continued its dominance over value, as the MSCI World Growth NR Index returned 36.08% while the MSCI World Value NR Index returned -1.60% for the fiscal year. This was a “gale force headwind” for our value-oriented approach, as the most expensive cohort of the MSCI World NR Index drove the Index’s return.

 

The Fund’s long holdings were up approximately 2.45%, with the Fund’s low price-to-earnings tilt relative to the MSCI World NR Index (owning inexpensive instead of expensive stocks) being the primary driver of long underperformance. Top long contributors included Technology and Consumer Discretionary sector holdings, while Financials was the top sector detractor. Technology hardware, including semiconductors as well as IT services holdings, exhibited very strong performance on the back of improving demand over the final several months of the fiscal year. Housing-related holdings and non-US e-commerce positions also strongly aided performance within the Consumer Discretionary sector. Financials sector holdings detracted, as banks and insurance holdings saw momentum sharply weaken due to the pandemic and consequent elevated charge-offs and loan loss and claim provisioning.

 

The Fund’s short holdings rose in price approximately 30.34% and detracted from Fund returns. Top detractors included Consumer Discretionary, Technology, and Industrials sector shorts. Auto-related and e-commerce shorts detracted within the Consumer Discretionary sector. Small- to mid-cap ’software as a service’ shorts soared higher in price during the period, as investors favored revenue growth regardless of profitability; this group ended the period trading at what we view as extremely high price-to-sales valuations. Lastly, housing-related shorts within the Industrials sector detracted, as the group benefitted from a high beta rally and strong housing data subsequent to the market trough in late March.

 

The Fund began the period with 43% net long exposure and ended with 54% net long exposure, an increase attributable to covering short positions amid the market decline in early 2020. At the end of the period, the largest exposures in the long portfolio resided in the Financials, Technology, and Industrials sectors, while largest short exposures were in the Technology,

Top Ten Positions (as of 8/31/20)  % of Net Assets  
Microsoft Corp.        3.4%  
JPMorgan Chase & Co.        2.5%  
Sony Corp.        2.4%  
BNP Paribas SA        2.0%  
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. - SP ADR        1.9%  
Vistra Energy Corp.        1.8%  
UBS Group AG        1.8%  
Alphabet, Inc., Class C        1.7%  
Sanofi        1.7%  
Tesco PLC        1.7%  
             
Portfolio Review (as of 8/31/20)   Long    Short   
P/E: Price/Earnings:   14.0x   32.9x  
P/B: Price/Book:   1.4x   2.5x  
Holdings:   108    90   
Weighted Average Market Capitalization (millions):   $130,417    $26,314   
ROE: Return on Equity:   14.9%   4.4%  
OROA: Operating Return on Operating Assets:   35.8%   8.9%  

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The Fund will engage in short sales, which creates a form of investment leverage and means the Fund’s loss potential on a short sale is unlimited. Fluctuations in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio may have disproportionately large effects or cause the NAV of the Fund to decline faster than it would otherwise. The Fund may invest in small and mid-cap companies which may be more volatile, less liquid, not as diversified in their business activities as companies with greater market capitalizations, and they may fluctuate widely in market value. Small caps may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. Foreign securities may expose the Fund to currency and exchange rate fluctuations. Derivatives (futures, options, swaps) may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. REITS include the risk of possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. Illiquid securities may be limited in resale and cause great uncertainty in determining valuation. High yield debt (also known as “junk bonds”) may be sensitive to changes in financial strength of an issuer or the debt’s credit rating; an issuer of high yield debt may default on its obligation to pay interest and principal. All of these factors may cause greater volatility and less liquidity. The Fund may experience high portfolio turnover which may result in higher costs and capital gains. An investment in the Fund should be part of a carefully diversified portfolio.

 

 

 

Industrials and Consumer Discretionary sectors. We continue to favor large-cap stocks on the long side and small- to mid-cap stocks on the short side of the Fund’s portfolio.

 

We have for several years held the view that the US equity market needed to break out of the status quo that significantly favored growth over value investments since 2017 - a flattening yield curve and sluggish yet positive growth. We are now clearly out of what was commonly described as the “Goldilocks” economy, having gone through a recession with a recovery now seemingly underway. From a starting point of historically wide valuation spreads (the price-to-earnings multiple differential between cheap and expensive stocks), historically low interest rates (a negative real U.S. 10-year Treasury yield!) and trillions of dollars of fiscal and monetary stimulus resulting in 25% year-over-year growth in


 

22  |  Annual Report 2020

   

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

M2 money supply (a post WWII record), we believe the prospects for value investing are quite bright. Despite the skeptics - growing more numerous by the day - we believe value is not dead by any means, as value investing relies upon a recurring pattern of human behavior as old as time: as investors repeatedly become too optimistic about one cohort of stocks and too pessimistic toward another; once these preferences reach an extreme, value is probabilistically advantaged. We continue to steadfastly implement our investment approach and, as the late Winston Churchill once famously said, “take refuge under the impenetrable arch of probability.”

 

The portfolio managers managing the Fund continue to focus their efforts on purchasing shares of only those companies they deem most likely to appreciate on the long side, while selling short securities likely to fail due to a combination of valuation risk, earnings risk, and/or balance sheet risk. Our analysis process is bottom-up and rooted in the three-circle framework of low valuation, positive momentum and strong business fundamentals that the portfolio managers of Boston Partners and its predecessors have been employing for over a quarter century.

 

Sincerely,

 

Christopher K. Hart, CFA, Joshua Jones, CFA
and Joshua White, CFA
Portfolio Managers for the Boston Partners Global
Long/Short Fund


 

Annual Report 2020  |  23

   

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $100,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund vs. MSCI World Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $100,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on December 31, 2013 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the MSCI World Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

               Gross  Net
   Average Annual Total Return  Since  Expense  Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Inception  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund                              
Institutional Class(1)   –8.30%   –0.87%   n/a    0.15%   2.48%   2.48%
MSCI World Index – Net Return   16.79%   10.42%   n/a    8.10%(2)    n/a    n/a 
   
1 Inception date of the class was December 31, 2013.
2 Index Performance is from inception date of the Class only and is not the inception date of the index itself.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (other than acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares exceeds 2.00% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Institutional Class shares. Because dividend expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes are excluded from the expense limitation, total annual Fund operating expenses (after fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 2.00%. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 2.00% or the expense cap then in effect, or whatever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees waived and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above (including interest and dividend expense on short sales) are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

24  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund vs. MSCI World Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund made on April 11, 2014 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the MSCI World Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

               Gross  Net
   Average Annual Total Return  Since  Expense  Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Inception  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund                              
Investor Class(1)   –8.55%   –1.10%   n/a    0.13%   2.73%   2.73%
MSCI World Index – Net Return   16.79%   10.42%   n/a    8.60%(2)    n/a    n/a 

 

1 Inception date of the class was April 11, 2014.
2 Index Performance is from inception date of the Class only and is not the inception date of the index itself.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (other than acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for the Fund’s Investor Class shares exceeds 2.25% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Investor Class shares. Because dividend expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes are excluded from the expense limitation, total annual Fund operating expenses (after fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 2.25%. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 2.25% or the expense cap then in effect, or whatever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees waived and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above (including interest and dividend expense on short sales) are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  25

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND (FORMERLY BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS LONG/SHORT FUND) (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund (formerly, the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund (the “Fund”)) returned 9.75% (net of fees) for the trailing year ended August 31, 2020, capturing 67% of the MSCI Emerging Markets (Net) Index’s 14.49% return, while averaging a 55% net-long exposure. The Fund outperformed the blended 50% MSCI Emerging Markets Index / 50% Risk-Free benchmark] (the “Blended Index”), which returned 8.38% for the period. The Fund’s neutral exposure is 50% net long, with the short exposure varying with the quantity of attractive short opportunities in the investment universe. The Blended Index, with a 50% equity exposure is an appropriate comparison given the Fund’s expected neutral exposure of 50% equities. Importantly, at the depth of the market on March 23rd, the Fund was down -15.87% year-to-date versus the MSCI Emerging Markets (Net) Index’s return of -31.80%, delivering on our commitment to manage downside risk.

 

During the period, the Fund’s long-book returned 14.76%, performing in line with the MSCI Emerging Markets (Net) Index. The long-book’s positioning in the Financials and Materials sectors aided relative performance. Throughout the trailing year, the Fund was under-weight the Financials sector within the long-book. Financials were the worst performing sector during the period, as interest rates declined and economic activity slowed due to COVID-19. Additionally, initiating positions in Mirae Asset Daewoo Co (S. Korea), Bandhan Bank Ltd. (India), and PT Central Asia TBK (Indonesia) in March and April aided performance when the market rebounded.

 

Within the Materials sector, the Fund’s position in gold mining stocks aided relative returns. Shares of gold miners surged after spot prices on the precious metal rose following the trillions of dollars in government stimulus programs initiated to combat the economic slowdown. In recent years, gold miners have also become more efficient, focusing on operational excellence instead of growth. These companies have generally decreased leverage, increased free cash flow, and are now focused on returning cash to shareholders.

 

Positioning in the Consumer Staples sector and China & Hong Kong detracted from the long-book’s relative performance. Performance from the Consumer Staples sector lagged due to the Fund’s overweight position in Mexican and Brazilian food and beverage stocks. The COVID-19 lockdowns and social-distancing policies led to volume declines for these companies. In China and Hong Kong, the Fund did not hold benchmark position Meituan Dianping, which is a leading ecommerce platform for services, especially food delivery. Despite the negative impact of COVID-19 on the company’s business and the stock’s extended price/earnings multiple, shares of the company rose through the period.

 

The Fund’s short-book rose 19.16% for the period. The lead detractor from performance was short positions in MSCI Emerging Market ETFs. In response to the COVID-19 sell-off, many countries imposed short restrictions. These short restrictions have not been fully removed, and shorting ETFs is a quick way to add short exposure in the face of such restrictions. Also detracting from the short-book’s performance was the Fund’s position in overvalued South Korean Heath Care stocks. The Fund maintains

 

Top Ten Positions (as of 8/31/20)  %of Net Assets
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   3.1%
Muyuan Foodstuff Co., Ltd., Class A   2.4%
SK Hynix, Inc.   2.2%
China Meidong Auto Holdings Ltd.   2.2%
Sands China Ltd.   2.0%
Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China Ltd., Class H   1.8%
China Construction Bank Corp., Class H   1.7%
Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV - SP ADR   1.7%
NetEase, Inc. - ADR   1.7%
Trip.com Group Ltd. - ADR   1.6%

 

Portfolio Review (as of 8/31/20)  Long   Short 
P/E: Price/Earnings:   14.5x   18.1x
P/B: Price/Book:   1.7x   1.1x
Holdings:   137    70 
Weighted Average Market Capitalization (millions):  $146,014    $38,535 
ROE: Return on Equity:   21.3%   10.4%
OROA: Operating Return on Operating Assets:   78.3%   13.1%

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The Fund will engage in short sales, which creates a form of investment leverage and means the Fund’s loss potential on a short sale is unlimited. Fluctuations in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio may have disproportionately large effects or cause the NAV of the Fund to decline faster than it would otherwise. The Fund may invest in small and mid-cap companies which may be more volatile, less liquid, not as diversified in their business activities as companies with greater market capitalizations, and they may fluctuate widely in market value. Small caps may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. Foreign and emerging market securities may expose the fund to currency and exchange rate fluctuations, high inflation, increased risk of default, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, lack of liquidity in the markets, significantly smaller market capitalizations, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Derivatives (futures, options, swaps) may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. REITS include the risk of possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. Illiquid securities may be limited in resale and cause great uncertainty in determining valuation. High yield debt (also known as “junk bonds”) may be sensitive to changes in financial strength of an issuer or the debt’s credit rating; an issuer of high yield debt may default on its obligation to pay interest and principal. All of these factors may cause greater volatility and less liquidity. The Fund may experience high portfolio turnover which may result in higher costs and capital gains. An investment in the Fund should be part of a carefully diversified portfolio.

 

 

 

short positions in Celltrion HealthCare, Samsung Biologics, and Celltrion Inc. The richly-valued shares of these companies did well on the hope that one of these stocks would participate in a cure for COVID-19. A short position in Fortescue Metals Group (Australia) also detracted from performance. Shares of the Australian iron ore miner rose as iron ore supply out of Brazil was curtailed by the shutdown imposed by the virus.

 

Aiding Fund performance were short positions in Taiwan & Singapore. Shares of shorted position Golden Agri-Resources, a palm-oil company headquartered in Singapore, declined during March and have not recovered. Short positions in Singapore


 

26  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND (FORMERLY BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS LONG/SHORT FUND) (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

Airlines and SATS Ltd also benefitted performance. SATS is a Singapore-based company that provides services to airlines, including ground/baggage handling, cargo services, and terminal management.

 

The entire investment team at Boston Partners relentlessly searches for investments that have not only attractive valuation characteristics and solid business fundamentals, but also improving business momentum and catalysts to help drive their stock prices higher. This is a repeatable process that we have honed for nearly three decades. Our focus is on bottom-up, fundamental stock picking with a statistical bent. With that said, our central and consensus macro case is that the global economy will most likely trough in 2020 and should see a steady cyclical recovery over the next few years. Historically, environments like these have been very good windows for value investing, as more economically-sensitive companies have outperformed growth favorites. When one considers this context, the starting point is exceptional; valuation spreads between growth and value stocks are at extreme levels. It is hard not to be optimistic about the future and how our Fund is positioned today. Today’s headwind could be tomorrow’s tailwind.

 

Sincerely,

 

Paul Korngiebel, CFA

Portfolio Manager for the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund

 

 
1 The Index uses the 30-day T-Bill for the risk-free rate.


 

Annual Report 2020  |  27

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND (FORMERLY BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS LONG/SHORT FUND) (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $100,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund vs. MSCI Indices

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $100,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on March 1, 2015 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the MSCI Indices are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

Total Return for the Period Ended August 31, 2020

 

               Gross  Net
   Average Annual Total Return  Since  Expense  Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Inception  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund                              
Institutional Class(1)   9.75%   4.96    n/a    4.19%   2.15%   1.50%
MSCI Emerging Markets Index – Net Return   14.49%   8.66    n/a    4.48%(2)    n/a    n/a 
   
1 Inception date of the fund was March 1, 2015. The Fund commenced operations as a series of The RBB Fund, Inc. on December 15, 2015, when substantially all of the assets of Boston Partners Emerging Market Dynamic Equity (the “Prior Account”) transferred to the Fund. The Fund is managed in all material respects in a manner equivalent to the management of the Prior Account. Accordingly, the performance information shown above for periods prior to December 15, 2015 is that of the Prior Account.
2 Index Performance is from inception date of the Class only and is not the inception date of the index itself.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Effective as of June 1, 2020, the Adviser has agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.40% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Institutional Class shares. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2022, and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. Because acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes are excluded from the expense limitation, total annual Fund operating expenses (after fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 1.40%. Prior to June 1, 2020, the Fund's contractual expense cap was 1.50% and prior to October 1, 2019 the contractual expense cap was 2.00%. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (not including acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 1.40% or the expense cap then in effect, whatever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above (including interest and dividend expense on short sales) are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a

 

28  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND (FORMERLY BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS LONG/SHORT FUND) (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  29

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS FUND (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund (the “Fund”) returned 12.05% (net of fees) for the trailing year ended August 31, 2020 versus the MSCI Emerging Markets (Net) Index’s 14.49% return.

 

The Fund’s positioning in the Financials and Materials sectors aided relative performance. Throughout the trailing year, the Fund was under-weight the Financials sector. Financials were the worst performing sector during the period, as interest rates declined and economic activity slowed due to COVID-19. Additionally, initiating positions in Mirae Asset Daewoo Co (S. Korea), Bandhan Bank Ltd. (India), and PT Central Asia TBK (Indonesia) in March and April aided Fund performance when the market rebounded.

 

Within the Materials sector, the Fund’s position in gold mining stocks aided relative returns. Shares of gold miners surged after spot prices on the precious metal rose following the trillions of dollars in government stimulus programs initiated to combat the economic slowdown. In recent years, gold miners have also become more efficient, focusing on operational excellence instead of growth. These companies have generally decreased leverage, increased free cash flow, and are now focused on returning cash to shareholders.

 

Positioning in the Consumer Staples and Health Care sectors, and Taiwan & Singapore detracted from relative performance. Performance from the Consumer Staples sector lagged due to the Fund’s overweight position in Mexican and Brazilian food and beverage stocks. The COVID-19 lockdowns and social-distancing policies led to volume declines for these companies. The Fund’s under-weight allocation to Health Care stocks, which performed relatively well during the pandemic-related sell-off, detracted from relative performance. In Taiwan & Singapore, underperformance was led by the Fund’s underweight position in Taiwan Semiconductor. Taiwan Semiconductor outperformed the Technology sector overall and shares of the company are also benefitting on news that Intel may outsourcing its chip manufacturing, reducing competition.

 

The entire investment team at Boston Partners relentlessly searches for investments that have not only attractive valuation characteristics and solid business fundamentals, but also improving business momentum and catalysts to help drive their stock prices higher. This is a repeatable process that we have honed for nearly three decades. Our focus is on bottom-up, fundamental stock picking with a statistical bent. That said, our central and consensus macro case is that the global economy will most likely trough in 2020 and should see a steady cyclical recovery over the next few years. Historically these have been very good windows for value investing, as more economically sensitive companies have outperformed growth favorites. When one considers this context, the starting point is exceptional; valuation spreads between growth and value stocks are at extreme levels. It is hard not to be optimistic about the future and how our Fund is positioned today. Today’s headwind could be tomorrow’s tailwind.

 

Sincerely,

 

Paul Korngiebel, CFA

Portfolio Manager for the Boston Partners Emerging
Markets Fund

Top Ten Positions (as of 8/31/20)  % of Net Assets
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. - SP ADR                       7.6%     
Tencent Holdings Ltd.   5.5%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   3.0%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   2.7%
SK Hynix, Inc.   2.3%
Muyuan Foodstuff Co., Ltd., Class A   2.3%
China Meidong Auto Holdings Ltd.   2.2%
Sands China Ltd.   2.0%
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - SP ADR   1.9%
Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China Ltd., Class H   1.7%
      
Portfolio Review (as of 8/31/20)     
P/E: Price/Earnings:   14.2x
P/B: Price/Book:   1.7x
Holdings:   124 
Weighted Average Market Capitalization (millions):   $154,460 
ROE: Return on Equity:   22.5%
OROA: Operating Return on Operating Assets:   82.8%

 

The Fund may invest in small and mid-cap companies which may be more volatile, less liquid, not as diversified in their business activities as companies with greater market capitalizations, and they may fluctuate widely in market value. Small caps may be traded only in the over-the-counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. Foreign and emerging market securities may expose the fund to currency and exchange rate fluctuations, high inflation, increased risk of default, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, lack of liquidity in the markets, significantly smaller market capitalizations, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Derivatives (futures, options, swaps) may be leveraged and result in losses exceeding the amounts invested. REITS include the risk of possible declines in the value of real estate, possible lack of availability of mortgage funds and unexpected vacancies of properties. Illiquid securities may be limited in resale and cause great uncertainty in determining valuation. High yield debt (also known as “junk bonds”) may be sensitive to changes in financial strength of an issuer or the debt’s credit rating; an issuer of high yield debt may default on its obligation to pay interest and principal. All of these factors may cause greater volatility and less liquidity. The Fund may experience high portfolio turnover which may result in higher costs and capital gains. An investment in the Fund should be part of a carefully diversified portfolio.

 

 

 


 

30  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $100,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund vs. MSCI World Indices

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $100,000 initial investment in the Fund made on October 17, 2017 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the MSCI indices are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

Total Return for the Period Ended August 31, 2020

 

               Gross  Net
   Average Annual Total Return  Since  Expense  Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Inception  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund                                         
Institutional Class(1)   12.05%  n/a  n/a   1.22%   2.93%   1.10%
MSCI Emerging Markets Index – Net Return   14.49%  n/a  n/a   1.68%(2)   n/a    n/a 
   
1 Inception date of the fund was October 17, 2017.
2 Index performance is from inception date of the Class only and is not the inception date of the index itself.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Effective as of June 1, 2020, the Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (other than acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares exceeds 1.00% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Institutional Class shares. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. Prior to June 1, 2020, the Fund’s contractual expense cap was 1.10%. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 1.00% or the expense cap then in effect, or whatever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees waived and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above (including interest and dividend expense on short sales) are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  31

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY ADVANTAGE FUND (UNAUDITED)

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

The Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund (the “Fund”) is an actively managed global equity fund with a dynamic allocation to systematic trend following that seeks to minimize downside exposure and improve long-term results. The strategy merges the Boston Partners Global Equity strategy with the Campbell Advantage Trend Model and Dynamic Risk Targeting (DRT) Framework into one combined strategy.

 

Over the trailing year ended August 31, 2020, global value stocks continued to underperform global growth stocks. For the period, the MSCI World Growth Index rose by 36.08% and the MSCI World Value Index declined by 1.60%. Over the same period the Fund returned -3.53%, underperforming the MSCI World Index - Net Return (the “Benchmark”), which rose by 16.79%. The Fund’s underperformance was mostly due to the emphasis on valuation in our three-circle framework.

 

Boston Partners Global Equity Performance Review

 

Stock selection within the Information Technology, Financials, Health Care, Energy, Consumer Discretionary, and Communication sectors was the largest detractor from relative performance. In Technology, the Fund did not own Apple Inc., which is the largest constituent in the MSCI World index. Other notable detractors from performance within the Technology sector included the Fund’s underweight position in Microsoft Corp., and having no weight in Benchmark constituents NVIDIA Corp., PayPal Holdings, and Adobe Inc. All of these stocks traded at valuation multiples in excess of our value discipline.

 

In the Financials sector, the Fund’s bank holdings underperformed the broader market as interest rates declined and economic activity slowed. Insurance stocks also lagged the market, driven by both concerns about potential COVID-19 related claims and indiscriminate regulatory constraints on capital return policies. Large individual detractors from performance held by the Fund within the Financials sector included BNP Paribas, Citigroup Inc., and American Express Company.

 

Overweight positions in health care providers and services stocks were among the larger detractors from performance within the Health Care sector. The industry lagged the Health Care sector as sentiment favored biotech and life sciences stocks, which were generally expensive but did well on the hope one of these companies would participate in a cure for COVID 19. Fund positions in Merck & Co. and Novartis also detracted from relative performance.

 

Energy was the worst-performing sector within the Benchmark over the trailing year. Shares of Energy sector stocks were hurt by the slump in demand resulting from the pandemic, and threats of oversupply stemming from disagreements between the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia. Marathon Petroleum, which was the Fund’s largest energy holding before the COVID-19 crisis unfolded, was also the largest detractor from relative performance. A position in Tullow Oil plc also hurt performance. Shares slumped after the company reduced its production outlook following operational problems late last year. The position was subsequently closed.

Top Ten Positions (as of 8/31/20)  % of Net Assets
Sony Corp.   1.8%     
Capgemini SA   1.6%
DuPont de Nemours, Inc.   1.5%
Cigna Corp.   1.4%
Owens Corning   1.3%
CVS Health Corp.   1.2%
Siemens AG   1.2%
Vistra Energy Corp.   1.2%
Novartis AG   1.2%
CRH PLC   1.2%
      
Portfolio Review (as of 8/31/20)     
P/E: Price/Earnings:   14.7x
P/B: Price/Book:   1.4x
Holdings:   120 
Weighted Average Market Capitalization (millions):  $56,008 
ROE: Return on Equity:   13.7%
OROA: Operating Return on Operating Assets:   33.6%

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

International investing is subject to special risks including, but not limited to, currency risk associated with securities denominated in other than US dollar, which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices. Investment in emerging market securities may increase these risks. Emerging markets investments are subject to the aforementioned risks, along with periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, lack of liquidity in the markets and significantly smaller market capitalizations. The Fund may invest in small and mid-cap companies which may be more volatile, less liquid, not as diversified in their business activities as companies with greater market capitalizations, and they may fluctuate widely in market value. Small caps may be traded only in the over-the- counter market or on a regional securities exchange, may be listed only in the “pink sheets,” and may not be traded every day or in the volume typical of trading on a national securities exchange. Illiquid securities may be limited in resale and cause great uncertainty in determining valuation. An investment in the Fund should be part of a carefully diversified portfolio.

 

 

 

Similar to the Fund’s positioning in the Information Technology sector, the Fund was also underweight expensive US technology-related stocks in the Consumer Discretionary and Consumer Staples sectors. In these sectors, not holding Benchmark constituents Amazon.com, Tesla Inc., and Facebook Inc. were the largest detractors.

 

Campbell Advantage Performance Review

 

For the one-year period ended August 31, 2020, the Campbell Advantage strategy, which is part of the Fund’s strategy, also posted negative returns. The performance of the strategy was driven by losses in equity indices, agricultural commodities, and fixed income trading. The strategy experienced gains in its energy investments, which helped to offset some of the strategy’s losses, and was generally flat in foreign exchange and metals during the period. The Campbell Advantage strategy’s risk target, which is a function of the strategy’s expected correlation to equities and equity volatility, increased during the first quarter of 2020 and remained relatively elevated throughout the period. Rising


 

32  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY ADVANTAGE FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

market volatility in the first quarter of 2020 led to increased risk-taking in the strategy and provided protection to the long equity exposure during the market sell-off. This increased risk posture led to larger losses in the strategy as equities rebounded and the strategy reduced exposures.

 

Outlook

 

The entire investment team at Boston Partners is relentlessly searching for investments that have not only attractive valuation characteristics and solid business fundamentals, but also improving business momentum and catalysts to help drive their stock prices higher. This is a repeatable process that we have honed for nearly three decades, and our team is well suited to navigate this tricky time by focusing on securities from the bottom up, rather than getting bogged down in a relentless torrent of macro and political news flow. The global economy will most likely trough in 2020 and we expect to see a steady cyclical recovery over the next few years. Historically, environments like these have been very good windows for value investing as more economically-sensitive companies have outperformed growth favorites. And when one considers that the starting point is exceptional, with valuation spreads at extreme levels, it is hard not to be optimistic about the future and how our Fund is positioned today.

 

Sincerely,

 

Christopher K. Hart, CFA

Senior Portfolio Manager for the Boston Partners Global Equity
Advantage Fund


 

Annual Report 2020  |  33

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY ADVANTAGE FUND (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $100,000 Investment in
Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund vs. MSCI World Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $100,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on May 29, 2019 (the date on which the Fund commenced investment operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the MSCI World Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

For The Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

               Gross  Net
   Average Annual Total Return  Since  Expense  Expense
   1 Year  5 Year  10 Year  Inception  Ratio  Ratio
Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund                                         
Institutional Class(1)   –3.53%  n/a  n/a   1.57%   2.32%   1.05%
MSCI World Index – Net Return   16.79%  n/a  n/a   16.73%(2)   n/a    n/a 

 

1 Inception date of the fund was May 29, 2019.
2 Index Performance is from inception date of the Class only and is not the inception date of the index itself.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares exceeds 1.05% of the average daily net assets attributable to the Fund’s Institutional Class shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 1.05%: acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until December 31, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (not including acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) for a year are less than 1.05% or the expense cap then in effect, or whatever is less, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees waived and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. Total returns shown include fee waivers and expense reimbursements, if any; total returns would have been lower had there been no assumption of fees and expenses in excess of expense limitations. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratios above are as stated in the current prospectus. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-888-261-4073 or visit our web site at www.boston-partners.com.

 

34  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

DEFINITIONS (UNAUDITED)

 

Past Performance is not a guarantee of future results.

 

Opinions expressed herein are as of August 31, 2020 and are subject to change at any time, are not guaranteed and should not be considered investment advice. This report is for the information of shareholders of the Funds. It may also be used as sales literature when preceded or accompanied by the current prospectus.

 

Basis point refers to a common unit of measure for interest rates and other percentages in finance. One basis point is equal to 1/100th of 1%, or 0.01%, or 0.0001.

 

Beta or beta coefficient is a measure of a stock or portfolio’s level of systematic and unsystematic risk based on in its prior performance. In general, a higher beta indicates a more volatile security in relation to its benchmark and lower beta indicates a less volatile security in relation to its benchmark.

 

Capex: Capital expenditures (CapEx) are funds used by a company to acquire, upgrade, and maintain physical assets such as property, plants, buildings, technology, or equipment. 

 

Earnings per share: Is the portion of a company’s profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock.

 

Free cash flow yield is an indicator that compare free cash flow and market cap. It is a representation of the income created by an investment.

 

Growth stocks typically are more volatile than value stocks; however, value stocks generally have a lower expected growth rate in earnings and sales.

 

M2 money supply: The money supply is all the currency and other liquid instruments in a country’s economy on the date measured. The money supply roughly includes both cash and deposits that can be used almost as easily as cash. M2 includes M1 and, in addition, short-term time deposits in banks and certain money market funds.

 

Momentum: High Momentum companies are characterized in the literature as companies with high price performance in the recent history, up to 12-months. High Momentum companies tend to continue their high price performance over the near term, typically over a 6 – 12 month period.

 

MSCI EAFE (EAFE) Index is a stock market index that is designed to measure the equity market performance of developed markets outside of the U.S. & Canada. It is maintained by MSCI Inc., a provider of investment decision support tools; the EAFE acronym stands for Europe, Australasia and Far East.

 

MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Index is an index created by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) designed to measure equity market performance in global emerging markets.

 

MSCI World Index is an unmanaged index that measures the equity market performance of developed markets.

 

MSCI World Growth Index captures large and mid-cap securities exhibiting overall growth style characteristics across 23 Developed Markets Countries.

 

MSCI World Value NR Index is an index tracking value stocks, which are stocks with prices lower than their intrinsic values.

 

A net return index includes reinvesting the after tax dividends. A gross return index includes reinvesting the before tax dividends. In general, a net return index should under perform a gross return index.

 

Nasdaq Index is the market capitalization-weighted index of over 2,500 common equities listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. 

 

OROA: Operating Return on Operating Assets

 

P/B: Price/Book: A valuation ratio of a company’s current share price compared to its book value.

 

P/E: Price/Earnings: A valuation ratio of a company’s current share price compared to its per-share earnings.

 

Price to Sales: A valuation ratio that compares a company’s stock price to its revenues. It is an indicator of the value that financial markets have placed on each dollar of a company’s sales or revenues.

 

Quality has long been established as an investment approach, dating back to Benjamin Graham, but it is less well accepted as a factor, especially when compared with value, size, yield, momentum and low volatility. By “factor”, we mean any characteristic that helps explain the risk and returns of a group of securities.

 

ROE: Return on Equity: measures a corporation’s profitability by revealing how much profit a company generates with the money invested.

 

Russell 1000® Growth Index measures the performance of the large-cap growth segment of the US equity universe. It includes those Russell 1000® companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth values.

 

Russell 1000® Index measures the performance of the 1,000 largest companies in the Russell 3000® Index, which represents approximately 92% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 3000 Index. You cannot invest directly in an index.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  35

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

DEFINITIONS (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

Russell 1000® Value Index measures the performance of those Russell 1000 companies with lower price/book ratios and lower forecasted growth values. The Russell 1000® Value Index refers to a composite of large and mid-cap companies located in the United States that also exhibit a value probability.

 

Russell 2000® Growth Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of Russell 2000 companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth values.

 

Russell 2000® Index measures the performance of the 2,000 smallest companies in the Russell 3000® Index, which represents approximately 8% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 3000® Index and is considered representative of small-cap stocks.

 

Russell 2000® Value Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of the small-cap value segment of the U.S. equity universe. It includes those Russell 2000® Index companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values.

 

Russell 3000® Index measures the performance of the largest 3,000 U.S. companies representing approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market.

 

Russell 3000® Growth Index is a market capitalization weighted index based on the Russell 3000® Index. It includes companies that display signs of above average growth.

 

Russell 3000® Value Index is an unmanaged index that measures the performance of the broad value segment of the U.S. equity value universe. It includes those Russell 3000® Index companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values.

 

S&P 500® Index is a market-capitalization-weighted index of 500 U.S. stocks chosen for market size, liquidity and industry grouping, among other factors. The S&P 500® Index is designed to be a leading indicator of U.S. equities and is meant to reflect the risk/return characteristics of the large cap universe. The S&P 500® Index was first introduced on January 1, 1923, though expanded to 500 stocks on March 4, 1957.

 

S&P B+ or better and S&P B- or worse: S&P Global is a credit rating agency that issues credit ratings for the debt of public and private companies, rating borrowers on a scale from AAA (best) to D (worst).

 

VIX Index is a market estimate of expected stock market volatility over the next 30-days, derived from a series of price inputs on option contracts linked to the S&P 500 index.

 

36  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

FUND EXPENSE EXAMPLES

AUGUST 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund(s), you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, if any, and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees, distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees, and other Fund expenses. These examples are intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund(s) and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

These examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020, and held for the entire period.

 

ACTUAL EXPENSES

 

The first line of the accompanying table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLES FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES

 

The second line of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on a Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund(s) and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, if any. Therefore, the second line of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

   BEGINNING ACCOUNT
VALUE
MARCH 1, 2020
  ENDING ACCOUNT
VALUE
AUGUST 31, 2020
  EXPENSES
PAID DURING
PERIOD*
  ANNUALIZED
EXPENSE
RATIO
     ACTUAL
SIX-MONTH
TOTAL INVESTMENT
RETURN FOR THE FUND
                          
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II                                                                
Institutional                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $953.40   $4.86    0.99%   –4.66% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,020.16    5.03    0.99%   N/A 
Investor                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $952.50   $6.09    1.24%   –4.75% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,018.90    6.29    1.24%   N/A 
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund                         
Institutional                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $981.90   $12.70    2.55%(1)   –1.81% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,012.32    12.90    2.55%(1)   N/A 
Investor                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $980.60   $13.94    2.80%(1)   –1.94% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,011.06    14.15    2.80%(1)   N/A 
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund                         
Institutional                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $916.00   $11.22    2.33%(1)   –8.40% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,013.42    11.79    2.33%(1)   N/A 
Investor                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $915.60   $12.42    2.58%(1)   –8.44% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,012.17    13.05    2.58%(1)   N/A 
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund                         
Institutional                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $1,032.40   $4.09    0.80%   3.24% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,021.11    4.06    0.80%   N/A 
Investor                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $1,031.30   $5.36    1.05%   3.13% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,019.86    5.33    1.05%   N/A 

 

Annual Report 2020  |  37

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

FUND EXPENSE EXAMPLES (CONCLUDED)

AUGUST 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

   BEGINNING ACCOUNT
VALUE
MARCH 1, 2020
  ENDING ACCOUNT
VALUE
AUGUST 31, 2020
  EXPENSES
PAID DURING
PERIOD*
  ANNUALIZED
EXPENSE
RATIO
     ACTUAL
SIX-MONTH
TOTAL INVESTMENT
RETURN FOR THE FUND
                          
WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund                                                                 
Institutional                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $956.80   $5.41    1.10%   –4.32% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,019.61    5.58    1.10%   N/A 
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund                         
Institutional                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $1,005.30   $4.79    0.95%   0.53% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,020.36    4.82    0.95%   N/A 
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund                         
Institutional                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $978.90   $12.58    2.53%(1)   –2.11% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,012.42    12.80    2.53%(1)   N/A 
Investor                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $977.60   $13.82    2.78%(1)   –2.24% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,011.16    14.05    2.78%(1)   N/A 
Boston Partners Emerging Markets                         
Dynamic Equity Fund                         
Institutional                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $1,077.70   $9.30    1.78%(1)   7.77% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,016.19    9.02    1.78%(1)   N/A 
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund                         
Institutional                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $1,074.60   $5.42    1.04%   7.46% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,019.91    5.28    1.04%   N/A 
Boston Partners Global Equity                         
Advantage Fund                         
Institutional                         
Actual  $1,000.00   $1,023.60   $5.34    1.05%   2.36% 
Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)   1,000.00    1,000.00    5.28    1.05%   N/A 

 

* Expenses are equal to each Fund’s annualized six-month expense ratios in the table above, which include waived fees or reimbursed expenses, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one-half year period.
(1) These amounts include dividends paid on securities which the Funds have sold short (“Short-sale dividends”) and related interest expense. The amount of short-sale dividends and related interest expense was 0.09% of average net assets for the six-month period ended August 31, 2020 for both the Institutional Class and Investor Class of the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, 0.92% of average net assets for the Institutional Class and Investor Class of the Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, 0.63% of average net assets of the Institutional Class and Investor Class of the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund and 0.00% of average net assets for the Institutional Class of the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund.

 

38  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020

Portfolio Holdings Summary Tables (UNAUDITED)

 

BOSTON PARTNERS 

SMALL CAP VALUE FUND II

SECURITY TYPE/SECTOR CLASSIFICATION  % OF NET
ASSETS
   VALUE 
COMMON STOCK          
Financials   29.9%  $173,423,366 
Industrials   19.4    112,841,371 
Information Technology   14.1    81,757,625 
Consumer Discretionary   11.0    63,940,542 
Materials   7.2    41,787,449 
Health Care   6.8    39,458,392 
Consumer Staples   3.6    21,114,448 
Energy   3.0    17,171,660 
Real Estate   1.5    8,684,633 
Communication Services   1.2    6,947,456 
Utilities   0.4    2,075,473 
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL   9.3    53,885,936 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS   1.9    11,276,492 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS   (9.3)   (53,983,363)
NET ASSETS   100.0%  $580,381,480 

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.                

 

BOSTON PARTNERS  
LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND  
SECURITY TYPE/SECTOR CLASSIFICATION   % OF NET
ASSETS
    VALUE 
LONG POSITIONS:          
COMMON STOCK          
Information Technology   19.3%  $16,072,287 
Health Care   17.1    14,235,778 
Financials   15.3    12,739,551 
Industrials   12.6    10,498,025 
Consumer Discretionary   8.5    7,093,894 
Communication Services   5.6    4,672,371 
Energy   5.0    4,174,029 
Materials   4.5    3,717,537 
Real Estate   3.9    3,204,386 
Consumer Staples   2.0    1,624,853 
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL   9.3    7,775,760 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS   6.1    5,093,061 
           
SHORT POSITIONS:          
COMMON STOCK          
Information Technology   (9.9)   (8,204,642)
Health Care   (4.7)   (3,921,306)
Consumer Discretionary   (3.2)   (2,698,287)
Industrials   (2.6)   (2,140,195)
Communication Services   (2.5)   (2,102,788)
Real Estate   (1.2)   (1,000,825)
Consumer Staples   (0.8)   (657,813)
Financials   (0.4)   (371,027)
Utilities   (0.2)   (177,799)
Energy   (0.2)   (150,954)
Materials   (0.0)   (1,800)
BOSTON PARTNERS
LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND (continued)
SECURITY TYPE/SECTOR CLASSIFICATION  % OF NET
ASSETS
   VALUE 
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS   (1.0)  $(843,063)
OPTIONS WRITTEN   (0.8)   (640,310)
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES   18.3    15,273,344 
NET ASSETS   100.0%  $83,264,067 

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

                 

BOSTON PARTNERS 
LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND 
SECURITY TYPE/SECTOR CLASSIFICATION   % OF NET
ASSETS
    VALUE 
LONG POSITIONS:          
COMMON STOCK          
Financials   16.4%  $181,906,484 
Industrials   14.9    164,941,120 
Information Technology   14.3    158,022,029 
Communication Services   11.4    126,384,733 
Health Care   11.1    123,435,446 
Consumer Discretionary   10.1    111,431,666 
Materials   7.2    79,420,836 
Consumer Staples   6.9    75,969,308 
Energy   6.6    73,565,060 
Utilities   0.8    8,466,537 
WARRANTS   0.0    28,081 
           
SHORT POSITIONS:          
COMMON STOCK          
Financials   (8.7)   (96,533,773)
Consumer Discretionary   (7.3)   (80,119,140)
Information Technology   (6.8)   (75,465,401)
Industrials   (6.8)   (75,376,387)
Materials   (6.3)   (69,784,062)
Consumer Staples   (3.4)   (37,589,808)
Communication Services   (2.9)   (32,436,220)
Health Care   (2.3)   (25,674,533)
Energy   (2.0)   (21,854,178)
Real Estate   (1.5)   (16,448,276)
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES   48.3    535,109,559 
NET ASSETS   100.0%  $1,107,399,081 

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  39

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020

Portfolio Holdings Summary Tables (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

 

BOSTON PARTNERS 
ALL-CAP VALUE FUND 
SECURITY TYPE/SECTOR CLASSIFICATION  % OF NET
ASSETS
   VALUE 
COMMON STOCK          
Health Care   24.5%  $311,656,231 
Financials   21.8    277,922,712 
Industrials   14.3    181,604,873 
Information Technology   12.7    162,349,493 
Consumer Discretionary   9.4    120,325,084 
Communication Services   6.5    82,929,275 
Materials   4.7    59,889,425 
Energy   2.9    36,501,475 
Consumer Staples   2.0    25,536,401 
Utilities   0.5    6,226,886 
RIGHTS   0.0     
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL   8.1    103,029,868 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS   1.3    17,069,178 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS   (8.7)   (110,813,167)
NET ASSETS   100.0%  $1,274,227,734 

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

                 

WPG PARTNERS 
SMALL/MICRO CAP VALUE FUND 
SECURITY TYPE/SECTOR CLASSIFICATION   % OF NET
ASSETS
    VALUE 
COMMON STOCK          
Financials   24.1%  $4,603,765 
Industrials   16.7    3,191,341 
Real Estate   13.0    2,494,698 
Energy   10.5    2,016,854 
Consumer Staples   7.9    1,504,450 
Materials   7.8    1,489,876 
Information Technology   7.1    1,364,085 
Utilities   4.7    900,953 
Consumer Discretionary   4.4    845,164 
Health Care   3.2    608,579 
WARRANTS   0.0    2 
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL   14.6    2,795,892 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS   1.2    238,703 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS   (15.2)   (2,904,119)
NET ASSETS   100.0%  $19,150,243 

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

BOSTON PARTNERS        
GLOBAL EQUITY FUND        
SECURITY TYPE/SECTOR CLASSIFICATION  % OF NET
ASSETS
   VALUE 
COMMON STOCK          
Financials   17.7%  $31,409,579 
Industrials   17.6    31,204,233 
Health Care   15.5    27,541,036 
Information Technology   13.6    24,183,754 
Consumer Discretionary   11.4    20,251,669 
Materials   9.4    16,632,085 
Communication Services   4.2    7,379,478 
Consumer Staples   3.7    6,531,439 
Energy   3.0    5,386,168 
Utilities   1.5    2,744,948 
PREFERRED STOCKS   0.9    1,630,032 
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL   7.0    12,352,274 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS   1.4    2,526,679 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS   (6.9)   (12,303,356)
NET ASSETS   100.0%  $177,470,018 

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

BOSTON PARTNERS

GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND

SECURITY TYPE/SECTOR CLASSIFICATION  % OF NET
ASSETS
   VALUE 
LONG POSITIONS:          
COMMON STOCK          
Information Technology   21.6%  $29,556,305 
Financials   17.5    24,040,900 
Consumer Discretionary   10.8    14,806,928 
Materials   10.6    14,478,586 
Health Care   10.4    14,258,387 
Industrials   10.2    13,951,507 
Communication Services   7.1    9,724,452 
Consumer Staples   6.8    9,342,005 
Energy   2.3    3,222,299 
Utilities   2.3    3,194,663 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS   0.9    1,219,600 
           
SHORT POSITIONS:          
COMMON STOCK          
Industrials   (8.2)   (11,206,153)
Information Technology   (7.6)   (10,408,262)
Consumer Discretionary   (5.6)   (7,705,200)
Financials   (4.3)   (5,864,473)
Consumer Staples   (4.1)   (5,665,037)
Materials   (3.6)   (4,967,167)
Health Care   (3.1)   (4,281,765)
Energy   (1.3)   (1,735,081)
Communication Services   (1.1)   (1,470,236)
Real Estate   (0.3)   (355,854)
OPTIONS WRITTEN   (1.5)   (2,053,571)
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES   40.2    55,081,740 
NET ASSETS   100.0%  $137,164,573 

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

40  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020

Portfolio Holdings Summary Tables (UNAUDITED) (CONCLUDED)

 

BOSTON PARTNERS

EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND

SECURITY TYPE/SECTOR CLASSIFICATION  % OF NET
ASSETS
   VALUE 
LONG POSITIONS:          
COMMON STOCK          
Information Technology   15.7%  $9,362,939 
Consumer Discretionary   14.1    8,496,116 
Financials   11.5    6,906,325 
Consumer Staples   7.8    4,697,797 
Communication Services   4.6    2,775,624 
Energy   3.4    2,050,024 
Real Estate   3.3    2,008,747 
Health Care   3.2    1,946,011 
Industrials   2.0    1,181,599 
Materials   1.9    1,135,358 
Utilities   1.6    945,052 
PREFERRED STOCKS   3.8    2,306,411 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS   21.9    13,137,380 
           
SHORT POSITIONS:          
COMMON STOCK          
Materials   (0.6)   (353,718)
Financials   (0.3)   (195,375)
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS   (14.7)   (8,830,720)
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES   20.9    12,605,938 
NET ASSETS   100.0%  $60,175,508 

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

                 

BOSTON PARTNERS          
EMERGING MARKETS FUND          
    % OF NET      
SECURITY TYPE/SECTOR CLASSIFICATION   ASSETS    VALUE 
COMMON STOCK          
Consumer Discretionary   24.1%  $3,977,084 
Information Technology   18.1    2,989,007 
Financials   13.3    2,206,029 
Communication Services   9.8    1,617,866 
Consumer Staples   7.5    1,241,791 
Real Estate   4.5    742,620 
Energy   3.3    545,813 
Materials   1.8    295,135 
Industrials   1.6    262,435 
Utilities   1.5    245,953 
PREFERRED STOCKS   3.7    608,302 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS   10.7    1,764,372 
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES   0.1    11,778 
NET ASSETS   100.0%  $16,508,185 

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.                

BOSTON PARTNERS
GLOBAL EQUITY ADVANTAGE FUND
SECURITY TYPE/SECTOR CLASSIFICATION  % OF NET
ASSETS
   VALUE 
COMMON STOCK          
Financials   14.1%  $4,924,952 
Industrials   14.0    4,898,265 
Health Care   12.4    4,335,296 
Information Technology   10.8    3,788,799 
Consumer Discretionary   9.1    3,165,024 
Materials   7.5    2,611,150 
Communication Services   3.3    1,158,828 
Consumer Staples   2.9    1,025,755 
Energy   2.4    845,354 
Utilities   1.2    430,829 
PREFERRED STOCKS   0.7    255,728 
INVESTMENT COMPANY   20.4    7,143,942 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS   1.4    496,389 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS   (0.2)   (43,409)
NET ASSETS   100.0%  $35,036,902 

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.                


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  41

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE FUND II Portfolio Of Investments

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
  VALUE
COMMON STOCKS—98.1%          
Communication Services—1.2%          
Nexstar Media Group, Inc., Class A   39,124   $3,756,295 
Yelp, Inc.*(a)   138,026    3,191,161 
         6,947,456 
Consumer Discretionary—11.0%          
Beazer Homes USA, Inc.*(a)   127,482    1,560,380 
Extended Stay America, Inc.   158,462    1,979,190 
Foot Locker, Inc.(a)   154,184    4,676,401 
Frontdoor, Inc.*   141,189    6,151,605 
Hanesbrands, Inc. (a)   322,847    4,936,331 
Harley-Davidson, Inc.(a)   108,698    3,012,022 
International Game Technology PLC*   281,981    3,138,449 
LCI Industries   51,510    5,853,081 
Lithia Motors, Inc., Class A   56,017    13,945,992 
Movado Group, Inc.*(a)   77,907    849,965 
Skechers U.S.A., Inc., Class A*   196,965    5,879,405 
Standard Motor Products, Inc.*   42,600    1,935,744 
Steven Madden Ltd.*   162,139    3,430,861 
Tempur Sealy International, Inc.*   29,013    2,481,772 
Toll Brothers, Inc.   51,691    2,182,394 
TravelCenters of America, Inc.*   45,654    975,170 
ZAGG, Inc.*(a)   299,302    951,780 
         63,940,542 
Consumer Staples—3.6%          
Energizer Holdings, Inc.(a)   204,029    9,444,502 
Fresh Del Monte Produce, Inc.   103,376    2,397,290 
Nomad Foods Ltd.*   164,398    4,054,055 
Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.(a)   39,403    2,348,419 
Universal Corp.   66,118    2,870,182 
         21,114,448 
Energy—3.0%          
Cactus, Inc., Class A   110,762    2,446,733 
ChampionX Corp.*   170,039    1,741,199 
Parsley Energy, Inc., Class A(a)   146,786    1,577,950 
ProPetro Holding Corp.*   260,625    1,636,725 
Viper Energy Partners LP   200,217    2,038,209 
World Fuel Services Corp.   292,835    7,730,844 
         17,171,660 
Financials—29.9%          
AllianceBernstein Holding LP   69,498    1,979,998 
AMERISAFE, Inc.   47,737    3,185,490 
Anworth Mortgage Asset Corp.   687,215    1,188,882 
Ares Commercial Real Estate Corp.   124,499    1,240,010 
Assured Guaranty Ltd.   317,087    6,801,516 
Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.   183,971    8,786,455 
BankUnited, Inc.   169,405    3,960,689 
Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc., Class A(a)   216,070    5,135,984 
Columbia Banking System, Inc.   55,403    1,546,298 
Essent Group Ltd.   197,691    7,057,569 
Evercore, Inc., Class A   78,394    4,851,021 
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corp., Class C   58,236    3,968,783 
First American Financial Corp.   80,290    4,220,845 
First Citizens BancShares Inc., Class A   7,053    2,772,887 
First Hawaiian, Inc.(a)   331,198    5,474,703 
First Horizon National Corp.   209,618    2,001,852 
First Merchants Corp.   95,168    2,434,397 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
  VALUE
Financials—(continued)      
FirstCash, Inc.   85,600       $5,114,600 
Flushing Financial Corp.   69,537    843,484 
Greenlight Capital Re Ltd.*(a)   180,251    1,310,425 
Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., (The)   56,891    5,830,758 
Heritage Financial Corp.(a)   89,505    1,784,730 
Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc.   102,154    1,333,110 
Hope Bancorp, Inc.   143,190    1,211,387 
James River Group Holdings Ltd.   107,779    5,249,915 
Luther Burbank Corp.   222,932    2,071,038 
Merchants Bancorp   98,277    2,002,885 
Mr Cooper Group, Inc.*   188,425    3,452,888 
National General Holdings Corp.   333,067    11,340,931 
Navient Corp.   728,788    6,624,683 
Nelnet, Inc., Class A (a)   38,190    2,501,063 
NMI Holdings, Inc., Class A*   134,228    2,302,010 
PennyMac Financial Services, Inc.   151,711    7,998,204 
PRA Group, Inc.*(a)   95,693    4,466,471 
ProAssurance Corp.   88,149    1,350,443 
RBB Bancorp   77,528    1,005,538 
Reinsurance Group of America, Inc.   21,560    1,976,621 
Silvercrest Asset Management Group, Inc., Class A   274,316    3,439,923 
SLM Corp.   1,241,311    9,483,616 
South State Corp.   42,565    2,370,019 
Starwood Property Trust, Inc.   111,297    1,736,233 
State Auto Financial Corp.   58,178    897,686 
Synovus Financial Corp.   54,531    1,192,593 
Umpqua Holdings Corp.   101,695    1,147,120 
Velocity Financial, Inc.*(a)   292,964    1,555,639 
Walker & Dunlop, Inc.   173,001    9,476,995 
Washington Federal, Inc.   74,311    1,742,593 
White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd.   4,490    4,002,386 
         173,423,366 
Health Care—6.8%          
Change Healthcare, Inc.*   868,757    12,292,911 
Envista Holdings Corp.*   293,339    7,037,203 
Hanger, Inc.*   78,931    1,559,676 
LHC Group, Inc.*   28,877    6,019,122 
R1 RCM, Inc.*   197,683    2,866,403 
Syneos Health, Inc.*   143,956    9,083,624 
US Physical Therapy, Inc.*(a)   6,743    599,453 
         39,458,392 
Industrials—19.4%          
ABM Industries, Inc.   272,110    10,378,275 
ACCO Brands Corp.   367,713    2,382,780 
AECOM Technology Corp.*   86,786    3,428,915 
Aegion Corp.*   139,848    2,263,440 
AIR LEASE Corp.(a)   60,348    1,875,616 
ASGN, Inc.*   110,749    7,948,456 
BMC Stock Holdings, Inc.*   165,056    6,589,036 
CBIZ, Inc.*   138,977    3,379,921 
Covanta Holding Corp.   166,012    1,567,153 
CRA International, Inc.   96,387    4,097,411 
Curtiss-Wright Corp.   59,030    6,039,950 
EnerSys   113,427    8,164,475 
Ennis, Inc.(a)   55,420    1,015,849 
Foundation Building Materials, Inc.*   129,550    2,102,597 
FTI Consulting, Inc.*   61,445    7,051,428 
Harsco Corp.*   263,376    3,726,770 


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

42  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE FUND II Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
  VALUE
Industrials—(continued)          
HD Supply Holdings, Inc.*   99,380       $3,941,411 
Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.   54,352    1,175,634 
Hillenbrand, Inc.   81,992    2,599,966 
IAA, Inc.*   35,020    1,832,246 
IBEX Ltd.*   138,585    2,215,974 
ICF International, Inc.   72,206    4,932,392 
KAR Auction Services, Inc.   419,522    7,274,511 
Korn/Ferry International   52,754    1,608,997 
Landstar System, Inc.   13,201    1,756,921 
ManpowerGroup, Inc.   18,042    1,322,659 
MasTec, Inc.*(a)   46,717    2,158,793 
NN, Inc.(a)   263,642    1,199,571 
Terex Corp.*   95,596    1,870,814 
Viad Corp.*   70,633    1,513,665 
WESCO International, Inc.*   115,811    5,425,745 
         112,841,371 
Information Technology—14.1%          
Bel Fuse, Inc., Class B(a)   147,517    1,773,154 
Belden, Inc.(a)   135,675    4,569,534 
Diebold Nixdorf, Inc.*(a)   198,889    1,658,734 
DXC Technology Co.   209,466    4,185,131 
EVERTEC, Inc.   150,246    5,261,615 
First Solar, Inc.*(a)   36,989    2,832,987 
Insight Enterprises, Inc.*   83,659    5,003,226 
InterDigital Inc.   58,979    3,606,566 
MAXIMUS, Inc.   50,626    3,926,046 
NCR Corp.*(a)   231,926    4,740,567 
PC Connection, Inc.   33,826    1,498,154 
Science Applications International Corp.   102,733    8,574,096 
SMART Global Holdings, Inc.*(a)   123,717    3,117,668 
Sykes Enterprises, Inc.*   181,063    5,994,091 
SYNNEX Corp.   102,118    12,984,304 
TTEC Holdings, Inc.   114,630    6,498,375 
Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc.*   79,109    1,939,753 
Unisys Corp.*(a)   308,201    3,593,624 
         81,757,625 
Materials—7.2%          
Graphic Packaging Holding Co. (a)   1,103,614    15,428,524 
Huntsman Corp.   100,590    2,174,756 
Ingevity Corp.*(a)   68,784    3,863,597 
Minerals Technologies, Inc.   31,564    1,601,873 
Orion Engineered Carbons SA*   159,662    1,939,893 
PQ Group Holdings, Inc.*   157,518    1,835,085 
Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc.   155,090    4,703,880 
Valvoline, Inc.   501,953    10,239,841 
         41,787,449 
Real Estate—1.5%          
Cousins Properties, Inc.   214,913    6,415,153 
Spirit Realty Capital, Inc.(a)   63,911    2,269,480 
         8,684,633 
Utilities—0.3%          
Pure Cycle Corp.*   212,651    2,075,473 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $478,428,154)
        569,202,415 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
  VALUE
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL—9.3%          
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets Portfolio, LLC, 0.19%(b)   53,885,936      $53,885,936 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL
(Cost $53,885,936)
        53,885,936 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—1.9%          
U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(b)   11,276,492    11,276,492 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $11,276,492)
        11,276,492 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS—109.3%
(Cost $543,590,582)
        634,364,843 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS—(9.3)%        (53,983,363)
NET ASSETS—100.0%       $580,381,480 

 

 

PLC —  Public Limited Company
* Non-income producing.
(a) All or a portion of the security is on loan. At August 31, 2020, the market value of securities on loan was $51,361,233.
(b) Seven-day yield as of August 31, 2020.
     
  Industry classifications may be different than those used for compliance monitoring purposes


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  43

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS SMALL CAP VALUE FUND II Portfolio Of Investments (concluded)

 

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments carried at fair value as of August 31, 2020 is as follows (see Notes to Portfolio of Investments):

 

   TOTAL    LEVEL 1    LEVEL 2    LEVEL 3    INVESTMENTS
MEASURED
AT NET
ASSET VALUE*
 
Common Stock                         
Communication Services  $6,947,456   $6,947,456   $   $   $ 
Consumer Discretionary   63,940,542    63,940,542             
Consumer Staples   21,114,448    21,114,448             
Energy   17,171,660    17,171,660             
Financials   173,423,366    173,423,366             
Health Care   39,458,392    39,458,392             
Industrials   112,841,371    112,841,371             
Information Technology   81,757,625    81,757,625             
Materials   41,787,449    41,787,449             
Real Estate   8,684,633    8,684,633             
Utilities   2,075,473    2,075,473             
Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral   53,885,936                53,885,936 
Short-Term Investments   11,276,492    11,276,492             
Total Assets  $634,364,843   $580,478,907   $   $   $53,885,936 

 

* Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Portfolio of Investments

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

44  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND Portfolio Of Investments

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
LONG POSITIONS—109.2%          
COMMON STOCKS—93.8%          
Communication Services—5.6%          
Comcast Corp., Class A†   20,147   $902,787 
Facebook, Inc., Class A*†   7,478    2,192,550 
JOYY, Inc. - ADR(a)#   6,436    549,892 
KT Corp. - SP ADR   51,416    505,933 
Yandex NV, Class A*(a)   7,639    521,209 
         4,672,371 
Consumer Discretionary—8.5%          
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. - SP ADR*    4,135    1,186,869 
AutoZone, Inc.*   433    518,002 
Caleres, Inc.(a)   30,133    235,339 
Carriage Services, Inc.   21,221    469,833 
Carter’s, Inc.*   6,629    527,801 
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV(a)   40,672    448,612 
Hanesbrands, Inc.(a)   35,896    548,850 
Hooker Furniture Corp.   14,808    365,017 
JD.com, Inc. - ADR*   6,723    528,697 
Las Vegas Sands Corp.*†   11,608    588,642 
LKQ Corp.*   19,462    617,724 
Mohawk Industries, Inc.*   4,294    396,465 
Skechers U.S.A., Inc., Class A*   22,179    662,043 
         7,093,894 
Consumer Staples—2.0%          
Coca-Cola European Partners PLC   11,310    465,519 
Philip Morris International, Inc.   9,448    753,856 
Unilever NV   6,991    405,478 
         1,624,853 
Energy—5.0%          
Baker Hughes a GE Co.(a)   16,758    239,304 
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.†   44,428    873,899 
Cheniere Energy, Inc.*   4,816    250,673 
Enterprise Products Partners LP   25,767    452,468 
Parsley Energy, Inc., Class A(a)   23,523    252,872 
Phillips 66†   10,852    634,516 
Solaris Oilfield Infrastructure, Inc., Class A(a)   30,142    234,505 
Teekay LNG Partners LP   21,834    241,702 
Valero Energy Corp.(a)†   12,081    635,340 
World Fuel Services Corp.   13,589    358,750 
         4,174,029 
Financials—15.3%          
American International Group, Inc.(a)†   16,912    492,816 
Arthur J Gallagher & Co.   3,658    385,187 
Bank of America Corp.†   37,683    969,960 
Bank OZK(a)   19,626    452,183 
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B*†    4,738    1,033,074 
BGC Partners, Inc., Class A   204,015    514,118 
Charles Schwab Corp., (The)(a)   12,502    444,196 
Citigroup, Inc.†   29,269    1,496,231 
Evercore, Inc., Class A   11,466    709,516 
FedNat Holding Co.†   57,485    488,048 
First American Financial Corp.   6,955    365,624 
Granite Point Mortgage Trust, Inc.(a)   61,440    407,962 
Jefferies Financial Group, Inc.†   36,649    642,823 
KB Financial Group, Inc. - ADR   18,118    560,752 
Ladder Capital Corp.   23,375    174,144 
Mercury General Corp.   7,581    339,098 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Financials—(continued)          
Morgan Stanley†   18,599   $971,984 
S&P Global, Inc.   1,156    423,582 
Stifel Financial Corp.†   16,638    843,713 
SVB Financial Group*   1,632    416,780 
Western Alliance Bancorp   17,217    607,760 
         12,739,551 
Health Care—17.1%          
Anthem, Inc.†   3,376    950,411 
Bausch Health Cos., Inc.*   37,473    622,801 
BioSpecifics Technologies Corp.*   6,735    434,407 
Centene Corp.*   10,722    657,473 
Cigna Corp.†   5,591    991,676 
CVS Health Corp.†   15,448    959,630 
Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA - ADR   16,915    716,858 
Hanger, Inc.*†   38,200    754,832 
HCA Healthcare, Inc.*†   5,786    785,276 
Henry Schein, Inc.*   10,063    668,586 
Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC*   3,858    518,476 
Johnson & Johnson†   7,015    1,076,171 
Medtronic PLC#   6,812    732,086 
Novartis AG - SP ADR†   15,651    1,346,925 
Pfizer, Inc.†   27,682    1,046,103 
Syneos Health, Inc.*   5,953    375,634 
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.†#   2,767    864,826 
Universal Health Services, Inc., Class B*   6,648    733,607 
         14,235,778 
Industrials—12.6%          
Acuity Brands, Inc.   2,732    298,580 
AerCap Holdings NV*†   7,806    230,824 
ASGN, Inc.*   9,147    656,480 
Barrett Business Services, Inc.†   10,162    585,026 
BMC Stock Holdings, Inc.*   37,237    1,486,501 
Carrier Global Corp.   16,884    503,987 
China Yuchai International Ltd.   31,070    504,577 
Fortress Transportation & Infrastructure Investors LLC   29,894    473,820 
Forward Air Corp.   5,261    310,346 
Gibraltar Industries, Inc.*   11,156    696,637 
Graham Corp.†   26,043    341,945 
Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte SAB de CV - ADR   9,314    339,589 
Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.   15,740    340,456 
IHS Markit Ltd.   4,010    320,479 
Insperity, Inc.   7,132    480,483 
Kelly Services, Inc., Class A*   25,495    484,150 
Quanta Services, Inc.   13,880    711,350 
Snap-on, Inc.(a)   3,755    556,754 
UFP Industries, Inc.   10,606    629,466 
Vectrus, Inc.*   12,591    546,575 
         10,498,025 
Information Technology—19.3%          
Akamai Technologies, Inc.*†   6,709    781,129 
Arrow Electronics, Inc.*   5,640    443,078 
CACI International, Inc., Class A*   2,891    677,043 
Capgemini SE - ADR   19,644    544,925 
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., Class A†   14,598    976,022 


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  45

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Information Technology—(continued)          
Coherent, Inc.*   2,101   $236,699 
Dolby Laboratories, Inc. Class A†   6,215    434,118 
EchoStar Corp., Class A*†   17,663    518,939 
Euronet Worldwide, Inc.*   3,730    385,607 
EVERTEC, Inc.†   20,135    705,128 
Fabrinet(a)*   12,729    888,230 
Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.(a)   3,517    530,539 
FleetCor Technologies, Inc.*(a)   1,472    370,134 
Hackett Group Inc., (The)   40,162    506,443 
Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd.   27,591    298,810 
HP, Inc.   21,786    425,916 
Huami Corp. - ADR*   35,767    451,379 
InterDigital Inc.   13,542    828,093 
KBR, Inc.†   26,497    662,160 
Nuance Communications, Inc.*(a)   11,473    343,731 
Open Text Corp.(a)   13,847    628,377 
Perficient, Inc.*   15,122    648,885 
Qorvo, Inc.*   4,162    533,860 
Science Applications International Corp.   3,610    301,291 
Super Micro Computer, Inc.*   15,781    432,242 
SYNNEX Corp.†   6,991    888,906 
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson - SP ADR(a)   73,486    856,112 
Zebra Technologies Corp., Class A*†   2,703    774,491 
         16,072,287 
Materials—4.5%          
Berry Global Group, Inc.*   18,984    978,435 
Corteva, Inc.   21,489    613,511 
Freeport-McMoRan, Inc.*†   33,111    516,863 
Nutrien Ltd.   10,239    377,512 
POSCO - SP ADR   10,560    408,039 
Rio Tinto PLC - SP ADR†   9,079    555,907 
Ternium SA - SP ADR   14,948    267,270 
         3,717,537 
Real Estate—3.9%          
Industrial Logistics Properties Trust†   17,175    370,465 
Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc.   3,275    337,456 
Medical Properties Trust, Inc.   17,927    333,084 
Newmark Group, Inc., Class A†   160,800    712,344 
RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., Class A(a)   19,145    672,755 
Service Properties Trust   41,181    338,096 
Simon Property Group, Inc.(a)   4,824    327,308 
Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc.*   39,886    112,878 
         3,204,386 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $57,989,194 )
        78,032,711 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL—9.3%          
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets Portfolio, LLC, 0.19%(b)   7,775,760   $7,775,760 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL
(Cost $7,775,760)
        7,775,760 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—6.1%          
U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%*(b)   5,093,061    5,093,061 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $5,093,061)
        5,093,061 
TOTAL LONG POSITIONS—109.2%
(Cost $70,858,015)
        90,901,532 
SECURITIES SOLD SHORT—(26.7%)          
COMMON STOCKS—(25.7%)          
Communication Services—2.5%          
CTC Communications Group, Inc.*‡   (98,900)   0 
Netflix, Inc.*   (2,553)   (1,351,967)
Roku, Inc.*   (4,328)   (750,821)
         (2,102,788)
Consumer Discretionary—3.2%          
Dorman Products, Inc.*   (3,306)   (279,985)
GoPro, Inc., Class A*   (100,758)   (462,479)
Papa John’s International, Inc.   (9,744)   (957,738)
Planet Fitness, Inc., Class A*   (7,969)   (484,436)
Qsound Labs, Inc.*‡   (4,440)   0 
Shake Shack, Inc., Class A*   (7,526)   (513,649)
         (2,698,287)
Consumer Staples—0.8%          
Amish Naturals, Inc.*‡   (25,959)   0 
Beyond Meat, Inc.*   (2,091)   (284,062)
John B Sanfilippo & Son, Inc.   (4,693)   (373,751)
         (657,813)
Energy—0.2%          
Beard Co.*   (9,710)   (19)
Uranium Energy Corp.*   (131,248)   (150,935)
         (150,954)
Financials—0.4%          
Siebert Financial Corp.*   (35,475)   (134,096)
Trupanion, Inc.*   (3,777)   (236,931)
         (371,027)
Health Care—4.7%          
10X Genomics, Inc., Class A*   (5,436)   (623,074)
AtriCure, Inc.*   (15,530)   (694,657)
BodyTel Scientific, Inc.*‡   (4,840)   (1)
CareView Communications, Inc.*   (190,048)   (7,203)
Glaukos Corp.*   (7,851)   (375,513)
Heska Corp.*   (6,878)   (712,561)
iRhythm Technologies, Inc.*   (2,628)   (578,633)
Shockwave Medical, Inc.*   (8,957)   (569,128)
SmileDirectClub, Inc.*   (44,401)   (360,536)
         (3,921,306)


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

46  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Industrials—2.6%          
AAON, Inc.   (6,694)  $(381,090)
Applied Energetics, Inc.*   (55,357)   (20,455)
Blue Bird Corp.*   (27,780)   (316,136)
Capstone Turbine Corp.*   (448)   (1,844)
Corporate Resource Services, Inc.*   (218,896)   (131)
DynaMotive Energy Systems Corp.*‡   (72,185)   (7)
Ener1, Inc.*‡   (102,820)   (10)
Omega Flex, Inc.   (4,410)   (580,973)
Valence Technology, Inc.*‡   (27,585)   (3)
WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp.*   (46,902)   (839,546)
         (2,140,195)
Information Technology—9.9%          
8x8, Inc.*   (21,523)   (363,308)
ANTs software, Inc.*‡   (10,334)   (1)
Appfolio, Inc., Class A*   (3,200)   (537,696)
Appian Corp.*   (11,479)   (702,974)
Ceridian HCM Holding, Inc.*   (6,383)   (507,576)
Consygen, Inc.*‡   (200)   0 
Coupa Software, Inc.*   (1,102)   (361,169)
Cree, Inc.*   (13,870)   (875,197)
Inphi Corp.*   (2,801)   (319,258)
Inseego Corp.*   (38,210)   (438,651)
Interliant, Inc.*‡   (600)   0 
MongoDB, Inc.*   (1,327)   (310,253)
Nestor, Inc.*‡   (15,200)   (2)
Okta, Inc.*   (1,832)   (394,558)
Pluralsight, Inc., Class A*   (12,262)   (234,695)
PROS Holdings, Inc.*   (8,109)   (316,251)
Q2 Holdings, Inc.*   (4,832)   (470,105)
Rapid7, Inc.*   (5,835)   (376,766)
Splunk, Inc.*   (2,647)   (580,567)
Tiger Telematics, Inc.*‡   (6,510)   0 
Uni-Pixel, Inc.*   (19,665)   (20)
Worldgate Communications, Inc.*‡   (582,655)   (58)
Xybernaut Corp.*   (34,156)   0 
Yext, Inc.*   (24,620)   (488,953)
Zoom Video Communications, Inc., Class A*   (1,982)   (644,348)
Zscaler, Inc.*   (1,969)   (282,236)
         (8,204,642)
Materials—0.0%          
Mountain Province Diamonds, Inc.*   (6,099)   (1,800)
Real Estate—1.2%          
Redfin Corp.*   (21,039)   (1,000,825)
Utilities—0.2%          
Cadiz, Inc.*   (16,998)   (177,799)
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Proceeds $(19,731,425))
        (21,427,436)
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS—(1.0%)          
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF   (5,198)   (843,063)
TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS
(Proceeds $(883,675))
        (843,063)
TOTAL SECURITIES SOLD SHORT—(26.7%)
(Proceeds $(20,615,100))
        (22,270,499)
   NUMBER OF
CONTRACTS
     NOTIONAL
AMOUNT
     VALUE 
OPTIONS WRITTEN ††—(0.8%)           
Call Options Written—(0.8%)           
Blink Charging Co.               
Expiration:
09/18/2020,
Exercise Price:
10.00
   (307)   (215,821)  $(10,745)
Carvana Co.               
Expiration:
11/20/2020,
Exercise Price:
220.00
   (72)   (1,554,912)   (201,240)
JOYY, Inc.               
Expiration:
11/20/2020,
Exercise Price:
100.00
   (55)   (469,920)   (27,500)
Medtronic PLC               
Expiration:
02/19/2021,
Exercise Price:
110.00
   (61)   (655,567)   (39,650)
TESLA, Inc.               
Expiration:
11/20/2020,
Exercise Price:
460.00
   (30)   (1,494,960)   (317,550)
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.               
Expiration:
01/15/2021,
Exercise Price:
330.00
   (25)   (781,375)   (43,625)
TOTAL CALL OPTIONS WRITTEN
(Premiums received $(494,128))
         (640,310)
TOTAL OPTIONS WRITTEN
(Premiums received $(494,128))
         (640,310)
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES—18.3%    15,273,344 
NET ASSETS—100.0%      $83,264,067 

 

 
ADR —  American Depositary Receipt
PLC Public Limited Company
SP ADR Sponsored American Depositary Receipt
* Non-income producing.
(a) All or a portion of the security is on loan. At August 31, 2020, the market value of securities on loan was $7,439,943.
(b) Seven-day yield as of August 31, 2020.
Security position is either entirely or partially held in a segregated account as collateral for securities sold short.
# Security segregated as collateral for options written.
†† Primary risk exposure is equity contracts.
Security has been valued at fair market value using significant unobservable inputs as determined in good faith by or under the direction of The RBB Fund, Inc.’s Board of Directors. as of August 31, 2020, these securities amounted to $(82) or 0.0% of net assets.
     
  Industry classifications may be different than those used for compliance monitoring purposes


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  47

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND Portfolio Of Investments (concluded)

 

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments carried at fair value as of August 31, 2020 is as follows (see Notes to Portfolio of Investments):

 

   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3   INVESTMENTS
MEASURED
AT NET
ASSET VALUE*
 
Common Stock                         
Communication Services  $4,672,371   $4,672,371   $   $   $ 
Consumer Discretionary   7,093,894    7,093,894             
Consumer Staples   1,624,853    1,624,853             
Energy   4,174,029    4,174,029             
Financials   12,739,551    12,739,551             
Health Care   14,235,778    14,235,778             
Industrials   10,498,025    10,498,025             
Information Technology   16,072,287    16,072,287             
Materials   3,717,537    3,717,537             
Real Estate   3,204,386    3,204,386             
Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral   7,775,760                7,775,760 
Short-Term Investments   5,093,061    5,093,061             
Total Assets  $90,901,532   $83,125,772   $   $   $7,775,760 
                          
   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3   INVESTMENTS
MEASURED
AT NET
ASSET VALUE*
 
Securities Sold Short                         
Communication Services  $(2,102,788)  $(2,102,788)  $   $ **   $ 
Consumer Discretionary   (2,698,287)   (2,698,287)       **    
Consumer Staples   (657,813)   (657,813)       **    
Energy   (150,954)   (150,935)   (19)        
Financials   (371,027)   (371,027)            
Health Care   (3,921,306)   (3,921,305)       (1)    
Industrials   (2,140,195)   (2,140,175)       (20)    
Information Technology   (8,204,642)   (8,204,581)       (61)    
Materials   (1,800)   (1,800)            
Real Estate   (1,000,825)   (1,000,825)            
Utilities   (177,799)   (177,799)            
Exchange Traded Funds   (843,063)   (843,063)            
Options Written                         
Equity Contracts   (640,310)   (640,310)            
Total Liabilities  $(22,910,809)  $(22,910,708)  $(19)  $(82)  $ 

 

* Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Portfolio of Investments
** Value equals zero as of the end of the reporting period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

48  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND Portfolio Of Investments

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
LONG POSITIONS—99.7%          
COMMON STOCKS—99.7%          
Communication Services—11.4%          
Alphabet, Inc., Class A*†   22,304   $36,345,037 
Alphabet, Inc., Class C*   10,701    17,487,360 
Altice USA, Inc., Class A*†   264,599    7,297,640 
Comcast Corp., Class A†   71,891    3,221,436 
Electronic Arts, Inc.*   40,450    5,641,562 
Facebook, Inc., Class A*   82,644    24,231,221 
Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.*   83,873    4,763,986 
Momo, Inc. - SP ADR   164,642    3,358,697 
NetEase, Inc. - ADR   9,535    4,645,547 
Nexstar Media Group, Inc., Class A   69,139    6,638,035 
T-Mobile US, Inc.*   78,945    9,211,303 
Yelp, Inc.*†   153,240    3,542,909 
         126,384,733 
Consumer Discretionary—10.1%          
AutoNation, Inc.*   55,246    3,141,288 
AutoZone, Inc.*   8,689    10,394,738 
Booking Holdings, Inc.*   1,311    2,504,600 
Bright Horizons Family Solutions, Inc.*   37,994    5,053,582 
eBay, Inc.†   77,872    4,265,828 
Flutter Entertainment PLC*   50,960    8,373,505 
Foot Locker, Inc.   126,404    3,833,833 
Gentex Corp.†   117,838    3,187,518 
GVC Holdings PLC   539,798    5,707,185 
Harley-Davidson, Inc.   325,906    9,030,855 
Las Vegas Sands Corp.*   161,813    8,205,537 
LKQ Corp.*   199,215    6,323,084 
Mohawk Industries, Inc.*   49,439    4,564,703 
PVH Corp.*   62,176    3,466,934 
Ralph Lauren Corp.*   41,433    2,851,833 
Tapestry, Inc.*   258,087    3,801,621 
Token Corp.   101,700    6,616,120 
TS Tech Co., Ltd.   82,100    2,401,585 
Whirlpool Corp.   18,329    3,257,430 
Williams-Sonoma, Inc.   36,410    3,195,342 
Wyndham Destinations, Inc.   96,169    2,787,939 
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.   101,802    5,330,353 
Wynn Macau Ltd.   1,670,800    3,136,253 
         111,431,666 
Consumer Staples—6.9%          
British American Tobacco PLC - SP ADR   232,818    7,862,264 
Coca-Cola European Partners PLC†   337,454    13,889,607 
Kimberly-Clark Corp.   38,617    6,092,218 
Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV   193,574    5,823,810 
Mondelez International, Inc.,Class A   103,775    6,062,536 
Nomad Foods Ltd.*   478,890    11,809,427 
PepsiCo, Inc.   24,532    3,435,952 
Philip Morris International, Inc.†   150,703    12,024,592 
Procter & Gamble Co., (The)   64,837    8,968,902 
         75,969,308 
Energy—6.6%          
BP PLC - SP ADR   384,143    8,040,113 
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.   201,086    3,955,362 
ChampionX Corp.*†   507,683    5,198,674 
ConocoPhillips†   252,525    9,568,172 
Diamondback Energy, Inc.   91,891    3,580,073 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Energy—(continued)          
Marathon Petroleum Corp.†   194,986   $6,914,204 
Parsley Energy, Inc., Class A   568,140    6,107,505 
Petroleo Brasileiro SA - SP ADR   809,249    6,611,564 
Phillips 66   94,306    5,514,072 
Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Class A   438,803    6,459,054 
Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Class A - SP ADR   322,564    9,573,699 
World Fuel Services Corp.   77,370    2,042,568 
         73,565,060 
Financials—16.4%          
Allstate Corp., (The)†   31,182    2,899,926 
American Express Co.   19,325    1,963,227 
American International Group, Inc.†   339,673    9,898,071 
Ameriprise Financial, Inc.   76,787    12,040,202 
AXA SA   149,565    3,051,724 
Bank of America Corp.†   464,475    11,955,587 
Bank of New York Mellon Corp., (The)†   269,490    9,965,740 
Barclays PLC   1,380,794    2,021,672 
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B*†   42,585    9,285,234 
BNP Paribas SA   73,410    3,198,332 
Citigroup, Inc.†   183,574    9,384,303 
DBS Group Holdings Ltd.   138,300    2,119,443 
Discover Financial Services†   60,874    3,231,192 
DNB ASA   117,823    1,887,423 
Everest Re Group Ltd.   18,062    3,975,085 
Fifth Third Bancorp†   391,589    8,090,229 
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., (The)†   16,593    3,399,408 
Hana Financial Group, Inc.   101,840    2,410,270 
Huntington Bancshares, Inc.†   849,231    7,991,264 
ING Groep NV   480,097    3,918,571 
JPMorgan Chase & Co.†   115,457    11,567,637 
KBC Group NV   34,370    1,962,993 
KeyCorp†   522,266    6,434,317 
Moody’s Corp.   20,326    5,988,853 
Navient Corp.†   107,370    975,993 
Nordea Bank Abp   275,459    2,220,728 
Regions Financial Corp.   173,736    2,008,388 
Reinsurance Group of America, Inc.   36,346    3,332,201 
S&P Global, Inc.   17,183    6,296,195 
SLM Corp.†   383,208    2,927,709 
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.   83,400    2,452,392 
TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.   67,540    2,592,185 
Truist Financial Corp.†   292,256    11,342,455 
UBS Group AG   269,139    3,270,039 
United Overseas Bank Ltd.   175,800    2,520,761 
Wells Fargo & Co.†   137,753    3,326,735 
         181,906,484 
Health Care—11.1%          
Abbott Laboratories†   62,480    6,839,686 
AbbVie, Inc.†   118,881    11,385,233 
AmerisourceBergen Corp.   1,300    126,139 
Anthem, Inc.†   20,377    5,736,533 
AstraZeneca PLC   35,199    3,907,114 
Avantor, Inc.*†   325,988    7,357,549 
Biogen, Inc.*   9,757    2,806,504 
Boston Scientific Corp.*†   62,990    2,583,850 
Centene Corp.*   76,587    4,696,315 
Change Healthcare, Inc.*†   422,318    5,975,800 


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  49

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Health Care—(continued)          
Cigna Corp.†   38,887   $6,897,387 
CVS Health Corp.†   72,711    4,516,807 
Envista Holdings Corp.*   54,945    1,318,131 
HCA Healthcare, Inc.*   40,730    5,527,876 
Humana, Inc.   10,566    4,386,686 
ICON PLC*   2,457    458,009 
IQVIA Holdings, Inc.*   9,413    1,541,379 
Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC*   7,918    1,064,100 
Johnson & Johnson†   38,771    5,947,859 
Medtronic PLC   46,509    4,998,322 
Merck & Co., Inc.†   62,695    5,346,003 
Molina Healthcare, Inc.*   4,226    781,683 
Novartis AG - SP ADR   40,141    3,454,534 
Novo Nordisk A/S, Class B   55,744    3,685,425 
Pfizer, Inc.†   24,709    933,753 
PPD, Inc.*   110,527    3,795,497 
Sanofi   6,560    664,452 
Stryker Corp.   18,670    3,699,647 
Syneos Health, Inc.*   20,180    1,273,358 
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.   33,104    10,346,655 
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.   9,818    1,383,160 
         123,435,446 
Industrials—14.9%          
Alaska Air Group, Inc.*   122,060    4,754,237 
Altra Industrial Motion Corp.   129,138    5,042,839 
AMETEK, Inc.†   77,830    7,837,481 
ASGN, Inc.*   124,119    8,908,021 
Brenntag AG   80,016    5,013,501 
Caterpillar, Inc.   27,511    3,915,090 
CH Robinson Worldwide, Inc.   38,825    3,816,498 
Deere & Co.   32,371    6,799,852 
Dover Corp.   38,203    4,196,218 
Eaton Corp., PLC†   60,172    6,143,561 
Expeditors International of Washington, Inc.   77,461    6,846,778 
FTI Consulting, Inc.*   73,722    8,460,337 
HD Supply Holdings, Inc.*   45,081    1,787,912 
Hexcel Corp.*   114,767    4,520,672 
Honeywell International, Inc.   28,969    4,795,818 
Howden Joinery Group PLC   407,201    3,041,863 
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.*   251,166    4,400,428 
Hubbell, Inc.   21,992    3,187,081 
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.   15,367    2,328,408 
Huron Consulting Group, Inc.*   122,793    5,326,760 
ITT, Inc.   60,920    3,826,385 
Kansas City Southern   38,696    7,044,220 
MasTec, Inc.*   99,549    4,600,159 
Norfolk Southern Corp.   32,385    6,882,784 
Oshkosh Corp.   53,637    4,130,585 
Owens Corning†   108,597    7,345,501 
Parker-Hannifin Corp.†   15,302    3,152,365 
Robert Half International, Inc.†   106,812    5,682,398 
Teleperformance   9,507    2,931,639 
Textron, Inc.   108,818    4,290,694 
Union Pacific Corp.   47,575    9,155,333 
WESCO International, Inc.*   101,936    4,775,702 
         164,941,120 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Information Technology—14.3%          
Amdocs Ltd.†   123,093   $7,536,984 
Applied Materials, Inc.   150,837    9,291,559 
Arrow Electronics, Inc.*†   87,104    6,842,890 
Broadcom, Inc.   14,668    5,091,996 
Capgemini SA   41,668    5,780,100 
Cisco Systems, Inc.†   159,937    6,752,540 
Flex Ltd.*†   565,776    6,144,327 
HP, Inc.†   359,603    7,030,239 
InterDigital Inc.   54,557    3,336,161 
Jabil, Inc.†   170,642    5,827,424 
KLA-Tencor Corp.   16,541    3,393,221 
Leidos Holdings, Inc.†   68,454    6,194,403 
Micron Technology, Inc.*   126,961    5,777,995 
Microsoft Corp.†   74,223    16,739,513 
ON Semiconductor Corp.*†   197,783    4,226,623 
Oracle Corp.†   130,028    7,440,202 
Qorvo, Inc.*   46,618    5,979,691 
Rackspace Technology, Inc.*   186,933    3,991,020 
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   310,015    14,076,587 
Science Applications International Corp.   111,960    9,344,182 
SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc.   118,008    7,519,470 
SYNNEX Corp.   41,208    5,239,597 
Western Digital Corp.*   115,574    4,440,353 
Xerox Holdings Corp.   1,323    24,952 
         158,022,029 
Materials—7.2%          
Avery Dennison Corp.   26,571    3,066,028 
Corteva, Inc.†   106,154    3,030,697 
DuPont de Nemours, Inc.   206,980    11,541,205 
Eagle Materials, Inc.*   84,911    6,943,172 
FMC Corp.   98,337    10,508,292 
Graphic Packaging Holding Co.†   233,540    3,264,889 
Ingevity Corp.*   54,865    3,081,767 
Kinross Gold Corp.*   556,834    4,943,564 
Linde PLC   16,722    4,176,152 
Mosaic Co., (The)†   605,867    11,044,955 
Newmont Corp.   78,124    5,256,183 
PPG Industries, Inc.   37,999    4,575,079 
Valvoline, Inc.   149,870    3,057,348 
Yamana Gold, Inc.   795,404    4,931,505 
         79,420,836 
Utilities—0.8%          
CenterPoint Energy, Inc.   133,070    2,670,715 
FirstEnergy Corp.   48,052    1,373,807 
Vistra Energy Corp.   229,954    4,422,015 
         8,466,537 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $861,644,018)
        1,103,543,219 
WARRANTS—0.0%          
Energy—0.0%          
Vista Oil & Gas SAB de CV *   1,204,819    28,081 
TOTAL WARRANTS
(Cost $0)
        28,081 
TOTAL LONG POSITIONS—99.7%
(Cost $861,531,160)
        1,103,571,300 


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

50  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
SECURITIES SOLD SHORT—(48.0%)          
COMMON STOCKS—(48.0%)          
Communication Services—(2.9%)          
Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., Class A*   (548,067)  $(5,338,173)
Meredith Corp.*   (411,403)   (5,759,642)
Pearson PLC   (944,021)   (6,955,563)
Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., Class A   (159,382)   (3,316,739)
Twitter, Inc.*   (87,502)   (3,550,831)
ViacomCBS, Inc., Class B   (161,224)   (4,490,088)
Zillow Group, Inc., Class C*   (35,275)   (3,025,184)
         (32,436,220)
Consumer Discretionary—(7.3%)          
CarMax, Inc.*   (59,650)   (6,378,374)
Carvana Co.*   (32,019)   (6,914,823)
Choice Hotels International, Inc.*   (33,650)   (3,341,109)
Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc., Class A*   (52,667)   (3,857,331)
LGI Homes, Inc.*   (48,305)   (5,403,397)
Mattel, Inc.*   (432,617)   (4,648,470)
Monro Muffler Brake, Inc.   (112,050)   (5,164,385)
Papa John’s International, Inc.   (39,356)   (3,868,301)
RH*   (10,580)   (3,497,219)
Scientific Games Corp.*   (198,475)   (4,105,455)
Service Corp International   (56,642)   (2,585,707)
Stitch Fix, Inc., Class A*   (100,224)   (2,420,410)
Tesla Motors, Inc.*   (10,725)   (5,344,482)
Texas Roadhouse, Inc.*   (86,582)   (5,453,800)
Thor Industries, Inc.   (15,969)   (1,507,953)
Vail Resorts, Inc.   (11,187)   (2,435,074)
Wayfair, Inc., Class A*   (16,603)   (4,923,786)
Whitbread PLC   (85,328)   (2,877,704)
Xinyi Glass Holdings Ltd.   (3,122,000)   (5,391,360)
         (80,119,140)
Consumer Staples—(3.4%)          
BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.*   (73,962)   (3,284,652)
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc.*   (63,031)   (2,432,366)
Casey’s General Stores, Inc.   (18,938)   (3,368,123)
Hormel Foods Corp.   (55,508)   (2,829,798)
Japan Tobacco, Inc.   (235,100)   (4,395,640)
Kose Corp.   (41,500)   (4,869,941)
Kraft Heinz Co., (The)   (82,511)   (2,891,185)
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.   (68,636)   (4,313,773)
McCormick & Co., Inc.   (15,389)   (3,173,212)
National Beverage Corp.*   (60,659)   (4,932,790)
Rite Aid Corp.*   (84,357)   (1,098,328)
         (37,589,808)
Energy—(2.0%)          
ChampionX Corp.*   0    (3)
EQT Corp.*   (297,126)   (4,715,390)
Equinor ASA - SP ADR   (163,844)   (2,629,696)
Equinor ASA   (225,730)   (3,652,698)
Hess Corp.   (42,010)   (1,934,140)
Murphy Oil Corp.   (229,727)   (3,156,449)
National Oilwell Varco, Inc.*   (335,970)   (4,031,640)
Oil Search Ltd.   (719,306)   (1,734,162)
         (21,854,178)
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Financials—(8.7%)          
Bank of Hawaii Corp.   (92,183)  $(5,073,752)
BOK Financial Corp.   (77,627)   (4,357,980)
Commonwealth Bank of Australia   (86,214)   (4,333,316)
Community Bank System, Inc.   (91,603)   (5,511,753)
Credit Acceptance Corp.*   (11,083)   (4,286,904)
Credit Suisse Group AG   (411,744)   (4,530,560)
Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc.   (70,160)   (4,873,314)
CVB Financial Corp.   (273,735)   (4,984,714)
Deutsche Bank AG   (506,552)   (4,857,058)
First Financial Bankshares, Inc.   (183,890)   (5,567,270)
Franklin Resources, Inc.   (211,430)   (4,452,716)
Glacier Bancorp, Inc.   (130,241)   (4,569,505)
Hamilton Lane, Inc., Class A   (60,403)   (4,416,063)
Hang Seng Bank Ltd.   (289,300)   (4,547,079)
Independent Bank Corp.   (80,588)   (5,064,956)
M&T Bank Corp.   (38,427)   (3,967,972)
RLI Corp.   (46,820)   (4,391,248)
Trustmark Corp.   (195,021)   (4,579,093)
United Bankshares, Inc.   (114,203)   (2,985,266)
Westamerica Bancorporation   (82,671)   (5,031,357)
WisdomTree Investments, Inc.   (1,110,133)   (4,151,897)
         (96,533,773)
Health Care—(2.3%)          
ABIOMED, Inc.*   (4,770)   (1,467,347)
Acadia Healthcare Co., Inc.*   (63,959)   (1,976,973)
Allogene Therapeutics, Inc.*   (61,355)   (2,187,306)
Glaukos Corp.*   (57,993)   (2,773,805)
Inovalon Holdings, Inc., Class A*   (184,429)   (4,563,696)
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.*   (3,650)   (435,993)
LivaNova Plc*   (48,137)   (2,257,625)
Medpace Holdings, Inc.*   (2,436)   (316,169)
Moderna, Inc.*   (35,509)   (2,304,179)
Royalty Pharma PLC, Class A*   (51,235)   (2,120,104)
SmileDirectClub, Inc.*   (168,214)   (1,365,898)
Tabula Rasa HealthCare, Inc.*   (50,754)   (2,568,152)
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. - SP ADR*   (135,490)   (1,337,286)
         (25,674,533)
Industrials—(6.8%)          
AO Smith Corp.   (50,669)   (2,481,261)
BrightView Holdings, Inc.*   (469,822)   (5,769,414)
Cubic Corp.   (136,667)   (6,434,282)
Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide   (57,356)   (2,616,259)
Healthcare Services Group, Inc.   (93,324)   (1,941,139)
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.   (291,800)   (4,123,834)
Keio Corp.   (63,800)   (3,858,367)
Kennametal, Inc.   (54,702)   (1,587,452)
Komax Holding AG   (14,971)   (2,528,225)
Lennox International, Inc.   (14,640)   (4,104,031)
Lindsay Corp.   (13,750)   (1,374,038)
NTN Corp.   (1,698,800)   (3,264,916)
Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd.   (135,200)   (3,348,284)
Proto Labs, Inc.*   (49,989)   (7,348,383)
Societe BIC SA   (67,251)   (3,881,779)
Sotetsu Holdings, Inc.   (155,500)   (4,238,717)
Spirit Airlines, Inc.*   (166,640)   (2,979,523)
Stadler Rail AG   (52,763)   (2,359,288)
TransDigm Group, Inc.   (4,757)   (2,376,930)


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  51

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Industrials—(continued)          
Trex Co., Inc.*   (26,588)  $(3,974,640)
Trinity Industries, Inc.   (154,471)   (3,162,021)
Wartsila OYJ Abp   (189,638)   (1,623,604)
         (75,376,387)
Information Technology—(6.8%)          
Altair Engineering, Inc., Class A*   (117,366)   (4,931,719)
Appian Corp.*   (54,828)   (3,357,667)
Blackline, Inc.*   (51,264)   (4,478,936)
Brooks Automation, Inc.   (48,919)   (2,525,688)
Ceridian HCM Holding, Inc.*   (42,215)   (3,356,937)
Cognex Corp.   (84,391)   (5,839,013)
Cree, Inc.*   (70,657)   (4,458,457)
Crowdstrike Holdings, Inc., Class A*   (24,612)   (3,094,467)
Fiserv, Inc.*   (51,878)   (5,166,011)
Guidewire Software, Inc.*   (42,548)   (4,778,566)
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.   (26,629)   (4,404,969)
MongoDB, Inc.*   (17,455)   (4,080,979)
Plantronics, Inc.*   (167,806)   (2,074,082)
Q2 Holdings, Inc.*   (51,226)   (4,983,777)
Shopify, Inc., Class A*   (2,852)   (3,041,430)
Slack Technologies, Inc., Class A*   (72,557)   (2,382,772)
Western Union Co., (The)   (211,151)   (4,981,052)
Workday, Inc., Class A*   (18,988)   (4,551,613)
Zoom Video Communications, Inc., Class A*   (9,158)   (2,977,266)
         (75,465,401)
Materials—(6.3%)          
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.   (63,603)   (5,247,247)
Albemarle Corp.   (34,749)   (3,162,506)
Amcor PLC   (555,681)   (6,145,832)
Antofagasta PLC   (329,101)   (4,718,453)
BillerudKorsnas AB   (228,486)   (3,850,102)
Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc.*   (490,934)   (3,230,346)
Compass Minerals International, Inc.   (34,863)   (1,984,751)
Ecolab, Inc.   (25,558)   (5,036,971)
Ferro Corp.*   (239,001)   (2,980,342)
Greif, Inc., Class A   (58,003)   (2,137,411)
International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.   (54,293)   (6,720,930)
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp.   (873,000)   (5,098,037)
Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.   (227,300)   (2,892,808)
Quaker Chemical Corp.   (29,224)   (5,552,560)
Umicore SA   (81,436)   (3,737,897)
United States Steel Corp.   (505,837)   (3,960,704)
Wacker Chemie AG   (33,968)   (3,327,165)
         (69,784,062)
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Real Estate—(1.5%)          
Iron Mountain, Inc.   (147,665  $(4,443,240)
Public Storage   (28,089)   (5,966,103)
Sun Communities, Inc.   (40,508)   (6,038,933)
         (16,448,276)
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Proceeds $(498,776,463))
        (531,281,778)
TOTAL SECURITIES SOLD SHORT—(48.0%)
(Proceeds $(498,776,463))
        (531,281,778)
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES—48.3%        535,109,559 
NET ASSETS—100.0%       $1,107,399,081 

 

 
ADR —   American Depositary Receipt
PLC Public Limited Company
SP ADR  Sponsored American Depositary Receipt
* Non-income producing.
(a) The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.
Security position is either entirely or partially held in a segregated account as collateral for securities sold short.
Security has been valued at fair market value using significant unobservable inputs as determined in good faith by or under the direction of The RBB Fund, Inc.’s Board of Directors. As of August 31, 2020, these securities amounted to $28,081 or 0.0% of net assets
     
    Industry classifications may be different than those used for compliance monitoring purposes


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

52  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

Contracts For Difference held by the Fund at August 31, 2020, are as follows:

 

REFERENCE
COMPANY     
  COUNTERPARTY  EXPIRATION
DATE
  FINANCING
RATE
  PAYMENT
FREQUENCY
  NUMBER OF
CONTRACTS
LONG/
(SHORT)
   NOTIONAL
AMOUNT
   UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION
(DEPRECIATION)
Long                          
United States                          
International Game Technology  Goldman Sachs    9/15/2020    0.16%    Monthly     352,244     $3,920,476                $259,993 
Total Long                    3,920,476      259,993 
Short                             
China                             
Semiconductor Manufacturing  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2020  0.04  Monthly   (631,100)  $(1,993,650)    $172,115 
Saudi Arabia                             
Saudi Arabian Oil Co.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020  0.08  Monthly   (536,984)   (5,086,744)     (100,133)
South Korea                             
Celltrion Health  Macquarie  9/15/2020  0.08  Monthly   (26,058)   (2,194,156)     9,020 
Celltrion Inc.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020  0.08  Monthly   (6,831)   (1,705,022)     47,608 
Sillajen, Inc.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020  0.08  Monthly   (307,496)   (3,132,167)     (10,028)
                            46,600 
Taiwan                             
Formosa Petrochemical Corp.  Macquarie  9/15/2020  0.08  Monthly   (1,034,000)   (2,887,083)     98,984 
Total Short                    (16,998,822)     217,566 
Net unrealized gain/(loss) on Contracts For Difference      $477,559 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  53

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND Portfolio Of Investments (concluded)

 

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments carried at fair value as of August 31, 2020 is as follows (see Notes to Portfolio of Investments):

 

   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3 
Common Stock                    
Communication Services  $126,384,733   $126,384,733   $   $ 
Consumer Discretionary   111,431,666    85,197,018    26,234,648     
Consumer Staples   75,969,308    70,145,498    5,823,810     
Energy   73,565,060    67,106,006    6,459,054     
Financials   181,906,484    154,142,175    27,764,309     
Health Care   123,435,446    115,178,455    8,256,991     
Industrials   164,941,120    153,954,117    10,987,003     
Information Technology   158,022,029    138,165,342    19,856,687     
Materials   79,420,836    79,420,836         
Utilities   8,466,537    8,466,537         
Warrants   28,081            28,081 
Contracts For Difference                    
Equity Contracts   587,719    259,993    327,726     
Total Assets  $1,104,159,019   $998,420,710   $105,710,228   $28,081 
                     
    TOTAL    LEVEL 1    LEVEL 2    LEVEL 3 
Securities Sold Short                    
Communication Services  $(32,436,220)  $(25,480,657)  $(6,955,563)  $ 
Consumer Discretionary   (80,119,140)   (71,850,076)   (8,269,064)    
Consumer Staples   (37,589,808)   (28,324,227)   (9,265,581)    
Energy   (21,854,178)   (16,467,318)   (5,386,860)    
Financials   (96,533,773)   (78,265,760)   (18,268,013)    
Health Care   (25,674,533)   (25,674,533)        
Industrials   (75,376,387)   (43,533,114)   (31,843,273)    
Information Technology   (75,465,401)   (75,465,401)        
Materials   (69,784,062)   (46,159,600)   (23,624,462)    
Real Estate   (16,448,276)   (16,448,276)        
Contracts For Difference                     
Equity Contracts   (110,160)       (110,160)    
Total Liabilities  $(531,391,938)  $(427,668,962)  $(103,722,976)  $ 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

54  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS ALL-CAP VALUE FUND Portfolio Of Investments

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
COMMON STOCKS—99.3%          
Communication Services—6.5%          
Activision Blizzard, Inc.   86,648   $7,236,841 
Alphabet, Inc., Class A*   7,778    12,674,484 
Comcast Corp., Class A   164,250    7,360,042 
Electronic Arts, Inc.*   27,997    3,904,742 
Facebook, Inc., Class A*   38,855    11,392,286 
Fox Corp., Class A(a)   137,089    3,819,299 
Interpublic Group of Cos., Inc., (The)   444,821    7,900,021 
Momo, Inc. - SP ADR   152,849    3,118,120 
NetEase, Inc. - ADR   17,608    8,578,794 
Omnicom Group, Inc.   58,677    3,173,839 
T-Mobile US, Inc.*   118,022    13,770,807 
         82,929,275 
Consumer Discretionary—9.4%          
AutoZone, Inc.*   8,587    10,272,714 
eBay, Inc.(a)   181,813    9,959,716 
Foot Locker, Inc.(a)   282,397    8,565,101 
Gentex Corp.   90,025    2,435,176 
Harley-Davidson, Inc.(a)   141,439    3,919,275 
International Game Technology PLC *   428,541    4,769,661 
Las Vegas Sands Corp. *   67,100    3,402,641 
Lear Corp. *   46,783    5,329,987 
LKQ Corp.*   344,078    10,921,036 
Lowe’s Cos., Inc.   99,108    16,322,097 
Magna International, Inc.   62,858    3,055,527 
Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd. - ADR*   291,754    5,695,038 
Mohawk Industries, Inc.*   57,180    5,279,429 
NVR, Inc.*   2,091    8,715,999 
Target Corp.   51,552    7,795,178 
Whirlpool Corp.(a)   41,972    7,459,264 
Wyndham Destinations, Inc.   86,050    2,494,590 
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.(a)   75,108    3,932,655 
         120,325,084 
Consumer Staples—2.0%          
Altria Group, Inc.   114,441    5,005,649 
Ambev SA - ADR*   1,237,464    2,784,294 
Coca-Cola European Partners PLC   95,209    3,918,802 
Nomad Foods Ltd.*   283,360    6,987,658 
Philip Morris International, Inc.   85,725    6,839,998 
         25,536,401 
Energy—2.9%          
Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.   234,734    4,617,218 
ChampionX Corp.*   128,162    1,312,379 
Cimarex Energy Co.   151,110    4,197,836 
Diamondback Energy, Inc.   137,828    5,369,779 
EOG Resources, Inc.   143,213    6,493,277 
Marathon Oil Corp.*(a)   734,403    3,877,648 
Phillips 66   65,928    3,854,810 
Schlumberger Ltd.   200,124    3,804,357 
World Fuel Services Corp.   112,658    2,974,171 
         36,501,475 
Financials—21.8%          
Aflac, Inc.   267,338    9,709,716 
Alleghany Corp.   20,822    11,547,048 
Allstate Corp., (The)(a)   147,917    13,756,281 
Aon PLC, Class A   37,927    7,585,021 
Bank of America Corp.   1,144,430    29,457,628 
Charles Schwab Corp., (The)(a)   161,003    5,720,437 
Chubb Ltd.   131,770    16,471,250 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Financials—(continued)          
Citigroup, Inc.   448,740   $22,939,589 
Discover Financial Services   98,997    5,254,761 
Fifth Third Bancorp   425,941    8,799,941 
Globe Life, Inc.   83,125    6,856,150 
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., (The)   62,555    12,815,643 
Huntington Bancshares, Inc.(a)   1,136,735    10,696,676 
JPMorgan Chase & Co.   231,644    23,208,412 
Loews Corp.   418,629    15,012,036 
Markel Corp.*   6,081    6,609,013 
Renaissance Holdings Ltd.   55,162    10,135,466 
State Street Corp.(a)   57,377    3,906,800 
Synchrony Financial(a)   218,236    5,414,435 
TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.   279,675    10,733,927 
Travelers Cos., Inc., (The)   114,534    13,290,525 
Truist Financial Corp.   411,304    15,962,708 
White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd.   13,506    12,039,249 
         277,922,712 
Health Care—24.5%          
Abbott Laboratories   163,142    17,859,155 
Alcon, Inc.*(a)   61,172    3,507,602 
AmerisourceBergen Corp.   102,431    9,938,880 
Anthem, Inc.   55,338    15,578,754 
Avantor, Inc.*(a)   515,698    11,639,304 
Biogen, Inc.*   43,336    12,465,167 
Centene Corp.*   272,976    16,738,888 
Change Healthcare, Inc.*   326,011    4,613,056 
Cigna Corp.   40,735    7,225,167 
GlaxoSmithKline PLC - SP ADR(a)   163,881    6,489,688 
Humana, Inc.   23,739    9,855,721 
Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC*   44,783    6,018,387 
Johnson & Johnson   166,649    25,565,623 
Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings*   38,026    6,683,069 
McKesson Corp.   108,613    16,665,579 
Medtronic PLC   235,156    25,272,215 
Merck & Co., Inc.   180,113    15,358,235 
Molina Healthcare, Inc.*   32,414    5,995,618 
Novartis AG - SP ADR   242,098    20,834,954 
Pfizer, Inc.   678,332    25,634,166 
Roche Holding AG - SP ADR   199,168    8,703,642 
Stryker Corp.   30,446    6,033,179 
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.   60,105    18,785,818 
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.   100,755    14,194,364 
         311,656,231 
Industrials—14.3%          
AIR LEASE Corp.   223,319    6,940,754 
Altra Industrial Motion Corp.   86,995    3,397,155 
AMETEK, Inc.   76,141    7,667,399 
ASGN, Inc.*   2,486    178,420 
Boeing Co., *(The)   25,904    4,450,825 
Caterpillar, Inc.   50,052    7,122,900 
CH Robinson Worldwide, Inc.(a)   48,176    4,735,701 
Cummins, Inc.   34,467    7,143,286 
Curtiss-Wright Corp.   63,449    6,492,102 
Deere & Co.   40,892    8,589,773 
Dover Corp.   94,903    10,424,146 
Eaton Corp., PLC   131,446    13,420,637 
EnerSys   62,600    4,505,948 
Expeditors International of Washington, Inc.   94,454    8,348,789 


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  55

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS ALL-CAP VALUE FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Industrials—(continued)          
General Dynamics Corp.   49,310   $7,364,448 
Honeywell International, Inc.   26,088    4,318,868 
Howmet Aerospace, Inc.*   416,210    7,291,999 
Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.   21,959    3,327,228 
Huron Consulting Group, Inc.*   87,721    3,805,337 
Landstar System, Inc.   37,979    5,054,625 
ManpowerGroup, Inc.   44,239    3,243,161 
Masco Corp.   144,625    8,431,637 
Oshkosh Corp.   65,713    5,060,558 
Owens Corning   102,452    6,929,853 
PACCAR, Inc.   96,134    8,252,143 
Robert Half International, Inc.   79,029    4,204,343 
Textron, Inc.   173,423    6,838,069 
United Parcel Service, Inc., Class B   64,996    10,634,646 
WESCO International, Inc.*   73,215    3,430,123 
         181,604,873 
Information Technology—12.7%          
Amdocs Ltd.   66,987    4,101,614 
Analog Devices, Inc.(a)   37,324    4,362,429 
Arrow Electronics, Inc.*   80,999    6,363,281 
Belden, Inc.   68,143    2,295,056 
Cisco Systems, Inc.   288,498    12,180,386 
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., Class A   187,221    12,517,596 
Fidelity National Information Services, Inc.(a)   70,810    10,681,689 
Flex Ltd.*   518,161    5,627,228 
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.   374,431    3,620,748 
Jabil, Inc.   278,634    9,515,351 
Leidos Holdings, Inc.(a)   91,184    8,251,240 
Microsoft Corp.   17,486    3,943,618 
Oracle Corp.   323,841    18,530,182 
Qorvo, Inc.*   185,569    23,802,936 
Science Applications International Corp.   110,679    9,237,269 
SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc.(a)   161,947    10,319,263 
TE Connectivity Ltd.(a)   153,341    14,812,741 
Western Digital Corp.*(a)   56,920    2,186,866 
         162,349,493 
Materials—4.7%          
Cemex SAB de CV - SP ADR   680,516    2,184,456 
Corteva, Inc.   231,529    6,610,153 
CRH PLC - SP ADR   191,519    7,105,355 
DuPont de Nemours, Inc.   192,945    10,758,613 
FMC Corp.   129,382    13,825,761 
Ingevity Corp.*   61,198    3,437,492 
Mosaic Co., (The)   271,522    4,949,846 
PPG Industries, Inc.   38,561    4,642,744 
Trinseo SA(a)   66,828    1,664,686 
Valvoline, Inc.   230,898    4,710,319 
         59,889,425 
Utilities—0.5%          
Vistra Energy Corp.   323,811    6,226,886 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $967,419,945)
        1,264,941,855 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
RIGHTS—0.0%          
Information Technology—0.0%          
CVR Banctec Inc. - Escrow Shares*‡   14,327   $0 
TOTAL RIGHTS
(Cost $0)
        0 
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH          
PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES          
LENDING COLLATERAL—8.1%          
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets Portfolio, LLC, 0.19%(b)   103,029,868    103,029,868 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL
(Cost $103,029,868)
        103,029,868 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—1.3%          
U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%*(b)   17,069,178    17,069,178 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $17,069,178)
        17,069,178 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS—108.7%
(Cost $1,087,518,991)
        1,385,040,901 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS—(8.7)%        (110,813,167)
NET ASSETS—100.0%       $1,274,227,734 

 

 

ADR —  American Depositary Receipt
PLC Public Limited Company
SP ADR Sponsored American Depositary Receipt
* Non-income producing.
(a) All or a portion of the security is on loan. At August 31, 2020, the market value of securities on loan was $99,392,526.
(b) The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.
Security has been valued at fair market value using significant unobservable inputs as determined in good faith by or under the direction of The RBB Fund, Inc.’s Board of Directors. as of August 31, 2020, these securities amounted to $0 or 0.0% of net assets.


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

56  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS ALL-CAP VALUE FUND Portfolio Of Investments (concluded)

 

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments carried at fair value as of August 31, 2020 is as follows (see Notes to Portfolio of Investments):

 

   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3   INVESTMENTS
MEASURED
AT NET
ASSET VALUE*
 
Common Stock                         
Communication Services  $82,929,275   $82,929,275   $   $   $ 
Consumer Discretionary   120,325,084    120,325,084             
Consumer Staples   25,536,401    25,536,401             
Energy   36,501,475    36,501,475             
Financials   277,922,712    277,922,712             
Health Care   311,656,231    311,656,231             
Industrials   181,604,873    181,604,873             
Information Technology   162,349,493    162,349,493             
Materials   59,889,425    59,889,425             
Utilities   6,226,886    6,226,886             
Rights                —**    
Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral   103,029,868                103,029,868 
Short-Term Investments   17,069,178    17,069,178             
Total Assets  $1,385,040,901   $1,282,011,033   $   $**   $103,029,868

 

* Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Portfolio of Investments.
** Value equals zero as of the end of the reporting period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  57

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
WPG PARTNERS SMALL/MICRO CAP VALUE FUND Portfolio Of Investments

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
COMMON STOCKS—99.4%          
Consumer Discretionary—4.4%          
BJ’s Restaurants, Inc.*   11,443   $360,684 
Del Taco Restaurants, Inc.*   17,586    147,898 
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc.*(a)   5,561    99,375 
Everi Holdings, Inc.*   6,245    48,461 
Hudson Ltd., Class A*   12,648    95,366 
WW International, Inc.*   3,977    93,380 
         845,164 
Consumer Staples—7.9%          
elf Beauty, Inc.*   10,455    204,186 
Farmer Brothers Co.*   9,994    62,862 
Fresh Del Monte Produce, Inc.(a)   16,182    375,261 
Ingles Markets, Inc., Class A(a)   2,136    86,295 
Landec Corp., Class A*   24,818    254,136 
MGP Ingredients, Inc.(a)   3,013    107,112 
Primo Water Corp.   13,017    178,073 
TreeHouse Foods, Inc.*(a)   5,525    236,525 
         1,504,450 
Energy—10.5%          
Ardmore Shipping Corp.   28,931    107,045 
Brigham Minerals, Inc., Class A   22,993    271,547 
Diamondback Energy, Inc.   6,522    254,097 
EQT Corp.*   588    9,332 
Euronav NV   18,282    166,732 
Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp., Class A*(a)   58,208    374,859 
Matrix Service Co.*   15,577    143,931 
National Energy Services Reunited Corp.*(a)   32,233    243,037 
Newpark Resources, Inc.*   57,592    112,304 
StealthGas, Inc.*   37,238    108,363 
Teekay Tankers Ltd., Class A(a)   17,991    225,607 
         2,016,854 
Financials—24.1%          
Ameris Bancorp   10,266    251,722 
Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.   4,077    194,718 
Banner Corp.   7,895    285,167 
Blucora, Inc.*   8,341    99,508 
Byline Bancorp, Inc.   6,162    77,888 
Essent Group Ltd.   11,207    400,090 
First Foundation, Inc.   21,094    320,418 
First Interstate BancSystem, Inc., Class A(a)   7,536    247,181 
Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., (The)   1,409    144,408 
HomeStreet, Inc.   13,564    371,247 
Kemper Corp.   2,845    220,943 
MGIC Investment Corp.   19,395    177,852 
National Bank Holdings Corp., Class A   8,333    236,991 
Peoples Bancorp Inc.   4,566    96,525 
Popular, Inc.   12,141    449,703 
Premier Financial Corp.   10,929    199,727 
Renasant Corp.   4,861    123,324 
Triumph Bancorp, Inc.*   5,186    148,112 
Washington Trust Bancorp, Inc.   5,550    185,259 
Webster Financial Corp.   13,563    372,982 
         4,603,765 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
    VALUE 
Health Care—3.2%          
Accuray, Inc.*   39,701   $92,503 
BioSpecifics Technologies Corp.*   1,952    125,904 
Invacare Corp.*   15,430    104,616 
PetIQ, Inc.*(a)   8,117    285,556 
         608,579 
Industrials—16.7%          
Air Transport Services Group, Inc.*(a)   7,659    194,692 
Alaska Air Group, Inc.*   7,423    289,126 
Argan, Inc.(a)   5,824    246,530 
Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc.*   9,629    326,327 
Echo Global Logistics, Inc.*   3,687    100,729 
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp.*   14,310    134,085 
Heartland Express, Inc.   8,331    172,327 
Hillenbrand, Inc.   2,727    86,473 
ICF International, Inc.   3,512    239,905 
JetBlue Airways Corp.*(a)   15,816    182,200 
KAR Auction Services, Inc.   12,510    216,923 
Korn/Ferry International   3,158    96,319 
Matthews International Corp., Class A   10,018    219,394 
Maxar Technologies, Inc.   10,341    239,394 
Orion Group Holdings, Inc.*   9,883    25,794 
Tutor Perini Corp.*(a)   15,275    191,701 
Vectrus, Inc.*   5,285    229,422 
         3,191,341 
Information Technology—7.1%          
Alpha & Omega Semiconductor Ltd.*   7,572    102,601 
Axcelis Technologies, Inc.*   10,905    257,685 
Benchmark Electronics, Inc.   4,565    89,520 
Celestica, Inc.*   10,438    82,982 
KBR, Inc.   13,846    346,011 
MicroStrategy, Inc., Class A*   860    124,218 
NeoPhotonics Corp.*(a)   11,562    77,003 
QAD, Inc., Class A   1,181    53,712 
SMART Global Holdings, Inc.*(a)   9,141    230,353 
         1,364,085 
Materials—7.8%          
AdvanSix, Inc.*   8,354    106,346 
CF Industries Holdings, Inc.   7,563    246,781 
Chemours Co., (The)   4,649    96,048 
Kronos Worldwide, Inc.   10,022    125,175 
Mosaic Co., (The)   16,257    296,365 
Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc.   5,587    169,454 
Tronox Holdings, Class A PLC   20,187    180,876 
Valvoline, Inc.(a)   13,178    268,831 
         1,489,876 
Real Estate—13.0%          
Brixmor Property Group, Inc.*   18,982    223,988 
Equity Commonwealth   6,997    219,636 
Getty Realty Corp.   3,955    115,842 
Industrial Logistics Properties Trust   9,109    196,481 
Investors Real Estate Trust   3,063    217,779 
NexPoint Residential Trust, Inc.   4,929    204,061 
Piedmont Office Realty Trust, Inc., Class A(a)   15,865    242,893 
Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc.   10,860    144,981 


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

58  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
WPG PARTNERS SMALL/MICRO CAP VALUE FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
           
Real Estate—(continued)          
RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., Class A   2,879   $101,168 
Realogy Holdings Corp.*(a)   30,195    334,561 
RMR Group, Class A, Inc., (The)   3,911    110,368 
UMH Properties, Inc.   26,337    382,940 
         2,494,698 
Utilities—4.7%          
ALLETE, Inc.   2,912    157,131 
Avista Corp.   5,228    192,704 
New Jersey Resources Corp.   6,779    204,319 
NorthWestern Corp.   1,461    75,446 
Portland General Electric Co.   2,065    78,780 
South Jersey Industries, Inc.(a)   8,694    192,573 
         900,953 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $17,839,379)
        19,019,765 
WARRANTS—0.0%          
Energy—0.0%          
TETRA Technologies, Inc. *‡   20,950    2 
TOTAL WARRANTS
(Cost $4,475)
        2 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL—14.6%        
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets Portfolio, LLC, 0.19%(b)   2,795,892   $2,795,892 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL
(Cost $2,795,892)
        2,795,892 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—1.2%          
U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%*(b)   238,703    238,703 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $238,703)
        238,703 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS—115.2%
(Cost $20,878,449)
        22,054,362 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS—(15.2)%        (2,904,119)
NET ASSETS—100.0%       $19,150,243 

 

 

 

* Non-income producing.
(a) All or a portion of the security is on loan. At August 31, 2020, the market value of securities on loan was $2,683,729.
(b) Seven-day yield as of August 31, 2020.
Security has been valued at fair market value using significant unobservable inputs as determined in good faith by or under the direction of The RBB Fund, Inc.’s Board of Directors. As of August 31, 2020, these securities amounted to $2 or 0.0% of net assets.


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  59

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
WPG PARTNERS SMALL/MICRO CAP VALUE FUND Portfolio Of Investments (concluded)

 

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments carried at fair value as of August 31, 2020 is as follows (see Notes to Portfolio of Investments):

 

   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3   INVESTMENTS
MEASURED
AT NET
ASSET VALUE*
 
Common Stock                         
Consumer Discretionary  $845,164   $845,164   $   $   $ 
Consumer Staples   1,504,450    1,504,450             
Energy   2,016,854    2,016,854             
Financials   4,603,765    4,603,765             
Health Care   608,579    608,579             
Industrials   3,191,341    3,191,341             
Information Technology   1,364,085    1,364,085             
Materials   1,489,876    1,489,876             
Real Estate   2,494,698    2,494,698             
Utilities   900,953    900,953             
Warrants   2            2     
Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral   2,795,892                2,795,892 
Short-Term Investments   238,703    238,703             
Total Assets  $22,054,362   $19,258,468   $   $2   $2,795,892 

 

* Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Portfolio of Investments

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

60  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY FUND Portfolio Of Investments

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
COMMON STOCKS—97.6%        
Austria—0.3%        
Andritz AG   15,308   $512,033 
Bermuda—2.0%          
Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.   19,836    947,367 
Everest Re Group Ltd.   11,521    2,535,542 
         3,482,909 
Brazil—0.3%          
JBS SA   145,100    592,742 
Canada—1.1%          
Barrick Gold Corp.   37,641    1,115,075 
Yamana Gold, Inc.   144,484    895,801 
         2,010,876 
Denmark—0.4%          
FLSmidth & Co., A/S   25,819    745,613 
France—9.9%          
Accor SA   27,900    855,239 
AXA SA   44,379    905,509 
Capgemini SA   26,488    3,674,361 
Cie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA   12,532    1,419,364 
Eiffage SA   22,517    2,070,746 
Peugeot SA   121,394    2,092,898 
Sanofi   26,392    2,673,203 
TOTAL SA   53,886    2,137,762 
Vinci SA   10,640    996,871 
Vivendi SA   24,484    697,050 
         17,523,003 
Germany—5.8%          
Bayer AG, Registered Shares   27,495    1,828,742 
Brenntag AG   26,658    1,670,290 
Deutsche Telekom AG   63,951    1,127,263 
HeidelbergCement AG   13,857    879,112 
Rheinmetall AG   22,643    2,099,097 
Siemens AG   20,045    2,777,538 
         10,382,042 
Greece—0.6%          
Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA   62,422    1,018,589 
Ireland—1.5%          
CRH PLC   73,007    2,724,563 
Italy—0.7%          
Leonardo SpA   193,255    1,307,467 
Japan—8.4%          
Fuji Corp.   92,800    1,666,194 
Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.   10,700    333,815 
Hitachi Ltd.   49,700    1,653,444 
KDDI Corp.   73,300    2,130,674 
Kurita Water Industries Ltd.   28,900    905,114 
NEC Corp.   16,700    881,780 
Sony Corp.   52,600    4,118,812 
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Inc.   27,900    820,405 
Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.   43,300    1,164,928 
Tokyo Electron Ltd.   2,700    692,572 
Zenkoku Hosho Co., Ltd.   17,000    601,533 
         14,969,271 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
    VALUE 
Netherlands—3.5%          
Aalberts NV   17,019   $640,554 
ING Groep NV   175,840    1,435,213 
Koninklijke Ahold NV   28,786    866,047 
NXP Semiconductors NV   13,547    1,703,671 
Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Class A   103,538    1,524,049 
         6,169,534 
Norway—0.5%          
Yara International ASA   19,975    836,880 
Singapore—1.4%          
DBS Group Holdings Ltd.   84,400    1,293,428 
United Overseas Bank Ltd.   81,600    1,170,046 
         2,463,474 
South Korea—2.7%          
GS Retail Co., Ltd.   24,057    666,295 
KB Financial Group, Inc.   37,074    1,150,244 
KT Corp. - SP ADR   153,722    1,512,625 
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   18,385    834,792 
SK Hynix, Inc.   9,445    596,886 
         4,760,842 
Sweden—0.9%          
Husqvarna AB, Class B   68,308    743,763 
Sandvik AB   42,817    843,100 
         1,586,863 
Switzerland—5.0%          
Glencore PLC   485,550    1,193,889 
Novartis AG   31,721    2,733,939 
Roche Holding AG   3,684    1,288,733 
STMicroelectronics NV   55,683    1,684,130 
UBS Group AG   155,667    1,893,745 
         8,794,436 
United Kingdom—8.5%          
BAE Systems PLC   355,478    2,467,766 
BP PLC   335,626    1,170,930 
Direct Line Insurance Group PLC   500,267    1,977,067 
Howden Joinery Group PLC   99,492    743,223 
Inchcape PLC   202,798    1,366,146 
Nomad Foods Ltd.*   62,583    1,543,297 
Persimmon PLC   43,757    1,520,485 
Redrow PLC   211,290    1,278,811 
Smith & Nephew PLC   43,200    871,807 
Tesco PLC   684,097    1,997,736 
WH Smith PLC   12,983    204,445 
         15,141,713 
United States—44.1%          
Allstate Corp., (The)(a)   27,490    2,556,570 
American Express Co.   16,521    1,678,368 
American International Group, Inc.   33,412    973,626 
Anthem, Inc.   8,869    2,496,801 
Applied Materials, Inc.   25,811    1,589,958 
AutoZone, Inc.*   1,322    1,581,522 
Bank of America Corp.   40,675    1,046,974 
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B*   7,412    1,616,112 
Cigna Corp.   17,778    3,153,284 
Cisco Systems, Inc.   16,866    712,082 
Citigroup, Inc.   29,129    1,489,074 
Corteva, Inc.   30,780    878,769 
CVS Health Corp.   44,797    2,782,790 
Diamondback Energy, Inc.   14,205    553,427 


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  61

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
    VALUE 
United States—(continued)          
Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc.(a)   15,923   $861,753 
DuPont de Nemours, Inc.   60,145    3,353,685 
Eaton Corp. PLC   23,648    2,414,461 
Goldman Sachs Group Inc., (The)   8,626    1,767,209 
Graphic Packaging Holding Co.(a)   96,725    1,352,215 
Harley-Davidson, Inc.   13,877    384,532 
Honeywell International, Inc.   9,026    1,494,254 
Huntington Bancshares Inc.(a)   169,206    1,592,228 
ITT, Inc.   21,747    1,365,929 
JPMorgan Chase & Co.   23,810    2,385,524 
KeyCorp(a)   127,743    1,573,794 
Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings*   7,176    1,261,182 
LKQ Corp.*   37,981    1,205,517 
Lowe’s Cos., Inc.   8,078    1,330,366 
MasTec, Inc.*(a)   28,222    1,304,139 
McKesson Corp.(a)   6,843    1,049,990 
Medtronic PLC   19,609    2,107,379 
Merck & Co, Inc.   31,419    2,679,098 
Micron Technology, Inc.*   26,821    1,220,624 
Mosaic Co., (The)   65,999    1,203,162 
Newmont Goldcorp Corp.   12,481    839,722 
Nexstar Media Group, Inc., Class A(a)   9,304    893,277 
NVR, Inc.*   309    1,288,017 
Oracle Corp.(a)   26,898    1,539,104 
Owens Corning   42,227    2,856,234 
Pfizer, Inc.   43,507    1,644,129 
PPG Industries, Inc.   6,017    724,447 
Raytheon Technologies Corp.   12,200    744,200 
Science Applications International Corp.   26,945    2,248,830 
SYNNEX Corp.   17,793    2,262,380 
TE Connectivity Ltd.   17,849    1,724,213 
Textron, Inc.   31,590    1,245,594 
Tyson Foods, Inc., Class A   13,779    865,321 
Valvoline, Inc.   31,116    634,766 
Vistra Energy Corp.   142,743    2,744,948 
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.   6,885    969,959 
         78,241,539 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $151,737,463)
        173,264,389 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
    VALUE 
PREFERRED STOCKS—0.9%        
Brazil—0.3%        
Petroleo Brasileiro SA 2.767%   156,300   $629,651 
South Korea—0.6%          
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 2.952%   25,043    1,000,381 
TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS
(Cost $1,340,312)
        1,630,032 
INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL—7.0%          
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets Portfolio, LLC, 0.19%(b)   12,352,274    12,352,274 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS PURCHASED WITH PROCEEDS FROM SECURITIES LENDING COLLATERAL

(Cost $12,352,274)

        12,352,274 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—1.4%          
U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(b)   2,526,679    2,526,679 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—1.4%
(Cost $2,526,679)
        2,526,679 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS—106.9%
(Cost $167,956,728)
        189,773,374 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS—(6.9)%        (12,303,356)
NET ASSETS—100.0%       $177,470,018 

 

 

 

ADR American Depositary Receipt
PLC Public Limited Company
SP ADR  —  Sponsored American Depositary Receipt
* Non-income producing.
(a) All or a portion of the security is on loan. At August 31, 2020, the market value of securities on loan was $11,827,284.
(b) The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.
     
    Industry classifications may be different than those used for compliance monitoring purposes


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

62  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY FUND Portfolio Of Investments (concluded)

 

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments carried at fair value as of August 31, 2020 is as follows (see Notes to Portfolio of Investments):

 

   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3   INVESTMENTS
MEASURED
AT NET
ASSET VALUE*
 
Common Stock                         
Austria  $512,033   $   $512,033   $   $ 
Bermuda   3,482,909    3,482,909             
Brazil   592,742    592,742             
Canada   2,010,876    2,010,876             
Denmark   745,613        745,613         
France   17,523,003        17,523,003         
Germany   10,382,042        10,382,042         
Greece   1,018,589        1,018,589         
Ireland   2,724,563        2,724,563         
Italy   1,307,467        1,307,467         
Japan   14,969,271        14,969,271         
Netherlands   6,169,534    1,703,671    4,465,863         
Norway   836,880        836,880         
Singapore   2,463,474        2,463,474         
South Korea   4,760,842    1,512,625    3,248,217         
Sweden   1,586,863        1,586,863         
Switzerland   8,794,436        8,794,436         
United Kingdom   15,141,713    1,543,297    13,598,416         
United States   78,241,539    78,241,539             
Preferred Stock                         
Brazil   629,651    629,651             
South Korea   1,000,381        1,000,381         
Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral   12,352,274                12,352,274 
Short-Term Investments   2,526,679    2,526,679             
Total Assets  $189,773,374   $92,243,989   $85,177,111   $   $12,352,274 
   
* Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy included to reconcile to the amounts presented in the Portfolio of Investments

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  63

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND Portfolio Of Investments

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
LONG POSITIONS—100.4%          
COMMON STOCKS—99.5%          
Australia—0.6%          
Orica Ltd.   62,112   $794,079 
Austria—0.6%          
Andritz AG   25,601    856,321 
Bermuda—2.1%          
Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.†   17,109    817,126 
Everest Re Group Ltd.†   9,473    2,084,818 
         2,901,944 
Brazil—1.1%          
JBS SA   244,100    997,163 
Vasta Platform Ltd.*   29,864    469,163 
         1,466,326 
Canada—2.7%          
Bausch Health Cos., Inc.*   31,752    527,718 
Kinross Gold Corp.*   206,607    1,834,254 
Yamana Gold, Inc.   217,027    1,345,567 
         3,707,539 
China—1.9%          
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. - SP ADR*   8,995    2,581,835 
France—7.0%          
Accor SA   25,000    766,343 
BNP Paribas SA   62,276    2,713,245 
Capgemini SA   9,990    1,385,793 
Eiffage SA   12,928    1,188,906 
Peugeot SA   73,965    1,275,197 
Sanofi   22,840    2,313,427 
         9,642,911 
Germany—3.3%          
Brenntag AG   14,860    931,071 
Deutsche Telekom AG   49,995    881,261 
HeidelbergCement AG   20,829    1,321,428 
Siemens AG   10,532    1,459,368 
         4,593,128 
Greece—0.6%          
Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA   50,163    818,550 
Hong Kong—1.3%          
Topsports International Holdings Ltd.   647,000    798,991 
WH Group Ltd.   1,068,000    920,515 
         1,719,506 
Hungary—0.5%          
OTP Bank PLC   18,695    629,617 
Ireland—0.8%          
CRH PLC   27,821    1,038,257 
Italy—1.1%          
Enel SpA   75,547    684,090 
Leonardo SpA   129,713    877,574 
         1,561,664 
Japan—10.0%          
Fuji Corp.   96,500    1,732,626 
Hitachi Ltd.   63,800    2,122,530 
KDDI Corp.   57,300    1,665,589 
Kurita Water Industries Ltd.   5,300    165,990 
Kyudenko Corp.   34,700    991,342 
NEC Corp.   15,900    839,538 
Sanwa Holdings Corp.   78,700    790,880 
Sony Corp.   42,500    3,327,937 
    NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Japan—(continued)           
Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.    35,600   $957,770 
Tokyo Electron Ltd.    4,300    1,102,986 
          13,697,188 
Macao—0.6%           
Wynn Macau Ltd.    456,800    857,458 
Netherlands—1.7%           
Aalberts NV    25,847    972,818 
NXP Semiconductors NV    11,179    1,405,871 
          2,378,689 
Norway—0.5%           
Crayon Group Holding ASA*    55,940    623,989 
South Korea—4.3%           
GS Retail Co., Ltd.    38,155    1,056,760 
Hana Financial Group, Inc.    47,220    1,117,566 
KB Financial Group, Inc.    27,325    847,775 
KT Corp. - SP ADR†    149,816    1,474,190 
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.    31,148    1,414,311 
          5,910,602 
Switzerland—5.0%           
Glencore PLC    403,692    992,613 
Novartis AG    12,984    1,119,053 
STMicroelectronics NV    75,348    2,278,897 
UBS Group AG    197,944    2,408,060 
          6,798,623 
Taiwan—0.7%           
Simplo Technology Co., Ltd.    88,000    1,003,342 
          1,003,342 
            
United Kingdom—6.3%           
Coca-Cola European Partners PLC†    42,105    1,733,042 
Nomad Foods Ltd.*    55,947    1,379,653 
Persimmon PLC    32,283    1,121,782 
Redrow PLC    153,202    927,239 
Rio Tinto PLC    11,873    738,390 
Tesco PLC    784,441    2,290,766 
WH Smith PLC    30,228    476,005 
          8,666,877 
United States—46.8%           
Activision Blizzard, Inc.†    8,137    679,602 
Allstate Corp., (The)†#    18,707    1,739,751 
Alphabet, Inc., Class C*†    1,460    2,385,903 
American International Group, Inc.    40,822    1,189,553 
Anthem, Inc.    5,307    1,494,027 
Applied Materials, Inc.†#    19,781    1,218,510 
AutoZone, Inc.*    949    1,135,298 
Bank of America Corp.    39,739    1,022,882 
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B*†    7,918    1,726,441 
CF Industries Holdings, Inc.    27,806    907,310 
Change Healthcare, Inc.*    13,279    187,898 
Cigna Corp.†    5,766    1,022,715 
Citigroup, Inc.†    22,164    1,133,024 
Corteva, Inc.†#    41,215    1,176,688 
CVS Health Corp.†    24,855    1,543,993 
Diamondback Energy, Inc.    25,180    981,013 
Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc.    20,040    1,084,565 
DuPont de Nemours, Inc.    33,890    1,889,706 
Eagle Materials, Inc.*    10,627    868,970 
Eaton Corp. PLC†    13,886    1,417,761 
Electronic Arts, Inc.*†#    6,492    905,439 
FedEx Corp.    3,194    702,169 
Goldman Sachs Group Inc., (The)    4,214    863,322 


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

64  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
United States—(continued)          
Graphic Packaging Holding Co.†   112,398   $1,571,324 
II-VI, Inc.*   17,126    762,107 
JPMorgan Chase & Co.   33,614    3,367,787 
KeyCorp   109,992    1,355,101 
Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings*†   4,294    754,670 
Lennar Corp., Class A#   8,775    656,545 
Lowe’s Cos., Inc.#   11,600    1,910,404 
Marathon Petroleum Corp.†   18,490    655,655 
MasTec, Inc.*   15,186    701,745 
McKesson Corp.   8,333    1,278,615 
Medtronic PLC†   8,267    888,454 
Micron Technology, Inc.*   18,583    845,712 
Microsoft Corp.†#   20,491    4,621,335 
Nexstar Media Group, Inc., Class A   9,519    913,919 
Oracle Corp.†#   19,480    1,114,646 
Owens Corning†   17,193    1,162,935 
Parsley Energy, Inc., Class A†   105,379    1,132,824 
Pfizer, Inc.†#   45,895    1,734,372 
Rackspace Technology, Inc.*   32,588    695,754 
Science Applications International Corp.   14,074    1,174,616 
SYNNEX Corp.   15,605    1,984,176 
Tyson Foods, Inc., Class A†#   15,352    964,106 
Viper Energy Partners LP   44,480    452,806 
Virtu Financial, Inc., Class A   39,676    1,024,831 
Vistra Energy Corp.†   130,555    2,510,573 
VMware, Inc., Class A*#   9,849    1,422,590 
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.#   9,891    1,393,445 
         64,327,587 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $114,838,744)
        136,576,032 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—0.9%          
U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(a)   1,219,600    1,219,600 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $1,219,600)
        1,219,600 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS—100.4%
(Cost $116,058,344)
        137,795,632 
SECURITIES SOLD SHORT—(39.1%)          
COMMON STOCKS—(39.1%)          
Australia—(0.8%)          
Commonwealth Bank of Australia   (7,736)   (388,829)
Technology One Ltd.   (55,623)   (330,936)
WiseTech Global Ltd.   (17,249)   (357,854)
         (1,077,619)
Canada—(0.8%)          
Shopify, Inc., Class A*   (408)   (435,099)
TC Energy Corp.   (13,825)   (646,442)
         (1,081,541)
China—(0.5%)          
Pinduoduo, Inc. - ADR*   (7,090)   (630,585)
Germany—(2.3%)          
Beiersdorf AG   (6,263)   (723,937)
Deutsche Bank AG   (76,003)   (728,752)
Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide   (12,273)   (559,825)
Rational AG   (1,900)   (1,215,304)
         (3,227,818)
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Hong Kong—(0.3%)          
MTR Corp., Ltd.   (78,165)  $(406,579)
Japan—(6.3%)          
Canon, Inc.   (32,400)   (555,714)
Hirose Electric Co., Ltd.   (2,300)   (260,300)
Japan Tobacco, Inc.   (30,000)   (560,907)
Kao Corp.   (4,900)   (373,367)
Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd.   (36,300)   (513,006)
Kose Corp.   (2,700)   (316,840)
Mani, Inc.   (24,200)   (615,070)
Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp.   (110,600)   (645,868)
Nidec Corp.   (5,600)   (470,010)
NTN Corp.   (319,000)   (613,085)
Odakyu Electric Railway Co., Ltd.   (44,000)   (1,089,678)
PeptiDream, Inc.*   (10,000)   (406,003)
Sanrio Co., Ltd.   (28,100)   (469,525)
Seiko Epson Corp.   (57,000)   (679,589)
Sotetsu Holdings, Inc.   (38,500)   (1,049,457)
         (8,618,419)
Singapore—(0.7%)          
SATS Ltd.   (418,100)   (920,583)
Sweden—(0.4%)          
BillerudKorsnas AB   (35,775)   (602,826)
Switzerland—(0.5%)          
Straumann Holding AG   (748)   (738,224)
United Kingdom—(0.9%)          
Amcor PLC   (61,873)   (684,315)
Renishaw PLC   (7,927)   (506,339)
         (1,190,654)
United States—(25.6%)          
ABIOMED, Inc.*   (1,405)   (432,206)
Acadia Healthcare Co., Inc.*   (12,710)   (392,866)
Alteryx, Inc., Class A*   (2,832)   (342,191)
Appfolio, Inc., Class A*   (2,731)   (458,890)
Appian Corp.*   (7,133)   (436,825)
Beyond Meat, Inc.*   (5,014)   (681,152)
Blackline, Inc.*   (8,306)   (725,695)
Brooks Automation, Inc.   (10,118)   (522,392)
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc.*   (11,839)   (456,867)
CarMax, Inc.*   (9,432)   (1,008,564)
Carvana Co.*   (7,929)   (1,712,347)
Casey’s General Stores, Inc.   (3,439)   (611,626)
Choice Hotels International, Inc.*   (6,515)   (646,874)
Cincinnati Financial Corp.   (6,675)   (530,062)
Cognex Corp.   (8,515)   (589,153)
Compass Minerals International, Inc.   (9,109)   (518,575)
Credit Acceptance Corp.*   (1,194)   (461,839)
Cree, Inc.*   (16,764)   (1,057,808)
Cullen/Frost Bankers, Inc.   (6,424)   (446,211)
CVB Financial Corp.   (32,358)   (589,239)
Delek US Holdings, Inc.   (37,059)   (582,938)
Ecolab, Inc.   (6,294)   (1,240,422)
First Financial Bankshares, Inc.   (20,751)   (628,237)
Floor & Decor Holdings, Inc., Class A*   (6,720)   (492,173)
Glaukos Corp.*   (11,603)   (554,972)
Guidewire Software, Inc.*   (4,593)   (515,840)
Hamilton Lane, Inc., Class A   (7,476)   (546,570)
Hormel Foods Corp.   (27,132)   (1,383,189)
Inspire Medical Systems, Inc.*   (4,449)   (531,433)


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  65

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

       NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
United States—(continued)               
International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.        (10,301)  $(1,275,161)
John Bean Technologies Corp.        (9,359)   (959,391)
Lennox International, Inc.        (3,558)   (997,414)
LGI Homes, Inc.*        (7,399)   (827,652)
McCormick & Co., Inc.        (2,702)   (557,152)
Middleby Corp., (The)*        (8,895)   (870,821)
Moderna, Inc.*        (4,734)   (307,189)
MongoDB, Inc.*        (2,057)   (480,927)
Murphy Oil Corp.        (36,805)   (505,701)
Netflix, Inc.*        (1,386)   (733,970)
Novanta, Inc.*        (5,994)   (642,377)
Q2 Holdings, Inc.*        (4,193)   (407,937)
RLI Corp.        (7,074)   (663,470)
Slack Technologies, Inc., Class A*        (11,834)   (388,629)
Sun Communities, Inc.        (2,387)   (355,854)
Tabula Rasa HealthCare, Inc.*        (6,004)   (303,802)
Tesla, Inc.*        (2,375)   (1,183,510)
Trade Desk Inc., Class A, (The)*        (1,483)   (713,768)
TransDigm Group, Inc.        (1,715)   (856,934)
Trex Co., Inc.*        (4,576)   (684,066)
Trustmark Corp.        (15,358)   (360,606)
Twitter, Inc.*        (10,573)   (429,052)
Westamerica Bancorporation        (8,555)   (520,657)
Zillow Group, Inc., Class A*        (12,209)   (1,041,184)
              (35,164,380)
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Proceeds $(45,559,367))
             (53,659,228)
TOTAL SECURITIES SOLD SHORT—-(39.1%)
(Proceeds $(45,559,367))
         (53,659,228)
                
   NUMBER OF
CONTRACTS
   NOTIONAL
AMOUNT
   VALUE 
OPTIONS WRITTEN††—(1.5%)               
Call Options Written—(1.5%)               
Allstate Corp., (The)               
Expiration:               
01/15/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
105.00   (148)   (1,376,400)   (29,600)
Applied Materials, Inc.               
Expiration:               
01/15/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
65.00   (118)   (726,880)   (58,410)
Corteva, Inc.               
Expiration:               
01/15/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
26.00   (412)   (1,176,260)   (173,040)
Electronic Arts, Inc.               
Expiration:               
01/15/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
130.00   (53)   (739,191)   (93,147)
LENNAR Corp.               
Expiration:               
01/15/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
70.00   (87)   (650,934)   (98,310)
   NUMBER OF
CONTRACTS
   NOTIONAL
AMOUNT
   VALUE 
Call Options Written—(continued)               
Lowe’s Cos., Inc.               
Expiration:               
01/15/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
155.00   (115)   (1,893,935)  $(212,750)
Microsoft Corp.               
Expiration:               
12/18/2020,               
Exercise Price:               
190.00   (65)   (1,465,945)   (275,275)
Expiration:               
01/15/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
200.00   (137)   (3,089,761)   (509,640)
Oracle Corp.               
Expiration:               
01/15/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
55.00   (173)   (989,906)   (97,399)
Pfizer, Inc.               
Expiration:               
01/15/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
37.00   (455)   (1,719,445)   (129,220)
Tyson Foods, Inc.               
Expiration:               
01/15/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
65.00   (153)   (960,840)   (62,730)
VMware, Inc.               
Expiration:               
01/15/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
150.00   (92)   (1,328,848)   (105,800)
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.               
Expiration:               
03/19/2021,               
Exercise Price:               
130.00   (98)   (1,380,624)   (208,250)
TOTAL CALL OPTIONS WRITTEN
(Premiums received $(1,870,386))
           (2,053,571)
TOTAL OPTIONS WRITTEN
(Premiums received $(1,870,386))
            (2,053,571)
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES—40.2%         55,081,740 
NET ASSETS—100.0%            $137,164,573 
                
 
ADR —  American Depositary Receipt
PLC Public Limited Company
SP ADR  Sponsored American Depositary Receipt
* Non-income producing.
(a) The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020
Security position is either entirely or partially held in a segregated account as collateral for securities sold short.
# Security segregated as collateral for options written.
†† Primary risk exposure is equity contracts.
     
    Industry classifications may be different than those used for compliance monitoring purposes.


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

66  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

Contracts For Difference held by the Fund at August 31, 2020, are as follows:

 

REFERENCE
COMPANY   
  COUNTERPARTY  EXPIRATION
DATE
  FINANCING
RATE
   PAYMENT
FREQUENCY
  NUMBER OF
CONTRACTS
LONG/
(SHORT)
   NOTIONAL
AMOUNT
   UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION
(DEPRECIATION)
 
Short                               
South Korea                               
Celltrion, Inc.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08%  Monthly   (2,057)  $(513,429)               $14,323 
Taiwan                               
Formosa Petrochemical Corp.  Macquarie  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (249,000)   (695,245)     17,183 
United Kingdom                               
Antofagasta PLC  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.06   Monthly   (52,985)   (759,667)     34,668 
Croda International PLC  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.06   Monthly   (4,776)   (375,926)     4,299 
Pearson PLC  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.06   Monthly   (82,397)   (607,102)     9,853 
Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.06   Monthly   (123,441)   (389,790)     26,206 
                       (2,132,485)     75,026 
Total Short    (3,341,159)     106,532 
Net unrealized gain/(loss) on Contracts For Difference     $106,532 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  67

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND Portfolio Of Investments (concluded)

 

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments carried at fair value as of August 31, 2020 is as follows (see Notes to Portfolio of Investments):

 

   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3 
Common Stock                    
Australia  $794,079   $   $794,079   $ 
Austria   856,321        856,321     
Bermuda   2,901,944    2,901,944         
Brazil   1,466,326    1,466,326         
Canada   3,707,539    3,707,539         
China   2,581,835    2,581,835         
France   9,642,911        9,642,911     
Germany   4,593,128        4,593,128     
Greece   818,550        818,550     
Hong Kong   1,719,506        1,719,506     
Hungary   629,617        629,617     
Ireland   1,038,257        1,038,257     
Italy   1,561,664        1,561,664     
Japan   13,697,188        13,697,188     
Macao   857,458        857,458     
Netherland   2,378,689    1,405,871    972,818     
Norway   623,989        623,989     
South Korea   5,910,602    1,474,190    4,436,412     
Switzerland   6,798,623        6,798,623     
Taiwan   1,003,342        1,003,342     
United Kingdom   8,666,877    3,112,695    5,554,182     
United States   64,327,587    64,327,587         
Short-Term Investments   1,219,600    1,219,600         
Contracts For Difference Equity Contracts   106,532        106,532     
Total Assets  $137,902,164   $82,197,587   $55,704,577   $ 
                     
   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3 
Securities Sold Short                    
Australia  $(1,077,619)  $   $(1,077,619)  $ 
Canada   (1,081,541)   (1,081,541)        
China   (630,585)   (630,585)        
Germany   (3,227,818)   (1,215,304)   (2,012,514)    
Hong Kong   (406,579)       (406,579)    
Japan   (8,618,419)       (8,618,419)    
Singapore   (920,583)       (920,583)    
Sweden   (602,826)       (602,826)    
Switzerland   (738,224)       (738,224)    
United Kingdom   (1,190,654)   (684,315)   (506,339)    
United States   (35,164,380)   (35,164,380)        
Options Written                    
Equity Contracts   (2,053,571)   (1,579,134)   (474,437)    
Contracts For Difference Equity Contracts                
Total Liabilities  $(55,712,799)  $(40,355,259)  $(15,357,540)  $ 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

68  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND
(FORMERLY BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS LONG/SHORT FUND)

Portfolio Of Investments

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
LONG POSITIONS—94.7%          
COMMON STOCKS—69.0%          
Brazil—4.9%          
Ambev SA - ADR*†   102,215   $229,984 
Cia Brasileira de Distribuicao   20,900    244,155 
Localiza Rent a Car SA   57,500    509,245 
Pagseguro Digital Ltd., Class A*†   5,766    242,979 
Petroleo Brasileiro SA - SP ADR†   55,447    453,002 
Vasta Platform Ltd.*   41,268    648,320 
Vivara Participacoes SA*   148,100    633,112 
         2,960,797 
Canada—1.2%          
Kinross Gold Corp.*†   79,351    704,637 
Chile—0.2%          
Geopark Ltd.*†   10,077    89,891 
Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile SA - SP ADR†   567    17,781 
         107,672 
China—18.0%          
21Vianet Group, Inc. - ADR*†   17,473    405,548 
China Construction Bank Corp., Class H   1,434,000    1,010,559 
China Meidong Auto Holdings Ltd.   388,000    1,311,027 
China Vanke Co., Ltd., Class H   30,700    95,297 
CIFI Holdings Group Co., Ltd.   220,165    187,140 
ENN Energy Holdings Ltd.   25,600    283,647 
Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., Class H  571,000    318,252 
Lomon Billions Group Co., Ltd., Class A†   91,780    314,136 
Longfor Group Holdings Ltd.   39,000    206,330 
Momo, Inc. - SP ADR†   9,177    187,211 
Muyuan Foodstuff Co., Ltd., Class A†   111,530    1,427,930 
NetEase, Inc. - ADR†   2,051    999,268 
Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China Ltd., Class H   99,966    1,067,278 
Tencent Holdings Ltd.   14,500    990,616 
Trip.com Group Ltd. - ADR†   32,815    992,326 
Vipshop Holdings Ltd. - ADR*†   26,780    442,138 
Zhongsheng Group Holdings Ltd.   97,500    608,057 
         10,846,760 
Colombia—0.2%          
Ecopetrol SA   188,950    110,612 
France—0.5%          
Total SA   6,916    274,371 
Greece—0.3%          
JUMBO SA   9,597    166,696 
Hong Kong—2.8%          
AIA Group Ltd.   26,520    271,691 
China Overseas Land & Investment Ltd.   33,000    95,452 
Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd. - ADR*†   38,096    743,634 
Swire Properties Ltd.   212,000    573,837 
         1,684,614 
Hungary—0.7%          
OTP Bank PLC   11,896    400,638 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
India—6.4%          
Bandhan Bank Ltd.*   109,288   $454,781 
Bharti Airtel Ltd.   137,757    960,230 
Gujarat State Petronet Ltd.   56,074    155,153 
HDFC Bank Ltd. - ADR†   7,839    388,814 
HDFC Bank Ltd.   50,155    761,057 
Indraprastha Gas Ltd.   38,187    204,516 
Mahanagar Gas Ltd.   12,622    163,209 
Reliance Industries Ltd.   9,933    280,553 
Tech Mahindra Ltd.   49,911    502,686 
         3,870,999 
Indonesia—1.5%          
Bank Central Asia Tbk PT   130,700    281,524 
Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper Corp. Tbk PT   81,400    51,937 
Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk PT   1,107,600    579,466 
         912,927 
Ireland—0.1%          
Kenmare Resources PLC   14,919    46,866 
Macao—3.5%          
Sands China Ltd.   274,400    1,207,930 
Wynn Macau Ltd.   486,800    913,771 
         2,121,701 
Mexico—3.8%          
Coca-Cola Femsa SAB de CV - SP ADR†   2,426    101,382 
Concentradora Fibra Danhos SA de CV   200,900    190,048 
Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV - SP ADR†   17,230    1,005,026 
Grupo Financiero Banorte SAB de CV   36,000    123,718 
Industrias Bachoco SAB de CV, Class B   73,000    230,890 
Macquarie Mexico Real Estate Management SA de CV   567,800    660,643 
         2,311,707 
Peru—0.3%          
Credicorp Ltd.†   1,534    200,156 
Poland—0.8%          
PLAY Communications SA   60,309    499,813 
Russia—1.2%          
Sberbank of Russia PJSC - SP ADR   35,222    429,708 
Tatneft PJSC   39,766    292,789 
         722,497 
South Africa—1.6%          
Capitec Bank Holdings Ltd.   3,355    164,662 
Distell Group Holdings Ltd.   23,267    99,034 
Naspers Ltd., Class N   1,354    246,881 
Oceana Group Ltd.   64,709    240,188 
PSG Group Ltd.   23,962    63,032 
SPAR Group Ltd., (The)   14,041    133,735 
         947,532 
South Korea—10.2%          
Celltrion Healthcare Co., Ltd.*   7,634    642,804 
Celltrion, Inc.*   2,656    662,939 
Grand Korea Leisure Co., Ltd.   27,325    272,014 
GS Retail Co., Ltd.   9,687    268,296 
Innocean Worldwide, Inc.   1,688    78,083 
KB Financial Group, Inc.   15,159    470,318 
Kia Motors Corp.   3,782    134,512 


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  69

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND
(FORMERLY BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS LONG/SHORT FUND)
  
Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
South Korea—(continued)          
Mirae Asset Daewoo Co., Ltd.   39,233   $306,376 
Paradise Co., Ltd.   9,797    109,374 
Samsung Biologics Co., Ltd.*   980    640,268 
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   12,105    549,642 
Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.*   77,270    334,600 
Samsung Securities Co., Ltd.   7,651    193,761 
SK Hynix, Inc.   21,091    1,332,867 
Spigen Korea Co., Ltd.   2,703    157,814 
         6,153,668 
Taiwan—8.5%          
Chenbro Micom Co., Ltd.   121,000    377,036 
Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd.   149,000    449,487 
Chicony Power Technology Co., Ltd.    134,000    337,754 
ChipMOS Technologies, Inc.   58,000    57,560 
Global Mixed Mode Technology, Inc.    87,000    450,484 
ITEQ Corp.   39,000    159,195 
Johnson Health Tech Co., Ltd.   69,000    180,466 
Lotes Co., Ltd.   32,000    466,085 
Radiant Opto-Electronics Corp.   121,000    444,327 
Simplo Technology Co., Ltd.   50,000    570,081 
Taiwan PCB Techvest Co., Ltd.   98,000    141,607 
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - SP ADR†   2,718    215,401 
Taiwan Union Technology Corp.   85,000    344,447 
Wiwynn Corp.   34,000    906,951 
         5,100,881 
Turkey—0.7%          
Enerjisa Enerji AS   124,623    138,527 
Mavi Giyim Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS, Class B*   26,192    132,740 
Ulker Biskuvi Sanayi AS   44,209    137,712 
         408,979 
United States—1.6%          
Micron Technology, Inc.*†   8,839    402,263 
National Energy Services Reunited Corp.*†   72,786    548,806 
         951,069 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $37,717,562)
        41,505,592 
PREFERRED STOCKS—3.8%          
Brazil—0.7%          
Itau Unibanco Holding SA 5.228%   102,900    446,460 
South Korea—3.1%          
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 2.952%   46,561    1,859,951 
TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS
(Cost $1,716,148)
        2,306,411 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—21.9%          
U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(a)   13,137,380    13,137,380 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $13,137,380)
        13,137,380 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS—94.7%
(Cost $52,571,090)
        56,949,383 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
SECURITIES SOLD SHORT—(15.6%)          
COMMON STOCKS—(0.9%)          
Mexico—(0.3%)          
Grupo Financiero Inbursa SAB de CV   (267,200)  $(195,375)
United Kingdom—(0.6%)          
Antofagasta PLC   (24,671)   (353,718)
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Proceeds $(527,355))
        (549,093)
EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS—(14.7%)          
Hong Kong—(5.3%)          
ChinaAMC ETF Series   (444,600)   (3,170,173)
Ireland—(2.5%)          
iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF USD Dist   (34,483)   (1,513,391)
United States—(6.9%)          
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF   (66,360)   (2,955,674)
iShares MSCI India ETF   (16,766)   (559,482)
iShares MSCI South Africa ETF   (7,153)   (265,877)
VanEck Vectors Russia ETF   (16,143)   (366,123)
         (4,147,156)
TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS
(Proceeds $(7,856,016))
        (8,830,720)
TOTAL SECURITIES SOLD
SHORT—(15.6%)
(Proceeds $(8,383,371))
        (9,379,813)
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES—20.9%        12,605,938 
NET ASSETS—100.0%       $60,175,508 

 

 
ADR American Depositary Receipt
PLC Public Limited Company
SP ADR  Sponsored American Depositary Receipt
* Non-income producing.
Security position is either entirely or partially held in a segregated account as collateral for securities sold short.
(a) The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.
     
    Industry classifications may be different than those used for compliance monitoring purposes.


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

70  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND
(FORMERLY BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS LONG/SHORT FUND)
  
Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

Contracts For Difference held by the Fund at August 31, 2020, are as follows:

 

REFERENCE
COMPANY
  COUNTERPARTY  EXPIRATION
DATE
  FINANCING
RATE
  PAYMENT
FREQUENCY
  NUMBER OF
CONTRACTS
LONG/
(SHORT)
   NOTIONAL
AMOUNT
   UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION
(DEPRECIATION)
Long                               
Austria                               
Erste Group Bank AG  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   -0.52%  Monthly   8,036   $195,144     $672 
Canada                               
Yamana Gold Inc.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   57,812    358,434      (3,535)
China                               
Agricultural Bank of China  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   653,000    218,086      (19,574)
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.23   Monthly   18,800    676,703      65,266 
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. - SP ADR  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   17,355    4,981,406      482,153 
China Construction Bank Corp., Class H  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   68,000    47,921      (3,683)
China Merchants Bank  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   33,500    159,827      (17,435)
China Shenhua Energy Co., Ltd., Class H  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.23   Monthly   65,500    108,769      226 
Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., Class H  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   476,000    265,303      (26,501)
Netdragon Websoft Holdings  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   65,000    166,451      (28,592)
PICC Property & Casualty Co. Ltd., Class H  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   348,000    268,361      (3,183)
Sinopec Engineering Group Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   345,500    153,060      (3,005)
Tencent Holdings Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.23   Monthly   35,000    2,391,143      78,364 
                       9,437,030      524,036 
France                               
Total SA  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   -0.52   Monthly   2,557    101,441      1,344 
Greece                               
Hellenic Telecommunications Organization SA  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   -0.52   Monthly   16,882    275,477      7,375 
Hong Kong                               
Champion Real Estate Investment Trust  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   269,000    142,178      1,226 
Fortune Real Estate Investment Trust  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   326,000    281,602      10,057 
Hang Lung Properties  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   123,000    346,594      17,204 
Sands China Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   205,600    905,067      48,003 
Wynn Macau Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   239,200    449,001      1,991 
                       2,124,442      78,481 
Macao                               
MGM China Holdings Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   378,000    549,085      41,729 
Portugal                               
Jeronimo Martins  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   -0.52   Monthly   11,968    196,957      (2,769)
Russia                               
Detsky Mir PJSC  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   336,010    528,378      (22,572)
Novolipetsk Steel PJSC  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   140,040    292,118      (13,529)
Sberbank of Russia PJSC - SP ADR  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.16   Monthly   19,980    243,756      (12,871)
                       1,064,252      (48,972)
Singapore                               
DBR Group Holdings Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.14   Monthly   38,700    593,076      9,992 
United Overseas Bank Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.14   Monthly   23,700    339,830      (1,088)
                       932,906      8,904 
South Africa                               
Naspers Ltd., Class N  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   9,263    339,026      19,574 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  71

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND
(FORMERLY BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS LONG/SHORT FUND)
  
Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

REFERENCE
COMPANY
  COUNTERPARTY  EXPIRATION
DATE
  FINANCING
RATE
  PAYMENT
FREQUENCY
  NUMBER OF
CONTRACTS
LONG/
(SHORT)
   NOTIONAL
AMOUNT
   UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION
(DEPRECIATION)
South Korea                               
Hana Financial Group, Inc.  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.16   Monthly   23,305   $551,565     $(20,101)
Posco  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   2,784    430,952      (42,312)
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.16   Monthly   24,339    1,105,140      (88,970)
SK Hynix Inc.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   1,361    86,010      (3,745)
                       2,173,667      (155,128)
Switzerland                               
Glencore PLC  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2020   0.05   Monthly   81,726    200,951      14,796 
Taiwan                               
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   11,609    920,013      (2,016)
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - SP ADR  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.16   Monthly   87,251    1,271,691      (13,551)
                       2,191,704      (15,567)
Total Long                      20,140,516      470,940 
Short                               
Brazil                               
Aliansce Sonae Shopping Center  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (41,100)  $(197,829)    $10,198 
Banco Santander  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (30,700)   (160,042)     1,553 
Cielo SA  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (442,200)   (370,484)     19,955 
Hapvida Participacoes, Class E  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (11,000)   (131,113)     (4,806)
Multiplan Empreendimentos  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (54,200)   (208,252)     7,715 
Notre Dame Intermedica Participacoes SA  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (10,800)   (147,851)     (15,820)
                       (1,215,571)     18,795 
China                               
Air China Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.06   Monthly   (670,000)   (460,668)     (13,782)
China International Capital Corp. Ltd., Class H  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.06   Monthly   (122,400)   (290,490)     11,119 
China Life Insurance Co., Ltd., Class H  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.06   Monthly   (105,000)   (255,783)     5,568 
China Southern Airlines Co.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.06   Monthly   (1,016,000)   (534,720)     (36,796)
New China Life Insurance Co., Ltd., Class H  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.06   Monthly   (113,700)   (453,015)     72,858 
Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd., Class H  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.06   Monthly   (30,000)   (272,866)     (12,197)
                       (2,267,542)     26,770 
France                               
Edenred  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   -0.47   Monthly   (8,634)   (445,684)     (9,147)
Hong Kong                               
China Taiping Insurance Holdings Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.06   Monthly   (133,200)   (211,262)     45,130 
Fullshare Holdings  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.06   Monthly   (18,937,500)   (436,861)     (47,325)
Hang Seng Bank Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.06   Monthly   (28,600)   (449,521)     994 
Hong Kong & China Gas Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.06   Monthly   (313,734)   (456,168)     (11,750)
MTR Corp.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.06   Monthly   (1,878)   (9,769)     (17)
SJM Holdings Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.06   Monthly   (387,000)   (530,845)     (42,051)
Value Partners Group Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.06   Monthly   (454,000)   (207,871)     8,784 
                       (2,302,297)     (46,235)
Indonesia                               
PT Bank Mandiri TBK  Macquarie  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (246,600)   (100,835)     1,258 
Malaysia                               
PPB Group Berhad  Morgan Stanley  9/15/2020   0.09   Monthly   (93,300)   (402,295)     34,267 
Mexico                               
Bacle SAB de CV  Morgan Stanley  9/15/2020   0.09   Monthly   (239,700)   (459,420)     (4,736)
Grupo Televisa SAB - SP ADR  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (27,647)   (171,964)     13,824 
Regional SAB de CV  Morgan Stanley  9/15/2020   0.09   Monthly   (42,200)   (105,490)     3,902 
                       (736,874)     12,990 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

72  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND
(FORMERLY BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS LONG/SHORT FUND)
  
Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

REFERENCE
COMPANY
  COUNTERPARTY  EXPIRATION
DATE
  FINANCING
RATE
  PAYMENT
FREQUENCY
  NUMBER OF
CONTRACTS
LONG/
(SHORT)
   NOTIONAL
AMOUNT
   UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION
(DEPRECIATION)
Poland                           
Powszechna Kasa Oszczednosci Bank Polski SA  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (69,867)  $(408,232)    $26,386 
Saudi Arabia                               
Alinma Bank  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (43,846)   (181,130)     (1,688)
Arab National Bank  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (62,902)   (347,999)     2,195 
Banque Saudi Fransi  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (54,557)   (464,618)     45,586 
Rabigh Refining and Petroche  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (73,843)   (280,900)     (18,461)
Saudi Arabian Oil Co.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (48,376)   (458,256)     (24,669)
Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (201,989)   (488,324)     (23,335)
                       (2,221,227)     (20,372)
Singapore                               
Golden Agri-Resources  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.14   Monthly   (3,051,400)   (324,735)     8,338 
Sats Ltd. NPV  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.14   Monthly   (151,500)   (333,577)     (9,633)
Starhub Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.14   Monthly   (415,000)   (371,857)     (5,699)
                       (1,030,169)     (6,994)
South Africa                               
Tiger Brands Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   3.32   Monthly   (24,734)   (251,597)     2,463 
South Korea                               
Amorepacific Corp.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (3,062)   (432,185)     23,983 
Celltrion Healthcare Co., Ltd.  Macquarie  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (7,634)   (642,804)     2,596 
Celltrion, Inc.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (2,656)   (662,939)     18,508 
Dentium Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (10,899)   (342,772)     35,803 
Grand Korea Leisure Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (27,325)   (272,014)     16,782 
Korea Electric Power Corp.  Morgan Stanley  9/15/2020   0.09   Monthly   (15,318)   (263,895)     1,768 
Lotte Shopping Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (4,983)   (317,963)     13,462 
Mirae Asset Daewoo Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (72,627)   (567,155)     (14,216)
Oil Corp.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (7,331)   (347,674)     29,786 
Paradise Co., Ltd.  Morgan Stanley  12/31/2021   0.09   Monthly   (28,309)   (316,043)     6,574 
Samsung BioLogics Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (1,010)   (659,868)     23,834 
Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.   Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (77,270)   (334,600)     16,932 
Samsung Securities Co., Ltd.  Morgan Stanley  9/15/2020   0.09   Monthly   (13,702)   (347,003)     3,417 
Sillajen Inc.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (10,490)   (106,852)     (339)
                       (5,613,767)     178,890 
Taiwan                               
Cheng Shin Rubber  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (393,000)   (482,381)     25,515 
China Airlines  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (1,470,000)   (427,508)     (22,797)
Eclat Textile Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.10   Monthly   (39,000)   (514,853)     2,582 
Far Eastone Teleco Co., Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (192,000)   (401,342)     9,447 
Formosa Petrochemical Corp.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (142,000)   (396,485)     13,590 
WPG Holdings Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (340,000)   (476,346)     (35,276)
                       (2,698,915)     (6,939)
Thailand                               
Airports of Thailand PCL  Morgan Stanley  9/15/2020   0.09   Monthly   (114,200)   (206,330)     (3,662)
Bumrungrad Hospital  Morgan Stanley  9/15/2020   0.09   Monthly   (119,000)   (422,944)     14,951 
PTT Exploration & Production PCL NVDR  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.08   Monthly   (57,300)   (164,053)     4,605 
True Corp. PCL NVDR  Morgan Stanley  9/15/2020   0.09   Monthly   (3,747,100)   (400,243)     19,987 
                       (1,193,570)     35,881 
United Kingdom                               
HSBC Holdings PLC  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.06   Monthly   (91,200)   (395,375)     7,604 
Total Short                      (21,283,950)     255,617 
Net unrealized gain/(loss) on Contracts For Difference           $726,557 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  73

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND
(FORMERLY BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS LONG/SHORT FUND)
  
Portfolio Of Investments (concluded)

 

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments carried at fair value as of August 31, 2020 is as follows (see Notes to Portfolio of Investments):

 

   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3 
Common Stock                    
Brazil  $2,960,797   $2,960,797   $   $ 
Canada   704,637    704,637         
Chile   107,672    107,672         
China   10,846,760    3,026,491    7,820,269     
Colombia   110,612    110,612         
France   274,371        274,371     
Greece   166,696        166,696     
Hong Kong   1,684,614    743,634    940,980     
Hungary   400,638        400,638     
India   3,870,999    388,814    3,482,185     
Indonesia   912,927        912,927     
Ireland   46,866    46,866         
Macao   2,121,701        2,121,701     
Mexico   2,311,707    2,311,707         
Peru   200,156    200,156         
Poland   499,813        499,813     
Russia   722,497    429,708    292,789     
South Africa   947,532    240,188    707,344     
South Korea   6,153,668        6,153,668     
Taiwan   5,100,881    215,401    4,885,480     
Turkey   408,979    138,527    270,452     
United States   951,069    951,069         
Preferred Stock                   
Brazil   446,460    446,460         
South Korea   1,859,951        1,859,951     
Short-Term Investments   13,137,380    13,137,380         
Contracts For Difference                   
Equity Contracts   1,413,792    561,337    852,455     
Total Assets  $58,363,175   $26,721,456   $31,641,719   $ 
                     
   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3 
Securities Sold Short                   
Mexico  $(195,375)  $(195,375)  $   $ 
United Kingdom   (353,718)       (353,718)    
Exchange Traded Funds                   
Hong Kong   (3,170,173)       (3,170,173)    
Ireland   (1,513,391)       (1,513,391)    
United States   (4,147,156)   (4,147,156)        
Contracts For Difference                   
Equity Contracts   (687,235)   (43,785)   (643,450)    
Total Liabilities  $(10,067,048)  $(4,386,316)  $(5,680,732)  $  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

74  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS FUND Portfolio Of Investments

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
COMMON STOCKS—85.5%          
Brazil—4.7%          
Ambev SA - ADR*   26,880   $60,480 
Cia Brasileira de Distribuicao   5,300    61,915 
Localiza Rent a Car SA   14,600    129,304 
Pagseguro Digital Ltd., Class A*   1,514    63,800 
Petroleo Brasileiro SA - SP ADR   14,581    119,127 
Vasta Platform Ltd.*   11,316    177,774 
Vivara Participacoes SA*   38,500    164,583 
         776,983 
Canada—1.1%          
Kinross Gold Corp.*   21,021    186,666 
Chile—0.1%          
Geopark Ltd.*   2,688    23,977 
China—31.2%          
21Vianet Group, Inc.- ADR*   4,650    107,927 
Agricultural Bank of China Ltd., Class H   166,000    55,440 
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.*   6,700    241,166 
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. - SP ADR*   4,394    1,261,210 
China Construction Bank Corp., Class H   387,000    272,724 
China Meidong Auto Holdings Ltd.   106,000    358,167 
China Vanke Co., Ltd., Class H   7,800    24,212 
CIFI Holdings Group Co., Ltd.   59,604    50,663 
ENN Energy Holdings Ltd.   6,900    76,452 
Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., Class H   144,000    80,260 
Lomon Billions Group Co., Ltd., Class A   24,100    82,487 
Longfor Group Holdings Ltd.   10,500    55,550 
Momo, Inc. - SP ADR   2,446    49,898 
Muyuan Foodstuff Co., Ltd., Class A    29,490    377,563 
NetEase, Inc. - ADR   535    260,657 
Ping An Insurance Group Co. of China Ltd., Class H   26,958    287,815 
Sinopec Engineering Group Co., Ltd., Class H   90,000    39,871 
Tencent Holdings Ltd.   13,300    908,634 
Trip.com Group Ltd. - ADR   8,857    267,836 
Vipshop Holdings Ltd. - ADR*   7,344    121,250 
Zhongsheng Group Holdings Ltd.   27,000    168,385 
         5,148,167 
Colombia—0.2%          
Ecopetrol SA   49,368    28,900 
France—0.4%          
TOTAL SA   1,845    73,195 
Greece—0.3%          
JUMBO SA   2,458    42,695 
Hong Kong—4.0%          
AIA Group Ltd.   7,048    72,205 
Champion REIT   71,000    37,526 
China Overseas Land & Investment Ltd.   9,000    26,032 
Fortune Real Estate Investment Trust    89,000    76,879 
Hang Lung Properties Ltd.   32,000    90,171 
Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd. - ADR*   10,022    195,630 
Swire Properties Ltd.   57,200    154,828 
         653,271 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Hungary—0.7%        
OTP Bank PLC   3,267   $110,027 
India—6.1%          
Bandhan Bank Ltd.*   29,461    122,596 
Bharti Airtel Ltd.   36,054    251,313 
Gujarat State Petronet Ltd.   14,316    39,611 
HDFC Bank Ltd. - ADR   1,993    98,853 
HDFC Bank Ltd.   13,229    200,738 
Indraprastha Gas Ltd.   9,672    51,800 
Mahanagar Gas Ltd.   3,222    41,662 
Reliance Industries Ltd.   2,515    71,035 
Tech Mahindra Ltd.   13,451    135,474 
         1,013,082 
Indonesia—1.5%          
Bank Central Asia Tbk PT   33,300    71,727 
Indah Kiat Pulp & Paper Corp. Tbk PT   21,400    13,654 
Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk PT   301,800    157,894 
         243,275 
Ireland—0.1%          
Kenmare Resources PLC   3,924    12,327 
Macao—4.3%          
MGM China Holdings Ltd.   102,000    148,166 
Sands China Ltd.   74,000    325,754 
Wynn Macau Ltd.   127,600    239,517 
         713,437 
Mexico—3.7%          
Coca-Cola Femsa SAB de CV - SP ADR   634    26,495 
Concentradora Fibra Danhos SA de CV   51,400    48,623 
Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV - SP ADR   4,582    267,268 
Grupo Financiero Banorte SAB de CV   9,400    32,304 
Industrias Bachoco SAB de CV, Class B   19,400    61,360 
Macquarie Mexico Real Estate Management SA de CV   153,100    178,134 
         614,184 
Peru—0.3%          
Credicorp Ltd.   386    50,365 
Poland—0.8%          
PLAY Communications SA   15,303    126,824 
Russia—1.5%          
Sberbank of Russia PJSC - SP ADR   14,517    177,107 
Tatneft PJSC   10,713    78,878 
         255,985 
Singapore—1.5%          
DBS Group Holdings Ltd.   10,100    154,782 
United Overseas Bank Ltd.   6,100    87,467 
         242,249 
South Africa—2.0%          
Capitec Bank Holdings Ltd.   875    42,969 
Distell Group Holdings Ltd.   6,117    26,036 
Naspers Ltd.   342    62,359 
Naspers Ltd. - SP ADR   2,355    86,193 
Oceana Group Ltd.   16,578    61,535 
PSG Group Ltd.   6,253    16,449 
SPAR Group Ltd., (The)   3,691    35,155 
         330,696 


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  75

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS FUND Portfolio Of Investments (CONTINUED)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
South Korea—7.6%          
GS Retail Co., Ltd.   2,523   $69,878 
Hana Financial Group, Inc.   6,112    144,654 
Innocean Worldwide   444    20,539 
KB Financial Group, Inc.   4,111    127,546 
Kia Motors Corp.   993    35,317 
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   9,756    442,983 
SK Hynix, Inc.   5,992    378,671 
Spigen Korea Co., Ltd.   697    40,694 
         1,260,282 
Taiwan—11.2%          
Chenbro Micom Co., Ltd.   31,000    96,596 
Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd.   41,000    123,684 
Chicony Power Technology Co., Ltd.    37,000    93,260 
ChipMOS Technologies, Inc.   15,000    14,886 
Global Mixed Mode Technology, Inc.    24,000    124,272 
ITEQ Corp.   10,000    40,819 
Johnson Health Tech Co., Ltd.   18,000    47,078 
Lotes Co., Ltd.   9,000    131,087 
Radiant Opto-Electronics Corp.   33,000    121,180 
Simplo Technology Co., Ltd.   14,000    159,623 
Taiwan PCB Techvest Co., Ltd.   25,000    36,124 
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.   16,000    233,201 
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - SP ADR   3,875    307,094 
Taiwan Union Technology Corp.   21,000    85,099 
Wiwynn Corp.   9,000    240,075 
         1,854,078 
Turkey—0.6%          
Enerjisa Enerji AS   32,772    36,428 
Mavi Giyim Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS, Class B*   6,710    34,006 
Ulker Biskuvi Sanayi AS   11,625    36,212 
         106,646 
United States—1.6%          
Micron Technology, Inc.*   2,323    105,720 
National Energy Services Reunited Corp.*   19,987    150,702 
         256,422 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $12,568,299)
        14,123,733 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
PREFERRED STOCKS—3.7%        
Brazil—0.7%        
Itau Unibanco Holding SA 5.228%   27,500   $119,316 
South Korea—3.0%          
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 2.952%   12,241    488,986 
TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS
(Cost $550,004)
        608,302 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—10.7%          
U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(a)   1,764,372    1,764,372 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $1,764,372)
        1,764,372 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS—99.9%
(Cost $14,882,675)
        16,496,407 
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES—0.1%        11,778 
NET ASSETS—100.0%       $16,508,185 

 

 
ADR —  American Depositary Receipt
PLC Public Limited Company
SP ADR Sponsored American Depositary Receipt
* Non-income producing.
(a) The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.
     
    Industry classifications may be different than those used for compliance monitoring purposes


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

76  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS FUND Portfolio Of Investments (CONTINUED)

 

Contracts For Difference held by the Fund at August 31, 2020, are as follows:

 

REFERENCE
COMPANY
  COUNTERPARTY  EXPIRATION
DATE
  FINANCING
RATE
  PAYMENT
FREQUENCY
  NUMBER OF
CONTRACTS
LONG/
(SHORT)
   NOTIONAL
AMOUNT
   UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION
(DEPRECIATION)
Long                           
Austria                           
Erste Group Bank AG  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   -0.52%  Monthly   2,111   $51,263     $177 
Chile                               
Sociedad Quimica Minera  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   149    4,673      (175)
China                               
China Construction Bank Corp., Class H  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   19,000    13,390      (1,029)
China Merchants Bank, Class H  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   8,500    40,553      (4,424)
China Shenhua Energy Co., Class H  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.23   Monthly   17,500    29,060      59 
Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd., Class H  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   130,000    72,457      (7,239)
Netdragon Websoft Holdings  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   16,500    42,253      (7,259)
PICC Property & Casualty  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   90,000    69,404      (828)
                       267,117      (20,720)
France                               
Total SA  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   -0.52   Monthly   671    26,620      353 
Greece                               
Hellenic Telecommunications Organization  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   -0.52   Monthly   4,283    69,889      1,865 
Macao                               
Sands China Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   55,600    244,756      12,977 
Wynn Macau Ltd.  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.23   Monthly   68,400    128,393      567 
                       373,149      13,544 
Portugal                               
Jeronimo Martins  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   -0.52   Monthly   3,079    50,671      (712)
Russia                               
Detsky Mir PJSC  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   90,520    142,343      (6,086)
Novolipetsk Steel PJSC  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   36,220    75,554      (3,500)
                       217,897      (9,586)
South Korea                               
Posco  Goldman Sachs  9/15/2020   0.16   Monthly   722    111,763      (10,938)
Switzerland                               
Glencore PLC  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2020   0.05   Monthly   21,492    52,845      3,890 
Taiwan                               
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. - SP ADR  Goldman Sachs  12/31/2021   0.16   Monthly   7,000    102,025      (1,116)
Total Long                      1,327,912      (23,418)
Net unrealized gain/(loss) on Contracts For Difference                      $(23,418)

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  77

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS EMERGING MARKETS FUND Portfolio Of Investments (CONCLUDED)

 

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments carried at fair value as of August 31, 2020 is as follows (see Notes to Portfolio of Investments):

 

   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3 
Common Stock                    
Brazil  $776,983   $776,983   $   $ 
Canada   186,666    186,666         
Chile   23,977    23,977         
China   5,148,167    2,068,778    3,079,389     
Colombia   28,900    28,900         
France   73,195        73,195     
Greece   42,695        42,695     
Hong Kong   653,271    195,630    457,641     
Hungary   110,027        110,027     
India   1,013,082    98,853    914,229     
Indonesia   243,275        243,275     
Ireland   12,327    12,327         
Macao   713,437        713,437     
Mexico   614,184    614,184         
Peru   50,365    50,365         
Poland   126,824        126,824     
Russia   255,985    177,107    78,878     
Singapore   242,249        242,249     
South Africa   330,696    147,728    182,968     
South Korea   1,260,282        1,260,282     
Taiwan   1,854,078    307,094    1,546,984     
Turkey   106,646    36,428    70,218     
United States   256,422    256,422         
Preferred Stock                    
Brazil   119,316    119,316         
South Korea   488,986        488,986     
Short-Term Investments   1,764,372    1,764,372         
Contracts For Difference                     
Equity Contracts   19,888        19,888     
Total Assets  $16,516,295   $6,865,130   $9,651,165   $ 
                     
    TOTAL    LEVEL 1    LEVEL 2    LEVEL 3 
Contracts For Difference                    
Equity Contracts  $(43,306)  $(175)  $(43,131)  $ 
Total Liabilities  $(43,306)  $(175)  $(43,131)  $ 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

78  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY ADVANTAGE FUND Portfolio Of Investments

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
COMMON STOCKS—77.7%          
Austria—0.2%          
Andritz AG   2,404   $80,411 
Bermuda—1.6%          
Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.   3,113    148,677 
Everest Re Group Ltd.   1,809    398,125 
         546,802 
Brazil—0.3%          
JBS SA   22,800    93,139 
Canada—0.9%          
Barrick Gold Corp.   5,908    175,018 
Yamana Gold, Inc.   22,677    140,598 
         315,616 
Denmark—0.3%          
FLSmidth & Co., A/S   4,053    117,044 
France—7.8%          
Accor SA   4,379    134,233 
AXA SA   6,965    142,114 
Capgemini SA   4,155    576,373 
Cie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA   1,966    222,667 
Eiffage SA   3,534    325,000 
Peugeot SA   19,060    328,605 
Sanofi   4,142    419,536 
Total SA   8,458    335,545 
Vinci SA   1,670    156,464 
Vivendi SA   3,848    109,551 
         2,750,088 
Germany—4.7%          
Bayer AG, Registered Shares   4,528    301,165 
Brenntag AG   4,181    261,966 
Deutsche Telekom AG   10,067    177,451 
HeidelbergCement AG   2,175    137,986 
Rheinmetall AG   3,555    329,563 
Siemens AG   3,146    435,926 
         1,644,057 
Greece—0.5%          
Hellenic Telecommunications          
Organization SA   9,797    159,865 
Ireland—1.2%          
CRH PLC   11,459    427,641 
Italy—0.6%          
Leonardo SpA   30,332    205,211 
Japan—6.7%          
Fuji Corp.   14,600    262,138 
Fuji Electric Co., Ltd.   1,700    53,036 
Hitachi Ltd.   7,800    259,494 
KDDI Corp.   11,500    334,281 
Kurita Water Industries Ltd.   4,500    140,935 
NEC Corp.   2,600    137,283 
Sony Corp.   8,200    642,096 
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial          
Group, Inc.   4,300    126,442 
Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.   6,800    182,945 
Tokyo Electron Ltd.   400    102,603 
Zenkoku Hosho Co., Ltd.   2,600    91,999 
         2,333,252 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
Netherlands—2.8%          
Aalberts NV   2,676   $100,718 
ING Groep NV   27,618    225,419 
Koninklijke Ahold NV   4,513    135,777 
NXP Semiconductors NV   2,125    267,240 
Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Class A   16,250    239,195 
         968,349 
Norway—0.4%          
Yara International ASA   3,140    131,555 
Singapore—1.1%          
DBS Group Holdings Ltd.   13,200    202,289 
United Overseas Bank Ltd.   12,800    183,537 
         385,826 
South Korea—2.1%          
GS Retail Co., Ltd.   3,787    104,887 
KB Financial Group, Inc.   5,832    180,941 
KT Corp. - SP ADR   24,127    237,410 
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.   2,890    131,224 
SK Hynix, Inc.   1,482    93,656 
         748,118 
Sweden—0.7%          
Husqvarna AB   10,106    110,038 
Sandvik AB   6,725    132,420 
         242,458 
Switzerland—3.9%          
Glencore PLC   76,209    187,386 
Novartis AG   4,979    429,125 
Roche Holding AG   578    202,195 
STMicroelectronics NV   8,744    264,462 
UBS Group AG   24,438    297,297 
         1,380,465 
United Kingdom—6.8%          
BAE Systems PLC   55,798    387,356 
BP PLC   52,675    183,772 
Direct Line Insurance Group PLC   78,519    310,309 
Howden Joinery Group PLC   15,643    116,856 
Inchcape PLC   31,852    214,571 
Nomad Foods Ltd.*   9,821    242,186 
Persimmon PLC   6,868    238,652 
Redrow PLC   33,174    200,782 
Smith & Nephew PLC   6,778    136,785 
Tesco PLC   107,372    313,553 
WH Smith PLC   2,041    32,140 
         2,376,962 
United States—35.1%          
Allstate Corp., (The)   4,315    401,295 
American Express Co.   2,593    263,423 
American International Group, Inc.   5,243    152,781 
Anthem, Inc.   1,391    391,594 
Applied Materials, Inc.   4,051    249,542 
AutoZone, Inc.*   207    247,636 
Bank of America Corp.   6,384    164,324 
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B*   1,162    253,363 
Cigna Corp.   2,790    494,862 
Cisco Systems, Inc.   2,647    111,756 
Citigroup, Inc.   4,572    233,721 
Corteva, Inc.   4,840    138,182 
CVS Health Corp.   7,031    436,766 
Diamondback Energy, Inc.   2,229    86,842 


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  79

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY ADVANTAGE FUND Portfolio Of Investments (continued)

 

   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
United States—(continued)          
Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc.*   2,499   $135,246 
DuPont de Nemours, Inc.   9,440    526,374 
Eaton Corp. PLC   3,712    378,995 
Goldman Sachs Group Inc., (The)   1,353    277,189 
Graphic Packaging Holding Co.   15,185    212,286 
Harley-Davidson, Inc.   2,182    60,463 
Honeywell International, Inc.   1,417    234,584 
Huntington Bancshares Inc.   26,556    249,892 
ITT, Inc.   3,414    214,433 
JPMorgan Chase & Co.   3,741    374,811 
KeyCorp   20,049    247,004 
Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings*   1,124    197,543 
LKQ Corp.*   5,975    189,647 
Lowe’s Cos., Inc.   1,264    208,168 
MasTec, Inc.*   4,430    204,710 
McKesson Corp.   1,073    164,641 
Medtronic PLC   3,078    330,793 
Merck & Co, Inc.   4,931    420,466 
Micron Technology, Inc.*   4,210    191,597 
Mosaic Co., (The)   10,373    189,100 
Newmont Goldcorp Corp.   1,958    131,734 
Nexstar Media Group, Inc., Class A   1,461    140,271 
NVR, Inc.*   48    200,080 
Oracle Corp.   4,222    241,583 
Owens Corning   6,627    448,250 
Pfizer, Inc.   6,826    257,955 
PPG Industries, Inc.   944    113,658 
Raytheon Technologies Corp.   1,914    116,754 
Science Applications International Corp.   4,229    352,952 
SYNNEX Corp.   2,796    355,511 
TE Connectivity Ltd.   2,801    270,577 
Textron, Inc.   4,958    195,494 
Tyson Foods, Inc., Class A   2,169    136,213 
Valvoline, Inc.   4,884    99,634 
Vistra Energy Corp.   22,404    430,829 
Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.   1,078    151,869 
         12,277,393 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS
(Cost $24,962,973)
        27,184,252 
   NUMBER OF
SHARES
   VALUE 
PREFERRED STOCKS—0.7%          
Brazil—0.3%          
Petroleo Brasileiro SA 2.767%   24,500   $98,698 
South Korea—0.4%          
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 2.952%   3,931    157,030 
TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS
(Cost $258,123)
        255,728 
INVESTMENT COMPANY—20.4%          
United States—20.4%          
Campbell Advantage Fund   1,214,956    7,143,942 
TOTAL INVESTMENT COMPANY
(Cost $7,599,686)
        7,143,942 
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS—1.4%          
U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%*(a)  496,389    496,389 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS
(Cost $496,389)
        496,389 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS—100.2%
(Cost $33,317,171)
        35,080,311 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS—(0.2)%        (43,409)
NET ASSETS—100.0%       $35,036,902 

 

 
PLC —  Public Limited Company
SP ADR    Sponsored American Depositary Receipt
* Non-income producing.
(a) The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.
     
    Industry classifications may be different than those used for compliance monitoring purposes


 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

80  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
BOSTON PARTNERS GLOBAL EQUITY ADVANTAGE FUND Portfolio Of Investments (concluded)

 

A summary of the inputs used to value the Fund’s investments carried at fair value as of August 31, 2020 is as follows (see Notes to Portfolio of Investments):

 

   TOTAL   LEVEL 1   LEVEL 2   LEVEL 3 
Common Stock                    
Austria  $80,411   $   $80,411   $ 
Bermuda   546,802    546,802         
Brazil   93,139    93,139         
Canada   315,616    315,616         
Denmark   117,044        117,044     
France   2,750,088        2,750,088     
Germany   1,644,057        1,644,057     
Greece   159,865        159,865     
Ireland   427,641        427,641     
Italy   205,211        205,211     
Japan   2,333,252        2,333,252     
Netherlands   968,349    267,240    701,109     
Norway   131,555        131,555     
Singapore   385,826        385,826     
South Korea   748,118    237,410    510,708     
Sweden   242,458        242,458     
Switzerland   1,380,465        1,380,465     
United Kingdom   2,376,962    242,186    2,134,776     
United States   12,277,393    12,277,393         
Preferred Stock                    
Brazil   98,698    98,698          
South Korea   157,030        157,030     
Investment Company                    
United States   7,143,942    7,143,942         
Short-Term Investments   496,389    496,389         
Total Assets  $35,080,311   $21,718,815   $13,361,496   $ 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  81

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES  

 

   Boston   Boston   Boston   Boston 
   Partners   Partners   Partners   Partners 
   Small Cap   Long/Short   Long/Short   All-Cap 
   Value Fund II   Equity Fund   Research Fund   Value Fund 
ASSETS                    
Investments in securities, at value †^  $569,202,415   $78,032,711   $1,103,571,300   $1,264,941,855 
Investments purchased with proceeds from securities lending collateral, at value *   53,885,936    7,775,760        103,029,868 
Short-term investments, at value **   11,276,492    5,093,061        17,069,178 
Cash                
Foreign currency, at value#                
Receivables                    
Investments sold       144,682    12,563,842     
Foreign currency deposits with brokers for securities sold short #       3,132,121    104,169,242     
Deposits with brokers for contracts for difference           1,417,565     
Deposits with brokers for securities sold short       19,888,880    436,696,466     
Capital shares sold   244,664    15,173    309,797    743,760 
Dividends and interest   643,121    131,899    3,004,772    2,116,048 
Due from prime broker       25,593         
Due from adviser                
Unrealized appreciation on contracts for difference ◊           587,719     
Prepaid expenses and other assets   54,687    17,752    89,531    75,762 
Total assets   635,307,315    114,257,632    1,662,410,234    1,387,976,471 
LIABILITIES                    
Securities sold short, at fair value ‡       22,270,499    531,281,778     
Options written, at value +◊       640,310         
Foreign currency overdraft                
Payables                    
Securities lending collateral (Note 8)   53,885,936    7,775,760        103,029,868 
Investments purchased   19,379        15,710,719    7,871,263 
Capital shares redeemed   364,141    21,831    4,859,094    1,613,565 
Due to prime broker                
Investment advisory fees   460,302    126,940    1,200,489    868,571 
Custodian fees   3,531    32,755    55,557    17,273 
Distribution and service fees   96,090    9,784    2,659    77,264 
Dividends on securities sold short           1,067,960     
Administration and accounting fees   43,361    25,842    231,198    112,875 
Transfer agent fees   44,733    37,501    342,714    125,916 
Unrealized depreciation on contracts for difference ◊           110,160     
Other accrued expenses and liabilities   8,362    52,343    148,825    32,142 
Total liabilities   54,925,835    30,993,565    555,011,153    113,748,737 
Net Assets  $580,381,480   $83,264,067   $1,107,399,081   $1,274,227,734 
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:                    
Par value  $27,739   $5,601   $83,229   $52,004 
Paid-in Capital   547,445,653    45,202,819    953,201,645    961,487,177 
Total Distributable earnings/(loss)   32,908,088    38,055,647    154,114,207    312,688,553 
Net Assets  $580,381,480   $83,264,067   $1,107,399,081   $1,274,227,734 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS                    
Net assets  $503,349,131   $68,779,960   $1,082,962,985   $1,053,300,690 
Shares outstanding   23,900,439    4,539,127    81,350,264    42,944,332 
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share  $21.06   $15.15   $13.31   $24.53 
INVESTOR CLASS                    
Net assets  $77,032,349   $14,484,107   $24,436,096   $220,927,044 
Shares outstanding   3,838,732    1,062,095    1,878,895    9,059,288 
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share  $20.07   $13.64   $13.01   $24.39 
Investments in securities, at cost  $478,428,154   $57,989,194   $861,644,018   $967,419,945 
^ Includes market value of securities on loan  $51,361,233   $7,439,943   $   $99,392,526 
* Investments purchased with proceeds from securities lending collateral, at cost  $53,885,936   $7,775,760   $   $103,029,868 
** Short-term investments, at cost  $11,276,492   $5,093,061   $   $17,069,178 
# Foreign currency, at cost  $   $2,978,111   $100,978,939   $ 
Proceeds received, securities sold short  $   $20,615,100   $498,776,463   $ 
+ Premiums received, options written  $   $494,128   $   $ 
Primary risk exposure is equity contracts                    

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

82  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES (CONTINUED)  

 

   WPG Partners   Boston   Boston 
   Small/Micro Cap   Partners Global   Partners Global 
   Value Fund   Equity Fund   Long/Short Fund 
ASSETS               
Investments in securities, at value †^  $19,019,767   $174,894,421   $136,576,032 
Investments purchased with proceeds from securities lending collateral, at value *    2,795,892    12,352,274     
Short-term investments, at value **   238,703    2,526,679    1,219,600 
Cash           110,390 
Foreign currency, at value#            
Receivables               
Investments sold   175,788    887,297    4,183,448 
Foreign currency deposits with brokers for securities sold short #            
Deposits with brokers for contracts for difference            
Deposits with brokers for securities sold short           54,203,110 
Capital shares sold           78,087 
Dividends and interest   29,265    1,209,785    1,136,114 
Due from prime broker            
Due from adviser            
Unrealized appreciation on contracts for difference ◊           106,532 
Prepaid expenses and other assets   10,315    16,638    46,342 
Total assets   22,269,730    191,887,094    197,659,655 
LIABILITIES               
Securities sold short, at fair value ‡           53,659,228 
Options written, at value +◊           2,053,571 
Foreign currency overdraft       645    8,838 
Payables               
Securities lending collateral (Note 8)   2,795,892    12,352,274     
Investments purchased   289,510    1,637,429    3,534,813 
Capital shares redeemed           790,134 
Due to prime broker            
Investment advisory fees   9,147    144,034    166,515 
Custodian fees   1,940    63,931    25,941 
Distribution and service fees           291 
Dividends on securities sold short           70,923 
Administration and accounting fees   4,601    59,292    58,213 
Transfer agent fees   1,608    7,997    81,877 
Unrealized depreciation on contracts for difference ◊            
Other accrued expenses and liabilities   16,789    151,474    44,738 
Total liabilities   3,119,487    14,417,076    60,495,082 
Net Assets  $19,150,243   $177,470,018   $137,164,573 
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:               
Par value  $1,602   $11,715   $14,115 
Paid-in Capital   23,604,998    208,478,172    175,091,470 
Total Distributable earnings/(loss)   (4,456,357)   (31,019,869)   (37,941,012)
Net Assets  $19,150,243   $177,470,018   $137,164,573 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS               
Net assets  $19,150,243   $177,470,018   $130,856,516 
Shares outstanding   1,601,526    11,714,826    13,458,232 
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share  $11.96   $15.15   $9.72 
INVESTOR CLASS               
Net assets  $   $   $6,308,057 
Shares outstanding           656,419 
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share  $   $   $9.61 
Investments in securities, at cost  $17,839,379   $153,077,775   $114,838,744 
^ Includes market value of securities on loan  $2,683,729   $11,827,284   $ 
* Investments purchased with proceeds from securities lending collateral, at cost  $2,795,892   $12,352,274   $ 
** Short-term investments, at cost  $238,703   $2,526,679   $1,219,600 
# Foreign currency, at cost  $   $   $ 
Proceeds received, securities sold short  $   $   $45,559,367 
+ Premiums received, options written  $   $   $1,870,386 
Primary risk exposure is equity contracts               

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  83

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS August 31, 2020
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES (CONCLUDED)  

 

   Boston   Boston   Boston 
   Partners   Partners   Partners 
   Emerging Markets   Emerging   Global Equity 
   Dynamic Equity Fund   Markets Fund   Advantage Fund 
ASSETS               
Investments in securities, at value †^  $43,812,003   $14,732,035   $34,583,922 
Investments purchased with proceeds from securities lending collateral, at value *             
Short-term investments, at value **   13,137,380    1,764,372    496,389 
Cash   11,827    60,422     
Foreign currency, at value#   164,908    48,275     
Receivables               
Investments sold   308,020    80,963    139,444 
Foreign currency deposits with brokers for securities sold short #            
Deposits with brokers for contracts for difference   2,283,691         
Deposits with brokers for securities sold short   9,608,905         
Capital shares sold   1,251         
Dividends and interest   23,771    15,915    86,529 
Due from prime broker            
Due from adviser       1,298    14,992 
Unrealized appreciation on contracts for difference ◊   1,413,792    19,888     
Prepaid expenses and other assets   8,541    14,130    13,177 
Total assets   70,774,089    16,737,298    35,334,453 
LIABILITIES               
Securities sold short, at fair value ‡   9,379,813         
Options written, at value +◊            
Foreign currency overdraft           71 
Payables               
Securities lending collateral (Note 8)            
Investments purchased   245,882    73,341    259,150 
Capital shares redeemed            
Due to prime broker       59,111     
Investment advisory fees   78,464         
Custodian fees   24,725    20,812     
Distribution and service fees            
Dividends on securities sold short            
Administration and accounting fees   13,982    5,969    5,378 
Transfer agent fees   1,134    4,875    4,037 
Unrealized depreciation on contracts for difference ◊   687,235    43,306     
Other accrued expenses and liabilities   167,346    21,699    28,915 
Total liabilities   10,598,581    229,113    297,551 
Net Assets  $60,175,508   $16,508,185   $35,036,902 
NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:               
Par value  $5,357   $1,687   $3,516 
Paid-in Capital   59,412,143    16,936,437    35,998,872 
Total Distributable earnings/(loss)   758,008    (429,939)   (965,486)
Net Assets  $60,175,508   $16,508,185   $35,036,902 
INSTITUTIONAL CLASS               
Net assets  $60,175,508   $16,508,185   $35,036,902 
Shares outstanding   5,356,807    1,686,550    3,516,115 
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share  $11.23   $9.79   $9.96 
INVESTOR CLASS               
Net assets  $   $   $ 
Shares outstanding            
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share  $   $   $ 
Investments in securities, at cost  $39,433,710   $13,118,303   $32,820,782 
^ Includes market value of securities on loan  $   $   $ 
* Investments purchased with proceeds from securities lending collateral, at cost  $   $   $ 
** Short-term investments, at cost  $   $1,764,372   $496,389 
# Foreign currency, at cost  $164,002   $63,304   $ 
Proceeds received, securities sold short  $8,383,371   $   $ 
+ Premiums received, options written  $   $   $ 
Primary risk exposure is equity contracts               

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

84  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS For the Year Ended August 31, 2020
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS  

 

   Boston   Boston   Boston   Boston 
   Partners   Partners   Partners   Partners 
   Small Cap   Long/Short   Long/Short   All-Cap 
   Value Fund II   Equity Fund   Research Fund   Value Fund 
Investment Income                    
Dividends †  $10,499,151   $2,602,289   $46,349,002   $34,341,900 
Interest   160,032    15,119    256,626    431,930 
Income from securities loaned (Note 8)   262,849    79,555        401,250 
Prime broker interest income           4,521,100     
Total investment income   10,922,032    2,696,963    51,126,728    35,175,080 
Expenses                    
Advisory fees (Note 2)   5,097,213    3,449,701    28,999,011    10,908,737 
Transfer agent fees (Note 2)   389,136    52,611    1,139,450    996,770 
Distribution fees (Investor Class) (Note 2)   240,641    52,336    101,572    672,777 
Administration and accounting fees (Note 2)   172,873    42,989    625,969    475,161 
Legal fees   48,416    9,566    186,526    141,160 
Director’s fees   47,256    14,533    250,199    152,907 
Registration fees   46,860    40,303    72,383    71,612 
Printing and shareholder reporting fees   44,919    7,601    76,223    93,551 
Officer’s fees   36,383    13,191    205,116    118,340 
Audit and tax service fees   33,686    41,181    43,584    36,087 
Custodian fees (Note 2)   22,812    11,376    108,334    74,572 
Other expenses   25,993    18,124    159,982    78,957 
Offering expense                
Dividend expense on securities sold short       228,622    19,354,796     
Prime broker interest expense       254,831        —- 
Total expenses before waivers and/or reimbursements   6,206,188    4,236,965    51,323,145    13,820,631 
Less: waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped (Note 2) ■   (110,392)   (242,417)       (746,620)
Net expenses after waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped   6,095,796    3,994,548    51,323,145    13,074,011 
Net investment income/(loss)   4,826,236    (1,297,585)   (196,417)   22,101,069 
                       
Net realized gain/(loss) from:                    
Investment securities   (54,211,779)   32,687,021    213,494,969    42,175,120 
Purchased options **       1,163,952         
Securities sold short       (6,224,220)   (181,979,908)    
Options written **       (61,998)       1,423,205 
Contracts for difference **           (50,846,748)    
Foreign currency transactions   8    12,174    (3,069,732)   (960)
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:                    
Investment securities   14,499,468    (25,299,896)   (315,621,416)   (68,662,259)
Purchased options **                
Securities sold short       (8,475,488)   45,505,023     
Options written **       (311,102)        
Contracts for difference **           2,928,194     
Foreign currency translation       31,698    5,784,749    137 
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)   (39,712,303)   (6,477,859)   (283,804,869)   (25,064,757)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations  $(34,886,067)  $(7,775,444)  $(284,001,286)  $(2,963,688)
Net of foreign withholding taxes of  $(16,747)  $(51,167)  $(1,546,684)  $(314,194)
Includes Acquired fund fees and expenses. See Note 2 for more details.
** Primary risk exposure is equity contracts.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  85

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS For the Year Ended August 31, 2020
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (CONTINUED)  

 

   WPG Partners   Boston   Boston 
   Small/Micro Cap   Partners Global   Partners Global 
   Value Fund   Equity Fund   Long/Short Fund 
Investment Income               
Dividends †  $363,863   $8,407,481   $7,927,595 
Interest   8,732    86,215    180,670 
Income from securities loaned (Note 8)   6,073    36,429     
Prime broker interest income           1,571,180 
Total investment income   378,668    8,530,125    9,679,445 
Expenses               
Advisory fees (Note 2)   165,187    4,014,169    5,692,998 
Transfer agent fees (Note 2)   8,835    516,195    270,916 
Distribution fees (Investor Class) (Note 2)           25,264 
Administration and accounting fees (Note 2)   22,255    201,433    169,675 
Legal fees   1,849    46,152    37,187 
Director’s fees   1,903    50,785    45,706 
Registration fees   23,488    26,396    46,881 
Printing and shareholder reporting fees   1,237    29,820    37,009 
Officer’s fees   1,499    41,836    37,941 
Audit and tax service fees   33,969    42,804    46,938 
Custodian fees (Note 2)   8,537    421,385    179,081 
Other expenses   2,696    29,758    25,070 
Offering expense            
Dividend expense on securities sold short           2,768,387 
Prime broker interest expense            
Total expenses before waivers and/or reimbursements   271,455    5,420,733    9,383,053 
Less: waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped (Note 2)    (45,416)   (1,193,888)    
Net expenses after waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped   226,039    4,226,845    9,383,053 
Net investment income/(loss)   152,629    4,303,280    296,392 
 
Net realized gain/(loss) from:               
Investment securities   (3,385,849)   (24,429,585)   (26,202,394)
Purchased options **            
Securities sold short           3,204,292 
Options written **           (3,735,517)
Contracts for difference **           (2,306,862)
Foreign currency transactions       (1,222)   (459,146)
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:               
Investment securities   1,416,754    (17,576,643)   (25,300,034)
Purchased options **            
Securities sold short           (9,108,961)
Options written **           854,754 
Contracts for difference **           674,097 
Foreign currency translation       71,927    133,247 
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)   (1,969,095)   (41,935,523)   (62,246,524)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations  $(1,816,466)  $(37,632,243)  $(61,950,132)
Net of foreign withholding taxes of  $(7,138)  $(500,907)  $(482,248)

 

Includes Acquired fund fees and expenses. See Note 2 for more details.
** Primary risk exposure is equity contracts.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

86  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS For the Year Ended August 31, 2020
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (CONCLUDED)  

 

   Boston   Boston   Boston 
   Partners   Partners   Partners 
   Emerging Markets   Emerging   Global Equity 
   Dynamic Equity Fund   Markets Fund   Advantage Fund 
Investment Income               
Dividends †  $1,859,312   $440,200   $906,130 
Interest   146,097    10,284    5,780 
Income from securities loaned (Note 8)            
Prime broker interest income            
Total investment income   2,005,409    450,484    911,910 
Expenses               
Advisory fees (Note 2)   847,128    110,348    313,204 
Transfer agent fees (Note 2)   10,626    4,149    5,056 
Distribution fees (Investor Class) (Note 2)            
Administration and accounting fees (Note 2)   70,489    32,434    32,002 
Legal fees   4,706    1,139    350 
Director’s fees   5,266    319    744 
Registration fees   22,656    21,794    26,263 
Printing and shareholder reporting fees   5,710    1,076    2,584 
Officer’s fees   3,875    637    448 
Audit and tax service fees   67,223    54,100    33,320 
Custodian fees (Note 2)   124,128    93,783    73,129 
Other expenses   4,625    1,623    1,371 
Offering expense           44,818 
Dividend expense on securities sold short   48,160         
Prime broker interest expense   50,822         
Total expenses before waivers and/or reimbursements   1,265,414    321,402    533,289 
Less: waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped (Note 2)    (307,711)   (178,695)   (352,836)
Net expenses after waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped   957,703    142,707    180,453 
Net investment income/(loss)   1,047,706    307,777    731,457 
                
Net realized gain/(loss) from:               
Investment securities   1,402,968    (1,061,687)   (2,939,044)
Purchased options **            
Securities sold short   (607,489)        
Options written **            
Contracts for difference **   1,517,846    40,638     
Foreign currency transactions   (74,889)   (25,375)   (19,596)
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:               
Investment securities   2,788,753    1,694,468    464,387 
Purchased options **            
Securities sold short   (996,442)        
Options written **            
Contracts for difference **   645,180    (39,034)    
Foreign currency translation   307    (2,097)   2,330 
Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)   4,676,234    606,913    (2,491,923)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations  $5,723,940   $914,690   $(1,760,466)
Net of foreign withholding taxes of  $(138,812)  $(41,461)  $(33,272)

 

Includes Acquired fund fees and expenses. See Note 2 for more details.
** Primary risk exposure is equity contracts.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  87

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

 

   Boston Partners
Small Cap Value Fund II
   Boston Partners
Long/Short Equity Fund
 
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019
 
 
Increase/(decrease) in net assets from operations:                    
Net investment income/(loss)  $4,826,236   $5,119,815   $(1,297,585)  $(4,074,640)
Net realized gain/(loss) from investments and foreign currency   (54,211,771)   4,896,278    27,576,929    22,450,450 
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments and foreign currency translation   14,499,468    (73,206,212)   (34,054,788)   (58,673,475)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations   (34,886,067)   (63,190,119)   (7,775,444)   (40,297,665)
 
Dividends and distributions to shareholders:                    
Institutional Class   (11,586,422)   (24,782,416)   (16,021,570)   (39,629,576)
Investor Class   (2,731,799)   (7,438,014)   (2,702,290)   (3,570,596)
Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders   (14,318,221)   (32,220,430)   (18,723,860)   (43,200,172)
 
Capital transactions:                    
Institutional Class                    
Proceeds from shares sold   238,306,335    118,504,503    14,783,093    38,668,117 
Reinvestment of distributions   11,181,116    24,557,730    12,844,176    33,235,863 
Shares redeemed   (132,345,095)   (123,812,685)   (164,092,990)   (418,406,076)
Investor Class                    
Proceeds from shares sold   14,259,177    29,276,394    1,332,244    4,437,809 
Reinvestment of distributions   2,687,806    7,318,410    2,654,278    3,529,676 
Shares redeemed   (48,635,049)   (36,795,840)   (13,746,832)   (27,469,487)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital transactions   85,454,290    19,048,512    (146,226,031)   (366,004,098)
Total increase/(decrease) in net assets   36,250,002    (76,362,037)   (172,725,335)   (449,501,935)
 
Net assets:                    
Beginning of period   544,131,478    620,493,515    255,989,402    705,491,337 
End of period  $580,381,480   $544,131,478   $83,264,067   $255,989,402 
 
Share transactions:                    
Institutional Class                    
Shares sold   11,884,055    4,956,178    886,645    2,095,949 
Shares reinvested   438,132    1,148,094    756,876    1,866,135 
Shares redeemed   (6,418,379)   (5,270,333)   (9,945,511)   (22,879,083)
Net increase/(decrease)   5,903,808    833,939    (8,301,990)   (18,916,999)
Investor Class                    
Shares sold   743,090    1,325,727    90,104    263,262 
Shares reinvested   110,337    358,044    173,482    217,077 
Shares redeemed   (2,508,720)   (1,629,801)   (942,479)   (1,607,980)
Net increase/(decrease)   (1,655,293)   53,970    (678,893)   (1,127,641)

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

88  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS (CONTINUED)

 

   Boston Partners
Long/Short Research Fund
   Boston Partners
All-Cap Value Fund
 
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019
 
 
Increase/(decrease) in net assets from operations:                    
Net investment income/(loss)  $(196,417)  $29,436,127   $22,101,069   $26,365,649 
Net realized gain/(loss) from investments and foreign currency   (22,401,419)   32,979,852    43,597,365    29,076,780 
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments and foreign currency translation   (261,403,450)   (378,775,616)   (68,662,122)   (181,342,281)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations   (284,001,286)   (316,359,637)   (2,963,688)   (125,899,852)
 
Dividends and distributions to shareholders:                    
Institutional Class   (68,239,780)   (288,844,600)   (39,151,779)   (94,784,961)
Investor Class   (1,083,477)   (5,365,883)   (7,489,376)   (24,143,563)
Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders   (69,323,257)   (294,210,483)   (46,641,155)   (118,928,524)
 
Capital transactions:                    
Institutional Class                    
Proceeds from shares sold   248,718,211    888,216,598    217,947,573    383,982,359 
Reinvestment of distributions   34,084,072    123,003,382    31,324,587    80,182,626 
Shares redeemed   (2,064,431,222)   (3,836,061,077)   (715,633,581)   (568,063,951)
Investor Class                    
Proceeds from shares sold   4,371,135    22,919,651    23,996,472    46,250,282 
Reinvestment of distributions   1,080,450    5,351,175    7,258,422    23,512,998 
Shares redeemed   (30,400,484)   (81,360,293)   (123,252,441)   (203,556,917)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital transactions   (1,806,577,838)   (2,877,930,564)   (558,358,968)   (237,692,603)
Total increase/(decrease) in net assets   (2,159,902,381)   (3,488,500,684)   (607,963,811)   (482,520,979)
 
Net assets:                    
Beginning of period   3,267,301,462    6,755,802,146    1,882,191,545    2,364,712,524 
End of period  $1,107,399,081   $3,267,301,462   $1,274,227,734   $1,882,191,545 
 
Share transactions:                    
Institutional Class                    
Shares sold   16,878,926    57,905,304    9,208,074    15,591,415 
Shares reinvested   2,166,820    8,361,889    1,157,597    3,484,686 
Shares redeemed   (149,756,944)   (253,044,783)   (29,943,106)   (23,090,761)
Net increase/(decrease)   (130,711,198)   (186,777,590)   (19,577,435)   (4,014,660)
Investor Class                    
Shares sold   307,435    1,485,426    1,000,678    1,831,239 
Shares reinvested   70,205    371,609    269,329    1,026,320 
Shares redeemed   (2,183,851)   (5,461,987)   (5,141,085)   (8,369,542)
Net increase/(decrease)   (1,806,211)   (3,604,952)   (3,871,078)   (5,511,983)

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  89

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS (CONTINUED)

 

   WPG Partners
Small/Micro Cap Value Fund
   Boston Partners
Global Equity Fund
 
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019
 
 
Increase/(decrease) in net assets from operations:                    
Net investment income/(loss)  $152,629   $103,309   $4,303,280   $10,666,407 
Net realized gain/(loss) from investments and foreign currency   (3,385,849)   (1,256,510)   (24,430,807)   (23,857,335)
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments and foreign currency translation   1,416,754    (4,803,121)   (17,504,716)   (38,426,214)
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations   (1,816,466)   (5,956,322)   (37,632,243)   (51,617,142)
 
Dividends and distributions to shareholders:                    
Institutional Class   (108,852)   (1,821,699)   (10,116,438)   (51,164,406)
Investor Class                
Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders   (108,852)   (1,821,699)   (10,116,438)   (51,164,406)
 
Capital transactions:                    
Institutional Class                    
Proceeds from shares sold   931,570    140,303    13,415,264    230,742,522 
Reinvestment of distributions   101,138    1,747,841    10,102,108    50,626,116 
Shares redeemed   (2,230,051)   (4,272,967)   (481,947,978)   (161,208,686)
Investor Class                    
Proceeds from shares sold                
Reinvestment of distributions                
Shares redeemed                
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital transactions   (1,197,343)   (2,384,823)   (458,430,606)   120,159,952 
Total increase/(decrease) in net assets   (3,122,661)   (10,162,844)   (506,179,287)   17,378,404 
 
Net assets:                    
Beginning of period   22,272,904    32,435,748    683,649,305    666,270,901 
End of period  $19,150,243   $22,272,904   $177,470,018   $683,649,305 
 
Share transactions:                    
Institutional Class                    
Shares sold   81,469    10,622    910,343    13,882,358 
Shares reinvested   6,942    132,714    595,292    3,304,577 
Shares redeemed   (175,463)   (306,458)   (32,766,623)   (9,780,418)
Net increase/(decrease)   (87,052)   (163,122)   (31,260,988)   7,406,517 
Investor Class                    
Shares sold                
Shares reinvested                
Shares redeemed                
Net increase/(decrease)                

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

90  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS (CONTINUED)

 

   Boston Partners
Global Long/Short Fund
   Boston Partners
Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund
 
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019
 
 
Increase/(decrease) in net assets from operations:                    
Net investment income/(loss)  $296,392   $5,368,340   $1,047,706   $258,853 
Net realized gain/(loss) from investments and foreign currency   (29,499,627)   (13,199,125)   2,238,436    (4,199,346)
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments and foreign currency translation   (32,746,897)   (37,647,511)   2,437,798    3,991,003 
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations   (61,950,132)   (45,478,296)   5,723,940    50,510 
 
Dividends and distributions to shareholders:                    
Institutional Class   (7,186,270)   (16,137,470)   (1,296,540)   (318,952)
Investor Class   (133,127)   (390,012)        
Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders   (7,319,397)   (16,527,482)   (1,296,540)   (318,952)
 
Capital transactions:                    
Institutional Class                    
Proceeds from shares sold   43,382,764    278,122,015    6,398,476    14,109,573 
Reinvestment of distributions   6,592,224    14,614,857    1,266,707    312,795 
Shares redeemed   (462,183,161)   (534,235,179)   (10,341,205)   (13,974,868)
Investor Class                    
Proceeds from shares sold   1,161,495    5,601,799         
Reinvestment of distributions   131,740    384,274         
Shares redeemed   (8,515,110)   (13,841,421)        
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital transactions   (419,430,048)   (249,353,655)   (2,676,022)   447,500 
Total increase/(decrease) in net assets   (488,699,577)   (311,359,433)   1,751,378    179,058 
 
Net assets:                    
Beginning of period   625,864,150    937,223,583    58,424,130    58,245,072 
End of period  $137,164,573   $625,864,150   $60,175,508   $58,424,130 
Share transactions:                    
Institutional Class                    
Shares sold   4,213,496    25,515,260    608,924    1,390,778 
Shares reinvested   609,263    1,371,000    118,052    32,314 
Shares redeemed   (48,274,686)   (49,275,262)   (961,867)   (1,385,704)
Net increase/(decrease)   (43,451,927)   (22,389,002)   (234,891)   37,388 
Investor Class                    
Shares sold   115,237    528,313         
Shares reinvested   12,301    36,459         
Shares redeemed   (848,446)   (1,290,716)        
Net increase/(decrease)   (720,908)   (725,944)        

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  91

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS (CONCLUDED)

 

   Boston Partners
Emerging Markets Fund
   Boston Partners
Global Equity Advantage Fund
 
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020
   For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019*
 
                 
Increase/(decrease) in net assets from operations:                    
Net investment income/(loss)  $307,777   $126,073   $731,457   $114,389 
Net realized gain/(loss) from investments and foreign currency   (1,046,424)   (705,218)   (2,958,640)   15,834 
Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments and foreign currency translation   1,653,337    751,803    466,717    1,298,753 
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations   914,690    172,658    (1,760,466)   1,428,976 
                     
Dividends and distributions to shareholders:                    
Institutional Class   (503,507)       (633,996)    
Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders   (503,507)       (633,996)    
                     
Capital transactions:                    
Institutional Class                    
Proceeds from shares sold   6,125,226    1,000,000    10,368,392    25,000,000 
Reinvestment of distributions   503,507        633,996     
Shares redeemed                
Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital transactions   6,628,733    1,000,000    11,002,388    25,000,000 
Total increase/(decrease) in net assets   7,039,916    1,172,658    8,607,926    26,428,976 
                     
Net assets:                    
Beginning of period   9,468,269    8,295,611    26,428,976     
End of period  $16,508,185   $9,468,269   $35,036,902   $26,428,976 
                     
Share transactions:                    
Institutional Class                    
Shares sold   602,890    122,398    956,529    2,500,000 
Shares reinvested   52,285        59,586     
Shares redeemed                
Net increase/(decrease)   655,175    122,398    1,016,115    2,500,000 

 

* The Fund commenced operations on May 29, 2019.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

92  |  Annual Report 2020

 

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Annual Report 2020  |  93

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Per Share Operating Performance

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for each class of shares outstanding, total investment return, ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

   Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
  Net
Investment
Income/
(Loss)*
  Net Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain/
(Loss) on
Investments
  Net Increase/
(Decrease)
in Net Assets
Resulting
from
Operations
  Dividends to
Shareholders
from Net
Investment
Income
  Distributions
to
Shareholders
from Net
Realized
Gains
  Total
Dividend and
Distributions
to
Shareholders
  Redemption
Fees*^
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II               
Institutional Class                                    
8/31/20      $23.42          $0.20           $(1.94         $(1.74)                   $(0.28)             $(0.34)           $(0.62)         $     
8/31/19   27.74    0.23    (3.12)   (2.89)   (0.12)   (1.31)   (1.43)    
8/31/18   24.96    0.21    3.75    3.96    (0.20)   (0.98)   (1.18)    
8/31/17   23.00    0.13    2.38    2.51    (0.21)   (0.34)   (0.55)    
8/31/16   21.89    0.18    2.00    2.18    (0.12)   (0.95)   (1.07)   3
Investor Class                                        
8/31/20  $22.33   $0.15   $(1.85)  $(1.70)  $(0.22)  $(0.34)  $(0.56)  $ 
8/31/19   26.53    0.16    (2.99)   (2.83)   (0.06)   (1.31)   (1.37)    
8/31/18   23.92    0.14    3.59    3.73    (0.14)   (0.98)   (1.12)    
8/31/17   22.06    0.07    2.29    2.36    (0.16)   (0.34)   (0.50)    
8/31/16   21.04    0.12    1.92    2.04    (0.07)   (0.95)   (1.02)   3
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund                           
Institutional Class                                    
8/31/20  $17.74   $(0.14)  $(0.70)  $(0.84)  $   $(1.75)  $(1.75)  $ 
8/31/19   20.51    (0.18)   (1.06)   (1.24)       (1.53)   (1.53)    
8/31/18   20.96    (0.35)   0.07    (0.28)       (0.17)   (0.17)    
8/31/17   20.09    (0.26)   1.13    0.87                 
8/31/16   19.04    (0.35)   3.04    2.69        (1.64)   (1.64)   3
Investor Class                                        
8/31/20  $16.17   $(0.16)  $(0.62)  $(0.78)  $   $(1.75)  $(1.75)  $ 
8/31/19   18.88    (0.20)   (0.98)   (1.18)       (1.53)   (1.53)    
8/31/18   19.36    (0.38)   0.07    (0.31)       (0.17)   (0.17)    
8/31/17   18.60    (0.29)   1.05    0.76                 
8/31/16   17.79    (0.37)   2.82    2.45        (1.64)   (1.64)   3
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund                          
Institutional Class                                    
8/31/20  $15.15   $(0.00)  $(1.48)  $(1.48)  $(0.21)  $(0.15)  $(0.36)  $ 
8/31/19   16.64    0.09    (0.79)   (0.70)   (0.01)   (0.78)   (0.79)    
8/31/18   16.27    (0.03)   0.40    0.37                 
8/31/17   15.23    (0.12)   1.16    1.04                 
8/31/16   15.20    (0.06)4   0.67    0.61        (0.58)   (0.58)   3
Investor Class                                        
8/31/20  $14.81   $(0.04)  $(1.44)  $(1.48)  $(0.17)  $(0.15)  $(0.32)  $ 
8/31/19   16.31    0.06    (0.78)   (0.72)       (0.78)   (0.78)    
8/31/18   15.99    (0.08)   0.40    0.32                 
8/31/17   15.00    (0.15)   1.14    0.99                 
8/31/16   15.01    (0.09)4   0.66    0.57        (0.58)   (0.58)   3

 

* Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.
^ Effective January 1, 2016, the Funds do not impose a redemption fee. Prior to January 1, 2016, there was a 1.00% redemption fee on shares redeemed that were held 60 days or less on BP Small Cap Value Fund II and BP Long/Short Research Fund. There was a 2.00% redemption fee on shares redeemed that were held 365 days or less on the BP Long/Short Equity Fund. The redemption fees were retained by the Funds for the benefit of the remaining shareholders and recorded as paid-in capital.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

94  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (CONTINUED) Per Share Operating Performance

 

Net Asset
Value, End
of Period
  Total
Investment
Return1,2
  Net Assets,
End of Period
(000)
  Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
With Waivers,
Reimbursements
and Recoupment
if any5
  Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
With Waivers,
Reimbursements
and Recoupments
if any (Excluding
Dividend and
Interest Expense)
  Ratio of Expenses
to Average Net
Assets Without
Waivers,
Reimbursements
and Recoupments
if any
  Ratio of Net
Investment
Income/(Loss)
to Average Net
Assets With
Waivers and
Reimbursements
  Portfolio
Turnover
Rate
                      
     $21.06    (7.88%)       $503,349    1.07%   N/A    1.09%   0.94%   46%
 23.42    (9.92)   421,429    1.10    N/A    1.16    0.97    29 
 27.74    16.25    476,179    1.10    N/A    1.14    0.78    40 
 24.96    10.92    362,674    1.10    N/A    1.18    0.53    24 
 23.00    10.67    279,049    1.10    N/A    1.22    0.86    29 
                                      
$20.07    (8.07%)  $77,032    1.32%   N/A    1.34%   0.69%   46%
 22.33    (10.20)   122,703    1.35    N/A    1.41    0.72    29 
 26.53    15.94    144,315    1.35    N/A    1.39    0.53    40 
 23.92    10.68    159,271    1.35    N/A    1.43    0.28    24 
 22.06    10.38    126,461    1.35    N/A    1.47    0.61    29 
                                      
$15.15    (5.78%)  $68,780    2.57%   2.25%   2.74%   (0.81%)   46%
 17.74    (6.05)   227,834    2.67    2.45    2.68    (0.94)   64 
 20.51    (1.38)   651,325    3.01    2.37    3.01    (1.62)   58 
 20.96    4.33    858,821    2.80    2.39    2.80    (1.21)   63 
 20.09    15.36    731,894    3.57    2.46    3.57    (1.79)   72 
                                      
$13.64    (5.99%)  $14,484    2.82%   2.50%   2.99%   (1.06%)   46%
 16.17    (6.27)   28,156    2.92    2.70    2.93    (1.19)   64 
 18.88    (1.65)   54,167    3.26    2.62    3.26    (1.87)   58 
 19.36    4.09    88,103    3.05    2.64    3.05    (1.46)   63 
 18.60    15.07    97,417    3.82    2.71    3.82    (2.04)   72 
                                      
$13.31    (10.13%)  $1,082,963    2.21%   1.37%   2.21%   (0.01%)   66%
 15.15    (4.05)   3,212,731    2.15    1.38    2.15    0.62    60 
 16.64    2.27    6,636,897    2.09    1.34    2.09    (0.19)   60 
 16.27    6.83    6,361,628    2.23    1.37    2.23    (0.75)   54 
 15.23    4.10    6,403,404    2.51    1.41    2.51    (0.38)4   53 
                                      
$13.01    (10.32%)  $24,436    2.46%   1.62%   2.46%   (0.26%)   66%
 14.81    (4.27)   54,570    2.40    1.63    2.40    0.37    60 
 16.31    2.00    118,905    2.34    1.59    2.34    (0.44)   60 
 15.99    6.60    211,455    2.48    1.63    2.48    (1.00)   54 
 15.00    3.88    259,400    2.76    1.66    2.76    (0.63)4   53 

 

1 Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year.
2 Redemption fees, if any, are reflected in total return calculations.
3 Amount is less than $0.005 per share.
4 Includes a non-recurring dividend. Without this dividend, net investment loss per share would have been $(0.10) and $(0.13) for Institutional Class and Investor Class, respectively. The ratio of net investment loss would have been (0.66)% and (0.91)% for Institutional Class and Investor Class, respectively.
5 Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  95

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (CONTINUED) Per Share Operating Performance

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for each class of shares outstanding, total investment return, ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

   Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
  Net
Investment
Income/
(Loss)*
  Net Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain/
(Loss) on
Investments
  Net Increase/
(Decrease)
in Net Assets
Resulting
from
Operations
  Dividends to
Shareholders
from Net
Investment
Income
  Distributions
to
Shareholders
from Net
Realized
Gains
  Total
Dividend and
Distributions
to
Shareholders
  Redemption
Fees*^
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund               
Institutional Class                                    
8/31/20        $24.97          $0.36              $(0.08)             $0.28                   $(0.37)               $(0.35)             $(0.72)            $     
8/31/19   27.86    0.34    (1.76)   (1.42)   (0.29)   (1.18)   (1.47)    
8/31/18   25.57    0.22    3.20    3.42    (0.18)   (0.95)   (1.13)    
8/31/17   23.12    0.20    3.17    3.37    (0.27)   (0.65)   (0.92)    
8/31/16   22.08    0.30    2.15    2.45    (0.30)   (1.11)   (1.41)    
Investor Class                                        
8/31/20  $24.82   $0.30   $(0.09)  $0.21   $(0.29)  $(0.35)  $(0.64)  $ 
8/31/19   27.69    0.27    (1.75)   (1.48)   (0.21)   (1.18)   (1.39)    
8/31/18   25.42    0.16    3.18    3.34    (0.12)   (0.95)   (1.07)    
8/31/17   23.00    0.14    3.15    3.29    (0.22)   (0.65)   (0.87)    
8/31/16   21.98    0.25    2.13    2.38    (0.25)   (1.11)   (1.36)    
WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund                          
Institutional Class                                    
8/31/20  $13.19   $0.09   $(1.26)  $(1.17)  $(0.06)  $   $(0.06)  $ 
8/31/19   17.52    0.06    (3.36)   (3.30)   (0.05)   (0.98)   (1.03)    
8/31/18   16.13    0.04    2.50    2.54    (0.06)   (1.09)   (1.15)    
8/31/17   15.50    0.05    0.65    0.70    (0.07)       (0.07)    
8/31/16   15.40    0.07    0.46    0.53    (0.10)   (0.33)   (0.43)    
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund                               
Institutional Class                                    
8/31/20  $15.91   $0.15   $(0.67)  $(0.52)  $(0.24)  $   $(0.24)  $ 
8/31/19   18.73    0.25    (1.79)   (1.54)   (0.18)   (1.10)   (1.28)    
8/31/18   17.39    0.16    1.56    1.72    (0.12)   (0.26)   (0.38)    
8/31/17   15.60    0.14    1.95    2.09    (0.30)       (0.30)    
8/31/16   14.66    0.355    0.66    1.01    (0.05)   (0.02)   (0.07)    

 

* Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
^ Effective January 1, 2016, the Funds do not impose a redemption fee. Prior to January 1, 2016, there was a 1.00% redemption fee on shares redeemed that were held 60 days or less on BP Global Equity Fund. The WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund had a 2.00% redemption fee on shares redeemed within 60 days of purchase. The redemption fees were retained by the Funds for the benefit of the remaining shareholders and recorded as paid-in capital.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

96  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (CONTINUED) Per Share Operating Performance

 

Net Asset
Value, End
of Period
  Total
Investment
Return1,2
  Net Assets,
End of Period
(000)
  Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
With Waivers,
Reimbursements
and Recoupment
if any6
  Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
With Waivers,
Reimbursements
and Recoupments
if any (Excluding
Dividend and
Interest Expense)
  Ratio of Expenses
to Average Net
Assets Without
Waivers,
Reimbursements
and Recoupments
if any
  Ratio of Net
Investment
Income/(Loss)
to Average Net
Assets With
Waivers and
Reimbursements
  Portfolio
Turnover
Rate
                                    
    $24.53    0.84%       $1,053,301    0.80%  N/A   0.84%   1.46%   37%
 24.97    (4.65)   1,561,229    0.80   N/A   0.82    1.34    33 
 27.86    13.70    1,853,976    0.80   N/A   0.80    0.83    33 
 25.57    14.88    1,370,288    0.80   N/A   0.88    0.83    27 
 23.12    11.68    1,016,106    0.77   N/A   0.96    1.41    303
                                    
$24.39    0.59%  $220,927    1.05%  N/A   1.09%   1.21%   37%
 24.82    (4.90)   320,962    1.05   N/A   1.07    1.09    33 
 27.69    13.44    510,737    1.05   N/A   1.05    0.58    33 
 25.42    14.56    426,904    1.05   N/A   1.13    0.58    27 
 23.00    11.39    347,954    1.02   N/A   1.21    1.16    303
                                    
$11.96    (8.92%)  $19,150    1.10%  N/A   1.31%   0.74%   123%
 13.19    (18.85)   22,273    1.10   N/A   1.23    0.40    79 
 17.52    16.16    32,436    1.09   N/A   1.11    0.23    80 
 16.13    4.50    30,781    1.10   N/A   1.29    0.30    78 
 15.50    3.74    33,929    1.10   N/A   1.55    0.47    62 
                                    
$15.15    (3.40%)  $177,470    0.95%  N/A   1.22%   0.96%   118%
 15.91    (7.92)   683,649    0.95   N/A   1.03    1.55    97 
 18.73    9.93    666,271    0.95   N/A   1.03    0.88    80 
 17.39    13.59    590,525    0.95   N/A   1.04    0.84    83 
 15.60    6.90    415,999    0.95   N/A   1.10    2.385   80 

 

1 Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year.
2 Redemption fees, if any, are reflected in total return calculations.
3 Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities delivered/received from processing redemptions/subscriptions in-kind.
4 Amount is less than $0.005.
5 Includes a non-recurring dividend. Without this dividend, net investment income per share would have been $0.18. The ratio of net investment income would have been 1.25%.
6 Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  97

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (CONTINUED) Per Share Operating Performance

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for each class of shares outstanding, total investment return, ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

   Net Asset
Value,
Beginning
of Period
  Net
Investment
Income/
(Loss)*
  Net Realized
and
Unrealized
Gain/
(Loss) on
Investments
  Net Increase/
(Decrease)
in Net Assets
Resulting
from
Operations
  Dividends to
Shareholders
from Net
Investment
Income
  Distributions
to
Shareholders
from Net
Realized
Gains
  Total
Dividend and
Distributions
to
Shareholders
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund               
Institutional Class                                   
8/31/20       $10.74            $0.01           $(0.89)              $(0.88)             $(0.14)            $             $(0.14)    
8/31/19   11.52    0.07    (0.65)   (0.58)       (0.20)   (0.20)
8/31/18   11.34    (0.01)   0.19    0.18             
8/31/17   10.90    (0.11)   0.57    0.46    (0.02)       (0.02)
8/31/16   10.55    0.057    0.34    0.39        (0.04)   (0.04)
Investor Class                                   
8/31/20  $10.61   $(0.02)  $(0.88)  $(0.90)  $(0.10)  $   $(0.10)
8/31/19   11.40    0.05    (0.84)   (0.79)            
8/31/18   11.25    (0.04)   0.19    0.15             
8/31/17   10.85    (0.13)   0.54    0.41    (0.01)       (0.01)
8/31/16   10.51    0.027    0.36    0.38        (0.04)   (0.04)
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund                    
Institutional Class                                   
8/31/20  $10.45   $0.19   $0.82   $1.01   $(0.23)  $   $(0.23)
8/31/19   10.49    0.04    (0.03)   0.01        (0.05)   (0.05)
8/31/18   12.12    (0.05)   (0.87)   (0.92)   (0.26)   (0.45)   (0.71)
8/31/17   11.15    (0.07)   1.96    1.89    (0.82)   (0.10)   (0.92)
12/15/15** through 8/31/16   10.00    (0.09)   1.24    1.15             
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund                          
Institutional Class                                   
8/31/20  $9.18   $0.21   $0.89   $1.10   $(0.49)  $   $(0.49)
8/31/19   9.13    0.13    (0.08)   0.05             
10/17/17** through 8/31/18   10.00    0.05    (0.86)   (0.81)   (0.06)       (0.06)
Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund                     
Institutional Class                                   
8/31/20  $10.57   $0.23   $(0.59)  $(0.36)  $(0.21)  $(0.04)  $(0.25)
5/29/19** through 8/31/19   10.00    0.05    0.52    0.57             

 

* Calculated based on average shares outstanding, unless otherwise noted.
** Commencement of operations.
^ Effective January 1, 2016, the Funds do not impose a redemption fee. Prior to January 1, 2016, there was a 1.00% redemption fee on shares redeemed that were held 60 days or less on BP Global Long/Short Fund. The redemption fees were retained by the Funds for the benefit of the remaining shareholders and recorded as paid-in capital.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

98  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (CONCLUDED) Per Share Operating Performance
                         
Redemption
Fees*^
  Net Asset
Value, End
of Period
  Total
Investment
Return1,2
  Net Assets,
End of Period
(000)
  Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
With Waivers,
Reimbursements
and Recoupment
if any8
  Ratio of Expenses
to Average
Net Assets
With Waivers,
Reimbursements
and Recoupments
if any (Excluding
Dividend and
Interest Expense)
  Ratio of Expenses
to Average Net
Assets Without
Waivers,
Reimbursements
and Recoupments
if any
  Ratio of Net
Investment
Income/(Loss)
to Average Net
Assets With
Waivers and
Reimbursements
  Portfolio
Turnover
Rate
                                           
      $          $9.72    (8.30%)       $130,857     2.46%     1.75%     2.46%     0.07%     125%
     10.74    (5.00)   611,254    2.47    1.65    2.47    0.69    99 
     11.52    1.59    913,237    2.34    1.65    2.34    (0.11)   85 
     11.34    4.26    1,008,234    2.63    1.70    2.63    (0.94)   109 
 4   10.90    3.74    853,621    2.99    1.74    2.99    0.477    137 
                                           
$   $9.61    (8.55%)  $6,308    2.71%   2.00%   2.71%   (0.18%)   125%
     10.61    (5.14)   14,610    2.72    1.90    2.72    0.44    99 
     11.40    1.33    23,987    2.59    1.90    2.59    (0.36)   85 
     11.25    3.92    34,030    2.88    1.95    2.88    (1.17)   109 
 4   10.85    3.66    31,294    3.24    1.99    3.24    0.227    137 
                                           
$   $11.23    9.75%  $60,176    1.66%   1.49%   2.19%   1.81%   219%
     10.45    0.18    58,424    1.96    1.96    2.44    0.43    186 
     10.49    (8.11)   58,245    2.00    2.00    2.37    (0.47)   222 
     12.12    18.71    56,829    2.13    2.06    2.99    (0.60)   184 
     11.15    11.50    10,938    3.875    2.105    7.825    (1.26)5    2293,6 
                                           
$   $9.79    12.05%  $16,508    1.06%   N/A    2.39%   2.29%   177%
     9.18    0.55    9,468    1.07    N/A    2.89    1.41    155 
     9.13    (8.11)   8,296    1.105   N/A    2.955    0.585    1466
                                           
$   $9.96    (3.53%)  $35,037    0.58%   N/A    1.70%   2.34%   124%
     10.57    5.70    26,429    0.25    N/A    1.88    1.69    16 

 

1 Total return is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of the period and is not annualized if period is less than one year.
2 Redemption fees, if any, are reflected in total return calculations.
3 Portfolio turnover rate excludes securities delivered/received from processing redemptions/subscriptions in-kind.
4 Amount is less than $0.005.
5 Annualized.
6 Not Annualized.
7 Includes a non-recurring dividend. Without this dividend, net investment income (loss) per share would have been $(0.09) and $(0.12) for Institutional Class and Investor Class, respectively. The ratio of net investment income (loss) would have been (0.88)% and (1.13)% for Institutional Class and Investor Class, respectively.
8 Beginning on September 1, 2018, the expense limitation includes acquired fund fees and expenses (AFFE). AFFE are not reflected as expenses in these financial statements and therefore this may cause the net expense ratios after waivers/reimbursements to be lower than the expense limitation in place.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  99

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

August 31, 2020

 

1. ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

The RBB Fund, Inc (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (“BP Small Cap Value Fund II”), Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (“BP Long/Short Equity Fund”), Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund (“BP Long/Short Research Fund”), Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund (“BP All-Cap Value Fund”), Boston Partners Global Equity Fund (“BP Global Equity Fund”), Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund (“BP Global Long/Short Fund”), Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund (“BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund”) (formerly known as Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund), Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund (“BP Emerging Markets Fund”) and Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund (“BP Global Equity Advantage Fund”) (collectively the “BP Funds”), and WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund (“WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund” and, collectively with the BP Funds, the “Funds”). As of the end of the reporting period, the Funds (other than the WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund, BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, BP Emerging Markets Fund and BP Global Equity Advantage Fund) each offer two classes of shares, Institutional Class and Investor Class. As of the end of the reporting period, Investor Class shares of the BP Global Equity Fund have not been issued. The WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund, BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, BP Emerging Markets Fund and BP Global Equity Advantage Fund are single class funds, offering only the Institutional Class of shares.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

The investment objective of BP Small Cap Value Fund II and BP All-Cap Value Fund is to seek long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities. The investment objective of BP Global Equity Fund, BP Global/Long Short Fund, BP Emerging Markets Fund, BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund and BP Global Equity Advantage Fund is to seek long-term capital growth. The investment objective of BP Long/Short Equity Fund is to seek long-term capital appreciation while reducing exposure to general equity market risk. The investment objective of WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund is to seek appreciation by investing primarily in common stocks, securities convertible into common stocks and in special situations. The investment objective of BP Long/Short Research Fund is to seek long-term total return.

 

The Funds are investment companies and follow accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services-Investment Companies.”

 

The end of the reporting period for the Funds is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

PORTFOLIO VALUATION —Each Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by a Fund are valued using the closing price or the last sale price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Foreign securities are valued based on prices from the primary market in which they are traded, and are translated from the local currency into U.S. dollars using current exchange rates. Investments in other open-end investment companies, if any, are valued based on the NAV of the investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses). Options for which the primary market is a national securities exchange are valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which they are traded, or, in the absence of any sale, will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Options not traded on a national securities exchange are valued at the last quoted bid price for long option positions and the closing ask price for short option positions. If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments Such procedures use fundamental valuation methods, which may include, but are not limited to, an analysis of the effect of any restrictions on the resale of the security, industry analysis and trends, significant changes in the issuer’s financial position, and any other event which could have a significant impact on the value of the security. Determination of fair value involves subjective judgment as the actual market value of a particular security can be established only by negotiations between the parties in a sales transaction, and the difference between the recorded fair value and the value that would be received in a sale could be significant. The Funds may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities traded primarily in non-U.S. markets because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Funds value their securities, generally as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. The earlier close of these foreign markets gives rise to the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, government actions or pronouncements,

 

100  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

 

August 31, 2020

 

aftermarket trading, or news events may have occurred in the interim. To account for this, the Funds may value foreign securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools (international fair value pricing).

 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Funds’ investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

  Level 1 — Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.
       
  Level 2 —  Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).
       
  Level 3 — Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Funds’ own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

A summary of the inputs used to value each Fund’s investments as of the end of the reporting period is included in each Fund’s Portfolio of Investments.

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Level 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Funds’ investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Funds may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires each Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when a Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for all Level 3 transfers are disclosed if a Fund had an amount of total Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal year, the Funds had no significant level 3 investments or transfers.

 

USE OF ESTIMATES — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS, INVESTMENT INCOME AND EXPENSES — The Funds record security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gain are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. The Funds’ investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family of the Company are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all of the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Offering costs are amortized for a new fund and accrued over a 12 month period from the inception date of the fund. Offering costs are charged directly to the fund in which they are incurred. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory, offering costs, and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Funds.

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS — Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net realized capital gains, if any, are declared and paid at least annually to shareholders and recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

U.S. TAX STATUS — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is each Fund’s intention to qualify or continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

 

August 31, 2020

 

FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION — Assets and liabilities initially expressed in non-U.S. currencies are translated into U.S. dollars based on the applicable exchange rates at the date of the last business day of the financial statement period. Purchases and sales of securities, interest income, dividends, variation margin received and expenses denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect on the transaction date.

 

The Funds do not separately report the effect of changes in foreign exchange rates from changes in market prices of securities held. Such changes are included with the net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments in the Statements of Operations. Other foreign currency transactions resulting in realized and unrealized gain or loss are reported separately as net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on foreign currencies in the Statements of Operations.

 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

OTHER — In the normal course of business, the Funds may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. Each Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Funds in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Funds expect the risk of material loss from such claims to be remote.

 

CURRENCY RISK — The Funds invest in securities of foreign issuers, including American Depositary Receipts. These markets are subject to special risks associated with foreign investments not typically associated with investing in U.S. markets. Because the foreign securities in which the Funds may invest generally trade in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, changes in currency exchange rates will affect the Funds’ NAV, the value of dividends and interest earned and gains and losses realized on the sale of securities. Because the NAV for the Funds are determined on the basis of U.S. dollars, the Funds may lose money by investing in a foreign security if the local currency of a foreign market depreciates against the U.S. dollar, even if the local currency value of the Funds’ holdings goes up. Generally, a strong U.S. dollar relative to these other currencies will adversely affect the value of the Funds’ holdings in foreign securities.

 

EMERGING MARKETS RISK — The BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund and the BP Emerging Markets Fund invest in emerging market instruments which are subject to certain credit and market risks. The securities and currency markets of emerging market countries are generally smaller, less developed, less liquid and more volatile than the securities and currency markets of the United States and other developed markets. Disclosure and regulatory standards in many respects are less stringent than in other developed markets. There also may be a lower level of monitoring and regulation of securities markets in emerging market countries and the activities of investors in such markets and enforcement of existing regulations may be extremely limited. Political and economic structures in many of these countries may be in their infancy and developing rapidly, and such countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristics of more developed countries.

 

FOREIGN SECURITIES MARKET RISK — Securities of many non-U.S. companies may be less liquid and their prices more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. companies. Securities of companies traded in many countries outside the U.S., particularly emerging markets countries, may be subject to further risks due to the inexperience of local investment professionals and financial institutions, the possibility of permanent or temporary termination of trading and greater spreads between bid and asked prices of securities. In addition, non-U.S. stock exchanges and investment professionals are subject to less governmental regulation, and commissions may be higher than in the United States. Also, there may be delays in the settlement of non-U.S. stock exchange transactions.

 

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers are not known. The operational and financial performance of the issuers of securities in which the Funds invest depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Funds’ investments, impair the Funds’ ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Funds’ performance.

 

OPTIONS WRITTEN — The Funds may enter into options written for: bona fide hedging; attempting to offset changes in the value of securities held or expected to be acquired or be disposed of; attempting to minimize fluctuations in foreign currencies; attempting to gain exposure to a particular market, index or instrument; or other risk management purposes. Such options may relate to particular securities or domestic stock indices, and may or may not be listed on exchanges regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission or on other non-U.S. exchanges. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to assume a position in the contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put) at a specified exercise price at any time during the option exercise period. The writer of the option is required upon exercise to assume a short futures position (if the option is a call) or a long futures position (if the option is a put). Upon exercise of the option, the accumulated cash balance in the writer’s futures margin account is delivered to the holder of the option. That balance represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract at exercise exceeds, in the case of a call, or is less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. The maximum risk of loss associated with writing put options is limited to the exercised fair value of the option contract. The maximum risk of loss associated with writing call options is potentially unlimited. The Funds also have the additional risk of being unable to enter into a closing transaction at an acceptable price if a liquid secondary market does not exist. The Funds also may write OTC options where completing the obligation depends upon the credit standing of the other party. Option contracts also involve the risk that they may result in loss due to unanticipated developments in market conditions or other causes. Written options are initially recorded as liabilities to the extent of premiums received and subsequently marked to market to reflect the current value of the option written. Gains

 

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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

 

August 31, 2020

 

or losses are realized when the option transaction expires or closes. When an option is exercised, the proceeds on sales for a written call option or the purchase cost for a written put option is adjusted by the amount of the premium received. Listed option contracts present minimal counterparty credit risk since they are exchange traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as counterparty to all exchange-traded options, guarantees the options against default. As of the end of the reporting period, all of the Funds’ written options are exchange-traded options.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Funds’ average quarterly volume of options transactions was as follows:

 

   PURCHASED OPTIONS   WRITTEN OPTIONS 
FUND  (COST)   (PROCEEDS) 
BP Long/Short Equity Fund  $50,757   $529,809 
BP All-Cap Value Fund       1,657,494 
BP Global Long/Short Fund       3,360,327 

 

SHORT SALES — When the investment adviser believes that a security is overvalued, the BP Long/Short Equity Fund, the BP Long/Short Research Fund, the BP Global Long/Short Fund and the BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may sell the security short by borrowing the same security from a broker or other institution and selling the security. A Fund will incur a loss as a result of a short sale if the price of the borrowed security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund buys and replaces such borrowed security. A Fund will realize a gain if there is a decline in price of the security between those dates where the decline in price exceeds the costs of borrowing the security and other transaction costs. There can be no assurance that a Fund will be able to close out a short position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. Although a Fund’s gain is limited to the amount at which it sold a security short, its potential loss is unlimited. Until a Fund replaces a borrowed security, it will maintain at all times cash, U.S. Government securities, or other liquid securities in an amount which, when added to any amount deposited with a broker as collateral, will at least equal the current market value of the security sold short. Depending on arrangements made with brokers, a Fund may not receive any payments (including interest) on collateral deposited with them.

 

In accordance with the terms of its prime brokerage agreements, a Fund may receive rebate income or be charged a fee for borrowed securities. Such income or fee is calculated on a daily basis based upon the market value of each borrowed security and a variable rate that is dependent upon the availability of such security. The Funds record these prime broker charges on a net basis as interest income or interest expense. During the current fiscal period, the BP Long/Short Equity Fund, the BP Long/Short Research Fund, the BP Global Long/Short Fund and the BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund had net income/(charges) of $(204,778), $4,869,953, $1,577,234 and $(45,610), respectively, on borrowed securities. Such amounts are included in prime broker interest income on the Statements of Operations.

 

As of the end of the reporting period, BP Long/Short Equity Fund, BP Long/Short Research Fund, BP Global Long Short and BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund had securities sold short valued at $22,270,499, $531,281,778, $53,659,228 and $9,379,813, respectively, for which securities of $30,196,529, $380,951,165, $36,518,726 and $8,978,939 and deposits of $23,046,594, $436,696,466, $54,203,110 and $9,608,905, respectively, were pledged as collateral.

 

In accordance with Special Custody and Pledge Agreements with Goldman Sachs & Co. (“Goldman Sachs”) (the Funds’ prime broker), BP Long/Short Equity Fund, BP Long/Short Research Fund, BP Global Long/Short Fund and BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund may borrow from Goldman Sachs to the extent necessary to maintain required margin cash deposits on short positions. Interest on such borrowings is charged to the Fund based on the LIBOR rate plus an agreed upon spread.

 

The BP Long/Short Equity Fund, BP Long/Short Research Fund, BP Global Long/Short Fund and BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund utilized cash borrowings from Goldman Sachs to meet required margin cash deposits as follows during the current fiscal period:

 

BP LONG/SHORT EQUITY FUND  BP LONG/SHORT RESEARCH FUND
      
DAYS  AVERAGE DAILY   WEIGHTED AVERAGE  DAYS  AVERAGE DAILY  WEIGHTED AVERAGE
UNITIZED  BORROWINGS   INTEREST RATE  UNITIZED  BORROWINGS  INTEREST RATE
366        EUR 6,593    0.10%    257    AUD 3,147,006    1.07
366     USD 3,595,567    1.37%  188     CAD 3,811,586    0.95%
               278    CHF 1,379,763    0.35%
               211    DKK 0    0.00%
               242    EUR 2,840,402    0.09%
               175    GBP 2,463,852    0.55%
               296    HKD 31,562,296    1.48%
               336   ILS 225,166    0.70%
               219   JPY 570,315,065    0.40%
               365    MXN 33,907    8.21%
               303   NOK 8,812,140    1.48%
               267   SEK 4,379,855    0.36%
               113   THB 217,932,520    1.25%
               153   USD 47,070,374    1.07%

 

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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

 

August 31, 2020

 

BP GLOBAL LONG/SHORT FUND  BP EMERGING MARKETS DYNAMIC EQUITY FUND
DAYS   AVERAGE DAILY  WEIGHTED AVERAGE  DAYS  AVERAGE DAILY  WEIGHTED AVERAGE
UNITIZED   BORROWINGS  INTEREST RATE  UNITIZED  BORROWINGS  INTEREST RATE
85          AUD 164,124    1.04%    14    AUD 17,378    1.17
89     CAD 39,968    1.89%  3    CAD 0    0.00%
13    CHF 10,488    0.32%  5    CNY 168,948    3.91%
17     DKK 159,125    0.20%  36    DKK 62    0.00%
172     EUR 24,921    0.08%  22   EUR 5,326    0.10%
164     GBP 32,686    1.00%  100    GBP 347,953    0.59%
105     HKD 206,575    1.02%  18    HKD 36,281    0.91%
257    JPY 4,887,673    0.44%  3   ILS 2,000    0.72%
8    SEK 454,624    0.22%  43   JPY 10    0.00%
131    USD 1,089,575    1.32%  135   MXN 1,769,387    7.88%
               8   SGD 85,226    0.56%
               239   USD 275,462    1.07%
               9   ZAR 298,261    4.76%

 

The BP Long/Short Equity Fund, BP Long/Short Research Fund, BP Global Long/Short Fund and BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund incurred interest expense during the current fiscal period on such borrowings, in the amount of $50,053, $348,853, $6,054 and $5,212, respectively.

 

CONTRACTS FOR DIFFERENCE — The BP Global Long/Short Fund, BP Long/Short Research Fund, BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund and BP Emerging Markets Fund (for this section only, each a “Fund”) may enter into Contracts for Differences (“CFDs”). CFDs are leveraged derivative instruments that allow a Fund to take a position on the change in the market price of an underlying asset, such as a stock, or the value of an index or currency exchange rate. With a short CFD, a Fund is seeking to profit from falls in the market price of the asset. CFDs are subject to liquidity risk because the liquidity of CFDs is based on the liquidity of the underlying instrument, and are subject to 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. It is also possible that the market price of the CFD will move between the time the order is placed by a Fund and when it is executed by the issuer, which can result in the trade being executed at a less favorable price. CFDs, like many other derivative instruments, involve the risk that, if the derivative security declines in value, additional margin would be required to maintain the margin level. The seller may require a Fund to deposit additional sums to cover this decline in value, and the margin call may be at short notice. If additional margin is not provided in time, the seller may liquidate the positions at a loss for which a Fund is liable. The potential for margin calls and large losses are much greater in CFDs than in other leveraged products. Most CFDs are traded OTC. CFDs are not registered with the SEC or any U.S. regulator, and are not subject to U.S. regulation. In a short position, the Fund will receive or pay an amount based upon the amount, if any, by which the notional amount of the CFD would have decreased or increased in value had it sold the particular stocks short, less the dividends that would have been paid on those stocks, plus a floating rate of interest on the notional amount of the CFD. All of these components are reflected in the market value of the CFD.

 

CFDs are marked-to-market daily based upon quotations from market makers and the resulting changes in market values, if any, are recorded as an unrealized gain or loss in the Statements of Operations. Periodic payments made or received are recorded as realized gains or losses. Entering into CFDs involves, to varying degrees, elements of credit and market risk in excess of the amounts recognized on the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. Such risks involve the possibility that there will be no liquid market for these contracts, that the counterparty to the contract may default on its obligation to perform and that there may be unfavorable changes in market conditions. CFDs outstanding at period end, if any, are listed on the Portfolio of Investments. As of the end of the reporting period, BP Long/Short Research Fund and BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund had cash deposits for contracts for difference of $1,417,565 and $2,283,691, respectively, which were pledged as collateral. In connection with CFDs, cash or securities may be segregated as collateral by the Funds’ custodian. As of the end of the reporting period, the BP Long/Short Research Fund, BP Global Long/Short Fund, BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund and the BP Emerging Markets Fund held CFDs.

 

During the current fiscal period, the average volume of CFDs was as follows:

 

   NOTIONAL AMOUNT   NOTIONAL AMOUNT 
FUND  LONG   SHORT 
BP Long/Short Research Fund  $5,778,322   $57,940,670 
BP Global Long/Short Fund   723,474    11,757,325 
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   17,401,766    22,914,653 
BP Emerging Markets Fund   1,018,791     

 

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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

 

August 31, 2020

 

The following is a summary of CFD’s that are subject to enforceable master netting agreements (or similar arrangements) and collateral received and pledged in connection with the master netting agreements (or similar arrangements) as of the end of the reporting period:

 

       GROSS AMOUNT
NOT OFFSET IN
THE STATEMENTS OF
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
           GROSS AMOUNT
NOT OFFSET IN
THE STATEMENTS OF
ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
     
FUND  GROSS
AMOUNTS OF
RECOGNIZED
ASSETS
   FINANCIAL
INSTRUMENTS
   CASH
COLLATERAL
RECEIVED
   NET
AMOUNT1
   GROSS
AMOUNTS OF
RECOGNIZED
LIABILITIES
   FINANCIAL
INSTRUMENTS
   CASH
COLLATERAL
PLEDGED2
   NET
AMOUNT3
 
BP Long/Short Research Fund                                        
Goldman Sachs  $479,716   $110,160   $   $369,556   $110,160   $110,160   $   $ 
Macquarie   108,003            108,003            780,000     
Morgan Stanley                           637,565     
Total  $587,719   $110,160   $   $477,559   $110,160   $110,160   $1,417,565   $ 
BP Global Long/Short Fund                                        
Goldman Sachs  $89,349   $   $   $89,349    $ —   $   $   $ 
Macquarie   17,183            17,183                 
Total  $106,532   $   $   $106,532    $ —   $   $   $ 
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund                                   
Goldman Sachs  $1,325,072   $678,837   $   $646,235   $678,837  $678,837   $   $ 
Macquarie   3,854            3,854            144,859     
Morgan Stanley   84,866    8,398        76,468    8,398    8,398    2,138,832     
Total  $1,413,792   $687,235   $   $726,557   $687,235   $687,235   $2,283,691   $ 
BP Emerging Markets Fund                                        
Goldman Sachs  $19,888   $19,888   $   $   $43,306   $19,888   $   $23,418 
Total  $19,888   $19,888   $   $   $43,306   $19,888   $   $23,418 

 

1 Net amount represents the net amount receivable from the counterparty in the event of default.
2 Actual collateral pledged may be more than the amount shown.
3 Net amount represents the net amount payable to the counterparty in the event of default.

 

2. INVESTMENT ADVISERS AND OTHER SERVICES

 

Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc. (“Boston Partners” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to each Fund. Each Fund compensates the Adviser for its services at an annual rate based on the Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Advisory Fee”), payable on a monthly basis in arrears, as shown in the following table. Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC is a co-adviser to BP Global Equity Advantage Fund and is entitled to 50% of the Advisory Fee.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed the rates (“Expense Caps”) shown in the following table of each Fund’s average daily net assets. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed the Expense Caps as applicable: short sale dividend expense, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses, interest and taxes. This contractual limitation for all the Funds (other than the BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund and the BP Global Equity Advantage Fund) is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. For the BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, the contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2022 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. For the BP Global Equity Advantage Fund, the contractual limitation is in effect until December 31, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after these dates.

 

       EXPENSE CAPS 
FUND  ADVISORY FEE  INSTITUTIONAL
CLASS
  INVESTOR
CLASS
BP Small Cap Value Fund II            0.85%             0.99%       1.24%
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   2.25    1.96    2.21 
BP Long/Short Research Fund   1.25    1.50    1.75 
BP All-Cap Value Fund   0.70    0.80    1.05 
WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund*   0.80    1.10    N/A 
BP Global Equity Fund   0.90    0.95    1.20 
BP Global Long/Short Fund   1.50    2.00    2.25 
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   1.25    1.40    N/A 
BP Emerging Markets Fund   0.75    1.00    N/A 
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund   1.00    1.05    N/A 

 

* 0.80% of net asset up to $500 million, 0.75% of net assets in excess of $500 million.

 

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NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

 

August 31, 2020

 

For the period September 1, 2019 through February 28, 2020, the BP Long/Short Equity Fund agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 2.50% and 2.75% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the Institutional Class and Investor Class respectively.

 

For the period September 1, 2019 through September 30, 2019, the BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 2.00% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the Institutional Class. For the period September 1, 2019 through September 30, 2019, the BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund’s advisory fee was 1.85%.

 

For the period October 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020, the BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the Institutional Class. For the period October 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020, the BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund’s advisory fee was 1.50%.

 

For the period September 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020, the BP Emerging Markets Fund agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.10% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the Institutional Class. For the period September 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020, the BP Emerging Markets Fund’s advisory fee was 0.85%.

 

For the period September 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020, the BP Small Cap Value Fund II agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.10 % and 1.35% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to the Institutional Class and Investor Class respectively. For the period of September 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020, the BP Small Cap Value Fund II’s advisory fee was 0.95%.

 

The Adviser may recoup from each Fund fees and expenses previously paid, waived, or absorbed for a period of three years after such fees or expenses were incurred, provided that the repayments do not cause the Funds’ operating expenses (excluding brokerage commissions, short sale dividend expense, taxes, interest expense, and any extraordinary expenses) to exceed the Expense Caps of each class of each Fund that were in effect at the time the fees and expenses were paid, waived, or absorbed by the Adviser, as well as the Expense Caps that are currently in effect, if different.

 

During the current fiscal period, investment advisory fees accrued, waived and/or reimbursed were as follows:

 

FUND  GROSS
ADVISORY FEES
  WAIVERS AND/OR
REIMBURSEMENTS*
  RECOUPMENTS  NET
ADVISORY FEES
BP Small Cap Value Fund II        $5,097,213                         $(148,231)                    $37,839                   $4,986,821   
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   3,449,701    (242,417)       3,207,284 
BP Long/Short Research Fund   28,999,011            28,999,011 
BP All-Cap Value Fund   10,908,737    (746,620)       10,162,117 
WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   165,187    (45,416)       119,771 
BP Global Equity Fund   4,014,169    (1,193,888)       2,820,281 
BP Global Long/Short Fund   5,692,998            5,692,998 
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   847,128    (307,711)       539,417 
BP Emerging Markets Fund   110,348    (178,695)       (68,347)
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund   313,204    (352,836)       (39,632)
                     
As of the end of the reporting period, the Funds had amounts available for recoupment as follows:
 
FUNDAugust 31, 2021 August 31, 2022 August 31, 2023   TOTAL 
BP Small Cap Value Fund II   $242,966    $406,176    $   148,231    $   797,373 
BP Long/Short Equity Fund       45,543    242,417    287,960 
BP All-Cap Value Fund   89,619    476,070    746,620    1,312,309 
WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   5,324    35,330    45,416    86,070 
BP Global Equity Fund   523,243    608,508    1,193,888    2,325,639 
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   245,314    291,221    307,711    844,246 
BP Emerging Markets Fund   135,327    162,027    178,695    476,049 
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund       110,276    352,836    463,112 

 

* Includes Acquired fund fees and expenses. Acquired fund fees and expenses are indirect fees and expenses that the Fund incurs from investing in the shares of other mutual funds, including money market funds and exchange traded funds.

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Funds. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Funds’ transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

106  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

 

August 31, 2020

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Funds. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Fund’s distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar become a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Fund’s distributor.

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Statements of Operations.

 

The Board has approved a Distribution Agreement for the Funds and adopted separate Plans of Distribution for the Investor Class Shares of each BP Fund (the “Plans”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plans, Quasar Distributors, LLC (the “Underwriter”) is entitled to receive from each Fund a distribution fee with respect to the Investor Class Shares, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Investor Class Shares. Amounts paid to the Distributor under the Plans may be used by the Distributor to cover expenses that are related to (i) the sale of the Investor Class Shares, (ii) ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders, and (iii) sub-transfer agency services, subaccounting services or administrative services related to the sale of the Investor Class Shares, all as set forth in the Plans.

 

3. DIRECTOR AND OFFICER COMPENSATION

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Funds or the Company. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Statements of Operations.

 

4. PURCHASES AND SALES OF INVESTMENT SECURITIES

 

During the current fiscal period, aggregate purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments and derivative transactions) of the Funds were as follows:

 

FUND  PURCHASES   SALES 
BP Small Cap Value Fund II  $323,614,245   $244,606,901 
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   69,863,637    251,871,617 
BP Long/Short Research Fund   1,489,470,892    3,522,290,536 
BP All-Cap Value Fund   550,965,824    1,073,128,000 
WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   24,548,254    25,383,810 
BP Global Equity Fund   514,972,458    959,476,386 
BP Global Long/Short Fund   449,106,109    867,140,943 
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   89,115,079    88,576,900 
BP Emerging Markets Fund   27,718,379    20,935,749 
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund   49,706,394    37,824,117 

 

There were no purchases or sales of long-term U.S. Government securities during the current fiscal period.

 

5. CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS

 

As of the end of the reporting period, each class of each Fund has 100,000,000 shares of $0.001 par value common stock authorized except for the Institutional Class Shares of the BP Long/Short Research Fund, BP Global Long/Short Fund and WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund, which have 750,000,000 shares, 300,000,000 shares and 50,000,000 shares, respectively, of $0.001 par value common stock authorized.

 

6. RESTRICTED SECURITIES

 

Each Fund may invest in securities that are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale. These securities generally may be resold in transactions exempt from registration or to the public if the securities are registered. Disposal of these securities may involve time-consuming negotiations and expense, and prompt sale at an acceptable price may be difficult. Information regarding restricted securities, if applicable, is included at the end of each Fund’s Schedule of Investments.

 

As of the end of the reporting period, the Funds did not hold any restricted securities that were illiquid.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  107

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

 

August 31, 2020

 

7. FEDERAL INCOME TAX INFORMATION

 

The Funds have followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Funds to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Funds have determined that there was no effect on the financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Funds are subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by each Fund were as follows:

 

FUND  FEDERAL
TAX COST
   UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION
   UNREALIZED
(DEPRECIATION)
   NET UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION/
(DEPRECIATION)
 
BP Small Cap Value Fund II  $552,034,919   $131,481,178   $(49,151,254)  $82,329,924 
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   73,979,493    26,610,917    (11,703,093)   14,907,824 
BP Long/Short Research Fund   890,136,870    348,689,861    (182,433,757)   166,256,104 
BP All-Cap Value Fund   1,093,944,273    356,556,152    (65,459,524)   291,096,628 
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   21,657,283    2,737,022    (2,339,943)   397,079 
BP Global Equity Fund   178,617,646    29,862,906    (18,707,178)   11,155,728 
BP Global Long/Short Fund   127,400,791    27,913,506    (27,019,474)   894,032 
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   53,685,528    6,586,408    (5,109,081)   1,477,327 
BP Emerging Markets Fund   15,307,184    2,435,899    (1,246,676)   1,189,223 
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund   34,080,015    3,589,782    (2,589,486)   1,000,296 

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

The following permanent differences as of August 31, 2020 were reclassified among the following accounts. They are primarily attributable to net investment loss, deemed distributions due to shareholder redemptions and investments in partnerships.

 

FUND  DISTRIBUTABLE
EARNINGS/(LOSS)
  PAID-IN
CAPITAL
BP Small Cap Value Fund II       $       $ 
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   1,797,443    (1,797,443)
BP Long/Short Research Fund   (1,816,049)   1,816,049 
BP All—Cap Value Fund   (17,626,580)   17,626,580 
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund        
BP Global Equity Fund        
BP Global Long/Short Fund        
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund        
BP Emerging Markets Fund        
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund        

 

108  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

 

August 31, 2020

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

FUND  UNDISTRIBUTED
ORDINARY
INCOME
  UNDISTRIBUTED
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS
  CAPITAL LOSS
CARRYFORWARDS
  QUALIFIED
LATE-YEAR
LOSS DEFERRAL
  OTHER
TEMPORARY
DIFFERENCES
  UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION/
(DEPRECIATION)
BP Small Cap Value Fund II    $1,243,496        $        $      $(50,665,332)      $        $82,329,924  
BP Long/Short Equity Fund       23,768,788        (775,181)       15,062,040 
BP Long/Short Research Fund               (15,368,510)   (42,817)   169,525,534 
BP All-Cap Value Fund   9,728,866    11,862,937                291,096,750 
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   144,307        (4,997,743)           397,079 
BP Global Equity Fund   2,483,105        (44,714,757)           11,211,783 
BP Global Long/Short Fund   71,671        (38,967,945)       (27,207)   982,469 
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   4,742,594        (5,466,295)           1,481,709 
BP Emerging Markets Fund   129,801        (1,747,300)           1,187,560 
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund   226,713        (2,194,825)           1,002,626 

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate principally to the timing of recognition of income and gains for federal income tax purposes.

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and 2019 was as follows:

 

   2020  2019
   ORDINARY  LONG-TERM     ORDINARY  LONG-TERM   
FUND  INCOME  GAINS  TOTAL  INCOME  GAINS  TOTAL
BP Small Cap Value Fund II  $6,975,898   $7,342,323   $14,318,221   $11,884,149   $20,336,281   $32,220,430 
BP Long/Short Equity Fund       18,723,860    18,723,860        43,200,172    43,200,172 
BP Long/Short Research Fund   40,387,000    28,936,257    69,323,257    5,587,801    288,622,682    294,210,483 
BP All-Cap Value Fund   27,893,874    18,747,281    46,641,155    22,851,076    96,077,448    118,928,524 
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   108,852        108,852    1,612,257    209,442    1,821,699 
BP Global Equity Fund   10,116,438        10,116,438    17,841,138    33,323,268    51,164,406 
BP Global Long/Short Fund   7,319,397        7,319,397        16,527,482    16,527,482 
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   1,296,540        1,296,540        318,952    318,952 
BP Emerging Markets Fund   503,507        503,507             
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund   633,996        633,996             

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

Pursuant to federal income tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies, the Funds may elect to treat certain capital losses between November 1 and August 31 and late year ordinary losses ((i) ordinary losses between January 1 and August 31, and (ii) specified ordinary and currency losses between November 1 and August 31) as occurring on the first day of the following tax year. For the year ended August 31, 2020, any amount of losses elected within the tax return will not be recognized for federal income tax purposes until September 1, 2020.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  109

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED)

 

August 31, 2020

 

For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the following Funds deferred to September 1, 2020, the following qualified late-year losses.

 

   LATE-YEAR  POST-OCTOBER
   ORDINARY LOSS  CAPITAL LOSS
FUND  DEFERRAL  DEFERRAL
BP Small Cap Value Fund II  $         $50,665,332 
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   775,181     
BP Long/Short Research Fund   15,368,510     
BP All-Cap Value Fund        
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund        
BP Global Equity Fund        
BP Global Long/Short Fund        
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund        
BP Emerging Markets Fund        
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund        

 

Accumulated capital losses represent net capital loss carryforwards as of August 31, 2020 that may be available to offset future realized capital gains and thereby reduce future capital gains distributions. Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the Funds are permitted to carry forward capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 for an unlimited period. Any losses incurred during those future taxable years will be required to be utilized prior to any losses incurred in pre-enactment taxable years. Additionally, post-enactment capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under the previous law.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund had short-term post-enactment capital losses of $1,924,714 and long-term post-enactment capital losses of $3,073,029. The BP Global Equity Fund had short-term post-enactment capital losses of $44,714,757. The BP Global Long/Short Fund had short-term post-enactment capital losses of $38,967,945. The BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund had short-term post-enactment capital losses of $5,466,295. The BP Emerging Markets Fund had short-term post-enactment capital losses of $1,353,370 and long-term post-enactment capital losses of $393,930. The BP Global Equity Advantage Fund had short-term post-enactment capital losses of $2,194,825. The capital losses can be carried forward for an unlimited period.

 

8. SECURITIES LENDING

 

Securities may be loaned to financial institutions, such as broker-dealers, and are required to be secured continuously by collateral in cash, cash equivalents, letter of credit or U.S. Government securities maintained on a current basis at an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities loaned. Cash collateral received, pursuant to investment guidelines established by the Funds and approved by the Board, is invested in short-term investments. All such investments are made at the risk of the Funds and, as such, the Funds are liable for investment losses. Such loans would involve risks of delay in receiving additional collateral in the event the value of the collateral decreased below the value of the securities loaned or of delay in recovering the securities loaned or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. However, loans will be made only to borrowers deemed by Boston Partners to be of good standing and only when, in Boston Partners’ judgment, the income to be earned from the loans justifies the attendant risks. Any loans of a Fund’s securities will be fully collateralized and marked to market daily. Investments purchased with proceeds from securities lending are overnight and continuous. During the current fiscal period, the Funds participated in securities lending. The market value of securities on loan and cash collateral as of the end of the reporting period and the income generated from the program during the current fiscal period with respect to such loans were as follows:

 

   MARKET VALUE     INCOME RECEIVED
   OF SECURITIES  MARKET VALUE  FROM SECURITIES
FUND  LOANED  OF COLLATERAL  LENDING
BP Small Cap Value Fund II  $51,361,233   $53,885,936   $262,849 
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   7,439,943    7,775,760    79,555 
BP All-Cap Value Fund   99,392,526    103,029,868    401,250 
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   2,683,729    2,795,892    6,073 
BP Global Equity Fund   11,827,284    12,352,274    36,429 

 

Securities lending transactions are entered into by the Funds’ securities lending agent on behalf of the Funds under a Master Securities Lending Agreement (“MSLA”) which permits the Funds’ securities lending agent on behalf of the Funds, under certain circumstances including an event of default (such as bankruptcy or insolvency), to offset amounts payable on behalf of the Funds to the same counterparty against amounts to be received and create one single net payment due to or from the Funds. The following table is a summary of the Funds’ open securities lending transactions which are subject to a MSLA as of the end of the reporting period:

 

110  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONCLUDED)

 

August 31, 2020

 

            GROSS AMOUNT NOT OFFSET IN THE
            STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
         NET AMOUNT         
      GROSS AMOUNTS  OF ASSETS         
      OFFSET IN  PRESENTED IN         
   GROSS AMOUNT  THE STATEMENT  THE STATEMENT     CASH   
   OF RECOGNIZED  OF ASSETS  OF ASSETS  FINANCIAL  COLLATERAL   
FUND  ASSETS  AND LIABILITIES  AND LIABILITIES  INSTRUMENTS1  RECEIVED  NET AMOUNT
BP Small Cap Value Fund II  $51,361,233       $51,361,233   $(51,361,233)        
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   7,439,943        7,439,943    (7,439,943)        
BP All-Cap Value Fund   99,392,526        99,392,526    (99,392,526)        
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   2,683,729        2,683,729    (2,683,729)        
BP Global Equity Fund   11,827,284        11,827,284    (11,827,284)        

 

1Amount disclosed is limited to the amount of assets presented in the Statements of Assets and Liabilites. Actual collateral received may be more than the amount shown.

 

9. NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS AND REGULATORY UPDATES

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Funds’ financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosure effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

10. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Funds through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there was the following subsequent event:

 

Loan Agreement

 

Effective September 15, 2020, the Company, on behalf of the Funds, entered into a loan agreement with the Custodian. The Custodian has made available to the Funds a $100,000,000 committed credit facility. Interest charged is at the prime lending rate of the Custodian, as announced by the Custodian from time to time.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  111

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. and Shareholders of Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund (formerly Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund), Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund and Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities of Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund and Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund (collectively referred to as the “Funds”) (ten of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”)), including the portfolios of investments, as of August 31, 2020, and the related statements of operations, the statements of changes in net assets, and the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated in the table below and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the Funds (ten of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc.) at August 31, 2020, and the results of their operations, changes in net assets and financial highlights for each of the periods indicated in the table below, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

Individual portfolio constituting
The RBB Fund, Inc.
Statement of operations Statements of changes
in net assets
Financial highlights
Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II
Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund
Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund
Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund
WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund
Boston Partners Global Equity Fund
Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund
For the year ended August 31, 2020 For each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020 For each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2020
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund For the year ended August 31, 2020 For each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020 For each of the four years in the period ended August 31, 2020 and the period December 15, 2015 (commencement of operations) to August 31, 2016
Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund For the year ended August 31, 2020 For each of the two years ended August 31, 2020 and the period October 17, 2017 (commencement of operations) to August 31, 2018
Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund For the year ended August 31, 2020 For the year ended August 31, 2020 and the period May 29, 2019 (commencement of operations) to August 31, 2019

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on each of the Funds’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

112  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM (CONCLUDED)

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers were not received. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Boston Partners investment companies since 2007.

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

October 30, 2020

 

Annual Report 2020  |  113

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
SHAREHOLDER TAX INFORMATION  

(UNAUDITED)

 

Certain tax information regarding each Fund is required to be provided to shareholders based upon each Fund’s income and distributions for the taxable year ended August 31, 2020. The information and distributions reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ending December 31, 2020. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the following dividends and distributions were paid by each of the Funds:

 

   ORDINARY
INCOME
  LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS
BP Small Cap Value Fund II  $6,975,898   $7,342,323 
BP Long/Short Equity Fund       18,723,860 
BP Long/Short Research Fund   40,387,000    28,936,257 
BP All-Cap Value Fund   27,893,874    18,747,281 
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   108,852     
BP Global Equity Fund   10,116,438     
BP Global Long/Short Fund   7,319,397     
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   1,296,540     
BP Emerging Markets Fund   503,507     
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund   633,996     

 

Distributions from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

Under the Jobs and Growth Tax relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 the following percentages of ordinary dividends paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 are designated as “qualified dividend income,” as defined in the Act, and are subject to reduced tax rates:

 

BP Small Cap Value Fund II   100.00%
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   0.00%
BP Long/Short Research Fund   100.00%
BP All-Cap Value Fund   100.00%
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   100.00%
BP Global Equity Fund   100.00%
BP Global Long/Short Fund   100.00%
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   65.03%
BP Emerging Markets Fund   98.20%
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund   76.24%

 

The percentage of total ordinary income dividends paid qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction for each Fund is as follows:

 

BP Small Cap Value Fund II   100.00%
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   0.00%
BP Long/Short Research Fund.   100.00%
BP All-Cap Value Fund   100.00%
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   100.00%
BP Global Equity Fund   66.93%
BP Global Long/Short Fund   100.00%
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   4.68%
BP Emerging Markets Fund   16.28%
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund   31.88%

 

The percentage of qualified interest income related dividends not subject to withholding tax for non-resident aliens and foreign corporations is as follows:

 

BP Small Cap Value Fund II   0.00%
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   0.00%
BP Long/Short Research Fund.   2.67%
BP All-Cap Value Fund   0.00%
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   0.00%
BP Global Equity Fund   2.43%
BP Global Long/Short Fund   2.55%
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   15.01%
BP Emerging Markets Fund   15.61%
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund   1.15%

 

114  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
SHAREHOLDER TAX INFORMATION (CONCLUDED)  

(UNAUDITED)

 

The percentage of ordinary income distributions designated as qualified short-term gains pursuant to the American Job Creation Act of 2004 is as follows:

 

BP Small Cap Value Fund II   0.00%
BP Long/Short Equity Fund   0.00%
BP Long/Short Research Fund   0.00%
BP All-Cap Value Fund   0.00%
WPG Small/Micro Cap Value Fund   0.00%
BP Global Equity Fund   0.00%
BP Global Long/Short Fund   0.00%
BP Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund   0.00%
BP Emerging Markets Fund   0.00%
BP Global Equity Advantage Fund   0.00%

 

Pursuant to Section 853 of the Internal Revenue Code, the following Portfolios elect to pass-through to shareholders the credit for taxes paid to eligible foreign countries, which may be less than the actual amount paid for financial statement purposes.

 

            PER SHARE    
FUND   GROSS FOREIGN
SOURCE INCOME
  FOREIGN TAXES
PASSTHROUGH
  GROSS FOREIGN
SOURCE INCOME
  FOREIGN TAXES
PASSTHROUGH
  SHARES
OUTSTANDING
AT 8/31/2020
BP Emerging Markets Fund   471,469   41,177   0.2795465877   0.024414912   1,686,550
BP Global Equity Fund   5,183,935   465,966   0.4425105879   0.039775751   11,714,826

 

Because each Fund’s fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

In general, dividends received by tax exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Funds.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  115

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
OTHER INFORMATION  

(UNAUDITED)

 

Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling (888) 261-4073 and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedule

 

The Company files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its reports on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Boston Partners Funds Approval of Investment Advisory Agreements

 

Investment Advisory Agreement Renewal — All Funds (except Global Equity Advantage Fund)

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered the renewal of the investment advisory agreement between Boston Partners and the Company (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund, Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund, Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund (formerly known as the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Long/Short Fund), and the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund (for this section only, each a “Fund” and collectively the “Funds”), at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreement for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Board considered information provided by Boston Partners with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Company and Boston Partners with respect to the Funds, the Directors took into account all the materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of Boston Partners’ services provided to the Funds; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of Boston Partners personnel providing those services; (iii) Boston Partners’ investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Boston Partners’ assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Boston Partners’ soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) Boston Partners’ current advisory fee arrangements with the Company and other similarly managed clients; (vii) Boston Partners’ compliance procedures; (viii) Boston Partners’ financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Funds; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Funds; (x) report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing each Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those each Fund’s respective Lipper Group and comparing the performance of each Fund to the performance of each Fund’s respective Lipper Group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of each Fund to the performance of its benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Boston Partners. The Directors concluded that Boston Partners had substantial resources to provide services to the Funds and that Boston Partners’ services had been acceptable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Funds. Information on the Funds’ investment performance was provided for the one-, three-, five-, ten-years and since inception periods ended March 31, 2020, as applicable. The Directors considered the Funds’ investment performance in light of their investment objectives and investment strategies. The Directors concluded that the investment performance of each of the Funds as compared to their respective benchmarks and Lipper Groups was acceptable.

 

In reaching this conclusion, the Directors noted that the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund outperformed its benchmark, the Russell 3000 Value Index for the ten-year and since-inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund ranked in the 1st quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year, two-year, three-year, four-year and five-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund outperformed its primary benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, for the year-to-date and since-inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund’s performance ranked in the 2nd quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year, four-year and five-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

116  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
OTHER INFORMATION (CONTINUED)  

(UNAUDITED)

 

The Directors noted that the WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund outperformed its primary benchmark, the Russell 2000 Value Index, for the since-inception period ended March 31, 2020. The Directors noted that the WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund’s performance ranked in the 1st quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year period ended December 31, 2019.

 

Next, the Directors also reviewed the performance of the Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund, noting that the Fund had outperformed its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, for the year-to-date period ended March 31, 2020. The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund ranked within the 1st quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year period ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Directors next reviewed the performance of the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, which outperformed its benchmark, the Russell 2000 Value Index, for the since-inception period ended March 31, 2020. The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II ranked within the 1st quintile in its Lipper Performance Group and in its Lipper Performance Universe for the one-year period ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Directors also considered the performance of the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund, which underperformed its benchmark, the MSCI World Index, for the year-to-date, one-year, three-year, five-year and since-inception periods ended March 31, 2020. They also noted that the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund ranked in the 4th quintile for the one-year and four-year periods ended December 31, 2019 in its Lipper Performance Group.

 

The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund had outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI World Index, for the year-to-date period ended March 31, 2020. They noted that for the one-year and five-year periods ended December 31, 2019, the Fund ranked in the 2nd quintile in its Lipper Performance Group.

 

The Directors then reviewed the performance of the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund, which outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, for the year-to-date, one-year, three-year, five-year and since-inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund ranked in the 1st quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year period ended December 31, 2019.

 

Finally, the Directors noted that the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund had outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, for the one-year period ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the Fund had commenced operations on October 17, 2017. They also noted that the Fund ranked in the 1st quintile for the one-year period ended December 31, 2019 in its Lipper Performance Group and Lipper Performance Universe.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rates payable by the Funds under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Funds and the Funds’ total operating expense ratios (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms. The Directors noted that Boston Partners had contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses through at least February 28, 2021 for the Funds to limit total annual operating expenses to agreed upon levels for each Fund.

 

The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II’s actual advisor fees ranked in the 4th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 3rd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund’s actual advisor fees and total expenses ranked in the 5th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Long/Short Research Fund’s actual advisor fees ranked in the 5th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 3rd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund’s actual advisor fees ranked in the 3rd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 1st quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the WPG Partners Small/Micro Cap Value Fund’s actual advisor fees ranked in the 1st quintile of its Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 2nd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Global Equity Fund’s actual advisor fees and total expenses ranked in the 4th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Global Long/Short Fund’s actual advisor fees ranked in the 5th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 3rd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Dynamic Equity Fund’s actual advisor fees and total expenses ranked in the 5th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the Boston Partners Emerging Markets Fund’s actual advisor fees ranked in the 1st quintile of its Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 2nd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

After reviewing the information regarding the Funds’ costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering Boston Partners’ services, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees paid by the Funds were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreement should be approved and continued for an additional one-year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  117

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
OTHER INFORMATION (CONTINUED)  

(UNAUDITED)

 

Investment Co-Advisory Agreement Renewal — Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, considered the renewal of the investment co-advisory agreement among Boston Partners, Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC (“Campbell”), and the Company (the “Investment Co-Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Boston Partners Global Equity Advantage Fund (for this section only, the “Fund”) at the Meeting. At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Co-Advisory Agreement for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Co-Advisory Agreement reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Investment Co-Advisory Agreement, the Board considered information provided by Boston Partners and Campbell with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Co-Advisory Agreement among the Company, Boston Partners, and Campbell with respect to the Fund, the Directors took into account all the materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of services provided to the Fund by Boston Partners and Campbell; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of personnel providing those services; (iii) the investment philosophies and processes of Boston Partners and Campbell; (iv) assets under management and client descriptions of Boston Partners and Campbell; (v) soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions of Boston Partners and Campbell; (vi) the advisory fee arrangements and other similarly managed clients, as applicable; (vii) compliance procedures of Boston Partners and Campbell; (viii) financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Fund; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Fund; (x) report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing the Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to its Lipper Group and comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its Lipper Group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Boston Partners and Campbell. The Directors concluded that Boston Partners and Campbell had substantial resources to provide services to the Fund and that Boston Partners’ and Campbell’s services had been acceptable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Fund. Information on the Fund’s investment performance was provided for the since inception period ended March 31, 2020. The Directors considered the Fund’s investment performance in light of its investment objectives and investment strategies. The Directors concluded that the investment performance of the Fund as compared to its benchmarks and Lipper Groups was acceptable.

 

In reaching this conclusion, the Directors noted that the Fund had slightly underperformed its benchmark, the MSCI World Index, for the year-to-date period ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the Fund had commenced operations on May 29, 2019. They also noted that the Fund ranked in the 4th quintile for the since-inception period ended December 31, 2019 in its Lipper Performance Group.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rates payable by the Fund under the Investment Co-Advisory Agreement. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Fund and the Fund’s total operating expense ratios (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms. The Directors noted that Boston Partners and Campbell had contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses through at least December 31, 2021 for the Fund to limit total annual operating expenses to agreed upon levels.

 

The Directors noted that the Fund’s actual advisor fees and total expenses ranked in the 1st quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

After reviewing the information regarding costs, profitability and economies of scale of Boston Partners and Campbell, and after considering the services to be provided by Boston Partners and Campbell, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees to be paid by the Fund to Boston Partners and Campbell were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Co-Advisory Agreement should be approved and continued for an additional one-year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

118  |  Annual Report 2020

 
BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS  
OTHER INFORMATION (CONCLUDED)  

(UNAUDITED)

 

Liquidity Risk Management Program

 

The Company has adopted and implemented a Liquidity Risk Management Program (the “Company Program”) as required by rule 22e-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. In accordance with the Company Program, the Adviser has adopted and implemented a liquidity risk management program (the “Adviser Program” and together with the Company Program, the “Programs”) on behalf of the Funds. The Programs seek to assess, manage and review each Fund’s Liquidity Risk. “Liquidity Risk” is defined as the risk that a Fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the Fund without significant dilution of remaining investors’ interest in the Fund.

 

The Board has appointed Vigilant Compliance, LLC (“Vigilant”) as the program administrator for the Company Program and the Adviser as the program administrator for the Company Program. The Adviser has delegated oversight of the Adviser Program to its Liquidity Committee, whose process of monitoring and determining the liquidity of each Fund’s investments is supported by one or more third-party vendors.

 

At meetings held during the fiscal period, the Board and its Investment and Liquidity Risk Committee received and reviewed a written report (the “Report”) of Vigilant and the Adviser concerning the operation of the Programs for the period from December 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 (the “Period”). The Report summarized the operation of the Programs and the information and factors considered by Vigilant and the Adviser in reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the implementation of the Programs with respect to each Fund. Such information and factors included, among other things: (i) the methodology used to classify the liquidity of each Fund’s portfolio investments and the Adviser’s assessment that each Fund’s strategy remained appropriate for an open-end mutual fund; (ii) that each Fund held primarily highly liquid assets (investments that the Fund anticipates can be converted to cash within 3 business days or less in current market conditions without significantly changing their market value); (iii) that none of the Funds required the establishment of a highly liquid investment minimum and the methodology for that determination; (iv) confirmation that none of the Funds had breached the 15% maximum illiquid security threshold (investments that cannot be sold or disposed of in seven days or less in current market conditions without the sale of the investment significantly changing the market value of the investment) and the procedures for monitoring compliance with the limit; (v) that the processes, technologies and third-party vendors used to assess, manage, and/or periodically review each Fund’s Liquidity Risk functioned appropriately during the Period; and (vi) that the Programs operated adequately during the Period. The Report also indicated that there were no material changes made to the Programs during the Period.

 

Based on the review, the Report concluded that the Programs were being implemented effectively and reasonably designed to assess and manage Liquidity Risk in each Fund’s portfolio.

 

There can be no assurance that the Company Program or the Adviser Program will achieve its objectives under all circumstances in the future. Please refer to the Funds’ prospectuses for more information regarding a Fund’s exposure to liquidity risk and other risks to which it may be subject.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  119

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-888-261-4073.

 

Name, Address, and Age   Position(s)
Held with
Company
  Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served1
  Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios in Fund
Complex Overseen
by Director*
  Other Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past 5 Years
INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS          
Julian A. Brodsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 87
  Director   1988 to present   From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).   35   AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).
J. Richard Carnall
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 81
  Director   2002 to present   Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.   35   None
Gregory P. Chandler
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 53
  Director   2012 to present   Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020. Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/ services.   35   Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company).
Nicholas A. Giordano
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 77
  Director   2006 to present   Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.   35   IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).
Arnold M. Reichman
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 72
  Chairman

Director
  2005 to present

1991 to present
  From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).   35   Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).
Brian T. Shea
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 60
  Director   2018 to present   From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).   35   WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company). Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).
Robert A. Straniere
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 79
  Director   2006 to present   Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).   35   Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

 

120  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS (CONTINUED)

 

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

 

Name, Address, and Age   Position(s)
Held with
Company
  Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served1
  Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years
  Number of
Portfolios in Fund
Complex Overseen
by Director*
  Other Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past 5 Years
Robert Sablowsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 82
  Vice Chairman

Director
  2016 to present


1991 to present
  Since 2002, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).   35   None
OFFICERS                    
Salvatore Faia, JD,
CPA, CFE
Vigilant Compliance, LLC
Gateway Corporate
Center Suite 216
223 Wilmington
West Chester Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Age: 57
  President

Chief Compliance Officer
  2009 to present

2004 to present
  Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).   N/A   N/A
James G. Shaw
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 59
  Treasurer and Secretary   2016 to present   Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).   N/A   N/A
Craig A. Urciuoli
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 45
  Director of Marketing & Business Development   2019 to present   Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC   N/A   N/A
Jennifer Witt
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 37
  Assistant Treasurer   2018 to present   Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (registered investment company).   N/A   N/A
Edward Paz
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 49
  Assistant Secretary   2016 to present   Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).   N/A   N/A
Michael P. Malloy
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 61
  Assistant Secretary   1999 to present   Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).   N/A   N/A
Jillian L. Bosmann
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 41
  Assistant Secretary   2017 to present   Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).   N/A   N/A

 

* Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.
1. Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.
2. Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  121

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS (CONCLUDED)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the past five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

122  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

PRIVACY NOTICE

(UNAUDITED)

 

FACTS WHAT DO THE BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?
Why? Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.
What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

•      Social Security number

•      account balances

•      account transactions

•      transaction history

•      wire transfer instructions

•      checking account information

 

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How? All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Boston Partners Investment Funds chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

 

Reasons we can share your personal information Do the Boston
Partners Investment
Funds share?
Can you limit
this sharing?
For our everyday business purposes – such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus Yes No
For our marketing purposes – to offer our products and services to you No No
For joint marketing with other financial companies No We don’t share
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your transactions and experiences Yes No
For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness No We don’t share
For our affiliates to market to you No Yes
For nonaffiliates to market to you No We don’t share

 

Questions? Call (888) 261-4073 or go to www.boston-partners.com

 

Annual Report 2020  |  123

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

PRIVACY NOTICE (CONTINUED)

(UNAUDITED)

 

What we do  
How do the Boston Partners Investment Funds protect my personal information? To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.
How do the Boston Partners Investment Funds collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

 

•    open an account

•    provide account information

•    give us your contact information

•    make a wire transfer

•    tell us where to send the money

 

We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

 

•    sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes-information about your creditworthiness

•    affiliates from using your information to market to you

•    sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation

In addition to the above information, where applicable, you have the following rights under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and U.S. Privacy Laws, as applicable and to the extent permitted by law, to

 

•    Check whether we hold personal information about you and to access such data (in accordance with our policy)

•    Request the correction of personal information about you that is inaccurate

•    Have a copy of the personal information we hold about you provided to you or another “controller” where technically feasible

•    Request the erasure of your personal information

•    Request the restriction of processing concerning you

 

The legal grounds for processing of your personal information is for contractual necessity and compliance with law.

 

If you wish to exercise any of your rights above, please call: 1-888-261-4073.

 

You are required to ensure the personal information we hold about you is up-to-date and accurate and you must notify us of any changes to the personal data you provided to us.

 

 

124  |  Annual Report 2020

 

BOSTON PARTNERS INVESTMENT FUNDS

PRIVACY NOTICE (CONCLUDED)

(UNAUDITED)

 

What we do (continued)  
European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (continued) The Boston Partners Investment Funds shall retain your personal data for as long as you are an investor in the Funds and thereafter as long as necessary to comply with applicable laws that require the Funds to retain your personal data, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s data retention rules. Your personal data will be transferred to the United States so that the Funds may provide the agreed upon services for you. No adequacy decision has been rendered by the European Commission as to the data protection of your personal data when transferring it to the United States. However, the Funds do take the security of your personal data seriously.
Definitions  
Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies. Our affiliates include:

 

•    ORIX Corporation.

•    Robeco Investment Management, Inc.

•    Robeco Securities, LLC

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

•    The Boston Partners Investment Funds don’t share with nonaffiliates so  they can market to you. The Boston Partners Investment Funds may  share information with nonaffiliates that perform marketing services on  our behalf.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

 

•    The Boston Partners Investment Funds may share your information  with other financial institutions with whom we have joint marketing  arrangements who may suggest additional fund services or other  investment products which may be of interest to you.

Controller “Controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by European Union or European Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by European Union or European Member State law.

 

Annual Report 2020  |  125

 
 
 

 

INVESTMENT ADVISER
Boston Partners Global Investors, Inc.
60 East 42nd Street, Suite 1550
New York, NY 10165
ADMINISTRATOR AND TRANSFER AGENT
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201
PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER
Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E. Kilbourn Ave., Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202
CUSTODIAN
U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
Ernst & Young LLP
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, Suite 700
Philadelphia, PA 19103
LEGAL COUNSEL
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996


 

 

BOS-AR20  
 

 

 

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

of

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

 

 

Annual Report

 

 

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Campbell Advantage Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Campbell Advantage Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-844-261-6488.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Campbell Advantage Fund, you can call 1-844-261-6488 to inform the Campbell Advantage Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Campbell Advantage Fund.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Fund. It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Fund.

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Shareholder Letter
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The Campbell Advantage Fund (the “Fund”) generated a return of -37.35% during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, which, on a volatility-adjusted basis, was in line with industry benchmarks such as the SG Trend Index during the same period.

 

Performance during the period was driven by losses in equity indices, agricultural commodities, and fixed income trading. The Fund gained in energies, helping to offset some losses, and was generally flat in foreign exchange and in metals. The Fund’s risk target, which is a function of the Fund’s expected correlation to equities and equity volatility, increased during the first quarter of 2020 and remained relatively elevated throughout the period. The correlation cap limited the expected Fund correlation to equities to 0.2 throughout the period.

 

1

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Performance Data
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Campbell Advantage Fund vs. BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Campbell Advantage Fund (“Fund”) is made on May 31, 2019 (the date on which the Fund commenced investment) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average annual total returns for the periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

ONE
YEAR

SINCE
INCEPTION (1)

 

Class I Shares

-37.35%

-12.57%

 

BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index(2)

-5.36%

2.51%

 

 

(1)

Inception date of the Fund is May 31, 2019.

 

(2)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

Performance data quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted above. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Call the Fund at 1-844-261-6488 for returns current to the most recent month-end.

 

An investment in the Fund is speculative and involves substantial risk. The Fund is not suitable for all investors. It is possible that an investor may lose some or all of its investment. The Fund invests in long and short positions in futures, forwards and spot contracts, each of which may be tied to commodities, financial indices and instruments, foreign currencies, or equity indices. The Fund also invests in investment grade fixed income securities of all durations

 

2

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Performance Data (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

and maturities. The Fund may be more volatile than investments in traditional securities. Losses on futures and other derivatives can be caused by unanticipated market movements and may be potentially unlimited. Commodities, currencies, foreign investments, and interest rate-linked instruments each entail special risks. The Fund is non-diversified; therefore gains or losses on a single holding may have a relatively great impact on the Fund. A more complete description of the Fund’s risks can be found in its prospectus, which should be read carefully before investing.

 

The Fund intends to elect to be treated and to qualify each year, as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code (“Code”). To maintain qualification for federal income tax purposes as a RIC under the Code, the Fund must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and distribution of its income requirements. If the Fund were to fail to qualify as a RIC and became subject to federal income tax, shareholders of the Fund would be subject to diminished returns.

 

The BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index (“BTOP50”) seeks to replicate the overall composition of the managed futures industry with regard to trading style and overall market exposure. The BTOP50 employs a top-down approach in selecting its constituents. The largest investable trading adviser programs, as measured by assets under management, are selected for inclusion in the BTOP50. The index portfolio is equally weighted among the selected programs at the beginning of each calendar year and rebalanced annually. It is impossible to invest directly in an index.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

3

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Fund Expense Examples

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees and other Fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

This example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020, and held for the entire period.

 

Actual Expenses

 

The first line of the accompanying table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

 

The second line of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs. Therefore, the second line of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses
Pa
id During
Period*

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual Six-
Month Total
Investment
Return for
th
e Fund

Actual

$ 1,000.00

$ 901.80

$ 3.87

0.81%

-9.82%

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

1,000.00

1,021.06

4.12

0.81

N/A

 

 

*

Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized six-month expense ratio for the period March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one half year period. The Fund’s ending account value on the first line in the tables is based on the actual six-month total investment return for the Fund.

 

4

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The following table presents a consolidated summary of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS:

               

U.S. Treasury Obligations

    58.3 %   $ 4,218,703  

Money Market Deposit Account

    5.8       418,384  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES (including futures and forward foreign currency contracts)

    35.9       2,602,633  

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 7,239,720  

 

 

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating its assets among derivatives and fixed income securities.

 

As a result of the Fund’s use of derivatives, the Fund may hold significant amounts of U.S. Treasuries or short-term investments.

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

Refer to the Consolidated Portfolio of Investments for a detailed listing of the Fund’s holdings.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
5

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

Coupon*

 

Maturity
Date

   

Par

   

Value

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 58.3%

                         

U.S. TREASURY OBLIGATIONS — 58.3%

                         

United States Treasury Bill

 

0.176%

 

09/10/20

    $ 550,000     $ 549,989  

United States Treasury Bill

 

0.107%

 

10/01/20

      625,000       624,952  

United States Treasury Bill

 

0.100%

 

11/12/20

      100,000       99,981  

United States Treasury Bill

 

0.131%

 

12/17/20

      725,000       724,779  

United States Treasury Bill

 

0.096%

 

01/14/21

      1,300,000       1,299,439  

United States Treasury Bill

 

0.063%

 

02/11/21

      920,000       919,563  
         

TOTAL U.S. TREASURY OBLIGATIONS

       

(Cost $4,218,902)

    4,218,703  
                           

MONEY MARKET DEPOSIT ACCOUNT — 5.8%

                         

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05% (a)

      418,384       418,384  
                           

TOTAL MONEY MARKET DEPOSIT ACCOUNT INVESTMENTS

                         

(Cost $418,384)

    418,384  
                           

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 64.1%

                         

(Cost $4,637,286)

    4,637,087  
                           

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES — 35.9%

    2,602,633  

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

  $ 7,239,720  

 

 

*

Short-term investments’ coupon reflects the annualized yield on the date of purchase for discounted investments.

(a)

The rate shown is as of August, 31, 2020.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
6

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Futures contracts outstanding as of August 31, 2020 were as follows:

 

Long Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number of
Contracts

   

Notional
Cost

   

Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

3-Month Euro Euribor

    Jun-21       68     $ 20,385,272     $ (227 )

90-DAY Bank Bill

    Sep-21       34       25,067,380       4,707  

90-Day Euro

    Dec-21       163       40,660,350       5,584  

90-Day Sterling

    Jun-21       151       25,218,643       29,718  

Amsterdam Index

    Sep-20       1       130,993       (2,663 )

Australian 10-Year Bond

    Sep-20       8       870,124       (1,493 )

Australian 3-Year Bond

    Sep-20       155       13,369,182       (12,000 )

Canadian 10-Year Bond

    Dec-20       24       2,777,291       (17,896 )

Cocoa

    Dec-20       1       26,540       (43 )

Coffee

    Dec-20       1       48,394       1,366  

Cotton No.2

    Dec-20       3       97,740       976  

DJIA Mini E-CBOT

    Sep-20       2       284,160       7,136  

Euro BUXL 30-Year Bond Futures

    Sep-20       1       258,861       (11,362 )

Euro Stoxx 50

    Sep-20       1       38,963       (1,111 )

Euro-Bobl

    Sep-20       6       963,961       (3,206 )

Euro-BTP

    Sep-20       7       1,221,354       1,519  

Euro-Bund

    Sep-20       4       838,015       (5,375 )

Euro-Oat

    Sep-20       6       1,199,098       (4,518 )

FTSE/JSE TOP 40

    Sep-20       6       180,843       (3,789 )

Gold 100 Oz

    Dec-20       3       593,580       8,653  

London Metals Exchange Aluminum

    Sep-20       30       1,328,625       94,569  

London Metals Exchange Aluminum

    Dec-20       4       180,575       1,616  

London Metals Exchange Copper

    Sep-20       5       835,188       84,021  

London Metals Exchange Copper

    Dec-20       3       499,969       21,784  

London Metals Exchange Nickel

    Sep-20       4       368,256       43,024  

London Metals Exchange Nickel

    Dec-20       3       276,894       11,188  

London Metals Exchange Zinc

    Sep-20       15       936,844       132,624  

London Metals Exchange Zinc

    Dec-20       7       440,956       16,125  

Long Gilt

    Dec-20       9       1,624,278       (11,921 )

MSCI Taiwan Index

    Sep-20       13       638,430       (13,265 )

Nasdaq 100 E-Mini

    Sep-20       3       726,840       96,461  

Nikkie 225 (Osaka Securities Exchange)

    Sep-20       2       218,666       8,732  

OMX Stockholm 30 Index

    Sep-20       12       244,861       611  

Palladium

    Dec-20       1       227,930       10,408  

Platinum

    Oct-20       2       93,790       (5,215 )

Russell 2000 E-Mini

    Sep-20       2       156,130       (2,084 )

S&P 500 E-Mini

    Sep-20       3       524,835       32,029  

S&P Mid 400 E-Mini

    Sep-20       1       192,580       (1,972 )

S&P/TSX 60 Index

    Sep-20       2       303,293       (694 )

Silver

    Dec-20       2       285,940       14,385  

Sugar No. 11 (World)

    Oct-20       5       70,896       (2,322 )

Topix Index

    Sep-20       1       152,575       465  

U.S. Treasury 10-Year Notes

    Dec-20       25       3,481,250       (3,362 )

U.S. Treasury 2-Year Notes

    Dec-20       142       31,374,234       11,984  

U.S. Treasury 5-Year Notes

    Dec-20       66       8,318,063       7,558  

U.S. Treasury Long Bond (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       6       1,054,312       (4,323 )

U.S. Treasury Ultra Long Bond (Chicago Board of Trade)

    Dec-20       2       441,812       (8,660 )
                            $ 529,742  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
7

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Short Contracts

 

Expiration
Date

   

Number of
Contracts

   

Notional
Amount

   

Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

10 Year Mini Japanese Government Bond

    Sep-20       22     $ (3,147,278 )   $ 8,192  

Brent Crude

    Dec-20       4       (182,640 )     2,073  

CAC40 10 Euro

    Sep-20       1       (58,981 )     130  

Corn

    Dec-20       30       (536,625 )     (53,374 )

Euro-Schatz

    Sep-20       56       (7,485,668 )     1,435  

FTSE 100 Index

    Sep-20       3       (239,072 )     8,144  

Gasoline RBOB

    Oct-20       2       (101,951 )     (2,752 )

IBEX 35 Index

    Sep-20       4       (332,008 )     7,936  

Live Cattle

    Oct-20       5       (210,600 )     (1,675 )

London Metals Exchange Aluminum

    Dec-20       1       (45,144 )     (509 )

London Metals Exchange Aluminum

    Sep-20       30       (1,328,625 )     (192,905 )

London Metals Exchange Copper

    Sep-20       5       (835,188 )     (92,776 )

London Metals Exchange Nickel

    Sep-20       4       (368,256 )     (61,583 )

London Metals Exchange Zinc

    Sep-20       15       (936,844 )     (155,659 )

Low Sulphur Gasoil G Futures

    Oct-20       9       (331,425 )     13,635  

MSCI Singapore Exchange ETS

    Sep-20       18       (385,190 )     1,061  

Natural Gas

    Oct-20       3       (78,900 )     (9,297 )

Soybean

    Nov-20       1       (47,675 )     (3,928 )

WTI Crude

    Oct-20       5       (213,050 )     4,128  
                            $ (527,724 )

Total Futures Contracts

                          $ 2,018  

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
8

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

Forward foreign currency contracts outstanding as of August 31, 2020 were as follows:

 

Currency Purchased

 

 

Currency Sold

 

   

Expiration
Date

   

Counterparty

   

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

AUD

    3,850,000          

USD

    2,706,166               Sep 16 2020       NatWest     $ 133,553  

CAD

    3,500,000          

USD

    2,619,567               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       63,882  

CHF

    950,000          

USD

    1,005,886               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       45,534  

EUR

    3,450,000          

USD

    3,994,045               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       124,459  

GBP

    1,800,000          

USD

    2,328,024               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       78,376  

JPY

    138,000,000          

USD

    1,299,303               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       3,895  

NOK

    15,300,000          

USD

    1,664,134               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       87,523  

NZD

    2,950,000          

USD

    1,927,826               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       59,263  

SEK

    28,800,000          

USD

    3,199,190               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       130,985  

USD

    699,827          

AUD

    1,000,000               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       (37,762 )

USD

    1,329,511          

CAD

    1,800,000               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       (50,548 )

USD

    160,768          

CHF

    150,000               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       (5,246 )

USD

    1,022,199          

EUR

    900,000               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       (52,194 )

USD

    1,134,368          

GBP

    900,000               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       (68,833 )

USD

    723,031          

JPY

    78,000,000               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       (13,559 )

USD

    853,982          

NOK

    8,100,000               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       (73,366 )

USD

    932,754          

NZD

    1,450,000               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       (43,950 )

USD

    441,592          

SEK

    4,050,000               Sep 16 2020       NatWest       (26,714 )

Total Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

  $ 355,298  

 

AUD

Australian Dollar

 

JPY

Japanese Yen

CAD

Canadian Dollar

 

NatWest

National Westminster Bank

CHF

Swiss Franc

 

NOK

Norwegian Krone

EUR

Euro

 

NZD

New Zealand Dollar

GBP

British Pound

 

SEK

Swedish Krona

     

USD

United States Dollar

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
9

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

ASSETS

       

Investments, at value (cost $4,637,286)

  $ 4,637,087  

Deposits with brokers:

       

Futures contracts

    1,577,716  

Forward foreign currency contracts

    695,000  

Foreign currency deposits with broker for futures contracts (cost $18,236)

    18,091  

Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

    727,470  

Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts

    693,978  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    1,583  

Total assets

    8,350,925  

LIABILITIES

       

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts

    691,960  

Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

    372,172  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    47,073  

Total liabilities

    1,111,205  

Net assets

  $ 7,239,720  

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

       

Par value

  $ 1,229  

Paid-in capital

    7,786,553  

Total distributable earnings/(loss)

    (548,062 )

Net assets

  $ 7,239,720  

CAPITAL SHARES:

       

Net assets

  $ 7,239,720  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    1,228,609  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 5.89  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
10

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Consolidated Statement of Operations

For the Year Ended

August 31, 2020

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

       

Interest

  $ 33,703  

Total investment income

    33,703  

EXPENSES

       

Audit and tax service fees

    37,925  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 2)

    34,097  

Offering Costs

    33,840  

Legal fees

    10,405  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    8,474  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    8,137  

Registration and filing fees

    6,848  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    1,928  

Director fees

    1,820  

Officer fees

    812  

Other expenses

    3,836  

Total expenses

    148,122  

Net investment income/(loss)

    (114,419 )

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

       

Net realized gain/(loss) from:

       

Investments

    4,352  

Futures contracts

    (1,206,851 )

Foreign currency transactions

    (978 )

Forward foreign currency contracts

    217,029  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:

       

Investments

    4  

Futures contracts

    (316,677 )

Foreign currency translations

    6,401  

Forward foreign currency contracts

    232,427  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    (1,064,293 )

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ (1,178,712 )

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
11

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Period Ended
August 31, 2019
(1)

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (114,419 )   $ (54,173 )

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments, futures contracts, foreign currency transactions and forward foreign currency contracts

    (986,448 )     517,658  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments, future contracts, foreign currency translations and forward foreign currency contracts

    (77,845 )     437,166  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (1,178,712 )     900,651  
                 

Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders From:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (743,737 )      

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (743,737 )      
                 
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    8,040,070       2,600,000  

Proceeds from reinvestment of distributions

    743,737        

Shared redeemed

    (3,122,289 )        

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    5,661,518       2,600,000  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    3,739,069       3,500,651  
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    3,500,651        

End of period

  $ 7,239,720     $ 3,500,651  
                 

SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Shares sold

    1,282,088       259,515  

Shares reinvested

    112,858        

Shares redeemed

    (425,852 )        

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    969,094       259,515  

 

 

(1)

Fund commenced operations on May 31, 2019.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
12

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Consolidated Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the consolidated financial statements.

 

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Period
Ended
August 31,
2019
(1)

 

PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE

               

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 13.49     $ 10.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    (0.14 )     (0.22 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments(3)

    (4.59 )     3.71  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (4.73 )     3.49  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

               

Net investment income

    (0.35 )      

Net realized capital gain

    (2.52 )      

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (2.87 )      

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 5.89     $ 13.49  

Total investment return(4)

    (37.35 )%     34.90 %(6)

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

               

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 7,240     $ 3,501  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

    2.74 %     7.77 %(5)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (2.12 )%     (7.57 )%(5)

Portfolio turnover rate

    0 %     0 %(6)

 

 

(1)

The Fund commenced investment operations on May 31, 2019.

(2)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

(3)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(4)

Total investment return is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale on the last day of the period reported and is not annualized and includes reinvestment of dividends and distributions, if any.

(5)

Annualized.

(6)

Not annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
13

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements

August 31, 2020

 

1. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the Campbell Advantage Fund (the “Fund”), which commenced investment operations on May 31, 2019. The Fund’s shares are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 as amended (the “1933 Act”), and are only offered in private placements to other series of the Company and other persons that are “accredited investors” within the meaning of Regulation D under the 1933 Act.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek capital appreciation.

 

The Fund is an investment company and follows accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services - Investment Companies.”

 

The end of the reporting period for the Fund is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

Consolidation of Subsidiary — The Adviser’s Campbell Advantage Program will be achieved by the Fund investing up to 25% of its total assets in the Campbell Advantage Offshore Limited (the “Subsidiary”), a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary for the Fund organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The consolidated financial statements of the Fund include the financial statements of the Subsidiary. The Fund consolidates the results of subsidiaries in which the Fund holds a controlling financial interest. All inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated. As of the end of the reporting period, the net assets of the Subsidiary were $601,845, which represented 8.31% of the Fund’s net assets.

 

Portfolio Valuation — The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by the Fund are valued using the closing price or the last sales price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses). Forward currency exchange contracts are valued by interpolating between spot and forward currency rates as quoted by an independent pricing service. Futures contracts are generally valued using the settlement price determined by the relevant exchange. If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

 

Fair Value Measurements — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Fund’s investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

Level 1 – Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

Level 2 – Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

14

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

 

Level 3 – Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of end of the reporting period, in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at fair value:

 

 

Total

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

 

Short-Term Investments

  $ 4,637,087     $ 4,637,087     $     $  

Commodity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    460,576       460,576              

Equity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    162,705       162,705              

Interest Rate Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    70,697       70,697              

Foreign Exchange Contracts

                               

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

    727,470             727,470        

Total Assets

  $ 6,058,535     $ 5,331,065     $ 727,470     $  

 

 

Total

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

 

Commodity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

  $ (582,039 )   $ (582,039 )   $     $  

Equity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    (25,578 )     (25,578 )            

Interest Rate Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    (84,343 )     (84,343 )            

Foreign Exchange Contracts

                               

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

    (372,172 )           (372,172 )      

Total Liabilities

  $ (1,064,132 )   $ (691,960 )   $ (372,172 )   $  

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Fund may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires the Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when the Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end

 

15

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for Level 3 transfers are disclosed if the Fund had an amount of total transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund had no Level 3 investments.

 

Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities — Derivative instruments are defined as financial instruments whose value and performance are based on the value and performance of another security or financial instrument. Derivative instruments that the Fund used during the period include forward foreign currency contracts and futures contracts.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund used long and short contracts on U.S. and foreign equity market indices, U.S. and foreign government bonds, foreign currencies and commodities (through investment in the Subsidiary), to gain investment exposure in accordance with its investment objective.

 

The following tables provide quantitative disclosures about fair value amounts of, and gains and losses on, the Fund’s derivative instruments as of and for the current fiscal period.

 

The following table lists the fair values of the Fund’s derivative holdings as of end of the reporting period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statements of
Assets & Liabilities
Location

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest
Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Total

 

Asset Derivatives

Futures Contracts (a)

    Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts     $ 460,576     $ 162,705     $ 70,697     $     $ 693,978  

Forward Contracts (a)

    Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency contracts                         727,470       727,470  

Total Value - Assets

          $ 460,576     $ 162,705     $ 70,697     $ 727,470     $ 1,421,448  

 

Liability Derivatives

Futures Contracts (a)

    Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts     $ (582,039 )   $ (25,578 )   $ (84,343 )   $     $ (691,960 )

Forward Contracts (a)

    Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency contracts                         (372,172 )     (372,172 )

Total Value - Liabilities

          $ (582,039 )   $ (25,578 )   $ (84,343 )   $ (372,172 )   $ (1,064,132 )

 

(a)

This amount represents the cumulative appreciation/(depreciation) of forward and futures contracts as reported in the Consolidated Portfolio of Investments.

 

16

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following table lists the amounts of realized gains/(losses) included in net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations during the current fiscal period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statement of
Operations
Location

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Total

 

Realized Gain/(Loss)

Futures Contracts

    Net realized gain/(loss) from futures contracts     $ (257,607 )   $ (1,015,671 )   $ 66,427     $     $ (1,206,851 )

Forward Contracts

    Net realized gain/(loss) from forward foreign currency contracts                         217,029       217,029  

Total Realized Gain/(Loss)

          $ (257,607 )   $ (1,015,671 )   $ 66,427     $ 217,029     $ (989,822 )

 

The following table lists the amounts of change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) included in net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations during the current fiscal period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statement of
Operations
Location

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Total

 

Change in Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

Futures Contracts

    Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on futures contracts     $ (237,065 )   $ 126,156     $ (205,768 )   $     $ (316,677 )

Forward Contracts

    Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on forward foreign currency contracts                         232,427       232,427  

Total Change in Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

          $ (237,065 )   $ 126,156     $ (205,768 )   $ 232,427     $ (84,250 )

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund’s quarterly average volume of derivatives was as follows:

 

 

Long Futures
Notional
Amount

   

Short Futures
Notional
Amount

   

Forward Foreign
Currency
Contracts — Payable
(Value at Trade Date)

   

Forward Foreign
Currency
Contracts —
Receivable
(Value at Trade Date)

 
  $ 120,394,649     $ (9,914,944 )   $ (26,743,548 )   $ 28,152,417  

 

For financial reporting purposes, the Fund does not offset fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments and fair value amounts recognized for the right to reclaim cash collateral (receivables) or the obligation to return cash collateral (payables) arising from derivative instruments recognized at fair value executed with the same counterparty under a master netting arrangement.

 

17

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following is a summary of financial and derivative instruments that are subject to enforceable master netting agreements (or similar arrangements) and collateral received and pledged in connection with the master netting agreements (or similar arrangements).

 

           

Gross Amount Not
Offset in Consolidated
Statement of Assets and
Liabilities

                           

Gross Amount Not
Offset in Consolidated
Statement of Assets and
Liabilities

         

Description

 

Gross Amount
Presented in
the
Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities

   

Financial
Instruments

   

Collateral
Received

   

Net
Amount
(1)

           

Gross Amount
Presented in
the
Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities

   

Financial
Instruments

   

Collateral
Pledged
(2)

   

Net
Amount
(3)

 
   

Assets

           

Liabilities

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

  $ 727,470     $ (372,172 )   $     $ 355,298             $ 372,172     $ (372,172 )   $     $  

 

 

(1)

Net amount represents the net amount receivable from the counterparty in the event of default.

 

(2)

Actual collateral pledged may be more than the amount shown.

 

(3)

Net amount represents the net amount payable to the counterparty in the event of default.

 

Use of Estimates — The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

Investment Transactions, Investment Income and Expenses — The Fund records security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gain are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. The Fund’s investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Offering costs for a new fund are expensed over a 12-month period from the inception date of the fund. Offering costs are charged directly to the fund in which they are incurred. Expenses and fees, including offering costs and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Fund.

 

Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders — Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net realized capital gains, if any, are declared and paid at least annually to shareholders and recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

U.S. Tax Status — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is the Fund’s intention to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

18

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

For tax purposes, the Subsidiary is an exempted Cayman Islands investment company. The Subsidiary has received an undertaking from the Government of the Cayman Islands exempting it from all local income, profits and capital gains taxes. No such taxes are levied in the Cayman Islands at the present time. For U.S. income tax purposes, the Subsidiary is a Controlled Foreign Corporation and as such is not subject to U.S. income tax.

 

Foreign Currency Translation — Assets and liabilities initially expressed in non-U.S. currencies are translated into U.S. dollars based on the applicable exchange rates at the date of the last business day of the consolidated financial statement period. Purchases and sales of securities, interest income, dividends, variation margin received and expenses denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect on the transaction date.

 

The Fund does not separately report the effect of changes in foreign exchange rates from changes in market prices of securities held. Such changes are included with the net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Other foreign currency transactions resulting in realized and unrealized gain or loss are reported separately as net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on foreign currencies in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

Currency Risk — Investment in foreign securities involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts may limit potential gains from a favorable change in value between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. Unanticipated changes in currency pricing may result in poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not engaged in these contracts.

 

Commodity Sector Risk — Exposure to the commodities markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates or factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. The prices of energy, industrial metals, precious metals, agriculture and livestock sector commodities may fluctuate widely due to factors such as changes in value, supply and demand and governmental regulatory policies. The commodity-linked securities in which the Fund invests may be issued by companies in the financial services sector, and events affecting the financial services sector may cause the Fund’s share value to fluctuate.

 

Foreign Securities Market Risk — A substantial portion of the trades of the Fund are expected to take place on markets or exchanges outside the United States. There is no limit to the amount of assets of the Fund that may be committed to trading on foreign markets. The risk of loss in trading foreign futures and options on futures contracts can be substantial. Participation in foreign futures and options on futures contracts involves the execution and clearing of trades on, or subject to the rules of, a foreign board of trade or exchange. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals’ markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a commodity interest transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.

 

Counterparty Risk — The derivative contracts entered into by the Fund or its Subsidiary may be privately negotiated in the over-the-counter market. These contracts also involve exposure to credit risk, since contract performance depends in part on the financial condition of the counterparty. Relying on a counterparty exposes the Fund to the risk that a counterparty will not settle a transaction in accordance with its terms and conditions because of a dispute over the terms of the contract (whether or not bona fide) or because of a credit or liquidity problem, thus causing the Fund to suffer a loss. If a counterparty defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, this default will cause the value of an investment in the Fund to decrease.

 

19

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Futures Contracts — The Fund uses futures contracts in the normal course of pursuing its investment objective. Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund must deposit initial margin in addition to segregating cash or liquid assets sufficient to meet its obligation to purchase or provide securities, or to pay the amount owed at the expiration of an index-based futures contract. Such liquid assets may consist of cash, cash equivalents, liquid debt or equity securities or other acceptable assets. Pursuant to the futures contract, the Fund agrees to receive from, or pay to the broker, an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in value of the contract. Such a receipt of payment is known as “variation margin” and is recorded by the Fund as an unrealized gain or loss. When the contract is closed, the Fund records a realized gain or loss equal to the difference between the proceeds from (or cost of) the closing transactions and the Fund’s basis in the contract. Futures contracts have market risks, including the risk that the change in the value of the contract may not correlate with changes in the value of the underlying securities. Use of long futures contracts subjects the Fund to risk of loss in excess of the amount shown on the Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities, up to the notional value of the futures contract. Use of short futures contracts subjects the Fund to unlimited risk of loss.

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts — The Fund uses forward foreign currency contracts (“forward contracts”) in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. These contracts are marked-to-market daily at the applicable translation rates. The Fund records realized gains or losses at the time the forward contract is closed. A forward contract is extinguished through a closing transaction or upon delivery of the currency or entering an off setting contract. Risks may arise upon entering these contracts from the potential inability of a counterparty to meet the terms of their contracts and from unanticipated movements in the value of a foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar or other currencies. The Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty credit risk related to forward foreign currency contracts is the fair value of the contract. The risk may be mitigated to some extent if a master netting arrangement between the Fund and the counterparty is in place and to the extent the Fund obtains collateral to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty.

 

Credit Risk — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of the security or a counterparty in respect of a derivative instrument will not be able to satisfy its payment obligations to the Fund when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. Securities rated in the four highest categories by the rating agencies are considered investment grade but they may also have some speculative characteristics. Investment grade ratings do not guarantee that bonds will not lose value or default. In addition, the credit quality of securities may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes.

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual companies are not known. The operational and financial performance of individual companies and the market in general depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

Other — In the normal course of business, the Fund may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Fund in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Fund expects the risk of material loss from such claims to be remote.

 

2. Investment Adviser and Other Services

 

Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC (“Campbell” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Campbell & Company, L.P. The Fund does not pay a fee to Campbell for investment advisory services. The Fund is only available for investment to clients of Campbell, including other investment companies advised by Campbell. Such clients have discretion to pay Campbell an amount deemed to be fair and reasonable.

 

20

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Fund. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Fund’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Fund. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Fund’s distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Fund’s distributor.

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

3. Director and Officer Compensation

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Fund or the Company. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

4. Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities

 

During the current fiscal period, there were no purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments and derivative transactions) or long-term U.S. Government securities by the Fund.

 

5. Federal Income Tax Information

 

The Fund has followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Fund to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund has determined that there was no effect on the consolidated financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Fund is subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by the Fund were as follows(a):

 

 

Federal Tax
Cost

   

Unrealized
Appreciation

   

Unrealized
(Depreciation)

   

Net
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 
  $ 5,648,838     $ 76     $ (549,758 )   $ (549,682 )

 

 

(a)

The difference between the book basis and tax basis cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments is attributable primarily to futures not regulated by section 1256 of the Internal Revenue Code and timing difference related to taxable income from a wholly owned controlled foreign corporation.

 

21

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

Permanent differences as of August 31, 2020, primarily attributable to investments in wholly-owned controlled foreign corporation and net operating losses were reclassified among the following accounts:

 

 

Distributable
Earnings/(Loss)

   

Paid-In
Capital

 
  $ 441,855     $ (441,855 )

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

 

Undistributed
Ordinary
Income

   

Undistributed
Long-Term
Capital Gains

   

Qualified
Late-Year
Loss Deferral

   

Capitol Loss
Carryforward

   

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 
  $     $     $     $ (365,319 )   $ (182,743 )

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate principally to the timing of recognition of income and gains of the Subsidiary for federal income tax purposes. Short-term and foreign currency gains are reported as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019 were as follows:

 

   

Ordinary
Income

   

Long-Term
Gains

   

Total

 

2020

  $ 361,246     $ 382,491     $ 743,737  

2019

                 

 

Pursuant to federal income tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies, the Fund may elect to treat certain capital losses between November 1 and August 31 and late year ordinary losses ((i) ordinary losses between January 1 and August 31, and (ii) specified ordinary and currency losses between November 1 and August 31) as occurring on the first day of the following tax year. For the current fiscal period ended August 31, 2020, any amount of losses elected within the tax return will not be recognized for federal income tax purposes until September 1, 2020. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund had no tax basis qualified late-year loss deferral.

 

Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the Fund is permitted to carry forward capital losses for an unlimited period. Additionally, capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under the previous law. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund had $365,319 of short term capital loss carryovers to offset future capital gains.

 

6. New Accounting Pronouncements and regulatory updates

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in

 

22

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Fund’s consolidated financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

7. Subsequent Events

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the consolidated financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no significant events requiring recognition or disclosure in the consolidated financial statements.

 

23

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. and
Shareholders of Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated statement of assets and liabilities of Campbell Advantage Fund (the “Fund”) (one of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”)), including the consolidated portfolio of investments, as of August 31, 2020, and the related consolidated statement of operations for the year then ended, the consolidated statement of changes in net assets and the consolidated financial highlights for the year then ended and the period May 31, 2019 (commencement of operations) to August 31, 2020 and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Fund (one of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc.) at August 31, 2020, the consolidated results of its operations for the year then ended and the consolidated changes in its net assets and its consolidated financial highlights for the year then ended and the period May 31, 2019 (commencement of operations) to August 31, 2020, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers were not received. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Campbell & Company investment companies since 2015.

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 30, 2020

 

24

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Shareholder Tax Information

(Unaudited)

 

Certain tax information regarding the Fund is required to be provided to shareholders based upon the Fund’s income and distributions for the taxable year ended August 31, 2020. The information and distributions reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ended December 31, 2020. During the period ended August 31, 2020, the Fund paid no ordinary income distributions to its shareholders. Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal tax purposes.

 

The percentage of taxable ordinary income distributions that are designated as short-term capital gain distributions under Internal Revenue Section 871(k)(2)(C) was 74.92% for the Fund.

 

The percentage of ordinary income dividends qualifying for the 15% dividend tax rate is 0.00%.

 

The percentage of ordinary income dividends qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction is 0.00%.

 

The Fund designates 100.00% of the ordinary income distributions as qualified short-term gain pursuant to the American Job Creation Act of 2004.

 

Because the Fund’s fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2019. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Fund, if any.

 

In general, dividends received by tax exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Fund.

 

25

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Other Information

(Unaudited)

 

Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling (844) 261-6488 and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedules

 

The Company files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Approval of Investment Advisory Agreements

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered the renewal of the investment advisory agreement between Campbell and the Company on behalf of the Fund, and the investment advisory agreement between Campbell and the Subsidiary (together, the “Investment Advisory Agreements”) at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreements for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreements reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreements, the Board considered information provided by Campbell with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Advisory Agreements, the Directors took into account all the materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of Campbell’s services to be provided to the Fund and the Subsidiary; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of Campbell’s personnel providing those services; (iii) Campbell’s investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Campbell’s assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Campbell’s soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) Campbell’s advisory fee arrangement with the Company and other similarly managed clients; (vii) Campbell’s compliance policies and procedures; (viii) Campbell’s financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Fund and the Subsidiary; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Fund; (x) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing the Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its Lipper peer group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Campbell. The Directors concluded that Campbell had substantial resources to provide services to the Fund and the Subsidiary and that Campbell’s services had been acceptable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Fund, noting that the Fund had commenced investment operations on May 31, 2019. The Directors noted that the Fund had outperformed its benchmark index (BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index) for the year-to-date period ended March 31, 2020. The Directors noted that the Fund ranked in the 5th quintile within its Lipper Performance Group for the since-inception period ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rate payable by the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreements. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Fund and the Fund’s total operating expense ratio was compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms.

 

26

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Other Information (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

The Directors then noted that the actual advisor fee of the Fund ranked in the 1st quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 5th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

After reviewing the information regarding the Fund’s costs, Campbell’s estimated profitability and economies of scale, and after considering Campbell’s services, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees to be paid by the Fund were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreements should be approved for an additional annual period ending August 16, 2021.

 

27

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Company Management

(Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-844-261-6488.

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

Nicholas A. Giordano
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

Arnold M. Reichman
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 72

Chairman

 

Director

2005 to present

 

1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

 

28

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Company Management (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Brian T. Shea
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

Robert Sablowsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 82

Vice Chairman

 

Director

2016 to present

 

1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

OFFICERS

Salvatore Faia, JD, CPA, CFE
Vigilant Compliance, LLC Gateway Corporate Center Suite 216
223 Wilmington West Chester Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Age: 57

President

 

Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present

 

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 59

Treasurer and Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

Craig A. Urciuoli
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

 

 

29

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Company Management (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Jennifer Witt
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (investment company).

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 61

Assistant Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

 

30

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Company Management (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive-level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

31

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Privacy Notice

(Unaudited)

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

FACTS

WHAT DOES THE Campbell Advantage Fund DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

● Social Security number

● account balances

● account transactions

● transaction history

● wire transfer instructions

● checking account information

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How?

All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Campbell Advantage Fund chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

       

Reasons we can share your personal information

Does the Campbell
Advantage Fund share?

Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purposes —
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes —
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

No

We do not share.

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your creditworthiness

No

We do not share.

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We do not share.

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We do not share.

 

Questions?

Call 1-844-261-6488

 

 

32

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Privacy Notice (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

What we do

 

How does the Campbell Advantage Fund protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.

How does the Campbell Advantage Fund collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

● open an account

● provide account information

● give us your contact information

● make a wire transfer

● tell us where to send the money

We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness

● affiliates from using your information to market to you

● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

Definitions

 

Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

Our affiliates include Campbell Advantage Fund’s investment adviser, Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC.

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

The Campbell Advantage Fund doesn’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

The Campbell Advantage Fund does not jointly market.

 

 

33

 

 

Campbell Advantage Fund

 

Affirmation of the Commodity Pool Operator

August 31, 2020

 

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the information contained in the Annual Report for the year ended August 31, 2020 is accurate and complete.

 

 

 

G. William Andrews, Chief Executive Officer
Campbell & Company, LP
CAMPBELL ADVANTAGE FUND

 

34

 

 

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

Investment Adviser
Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC
2850 Quarry Lake Drive
Baltimore, Maryland 21209

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Custodian
U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, Suite 700
Philadelphia, PA 19103

 

Legal Counsel
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

CAAD-AR20

 

 

 

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

of

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.

 

 

Class A (TICKER: EBSAX)

Class C (TICKER: EBSCX)

Class I (TICKER: EBSIX)

Class P (TICKER: EBSPX)

Annual Report

 

 

August 31, 2020

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Campbell Systematic Macro Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Campbell Systematic Macro Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-844-261-6488.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Campbell Systematic Macro Fund, you can call 1-844-261-6488 to inform the Campbell Systematic Macro Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Campbell Systematic Macro Fund.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Fund. It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Fund.

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report

(Unaudited)

 

The Campbell Systematic Macro Fund (the “Fund”) operated as a series of Equinox Funds Trust known as the Equinox Campbell Strategy Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”) with substantially similar investment strategy, policies and limitations as the Fund prior to May 29, 2020, at which time the Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Fund. The performance information shown below for periods prior to May 29, 2020 represents the performance of the Predecessor Fund. Following the reorganization, the Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31. As a result the commentary and returns address the period from October 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020. The Predecessor Fund was launched on March 8, 2013 (except for Class C Shares, as shown in the table below).

 

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation over the medium to long-term, which is pursued by:

 

 

(i)

investing Fund assets pursuant to the Campbell Systematic Macro Program (the “Program”), which uses quantitative modeling to develop and maintain systematic trading strategies driven by scientific analysis of financial data across global financial and commodity markets;

 

 

(ii)

allocating up to 25% of the Fund’s total assets to its wholly-owned subsidiary, which is organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands and employs the Program; and

 

 

(iii)

allocating the remainder of the Fund’s assets directly in a portfolio of investment grade securities (including government securities) for cash management purposes.

 

Returns of the Fund’s shares for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 (the “fiscal year”) are shown in the table below. The Fund had negative performance for the fiscal year and positive performance since inception.

 

PERFORMANCE OF THE FUND

 

As of 8/31/2020

 

Name

Ticker

11 Mo
Return
(10/1/19-
8/31/20)

1-Year
Return

5-Year
annualized
return

Annualized
Return
Since
Inception

Cumulative
Return
Since
Inception

Inception
Date

Class A

EBSAX

-8.86%

-11.21%

-1.39%

1.29%

10.05%

3/8/2013

Class A (with 5.75% maximum sales charge)

EBSAX

-14.11%

-16.28%

-2.55%

0.49%

3.73%

3/8/2013

Class C

EBSCX

-9.49%

-11.81%

-2.15%

1.33%

9.01%

2/11/2014

Class I

EBSIX

-8.75%

-10.99%

-1.13%

1.56%

12.28%

3/8/2013

Class P

EBSPX

-8.95%

-11.24%

-1.35%

1.41%

11.02%

3/8/2013

 

Performance data quoted here represents past performance. Performance shown prior to 06/01/2020 is that of the predecessor fund, Equinox Campbell Strategy Fund. Past performance data of the fund and the predecessor fund is net of all fees and expenses and includes reinvestment of dividends. Past performance does not guarantee future results. The value of an investor’s shares will fluctuate so that investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. For performance current to the most recent month end, please visit https://www.campbell.com/systematicmacro. Current performance may be lower or higher. Performance data excluding sales charge does not reflect the deduction of the sales charge or CDSC and if reflected, the sales charge

 

1

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

or fee would reduce the performance quoted. Performance would have been lower without fee waivers in effect. As of the most recent prospectus, the gross expense ratio for the Fund is 2.20% for Class A, 1.95% for Class I, 2.20% for Class P, and 2.95% for Class C.

 

As shown below, the Fund’s market exposure continues to be diversified across six sectors. As of the fiscal year-end, Interest Rates, Currencies, and Equity Indices, in that order, represent the Fund’s largest gross exposures, and total 77.3% of the Fund’s portfolio, while the physical commodity sectors, Metals, Agricultural Commodities, and Energy (in that order) total the remaining 22.7%.

 

SECTOR ALLOCATION*

 

As of 8/31/2020

 

Currencies

Interest
Rates

Equity
Indices

Ag
Commodities

Metals

Energy

Total

25.3%

27.4%

24.6%

7.3%

8.2%

7.2%

100.0%

 

In terms of sector attribution, all sectors except for Metals were negative contributors to Fund performance during the fiscal year.

 

SECTOR ATTRIBUTION*

 

11 months ending 8/31/2020

 

Currencies

Interest
Rates

Equity
Indices

Ag
Commodities

Metals

Energy

-3.7%

-0.7%

-6.7%

-4.2%

5.3%

-4.4%

 

*

Attribution performance of the sectors will not equate to the total return performance of the Fund. Relative performance in a particular sector over a short period is no indication or guarantee of the Fund’s performance over longer time horizons. The sector allocations shown may not be representative of the Fund’s current or future investments and are subject to change.

 

FUND PERFORMANCE AND MARKET COMMENTARY

 

The performance of the Fund was down in October 2019, with losses in foreign exchange, fixed income, commodities, and equity indices. From a strategy perspective, losses came from the Fund’s trend following, systematic macro, and short-term strategies.

 

Markets in October 2019 were generally driven by central bank activity, including a US Federal Reserve (“Fed”) interest rate cut, improving sentiment around US-China trade relations, progress towards an orderly United Kingdom (“UK”) exit from the European Union (“Brexit”), and better-than-expected earnings reports. The US dollar was broadly weaker during the month amid the US Fed interest rate cut, risk-on flows fueled by US-China trade improvements, and the Brexit outlook. US and Japanese stock indexes rose, driven by risk-on tailwinds and strong earnings reports.

 

The performance of the Fund was down in November 2019, with gains in foreign exchange, equity indices, and fixed income and losses in commodities. From a strategy perspective, gains came from the Fund’s trend following and systematic macro strategies, while the Fund’s short-term strategies were down.

 

2

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Markets in November 2019 were generally driven by positive US-China “phase one” trade deal expectations, traction from the global monetary policy pivot, Fed and European Central Bank balance sheet expansion, and some signs of global growth stabilization. These developments pushed most global stock indexes higher during November. In the UK, parliament voted in favor of a December general election, which calmed Brexit jitters and prompted UK 10-year bonds to sell off.

 

The Fund experienced losses in December 2019, with gains in equity indices being more than offset by losses in foreign exchange, fixed income and commodities. From a strategy perspective, losses came from the Fund’s trend following, systematic macro, and short-term strategies.

 

Markets in December 2019 were generally driven by a cooling of trade tensions between the US and China, where each side seemed satisfied to reach the needed “phase one” deal. Markets also moved on supportive central bank policies and dampened Brexit risks, as Boris Johnson won a decisive Brexit victory in the UK general election. Global oil markets moved higher on lower inventory levels, some rising geopolitical risks, and a weaker US dollar.

 

The Fund experienced gains in January 2020, with gains in fixed income, commodities, and foreign exchange and some losses in equity indices. From a strategy perspective, gains came from all of the Fund’s strategies, including systematic macro, short-term, and trend following.

 

In the first half of January 2020, markets were generally driven by the ratification of the “phase one” US-China trade deal, renewed central bank balance sheet expansion, Brexit clarity, and some better-than-expected US earnings releases. However, many markets reversed course in the second half of the month, including global stocks trading lower, as the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) outbreak intensified. Commodity-sensitive economies and their currencies came under pressure as commodity prices sold-off on concerns that the worsening COVID-19 outbreak would pare Chinese demand for raw materials.

 

The Fund experienced gains in February 2020, with gains in fixed income, commodities, and foreign exchange and some losses in equity indices. From a strategy perspective, gains came from the Fund’s short-term and systematic macro strategies, while trend following strategies were down.

 

Global markets were driven by the worsening COVID-19 epidemic in February 2020. The impact spread across all markets as world economic growth fears and supply chain disruption concerns expanded rapidly. Investors aggressively sought the perceived safety of fixed income instruments, sending global yields tumbling and expectations for further central bank stimulus soaring. Global equity markets sold off, expectations on demand for base metal, petroleum, and beef products fell, and commodity-linked currencies came under pressure.

 

The performance of the Fund was down in March 2020, with gains in foreign exchange and commodities more than offset by losses in equity indices and fixed income. From a strategy perspective, gains came from the Fund’s short-term strategies, while its systematic macro and trend following strategies were down.

 

Global markets were driven by the impact and response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Global equity indices sold off during the month as economic activity sharply decreased on the back of containment measures in the form of “stay at home” directives, closures, and shutdowns. Central banks and governments took unprecedented steps in an effort to soften the financial impact from the virus, but fear over the length and depth of the growth slowdown sent risky asset sharply lower. Flight-to-quality moves sent the US dollar sharply higher, while the expanding pandemic negatively affected demand expectations for commodities, including base metals, petroleum, and beef products, among others.

 

The performance of the Fund was down in April 2020, with gains in commodities and equity indices more than offset by losses in foreign exchange and fixed income. From a strategy perspective, gains came from the Fund’s short-term strategies, while its systematic macro strategies were down and its trend following strategies were flat.

 

3

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Global markets were driven by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis in April 2020. Global equity indexes rebounded considerably from the oversold conditions seen during March, as the United States and other countries laid out plans to reopen their economies from the COVID-19 lockdown that has proven to be very damaging to local, regional, and global economic growth. In commodity markets, crude oil sold off sharply on the reduced demand linked with a shortage of available storage capacity. The May West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures contract went below zero for the first time in history, as long holders scrambled to sell before contract expiration in order to avoid taking physical delivery, given the scarcity of demand and lack of available storage space.

 

The performance of the Fund was down in May 2020, with gains in fixed income more than offset by losses in foreign exchange, commodities and equity indices. From a strategy perspective, losses came from the Fund’s trend following, short-term and systematic macro strategies.

 

Markets continued to be driven by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020. Regional economic re-openings linked with positive signs regarding new COVID-19 cases fueled global optimism and caused traders to move away from safe haven assets in favor of riskier ones. This generally pushed fixed income yields and most global equity markets higher. Energy, grain, and industrial metal complexes also rallied, driven by the improving crisis.

 

The performance of the Fund was down in June 2020, with gains in equity indices and fixed income more than offset by losses in foreign exchange and commodities. From a strategy perspective, losses came from trend following, short-term and systematic macro strategies.

 

Markets continued to be driven by the continued global COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic fallout in June 2020. Most global indexes experienced a choppy month, as early investor exuberance over additional government stimulus programs and the economic re-openings quickly wore off on reports of increasing COVID-19 infection outbreaks. In energy markets, natural gas prices fell amid plummeting US gas exports and shifting weather and market supply dynamics.

 

The performance of the Fund was down in July 2020, with gains in fixed income and commodities more than offset by losses in foreign exchange and equity indices. From a strategy perspective, losses came from the Fund’s systematic macro strategies, while its trend following and short-term strategies gained.

 

COVID-19 continued to dominate global market news in July 2020. In the US, the country’s inability to get the COVID-19 virus under control in the face of other nations of the world seemingly being better able to handle the crisis generated concern that US economic growth would lag other countries, leading the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee to keep highly accommodative monetary easing measures in place longer. This weakened the US dollar to two-year lows. Late in the month, both the Asia-Pacific and European regions began to see an uptick in COVID-19 virus cases. Regional governments were quick to discuss the possibility of shutting down economies once again to halt the spread of the disease, which led to rapid risk-off sentiment in equity markets and lower prices.

 

The performance of the Fund was down in August 2020, with losses in fixed income and commodities and gains in foreign exchange and equity indices. From a strategy perspective, losses came from the Fund’s systematic macro and short-term strategies, while its trend following gained.

 

COVID-19 news continued to drive global markets in August 2020. Global equity markets rose on positive signs related to infection rates, signs that some governments were less willing to renew economic shutdowns to manage the crisis, and ongoing monetary and fiscal stimulus actions. Global fixed income yields also rose as the ongoing emergency fiscal spending created the need for many governments around the world to finance spending with new and, in some cases, record levels of, debt issuance.

 

 

4

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

This material must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.

 

Mutual funds involve risk including possible loss of principal. Investments in Managed Futures are speculative, involve substantial risk, and are not suitable for all investors. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Exposure to the commodities markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility. These contracts also involve exposure to credit risk, since contract performance depends in part on the financial condition of the counterparty. Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of the security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Currency rates in foreign countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates and the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the US or abroad. Derivative instruments come in many varieties and have a wide range of potential risks and rewards, and may include futures contracts, options on futures contracts, options, swaps, and forward currency exchange contracts. Derivatives typically have economic leverage inherent in their terms. The use of leverage tends to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities or other investments. Furthermore, derivative instruments and futures contracts are highly volatile and are subject to occasional rapid and substantial fluctuations. Investments in foreign securities could subject the Fund to greater risks including, currency fluctuation, economic conditions, and different governmental and accounting standards, derivative instruments and futures contracts are highly volatile and are subject to occasional rapid and substantial fluctuations. Foreign security risks are magnified in emerging markets. The Fund is non-diversified which means it may be invested in fewer securities at any one time than a diversified fund.

 

Opinions expressed are subject to change at any time, are not guaranteed, and should not be considered investment advice.

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund is distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC. Campbell & Company Investment Adviser, LLC is the Investment Manager of the Fund and a federally registered investment adviser. Quasar Distributors is not affiliated with Campbell & Company Investment Adviser.

 

5

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Performance Data
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Campbell Systematic Macro Fund - Class A vs. BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index and S&P 500® Total Return Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment, adjusted for the Class A Shares maximum sales charge of 5.75% to a net initial investment of $9,425, in the Class A Shares is made on March 8, 2013 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index and S&P 500® Total Return Index are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

average annual total returns for the period ended August 31, 2020

 
 

ELEVEN
MONTHS(1)

ONE
YEAR

THREE
YEARS

FIVE
YEARS

SINCE
INCEPTION(2)

 

Class A Shares (without sales charge)

-8.86%

-11.21%

2.57%

-1.39%

1.29%

 

Class A Shares (with sales charge)

-14.11%

-16.28%

0.55%

-2.55%

0.49%

 

BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index (3)(4)

-2.28%

-5.36%

1.22%

-0.44%

0.70%

 

S&P 500® Total Return Index (3)(5)

21.57%

21.94%

14.52%

14.46%

13.79%

 

 

(1)

Not annualized.

 

(2)

The Fund commenced operations on March 8, 2013 as a separate portfolio (the “Predecessor Fund”) of Equinox Funds Trust. Effective May 29, 2020, the Predecessor Fund was reorganized as a new series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Reorganization”). The performance shown for periods prior to May 29, 2020 represents the performance of the Predecessor Fund.

 

(3)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

6

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Performance Data (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

(4)

The BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index (“BTOP50 Index”) seeks to replicate the overall composition of the managed futures industry with regard to trading style and overall market exposure. The BTOP50 Index employs a top-down approach in selecting its constituents. The largest investable trading advisor programs, as measured by assets under management, are selected for inclusion in the BTOP50 Index

 

(5)

The S&P 500® Total Return Index is a widely accepted, unmanaged index of U.S. stock market performance which does not take into account charges, fees and other expenses. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

Performance data quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted above. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Call the Fund at 1-844-261-6488 for returns current to the most recent month-end.

 

The performance data quoted reflects fee waivers in effect and would have been less in their absence. The Fund’s total annual operating expense ratio, as stated in the current prospectus dated December 31, 2019, is 2.20% and the Fund’s net operating expense ratio after waivers is 2.00%. Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 2.00% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. This contractual limitation is in effect until December 31, 2020 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. Please see the Consolidated Financial Highlights for current figures.

 

An investment in the Fund is speculative and involves substantial risk. The Fund is not suitable for all investors. It is possible that an investor may lose some or all of its investment. The Fund invests in long and short positions in futures, forwards and spot contracts, each of which may be tied to commodities, financial indices and instruments, foreign currencies, or equity indices. The Fund also invests in investment grade fixed income securities of all durations and maturities. The Fund may be more volatile than investments in traditional securities. Losses on futures and other derivatives can be caused by unanticipated market movements and may be potentially unlimited. Commodities, currencies, foreign investments, and interest rate-linked instruments each entail special risks. The Fund is non-diversified; therefore gains or losses on a single holding may have a relatively great impact on the Fund. A more complete description of the Fund’s risks can be found in its prospectus, which should be read carefully before investing.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

7

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Performance Data (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Campbell Systematic Macro Fund - Class C vs. BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index and S&P 500® Total Return Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Class C Shares is made on February 11, 2014 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index and S&P 500® Total Return Index are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

average annual total returns for the period ended August 31, 2020

 
 

ELEVEN
MONTHS(1)

ONE
YEAR

THREE
YEARS

FIVE
YEARS

SINCE
INCEPTION(2)

 

Class C Shares

-9.49%

-11.81%

1.75%

-2.15%

1.33%

 

BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index (3)(4)

-2.28%

-5.36%

1.22%

-0.44%

1.34%

 

S&P 500® Total Return Index (3)(5)

21.57%

21.94%

14.52%

14.46%

12.78%

 

 

(1)

Not annualized.

 

(2)

Class C Shares of the Fund commenced operations on February 11, 2014 in a separate portfolio (the “Predecessor Fund”) of Equinox Funds Trust. Effective May 29, 2020, the Predecessor Fund was reorganized as a new series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Reorganization”). The performance shown for periods prior to May 29, 2020 represents the performance of the Predecessor Fund.

 

(3)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

(4)

The BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index (“BTOP50 Index”) seeks to replicate the overall composition of the managed futures industry with regard to trading style and overall market exposure. The BTOP50 Index employs a top-down approach in selecting its constituents. The largest investable trading advisor programs, as measured by assets under management, are selected for inclusion in the BTOP50 Index

 

(5)

The S&P 500® Total Return Index is a widely accepted, unmanaged index of U.S. stock market performance which does not take into account charges, fees and other expenses. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

8

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Performance Data (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Performance data quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted above. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Call the Fund at 1-844-261-6488 for returns current to the most recent month-end.

 

The performance data quoted reflects fee waivers in effect and would have been less in their absence. The Fund’s total annual operating expense ratio, as stated in the current prospectus dated December 31, 2019, is 2.95% and the Fund’s net operating expense ratio after waivers is 2.75%. Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 2.75% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. This contractual limitation is in effect until December 31, 2020 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. Please see the Consolidated Financial Highlights for current figures.

 

An investment in the Fund is speculative and involves substantial risk. The Fund is not suitable for all investors. It is possible that an investor may lose some or all of its investment. The Fund invests in long and short positions in futures, forwards and spot contracts, each of which may be tied to commodities, financial indices and instruments, foreign currencies, or equity indices. The Fund also invests in investment grade fixed income securities of all durations and maturities. The Fund may be more volatile than investments in traditional securities. Losses on futures and other derivatives can be caused by unanticipated market movements and may be potentially unlimited. Commodities, currencies, foreign investments, and interest rate-linked instruments each entail special risks. The Fund is non-diversified; therefore gains or losses on a single holding may have a relatively great impact on the Fund. A more complete description of the Fund’s risks can be found in its prospectus, which should be read carefully before investing.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

9

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Performance Data (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $100,000 Investment in
Campbell Systematic Macro Fund - Class I vs. BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index and S&P 500® Total Return Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $100,000 initial investment in the Class I Shares is made on March 8, 2013 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index and S&P 500® Total Return Index are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

average annual total returns for the period ended August 31, 2020

 
 

ELEVEN
MONTHS(1)

ONE
YEAR

THREE
YEARS

FIVE
YEARS

SINCE
INCEPTION(2)

 

Class I Shares

-8.75%

-10.99%

2.85%

-1.13%

1.56%

 

BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index (3)(4)

-2.28%

-5.36%

1.22%

-0.44%

0.70%

 

S&P 500® Total Return Index (3)(5)

21.57%

21.94%

14.52%

14.46%

13.79%

 

 

(1)

Not annualized.

 

(2)

The Fund commenced operations on March 8, 2013 as a separate portfolio (the “Predecessor Fund”) of Equinox Funds Trust. Effective May 29, 2020, the Predecessor Fund was reorganized as a new series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Reorganization”). The performance shown for periods prior to May 29, 2020 represents the performance of the Predecessor Fund.

 

(3)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

(4)

The BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index (“BTOP50 Index”) seeks to replicate the overall composition of the managed futures industry with regard to trading style and overall market exposure. The BTOP50 Index employs a top-down approach in selecting its constituents. The largest investable trading advisor programs, as measured by assets under management, are selected for inclusion in the BTOP50 Index

 

(5)

The S&P 500® Total Return Index is a widely accepted, unmanaged index of U.S. stock market performance which does not take into account charges, fees and other expenses. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

10

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Performance Data (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Performance data quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted above. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Call the Fund at 1-844-261-6488 for returns current to the most recent month-end.

 

The performance data quoted reflects fee waivers in effect and would have been less in their absence. The Fund’s total annual operating expense ratio, as stated in the current prospectus dated December 31, 2019, is 1.95% and the Fund’s net operating expense ratio after waivers is 1.75%. Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 1.75% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. This contractual limitation is in effect until December 31, 2020 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. Please see the Consolidated Financial Highlights for current figures.

 

An investment in the Fund is speculative and involves substantial risk. The Fund is not suitable for all investors. It is possible that an investor may lose some or all of its investment. The Fund invests in long and short positions in futures, forwards and spot contracts, each of which may be tied to commodities, financial indices and instruments, foreign currencies, or equity indices. The Fund also invests in investment grade fixed income securities of all durations and maturities. The Fund may be more volatile than investments in traditional securities. Losses on futures and other derivatives can be caused by unanticipated market movements and may be potentially unlimited. Commodities, currencies, foreign investments, and interest rate-linked instruments each entail special risks. The Fund is non-diversified; therefore gains or losses on a single holding may have a relatively great impact on the Fund. A more complete description of the Fund’s risks can be found in its prospectus, which should be read carefully before investing.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

11

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Performance Data (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Campbell Systematic Macro Fund - Class P vs. BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index and S&P 500® Total Return Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Class P Shares is made on March 8, 2013 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index and S&P 500® Total Return Index are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

average annual total returns for the period ended August 31, 2020

 
 

ELEVEN
MONTHS(1)

ONE
YEAR

THREE
YEARS

FIVE
YEARS

SINCE
INCEPTION(2)

 

Class P Shares

-8.95%

-11.24%

2.46%

-1.35%

1.41%

 

BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index (3)(4)

-2.28%

-5.36%

1.22%

-0.44%

0.70%

 

S&P 500® Total Return Index (3)(5)

21.57%

21.94%

14.52%

14.46%

13.79%

 

 

(1)

Not annualized.

 

(2)

The Fund commenced operations on March 8, 2013 as a separate portfolio (the “Predecessor Fund”) of Equinox Funds Trust. Effective May 29, 2020, the Predecessor Fund was reorganized as a new series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Reorganization”). The performance shown for periods prior to May 29, 2020 represents the performance of the Predecessor Fund.

 

(3)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

(4)

The BarclayHedge BTOP50 Index (“BTOP50 Index”) seeks to replicate the overall composition of the managed futures industry with regard to trading style and overall market exposure. The BTOP50 Index employs a top-down approach in selecting its constituents. The largest investable trading advisor programs, as measured by assets under management, are selected for inclusion in the BTOP50 Index .

 

(5)

The S&P 500® Total Return Index is a widely accepted, unmanaged index of U.S. stock market performance which does not take into account charges, fees and other expenses. It is not possible to invest directly in an index

 

12

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Performance Data (Concluded)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Performance data quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the returns quoted above. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Call the Fund at 1-844-261-6488 for returns current to the most recent month-end.

 

The performance data quoted reflects fee waivers in effect and would have been less in their absence. The Fund’s total annual operating expense ratio, as stated in the current prospectus dated December 31, 2019, is 2.20% and the Fund’s net operating expense ratio after waivers is 2.00%. Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC has contractually agreed to waive its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) to 2.00% of the Fund’s average daily net assets. This contractual limitation is in effect until December 31, 2020 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. Please see the Consolidated Financial Highlights for current figures.

 

An investment in the Fund is speculative and involves substantial risk. The Fund is not suitable for all investors. It is possible that an investor may lose some or all of its investment. The Fund invests in long and short positions in futures, forwards and spot contracts, each of which may be tied to commodities, financial indices and instruments, foreign currencies, or equity indices. The Fund also invests in investment grade fixed income securities of all durations and maturities. The Fund may be more volatile than investments in traditional securities. Losses on futures and other derivatives can be caused by unanticipated market movements and may be potentially unlimited. Commodities, currencies, foreign investments, and interest rate-linked instruments each entail special risks. The Fund is non-diversified; therefore gains or losses on a single holding may have a relatively great impact on the Fund. A more complete description of the Fund’s risks can be found in its prospectus, which should be read carefully before investing.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

13

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Fund Expense Example

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees and other Fund expenses. This example is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

This example is based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020, and held for the entire period.

 

Actual Expenses

 

The first line of the accompanying table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

 

The second line of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare this 5% hypothetical example with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs. Therefore, the second line of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses
Pa
id During
Period *

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual
Six-Month Total
Investment
Return for the
Fund

Actual

         

Class A

$ 1,000.00

$ 918.60

$ 10.56

2.19%

-8.14%

Class C

1,000.00

914.60

15.79

3.28

-8.54

Class I

1,000.00

920.80

8.84

1.83

-7.92

Class P

1,000.00

920.10

10.57

2.19

-7.99

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

         

Class A

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,014.13

$ 11.09

2.19%

N/A

Class C

1,000.00

1,008.65

16.56

3.28

N/A

Class I

1,000.00

1,015.94

9.27

1.83

N/A

Class P

1,000.00

1,014.13

11.09

2.19

N/A

 

 

*

Expenses are equal to the Fund’s annualized six-month expense ratio for the period March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one half year period. The Fund’s ending account values on the first line in the tables is based on the actual six-month total investment return for the Fund.

 

14

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The following table presents a consolidated summary of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS:

               

U.S. Treasury Bills

    57.2 %   $ 77,984,592  

U.S. Treasury Notes

    12.7       17,362,771  

MONEY MARKET DEPOSIT ACCOUNT:

               

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account

    11.4       15,520,629  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES (including futures and forward foreign currency contracts)

    18.7       25,507,425  

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 136,375,417  

 

 

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by allocating its assets among derivatives and fixed income securities.

 

As a result of the Fund’s use of derivatives, the Fund may hold significant amounts of U.S. Treasuries or short-term investments.

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

Refer to the Consolidated Portfolio of Investments for a detailed listing of the Fund’s holdings.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
15

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

 

Coupon*

Maturity
Date

 

Par

   

Value

 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 81.3%

                   

U.S. TREASURY BILLS OBLIGATIONS — 57.2%

                   

United States Treasury Bill

0.047%

09/10/20

  $ 20,000,000     $ 19,999,606  

United States Treasury Bill

0.059%

10/01/20

    20,000,000       19,998,458  

United States Treasury Bill

0.070%

11/12/20

    13,000,000       12,997,530  

United States Treasury Bill

0.076%

01/14/21

    20,000,000       19,991,375  

United States Treasury Bill

0.063%

02/11/21

    5,000,000       4,997,623  

(Cost $77,989,890)

    77,984,592  
                     

U.S. TREASURY NOTES OBLIGATIONS — 12.7%

                   

United States Treasury Note

1.625%

11/30/20

    8,750,000       8,782,362  

United States Treasury Note

2.250%

02/15/21

    8,500,000       8,580,409  

(Cost $17,280,447)

    17,362,771  
         

MONEY MARKET DEPOSIT ACCOUNT — 11.4%

                   

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account

0.050%

08/01/31

    15,520,629       15,520,629  
                     

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

                   

(Cost $15,520,629)

    15,520,629  
         

TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 81.3%

                   

(Cost $110,790,966)

    110,867,992  
                     

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES — 18.7%

    25,507,425  

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

  $ 136,375,417  

 

 

*

Short-term investments’ coupon reflects the annualized yield on the date of purchase for discounted investments.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
16

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Futures contracts outstanding as of August 31, 2020 were as follows:

 

Long Contracts

Expiration
Date

Number of
Contracts

 

Notional
Cost

   

Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

Amsterdam Index

Sep-20

15

  $ 1,964,904     $ (40,975 )

Australian 10-Year Bond

Sep-20

266

    28,931,610       (6,941 )

Australian 3-Year Bond

Sep-20

80

    6,900,223       (3,709 )

Brent Crude

Dec-20

29

    1,324,140       (33,600 )

CAC40 10 Euro

Sep-20

43

    2,536,188       (46,580 )

Canadian 10-Year Bond

Dec-20

517

    59,827,485       (227,278 )

Cattle Feeder Futures

Oct-20

39

    2,742,188       (102,278 )

Cocoa

Dec-20

45

    1,194,300       69,484  

Coffee

Dec-20

5

    241,969       15,829  

Copper

Dec-20

84

    6,429,150       155,922  

Cotton No.2

Dec-20

63

    2,052,540       54,030  

DAX Index

Sep-20

4

    1,542,519       (19,116 )

DJIA Mini E-CBOT

Sep-20

16

    2,273,280       42,687  

Euro BUXL 30-Year Bond Futures

Sep-20

7

    1,812,024       (43,255 )

Euro Stoxx 50

Sep-20

34

    1,324,733       (26,360 )

Euro-Bobl

Sep-20

179

    28,758,168       (30,209 )

Euro-BTP

Sep-20

50

    8,723,955       (38,619 )

Euro-Oat

Sep-20

60

    11,990,978       (70,087 )

Euro-Schatz

Sep-20

228

    30,477,362       (16,283 )

FTSE/JSE TOP 40

Sep-20

29

    874,076       (17,545 )

FTSE/MIB Index

Sep-20

10

    1,170,911       (6,620 )

Gold 100 Oz

Dec-20

26

    5,144,360       92,987  

Hang Seng Index

Sep-20

88

    14,235,762       (235,826 )

Kansas City Hard Red Winter Wheat

Dec-20

173

    4,110,913       91,578  

Live Cattle

Oct-20

36

    1,516,320       (64,576 )

London Metals Exchange Aluminum

Sep-20

452

    20,017,950       1,403,972  

London Metals Exchange Aluminum

Dec-20

149

    6,726,419       55,175  

London Metals Exchange Copper

Sep-20

198

    33,073,425       4,109,107  

London Metals Exchange Copper

Dec-20

89

    14,832,406       519,950  

London Metals Exchange Nickel

Sep-20

222

    20,438,208       3,222,973  

London Metals Exchange Nickel

Dec-20

93

    8,583,714       426,318  

London Metals Exchange Zinc

Sep-20

433

    27,043,556       4,340,208  

London Metals Exchange Zinc

Dec-20

69

    4,346,569       100,958  

Long Gilt

Dec-20

413

    74,536,320       (245,797 )

MSCI Taiwan Index

Sep-20

12

    589,320       (10,453 )

Nikkie 225 (Osaka Securities Exchange)

Sep-20

28

    6,122,645       997  

NY Harbor Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel

Oct-20

20

    1,022,532       (40,167 )

Palladium

Dec-20

6

    1,367,580       54,375  

Russell 2000 E-Mini

Sep-20

39

    3,044,535       (12,872 )

S&P 500 E-Mini

Sep-20

2

    349,890       (827 )

S&P Mid 400 E-Mini

Sep-20

19

    3,659,020       390  

S&P/TSX 60 Index

Sep-20

35

    5,307,624       (82,226 )

Soybean

Nov-20

18

    858,150       7,161  

SPI 200 Index

Sep-20

66

    7,338,255       (78,400 )

Sugar No. 11 (World)

Oct-20

458

    6,494,074       (89,706 )

Topix Index

Sep-20

3

    457,726       (5,024 )

U.S. Treasury 10-Year Notes

Dec-20

23

    3,202,750       3,102  

U.S. Treasury 2-Year Notes

Dec-20

505

    111,577,383       43,226  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
17

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Long Contracts

Expiration
Date

Number of
Contracts

 

Notional
Cost

   

Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

U.S. Treasury 5-Year Notes

Dec-20

442

  $ 55,705,813     $ 65,489  

U.S. Treasury Long Bond (Chicago Board of Trade)

Dec-20

41

    7,204,469       28,085  

U.S. Treasury Ultra Long Bond (Chicago Board of Trade)

Dec-20

22

    4,859,937       (84,344 )

Wheat

Dec-20

225

    6,212,812       74,854  
                $ 13,299,184  

 

Short Contracts

Expiration
Date

Number of
Contracts

 

Notional
Amount

   

Value and
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

3-Month Euro Euribor

Jun-21

507

  $ (151,990,188 )   $ (7,313 )

90-DAY Bank Bill

Sep-21

80

    (58,982,323 )     (2,797 )

90-Day Euro

Dec-21

65

    (16,214,250 )     (379 )

90-Day Sterling

Jun-21

60

    (10,020,653 )     (541 )

Bank Acceptance

Dec-21

123

    (23,442,941 )     (3,765 )

Corn

Dec-20

12

    (214,650 )     (3,809 )

Euro-Bund

Sep-20

98

    (20,531,373 )     28,770  

FTSE 100 Index

Sep-20

10

    (796,907 )     202  

Gasoline RBOB

Oct-20

96

    (4,893,638 )     69,685  

IBEX 35 Index

Sep-20

6

    (498,012 )     8,506  

JPN 10-Year Bond (Osaka Securities Exchange)

Sep-20

66

    (94,461,974 )     223,670  

London Metals Exchange Aluminum

Dec-20

126

    (5,688,113 )     (65,753 )

London Metals Exchange Aluminum

Sep-20

452

    (20,017,950 )     (2,337,274 )

London Metals Exchange Copper

Dec-20

50

    (8,332,812 )     (190,040 )

London Metals Exchange Copper

Sep-20

198

    (33,073,425 )     (3,598,263 )

London Metals Exchange Nickel

Dec-20

6

    (553,788 )     (27,707 )

London Metals Exchange Nickel

Sep-20

222

    (20,438,208 )     (3,128,441 )

London Metals Exchange Zinc

Dec-20

18

    (1,133,887 )     (20,526 )

London Metals Exchange Zinc

Sep-20

433

    (27,043,556 )     (4,666,631 )

Low Sulphur Gasoil G Futures

Oct-20

175

    (6,444,375 )     70,999  

Nasdaq 100 E-Mini

Sep-20

13

    (3,149,640 )     (33,247 )

Natural Gas

Oct-20

163

    (4,286,900 )     (26,224 )

OMX Stockholm 30 Index

Sep-20

179

    (3,652,513 )     19,866  

Platinum

Oct-20

11

    (515,845 )     518  

Silver

Dec-20

8

    (1,143,760 )     (28,004 )

Soybean Meal

Dec-20

381

    (11,906,250 )     (547,083 )

Soybean Oil

Dec-20

74

    (1,458,984 )     (40,070 )

WTI Crude

Oct-20

43

    (1,832,230 )     10,866  
                $ (14,294,788 )

Total Futures Contracts

              $ (995,601 )

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
18

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Forward foreign currency contracts outstanding as of August 31, 2020 were as follows:

 

Currency Purchased

 

 

Currency Sold

 

 

Expiration
Date

Counterparty

 

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

AUD

    76,600,000          

USD

    54,011,979          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

  $ 2,487,361  

BRL

    72,300,000          

USD

    13,803,007          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (612,376 )

CAD

    193,550,000          

USD

    144,081,052          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    4,313,662  

CHF

    22,750,000          

USD

    24,295,310          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    883,413  

CLP

    14,250,000,000          

USD

    18,175,056          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    152,073  

CNH

    120,800,000          

USD

    17,222,118          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    389,711  

COP

    70,890,000,000          

USD

    19,238,931          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (310,292 )

CZK

    160,800,000          

USD

    7,019,125          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    286,817  

EUR

    70,900,000          

USD

    81,945,423          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    2,692,817  

GBP

    59,700,000          

USD

    76,534,768          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    3,277,510  

HUF

    4,923,000,000          

USD

    16,539,210          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (16,956 )

IDR

    68,250,000,000          

USD

    4,637,586          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    42,043  

INR

    2,350,000,000          

USD

    31,039,468          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    833,677  

JPY

    24,454,500,000          

USD

    229,279,042          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    1,656,077  

KRW

    25,170,000,000          

USD

    20,989,500          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    198,826  

MXN

    1,416,000,000          

USD

    63,214,479          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    1,361,121  

NOK

    470,850,000          

USD

    51,114,438          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    2,791,942  

NZD

    146,400,000          

USD

    95,662,367          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    2,951,137  

PHP

    748,500,000          

USD

    14,995,639          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    428,432  

PLN

    54,075,000          

USD

    14,325,462          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    358,570  

RUB

    1,170,000,000          

USD

    16,275,233          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (507,226 )

SEK

    388,800,000          

USD

    43,524,685          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    1,432,682  

SGD

    4,692,000          

USD

    3,428,745          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    19,857  

TWD

    303,750,000          

USD

    10,394,839          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (42,086 )

ZAR

    684,400,000          

USD

    40,256,670          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    39,884  

USD

    65,725,637          

AUD

    94,050,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (3,644,637 )

USD

    12,219,531          

BRL

    65,000,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    360,734  

USD

    82,442,947          

CAD

    110,900,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (2,584,042 )

USD

    26,221,696          

CHF

    24,450,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (838,514 )

USD

    21,798,758          

CLP

    17,120,000,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (219,519 )

USD

    9,968,463          

CNH

    69,400,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (149,592 )

USD

    17,025,586          

COP

    63,840,000,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (20,603 )

USD

    11,876,323          

CZK

    276,400,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (681,901 )

USD

    74,576,955          

EUR

    64,500,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (2,421,162 )

USD

    80,117,179          

GBP

    62,850,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (3,906,299 )

USD

    17,578,460          

HUF

    5,403,000,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (554,739 )

USD

    1,147,696          

IDR

    16,800,000,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (4,212 )

USD

    21,845,701          

INR

    1,655,000,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (601,130 )

USD

    220,217,964          

JPY

    23,503,500,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (1,736,424 )

USD

    26,187,676          

KRW

    31,320,000,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (177,775 )

USD

    55,320,717          

MXN

    1,248,000,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (1,593,371 )

USD

    41,096,034          

NOK

    381,750,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (2,609,521 )

USD

    90,659,926          

NZD

    138,000,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (2,295,426 )

USD

    19,205,940          

PHP

    948,000,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (329,156 )

USD

    15,213,867          

PLN

    59,475,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (936,531 )

USD

    9,846,325          

RUB

    702,000,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    385,520  

USD

    44,443,047          

SEK

    403,050,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (2,162,063 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
19

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Portfolio of Investments (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

Currency Purchased

 

 

Currency Sold

 

 

Expiration
Date

Counterparty

 

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

USD

    17,736,966          

SGD

    24,531,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

  $ (293,225 )

USD

    21,710,963          

TWD

    639,900,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (98,837 )

USD

    34,665,579          

ZAR

    598,400,000          

Sep 16 2020

UBS

    (567,412 )

Total Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

  $ (2,571,161 )

 

AUD

Australian Dollar

 

JPY

Japanese Yen

BRL

Brazilian Real

 

KRW

South Korean Won

CAD

Canadian Dollar

 

MXN

Mexican Peso

CHF

Swiss Franc

 

NOK

Norwegian Krone

CLP

Chilean Peso

 

NZD

New Zealand Dollar

CNH

Chinese Yuan Renminbi

 

PHP

Philippine Peso

COP

Columbian Peso

 

PLN

Polish Zloty

CZK

Czech Koruna

 

RUB

Russian Ruble

EUR

Euro

 

SEK

Swedish Krona

GBP

British Pound

 

SGD

Singapore Dollar

HUF

Hungarian Forint

 

TWD

Taiwan New Dollar

IDR

Indonesian Rupiah

 

UBS

Union Bank of Switzerland

INR

Indian Rupee

 

USD

United States Dollar

     

ZAR

South African Rand

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
20

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

ASSETS

       

Investments, at value (cost $110,790,966)

  $ 110,867,992  

Deposits with brokers:

       

Futures contracts

    18,524,729  

Forward foreign currency contracts

    12,004,702  

Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

    27,343,866  

Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts

    15,411,939  

Receivable for capital shares sold

    397,566  

Interest receivable

    48,408  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    71,092  

Total assets

    184,670,294  

LIABILITIES

       

Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency contracts

    29,915,027  

Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts

    16,407,540  

Due to Broker

    1,625,862  

Payable for:

     

Advisory fees

    144,769  

Capital Shares Redeemed

    50,959  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    150,720  

Total liabilities

    48,294,877  

Net assets

  $ 136,375,417  

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

       

Par value

  $ 17,708  

Paid-in capital

    145,509,196  

Total distributable earnings/(loss)

    (9,151,487 )

Net assets

  $ 136,375,417  

CAPITAL SHARES:

       

Class A Shares:

       

Net assets applicable to Class A Shares

  $ 10,365,099  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    1,373,465  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 7.55  

Maximum offering price per share (100/94.25 of $7.55 and $8.01, respectively)

  $ 8.01  
         

Class C Shares:

       

Net assets applicable to Class C Shares

  $ 9,087,081  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    1,248,696  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 7.28  
         

Class I Shares:

       

Net assets applicable to Class I Shares

  $ 115,431,053  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    15,086,238  

Net asset value, offering price per share

  $ 7.65  
         

Class P Shares:

       

Net assets applicable to Class P Shares

  $ 1,492,184  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    191,061  

Net asset value, offering price per share

  $ 7.81  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
21

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Statements of Operations

 

   

For the Period
Ended
(1)
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year Ended
September 30,
2019

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

               

Interest

  $ 948,083     $ 1,889,872  

Total investment income

    948,083       1,889,872  

EXPENSES

               

Advisory fees (Note 2)

    1,509,833       1,489,384  

Distribution fees - Class A Shares

    131,511       171,292  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 2)

    120,498       72,977  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    94,943       157,827  

Legal fees

    85,168       47,066  

Registration and filing fees

    48,035       57,676  

Audit and tax service fees

    42,200       50,771  

Director fees

    41,689       11,661  

Officer fees

    31,681       16,368  

Interest expense

    25,003       42,271  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    20,296       34,895  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    10,531       11,157  

Other expenses

    37,205       81,786  

Total expenses before waivers and/or reimbursements

    2,198,593       2,245,131  

Less: waivers and reimbursemets (Note 2)

    (336,209 )     (393,523 )

Net expenses after waivers and/or reimbursments

    1,862,384       1,851,608  

Net investment income/(loss)

    (914,301 )     38,264  

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

Net realized gain/(loss) from:

               

Investments

    6,822       (74,519 )

Futures contracts

    (7,541,388 )     11,032,603  

Foreign currency transactions

    490,452       (118,937 )

Forward foreign currency contracts

    337,288       125,760  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:

               

Investments

    (30,310 )     359,337  

Futures contracts

    (937,843 )     (4,643,373 )

Foreign currency translations

    (102,661 )     2,450,217  

Forward foreign currency contracts

    (3,130,868 )     26,859  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    (10,908,508 )     9,157,947  

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ (11,822,809 )   $ 9,196,211  

 

 

(1)

The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 during the period. The period ended is from October 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
22

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Period Ended
August 31,
2020
(1)

   

For the
Year Ended
September 30,
2019

   

For the
Year Ended
September 30,
2018

 

Increase/(Decrease) in Net Assets From Operations:

                       

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (914,301 )   $ 38,264     $ (546,129 )

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments, futures contracts, foreign currency transactions and forward foreign currency contracts

    (6,706,826 )     10,964,907       (75,496,325 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments, future contracts, foreign currency translation and forward foreign currency contracts

    (4,201,682 )     (1,806,960 )     88,826,206  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (11,822,809 )     9,196,211       12,783,752  
                         

Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders From:

                       

Total distributable earnings

    (11,439,705 )     (13,070,676 )      

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (11,439,705 )     (13,070,676 )      
                         

Capital Share Transactions:

                       

Class A Shares

                       

Proceeds from shares sold

    2,170,042       1,740,013       5,197,511  

Proceeds from reinvestment of distributions

    1,752,767       1,510,075        

Shares redeemed

    (3,571,700 )     (5,361,030 )     (14,837,731 )

Total from Class A Shares

    351,109       (2,110,942 )     (9,640,220 )

Class C Shares

                       

Proceeds from shares sold

    646,771       807,341       957,031  

Proceeds from reinvestment of distributions

    1,670,432       1,569,438        

Shares redeemed

    (3,575,911 )     (5,039,019 )     (8,438,161 )

Total from Class C Shares

    (1,258,708 )     (2,662,240 )     (7,481,130 )

Class I Shares

                       

Proceeds from shares sold

    153,840,950       48,432,554       25,060,799  

Proceeds from reinvestment of distributions

    6,732,144       7,632,232        

Shares redeemed

    (79,192,957 )     (92,370,875 )     (226,159,641 )

Total from Class I Shares

    81,380,137       (36,306,089 )     (201,098,842 )

Class P Shares

                       

Proceeds from shares sold

    320,354       242,864       6,757,945  

Proceeds from reinvestment of distributions

    294,096       263,166        

Shares redeemed

    (885,125 )     (30,245,677 )     (17,055,399 )

Total from Class P Shares

    (270,675 )     (29,739,647 )     (10,297,454 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    80,201,863       (70,818,918 )     (228,517,646 )

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    56,939,349       (74,693,383 )     (215,733,894 )
                         

Net Assets:

                       

Beginning of period

    79,436,068       154,129,451       369,863,345  

End of period

  $ 136,375,417     $ 79,436,068     $ 154,129,451 (2) 

 

 

 

(1)

The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 during the period. The period ended is from October 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020.

 

(2)

Includes undistributed net investment income of $13,070,676.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
23

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Net Assets (Concluded)

 

   

For the
Period Ended
August 31,
2020
(1)

   

For the
Year Ended
September 30,
2019

   

For the
Year Ended
September 30,
2018

 

Share Transactions:

                       

Class A Shares

                       

Shares sold

    263,105       190,779       514,019  

Shares reinvested

    226,749       185,285        

Shares redeemed

    (430,459 )     (616,034 )     (1,533,737 )

Total from Class A Shares

    59,395       (239,970 )     (1,019,718 )

Class C Shares

                       

Shares sold

    80,546       90,650       100,123  

Shares reinvested

    223,022       197,413        

Shares redeemed

    (446,490 )     (600,031 )     (888,459 )

Total from Class C Shares

    (142,922 )     (311,968 )     (788,336 )

Class I Shares

                       

Shares sold

    18,695,402       5,483,361       2,539,907  

Shares reinvested

    860,888       927,366        

Shares redeemed

    (9,614,007 )     (10,591,009 )     (22,790,718 )

Total from Class I Shares

    9,942,283       (4,180,282 )     (20,250,811 )

Class P Shares

                       

Shares sold

    35,885       25,638       681,411  

Shares reinvested

    36,762       31,367        

Shares redeemed

    (103,109 )     (3,411,713 )     (1,741,226 )

Total from Class P Shares

    (30,462 )     (3,354,708 )     (1,059,815 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    9,828,294       (8,086,928 )     (23,118,680 )

 

 

(1)

The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 during the period. The period ended is from October 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020.

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
24

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the consolidated financial statements.

 

 

   

Class A

 
   

For the
Period
Ended
A
ugust 31,
2020
(1)(2)

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2017

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2016

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2015

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                               

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 9.81     $ 9.49     $ 9.36     $ 10.13     $ 11.17     $ 11.01  

Net investment income/(loss)(3)

    (0.07 )     (4)      (0.03 )     (0.04 )     (0.09 )     (0.13 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments, futures, forward currency and swap contracts (5)

    (0.76 )     1.45       0.16       (0.73 )     (0.74 )     0.97  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (0.83 )     1.45       0.13       (0.77 )     (0.83 )     0.84  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.79 )     (1.13 )                 (0.21 )     (0.68 )

Net realized capital gain

    (0.64 )                                  

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.43 )     (1.13 )                 (0.21 )     (0.68 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 7.55     $ 9.81     $ 9.49     $ 9.36     $ 10.13     $ 11.17  

Total investment return (6)

    (8.86 )%(7)     17.73 %     1.39 %     (7.60 )%     (7.60 )%     7.48 %

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                               

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 10,365     $ 12,895     $ 14,744     $ 24,092     $ 64,528     $ 83,077  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements (10)

    2.15 %(8)     2.12 %     1.58 %     1.15 %     1.17 %     1.15 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements (9)(11)

    2.51 %(8)     2.54 %     1.96 %     1.33 %     1.25 %     1.24 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.93 )%(8)     (0.03 )%     (0.32 )%     (0.45 )%     (0.83 )%     (1.08 %)

Portfolio turnover rate (12)

    0 %(7)     15 %     122 %     0 %     0 %     0 %

 

 

(1)

The fiscal year end of the Predecessor Fund was September 30. The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 to reflect the fiscal year end of the other series of the Company. The period ended is from October 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020.

(2)

Prior to May 29, 2020, the Fund was a diversified series (the “Predecessor Fund”) of Equinox Funds Trust (the “Trust”), an open-end management investment company (or mutual fund) organized on June 2, 2010, as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Fund following the close of business on May 29, 2020 (the “Reorganization”). As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund was assumed by the Fund. Performance and accounting information prior to May 29, 2020 included herein is that of the Predecessor Fund.

(3)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

(4)

Less than $0.005 per share.

(5)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(6)

Total returns are historical and assume changes in share price and reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Total returns - for periods of less than one year are not annualized. Had the Adviser not waived its fees or reimbursed a portion of the Fund’s expenses, the returns would have been lower.

(7)

Not annualized

(8)

Annualized

(9)

Represents the ratio of expenses to average net assets absent fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by the Adviser.

(10) Ratio of net expenses to average net assets excluding interest expense

2.12%

2.07%

1.58%

1.15%

1.15%

1.15%

(11) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets excluding interest expense(9)

2.48%

2.49%

1.96%

1.33%

1.23%

1.24%

 

(12)

Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
25

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Financial Highlights (Continued)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the consolidated financial statements.

 

 

   

Class C

 
   

For the
Period
Ended
A
ugust 31,
2020
(1)(2)

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2017

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2016

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2015

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                               

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 9.51     $ 9.20     $ 9.15     $ 9.98     $ 11.03     $ 10.96  

Net investment income/(loss)(3)

    (0.12 )     (0.07 )     (0.10 )     (0.11 )     (0.17 )     (0.21 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments, futures, forward currency and swap contracts (4)

    (0.74 )     1.42       0.15       (0.72 )     (0.72 )     0.97  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (0.86 )     1.35       0.05       (0.83 )     (0.89 )     0.76  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.73 )     (1.04 )                 (0.16 )     (0.69 )

Net realized capital gain

    (0.64 )                              

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.37 )     (1.04 )                 (0.16 )     (0.69 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 7.28     $ 9.51     $ 9.20     $ 9.15     $ 9.98     $ 11.03  

Total investment return (5)

    (9.49 )%(6)     16.88 %     0.55 %     (8.32 )%     (8.16 )%     6.72 %

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                               

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 9,087     $ 13,237     $ 15,676     $ 22,792     $ 48,712     $ 52,977  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements (9)

    2.88 %(7)     2.87 %     2.35 %     1.90 %     1.92 %     1.90 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements (8)(10)

    3.27 %(7)     3.29 %     2.74 %     2.08 %     2.00 %     1.99 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (1.65 )%(7)     (0.78 )%     (1.05 )%     (1.19 )%     (1.58 )%     (1.82 %)

Portfolio turnover rate (11)

    0 %(6)     15 %     122 %     0 %     0 %     0 %

 

 

(1)

The fiscal year end of the Predecessor Fund was September 30. The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 to reflect the fiscal year end of the other series of the Company. The period ended is from October 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020.

(2)

Prior to May 29, 2020, the Fund was a diversified series (the “Predecessor Fund”) of Equinox Funds Trust (the “Trust”), an open-end management investment company (or mutual fund) organized on June 2, 2010, as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Fund following the close of business on May 29, 2020 (the “Reorganization”). As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund was assumed by the Fund. Performance and accounting information prior to May 29, 2020 included herein is that of the Predecessor Fund.

(3)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

(4)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(5)

Total returns are historical and assume changes in share price and reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized. Had the Adviser not waived its fees or reimbursed a portion of the Fund’s expenses, the returns would have been lower.

(6)

Not annualized

(7)

Annualized

(8)

Represents the ratio of expenses to average net assets absent fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by the Adviser.

(9) Ratio of net expenses to average net assets excluding interest expense

2.85%

2.82%

2.35%

1.90%

1.90%

1.90%

(10) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets excluding interest expense(8)

3.24%

3.24%

2.74%

2.08%

1.98%

1.99%

 

(11)

Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
26

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Financial Highlights (Continued)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the consolidated financial statements.

 

 

   

Class I

 
   

For the
Period
Ended
A
ugust 31,
2020
(1)(2)

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2017

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2016

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2015

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                               

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 9.93     $ 9.59     $ 9.44     $ 10.20     $ 11.22     $ 11.05  

Net investment income/(loss)(3)

    (0.07 )     0.02       (0.01 )     (0.02 )     (0.06 )     (0.09 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments, futures, forward currency and swap contracts (4)

    (0.77 )     1.48       0.16       (0.74 )     (0.73 )     0.96  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (0.84 )     1.50       0.15       (0.76 )     (0.79 )     0.87  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.80 )     (1.16 )                 (0.23 )     (0.70 )

Net realized capital gain

    (0.64 )                              

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.44 )     (1.16 )                 (0.23 )     (0.70 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 7.65     $ 9.93     $ 9.59     $ 9.44     $ 10.20     $ 11.22  

Total investment return (5)

    (8.75 )%(6)     18.17 %     1.59 %     (7.45 )%     (7.20 )%     7.72 %

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                               

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 115,431     $ 51,067     $ 89,456     $ 279,212     $ 754,171     $ 984,152  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements (9)

    1.88 %(7)     1.84 %     1.30 %     0.90 %     0.92 %     0.90 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements (8)(10)

    2.24 %(7)     2.28 %     1.64 %     1.07 %     1.00 %     0.99 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.91 )%(7)     0.23 %     (0.10 )%     (0.20 )%     (0.58 )%     (0.81 %)

Portfolio turnover rate (11)

    0 %(6)     15 %     122 %     0 %     0 %     0 %

 

 

(1)

The fiscal year end of the Predecessor Fund was September 30. The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 to reflect the fiscal year end of the other series of the Company. The period ended is from October 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020.

(2)

Prior to May 29, 2020, the Fund was a diversified series (the “Predecessor Fund”) of Equinox Funds Trust (the “Trust”), an open-end management investment company (or mutual fund) organized on June 2, 2010, as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Fund following the close of business on May 29, 2020 (the “Reorganization”). As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund was assumed by the Fund. Performance and accounting information prior to May 29, 2020 included herein is that of the Predecessor Fund.

(3)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

(4)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(5)

Total returns are historical and assume changes in share price and reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized. Had the Adviser not waived its fees or reimbursed a portion of the Fund’s expenses, the returns would have been lower.

(6)

Not annualized

(7)

Annualized

(8)

Represents the ratio of expenses to average net assets absent fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by the Adviser.

(9) Ratio of net expenses to average net assets excluding interest expense

1.85%

1.80%

1.30%

0.90%

0.90%

0.90%

(10) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets excluding interest expense(8)

2.21%

2.24%

1.64%

1.07%

0.98%

0.99%

 

(11)

Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
27

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Consolidated Financial Highlights (Concluded)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the consolidated financial statements.

 

 

   

Class P

 
   

For the
Period
Ended
A
ugust 31,
2020
(1)(2)

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2017

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2016

   

For the
Year
Ended
Sept. 30,
2015

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                               

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 10.10     $ 9.58     $ 9.44     $ 10.19     $ 11.22     $ 11.05  

Net investment income/(loss)(3)

    (0.07 )           (0.02 )     (0.02 )     (0.06 )     (0.13 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments, futures, forward currency and swap contracts (5)

    (0.80 )     1.46       0.16       (0.73 )     (0.74 )     1.00  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (0.87 )     1.46       0.14       (0.75 )     (0.80 )     0.87  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.78 )     (0.94 )                 (0.23 )     (0.70 )

Net realized capital gain

    (0.64 )                              

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.42 )     (0.94 )                 (0.23 )     (0.70 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 7.81     $ 10.10     $ 9.58     $ 9.44     $ 10.19     $ 11.22  

Total investment return (6)

    (8.95 )%(7)     17.24 %     1.48 %     (7.36 )%     (7.29 )%     7.72 %

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                               

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 1,492     $ 2,237     $ 34,253     $ 43,767     $ 99,612     $ 107,596  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements (10)

    2.15 %(8)     2.02 %     1.51 %     0.90 %     0.92 %     0.90 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements (9)(11)

    2.52 %(8)     2.46 %     1.90 %     1.07 %     1.00 %     1.00 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.91 )%(8)     (0.01 )%     (0.19 )%     (0.19 )%     (0.58 )%     (1.09 %)

Portfolio turnover rate (12)

    0 %(7)     15 %     122 %     0 %     0 %     0 %

 

 

(1)

The fiscal year end of the Predecessor Fund was September 30. The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 to reflect the fiscal year end of the other series of the Company. The period ended is from October 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020.

(2)

Prior to May 29, 2020, the Fund was a diversified series (the “Predecessor Fund”) of Equinox Funds Trust (the “Trust”), an open-end management investment company (or mutual fund) organized on June 2, 2010, as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Fund following the close of business on May 29, 2020 (the “Reorganization”). As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund was assumed by the Fund. Performance and accounting information prior to May 29, 2020 included herein is that of the Predecessor Fund.

(3)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding for the period.

(4)

Less than $0.005 per share.

(5)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(6)

Total returns are historical and assume changes in share price and reinvestment of dividends and distributions. Total returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized. Had the Adviser not waived its fees or reimbursed a portion of the Fund’s expenses, the returns would have been lower.

(7)

Not annualized

(8)

Annualized

(9)

Represents the ratio of expenses to average net assets absent fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements by the Adviser.

(10) Ratio of net expenses to average net assets excluding interest expense

2.12%

2.02%

1.51%

0.90%

0.90%

0.90%

(11) Ratio of gross expenses to average net assets excluding interest expense(9)

2.49%

2.46%

1.90%

1.07%

0.98%

1.00%

 

(12)

Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of the Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements.
28

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements

August 31, 2020

 

1. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the Campbell Systematic Macro Fund (the “Fund”), which commenced investment operations on March 4, 2013. The Fund currently offers Class A, Class C, Class I and Class P shares. Class A, Class I and Class P shares commenced operations on March 4, 2013. Class C commenced operations on February 11, 2014.

 

Class C, Class I and Class P shares are offered at net asset value. Class A shares are offered at net asset value plus a maximum sales charge of 5.75%. A contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% is assessed on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within twelve months after a purchase of Class A shares where no initial sales charge was paid at the time of purchase as part of an investment of $1,000,000 or more. A CDSC of 1.00% is assessed on redemptions of Class C shares made within twelve months after a purchase of such shares. Each class represents an interest in the same assets of the Fund and classes are identical except for differences in their sales charge structures and ongoing service and distribution charges. All classes of shares have equal voting privileges except that each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to its service and/or distribution plans. The Fund’s income, expenses (other than class specific distribution fees) and realized and unrealized gains and losses are allocated proportionately each day based upon the relative net assets of each class.

 

Prior to May 29, 2020, the Fund was a diversified series (the “Predecessor Fund”) of Equinox Funds Trust (the “Trust”), an open-end management investment company (or mutual fund) organized on June 2, 2010, as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Fund following the close of business on May 29, 2020 (the “Reorganization”). As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund was assumed by the Fund. Performance and accounting information prior to May 29, 2020 included herein is that of the Predecessor Fund. On conversion date, the Fund’s net assets were $119,211,366 and net asset value (NAV) was $8.07.

 

The fiscal year end of the Predecessor Fund was September 30. The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 to reflect the fiscal year end of the other series of the Company.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek capital appreciation.

 

The Fund is an investment company and follows accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services - Investment Companies.”

 

The end of the reporting period for the Fund is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

Consolidation of Subsidiary — The Adviser’s Campbell Systematic Macro Program will be achieved by the Fund investing up to 25% of its total assets in the Campbell Systematic Macro Offshore Limited Fund (the “Subsidiary”), a wholly-owned and controlled subsidiary of the Fund organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands. The consolidated financial statements of the Fund include the financial statements of the Subsidiary. The Fund consolidates the results of subsidiaries in which the Fund holds a controlling financial interest. All inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated. As of the end of the reporting period, the net assets of the Subsidiary were $7,375,933, which represented 5.41% of the Fund’s net assets.

 

29

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Portfolio Valuation — The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by the Fund are valued using the closing price or the last sales price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses). Forward currency exchange contracts are valued by interpolating between spot and forward currency rates as quoted by an independent pricing service. Futures contracts are generally valued using the settlement price determined by the relevant exchange. If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

 

Fair Value Measurements — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Fund’s investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

● Level 1 —

Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

● Level 2 —

Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

 

● Level 3 —

Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at fair value:

 

 

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

 

Short-Term Investments

  $ 110,867,992     $ 110,867,992     $     $  

Commodity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    14,946,949       14,946,949              

Equity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    72,648       72,648              

Interest Rate Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    392,342       392,342              

Foreign Exchange Contracts

                               

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

    27,343,866             27,343,866        

Total Assets

  $ 153,623,797     $ 126,279,931     $ 27,343,866     $  

 

30

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

 

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

 

Commodity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

  $ (15,010,153 )   $ (15,010,153 )   $     $  

Equity Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    (616,071 )     (616,071 )            

Interest Rate Contracts

                               

Futures Contracts

    (781,316 )     (781,316 )            

Foreign Exchange Contracts

                               

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

    (29,915,027 )           (29,915,027 )      

Total Liabilities

  $ (46,322,567 )   $ (16,407,540 )   $ (29,915,027 )   $  

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Fund may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires the Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when the Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for Level 3 transfers are disclosed if the Fund had an amount of total transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund had no Level 3 investments.

 

Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities — Derivative instruments are defined as financial instruments whose value and performance are based on the value and performance of another security or financial instrument. Derivative instruments that the Fund used during the period include forward foreign currency contracts and futures contracts.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund used long and short contracts on U.S. and foreign equity market indices, U.S. and foreign government bonds, foreign currencies and commodities (through investment in the Subsidiary), to gain investment exposure in accordance with its investment objective.

 

The following tables provide quantitative disclosures about fair value amounts of, and gains and losses on, the Fund’s derivative instruments as of and for the current fiscal period.

 

31

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following table lists the fair values of the Fund’s derivative holdings as of end of the reporting period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities
Location

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest
Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Total

 

Asset Derivatives

Futures Contracts (a)

    Unrealized appreciation on futures contracts     $ 14,946,949     $ 72,648     $ 392,342     $     $ 15,411,939  

Forward Contracts (a)

    Unrealized appreciation on forward foreign currency contracts                         27,343,866       27,343,866  

Total Value – Assets

          $ 14,946,949     $ 72,648     $ 392,342     $ 27,343,866     $ 42,755,805  
                                                 

Liability Derivatives

Futures Contracts (a)

    Unrealized depreciation on futures contracts     $ (15,010,153 )   $ (616,071 )   $ (781,316 )   $     $ (16,407,540 )

Forward Contracts (a)

    Unrealized depreciation on forward foreign currency contracts                         (29,915,027 )     (29,915,027 )

Total Value – Liabilities

          $ (15,010,153 )   $ (616,071 )   $ (781,316 )   $ (29,915,027 )   $ (46,322,567 )

 

(a)

This amount represents the cumulative appreciation/(depreciation) of forward and futures contracts as reported in the Consolidated Portfolio of Investments.

 

The following table lists the amounts of realized gains/(losses) included in net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations during the current fiscal period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statement of
Operations
Location

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest
Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Total

 

Realized Gain (Loss)

Futures Contracts

    Net realized gain/(loss) from futures contracts     $ (2,231,416 )   $ (4,673,057 )   $ (636,915 )   $     $ (7,541,388 )

Forward Contracts

    Net realized gain/(loss) from forward foreign currency contracts                         337,288       337,288  

Total Realized Gain/(Loss)

          $ (2,231,416 )   $ (4,673,057 )   $ (636,915 )   $ 337,288     $ (7,204,100 )

 

32

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following table lists the amounts of change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) included in net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations during the current fiscal period, grouped by derivative type and primary risk exposure category by contract type.

 

Derivative Type

 

Consolidated
Statement of
Operations
Location

   

Commodity
Contracts

   

Equity
Contracts

   

Interest
Rate
Contracts

   

Foreign
Currency
Contracts

   

Total

 

Change in Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

Futures Contracts

    Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on futures contracts     $ (162,663 )   $ (846,296 )   $ 71,116     $     $ (937,843 )

Forward Contracts

    Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on forward foreign currency contracts                         (3,130,868 )     (3,130,868 )

Total Change in Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

          $ (162,663 )   $ (846,296 )   $ 71,116     $ (3,130,868 )   $ (4,068,707 )

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund’s quarterly average volume of derivatives was as follows:

 

 

LONG FUTURES
NOTIONAL
AMOUNT

   

SHORT FUTURES
NOTIONAL
AMOUNT

   

FORWARD FOREIGN
CURRENCY
CONTRACTS-PAYABLE
(VALUE AT TRADE DATE)

   

FORWARD FOREIGN
CURRENCY
CONTRACTS-
RECEIVABLE (VALUE AT
TRADE DATE)

 
    $591,501,256       $(246,503,301)       $(635,409,326)       $649,960,009  

 

For financial reporting purposes, the Fund does not offset fair value amounts recognized for derivative instruments and fair value amounts recognized for the right to reclaim cash collateral (receivables) or the obligation to return cash collateral (payables) arising from derivative instruments recognized at fair value executed with the same counterparty under a master netting arrangement.

 

33

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following is a summary of financial and derivative instruments that are subject to enforceable master netting agreements (or similar arrangements) and collateral received and pledged in connection with the master netting agreements (or similar arrangements).

 

           

Gross Amount Not
Offset in Consolidated
Statement of Assets and
Liabilities

                           

Gross Amount Not
Offset in Consolidated
Statement of Assets and
Liabilities

         

Description

 

Gross Amount
Presented in
the
Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities

   

Financial
Instruments

   

Collateral
Received

   

Net
Amount
(1)

           

Gross Amount
Presented in
the
Consolidated
Statement of
Assets and
Liabilities

   

Financial
Instruments

   

Collateral
Pledged
(2)

   

Net
Amount
(3)

 
   

Assets

           

Liabilities

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts

  $ 27,343,866     $ (27,343,866 )   $     $             $ 29,915,027     $ (27,343,866 )   $     $ 2,571,161  

 

 

(1)

Net amount represents the net amount receivable from the counterparty in the event of default.

 

(2)

Actual collateral pledged may be more than the amount shown.

 

(3)

Net amount represents the net amount payable to the counterparty in the event of default.

 

Use of Estimates — The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

Investment Transactions, Investment Income and Expenses — The Fund records security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gain are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. The Fund’s investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Fund.

 

Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders — Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net realized capital gains, if any, are declared and paid at least annually to shareholders and recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

U.S. Tax Status — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is the Fund’s intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

34

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

For tax purposes, the Subsidiary is an exempted Cayman Islands investment company. The Subsidiary has received an undertaking from the Government of the Cayman Islands exempting it from all local income, profits and capital gains taxes. No such taxes are levied in the Cayman Islands at the present time. For U.S. income tax purposes, the Subsidiary is a Controlled Foreign Corporation and as such is not subject to U.S. income tax.

 

Foreign Currency Translation — Assets and liabilities initially expressed in non-U.S. currencies are translated into U.S. dollars based on the applicable exchange rates at the date of the last business day of the consolidated financial statement period. Purchases and sales of securities, interest income, dividends, variation margin received and expenses denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect on the transaction date.

 

The Fund does not separately report the effect of changes in foreign exchange rates from changes in market prices of securities held. Such changes are included with the net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Other foreign currency transactions resulting in realized and unrealized gain or loss are reported separately as net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on foreign currencies in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

Currency Risk — Investment in foreign securities involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts may limit potential gains from a favorable change in value between the U.S. dollar and foreign currencies. Unanticipated changes in currency pricing may result in poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not engaged in these contracts.

 

Commodity Sector Risk — Exposure to the commodities markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative instruments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates or factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, livestock disease, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments. The prices of energy, industrial metals, precious metals, agriculture and livestock sector commodities may fluctuate widely due to factors such as changes in value, supply and demand and governmental regulatory policies. The commodity-linked securities in which the Fund invests may be issued by companies in the financial services sector, and events affecting the financial services sector may cause the Fund’s share value to fluctuate.

 

Foreign Securities Market Risk — A substantial portion of the trades of the Fund are expected to take place on markets or exchanges outside the United States. There is no limit to the amount of assets of the Fund that may be committed to trading on foreign markets. The risk of loss in trading foreign futures and options on futures contracts can be substantial. Participation in foreign futures and options on futures contracts involves the execution and clearing of trades on, or subject to the rules of, a foreign board of trade or exchange. Some of these foreign markets, in contrast to U.S. exchanges, are so-called principals’ markets in which performance is the responsibility only of the individual counterparty with whom the trader has entered into a commodity interest transaction and not of the exchange or clearing corporation. In these kinds of markets, there is risk of bankruptcy or other failure or refusal to perform by the counterparty.

 

Counterparty Risk — The derivative contracts entered into by the Fund or its Subsidiary may be privately negotiated in the over-the-counter market. These contracts also involve exposure to credit risk, since contract performance depends in part on the financial condition of the counterparty. Relying on a counterparty exposes the Fund to the risk that a counterparty will not settle a transaction in accordance with its terms and conditions because of a dispute over

 

35

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

the terms of the contract (whether or not bona fide) or because of a credit or liquidity problem, thus causing the Fund to suffer a loss. If a counterparty defaults on its payment obligations to the Fund, this default will cause the value of an investment in the Fund to decrease.

 

Futures Contracts — The Fund uses futures contracts in the normal course of pursuing its investment objective. Upon entering into a futures contract, the Fund must deposit initial margin in addition to segregating cash or liquid assets sufficient to meet its obligation to purchase or provide securities, or to pay the amount owed at the expiration of an index-based futures contract. Such liquid assets may consist of cash, cash equivalents, liquid debt or equity securities or other acceptable assets. Pursuant to the futures contract, the Fund agrees to receive from, or pay to the broker, an amount of cash equal to the daily fluctuation in value of the contract. Such a receipt of payment is known as “variation margin” and is recorded by the Fund as an unrealized gain or loss. When the contract is closed, the Fund records a realized gain or loss equal to the difference between the proceeds from (or cost of) the closing transactions and the Fund’s basis in the contract. Futures contracts have market risks, including the risk that the change in the value of the contract may not correlate with changes in the value of the underlying securities. Use of long futures contracts subjects the Fund to risk of loss in excess of the amount shown on the Consolidated Statement of Assets and Liabilities, up to the notional value of the futures contract. Use of short futures contracts subjects the Fund to unlimited risk of loss.

 

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts —The Fund uses forward foreign currency contracts (“forward contracts”) in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. These contracts are marked-to-market daily at the applicable translation rates. The Fund records realized gains or losses at the time the forward contract is closed. A forward contract is extinguished through a closing transaction or upon delivery of the currency or entering an off setting contract. Risks may arise upon entering these contracts from the potential inability of a counterparty to meet the terms of their contracts and from unanticipated movements in the value of a foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar or other currencies. The Fund’s maximum risk of loss from counterparty credit risk related to forward foreign currency contracts is the fair value of the contract. The risk may be mitigated to some extent if a master netting arrangement between the Fund and the counterparty is in place and to the extent the Fund obtains collateral to cover the Fund’s exposure to the counterparty.

 

Credit Risk — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of the security or a counterparty in respect of a derivative instrument will not be able to satisfy its payment obligations to the Fund when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. Securities rated in the four highest categories by the rating agencies are considered investment grade but they may also have some speculative characteristics. Investment grade ratings do not guarantee that bonds will not lose value or default. In addition, the credit quality of securities may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes.

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual companies are not known. The operational and financial performance of individual companies and the market in general depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

Other — In the normal course of business, the Fund may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Fund in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Fund expects the risk of material loss from such claims to be remote.

 

36

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

2. Investment Adviser and Other Services

 

Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC (“Campbell” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Campbell & Company, L.P. The Fund compensates the Adviser for its services at an annual rate based on the Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Advisory Fee”), payable on a monthly basis in arrears, as shown in the following table.

 

Prior to May 29, 2020, Equinox Institutional Asset Management, LP (“Equinox”) served as adviser to the Predecessor Fund and Campbell served as a sub-adviser to the Predecessor Fund. Equinox was entitled to an advisory fee from the Predecessor Fund at the same rate payable to Campbell as Adviser to the Fund. Equinox, not the Predecessor Fund, paid a sub-advisory fee to Campbell.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed the rate (“Expense Cap”) shown in the following table of the Fund’s average daily net assets. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed the Expense Cap as applicable: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses, interest and taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until December 31, 2020 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. The Adviser may discontinue this arrangement at any time after December 31, 2020.

 

 

Expense Cap

Advisory Fee

Class A

Class C

Class I

Class P

1.64%

2.00%

2.75%

1.75%

2.00%

 

Prior to May 29, 2020, Equinox and Campbell had contractually agreed to reduce their advisory fees and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Predecessor Fund, to ensure that the Predecessor Fund’s total annual operating expenses, excluding (i) taxes, (ii) interest, (iii) extraordinary items, (iv) acquired fund fees and expenses, and (v) brokerage commissions, did not exceed, on an annual basis, 2.14% with respect to Class A shares, 2.89% with respect to Class C shares, 1.89% with respect to Class I shares, and 2.14% with respect to Class P shares of the Predecessor Fund’s average daily net assets.

 

During the current fiscal period, investment advisory fees accrued, waived and/or reimbursed by the Adviser and/or Equinox were as follows:

 

 

Gross
Advisory Fees

Waivers and/or
Reimbursements

Net
Advisory Fees

Equinox Funds Trust

$964,912

$(257,973)

$706,939

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

544,921

(78,236)

466,685

 

If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than the Expense Cap, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed the Expense Cap that was in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

37

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

As of the end of the reporting period, the Fund had amounts available for recoupment as follows:

 

Expiration

August 31,
2023

Total

$78,236

$78,236

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Fund. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Fund’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Fund. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Fund’s distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Fund’s distributor.

 

The Board has adopted a Plan of Distribution (the “Plan”) for the Class A Shares, Class C Shares and Class P of the Funds pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Distributor is entitled to receive from each Fund a distribution fee with respect to the Shares, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Class A Shares and Class P Shares and and up to 1.00% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Class C Shares. The actual amount of such compensation under the Plan is agreed upon by the Board and by the Distributor. Because these fees are paid out of each Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. Amounts paid to the Distributor under the Plan may be used by the Distributor to cover expenses that are related to (i) the sale of the Shares, (ii) ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders, and (iii) sub-transfer agency services, subaccounting services or administrative services related to the sale of the Shares, all as set forth in each Fund’s 12b-1 Plan.

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

3. Director and Officer Compensation

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Fund or the Company. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

 

4. Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities

 

During the current fiscal period, there were no purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments and derivative transactions) or long-term U.S. Government securities by the Fund.

 

38

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

5. Federal Income Tax Information

 

The Fund has followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Fund to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund has determined that there was no effect on the consolidated financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Fund is subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by the Fund were as follows(a):

 

Federal Tax
Cost

Unrealized
Appreciation

Unrealized
(Depreciation)

Net
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

$119,815,281

$854,597

$(4,802,641)

$(3,948,044)

 

 

(a)

The difference between the book basis and tax basis cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments is attributable primarily to futures not regulated by Section 1256 of the Internal Revenue Code and timing difference related to taxable income from a wholly owned controlled foreign corporation.

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

The following permanent differences as of August 31, 2020, primarily attributable to investments in wholly-owned controlled foreign corporation were reclassified among the following accounts:

 

Distributable
Earnings/(Loss)

PAID-IN
CAPITAL

$2,195,943

$(2,195,943)

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

Undistributed
Ordinary
Income

Undistributed
Long-Term
Capital Gains

Capital
Loss
Carryforwards

Qualified
Late-Year Loss
Deferral

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

$—

$—

(7,243,474)

(1,042,367)

$(865,646)

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate principally to the timing of recognition of income and gains of the Subsidiary for federal income tax purposes. Short-term and foreign currency gains are reported as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

39

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Notes To Consolidated Financial Statements (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and September 30, 2019 was as follows:

 

 

Ordinary
Income

Long-Term
Gains

Total

2020

$6,320,770

$5,118,935

$11,439,705

2019

13,070,676

13,070,676

 

Pursuant to federal income tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies, the Fund may elect to treat certain capital losses between November 1 and August 31 and late year ordinary losses ((i) ordinary losses between January 1 and August 31, and (ii) specified ordinary and currency losses between November 1 and August 31) as occurring on the first day of the following tax year. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, any amount of losses elected within the tax return will not be recognized for federal income tax purposes until September 1, 2020. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund had tax basis qualified late-year losses of $1,042,367.

 

Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the Fund is permitted to carry forward capital losses for an unlimited period. Additionally, capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under the previous law. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund had $5,145,610 of short-term and $2,097,864 of long-term capital loss carryovers, respectively.

 

6. New Accounting Pronouncements and regulatory updates

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Fund’s consolidated financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy. ASU 2018 -13 has been adopted by the Fund and the related disclosure updates have been incorporated in these consolidated financial statements.

 

7. Subsequent Events

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the consolidated financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no significant events requiring recognition or disclosure in the consolidated financial statements.

 

40

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. and
Shareholders of Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying consolidated statement of assets and liabilities of Campbell Systematic Macro Fund (the “Fund”) (one of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”)), including the consolidated portfolio of investments, as of August 31, 2020, and the related consolidated statement of operations, the consolidated statement of changes in net assets and the consolidated financial highlights for the period October 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020 and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Fund (one of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc.) at August 31, 2020, and the consolidated results of its operations, the consolidated changes in its net assets and its consolidated financial highlights for the period October 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

The consolidated statement of operations, changes in net assets and financial highlights of the Fund for each of the periods presented through September 30, 2019, were audited by other auditors whose report dated November 27, 2019 expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial statements.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers were not received. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

 

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Campbell & Company investment companies since 2015.

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 30, 2020

 

41

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Shareholder Tax Information

(Unaudited)

 

Certain tax information regarding the Fund is required to be provided to shareholders based upon the Fund’s income and distributions for the taxable year ended August 31, 2020. The information and distributions reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ended December 31, 2020. During the period ended August 31, 2020, the Fund paid $6,320,770 of ordinary income distributions to its shareholders. Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal tax purposes.

 

The percentage of ordinary income dividends qualifying for the 15% dividend tax rate is 0.00%.

 

The percentage of ordinary income dividends qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction is 0.00%.

 

The Fund designates 0.00% of the ordinary income distributions as qualified short-term gain pursuant to the American Job Creation Act of 2004.

 

Because the Fund’s fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Fund, if any.

 

In general, dividends received by tax exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Fund.

 

42

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Other Information

(Unaudited)

 

Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-844-261-6488 and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedules

 

The Company files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Approval of Investment Agreements

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including Independent Directors, considered the approval of the investment advisory agreement between Campbell and the Company on behalf of the Fund and the investment advisory agreement between Campbell and the Subsidiary (together, the “Investment Advisory Agreements”), at a meeting of the Board held on September 9-10, 2019 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreements for an initial period ending August 16, 2021. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreements reflects the exercise of its business judgment. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreements, the Board considered information provided by Campbell with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the approval of the Investment Advisory Agreements, the Directors took into account all materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of Campbell’s proposed services to be provided to the Fund and the Subsidiary; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of Campbell’s personnel providing those services; (iii) Campbell’s investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Campbell’s assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Campbell’s soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) Campbell’s advisory fee arrangement with the Company and other similarly managed clients; (vii) Campbell’s compliance policies and procedures; (viii) Campbell’s financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Fund and the Subsidiary; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Fund; (x) a report prepared by Morningstar comparing the Predecessor Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its Lipper peer group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of the Predecessor Fund to the performance of its benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services proposed to be provided by Campbell. The Directors concluded that Campbell had substantial resources to provide services to the Fund and the Subsidiary.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Predecessor Fund. The Directors considered the Predecessor Fund’s investment performance in light of its investment objectives and investment strategies. The Directors noted that the Predecessor Fund was advised by Equinox Institutional Asset Management, LP and sub-advised by Campbell.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rates payable by the Fund under the proposed Investment Advisory Agreements. In this regard, information on the fees to be paid by the Fund and the Fund’s expected total operating expense ratios (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) were compared to similar information

 

43

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Other Information (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms. The Directors noted that Campbell had contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses through at least December 31, 2020 to limit total annual operating expenses to agreed upon levels for the Fund.

 

After reviewing the information regarding the Fund’s costs, Campbell’s estimated profitability and economies of scale, and after considering Campbell’s services, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees proposed to be paid by the Fund were fair and reasonable and that the proposed Investment Advisory Agreements for the Fund should be approved for initial terms ending August 16, 2021.

 

44

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Company Management

(Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling (844)-261-6488.

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

Nicholas A. Giordano
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

Arnold M. Reichman
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 72

Chairman

 

Director

2005 to present

 

1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

 

45

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Company Management (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Brian T. Shea
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

Robert Sablowsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 82

Vice Chairman

 

Director

2016 to present

 

1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

OFFICERS

Salvatore Faia, JD, CPA, CFE
Vigilant Compliance, LLC
Gateway Corporate
Center Suite 216
223 Wilmington West
Chester Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Age: 57

President

 

Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present

 

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 59

Treasurer and Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

Craig A. Urciuoli
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

 

 

46

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Company Management (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Jennifer Witt
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 61

Assistant Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the past five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

47

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Privacy Notice

(Unaudited)

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

FACTS

WHAT DOES THE Campbell Systematic Macro Fund DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

● Social Security number

● account balances

● account transactions

● transaction history

● wire transfer instructions

● checking account information

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How?

All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Campbell Systematic Macro Fund chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

       

Reasons we can share your personal information

Does the Campbell
Systematic Macro Fund share?

Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purposes —
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes —
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

No

We do not share.

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your creditworthiness

No

We do not share.

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We do not share.

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We do not share.

 

Questions?

Call 1-844-261-6488

 

 

48

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Privacy Notice (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

What we do

 

How does the Campbell Systematic Macro Fund protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.

How does the Campbell Systematic Macro Fund collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

● open an account

● provide account information

● give us your contact information

● make a wire transfer

● tell us where to send the money

We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness

● affiliates from using your information to market to you

● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

Definitions

 

Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

Our affiliates include Campbell Systematic Macro Fund’s investment adviser, Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC.

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

The Campbell Systematic Macro Fund doesn’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

The Campbell Systematic Macro Fund does not jointly market.

 

 

49

 

 

Campbell Systematic Macro Fund

 

Affirmation of the Commodity Pool Operator

August 31, 2020

 

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the information contained in the Annual Report for the year ended August 31, 2020 is accurate and complete.

 

 

 

G. William Andrews, Chief Executive Officer
Campbell & Company, LP
CAMPBELL SYSTEMATIC MACRO FUND

 

50

 

 

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

Investment Adviser
Campbell & Company Investment Adviser LLC
2850 Quarry Lake Drive
Baltimore, Maryland 21209

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent
U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Principal Underwriter
Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Custodian
U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Ernst & Young LLP
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, Suite 700
Philadelphia, PA 19103

 

Legal Counsel
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

CSMF-AR20

 

 

 

 

 

 

FREE MARKET U.S. EQUITY FUND
FREE MARKET INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND
FREE MARKET FIXED INCOME FUND

 

of

 

The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

 

Annual Report

 

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Funds electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-866-780-0357 ext. 3863.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Funds, you can call 1-866-780-0357 ext. 3863 to inform the Funds that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Funds.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Funds. It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Funds.

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report

AUGUST 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

 

The twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020 saw some periods of noticeable volatility in domestic equity markets. Common news stories over the past twelve months have included reports on threats of war between the U.S. and Iran, the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, the global COVID-19 outbreak, the era’s second-highest unemployment rate in the U.S., and global protests. The performance of U.S. equities in 2020 has begun to reverse course from the beginning of 2020 and has shown strong positive trajectory despite noticeable volatility.

 

For the twelve months ended August 31, 2020, the Free Market U.S. Equity Fund provided a total return of 1.00% at net asset value. This compares with a return of 6.79% over the same period for the Fund’s benchmark, the Russell 2500® Index.

 

As a result of the Free Market U.S. Equity Fund’s diversified investment approach, performance principally was determined by broad structural trends in equity markets, rather than the behavior of a limited number of stocks. Among the most important factors explaining differences in the performance of diversified equity funds, like the Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, are the size and value/growth characteristics of the underlying fund holdings. Size is measured by market capitalization and “value” classification is a function of stock price relative to one or more fundamental characteristics.

 

U.S. large company stocks performed better than U.S. small company stocks during the period. The Russell 2000® Index returned 6.02%, while the S&P 500® Index was up 21.94% for the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020. Furthermore, for the same time-period, the Russell 2000® Value Index returned -6.14% and the Russell 1000® Value Index returned 0.84%.

 

In summary, U.S. large cap stocks performed better than small cap stocks and U.S. growth stocks outperformed U.S. value stocks. Factors that contributed to the Fund’s underperformance compared to its benchmark can largely be explained by its tilt toward small cap and value stocks, as well as the Fund’s limited exposure to real estate investment trusts.

 

Today’s environment underscores that markets are highly unpredictable over the short term. In other words, anything can happen, so we believe that a balanced, diversified, long-term approach is favored.

 

1

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Free Market International Equity Fund

 

The global markets experienced a roller coaster ride during the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020. 2019 ended with international equity markets faring better then U.S. markets, however over the entire 12 months, U.S. equity markets outpaced international equity markets. We also saw the emergence of the COVID-19 outbreak that has caused tremendous global human and economic hardship.

 

For the twelve months ended August 31, 2020, the Free Market International Equity Fund provided a total return of 0.81% at net asset value. This compares with a return of 5.96% over the same period for the Fund’s benchmark, the MSCI World (ex USA) Index, which captures large and mid -cap representation across 22 of 23 Developed Markets (DM) countries excluding the United States.

 

As a result of the Free Market International Equity Fund’s diversified investment approach, performance principally was determined by broad structural trends in global equity markets, rather than the behavior of a limited number of stocks. Among the most important factors explaining differences in the behavior of diversified international equity funds, like the Free Market International Equity Fund, are company size and company value/growth characteristics of the underlying fund holdings and broad exposure to emerging market equities.

 

International small company stocks fared better than international large company stocks. The MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index returned 10.66% for the twelve months ended August 31, 2020, while the MSCI EAFE Index returned 6.13% for the same period. Furthermore, for the same time period, the MSCI EAFE Value Index declined by -3.24%, while the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Value Index returned 0.20% and the MSCI Emerging Markets Index returned 14.49%.

 

In summary, factors that contributed to the Fund’s underperformance compared to its benchmark can largely be explained by its tilt toward small cap and value stocks.

 

Today’s environment underscores that markets are highly unpredictable over the short term. In other words, anything can happen, so we believe that a balanced, diversified, long-term approach is favored.

 

 

2

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

 

The U.S. economy experienced periods of volatility during the twelve months ended August 31, 2020. The COVID-19 outbreak has caused tremendous global human and economic hardship. Disruptions to economic activity have significantly affected financial conditions. In response, the U.S. Federal Reserve quickly lowered its policy rate to close to zero in order to support economic activity. The broad proxy for the U.S. bond market, the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index gained 6.47%, while the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index (hedged) returned 3.28% for the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020. As a result of the decrease in interest rates, short-term bonds were outperformed by ones with longer maturities. The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Government/Credit 1-3 Years Index returned 3.48% while the Morningstar Long-Term US Government Bond Index, which includes US Treasury and US Government Agency bonds with maturities of seven years or longer, returned 13.12%.

 

The Free Market Fixed Income Fund focuses on assets that invest in global high quality and shorter-term government and corporate fixed income assets. For the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020, the Free Market Fixed Income Fund returned 2.90%. This compares with a return of 3.01% over the same period for the Fund’s benchmark, the FTSE World Government Bond 1-5 Year Currency Hedged U.S. Dollar Index.

 

The Free Market Fixed Income Fund performed as expected, and slightly underperformed its benchmark for the period. A contributing factor to the performance of the Fund compared to its benchmark was the Fund’s slightly lower exposure to certain global markets and exposure to shorter term maturities.

 

3

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The Russell 2500® Index consists of the smallest 2,500 companies in a group of 3,000 U.S. companies in the Russell 3000® Index, as ranked by market capitalization.

 

Russell 2000® Index: Measures the performance of the small-cap segment of the U.S. equity universe. The Russell 2000 is a subset of the Russell 3000® Index representing approximately 10% of the total market capitalization of that index. It includes approximately 2000 of the smallest securities based on a combination of their market cap and current index membership. The Russell 2000® Index is constructed to provide a comprehensive and unbiased small-cap barometer and is completely reconstituted annually to ensure larger stocks do not distort the performance and characteristics of the true small-cap opportunity set.

 

Russell 2000® Value Index consists of the smallest 2,000 companies in a group of 3,000 U.S. companies in the Russell 3000® Index, as ranked by market capitalization, with relatively low price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values.

 

The S&P 500® Index is a market-capitalization-weighted index that consists of the 500 largest U.S. publicly traded companies.

 

Russell 1000® Value Index consists of the largest 1,000 companies in a group of 3,000 U.S. companies in the Russell 3000® Index, as ranked by market capitalization, with relatively low price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values.

 

The MSCI World (ex USA) Index captures large and mid-cap representation across 22 of 23 developed markets (DM) countries*--excluding the United States. With 985 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country.

 

MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index captures small cap representation across Developed Markets countries* around the world, excluding the US and Canada.

 

MSCI EAFE Small Cap Value Index captures small cap securities exhibiting overall value style characteristics across Developed Markets countries* around the world, excluding the U.S. and Canada.

 

MSCI EAFE Index captures large and mid -cap representation across 21 Developed Markets countries* around the world, excluding the US and Canada.

 

MSCI EAFE Value Index captures large and mid-cap securities exhibiting overall value style characteristics across Developed Markets countries* around the world, excluding the U.S. and Canada. The value investment style characteristics for index construction are defined using three variables: book value to price, 12-month forward earnings to price and dividend yield.

 

MSCI Emerging Markets Index captures large and mid-cap representation across 26 Emerging Markets (EM) countries**.

 

Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based flagship benchmark that measures the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market.

 

Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index is a flagship measure of global investment grade debt from twenty-four local currency markets.

 

Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Government/Credit 1-3 Years Index measures the performance of investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate, taxable corporate and government-related debt with 1 to 2.9999 years to maturity.

 

Morningstar Long-Term US Government Bond Index includes US Treasury and US Government Agency bonds with maturities of seven years or longer.

 

FTSE World Government Bond 1-5 Year Currency Hedged U.S. Dollar Index is a broad index providing exposure to the global sovereign fixed income market. The index measures the performance of fixed-rate, local currency, investment-grade sovereign bonds. It comprises sovereign debt from over 20 countries, denominated in a variety of currencies. The index provides a broad benchmark for the global sovereign fixed income market. Sub-indexes are available in any combination of currency, maturity, or rating.

 

* Developed Markets countries include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

 

4

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Concluded)

AUGUST 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

** EM countries include: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.

 

One cannot invest directly in an index.

 

Growth stocks typically are more volatile than value stocks; however, value stocks have a lower expected growth rate in earnings and sales.

 

Opinions expressed are subject to change at any time, are not guaranteed and should not be considered investment advice.

 

Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.

 

Mutual fund investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Diversification does not assure a profit nor protect against loss in a declining market. Investing in micro-cap or small cap companies involve additional risks such as limited liquidity and greater volatility than large companies. Investing in foreign securities involves greater volatility and political, economic and currency risks and differences in accounting methods. These risks are greater in emerging markets. Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise. This risk is usually greater for longer-term debt securities.

 

Shares of the Funds are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC.

 

5

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

PERFORMANCE DATA

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

 

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Free Market U.S. Equity Fund vs. Russell 2500® Index and Composite Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is a professionally managed mutual fund while the Russell 2500® Index and Composite Index are unmanaged, do not incur sales charges and/or expenses and are not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Since
Inception

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

0.32%

5.67%

10.60%

7.19%(1)

Russell 2500® Index

6.79%

8.54%

12.31%

8.11%

Composite Index(2)

6.58%

8.79%

11.17%

7.13%

 

(1)

The Fund commenced operations on December 31, 2007.

(2)

The Composite Index is comprised of the S&P 500® Index, Russell 1000® Value Index, Russell 2000® Index and Russell 2000® Value Index, each weighted 25%, 25%, 25% and 25%, respectively.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-866-780-0357 ext. 3863. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratio, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, is 0.85% (included in the ratio is 0.30% attributable to acquired fund fees and expenses).

 

The Fund’s aggregate total return since inception is based on an increase in net asset value from $10.00 per share on December 31, 2007 (commencement of operations) to $16.06 per share on August 31, 2020.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

The Free Market U.S. Equity Fund’s underlying funds invest in small-cap and micro-cap stocks, large-cap stocks and other equity securities. In addition to the ordinary risks of equity investing, small companies entail special risk. Small companies tend to have more risk than large companies. An investor in the Fund will incur the expenses of the underlying funds in addition to the Fund’s expenses. The foregoing is not intended to be a complete discussion of all risks associated with the investment strategies of the Fund.

 

6

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

PERFORMANCE DATA (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Free Market International Equity Fund

 

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Free Market International Equity Fund vs. MSCI World (excluding U.S.) Index and Composite Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is a professionally managed mutual fund while the MSCI World (excluding U.S.) Index and Composite Index are unmanaged, do not incur sales charges and/or expenses and are not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Since
Inception

Free Market International Equity Fund

0.30%

2.48%

4.35%

1.85%(1)

MSCI World (excluding U.S.) Index

5.96%

4.83%

5.63%

1.52%

Composite Index(2)

7.71%

5.55%

5.75%

2.06%

 

(1)

The Fund commenced operations on December 31, 2007.

(2)

The Composite Index is comprised of the MSCI EAFE Index, MSCI EAFE Value Index, MSCI EAFE Small Company Index and MSCI Emerging Markets Free Index, each weighted 25%, 25%, 25% and 25%, respectively.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-866-780-0357 ext. 3863. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratio, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, is 1.01% (included in the ratio is 0.43% attributable to acquired fund fees and expenses).

 

The Fund’s aggregate total return since inception is based on a decrease in net asset value from $10.00 per share on December 31, 2007 (commencement of operations) to $8.89 per share on August 31, 2020.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

The Free Market International Equity Fund’s underlying funds invest in common stock, preferred stock, securities convertible into stocks and other equity securities issued by foreign companies. In addition to the ordinary risks of equity investing, foreign and small companies entail special risk. The return on foreign equities may be adversely affected by currency fluctuations. Emerging markets may be subject to social instability and lack of market liquidity. Small companies tend to have more risk than large companies. An investor in the Fund will incur the expenses of the underlying funds in addition to the Fund’s expenses. The foregoing is not intended to be a complete discussion of all risks associated with the investment strategies of the Fund.

 

7

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

PERFORMANCE DATA (CONCLUDED)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

 

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Free Market Fixed Income Fund vs. FTSE World Government Bond Index 1-5 Years and Composite Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 minimum initial investment in the Fund made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is a professionally managed mutual fund while the FTSE World Government Bond Index 1-5 Years and Composite Index are unmanaged, do not incur sales charges and/or expenses and are not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Since
Inception

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

2.98%

2.06%

1.44%

1.86%(1)

FTSE World Government Bond Index 1-5 Years

3.01%

2.35%

1.88%

2.38%

Composite Index(2)

4.49%

2.80%

2.18%

2.69%

 

(1)

The Fund commenced operations on December 31, 2007.

(2)

The Composite Index is comprised of the Three-Month Treasury Bill Index, Bloomberg Barclays Intermediate Government/Credit Bond Index, ICE BofA Merrill Lynch 1-3 Year US Government/Corporate Index and Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Capital Aggregate Bond Index, each weighted 25%, 25%, 25% and 25%, respectively.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-866-780-0357 ext. 3863. The Fund’s annual operating expense ratio, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, is 0.67% (included in the ratio is 0.12% attributable to acquired fund fees and expenses).

 

The Fund’s aggregate total return since inception is based on an increase in net asset value from $10.00 per share on December 31, 2007 (commencement of operations) to $10.61 per share on August 31, 2020.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

The Free Market Fixed Income Fund’s underlying funds invest in fixed income securities. The underlying funds may invest their assets in bonds and other debt securities issued by domestic and foreign governments and companies. Debt instruments involve the risk that their prices will fall when interest rates rise, and they are subject to the risk that the borrower may default. In addition, the return on foreign debt securities may be adversely affected by currency fluctuations. An investor in the Fund will incur expenses of the underlying funds in addition to the Fund’s expenses. The foregoing is not intended to be a complete discussion of all risks associated with the investment strategies of the Fund.

 

8

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Fund Expense Examples

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund(s), you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs; and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees and other Fund expenses. These examples are intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund(s) and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

These examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020, and held for the entire period.

 

Actual Expenses

 

The first section of the accompanying table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this section, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first section under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical EXAMPLES for Comparison Purposes

 

The second section of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on each Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in each Fund and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

The expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs. Therefore, the second section of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses
Paid during
period*

Annualized
Expense Ratio*

Actual
S
ix-Month
Total
Investment
Return for the
Fund

Actual

         

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,032.10

$ 2.91

0.57%

3.21%

Free Market International Equity Fund

1,000.00

1,014.80

3.04

0.60%

1.48%

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

1,000.00

1,013.00

2.88

0.57%

1.30%

 

9

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Fund Expense Examples (CONCLUDED)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses
Paid during
period*

Annualized
Expense Ratio*

Actual
S
ix-Month
Total
Investment
Return for the
Fund

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

         

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,022.27

$ 2.90

0.57%

N/A

Free Market International Equity Fund

1,000.00

1,022.12

3.05

0.60%

N/A

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

1,000.00

1,022.27

2.90

0.57%

N/A

 

*

Expenses are equal to each Fund’s annualized six-month expense ratio for the period March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one half year period. The annualized expense ratios do not reflect fees and expenses associated with the underlying funds. If such fees and expenses had been included, the expenses would have been higher. Each Fund’s ending account values in the first section in the table is based on the actual six-month total investment return for each Fund for the period March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020. The range of weighted expense ratios of the underlying funds held by the Funds, as stated in the underlying funds’ current prospectuses, were as follows:

 

FUNDS

RANGE OF WEIGHTED
EXPENSE RATIOS

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

0.00% - 0.13%

Free Market International Equity Fund

0.00% - 0.26%

Free Market Fixed income Fund

0.00% - 0.04%

 

10

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

FREE MARKET U.S. EQUITY FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

NUMBER
OF SHARES

   

VALUE

 

DOMESTIC EQUITY FUNDS — 99.5%

       

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF

    198,150     $ 69,505,075  

iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF

    1,645,717       124,827,634  

U.S. Large Cap Value Portfolio III (a)

    26,454,785       584,386,196  

U.S. Large Cap Value Series (b)

    2,825,615       134,103,710  

U.S. Large Company Portfolio (a)

    13,687,092       368,319,641  

U.S. Micro Cap Portfolio (c)

    22,990,391       424,632,517  

U.S. Small Cap Portfolio (c)

    13,596,047       426,643,939  

U.S. Small Cap Value Portfolio (c)

    24,825,116       690,882,988  

TOTAL DOMESTIC EQUITY FUNDS

       

(Cost $2,304,394,982)

            2,823,301,700  
                 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 2.2%

       

STIT-Government & Agency Portfolio, 0.03%*

    63,281,366       63,281,366  

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

       

(Cost $63,281,366)

            63,281,366  

TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 101.7%

       

(Cost $2,367,676,348)

            2,886,583,066  

LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS — (1.7)%

            (47,245,604 )

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 2,839,337,462  

 

 

 

 

Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

 

   

% OF
NET ASSETS

   

VALUE

 

Domestic Equity Funds

    99.5 %   $ 2,823,301,700  

Short-Term Investments

    2.2       63,281,366  

Liabilities In Excess Of Other Assets

    (1.7 )     (47,245,604 )

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 2,839,337,462  

 

 

*

Seven-day yield as of August 31, 2020.

(a)

A portfolio of Dimensional Investment Group Inc.

(b)

A portfolio of DFA Investment Trust Company.

(c)

A portfolio of DFA Investment Dimensions Group Inc.

 

ETF

Exchange-Traded Fund

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

11

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

FREE MARKET INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

NUMBER OF
SHARES/
BENEFICIAL
INTEREST

   

VALUE

 

INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUNDS — 99.9%

       

Canadian Small Company Series (a)

    2,347,354     $ 27,116,400  

DFA International Small Cap Value Portfolio (b)

    51,984,220       866,057,101  

DFA International Value Portfolio III (c)

    29,532,359       369,745,133  

DFA International Value Series (a)

    13,166,610       271,758,824  

Emerging Markets Small Cap Portfolio (b)

    5,210,065       103,888,693  

Emerging Markets Value Portfolio, Class Institutional (b)

    4,175,217       103,253,114  

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF

    1,756,113       107,878,022  

iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

    2,127,159       113,377,575  

iShares MSCI EAFE Small-Cap ETF

    3,199,699       189,134,208  

TOTAL INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUNDS

       

(Cost $2,276,401,385)

            2,152,209,070  
                 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 0.1%

       

STIT-Government & Agency Portfolio, 0.03%*

    1,111,430       1,111,430  

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

       

(Cost $1,111,430)

            1,111,430  

TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 100.0%

       

(Cost $2,277,512,815)

            2,153,320,500  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES — 0.0%

            334,468  

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 2,153,654,968  

 

 

Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

 

   

% OF
NET ASSETS

   

VALUE

 

International Equity Funds

    99.9 %   $ 2,152,209,070  

Short-Term Investments

    0.1       1,111,430  

Other Assets In Excess Of Liabilities

    0.0       334,468  

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 2,153,654,968  

 

 

*

Seven-day yield as of August 31, 2020.

(a)

A portfolio of DFA Investment Trust Company.

(b)

A portfolio of DFA Investment Dimensions Group Inc.

(c)

A portfolio of Dimensional Investment Group Inc.

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

12

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

FREE MARKET FIXED INCOME FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

NUMBER
OF SHARES

   

VALUE

 

FIXED INCOME FUNDS — 99.5%

       

DFA One-Year Fixed Income Portfolio (a)

    32,464,668     $ 334,386,080  

DFA Two-Year Global Fixed Income Portfolio (a)

    57,734,035       576,763,007  

iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF

    1,065,286       92,211,156  

iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF

    1,035,266       138,301,185  

iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF

    6,207,964       344,169,524  

iShares Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF

    2,264,454       138,494,007  

iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF

    10,057,543       554,070,044  

iShares TIPS Bond ETF

    923,676       117,288,379  

TOTAL FIXED INCOME FUNDS

       

(Cost $2,232,073,596)

            2,295,683,382  
                 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 0.5%

       

STIT-Government & Agency Portfolio, 0.03%*

    12,326,688       12,326,688  

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

       

(Cost $12,326,688)

            12,326,688  

TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 100.0%

       

(Cost $2,244,400,284)

            2,308,010,070  

LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS — 0.0%

            (101,135 )

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 2,307,908,935  

 

 

Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

 

   

% OF
NET ASSETS

   

VALUE

 

Fixed Income Funds

    99.5 %   $ 2,295,683,382  

Short-Term Investments

    0.5       12,326,688  

Liabilities In Excess Of Other Assets

    0.0       (101,135 )

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 2,307,908,935  

 

 

*

Seven-day yield as of August 31, 2020.

(a)

A portfolio of DFA Investment Dimensions Group Inc.

 

ETF

Exchange-Traded Fund

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

13

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

   

Free Market
U.S. Equity
Fund

   

Free Market
International
Equity Fund

   

Free Market
Fixed Income
Fund

 

ASSETS

                       

Investments in non-affiliated funds, at value (cost $2,304,394,982, $2,276,401,385 and $2,232,073,596, respectively)

  $ 2,823,301,700     $ 2,152,209,070     $ 2,295,683,382  

Short-term investments, at value (cost $63,281,366, $1,111,430 and $12,326,688, respectively)

    63,281,366       1,111,430       12,326,688  

Receivables for:

                       

Capital shares sold

    1,824,134       1,394,558       2,698,687  

Investments sold

          2,000,000        

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    83,219       53,384       67,734  

Total assets

    2,888,490,419       2,156,768,442       2,310,776,491  

LIABILITIES

                       

Payables for:

                       

Investments purchased

    45,000,467              

Capital shares redeemed

    2,574,948       1,748,467       1,580,361  

Advisory fees

    1,181,566       890,248       965,291  

Administration and accounting fees

    234,294       173,812       185,943  

Transfer agent fees

    20,089       14,529       15,911  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    141,593       286,418       120,050  

Total liabilities

    49,152,957       3,113,474       2,867,556  

Net assets

  $ 2,839,337,462     $ 2,153,654,968     $ 2,307,908,935  
                         

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

                       

Par value

  $ 176,798     $ 242,128     $ 217,528  

Paid-in capital

    2,290,147,514       2,222,472,039       2,236,316,455  

Total distributable earnings/(loss)

    549,013,150       69,059,199       71,374,952  

Net assets

  $ 2,839,337,462     $ 2,153,654,968     $ 2,307,908,935  
                         

CAPITAL SHARES:

                       

Net assets

  $ 2,839,337,462     $ 2,153,654,968     $ 2,307,908,935  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 700,000,000 shares authorized)

    176,797,860       242,127,631       217,527,711  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 16.06     $ 8.89     $ 10.61  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

14

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Statements of Operations

FOR THE Year ENDED August 31, 2020

 

   

Free Market
U.S. Equity
Fund

   

Free Market
International
Equity Fund

   

Free Market
Fixed Income
Fund

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

                       

Dividends from non-affiliated funds

  $ 45,279,404     $ 57,483,287     $ 49,499,411  

Total investment income

    45,279,404       57,483,287       49,499,411  
                         

EXPENSES

                       

Advisory fees (Note 2)

    13,865,320       10,460,528       12,510,840  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 2)

    791,885       597,234       698,496  

Director fees

    230,417       181,920       214,090  

Legal fees

    195,371       134,923       176,504  

Officer fees

    194,848       145,729       170,908  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    119,889       95,847       108,365  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    96,382       92,677       86,728  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    80,417       61,852       68,376  

Registration and filing fees

    41,445       39,616       38,552  

Audit and tax service fees

    32,215       31,053       32,786  

Other expenses

    145,199       525,097       125,265  

Total expenses

    15,793,388       12,366,476       14,230,910  

Net investment income/(loss)

    29,486,016       45,116,811       35,268,501  
                         

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

                       

Net realized gain/(loss) from:

                       

Non-affiliated funds

    (26,403,611 )     29,590,050       12,487,319  

Capital gain distributions from non-affiliated fund investments

    60,717,295       14,938,775       135,535  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:

                       

Non-affiliated funds

    (27,260,145 )     (63,417,824 )     20,505,178  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    7,053,539       (18,888,999 )     33,128,032  

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ 36,539,555     $ 26,227,812     $ 68,396,533  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

15

 

 

FREE MARKET U.S. EQUITY FUND

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 29,486,016     $ 29,261,353  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    34,313,684       143,590,988  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    (27,260,145 )     (581,363,813 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    36,539,555       (408,511,472 )
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (169,412,819 )     (152,180,367 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (169,412,819 )     (152,180,367 )
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    545,707,591       493,291,119  

Reinvestment of distributions

    169,205,765       152,020,397  

Shares redeemed

    (641,720,675 )     (599,160,819 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital shares

    73,192,681       46,150,697  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    (59,680,583 )     (514,541,142 )
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    2,899,018,045       3,413,559,187  

End of period

  $ 2,839,337,462     $ 2,899,018,045  
                 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Shares sold

    36,797,183       27,816,897  

Dividends and distributions reinvested

    9,343,223       9,871,455  

Shares redeemed

    (40,900,928 )     (33,724,694 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    5,239,478       3,963,658  

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

16

 

 

FREE MARKET INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 45,116,811     $ 49,094,485  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    44,528,825       32,242,075  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    (63,417,824 )     (358,297,896 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    26,227,812       (276,961,336 )
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (60,103,777 )     (79,655,266 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (60,103,777 )     (79,655,266 )
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    430,793,091       485,774,033  

Reinvestment of distributions

    60,073,300       79,625,037  

Shares redeemed

    (458,243,187 )     (366,737,622 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital shares

    32,623,204       198,661,448  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    (1,252,761 )     (157,955,154 )
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    2,154,907,729       2,312,862,883  

End of period

  $ 2,153,654,968     $ 2,154,907,729  
                 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Shares sold

    52,513,619       50,409,472  

Dividends and distributions reinvested

    5,947,851       9,173,392  

Shares redeemed

    (53,365,026 )     (38,353,563 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    5,096,444       21,229,301  

 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

17

 

 

FREE MARKET FIXED INCOME FUND

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 35,268,501     $ 73,677,897  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    12,622,854       (4,010,184 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    20,505,178       70,689,707  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    68,396,533       140,357,420  
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (41,833,397 )     (71,911,632 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (41,833,397 )     (71,911,632 )
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    403,565,489       444,155,401  

Reinvestment of distributions

    41,824,622       71,902,811  

Shares redeemed

    (912,637,509 )     (703,532,146 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital shares

    (467,247,398 )     (187,473,934 )

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    (440,684,262 )     (119,028,146 )
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    2,748,593,197       2,867,621,343  

End of period

  $ 2,307,908,935     $ 2,748,593,197  
                 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Shares sold

    38,541,527       43,458,650  

Dividends and distributions reinvested

    4,021,935       7,147,651  

Shares redeemed

    (87,441,618 )     (68,815,440 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    (44,878,156 )     (18,209,139 )

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

18

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

FREE MARKET U.S. EQUITY FUND

 

Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for each share outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2018

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2017

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 16.90     $ 20.37     $ 17.60     $ 16.18     $ 16.08  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.17       0.17       0.15       0.12       0.18  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    (2)      (2.73 )     3.34       2.13       1.18  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    0.17       (2.56 )     3.49       2.25       1.36  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.16 )     (0.15 )     (0.20 )     (0.15 )     (0.15 )

Net realized capital gains

    (0.85 )     (0.76 )     (0.52 )     (0.68 )     (1.11 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.01 )     (0.91 )     (0.72 )     (0.83 )     (1.26 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 16.06     $ 16.90     $ 20.37     $ 17.60     $ 16.18  

Total investment return/(loss)(3)

    0.32 %     (12.09 )%     20.11 %     13.97 %     9.10 %
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 2,839,337     $ 2,899,018     $ 3,413,559     $ 2,724,995     $ 2,303,041  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets(4)

    0.56 %     0.55 %     0.55 %     0.56 %     0.59 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets(3)

    1.05 %     0.96 %     0.76 %     0.72 %     1.15 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    14 %     7 %     2 %     5 %     1 %

 

 

(1)

The selected per share data is calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

(2)

Amount less than $(0.005) per share.

(3)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(4)

The Fund also will indirectly bear its prorated share of expenses of the underlying funds. Such expenses are not included in the calculation of this ratio.

 

19

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

FREE MARKET INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND

 

Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for each share outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2018

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2017

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 9.09     $ 10.72     $ 10.97     $ 9.24     $ 9.28  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.19       0.21       0.22       0.14       0.23  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    (0.13 )     (1.47 )     (0.10 )     1.89       0.05  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    0.06       (1.26 )     0.12       2.03       0.28  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.14 )     (0.18 )     (0.26 )     (0.19 )     (0.16 )

Net realized capital gains

    (0.12 )     (0.19 )     (0.11 )     (0.11 )     (0.16 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.26 )     (0.37 )     (0.37 )     (0.30 )     (0.32 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 8.89     $ 9.09     $ 10.72     $ 10.97     $ 9.24  

Total investment return/(loss)(2)

    0.30 %     (11.66 )%     0.98 %     22.50 %     3.13 %
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 2,153,655     $ 2,154,908     $ 2,312,863     $ 2,190,068     $ 1,672,452  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets(3)

    0.58 %     0.58 %     0.57 %     0.58 %     0.63 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets(3)

    2.13 %     2.22 %     1.93 %     1.42 %     2.60 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    28 %     4 %     3 %     2 %     1 %

 

 

(1)

The selected per share data is calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

(2)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(3)

The Fund also will indirectly bear its prorated share of expenses of the underlying funds. Such expenses are not included in the calculation of this ratio.

 

20

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

FREE MARKET FIXED INCOME FUND

 

Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for each share outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2018

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2017

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 10.47     $ 10.22     $ 10.36     $ 10.43     $ 10.25  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.15       0.27       0.10       0.10       0.06  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    0.16       0.24       (0.14 )     (0.06 )     0.17  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    0.31       0.51       (0.04 )     0.04       0.23  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.17 )     (0.26 )     (0.09 )     (0.11 )     (0.03 )

Net realized capital gains

          (2)      (0.01 )           (0.02 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.17 )     (0.26 )     (0.10 )     (0.11 )     (0.05 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 10.61     $ 10.47     $ 10.22     $ 10.36     $ 10.43  

Total investment return/(loss)(3)

    2.98 %     5.11 %     (0.35 )%     0.39 %     2.26 %
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 2,307,909     $ 2,748,593     $ 2,867,621     $ 2,503,032     $ 2,126,457  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets(4)

    0.56 %     0.55 %     0.55 %     0.56 %     0.59 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets(4)

    1.39 %     2.62 %     1.02 %     0.94 %     0.54 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    46 %     3 %     0 %     0 %     31 %

 

 

(1)

The selected per share data is calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

(2)

Amount less than $(0.005) per share.

(3)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(4)

The Fund also will indirectly bear its prorated share of expenses of the underlying funds. Such expenses are not included in the calculation of this ratio.

 

21

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2020

 

1.

Organization and Significant Accounting Policies

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, the Free Market International Equity Fund and the Free Market Fixed Income Fund (each a “Fund,” collectively the “Funds”). Each Fund operates as a “fund of funds” and commenced investment operations on December 31, 2007.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

Free Market U.S. Equity and Free Market International Equity’s investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation. Free Market Fixed Income’s investment objective is to seek total return (consisting of current income and capital appreciation).

 

The Funds are investment companies and follow accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services - Investment Companies”.

 

The end of the reporting period for the Funds is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

Investment Company Securities – The Funds pursue their investment objectives by investing primarily in shares of registered, open-end investment companies and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) (collectively, “underlying funds”). When a Fund invests in underlying funds it will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses payable directly by the underlying fund. In connection with its investments in other investment companies, a Fund will incur higher expenses, many of which may be duplicative. Furthermore, because the Funds invest in shares of ETFs and underlying funds their performances are directly related to the ability of the ETFs and underlying funds to meet their respective investment objectives, as well as the allocation of each Fund’s assets among the ETFs and underlying funds. Accordingly, the Funds’ investment performance will be influenced by the investment strategies of and risks associated with the ETFs and underlying funds in direct proportion to the amount of assets the Funds allocate to the ETFs and underlying funds utilizing such strategies. As disclosed in the Portfolio of Investments, the Funds invest in a number of different underlying funds, including underlying funds that are portfolios of DFA Investment Dimensions Group Inc., and Dimensional Investment Group Inc. (collectively, “DFA Underlying Funds”) and iShares by BlackRock (“iShares Underlying Funds”). Information about DFA Underlying Funds and iShares Underlying Funds’ risks may be found in such DFA Underlying Funds and iShares Underlying Funds’ annual or semiannual report to shareholders, which can be found at us.dimensional.com and iShares.com, respectively. Additional information about derivatives related risks, if applicable, may also be found in each such DFA Underlying Fund or iShares Underlying Funds’ annual or semiannual report to shareholders. The annual and semiannual reports to shareholders for the underlying funds may also be found by visiting the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

PORTFOLIO VALUATION — Investments in the underlying funds are valued at each Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) determined as of the close of business on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). Investments in Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”) are valued at their last reported sale price. As required, some securities and assets may be valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Direct investments in fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market.

 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Funds’ investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

● Level 1 —

Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

● Level 2 —

Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

22

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

 

● Level 3 —

Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Funds’ own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing the Funds’ investments carried at fair value:

 

FREE MARKET U.S. EQUITY FUND

 

   

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

   

INVESTMENTS
MEASURED AT NET
ASSET VALUE*

 

Domestic Equity Funds

  $ 2,823,301,700     $ 2,689,197,990     $     $     $ 134,103,710  

Short-Term Investments

    63,281,366       63,281,366                    

Total Investments**

  $ 2,886,583,066     $ 2,752,479,356     $     $     $ 134,103,710  

 

*

Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The fair value amounts presented in the table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

 

**

Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments for further details.

 

FREE MARKET INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND

 

   

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

   

INVESTMENTS
MEASURED AT NET
ASSET VALUE*

 

International Equity Funds

  $ 2,152,209,070     $ 1,853,333,846     $     $     $ 298,875,224  

Short-Term Investments

    1,111,430       1,111,430                    

Total Investments**

  $ 2,153,320,500     $ 1,854,445,276     $     $     $ 298,875,224  

 

*

Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The fair value amounts presented in the table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

 

**

Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments for further details.

 

FREE MARKET FIXED INCOME FUND

 

   

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

   

INVESTMENTS
MEASURED AT NET
ASSET VALUE*

 

Fixed Income Funds

  $ 2,295,683,382     $ 2,295,683,382     $     $     $  

Short-Term Investments

    12,326,688       12,326,688                    

Total Investments**

  $ 2,308,010,070     $ 2,308,010,070     $     $     $  

 

*

Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The fair value amounts presented in the table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

 

**

Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments for further details.

 

23

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Funds’ investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Funds may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires each Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when a Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for all Level 3 transfers are disclosed if a Fund had an amount of total Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Funds had no Level 3 transfers.

 

USE OF ESTIMATES — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS, INVESTMENT INCOME AND EXPENSES — The Funds record security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gain are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. Each Fund’s investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family of the Company are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all of the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Funds. In addition to the net annual operating expenses that the Funds bear directly, the shareholders indirectly bear the Funds’ pro-rata expenses of the underlying mutual funds in which each Fund invests.

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS — Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net realized capital gains, if any, are declared and paid at least annually to shareholders recorded on the ex-dividend date for each Fund with the exception of the Free Market Fixed Income Fund which declares and pays quarterly dividends from net investment income. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

24

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

U.S. TAX STATUS — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is each Fund’s intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

MARKET RISK — The value of a Fund’s shares will fluctuate as a result of the movement of the overall stock market or the value of the underlying fund held by a Fund, and you could lose money.

 

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers are not known. The operational and financial performance of the issuers of securities in which the Funds invest depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Funds’ investments, impair the Funds’ ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Funds’ performance.

 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

OTHER — In the normal course of business, the Funds may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. Each Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Funds in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Funds expect the risk of material loss for such claims is considered to be remote.

 

For additional information about the DFA Underlying Funds and iShares Underlying Funds’ valuation policies, refer to the DFA Underlying Funds and iShares Underlying Funds’ most recent annual or semiannual report which can be found at us.dimensional.com and iShares.com, respectively.

 

2.

Investment Adviser and Other Services

 

Matson Money, Inc. (“Matson Money” or the “Adviser”), serves as the investment adviser to each Fund. Each Fund compensates the Adviser for its services at an annual rate based on each Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Advisory Fee”), payable on a monthly basis in arrears, as shown in the following tables.

 

AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS

 

ADVISORY FEE

 

For the first $1 billion

    0.50 %

Over $1 billion to $3 billion

    0.49  

Over $3 billion to $5 billion

    0.48  

Over $5 billion

    0.47  

 

The Adviser has voluntarily agreed to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses exceed the rates (“Expense Caps”) shown in the following table annually of each Fund’s average daily net assets. The Adviser may not recoup waived management fees or reimbursed expenses. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time.

 

FUND

 

EXPENSE CAPS

 

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

    1.13 %

Free Market International Equity Fund

    1.35  

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

    1.00  

 

25

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

During the current fiscal period, investment advisory fees accrued were as follows:

 

FUND

 

ADVISORY FEES

 

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

  $ 13,865,320  

Free Market International Equity Fund

    10,460,528  

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

    12,510,840  

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Funds. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Funds’ transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Funds. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Funds’ distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Funds’ distributor.

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Statements of Operations.

 

3.

Director and Officer Compensation

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Funds or the Company. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Statements of Operations.

 

4.

Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities

 

During the current fiscal period, aggregate purchase and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) of the Funds were as follows:

 

   

Purchases

   

Sales

 

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

  $ 387,491,831     $ 407,748,505  

Free Market International Equity Fund

    623,924,930       595,600,168  

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

    1,167,349,485       1,639,702,301  

 

There were no purchases or sales of long-term U.S. Government securities during the current fiscal period.

 

5.

Federal Income Tax Information

 

The Funds have followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Funds to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Funds have

 

26

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

determined that there was no effect on the financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Funds are subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by each Fund were as follows:

 

   

Federal
Tax Cost

   

Unrealized
Appreciation

   

Unrealized
(Depreciation)

   

Net Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

  $ 2,386,254,280     $ 602,809,298     $ (102,480,512 )   $ 500,328,786  

Free Market International Equity Fund

    2,292,749,017       78,034,063       (217,462,580 )     (139,428,517 )

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

    2,245,413,466       65,740,340       (3,143,735 )     62,596,605  

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

Permanent differences as of August 31, 2020, primarily attributable to redesignation of dividends paid and reclassifications of short-term capital gain distributions, were reclassified among the following accounts:

 

   

DISTRIBUTABLE
EARNINGS/(LOSS)

   

Paid-In
Capital

 

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

  $ (8,834,072 )   $ 8,834,072  

Free Market International Equity Fund

    (13,149,845 )     13,149,845  

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

    (2,504,844 )     2,504,844  

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

   

Undistributed
Ordinary Income

   

Undistributed
Long-Term
Capital Gains

   

Capital Loss
CarryForwards

   

NET Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

  $ 12,089,320     $ 36,595,044     $     $ 500,328,786  

Free Market International Equity Fund

    29,337,277       41,032,041             (139,428,517 )

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

    2,705,300       6,073,047             62,596,605  

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate primarily to the timing of recognition of income and gains for federal income tax purposes. Short-term and foreign currency gains, if applicable, are reported as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019, were as follows:

 

     

Ordinary
Income

   

Long-Term
Gains

   

Total

 

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

2020

  $ 26,516,498     $ 142,896,321     $ 169,412,819  
 

2019

    25,649,464       126,530,903       152,180,367  

Free Market International Equity Fund

2020

    32,785,339       27,318,438       60,103,777  
 

2019

    39,266,954       40,388,312       79,655,266  

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

2020

    41,833,397             41,833,397  
 

2019

    71,322,944       588,688       71,911,632  

 

27

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

Distributions from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

The Funds are permitted to carry forward capital losses for an unlimited period. Capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses.

 

6.

NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS AND REGULATORY UPDATES

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Funds’ financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

7.

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Funds through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no significant events requiring recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

28

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. and Shareholders of Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund and Free Market Fixed Income Fund

 

Opinions on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities, including the portfolios of investments, of Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund and Free Market Fixed Income Fund (the “Funds”), three separately managed portfolios of The RBB Fund, Inc., as of August 31, 2020, the related statements of operations for the year ended August 31, 2020, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2020 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the Funds as of August 31, 2020, the results of each of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in each of their net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020 and each of the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2020 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinions

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Funds’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020 by correspondence with the custodian, transfer agent and broker; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

 

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 27, 2020

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Matson Money, Inc. investment companies since 2008.

 

29

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

SHAREHOLDER TAX INFORMATION

(UNAUDITED)

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 were as follows:

 

   

Ordinary
Income

   

Long-Term
Gains

   

Total

 

Free Market U.S. Equity Fund

  $ 26,516,498     $ 142,896,321     $ 169,412,819  

Free Market International Equity Fund

    32,785,339       27,318,438       60,103,777  

Free Market Fixed Income Fund

    41,833,397             41,833,397  

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

The percentage of taxable ordinary income distributions that are designated as short-term capital gain distributions under Internal Revenue Section 871(k)(2)(c) are 0.00% for each Fund.

 

The percentage of total ordinary income dividends qualifying for the 15% dividend income tax rate is 100% for the Free Market U.S. Equity Fund and 78.08% for the Free Market International Equity Fund.

 

The percentage of total ordinary dividends qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction is 100% for the Free Market U.S. Equity Fund.

 

The percentage of qualified interest income related dividends not subject to withholding tax for non-resident aliens and foreign corporations is 62.04% for the Free Market Fixed Income Fund. A total of 19.63% of the dividend distributed during the fiscal year was derived from U.S. Government securities, which is generally exempt from state income tax for the Free Market Fixed Income Fund.

 

Because each Fund’s fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Funds, if any. The Free Market International Equity Fund passed through foreign tax credits of $4,217,722 and earned $38,215,989 of gross foreign source income during the fiscal year.

 

In general, dividends received by tax-exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Funds.

 

30

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Other Information

(Unaudited)

 

 

Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling Free Market Funds at (866) 780-0357, ext. 3863 and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedules

 

The Company files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Free Market Funds Approval of Investment Advisory Agreements

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered the renewal of the investment advisory agreement between Matson Money and the Company (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund and Free Market Fixed Income Fund (for this section only, each a “Fund” and collectively the “Funds”), at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreement for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Board considered information provided by Matson Money with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Company and Matson Money with respect to the Funds, the Directors took into account all the materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of Matson Money’s services provided to the Funds; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of Matson Money’s personnel providing those services; (iii) Matson Money’s investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Matson Money’s assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Matson Money’s current advisory fee arrangements with the Company and other similarly managed clients; (vi) Matson Money’s compliance procedures; (vii) Matson Money’s financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Funds; (viii) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Funds; (ix) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing each Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its respective Lipper Group and comparing the performance of each Fund to the performance of its respective Lipper Group; and (x) a report comparing the performance of each Fund to the performance of its primary and composite benchmarks.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Matson Money. The Directors concluded that Matson Money had substantial resources to provide services to the Funds and that Matson Money’s services had been acceptable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Funds and Matson Money. Information on the Funds’ investment performance was provided for the since inception and for one, three-, five-, and ten-year periods, as applicable, and for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The Directors considered the Funds’ investment performance in light of their investment objectives and investment strategies. The Directors concluded that the investment performance of each of the Funds as compared to their respective benchmarks and Lipper Groups was acceptable.

 

31

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Other Information (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

 

In reaching this conclusion, the Directors observed that the Free Market U.S. Equity Fund had underperformed its benchmark for the year-to-date and one-, three-, five-, ten-year, and since inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the Free Market U.S. Equity Fund ranked in the 5th quintile in its Performance Group for the one-year, two-year, three-year, four-year and five-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Directors noted the Free Market International Equity Fund had underperformed its benchmark for the year-to-date and one-, three-, five-, ten-year periods, and slightly outperformed its since inception period, each ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the Free Market International Equity Fund ranked in the 4th quintile in its Performance Group for the four-year and five-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

Finally, the Directors noted the Free Market Fixed Income Fund had underperformed its benchmark for the year-to-date and one-, three-, five-, ten-year, and since inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the Free Market Fixed Income Fund ranked in the 5th quintile in its Performance Universe for the one-year, two-year, three-year, four-year and five-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rates payable by the Funds under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Funds and the Funds’ total operating expense ratios (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee and total expenses of the Free Market U.S. Equity Fund ranked in the 2nd quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee of the Free Market International Equity Fund ranked in the 2nd quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 1st quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee of the Free Market Fixed Income Fund

 

ranked in the 3rd quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 2nd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

In addition, the Directors took note that Matson Money had voluntarily agreed to waive its advisory fee and reimburse expenses in order to limit total annual Fund operating expenses to 1.13%, 1.35% and 1.00% of the average daily net assets of the Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund and Free Market Fixed Income Fund, respectively.

 

After reviewing the information regarding the Funds’ costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering Matson Money’s services, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees paid by the Funds were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreement should be approved and continued for an additional one year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

32

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

Liquidity Risk Management Program

(Unaudited)

 

 

The Company has adopted and implemented a Liquidity Risk Management Program (the “Company Program”) as required by rule 22e-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. In accordance with the Company Program, the “Adviser has adopted and implemented a liquidity risk management program (the “Adviser Program” and together with the Company Program, the “Programs”) on behalf of the Free Market Fixed Income Fund, Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, and Free Market International Equity Fund (each a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”). The Programs seek to assess, manage and review each Fund’s Liquidity Risk. “Liquidity Risk” is defined as the risk that a Fund could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the Fund without significant dilution of remaining investors’ interest in the Fund.

 

The Board has appointed Vigilant Compliance, LLC (“Vigilant”) as the program administrator for the Company Program and the Adviser as the program administrator for the Company Program. The Adviser has delegated oversight of the Adviser Program to its Liquidity Risk Committee, whose process of monitoring and determining the liquidity of each Fund’s investments is supported by one or more third-party vendors.

 

At meetings held during the fiscal period, the Board and its Investment and Liquidity Risk Committee received and reviewed a written report (the “Report”) of Vigilant and the Adviser concerning the operation of the Programs for the period from December 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 (the “Period”). The Report summarized the operation of the Programs and the information and factors considered by Vigilant and the Adviser in reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the implementation of the Programs with respect to each Fund. Such information and factors included, among other things: (i) the methodology used to classify the liquidity of each Fund’s portfolio investments and the Adviser’s assessment that each Fund’s strategy remained appropriate for an open-end mutual fund; (ii) that each Fund held primarily highly liquid assets (investments that the Fund anticipates can be converted to cash within 3 business days or less in current market conditions without significantly changing their market value); (iii) that none of the Funds required the establishment of a highly liquid investment minimum and the methodology for that determination; (iv) confirmation that none of the Funds had breached the 15% maximum illiquid security threshold (investments that cannot be sold or disposed of in seven days or less in current market conditions without the sale of the investment significantly changing the market value of the investment) and the procedures for monitoring compliance with the limit; (v) that the processes, technologies and third-party vendors used to assess, manage, and/or periodically review each Fund’s Liquidity Risk functioned appropriately during the Period; and (vi) that the Programs operated adequately during the Period. The Report also indicated that there were no material changes made to the Programs during the Period.

 

Based on the review, the Report concluded that the Programs were being implemented effectively and reasonably designed to assess and manage Liquidity Risk in each Fund’s portfolio.

 

There can be no assurance that the Company Program or the Adviser Program will achieve its objectives under all circumstances in the future. Please refer to the Funds’ prospectus for more information regarding a Fund’s exposure to liquidity risk and other risks to which it may be subject.

 

33

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

COMPANY MANAGEMENT

(UNAUDITED)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling 866-780-0357, ext. 3863.

 

Name, Address, and Age

Position(s) Held
with Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 53

 

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

Nicholas A. Giordano

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

 

34

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

COMPANY MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)

(UNAUDITED)

 

Name, Address, and Age

Position(s) Held
with Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Arnold M. Reichman

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 72

Chairman

Director

2005 to present

1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

Brian T. Shea

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

Robert Sablowsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 82

Vice Chairman

Director

2016 to present

1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

OFFICERS

Salvatore Faia, JD,

CPA, CFE

Vigilant Compliance, LLC

Gateway Corporate

Center Suite 216

223 Wilmington West

Chester Pike

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Age: 57

President

Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 59

Treasurer
and
Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

 

 

35

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

COMPANY MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED)

(UNAUDITED)

 

Name, Address, and Age

Position(s) Held
with Company

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

OFFICERS

Craig A. Urciuoli

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 61

Assistant
Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1.

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2.

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

 

36

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

COMPANY MANAGEMENT (CONCLUDED)

(UNAUDITED)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive-level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

37

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

PRIVACY NOTICE

(UNAUDITED)

 

FACTS

WHAT DO THE FREE MARKET FUNDS DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

● Social Security number

● account balances

● account transactions

● transaction history

● wire transfer instructions

● checking account information

 

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How?

All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Free Market Funds choose to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

       

Reasons we can share your information

Do the Free Market Funds share?

Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purposes
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal
investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

Yes

No

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes
information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

 

Questions?

Call (866) 780-0357 Ext. 3863 or go to www.MatsonMoney.com

 

 

38

 

 

FREE MARKET FUNDS

PRIVACY NOTICE (CONCLUDED)

(UNAUDITED)

 

What we do

 

How does the Free Market Funds protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.

How does the Free Market Funds collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

 

● open an account

● provide account information

● give us your contact information

● make a wire transfer

● tell us where to send the money

 

We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

 

● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness

● affiliates from using your information to market to you

● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

Definitions

 

Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

Our affiliates include McGriff Video Productions and Matson Money, Inc.

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

The Free Market Funds don’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you. The Funds may share information with nonaffiliates that perform marketing services on our behalf.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

 

The Free Market Funds may share your information with other financial institutions with whom we have joint marketing arrangements who may suggest additional fund services or other investment products which may be of interest to you.

 

 

39

 

 

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Investment Adviser

Matson Money, Inc.
5955 Deerfield Blvd.
Mason, OH 45040

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Principal Underwriter

Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E. Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Custodian

U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Two Commerce Square, Suite 1800
2001 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-7042

 

Legal Counsel

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

FMFI-AR20

 

 

MATSON MONEY U.S. EQUITY VI PORTFOLIO
MATSON MONEY INTERNATIONAL EQUITY VI PORTFOLIO
MATSON MONEY FIXED INCOME VI PORTFOLIO

 

of

 

The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

 

Annual Report

 

August 31, 2020

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Portfolios’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Portfolios electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-866-780-0357 ext. 3863.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Portfolios, you can call 1-866-780-0357 ext. 3863 to inform the Portfolios that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all portfolios held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all portfolios held with the portfolios complex if you invest directly with the Portfolios.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Portfolios. It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Portfolios.

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

 

The twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020 saw some periods of noticeable volatility in domestic equity markets. Common news stories over the past twelve months have included reports on threats of war between the U.S. and Iran, the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, the global COVID-19 outbreak, the era’s second-highest unemployment rate in the U.S., and global protests. The performance of U.S. equities in 2020 has begun to reverse course from the beginning of 2020 and has shown strong positive trajectory despite noticeable volatility.

 

For the twelve months ended August 31, 2020, the Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio provided a total return of 0.62% at net asset value. This compares with a return of 6.79% over the same period for the Portfolio’s benchmark, the Russell 2500® Index.

 

As a result of the Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio’s diversified investment approach, performance principally was determined by broad structural trends in equity markets, rather than the behavior of a limited number of stocks. Among the most important factors explaining differences in the performance of diversified equity funds, like the Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio, are the size and value/growth characteristics of the underlying fund holdings. Size is measured by market capitalization and “value” classification is a function of stock price relative to one or more fundamental characteristics.

 

U.S. large company stocks performed better than U.S. small company stocks during the period. The Russell 2000® Index returned 6.02%, while the S&P 500® Index was up 21.94% for the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020. Furthermore, for the same time-period, the Russell 2000® Value Index returned -6.14% and the Russell 1000® Value Index returned 0.84%.

 

In summary, U.S. large cap stocks performed better than small cap stocks and U.S. growth stocks outperformed U.S. value stocks. Factors that contributed to the Portfolio’s underperformance compared to its benchmark can largely be explained by its tilt toward small cap and value stocks, as well as the Portfolio’s limited exposure to real estate investment trusts.

 

Today’s environment underscores that markets are highly unpredictable over the short term. In other words, anything can happen, so we believe that a balanced, diversified, long-term approach is favored.

 

1

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

 

The global markets experienced a roller coaster ride during the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020. 2019 ended with international equity markets faring better then U.S. markets, however over the entire 12 months, U.S. equity markets outpaced international equity markets. We also saw the emergence of the COVID-19 outbreak that has caused tremendous global human and economic hardship.

 

For the twelve months ended August 31, 2020, the Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio provided a total return of 0.60% at net asset value. This compares with a return of 5.96% over the same period for the Portfolio’s benchmark, the MSCI World (ex USA) Index, which captures large and mid -cap representation across 22 of 23 Developed Markets (DM) countries excluding the United States.

 

As a result of the Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio’s diversified investment approach, performance principally was determined by broad structural trends in global equity markets, rather than the behavior of a limited number of stocks. Among the most important factors explaining differences in the behavior of diversified international equity funds, like the Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio, are company size and company value/growth characteristics of the underlying fund holdings and broad exposure to emerging market equities.

 

International small company stocks fared better than international large company stocks. The MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index returned 10.66% for the twelve months ended August 31, 2020, while the MSCI EAFE Index returned 6.13% for the same period. Furthermore, for the same time period, the MSCI EAFE Value Index declined by -3.24%, while the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Value Index returned 0.20% and the MSCI Emerging Markets Index returned 14.49%.

 

In summary, factors that contributed to the Portfolio’s underperformance compared to its benchmark can largely be explained by its tilt toward small cap and value stocks.

 

Today’s environment underscores that markets are highly unpredictable over the short term. In other words, anything can happen, so we believe that a balanced, diversified, long-term approach is favored.

 

2

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

 

The U.S. economy experienced periods of volatility during the twelve months ended August 31, 2020. The COVID-19 outbreak has caused tremendous global human and economic hardship. Disruptions to economic activity have significantly affected financial conditions. In response, the U.S. Federal Reserve quickly lowered its policy rate to close to zero in order to support economic activity. The broad proxy for the U.S. bond market, the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index gained 6.47%, while the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index (hedged) returned 3.28% for the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020. As a result of the decrease in interest rates, short-term bonds were outperformed by ones with longer maturities. The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Government/Credit 1-3 Years Index returned 3.48% while the Morningstar Long-Term US Government Bond Index, which includes US Treasury and US Government Agency bonds with maturities of seven years or longer, returned 13.12%.

 

The Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio focuses on assets that invest in global high quality and shorter-term government and corporate fixed income assets. For the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020, the Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio returned 2.68%. This compares with a return of 3.01% over the same period for the Portfolio’s benchmark, the FTSE World Government Bond 1-5 Year Currency Hedged U.S. Dollar Index.

 

The Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio performed as expected, and slightly underperformed its benchmark for the period. A contributing factor to the performance of the Portfolio compared to its benchmark was the Portfolio’s slightly lower exposure to certain global markets and exposure to shorter term maturities.

 

3

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The Russell 2500® Index consists of the smallest 2,500 companies in a group of 3,000 U.S. companies in the Russell 3000® Index, as ranked by market capitalization.

 

Russell 2000® Index: Measures the performance of the small-cap segment of the U.S. equity universe. The Russell 2000 is a subset of the Russell 3000® Index representing approximately 10% of the total market capitalization of that index. It includes approximately 2000 of the smallest securities based on a combination of their market cap and current index membership. The Russell 2000® Index is constructed to provide a comprehensive and unbiased small-cap barometer and is completely reconstituted annually to ensure larger stocks do not distort the performance and characteristics of the true small-cap opportunity set.

 

Russell 2000® Value Index consists of the smallest 2,000 companies in a group of 3,000 U.S. companies in the Russell 3000® Index, as ranked by market capitalization, with relatively low price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values.

 

The S&P 500® Index is a market-capitalization-weighted index that consists of the 500 largest U.S. publicly traded companies.

 

Russell 1000® Value Index consists of the largest 1,000 companies in a group of 3,000 U.S. companies in the Russell 3000® Index, as ranked by market capitalization, with relatively low price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth values.

 

The MSCI World (ex USA) Index captures large and mid cap representation across 22 of 23 developed markets (DM) countries*--excluding the United States. With 985 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country.

 

MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index captures small cap representation across Developed Markets countries* around the world, excluding the US and Canada.

 

MSCI EAFE Small Cap Value Index captures small cap securities exhibiting overall value style characteristics across Developed Markets countries* around the world, excluding the U.S. and Canada.

 

MSCI EAFE Index captures large and mid -cap representation across 21 Developed Markets countries* around the world, excluding the US and Canada.

 

MSCI EAFE Value Index captures large and mid-cap securities exhibiting overall value style characteristics across Developed Markets countries* around the world, excluding the U.S. and Canada. The value investment style characteristics for index construction are defined using three variables: book value to price, 12-month forward earnings to price and dividend yield.

 

MSCI Emerging Markets Index captures large and mid cap representation across 26 Emerging Markets (EM) countries**.

 

Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based flagship benchmark that measures the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market.

 

Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index is a flagship measure of global investment grade debt from twenty-four local currency markets.

 

Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Government/Credit 1-3 Years Index measures the performance of investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate, taxable corporate and government-related debt with 1 to 2.9999 years to maturity.

 

Morningstar Long-Term US Government Bond Index includes US Treasury and US Government Agency bonds with maturities of seven years or longer.

 

4

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Concluded)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

FTSE World Government Bond 1-5 Year Currency Hedged U.S. Dollar Index is a broad index providing exposure to the global sovereign fixed income market. The index measures the performance of fixed-rate, local currency, investment-grade sovereign bonds. It comprises sovereign debt from over 20 countries, denominated in a variety of currencies. The index provides a broad benchmark for the global sovereign fixed income market. Sub-indexes are available in any combination of currency, maturity, or rating.

 

* Developed Markets countries include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

 

** EM countries include: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines,

 

Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.

 

One cannot invest directly in an index.

 

Growth stocks typically are more volatile than value stocks; however, value stocks have a lower expected growth rate in earnings and sales.

 

Opinions expressed are subject to change at any time, are not guaranteed and should not be considered investment advice.

 

Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.

 

Mutual fund investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Diversification does not assure a profit nor protect against loss in a declining market. Investing in micro-cap or small cap companies involve additional risks such as limited liquidity and greater volatility than large companies. Investing in foreign securities involves greater volatility and political, economic and currency risks and differences in accounting methods. These risks are greater in emerging markets. Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise. This risk is usually greater for longer-term debt securities.

 

Shares of the Funds are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC.

 

5

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Performance Data

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

 

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio vs. Russell 2500® Index and Composite Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 minimum initial investment in the Portfolio made on February 18, 2014 (commencement of operations) and reflects Portfolio expenses. Investors should note that the Portfolio is a professionally managed mutual fund while the Russell 2500® Index and Composite Index are unmanaged, do not incur sales charges and/or expenses and are not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

1 YEAR

3 YEARS

5 YEARS

SINCE
INCEPTION

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

-0.02%

1.74%

5.36%

4.54%(1)

Russell 2500® Index

6.79%

6.94%

8.54%

7.19%(3)

Composite Index(2)

6.58%

6.07%

8.79%

7.75%(3)

 

(1)

The Portfolio commenced operations on February 18, 2014.

(2)

The Composite Index is comprised of the S&P 500® Index, Russell 1000® Value Index, Russell 2000® Index and Russell 2000® Value Index, each weighted 25%, 25%, 25% and 25%, respectively.

(3)

Index information is not available as of the date of the inception of the Portfolio. The average annual returns for the Russell 2500® Index and the Composite Index are presented as of March 1, 2014. If the Portfolio had commenced operations on March 1, 2014, its average annual return since inception would have been 5.11%.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Portfolio distributions or on the redemption of Portfolio shares. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-866-780-0357 ext. 3863. The Portfolio’s annual operating expense ratio, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020 is 1.05% (included in the ratio is 0.29% attributable to acquired fund fees and expenses).

 

The Portfolio’s aggregate total return since inception is based on an increase in net asset value from $25.00 per share on February 18, 2014 (commencement of operations) to $25.62 per share on August 31, 2020.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

The Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio’s underlying funds invest in small-cap and micro-cap stocks, large-cap stocks and other equity securities. In addition to the ordinary risks of equity investing, small companies entail special risk. Small companies tend to have more risk than large companies. An investor in the Portfolio will incur the expenses of the underlying funds in addition to the Portfolio’s expenses. The foregoing is not intended to be a complete discussion of all risks associated with the investment strategies of the Portfolio.

 

6

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

 

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio vs. MSCI World (excluding U.S.) Index and Composite Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 minimum initial investment in the Portfolio made on February 18, 2014 (commencement of operations) and reflects Portfolio expenses. Investors should note that the Portfolio is a professionally managed mutual fund while the MSCI World (excluding U.S.) Index and Composite Index are unmanaged, do not incur sales charges and/or expenses and are not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

1 YEAR

3 YEARS

5 YEARS

SINCE
INCEPTION

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

0.17%

-3.62%

2.26%

0.29%(1)

MSCI World (excluding U.S.) Index

5.96%

2.45%

4.83%

3.33%(3)

Composite Index(2)

7.71%

1.51%

5.55%

3.85%(3)

 

(1)

The Portfolio commenced operations on February 18, 2014.

(2)

The Composite Index is comprised of the MSCI EAFE Index, MSCI EAFE Value Index, MSCI EAFE Small Company Index, and MSCI Emerging Markets Index, each weighted 25%, 25%, 25% and 25%, respectively.

(3)

Index information is not available as of the date of the inception of the Portfolio. The average annual returns for the MSCI World (excluding U.S.) Index and the Composite Index are presented as of March 1, 2014. If the Portfolio had commenced operations on March 1, 2014, its average annual return since inception would have been 0.03%.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Portfolio distributions or on the redemption of Portfolio shares. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-866-780-0357 ext. 3863. The Portfolio’s annual operating expense ratio, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020 is 1.29% (included in the ratio is 0.43% attributable to acquired fund fees and expenses).

 

The Portfolio’s aggregate total return since inception is based on an increase in net asset value from $25.00 per share on February 18, 2014 (commencement of operations) to $21.35 per share on August 31, 2020.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

The Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio’s underlying funds invest in common stock, preferred stock, securities convertible into stocks and other equity securities issued by foreign companies. In addition to the ordinary risks of equity investing, foreign and small companies entail special risk. The return on foreign equities may be adversely affected by currency fluctuations. Emerging markets may be subject to social instability and lack of market liquidity. Small companies tend to have more risk than large companies. An investor in the Portfolio will incur the expenses of the underlying funds in addition to the Portfolio’s expenses. The foregoing is not intended to be a complete discussion of all risks associated with the investment strategies of the Portfolio.

 

7

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Performance Data (Concluded)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

 

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in
Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio vs. FTSE World Government Bond Index 1-5 Years and Composite Index

 

 

The chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 minimum initial investment in the Portfolio made on February 18, 2014 (commencement of operations) and reflects Portfolio expenses. Investors should note that the Portfolio is a professionally managed mutual fund while the FTSE World Government Bond Index 1-5 years and Composite Index are unmanaged, do not incur sales charges and/or expenses and are not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods Ended August 31, 2020

 

1 YEAR

3 YEARS

5 YEARS

SINCE
INCEPTION

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

2.80%

2.40%

1.81%

1.42%(1)

FTSE World Government Bond Index 1-5 Years

3.01%

2.92%

2.35%

2.12%(3)

Composite Index(2)

4.49%

3.54%

2.80%

2.50%(3)

 

(1)

The Portfolio commenced operations on February 18, 2014.

(2)

The Composite Index is comprised of the Three-Month Treasury Bill Index, Bloomberg Barclays Capital Intermediate Government Bond Index, ICE BofA Merrill Lynch 1-3 Year US Government/Corporate Index and Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index, each weighted 25%, 25%, 25% and 25%, respectively.

(3)

Index information is not available as of the date of the inception of the Portfolio. The average annual returns for the FTSE World Government Bond Index 1-5 Years (formerly known as the Citigroup World Govt. Bond 1-5 Year Currency Hedged U.S. Dollar Index), and the Composite Index are presented as of March 1, 2014. If the Portfolio had commenced operations on March 1, 2014, its average annual return since inception would have been 1.13%.

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown include the reinvestment of all dividends and other distributions and do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Portfolio distributions or on the redemption of Portfolio shares. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, please call 1-866-780-0357 ext. 3863. The Portfolio’s annual operating expense ratio, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020 is 0.86% (included in the ratio is 0.12% attributable to acquired fund fees and expenses).

 

The Portfolio’s aggregate total return since inception is based on an increase in net asset value from $25.00 per share on February 18, 2014 (commencement of operations) to $25.66 per share on August 31, 2020.

 

Portfolio composition is subject to change.

 

The Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio’s underlying funds invest in fixed income securities. The underlying funds may invest their assets in bonds and other debt securities issued by domestic and foreign governments and companies. Debt instruments involve the risk that their prices will fall when interest rates rise, and they are subject to the risk that the borrower may default. In addition, the return on foreign debt securities may be adversely affected by currency fluctuations. An investor in the Portfolio will incur expenses of the underlying funds in addition to the Portfolio’s expenses. The foregoing is not intended to be a complete discussion of all risks associated with the investment strategies of the Portfolio.

 

8

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Fund Expense ExampleS

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

As a shareholder of the Portfolio(s), you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs; and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees and other Portfolio expenses. These examples are intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Portfolio(s) and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

These examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020, and held for the entire period.

 

ACTUAL EXPENSES

 

The first section of the accompanying tables provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this section, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first section under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLES FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES

 

The second section of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on each Portfolio’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Portfolio’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in each Portfolio and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

The expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as redemption fees. Therefore, the second section of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

BEGINNING
ACCOUNT VALUE
MARCH 1, 2020

ENDING
ACCOUNT VALUE
AUGUST 31, 2020

EXPENSES
PAID DURING
PERIOD*

ANNUALIZED
EXPENSE
RATIO*

ACTUAL SIX-
MONTH TOTAL
INVESTMENT
RETURN FOR
THE PORTFOLIO

Actual

         

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,029.30

$ 3.93

0.77%

2.93%

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

1,000.00

1,012.80

4.25

0.84%

1.28%

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

1,000.00

1,013.00

3.64

0.72%

1.30%

 

9

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Fund Expense Examples (CONCLUDED)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

BEGINNING
ACCOUNT VALUE
MARCH 1, 2020

ENDING
ACCOUNT VALUE
AUGUST 31, 2020

EXPENSES
PAID DURING
PERIOD*

ANNUALIZED
EXPENSE
RATIO*

ACTUAL SIX-
MONTH TOTAL
INVESTMENT
RETURN FOR
THE PORTFOLIO

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,021.27

$ 3.91

0.77%

N/A

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

1,000.00

1,020.91

4.27

0.84%

N/A

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

1,000.00

1,021.52

3.66

0.72%

N/A

 

*

Expenses are equal to each Portfolio’s annualized six-month expense ratio for the period March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one half year period. The annualized expense ratios do not reflect fees and expenses associated with the underlying funds. Fees and expenses presented for a Portfolio do not reflect any fees and expenses imposed on shares of the Portfolio purchased through variable annuity contracts, variable life insurance policies, and certain qualified pension and retirement plans, which would increase overall fees and expenses. If such fees and expenses had been included, the expenses would have been higher. Each Portfolio’s ending account value in the first section in the table is based on the actual six-month total investment return for each Portfolio for the period March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020. The range of weighted expense ratios of the underlying funds held by the Portfolios, as stated in the underlying funds’ current prospectuses, were as follows:

 

PORTFOLIO

RANGE OF WEIGHTED
EXPENSE RATIOS

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

0.01% - 0.08%

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

0.00% - 0.18%

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

0.00% - 0.02%

 

10

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

MATSON MONEY U.S. EQUITY VI PORTFOLIO

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

NUMBER OF
SHARES

   

VALUE

 

DOMESTIC EQUITY FUNDS — 99.0%

       

U.S. Large Cap Value Portfolio III (a)

    297,324     $ 6,567,896  

U.S. Large Company Portfolio (a)

    131,900       3,549,421  

U.S. Micro Cap Portfolio (b)

    202,485       3,739,895  

U.S. Small Cap Portfolio (b)

    119,126       3,738,166  

U.S. Small Cap Value Portfolio (b)

    89,541       2,491,919  

VA U.S. Large Value Portfolio (b)

    42,867       1,005,234  

VA U.S. Targeted Value Portfolio (b)

    255,527       3,746,026  

TOTAL DOMESTIC EQUITY FUNDS

       

(Cost $25,701,673)

            24,838,557  
                 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 0.9%

       

STIT-Government & Agency Portfolio, 0.03%*

    217,777       217,777  

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

       

(Cost $217,777)

            217,777  

TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 99.9%

       

(Cost $25,919,450)

            25,056,334  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES — 0.1%

            13,973  

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 25,070,307  

 

                 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS SUMMARY TABLE

   

% of
Net Assets

   

Value

 

Domestic Equity Funds

    99.0 %   $ 24,838,557  

Short-Term Investments

    0.9       217,777  

Other Assets In Excess Of Liabilities

    0.1       13,973  

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 25,070,307  

 

 

*

Seven-day yield as of August 31, 2020.

(a)

A portfolio of Dimensional Investment Group Inc.

(b)

A portfolio of DFA Investment Dimensions Group Inc.

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

11

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

MATSON MONEY INTERNATIONAL EQUITY VI PORTFOLIO

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

NUMBER OF
SHARES

   

VALUE

 

INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUNDS — 99.2%

       

DFA International Small Cap Value Portfolio (a)

    313,201     $ 5,217,933  

DFA International Value Portfolio III (b)

    445,437       5,576,873  

Emerging Markets Small Cap Portfolio (a)

    45,123       899,752  

Emerging Markets Value Portfolio, Class Institutional (a)

    35,811       885,599  

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF

    11,987       736,361  

iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

    18,117       965,636  

VA International Small Portfolio (a)

    271,752       3,190,371  

VA International Value Portfolio (a)

    90,871       935,975  

TOTAL INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUNDS

       

(Cost $20,105,340)

            18,408,500  
                 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 0.8%

       

STIT-Government & Agency Portfolio, 0.03%*

    154,807       154,807  

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

       

(Cost $154,807)

            154,807  

TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 100.0%

       

(Cost $20,260,147)

            18,563,307  

LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS — 0.0%

            (4,214 )

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 18,559,093  

 

                 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS SUMMARY TABLE

   

% of
Net Assets

   

Value

 

International Equity Funds

    99.2 %   $ 18,408,500  

Short-Term Investments

    0.8       154,807  

Liabilities In Excess Of Other Assets

    0.0       (4,214 )

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 18,559,093  

 

 

*

Seven-day yield as of August 31, 2020.

(a)

A portfolio of DFA Investment Dimensions Group Inc.

(b)

A portfolio of Dimensional Investment Group Inc.

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

12

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

MATSON MONEY FIXED INCOME VI PORTFOLIO

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   

NUMBER OF
SHARES

   

VALUE

 

FIXED INCOME FUNDS — 98.5%

       

DFA One-Year Fixed Income Portfolio (a)

    304,819     $ 3,139,631  

DFA Two-Year Global Fixed Income Portfolio (a)

    409,927       4,095,171  

iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF

    12,624       1,092,734  

iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF

    12,278       1,640,218  

iShares Core International Aggregate Bond ETF

    73,622       4,081,604  

iShares Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF

    26,889       1,644,531  

iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF

    119,370       6,576,093  

iShares TIPS Bond ETF

    10,895       1,383,447  

VA Global Bond Portfolio (a)

    257,558       2,730,110  

VA Short-Term Fixed Income Portfolio (a)

    53,219       546,023  

TOTAL FIXED INCOME FUNDS

       

(Cost $26,230,308)

            26,929,562  
                 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS — 1.6%

       

STIT-Government & Agency Portfolio, 0.03%*

    426,641       426,641  

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

       

(Cost $426,641)

            426,641  

TOTAL INVESTMENTS — 100.1%

       

(Cost $26,656,949)

            27,356,203  

LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS — (0.1)%

            (33,366 )

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

          $ 27,322,837  

 

 

 

                 

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS SUMMARY TABLE

   

% of
Net Assets

   

Value

 

Fixed Income Funds

    98.5 %   $ 26,929,562  

Short-Term Investments

    1.6       426,641  

Liabilities In Excess Of Other Assets

    (0.1 )     (33,366 )

NET ASSETS

    100.0 %   $ 27,322,837  

 

 

*

Seven-day yield as of August 31, 2020.

(a)

A portfolio of DFA Investment Dimensions Group Inc.

ETF

Exchange-Traded Fund

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

13

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

   

MATSON MONEY
U.S. EQUITY
VI PORTFOLIO

   

MATSON MONEY
INTERNATIONAL EQUITY
VI PORTFOLIO

   

MATSON MONEY
FIXED INCOME
VI PORTFOLIO

 

ASSETS

                       

Investments in non-affiliated funds, at value (cost $25,701,673, $20,105,340 and $26,230,308, respectively)

  $ 24,838,557     $ 18,408,500     $ 26,929,562  

Short-term investments, at value (cost $217,777, $154,807 and $426,641, respectively)

    217,777       154,807       426,641  

Receivable for investments sold

    48,681       26,963       681  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    2,207       1,560       2,643  

Total assets

    25,107,222       18,591,830       27,359,527  
                         

LIABILITIES

                       

Payables for:

                       

Advisory fees

    10,586       7,777       11,515  

Administration and accounting fees

    4,245       3,821       4,297  

Capital shares redeemed

    1,441       1,493       80  

Transfer agent fees

    867       403       596  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    19,776       19,243       20,202  

Total liabilities

    36,915       32,737       36,690  

Net assets

  $ 25,070,307     $ 18,559,093     $ 27,322,837  
                         

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

                       

Par Value

  $ 978     $ 869     $ 1,065  

Paid-in capital

    25,383,405       20,653,889       26,592,226  

Total distributable earnings/(loss)

    (314,076 )     (2,095,665 )     729,546  

Net assets

  $ 25,070,307     $ 18,559,093     $ 27,322,837  
                         

CAPITAL SHARES:

                       

Net assets

  $ 25,070,307     $ 18,559,093     $ 27,322,837  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    978,378       869,296       1,064,871  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 25.62     $ 21.35     $ 25.66  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

14

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Statements of Operations

FOR THE YEAR ENDED August 31, 2020

 

   

MATSON MONEY
U.S. EQUITY
VI PORTFOLIO

   

MATSON MONEY
INTERNATIONAL EQUITY
VI PORTFOLIO

   

MATSON MONEY
FIXED INCOME
VI PORTFOLIO

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

                       

Dividends from non-affiliated funds

  $ 404,097     $ 519,300     $ 698,787  

Total investment income

    404,097       519,300       698,787  
                         

EXPENSES:

                       

Advisory fees (Note 2)

    124,215       92,082       143,655  

Audit and tax services fees

    27,178       27,736       26,484  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 2)

    18,798       15,811       20,073  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    4,904       4,590       5,157  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    4,787       4,168       5,345  

Director fees

    2,114       1,568       2,529  

Legal fees

    1,701       1,211       1,966  

Officer fees

    1,677       1,264       1,982  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    1,041       1,308       1,475  

Other expenses

    3,115       3,156       4,353  

Total expenses

    189,530       152,894       213,019  

Net investment income/(loss)

    214,567       366,406       485,768  
                         

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

                       

Net realized gain/(loss) from:

                       

Non-affiliated funds

    67,006       (186,854 )     37,881  

Capital gain distributions from non-affiliated fund investments

    558,520       130,100       1,119  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:

                       

Non-affiliated funds

    (428,512 )     (73,772 )     238,804  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    197,014       (130,526 )     277,804  

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ 411,581     $ 235,880     $ 763,572  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

15

 

 

MATSON MONEY U.S. EQUITY VI PORTFOLIO

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 214,567     $ 173,635  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    625,526       1,483,468  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    (428,512 )     (4,653,103 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    411,581       (2,996,000 )
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (1,496,610 )     (1,492,480 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1,496,610 )     (1,492,480 )
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    4,803,621       6,127,036  

Reinvestment of distributions

    1,496,610       1,492,480  

Shares redeemed

    (4,983,541 )     (4,473,056 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital shares

    1,316,690       3,146,460  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    231,661       (1,342,020 )
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    24,838,646       26,180,666  

End of period

  $ 25,070,307     $ 24,838,646  
                 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Shares sold

    205,802       217,464  

Dividends and distributions reinvested

    51,679       60,645  

Shares redeemed

    (196,267 )     (151,435 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    61,214       126,674  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

16

 

 

MATSON MONEY INTERNATIONAL EQUITY VI PORTFOLIO

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 366,406     $ 322,958  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    (56,754 )     419,486  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    (73,772 )     (2,901,806 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    235,880       (2,159,362 )
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (892,907 )     (583,676 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (892,907 )     (583,676 )
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    3,624,757       5,202,703  

Reinvestment of distributions

    892,907       583,676  

Shares redeemed

    (3,529,908 )     (2,765,350 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital shares

    987,756       3,021,029  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    330,729       277,991  
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    18,228,364       17,950,373  

End of period

  $ 18,559,093     $ 18,228,364  
                 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Shares sold

    180,551       220,374  

Dividends and distributions reinvested

    36,791       27,364  

Shares redeemed

    (166,464 )     (115,569 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    50,878       132,169  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

17

 

 

MATSON MONEY FIXED INCOME VI PORTFOLIO

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 485,768     $ 698,538  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    39,000       (107,605 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    238,804       806,827  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    763,572       1,397,760  
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (496,143 )     (655,301 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (496,143 )     (655,301 )
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    5,478,109       5,862,802  

Reinvestment of distributions

    496,143       655,301  

Shares redeemed

    (8,465,121 )     (8,119,491 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital shares

    (2,490,869 )     (1,601,388 )

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    (2,223,440 )     (858,929 )
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    29,546,277       30,405,206  

End of period

  $ 27,322,837     $ 29,546,277  
                 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Shares sold

    216,510       236,411  

Dividends and distributions reinvested

    19,854       27,045  

Shares redeemed

    (335,860 )     (328,248 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    (99,496 )     (64,792 )

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

18

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

MATSON MONEY U.S. EQUITY VI PORTFOLIO

 

Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for each share outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2019

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2018

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2017

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 27.08     $ 33.12     $ 29.15     $ 26.80     $ 25.65  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.22       0.21       0.18       0.14       0.19  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    (0.04 )     (4.34 )     5.40       3.44       1.96  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    0.18       (4.13 )     5.58       3.58       2.15  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.24 )     (0.27 )     (0.33 )     (0.21 )     (0.15 )

Net realized capital gains

    (1.40 )     (1.64 )     (1.28 )     (1.02 )     (0.85 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.64 )     (1.91 )     (1.61 )     (1.23 )     (1.00 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 25.62     $ 27.08     $ 33.12     $ 29.15     $ 26.80  

Total investment return/(loss)(2)

    (0.02 )%     (11.89 )%     19.56 %     13.42 %     8.68 %
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 25,070     $ 24,839     $ 26,181     $ 20,093     $ 17,491  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, if any(3)

    0.76 %     0.76 %     0.73 %     0.81 %     0.93 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers(3)

    0.76 %     0.76 %     0.73 %     0.81 %     0.93 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets(3)

    0.86 %     0.72 %     0.58 %     0.49 %     0.74 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    18 %     17 %     12 %     21 %     7 %

 

 

(1)

The selected per share data is calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

(2)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(3)

The Portfolio also will indirectly bear its prorated share of expenses of the underlying funds. Such expenses are not included in the calculation of this ratio.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

19

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

MATSON MONEY INTERNATIONAL EQUITY VI PORTFOLIO

 

Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for each share outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2019

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2018

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2017

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 22.27     $ 26.16     $ 26.60     $ 22.54     $ 22.48  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.42       0.43       0.47       0.29       0.44  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    (0.25 )     (3.51 )     (0.13 )     4.51       0.10  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    0.17       (3.08 )     0.34       4.80       0.54  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.52 )     (0.39 )     (0.54 )     (0.44 )     (0.24 )

Net realized capital gains

    (0.57 )     (0.42 )     (0.24 )     (0.30 )     (0.24 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.09 )     (0.81 )     (0.78 )     (0.74 )     (0.48 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 21.35     $ 22.27     $ 26.16     $ 26.60     $ 22.54  

Total investment return/(loss)(2)

    0.17 %     (11.62 )%     1.13 %     21.90 %     2.47 %
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 18,559     $ 18,228     $ 17,950     $ 15,019     $ 12,567  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, if any(3)

    0.83 %     0.86 %     0.79 %     0.88 %     1.02 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers(3)

    0.83 %     0.86 %     0.79 %     0.88 %     1.02 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets(3)

    1.99 %     1.82 %     1.70 %     1.22 %     2.03 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    26 %     13 %     8 %     21 %     5 %

 

 

(1)

The selected per share data is calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

(2)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(3)

The Portfolio also will indirectly bear its prorated share of expenses of the underlying funds. Such expenses are not included in the calculation of this ratio.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

20

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

MATSON MONEY FIXED INCOME VI PORTFOLIO

 

Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for each share outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2019

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2018

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2017

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 25.38     $ 24.74     $ 25.12     $ 25.31     $ 24.93  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.43       0.59       0.23       0.18       0.05  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    0.27       0.61       (0.36 )     (0.13 )     0.36  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    0.70       1.20       (0.13 )     0.05       0.41  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.42 )     (0.56 )     (0.22 )     (0.12 )      

Net realized capital gains

          (2)      (0.03 )     (0.12 )     (0.03 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.42 )     (0.56 )     (0.25 )     (0.24 )     (0.03 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 25.66     $ 25.38     $ 24.74     $ 25.12     $ 25.31  

Total investment return/(loss)(3)

    2.80 %     4.98 %     (0.50 )%     0.19 %     1.66 %
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 27,323     $ 29,546     $ 30,405     $ 26,017     $ 21,927  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers, if any(4)

    0.74 %     0.74 %     0.71 %     0.77 %     0.85 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers(4)

    0.74 %     0.74 %     0.71 %     0.77 %     0.85 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets(4)

    1.69 %     2.39 %     0.93 %     0.70 %     0.21 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    46 %     19 %     2 %     11 %     40 %

 

 

(1)

The selected per share data is calculated using the average shares outstanding method for the period.

(2)

Amount less than $(0.005) per share.

(3)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated by assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(4)

The Portfolio also will indirectly bear its prorated share of expenses of the underlying funds. Such expenses are not included in the calculation of this ratio.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.

 

21

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2020

 

1.

Organization and Significant Accounting Policies

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio, the Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio and the Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio (each a “Portfolio,” collectively the “Portfolios”). Each Portfolio operates as a “fund of funds” and commenced investment operations on February 18, 2014. Shares of the Portfolios are offered to separate accounts of participating life insurance companies for the purpose of funding variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio and Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio’s investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation. Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio’s investment objective is to seek total return (consisting of current income and capital appreciation).

 

The Portfolios are investment companies and follow accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services - Investment Companies”.

 

The end of the reporting period for the Portfolios is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES — The Portfolios pursue their investment objectives by investing primarily in shares of registered, open-end investment companies and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) (collectively, “underlying funds”). When a Portfolio invests in underlying funds it will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any fees and expenses payable directly by the underlying fund. In connection with its investments in other investment companies, a Portfolio will incur higher expenses, many of which may be duplicative. Furthermore, because the Portfolios invest in shares of ETFs and underlying funds their performances are directly related to the ability of the ETFs and underlying funds to meet their respective investment objectives, as well as the allocation of each Portfolio’s assets among the ETFs and underlying funds. Accordingly, the Portfolios’ investment performance will be influenced by the investment strategies of and risks associated with the ETFs and underlying funds in direct proportion to the amount of assets the Portfolios allocate to the ETFs and underlying funds utilizing such strategies. As disclosed in the Portfolio of Investments, the Portfolios invest in a number of different underlying funds, including underlying funds that are portfolios of DFA Investment Dimensions Group Inc., and Dimensional Investment Group Inc. (collectively, “DFA Underlying Funds”) and iShares by BlackRock (“iShares Underlying Funds”). Information about DFA Underlying Funds and iShares Underlying Funds’ risks may be found in such DFA Underlying Funds and iShares Underlying Funds’ annual or semiannual report to shareholders, which can be found at us.dimensional.com and iShares.com, respectively. Additional information about derivatives related risks, if applicable, may also be found in each such DFA Underlying Fund or iShares Underlying Funds’ annual or semiannual report to shareholders. The annual and semiannual reports to shareholders for the underlying funds may also be found by visiting the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

PORTFOLIO VALUATION — Investments in the underlying funds are valued at each Portfolio’s net asset value (“NAV”) determined as of the close of business on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time). Investments in Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”) are valued at their last reported sale price. As required, some securities and assets may be valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Direct investments in fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market.

 

22

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Portfolios’ investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

● Level 1 —

Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

● Level 2 —

Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

 

● Level 3 —

Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Portfolios’ own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing the Portfolios’ investments carried at fair value:

 

MATSON MONEY U.S. EQUITY VI PORTFOLIO

 

   

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

   

INVESTMENTS
MEASURED AT NET
ASSET VALUE*

 

Domestic Equity Funds

  $ 24,838,557     $ 20,087,297     $     $     $ 4,751,260  

Short-Term Investments

    217,777       217,777                    

Total Investments**

  $ 25,056,334     $ 20,305,074     $     $     $ 4,751,260  

 

*

Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The fair value amounts presented in the table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

**

Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments for further details.

 

MATSON MONEY INTERNATIONAL EQUITY VI PORTFOLIO

 

   

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

   

INVESTMENTS
MEASURED AT NET
ASSET VALUE*

 

International Equity Funds

  $ 18,408,500     $ 14,282,154     $     $     $ 4,126,346  

Short-Term Investments

    154,807       154,807                    

Total Investments**

  $ 18,563,307     $ 14,436,961     $     $     $ 4,126,346  

 

*

Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The fair value amounts presented in the table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

**

Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments for further details.

 

23

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

MATSON MONEY FIXED INCOME VI PORTFOLIO

 

   

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

   

INVESTMENTS
MEASURED AT NET
ASSET VALUE*

 

Fixed Income Funds

  $ 26,929,562     $ 23,653,429     $     $     $ 3,276,133  

Short-Term Investments

    426,641       426,641                    

Total Investments**

  $ 27,356,203     $ 24,080,070     $     $     $ 3,276,133  

 

*

Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The fair value amounts presented in the table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

**

Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments for further details.

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Portfolios’ investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Portfolios may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires each Portfolio to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchases and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when a Portfolio had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for all Level 3 transfers are disclosed if a Portfolio had an amount of total Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Portfolios had no Level 3 transfers.

 

USE OF ESTIMATES — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS, INVESTMENT INCOME AND EXPENSES — The Portfolios record security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gain are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. Each Portfolio’s investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family of the Company are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all of the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average

 

24

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Portfolios. In addition to the net annual operating expenses that the Portfolios bear directly, the shareholders indirectly bear the Portfolios’ pro-rata expenses of the underlying mutual funds in which each Portfolio invests.

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS — Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net realized capital gains, if any, are declared and paid at least annually to shareholders recorded on the ex-dividend date for each Portfolio. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

U.S. TAX STATUS — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is each Portfolio’s intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

MARKET RISK — The value of a Portfolio’s shares will fluctuate as a result of the movement of the overall stock market or the value of the underlying fund held by a Portfolio, and you could lose money.

 

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers are not known. The operational and financial performance of the issuers of securities in which the Portfolios invest depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Portfolios’ investments, impair the Portfolios’ ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Portfolios’ performance.

 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

OTHER — In the normal course of business, the Portfolios may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. Each Portfolio’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Portfolios in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Portfolios expect the risk of material loss for such claims to be remote.

 

For additional information about the DFA Underlying Funds and iShares Underlying Funds’ valuation policies, refer to the DFA Underlying Funds and iShares Underlying Funds’ most recent annual or semiannual report which can be found at us.dimensional.com and iShares.com, respectively.

 

2.

Investment Adviser and Other Services

 

Matson Money, Inc. (“Matson Money” or the “Adviser”), serves as the investment adviser to each Portfolio. Each Portfolio compensates the Adviser for its services at an annual rate based on each Portfolio’s average daily net assets (the “Advisory Fee”), payable on a monthly basis in arrears, as shown in the following table.

 

AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS

 

ADVISORY FEE

 

For the first $1 billion

    0.50 %

Over $1 billion to $5 billion

    0.49  

Over $5 billion

    0.47  

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent that total annual Portfolio operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed the rates (“Expense Caps”) shown in the following table of each Portfolio’s average daily net assets. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and certain of these expenses could cause total annual Portfolio operating

 

25

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

expenses to exceed the Expense Caps: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after February 28, 2021.

 

PORTFOLIO

 

EXPENSE CAPS

 

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

    1.13 %

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

    1.35  

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

    1.00  

 

During the current fiscal period, investment advisory fees accrued were as follows:

 

PORTFOLIO

 

ADVISORY FEES

 

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

  $ 124,215  

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

    92,082  

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

    143,655  

 

Effective September 1, 2019, if at any time a Portfolio’s total annual Portfolio operating expenses for a year are less than the Expense Cap, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Portfolio of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Portfolio within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Portfolio to exceed the Expense Cap that was in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement. As of the end of the reporting period, the Portfolios had no amounts available for recoupment.

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services serves as administrator for the Portfolios. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Portfolios’ transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Portfolios. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Portfolios’ distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Portfolios’ distributor.

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Statements of Operations.

 

3.

Director and Officer Compensation

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Portfolios or the Company. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Statements of Operations.

 

26

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Notes to Financial Statements (CONTINUED)

August 31, 2020

 

4.

Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities

 

During the current fiscal period, aggregate purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) of the Portfolios were as follows:

 

   

PURCHASES

   

SALES

 

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

  $ 4,893,036     $ 4,350,114  

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

    5,349,204       4,783,016  

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

    12,915,766       15,471,916  

 

There were no purchases or sales of long-term U.S. Government securities during the current fiscal period.

 

5.

Federal Income Tax Information

 

The Portfolios have followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Portfolios to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Portfolios have determined that there was no effect on the financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Portfolios are subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by each Portfolio were as follows:

 

   

FEDERAL TAX
COST

   

UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION

   

UNREALIZED
(DEPRECIATION)

   

NET
UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION/
(DEPRECIATION)

 

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

  $ 26,196,546     $ 1,702,924     $ (2,843,136 )   $ (1,140,212 )

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

    20,816,240       537,482       (2,790,415 )     (2,252,933 )

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

    26,715,959       725,803       (85,559 )     640,244  

 

Distributions to shareholders from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

As of August 31, 2020, there were no permanent differences between distributable earning/(loss) and paid-in capital, respectively.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

   

Undistributed
Ordinary Income

   

Undistributed
Long-Term
Capital Gains

   

Capital Loss
Carry Forward

   

Net
Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

  $ 33,184     $ 792,952     $     $ (1,140,212 )

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

    20,767       136,501             (2,252,933 )

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

    120,028             (30,726 )     640,244  

 

27

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Notes to Financial Statements (concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate primarily to the timing of recognition of income and gains for federal income tax purposes. Short-term and foreign currency gains, if applicable, are reported as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

The Portfolios are permitted to carry forward capital losses for an unlimited period. Capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses. As of August 31, 2020, the Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio had $30,726 in capital loss carryforwards.

 

The tax character of distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019 were as follows:

 

     

ORDINARY
INCOME

   

LONG-TERM
GAINS

   

TOTAL

 

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

2020

  $ 221,900     $ 1,274,710     $ 1,496,610  
 

2019

    212,548       1,279,932       1,492,480  

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

2020

    428,978       463,929       892,907  
 

2019

    279,032       304,644       583,676  

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

2020

    496,143             496,143  
 

2019

    649,922       5,379       655,301  

 

Distributions from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

6.

New Accounting Pronouncements AND REGULATORY UPDATES

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Portfolios’ financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

7.

Subsequent Events

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Portfolios through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no significant events requiring recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

28

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. and Shareholders of Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio, Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio and Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

 

Opinions on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities, including the portfolios of investments, of Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio, Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio and Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio (the “Funds”), three separately managed portfolios of The RBB Fund, Inc., as of August 31, 2020, the related statements of operations for the year ended August 31, 2020, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020, including the related notes, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2020 (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the Funds as of August 31, 2020, the results of each of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in each of their net assets for each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020 and each of the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2020 in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinions

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Funds’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits of these financial statements in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020 by correspondence with the custodian and transfer agent. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.

 


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 27, 2020

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Matson Money, Inc. investment companies since 2008.

 

29

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Shareholder Tax Information

(Unaudited)

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 were as follows:

 

   

Ordinary
Income

   

Long-Term
Gains

   

Total

 

Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio

  $ 221,900     $ 1,274,710     $ 1,496,610  

Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio

    428,978       463,929       892,907  

Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio

    496,143             496,143  

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

The percentage of total ordinary income dividends qualifying for the 15% dividend income tax rate is 100% for the Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio and 96.85% for the Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio.

 

The percentage of total ordinary dividends qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction is 100% for the Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio.

 

The percentage of qualified interest income related dividends not subject to withholding tax for non-resident aliens and foreign corporations is 44.84% for the Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio.

 

Because each Portfolio’s fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Portfolios, if any. The Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio passed through foreign tax credits of $39,759 and earned $491,607 of gross foreign source income during the fiscal year.

 

In general, dividends received by tax-exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Portfolios.

 

30

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Other Information

(Unaudited)

 

Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Portfolios use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Portfolios voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling Matson Money VI Portfolios at (866) 780-0357, ext. 3863 and on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedules

 

The Company files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Matson Money VI Portfolios Approval of Investment Advisory Agreements

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered the renewal of the investment advisory agreement between Matson Money and the Company (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio, Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio and Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio (for this section only, each a “Portfolio” and collectively the “Portfolios”), at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreement for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Board considered information provided by Matson Money with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Company and Matson Money with respect to the Portfolios, the Directors took into account all the materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of Matson Money’s services provided to the Portfolios; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of Matson Money’s personnel providing those services; (iii) Matson Money’s investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Matson Money’s assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Matson Money’s current advisory fee arrangements with the Company and other similarly managed clients; (vi) Matson Money’s compliance procedures; (vii) Matson Money’s financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Portfolios; (viii) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Portfolios; (ix) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing each Portfolio’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its respective Lipper Group and comparing the performance of each Portfolio to the performance of its respective Lipper Group; and (x) a report comparing the performance of each Portfolio to the performance of its primary and composite benchmarks.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Matson Money. The Directors concluded that Matson Money had substantial resources to provide services to the Portfolios and that Matson Money’s services had been acceptable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Portfolios and Matson Money. Information on the Portfolios’ investment performance was provided for the since inception and for one, three- and five-year periods, as applicable, and for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. The Directors considered the Portfolios’ investment performance in light of their investment objectives and investment strategies. The Directors concluded that the investment performance of each of the Portfolios as compared to their respective benchmarks and Lipper Groups was acceptable.

 

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MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Other Information (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

In reaching this conclusion, the Directors noted the Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio had underperformed its benchmark for the year-to-date and one-, three-, five-, and since inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio ranked in the 5th quintile in its Performance Group for the one-year, two-year, three-year, four-year and five-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Directors also considered that the Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio had underperformed its benchmark for the year-to-date and one-, three-, five-, and since inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio ranked in the 1st quintile in its Performance Group for the four-year period ended December 31, 2019.

 

Finally, the Directors noted the Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio had underperformed its benchmark for the year-to-date and one-, three-, five-, and since inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio ranked in the 2nd quintile in its Performance Group for the two-year period ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rates payable by the Portfolios under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Portfolios and the Portfolios’ total operating expense ratios (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee of the Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio ranked in the 2nd quintile of the Portfolio’s Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Portfolio ranked in the 5th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee of the Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio ranked in the 2nd quintile of the Portfolio’s Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Portfolio ranked in the 5th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee of the Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio ranked in the 2nd quintile of the Portfolio’s Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Portfolio ranked in the 4th quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

In addition, the Directors noted that Matson Money had contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses through at least February 28, 2021 to limit total annual operating expenses to agreed upon levels for the Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio, Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio, and Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio.

 

After reviewing the information regarding the Portfolios’ costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering Matson Money’s services, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees paid by the Portfolios were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreement should be approved and continued for an additional one year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

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MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Liquidity Risk Management Program

(Unaudited)

 

The Company has adopted and implemented a Liquidity Risk Management Program (the “Company Program”) as required by rule 22e-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. In accordance with the Company Program, the Adviser has adopted and implemented a liquidity risk management program (the “Adviser Program” and together with the Company Program, the “Programs”) on behalf of the Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio, Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio and Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio (each a “Portfolio” and together, the “Portfolios”). The Programs seek to assess, manage and review each Portfolio’s Liquidity Risk. “Liquidity Risk” is defined as the risk that a Portfolio could not meet requests to redeem shares issued by the Portfolio without significant dilution of remaining investors’ interest in the Portfolio.

 

The Board has appointed Vigilant Compliance, LLC (“Vigilant”) as the program administrator for the Company Program and the Adviser as the program administrator for the Company Program. The Adviser has delegated oversight of the Adviser Program to its Liquidity Risk Committee, whose process of monitoring and determining the liquidity of each Portfolio’s investments is supported by one or more third-party vendors.

 

At meetings held during the fiscal period, the Board and its Investment and Liquidity Risk Committee received and reviewed a written report (the “Report”) of Vigilant and the Adviser concerning the operation of the Programs for the period from December 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 (the “Period”). The Report summarized the operation of the Programs and the information and factors considered by Vigilant and the Adviser in reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the implementation of the Programs with respect to each Portfolio. Such information and factors included, among other things: (i) the methodology used to classify the liquidity of each Fund’s portfolio investments and the Adviser’s assessment that each Portfolio’s strategy remained appropriate for an open-end mutual fund; (ii) that each Portfolio held primarily highly liquid assets (investments that the Portfolio anticipates can be converted to cash within 3 business days or less in current market conditions without significantly changing their market value); (iii) that none of the Portfolios required the establishment of a highly liquid investment minimum and the methodology for that determination; (iv) confirmation that none of the Portfolios had breached the 15% maximum illiquid security threshold (investments that cannot be sold or disposed of in seven days or less in current market conditions without the sale of the investment significantly changing the market value of the investment) and the procedures for monitoring compliance with the limit; (v) that the processes, technologies and third-party vendors used to assess, manage, and/or periodically review each Portfolio’s Liquidity Risk functioned appropriately during the Period; and (vi) that the Programs operated adequately during the Period. The Report also indicated that there were no material changes made to the Programs during the Period.

 

Based on the review, the Report concluded that the Programs were being implemented effectively and reasonably designed to assess and manage Liquidity Risk in each Portfolio’s portfolio.

 

There can be no assurance that the Company Program or the Adviser Program will achieve its objectives under all circumstances in the future. Please refer to the Portfolios’ prospectus for more information regarding a Fund’s exposure to liquidity risk and other risks to which it may be subject.

 

33

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Company Management

(Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling 866-780-0357, ext. 3863.

 

Name, Address, and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company).

Nicholas A. Giordano

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

 

34

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Company Management (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address, and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Arnold M. Reichman

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 72

Chairman

 

Director

2005 to present

 

1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

Brian T. Shea
615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

Robert Sablowsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 82

Vice Chairman

 

Director

2016 to present

 

 

1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director - Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

OFFICERS

Salvatore Faia, JD,

CPA, CFE

Vigilant Compliance, LLC

Gateway Corporate

Center Suite 216

223 Wilmington West

Chester Pike

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Age: 57

President

 

Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present

 

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 59

Treasurer and Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

 

 

35

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Company Management (CONTINUED)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address, and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Craig A. Urciuoli

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (investment company).

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 61

Assistant Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1.

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2.

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

 

36

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Company Management (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive-level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

37

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Privacy Notice

(Unaudited)

 

FACTS

WHAT DO THE MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

● Social Security number

● account balances

● account transactions

● transaction history

● wire transfer instructions

● checking account information

 

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How?

All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Matson Money VI Portfolios choose to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

       

Reasons we can share your personal information

Do the Matson Money VI Portfolios share?

Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purposes —
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes —
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

Yes

No

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share.

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share.

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share.

 

Questions?

Call (866) 780-0357 Ext. 3863 or go to www.MatsonMoney.com

 

 

38

 

 

MATSON MONEY VI PORTFOLIOS

Privacy Notice (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

What we do

   

How do the Matson Money VI Portfolios protect my personal information?

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We collect your personal information, for example, when you

 

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We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

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Definitions

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39

 

 

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Investment Adviser

Matson Money, Inc.
5955 Deerfield Blvd.
Mason, OH 45040

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Principal Underwriter

Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Custodian

U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Two Commerce Square, Suite 1800
2001 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-7042

 

Legal Counsel

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

MMFI-AR20

 

 

 

ANNUAL
report 2020

MFAM Funds
Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.

8/31/20

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund

 

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Funds electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-888-863-8803.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Funds, you can call 1-888-863-8803 to inform the Funds that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Funds.

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund (FOOLX)

 

 

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund (TMFGX)

 

 

Table of Contents

 

   

Letter to Shareholders

1

Portfolio Characteristics

5

Fund Expense Examples

10

Schedules of Investments

12

Financial Statements

19

Notes to Financial Statements

29

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

42

Shareholder Tax Information

43

Notice to Shareholders

44

Directors and Officers

49

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Letter to Shareholders

AUGUST 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

   
Bryan Hinmon
Chief Investment Officer,
MFAM Funds
 

 

“The real voyage of discovery consists not of seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

 

— Marcel Proust

 

Dear Fellow Shareholder,

 

There is no more appropriate place to start than wishing you and your family safety and peace in these unprecedented times. A global pandemic, ongoing social injustice, widespread shutdowns, and natural disasters are interacting to make life really, really hard. At times over the past few months, it has felt as if every aspect of the human condition is under assault simultaneously.

 

If there is any silver lining, it may be that everyone shares in these challenges. Sure, misery loves company. But when put in challenging situations, we find a way to unite and carry on, mustering the strength and energy to lead the world toward progress. As we execute our investing strategy on your behalf, we hope to contribute, in some small way, toward making the small corner of your life we touch easier.

 

MARKET COMMENTARY AND RESULTS

 

The stock market appreciated at a strong clip through the first five and a half months of the fiscal year (ended Aug. 31, 2020). Recent relative performance trends in market capitalization and style factors held during the fiscal year. Entering late February, large-cap U.S. stocks were up more than 16%, ahead of mid-cap U.S. stocks and small-cap US stocks, up 12% and 11%, respectively. But as the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. worsened and government-imposed economic restrictions took hold, stocks went into freefall. By the third week of March, large-cap U.S. stocks were down 22%, mid-cap U.S. stocks 35%, and small-cap U.S. stocks 34%.1 The declines were dramatic and swift, with daily volatility reflecting the reality of economic stress and diminished business solvency around the world.

 

The staggering fall brought nearly every equity investing style to its knees. In what felt like the blink of an eye, growth stocks went from being up over 20% to down more than 17%. Value stocks went from up 12% to down more than 30%. The story was the same for minimum volatility, high dividend yield, and momentum factors.2

 

Investors seeking safety outside the U.S. found none. Foreign stocks went from up 11% to down 26%. Latin American stocks were hit particularly hard, as their 6% gain turned into a 48% loss. 3

 

In short, all stock categories were off to a great first half of the fiscal year, only to fall 40 to 50 percentage points in most cases. Volatility like this is a feature, not a bug, of markets. Prices reflect a discounting of the future, and the future was heading rapidly in a new and uncharted direction.

 

Then things began to turn. Unprecedented fiscal and monetary response showed an understanding of the gravity of the economic toll of the crisis. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies demonstrated incredible effort to research therapeutics and vaccines. Companies with white-collar workforces began to adapt and figure out how to work from home. Eventually, data on company-specific operations began to show the magnitude of weakness -- and even occasional pockets of strength. Still deep in COVID-19 case growth, a rising death toll, and massive unemployment, the faint outline of life beyond the pandemic began to take shape. Markets quickly moved past the challenged present and looked ahead, discounting for a more normal future.

 

By the end of August, most categories of stocks had returned to positive trailing-12-month returns, but the gains were not evenly spread out. Large-cap U.S. stocks gained nearly 22% for the fiscal year, while mid-cap U.S. stocks gained 4% and small-cap U.S. stocks lost less than 1%. Growth stocks outperformed value stocks during the fiscal year by a shocking margin: 44% to 1%.

 

 

1

Large-cap U.S. stocks are represented by the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF, mid-cap U.S. stocks by the iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF, and small-cap U.S. stocks by the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF.

 

2

Growth stocks are represented by the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF, value stocks by the iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF, minimum-volatility by the iShares USA Min Vol Factor ETF, high-dividend-yield stocks by the iShares Core High Dividend ETF, and momentum stocks by the iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF.

 

3

Foreign stocks are represented by the iShares Core MSCI Total International ETF, and Latin American stocks by the iShares Latin America 40 ETF.

 

1

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Letter to Shareholders (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Momentum returned greater than 28%, while minimum-volatility stocks advanced 4% and high-dividend stocks were down 5%. Foreign stocks finished the fiscal year with an 8% gain, led by Chinese stocks, which advanced by nearly 36%.4 Latin American stocks had a weak recovery and finished the fiscal year still down over 25%.

 

Amidst the whipsaw, our investing results were admirable. For the fiscal year, the MFAM Global Opportunities Fund returned 25.49%, versus 15.94% for its benchmark. The MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund returned 28.56%, versus its benchmark’s 23.56%.5

 

The MFAM Global Opportunities Fund’s returns were driven by strong individual stock selection, a modest overweight to large-cap stocks relative to its benchmark, a near doubling of the benchmark’s exposure to emerging Asia-Pacific markets, and a dramatic underweight to developed European markets. As you know, we aren’t macro-driven investors. Rather, we sift through companies one by one for potential investments, compare them to alternatives across the globe, and build a cohesive portfolio of special businesses. This bottom-up methodology resulted in the mentioned positioning. Our focus on businesses with a strong future, what we call trajectory, leads us to invest in businesses that we believe can grow and press their advantages and unique business models. Many of these businesses are classified as growth stocks, which, as noted, performed exceptionally well during the fiscal year.

 

The MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund’s returns were driven predominantly by stock selection. This benefit was enough to overcome a nontrivial underweighting of the information technology sector, which was the best-performing and largest sector by far in the fund’s benchmark index, as well as skewing smaller than its benchmark in the size factor. With only 30 or so holdings in the fund, stock selection is by design likely to be a main driver of its returns during most periods. Our approach to investing -- building focused portfolios of quality growth businesses -- casts aside most potential investments and saves capital commitments for businesses we believe have the financial strength and structural demand characteristics to sail through unexpected macro events and compound for high rates of return for years.

 

NEW EYES

 

The introductory quote from Marcel Proust has many interpretations. From an investing perspective, the purest landscape we know is that businesses are worth the present value of their future cash flows. An investor who understands that truth, purchases those cash flows reasonably, and sticks around to capture the spoils can earn a high rate of return. Investing may seem simple in that respect. However, the pursuit of great returns is popular and the investing landscape well understood. Investors must adapt -- a situation that often invokes Goodhart’s Law.

 

Charles Goodhart was a British economist and academic, and his law simplifies to this: Once a measure becomes a target, it ceases to become a good measure. For example, during the British rule of India, in an attempt to eliminate the population of venomous snakes, citizens were rewarded for handing in dead cobras. You may not be surprised to know that, soon, many in India were breeding cobras. Goodhart’s Law teaches us that good, sensible programs only last so long before they become adulterated and don’t work.

 

We see examples of Goodhart’s Law all the time in the investing world. For investors looking to earn strong returns for a long time, they need curious eyes to see the landscape just a bit differently -- in a way that isn’t perhaps widely appreciated. We must evolve before unintended consequences bite us.

 

In the days of Ben Graham, a famous professor widely regarded as the father of value investing, this pursuit of a new view of the investing landscape simply meant hunting for information about asset values in relation to price. Acquiring updated data often offered investors a fresh perspective and a view that others failed to appreciate. As information became more ubiquitous, that advantage fell away. New eyes, however, could see that informational advantages still existed in the small-cap landscape, where traditional stock coverage was sparse. Enterprising analysts could build relationships with small management teams, form unique insights, and invest accordingly. Regulations soon made uneven information flow illegal, and new eyes were again necessary to outperform.

 

 

4

Chinese stocks are represented by the iShares MSCI China ETF.

 

5

Returns are for the investor share class, net of fees and expenses. The benchmark of the MFAM global Opportunities Fund is the FTSE Global All Cap Net Tax Index. The benchmark of the MFAM Mid Cap Growth Fund is the Russell Midcap Growth Index.

 

2

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Letter to Shareholders (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Several years ago, our team realized that business models had changed, such that more and more companies were investing through their income statement to amass technical and creative talent, build platforms, and rapidly acquire massive customer bases. This approach had the effect of depressing profitability in exchange for sales growth and deeper relationships with customers in the future. Companies that adopted this model appeared to be statistically expensive and value destructive, while in reality they were often underappreciated, high-quality investments with fantastic supernormal growth potential.

 

This observation represented our new eyes several years ago, but today, it seems to be entirely appreciated. The current landscape seems to be favorable for any company that is growing. The return dispersion of the Russell 1000 growth and value indexes during the fiscal year tells the story clearly: Growth returned 44% and value returned 1%.

 

There seems to be little distinction between companies that are telling a story about growth and those that are truly creating value. It can be difficult to discern the companies that will have robust medium- and long-term cash flows and those that can outdo their lofty embedded expectations. We can’t help seeing cobra breeders starting to pop up in the initial-offering market and special-purpose acquisition companies. New eyes today require a parsing of the growing company landscape. In our view, the critical analysis resides in two areas: defensible barriers to entry and fanatical customers. These are the areas we will be focusing on with new eyes to avoid being caught on the wrong side of Goodhart’s Law.

 

Thank you for your continued trust.

 

Onward,

 

 

Bryan Hinmon
Chief Investment Officer, MFAM Funds

 

3

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Letter to Shareholders (Concluded)

AUGUST 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Past performance does not guarantee future results. There can be no guarantee that any strategy (risk management or otherwise) will be successful. All investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal. Securities in a Fund may not match those in an index and performance of the Fund will be different. You cannot invest directly into an index.

 

The Letter to Shareholders seeks to describe some of the Adviser’s current opinions and views of the financial markets. Although the Adviser believes it has a reasonable basis for any opinions or views expressed, actual results may differ, sometimes significantly so, from those expected or expressed. The securities held by the Funds that are discussed in the Letter to Shareholders were held during the period covered by the annual report. They do not comprise the entire investment portfolio of the Funds, may be sold at any time, and may no longer be held by the Funds. The opinions of the Adviser with respect to those securities may change at any time.

 

New to investing? Reading your first mutual fund annual report?

 

Welcome! Here are some important things you need to know. Mutual fund investing offers many potential benefits. But there also are risks. Financial gain is not guaranteed when it comes to investing in equity securities. It’s possible to lose money, including your principal — especially during the short term.

 

We focus on the stocks of high quality businesses. Even the best businesses in the world fall in price — and sometimes a lot. Over the longer term, stock prices usually reflect business values, but the relationship is much more tenuous in the short term.

 

We also construct focused portfolios. This means we’re likely to own far fewer securities than are in the “market” or our benchmark. This could result in higher volatility or performance that is worse from the market and benchmark. To be fair, it could also result in lower volatility and performance that is better.

 

Our funds may invest in foreign companies and in companies with small market capitalization. There are certain risks associated with these types of investments. The risks are described on pages 5 and 8 of this report. Additional risk information is provided in section 2 of the Notes to Financial Statements.

 

4

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund

Portfolio Characteristics

(Unaudited)

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended AUGUST 31, 2020

 

One
Year

Five
Years

TEN
YEARS

Since
Inception

Inception
Date

Investor Shares*

25.49%

14.96%

13.25%

13.90%

6/16/2009

Institutional Shares*

25.64%

15.13%

N/A

12.02%

6/17/2014

FTSE Global All Cap Net Tax Index**

15.94%

10.26%

10.24%

(1)

Fund Expense Ratios(2): Investor Shares: Gross 1.11% and Net 1.10%; Institutional Shares: Gross 0.99% and Net 0.95%

 

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained at www.mfamfunds.com. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

 

(1)

The index returned 10.82% from the inception date of the Investor Shares and 7.47% from the inception date of the Institutional Shares.

 

(2)

The expense ratios of the Fund are set forth according to the December 31, 2019 Prospectus for the Fund and may differ from the expense ratios disclosed in the Financial Highlights tables in this report. See the Financial Highlights for more current expense ratios.

 

*

The MFAM Global Opportunities Fund operated as a series of The Motley Fool Funds Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”) prior to December 21, 2016 at which time the Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Fund. The performance shown for periods prior to December 21, 2016 represents the performance of the Predecessor Fund. These returns reflect expense waivers by the Fund’s investment adviser. Without these waivers, returns would have been lower.

 

**

The FTSE Global All Cap Net Tax Index is a market-capitalization weighted index representing the performance of large, mid and small cap companies in Developed and Emerging markets. The index is comprised of approximately 7,900 securities from 49 countries and captures 98% of the world’s investable market capitalization. Fair value prices and foreign exchange as of 4 pm ET are used in the calculation of this index, and returns are adjusted for withholding taxes applicable to dividends received by a U.S. Regulated Investment Company domiciled in the United States. The index is unmanaged and not available for direct investments. Its performance does not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes.

 

5

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund
Portfolio Characteristics (Continued)
(Unaudited)

 

The investment objective of the MFAM Global Opportunities Fund is to achieve long-term capital appreciation, and it pursues this objective by investing primarily in common stocks of companies located anywhere in the world. The Fund seeks long-term growth by identifying and acquiring securities of companies that are, in the view of Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC (the “Adviser”), high quality. To identify these high-quality businesses, the Adviser engages in research to evaluate each company under consideration using four criteria: management, culture, and incentives; the economics of the business; competitive advantage; and trajectory. The Adviser’s approach prizes a long-term mindset and a balance of qualitative and quantitative factors.

 

The Fund will invest in areas of the market, that, in the view of the Adviser, offer the greatest potential for long-term capital appreciation, and it does not attempt to match the allocations of its benchmark. As such, significant deviation from the benchmark is expected from time to time, especially over shorter time frames.

 

The allocations to various sectors, countries, or any other macro-economic designation, are the byproduct of rigorous bottom-up analysis rather than an intentional top-down opinion of asset classes. While market conditions are constantly changing, exposure to equity market risk is needed to consistently achieve equity-like returns.

 

The following tables show the top ten holdings, sector allocations, and top ten countries in which the Fund was invested in as of August 31, 2020. Portfolio holdings are subject to change without notice.

 

Top Ten Holdings

% OF NET
Assets

Amazon.com, Inc.

7.5%

SoftBank Group Corp.

5.7

Mastercard, Inc., Class A

5.6

MercadoLibre, Inc.

5.2

Atlassian Corp., PLC, Class A

4.4

Medtronic PLC

4.0

Watsco, Inc.

4.0

PayPal Holdings, Inc.

3.3

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., SP ADR

3.1

Everbridge, Inc.

3.1

 

45.9%

 

6

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund
Portfolio Characteristics (Concluded)
(Unaudited)

 

The MFAM Global Opportunities Fund uses the Global Industry Classification StandardSM (“GICS SM”) as the basis for the classification of securities on the Schedule of Investments (“SOI”). We believe that this makes the SOI classifications more standard with the rest of the industry.

 

Sector Allocation

% OF Net
Assets

Information Technology

28.8%

Consumer Discretionary

21.8

Communication Services

15.3

Industrials

10.8

Real Estate

7.9

Health Care

6.6

Financials

5.3

Consumer Staples

2.4

 

98.9%

 

Top ten Countries

% OF Net
Assets

United States*

56.1%

China

7.6

Japan

6.3

Argentina

5.2

Australia

4.4

Ireland

4.0

Taiwan

2.7

Indonesia

2.2

South Korea

1.9

India

1.9

 

92.3%

 

*

As of the date of this report, the Fund had a holding of 1.2% in the U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account.

 

7

 

 

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund

Portfolio Characteristics

(Unaudited)

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended AUGUST 31, 2020

 

One
Year

Five
Years

Since
Inception

Inception
Date

Investor Shares*

28.56%

13.22%

13.78%

11/1/2010

Institutional Shares*

28.77%

13.43%

11.55%

6/17/2014

Russell Midcap® Growth Index**

23.56%

14.94%

(1)

Fund Expense Ratios(2): Investor Shares: Gross 1.12% and Net 1.10%; Institutional Shares: Gross 0.98% and Net 0.95%

 

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained at www.mfamfunds.com. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

 

(1)

The index returned 14.54% from the inception date of the Investor Shares and 12.95% from the inception date of the Institutional Shares.

 

(2)

The expense ratios of the Fund are set forth according to the December 31, 2019 Prospectus for the Fund and may differ from the expense ratios disclosed in the Financial Highlights tables in this report. See the Financial Highlights for more current expense ratios.

 

*

The MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund operated as a series of The Motley Fool Funds Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”) prior to December 21, 2016 at which time the Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Fund. The performance shown for periods prior to December 21, 2016 represents the performance of the Predecessor Fund. These returns reflect expense waivers by the Fund’s investment adviser. Without these waivers, returns would have been lower.

 

**

The Russell Midcap® Growth Index measures the performance of the mid-cap growth segment of the U.S. equity universe. It includes those Russell Midcap® Index companies with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth values. The Russell Midcap® Growth Index is constructed to provide a comprehensive and unbiased barometer of the mid-cap growth market. The Index is completely reconstituted annually to ensure larger stocks do not distort the performance and characteristics of the true mid-cap growth market.

 

The investment objective of the MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund is to achieve long-term capital appreciation, and it pursues this objective by investing primarily in common stocks of companies organized in the United States. The Fund seeks long-term growth by identifying and acquiring securities of companies that are, in the view of the Adviser, high quality. To identify these high-quality businesses, the Adviser engages in research to evaluate each company under consideration using four criteria: management, culture, and incentives; the economics of the business; competitive advantage; and trajectory. The Adviser’s approach prizes a long-term mindset and a balance of qualitative and quantitative factors.

 

8

 

 

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund
Portfolio Characteristics (Concluded)
(Unaudited)

 

The Fund will invest in areas of the market, that, in the view of the Adviser, offer the greatest potential for long-term capital appreciation, and it does not attempt to match the allocations of its benchmark. As such, significant deviation from the benchmark is expected from time to time, especially over shorter time frames.

 

The allocations to various sectors, or any other macro-economic designation, are the byproduct of rigorous bottom-up analysis rather than an intentional top-down opinion of asset classes. While market conditions are constantly changing, exposure to equity market risk is needed to consistently achieve equity-like returns. The Adviser views its time as best spent focused on evaluating businesses and seeking to minimize company-specific risk in order to pursue its objective of long-term capital appreciation.

 

Although the MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund may invest in companies with any market capitalization, the Adviser expects that investments in the securities of companies having smaller- and mid-market capitalizations will be important components of the Fund’s investment program. Investments in securities of these companies may involve greater risk than do investments in larger, more established companies. Small- and mid-cap stocks tend to be more volatile and less liquid than their large-cap counterparts.

 

The following tables show the top ten holdings, and sector allocations in which the Fund was invested in as of August 31, 2020. Portfolio holdings are subject to change without notice.

 

Top ten Holdings

% OF Net
Assets

Splunk, Inc.

6.9%

Watsco, Inc.

5.5

Teladoc, Inc.

5.2

Cooper Companies, Inc. (The)

4.9

SBA Communications Corp.

4.7

Church & Dwight Co., Inc.

4.7

Everbridge, Inc.

4.6

XPO Logistics, Inc.

4.6

ResMed, Inc.

4.3

Tyler Technologies, Inc.

4.0

 

49.4%

 

The MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund uses the Global Industry Classification StandardSM (“GICS SM”) as the basis for the classification of securities on the Schedule of Investments (“SOI”). We believe that this makes the SOI classifications more standard with the rest of the industry.

 

Sector Allocation

% OF Net
Assets

Information Technology

29.5%

Health Care

20.1

Industrials

17.0

Consumer Discretionary

11.1

Real Estate

9.5

Consumer Staples

6.6

Financials

4.7

 

98.5%

 

9

 

 

 

mfam Funds

Fund Expense Examples

AUGUST 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund(s), you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, and (2) ongoing costs, including advisory fees and other Fund expenses. These examples are intended to help you to understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund(s) and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

These examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, and held for the entire period.

 

Actual Expenses

 

The first section of the accompanying tables provide information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this section, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you incurred over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first section under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses attributable to your investment during this period.

 

Hypothetical EXAMPLES for Comparison Purposes

 

The second section of the accompanying tables provide information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on each Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. Thus, you should not use the hypothetical account values and expenses to estimate the actual ending account balance or your expenses for the period. Rather, these figures are provided to enable you to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund as compared to the costs of investing in other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the accompanying tables are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs. Therefore, the second section of the accompanying tables are useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

Do you know how many times a fund, or the market, has returned a smooth 5% over a long period of time? Never. But we have to pick some example. In reality, the market’s returns are always far bumpier, with the market returning 20% one year, followed by a loss of 10% the next year, followed by a 3% gain, etc. These variations affect actual expenses as well. Happily, over almost all time periods of 20 years or longer, according to the research of University of Pennsylvania’s Jeremy Siegel and others, the domestic market’s returns have been at least 5% per year on average.

 

 

Beginning
Account
Value
March 1,
2020

Ending
Account
Value
August 31,
2020

Expenses
Paid During
Period
(1)

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
(2)

Actual
Six-Month
Total
Investment
Returns
for the
Funds

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund

       

Actual

         

Investor Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,239.40

$5.85

1.04%

23.94%

Institutional Shares

1,000.00

1,240.00

5.35

0.95

24.00

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

         

Investor Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,019.91

$5.28

1.04%

N/A

Institutional Shares

1,000.00

1,020.36

4.82

0.95

N/A

 

10

 

 

mfam Funds
Fund Expense Examples (Concluded)
AUGUST 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

Beginning
Account
Value
March 1,
2020

Ending
Account
Value
August 31,
2020

Expenses
Paid During
Period
(1)

Annualized
Expense
Ratio
(2)

Actual
Six-Month
Total
Investment
Returns
for the
Funds

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund

       

Actual

         

Investor Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,190.20

$5.84

1.06%

19.02%

Institutional Shares

1,000.00

1,191.10

5.23

0.95

19.11

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

         

Investor Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,019.81

$5.38

1.06%

N/A

Institutional Shares

1,000.00

1,020.36

4.82

0.95

N/A

 

(1)

Expenses are equal to each Fund’s annualized expense ratio for the period March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one-half year period. Each Fund’s ending account value in the first section of the tables are based on the actual six-month total investment return for the Fund.

 

(2)

These ratios reflect expenses waived by the Funds’ investment adviser. Without these waivers, the Funds’ expenses would have been higher and the ending account values would have been lower.

 

11

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund
Schedule of Investments
AUGUST 31, 2020

 

   Number of
Shares
   Value
(Note 2)
 
         
Common Stocks — 98.9%          
Aerospace & Defense — 2.3%          
Axon Enterprise, Inc. (United States)(a)*   150,000   $12,852,000 
Banks — 2.7%          
Bank of Georgia Group PLC (Georgia)   293,132    3,636,432 
Credicorp Ltd. (Peru)(a)   5,000    652,400 
HDFC Bank., Ltd., ADR (India)   210,700    10,450,720 
         14,739,552 
Capital Markets — 1.2%          
Brookfield Asset Management, Inc., Class A (Canada)   150,000    5,061,000 
Georgia Capital PLC (Georgia)*   310,817    1,609,517 
         6,670,517 
Consumer Finance — 0.5%          
Gentera SAB de CV (Mexico)   8,550,000    2,801,549 
Diversified Financial Services — 0.8%          
Banco Latinoamerico de Comercio Exterior SA, Class E (Panama)   379,029    4,616,573 
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components — 2.9%          
IPG Photonics Corp. (United States)*   72,000    11,644,560 
Lagercrantz Group AB, Class B (Sweden)   29,296    611,799 
NLight, Inc. (United States)*   155,000    3,620,800 
         15,877,159 
Entertainment — 1.8%          
Vivendi SA (France)   345,000    9,822,011 
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — 6.9%          
American Tower Corp. (United States)   45,000    11,211,750 
Equinix, Inc. (United States)   20,000    15,795,600 
SBA Communications Corp. (United States)   35,500    10,865,485 
         37,872,835 
Food & Staples Retailing — 1.5%          
Costco Wholesale Corp. (United States)   23,000    7,996,180 
Food Products — 0.9%          
Nippon Indosari Corpindo Tbk PT (Indonesia)   63,110,600    5,135,524 

 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

12

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund
Schedule of Investments (continued)
AUGUST 31, 2020

 

   Number of
Shares
   Value
(Note 2)
 
         
Common Stocks (continued)          
Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 6.1%          
Medtronic PLC (Ireland)   205,272   $22,060,582 
ResMed, Inc. (United States)   64,000    11,569,920 
         33,630,502 
Health Care Providers & Services — 0.0%          
NMC Health PLC (United Arab Emirates)(b)   485,482    97,346 
Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 4.7%          
Starbucks Corp. (United States)   195,000    16,471,650 
Yum China Holdings, Inc. (China)   160,751    9,276,940 
         25,748,590 
Interactive Media & Services — 5.5%          
Alphabet, Inc., Class C (United States)*   9,024    14,746,841 
Tencent Holding Ltd. (China)   225,600    15,412,622 
         30,159,463 
Internet & Direct Marketing Retail — 15.9%          
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., SP ADR (China)*   60,000    17,221,800 
Amazon.com, Inc. (United States)*   12,000    41,411,520 
MercadoLibre, Inc. (Argentina)(a)*   24,387    28,498,404 
         87,131,724 
IT Services — 8.9%          
Mastercard, Inc., Class A (United States)   86,000    30,804,340 
PayPal Holdings, Inc. (United States)*   87,900    17,943,906 
         48,748,246 
Life Sciences Tools & Services — 0.5%          
Horizon Discovery Group PLC (United Kingdom)*   2,128,373    2,782,522 
Machinery — 0.5%          
Fanuc Corp. (Japan)   16,000    2,806,919 
Media — 2.1%          
Comcast Corp., Class A (United States)   235,000    10,530,350 
System1 Group PLC (United Kingdom)   645,000    1,120,869 
         11,651,219 

 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

13

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund
Schedule of Investments (continued)
AUGUST 31, 2020

 

   Number of
Shares
   Value
(Note 2)
 
         
Common Stocks (continued)          
Multiline Retail — 1.2%          
Mitra Adiperkasa Tbk PT (Indonesia)   146,430,000   $6,825,136 
Real Estate Management & Development — 1.1%          
Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc. (United States)   56,000    5,770,240 
Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment — 2.7%          
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., SP ADR (Taiwan)   183,900    14,574,075 
Software — 14.4%          
Atlassian Corp., PLC, Class A (Australia)*   126,000    24,161,760 
Avalara, Inc. (United States)*   40,000    5,296,400 
Douzone Bizon Co., Ltd. (South Korea)   124,798    10,585,231 
Everbridge, Inc. (United States)(a)*   113,500    16,867,235 
Paycom Software, Inc. (United States)*   37,000    11,080,020 
Splunk, Inc. (United States)*   52,000    11,405,160 
         79,395,806 
Trading Companies & Distributors — 6.2%          
Fastenal Co. (United States)   248,000    12,117,280 
Watsco, Inc. (United States)(a)   90,000    22,049,100 
         34,166,380 
Transportation Infrastructure — 1.7%          
International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (Philippines)   4,395,000    9,501,560 
Wireless Telecommunication Services — 5.9%          
Safaricom PLC (Kenya)   4,000,000    1,104,665 
SoftBank Group Corp. (Japan)   510,000    31,546,709 
         32,651,374 
Total Common Stocks (Cost $277,087,803)        544,025,002 
           
Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral — 10.2%          
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets Portfolio, LLC, 0.19%   56,190,859    56,190,859 
Total Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral (Cost $56,190,859)        56,190,859 

 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

14

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund
Schedule of Investments (concluded)
AUGUST 31, 2020

 

   Number of
Shares
   Value
(Note 2)
 
         
Short-Term Investments — 1.2%          
U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05% (United States)(c)   6,495,797   $6,495,797 
Total Short-Term Investments (Cost $6,495,797)        6,495,797 
           
Total Investments (Cost $339,774,459) — 110.3%        606,711,658 
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (10.3)%        (56,752,909)
NET ASSETS — 100.0%          
(Applicable to 18,294,026 shares outstanding)       $549,958,749 

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

ADR — American Depositary Receipt

PLC — Public Limited Company

SP ADR — Sponsored ADR

 

(a)

All or a portion of the security is on loan. At August 31, 2020, the market value of securities on loan was $55,165,930.

(b)

Security has been valued at fair market value using significant unobservable inputs as determined in good faith by or under the direction of The RBB Fund, Inc.’s Board of Directors. As of August 31, 2020, these securities amounted to $97,346 or 0.0% of net assets.

(c)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

15

 

 

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund
Schedule of Investments
AUGUST 31, 2020

 

   Number of
Shares
   Value
(Note 2)
 
         
Common Stocks — 98.5%          
Aerospace & Defense — 2.6%          
Axon Enterprise, Inc. (United States)(a)*   90,000   $7,711,200 
Air Freight & Logistics — 4.6%          
XPO Logistics, Inc. (United States)*   150,000    13,240,500 
Auto Components — 6.8%          
Gentex Corp. (United States)   300,000    8,115,000 
LCI Industries (United States)   101,914    11,580,487 
         19,695,487 
Automobiles — 3.1%          
Thor Industries, Inc. (United States)(a)   95,000    8,970,850 
Banks — 0.9%          
SVB Financial Group (United States)*   10,000    2,553,800 
Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components — 2.7%          
IPG Photonics Corp. (United States)(a)*   49,500    8,005,635 
Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — 6.9%          
SBA Communications Corp. (United States)   45,000    13,773,150 
STAG Industrial, Inc. (United States)   195,000    6,298,500 
         20,071,650 
Food Products — 1.9%          
McCormick & Co., Inc. (United States)   27,000    5,567,400 
Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 10.4%          
Cooper Companies, Inc. (The) (United States)   45,400    14,272,852 
ResMed, Inc. (United States)   68,500    12,383,430 
Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (United States)*   20,000    3,473,400 
         30,129,682 
Health Care Providers & Services — 1.9%          
HealthEquity, Inc. (United States)(a)*   95,000    5,460,600 

 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

16

 

 

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund
Schedule of Investments (continued)
AUGUST 31, 2020

 

   Number of
Shares
   Value
(Note 2)
 
         
Common Stocks (continued)          
Health Care Technology — 7.8%          
Cerner Corp. (United States)   105,000   $7,703,850 
Teladoc, Inc. (United States)(a)*   70,000    15,098,300 
         22,802,150 
Household Products — 4.7%          
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. (United States)   141,600    13,569,528 
Insurance — 3.8%          
Brown & Brown, Inc. (United States)   30,000    1,392,000 
Markel Corp. (United States)*   8,900    9,672,787 
         11,064,787 
IT Services — 2.6%          
Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (United States)   55,000    7,557,000 
Machinery — 1.0%          
Proto Labs, Inc. (United States)(a)*   20,000    2,940,000 
Real Estate Management & Development — 2.6%          
Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc. (United States)   73,500    7,573,440 
Software — 24.2%          
Alarm.com Holdings, Inc. (United States)*   161,902    9,693,073 
Avalara, Inc. (United States)*   10,000    1,324,100 
Everbridge, Inc. (United States)(a)*   90,000    13,374,900 
Paycom Software, Inc. (United States)*   22,400    6,707,904 
Paylocity Holding Corp. (United States(a)*   49,241    7,250,737 
Splunk, Inc. (United States)*   92,000    20,178,360 
Tyler Technologies, Inc. (United States)*   34,000    11,740,540 
         70,269,614 
Specialty Retail — 1.3%          
Tractor Supply Co. (United States)   24,800    3,690,984 

 

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

17

 

 

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund
Schedule of Investments (concluded)
AUGUST 31, 2020

 

   Number of
Shares
   Value
(Note 2)
 
         
Common Stocks (continued)          
Trading Companies & Distributors — 8.7%          
Fastenal Co. (United States)(a)   193,500   $9,454,410 
Watsco, Inc. (United States)   65,000    15,924,350 
         25,378,760 
Total Common Stocks (Cost $141,267,534)        286,253,067 
           
Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral — 15.0%          
Mount Vernon Liquid Assets Portfolio, LLC, 0.19%   43,597,005    43,597,005 
Total Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral (Cost $43,597,005)        43,597,005 
           
Short-Term Investments — 1.7%          
U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05% (United States)(b)   4,880,903    4,880,903 
Total Short-Term Investments (Cost $4,880,903)        4,880,903 
           
Total Investments (Cost $189,745,442) — 115.2%        334,730,975 
Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (15.2)%        (44,042,624)
NET ASSETS — 100.0%          
(Applicable to 9,849,604 shares outstanding)       $290,688,351 

 

*

Non-income producing security.

(a)

All or a portion of the security is on loan. At August 31, 2020, the market value of securities on loan was $43,617,386.

(b)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

18

 

 

MFAM Funds
STATEMENTS of Assets and Liabilities
AUGUST 31, 2020

 

 

 

MFAM
Global
Opportunities
Fund

   

MFAM
Mid-Cap
Growth
Fund

 

ASSETS

               

Investments in securities of unaffiliated issuers, at value^ (cost $277,087,803 and $141,267,534, respectively)

  $ 544,025,002     $ 286,253,067  

Investments purchased with proceeds from securities lending collateral (cost $56,190,859 and $43,597,005, respectively)

    56,190,859       43,597,005  

Short-term investments, at value (cost $6,495,797 and $4,880,903, respectively)

    6,495,797       4,880,903  

Foreign currency, at value (cost $7,015 and $0, respectively)

    7,045        

Receivables for:

               

Shares of beneficial interest sold

    448,818       154,944  

Dividends and tax reclaims

    308,142       119,576  

Investments sold

    43,261        

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    21,331       20,479  

Total assets

    607,540,255       335,025,974  
                 

LIABILITIES

               

Payables for:

               

Securities lending collateral (see Note 6)

    56,190,859       43,597,005  

Advisory fees

    747,809       407,936  

Shares of beneficial interest redeemed

    282,486       108,561  

Shareholder service fee

    227,286       107,298  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    133,066       116,823  

Total liabilities

    57,581,506       44,337,623  

Net assets

  $ 549,958,749     $ 290,688,351  
                 

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

               

Par value

  $ 18,294     $ 9,850  

Paid-in-capital

    252,103,534       122,926,779  

Total distributable earnings/(losses)

    297,836,921       167,751,722  

Net assets

  $ 549,958,749     $ 290,688,351  
                 

NET ASSET VALUE:

               

Investor Shares:

               

Net assets applicable to capital shares outstanding

  $ 427,552,553     $ 251,200,070  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    14,237,295       8,523,902  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 30.03     $ 29.47  
                 

Institutional Shares:

               

Net assets applicable to capital shares outstanding

  $ 122,406,196     $ 39,488,281  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    4,056,731       1,325,702  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 30.17     $ 29.79  
                 

^ Includes market value of securities on loan

  $ 55,165,930     $ 43,617,386  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

19

 

 

MFAM Funds
Statements of Operations
for the year ended August 31, 2020

 

 

 

MFAM
Global
Opportunities
Fund

   

MFAM
Mid-Cap
Growth
Fund

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

               

Dividends

  $ 4,748,572     $ 2,265,227  

Less foreign taxes withheld

    (291,123 )      

Securities lending income

    131,291       120,948  

Total investment income

    4,588,740       2,386,175  
                 

EXPENSES

               

Advisory fees

    4,145,422       2,268,364  

Shareholder service fees - Investor Shares

    312,341       187,244  

Transfer agent fees and shareholder account services

    181,962       91,351  

Administration and accounting services fees

    180,333       96,146  

Legal fees

    65,177       38,375  

Custodian fees

    59,857       6,278  

Registration and filing fees

    56,313       37,415  

Officer fees

    54,085       31,680  

Director fees

    51,943       29,565  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    37,193       24,282  

Audit and tax service fees

    13,595       22,301  

Other expenses

    34,947       26,421  

Total expenses

    5,193,168       2,859,422  

Expense fees waived/reimbursed net of amount recaptured

    4,260       36,629  

Net expenses after waivers/reimbursements

    5,197,428       2,896,051  

Net investment income/(loss)

    (608,688 )     (509,876 )
                 

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

               

Net realized gain/(loss) from:

               

Investments

    31,678,437       30,695,234  

Foreign currency transactions

    (18,693 )      

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:

               

Investments

    80,595,949       36,647,739  

Foreign currency translation

    15,543        

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss)

    112,271,236       67,342,973  

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ 111,662,548     $ 66,833,097  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

20

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund
Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,

2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,
2019

 

OPERATIONS

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (608,688 )   $ 321,866  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments and foreign currency transactions

    31,659,744       26,547,255  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments, foreign currency translation and assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies

    80,611,492       (9,131,395 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    111,662,548       17,737,726  

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

               

Investor Shares

    (17,111,692 )     (25,506,618 )

Institutional Shares

    (4,191,966 )     (5,479,614 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (21,303,658 )     (30,986,232 )

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Investor Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    30,395,856       30,163,818  

Proceeds from shares issued - fund reorganization (Note 8)

          34,248,442  

Reinvestment of dividends

    16,712,957       24,943,644  

Shares redeemed

    (89,171,236 )     (72,750,604 )

Total from Investor Shares

    (42,062,423 )     16,605,300  

Institutional Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    14,910,549       19,592,058  

Reinvestment of dividends

    4,089,548       5,390,526  

Shares redeemed

    (8,557,376 )     (9,304,532 )

Total from Institutional Shares

    10,442,721       15,678,052  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    (31,619,702 )     32,283,352  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    58,739,188       19,034,846  

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

  $ 491,219,561     $ 472,184,715  

End of period

  $ 549,958,749     $ 491,219,561  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

21

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund
Statements of Changes in Net Assets (CONCLUDED)

 

 

 

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,

2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,
2019

 

SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Investor Shares

               

Shares sold

    1,207,150       1,263,891  

Shares issued - fund reorganization (Note 8)

          1,324,511  

Shares reinvested

    668,786       1,243,452  

Shares redeemed

    (3,587,571 )     (3,061,321 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares

    (1,711,635 )     770,533  
                 

Institutional Shares

               

Shares sold

    541,635       780,843  

Shares reinvested

    163,060       267,919  

Shares redeemed

    (345,173 )     (392,999 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares

    359,522       655,763  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

22

 

 

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund
Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,

2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,
2019

 

OPERATIONS

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (509,876 )   $ (95,608 )

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments and foreign currency transactions

    30,695,234       10,362,234  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments, foreign currency translation, and assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies

    36,647,739       (33,172,145 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    66,833,097       (22,905,519 )

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

               

Investor Shares

    (13,623,726 )     (12,316,953 )

Institutional Shares

    (1,699,890 )     (1,326,095 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (15,323,616 )     (13,643,048 )

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Investor Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    12,539,673       14,948,879  

Reinvestment of dividends

    13,304,640       12,059,665  

Shares redeemed

    (57,309,980 )     (59,835,799 )

Total from Investor Shares

    (31,465,667 )     (32,827,255 )

Institutional Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    5,923,465       4,273,474  

Reinvestment of dividends

    1,671,146       1,319,604  

Shares redeemed

    (3,778,142 )     (3,619,952 )

Total from Institutional Shares

    3,816,469       1,973,126  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    (27,649,198 )     (30,854,129 )

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    23,860,283       (67,402,696 )

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

  $ 266,828,068     $ 334,230,764  

End of period

  $ 290,688,351     $ 266,828,068  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

23

 

 

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund
Statements of Changes in Net Assets (CONCLUDED)

 

 

 

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,

2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,
2019

 

SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Investor Shares

               

Shares sold

    493,166       618,514  

Shares reinvested

    535,829       591,450  

Shares redeemed

    (2,297,274 )     (2,534,744 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares

    (1,268,279 )     (1,324,780 )
                 

Institutional Shares

               

Shares sold

    219,115       171,612  

Shares reinvested

    66,632       64,246  

Shares redeemed

    (153,278 )     (154,018 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares

    132,469       81,840  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

24

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund
Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

 

YEARS ENDED
AUGUST 31,

   

FISCAL
PERIOD
ENDED
AUGUST 31,

   

YEARS ENDED
OCTOBER 31,

 

Investor Shares

 

2020

   

2019

   

2018

   

2017(1)(2)

   

2016

   

2015

 

PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE

                                               

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 24.98     $ 25.91     $ 24.09     $ 20.36     $ 20.32     $ 21.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(3)

    (0.04 )     0.01       (0.02 )     0.03       0.04       0.05  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    6.19       0.79       4.94       4.30       0.01       (0.29 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    6.15       0.80       4.92       4.33       0.05       (0.24 )

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                               

Net investment income

    (0.01 )           (0.05 )     (0.04 )     *     (0.11 )

Net realized capital gains

    (1.09 )     (1.73 )     (3.05 )     (0.56 )     (0.01 )     (0.33 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.10 )     (1.73 )     (3.10 )     (0.60 )     (0.01 )     (0.44 )

Redemption and small-balance account fees

                *     *     *     *

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 30.03     $ 24.98     $ 25.91     $ 24.09     $ 20.36     $ 20.32  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    25.49 %     4.74 %     22.32 %     21.91 %(5)     0.25 %     (1.13 )%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                                               

Net assets, end of period (thousands)

  $ 427,553     $ 398,459     $ 393,197     $ 337,821     $ 353,118     $ 393,611  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

    1.09 %     1.10 %     1.06 %     1.15 %(6)     1.14 %     1.15 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets (before waivers and reimbursement of expenses and/or recapture of previously waived fees)

    1.08 %     1.11 %     1.06 %     1.15 %(6)     1.14 %     1.13 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.15 )%     0.05 %     (0.06 )%     0.18 %(6)     0.20 %     0.23 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets (before waivers and reimbursement of expenses and/or recapture of previously waived fees)

    (0.14 )%     0.04 %     (0.06 )%     0.18 %(6)     0.20 %     0.25 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    10 %     11 %     15 %     38 %(5)     26 %     21 %

 

*

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

(1)

The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 during the period.

(2)

Effective as of December 21, 2016, the Fund acquired all the assets and liabilities of the Motley Fool Global Opportunities Fund, a series of The Motley Fool Funds Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”). The financial highlights for the periods prior to that date reflect the performances of the Predecessor Fund.

(3)

Per share data calculated using average shares outstanding method.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) reflects the rate an investor would have earned on an investment in the Fund during the period. For the year ended August 31, 2018, the fiscal period ended August 31, 2017 and the years ended October 31, 2016 and October 31, 2015, redemption and small-balance account fees received had no effect on the Fund’s Investor Shares total investment return.

(5)

Not annualized.

(6)

Annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

25

 

 

MFAM Global Opportunities Fund
Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

 

YEARS ENDED
AUGUST 31,

   

FISCAL
PERIOD
ENDED
AUGUST 31,

   

YEARS ENDED
OCTOBER 31,

 

Institutional Shares

 

2020

   

2019

   

2018

   

2017(1)(2)

   

2016

   

2015

 

PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE

                                               

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 25.09     $ 25.97     $ 24.09     $ 20.40     $ 20.35     $ 21.01  

Net investment income/(loss)(3)

    *     0.05       0.02       0.09       0.08       0.10  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    6.21       0.80       4.94       4.25       0.02       (0.31 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    6.21       0.85       4.96       4.34       0.10       (0.21 )

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                               

Net investment income

    (0.04 )           (0.03 )     (0.09 )     (0.04 )     (0.12 )

Net realized capital gains

    (1.09 )     (1.73 )     (3.05 )     (0.56 )     (0.01 )     (0.33 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.13 )     (1.73 )     (3.08 )     (0.65 )     (0.05 )     (0.45 )

Redemption and small-balance account fees

                *     *     *     *

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 30.17     $ 25.09     $ 25.97     $ 24.09     $ 20.40     $ 20.35  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    25.64 %     4.94 %     22.48 %     21.97 %(5)     (0.47 )%     (0.97 )%

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                                               

Net assets, end of period (thousands)

  $ 122,406     $ 92,760     $ 78,987     $ 60,623     $ 7,243     $ 7,726  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

    0.95 %     0.95 %     0.95 %     0.95 %(6)     0.95 %     0.95 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets (before waivers and reimbursement of expenses and/or recapture of previously waived fees)

    1.00 %     0.99 %     1.06 %     1.17 %(6)     2.12 %     2.14 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.01 )%     0.19 %     0.07 %     0.48 %(6)     0.39 %     0.46 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets (before waivers and reimbursement of expenses and/or recapture of previously waived fees)

    (0.06 )%     0.15 %     (0.04 )%     0.26 %(6)     (0.78 )%     0.73 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    10 %     11 %     15 %     38 %(5)     26 %     21 %

 

*

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

(1)

The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 during the period.

(2)

Effective as of December 21, 2016, the Fund acquired all the assets and liabilities of the Motley Fool Global Opportunities Fund, a series of The Motley Fool Funds Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”). The financial highlights for the periods prior to that date reflect the performances of the Predecessor Fund.

(3)

Per share data calculated using average shares outstanding method.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) reflects the rate an investor would have earned on an investment in the Fund during the period. Redemption and small-balance account fees received had no effect on the Fund’s Institutional Shares total investment return.

(5)

Not annualized.

(6)

Annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

26

 

 

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund
Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

 

YEARS ENDED
AUGUST 31,

   

FISCAL
PERIOD
ENDED
AUGUST 31,

   

YEARS ENDED
OCTOBER 31,

 

Investor Shares

 

2020

   

2019

   

2018

   

2017(1)(2)

   

2016

   

2015

 

PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE

                                               

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 24.27     $ 27.32     $ 22.04     $ 18.29     $ 18.72     $ 18.59  

Net investment income/ (loss)(3)

    (0.05 )     (0.01 )     (0.06 )     (0.05 )     (0.05 )     0.03  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    6.71       (1.88 )     6.69       3.80       (0.35 )     0.14  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    6.66       (1.89 )     6.63       3.75       (0.40 )     0.17  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                               

Net investment income

                            (0.03 )     (0.04 )

Net realized capital gains

    (1.46 )     (1.16 )     (1.35 )                  

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.46 )     (1.16 )     (1.35 )           (0.03 )     (0.04 )

Redemption and small-balance account fees

                *     *     *     *

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 29.47     $ 24.27     $ 27.32     $ 22.04     $ 18.29     $ 18.72  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    28.56 %     (6.13 )%     30.88 %     20.50 %(5)     (2.15 )%     0.91 %

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                                               

Net assets, end of period (thousands)

  $ 251,200     $ 237,623     $ 303,669     $ 210,404     $ 205,149     $ 238,482  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

    1.10 %     1.10 %     1.12 %     1.15 %(6)     1.15 %     1.15 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets (before waivers and reimbursement of expenses and/or recapture of previously waived fees)

    1.08 %     1.12 %     1.06 %     1.16 %(6)     1.17 %     1.16 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.21 )%     (0.05 )%     (0.22 )%     (0.30 )%(6)     (0.29 )%     0.17 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets (before waivers and reimbursement of expenses and/or recapture of previously waived fees)

    (0.19 )%     (0.07 )%     (0.16 )%     (0.31 )%(6)     (0.31 )%     0.17 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    14 %     4 %     19 %     24 %(5)     21 %     30 %

 

*

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

(1)

The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 during the period.

(2)

Effective as of December 21, 2016, the Fund acquired all the assets and liabilities of the Motley Fool Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund, a series of The Motley Fool Funds Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”). The financial highlights for the periods prior to that date reflect the performances of the Predecessor Fund.

(3)

Per share data calculated using average shares outstanding method.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) reflects the rate an investor would have earned on an investment in the Fund during the period. For the year ended August 31, 2018, the fiscal period ended August 31, 2017 and years ended October 31, 2016 and October 31, 2015, redemption and small-balance account fees received had no effect on the Fund’s Investor Shares total investment return.

(5)

Not annualized.

(6)

Annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

27

 

 

MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund
Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

 

YEARS ENDED
AUGUST 31,

   

FISCAL
PERIOD
ENDED
AUGUST 31,

   

YEARS ENDED
OCTOBER 31,

 

Institutional Shares

 

2020

   

2019

   

2018

   

2017(1)(2)

   

2016

   

2015

 

PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE

                                               

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 24.48     $ 27.50     $ 22.14     $ 18.34     $ 18.75     $ 18.61  

Net investment income/(loss)(3)

    (0.02 )     0.02       (0.01 )     (0.03 )     (0.02 )     0.07  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    6.79       (1.88 )     6.72       3.83       (0.33 )     0.13  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    6.77       (1.86 )     6.71       3.80       (0.35 )     0.20  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                               

Net investment income

                            (0.06 )     (0.06 )

Net realized capital gains

    (1.46 )     (1.16 )     (1.35 )                  

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.46 )     (1.16 )     (1.35 )           (0.06 )     (0.06 )

Redemption and small-balance account fees

                *     *     *     *

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 29.79     $ 24.48     $ 27.50     $ 22.14     $ 18.34     $ 18.75  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    28.77 %     (5.97 )%     31.10 %     20.72 %(5)     (1.89 )%     1.04 %

RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                                               

Net assets, end of period (thousands)

  $ 39,488     $ 29,205     $ 30,562     $ 20,365     $ 5,502     $ 7,010  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

    0.95 %     0.95 %     0.95 %     0.95 %(6)     0.95 %     0.95 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets (before waivers and reimbursement of expenses and/or recapture of previously waived fees)

    1.00 %     0.98 %     1.17 %     1.47 %(6)     2.40 %     2.45 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.06 )%     0.10 %     (0.05 )%     (0.15 )%(6)     (0.08 )%     0.35 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets (before waivers and reimbursement of expenses and/or recapture of previously waived fees)

    (0.11 )%     0.07 %     (0.26 )%     (0.67 )%(6)     (1.53 )%     (1.15 )%

Portfolio turnover rate

    14 %     4 %     19 %     24 %(5)     21 %     30 %

 

*

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

(1)

The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31 during the period.

(2)

Effective as of December 21, 2016, the Fund acquired all the assets and liabilities of the Motley Fool Small-Mid Cap Growth Fund, a series of The Motley Fool Funds Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”). The financial highlights for the periods prior to that date reflect the performances of the Predecessor Fund.

(3)

Per share data calculated using average shares outstanding method.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) reflects the rate an investor would have earned on an investment in the Fund during the period. Redemption and small-balance account fees received had no effect on the Fund’s Institutional Shares total investment return.

(5)

Not annualized.

(6)

Annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

28

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

1. ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the MFAM Global Opportunities Fund (“Global Opportunities Fund”) and MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund (“Mid-Cap Growth Fund”) (each a “Fund” and together the “Funds”), which became series of RBB at the close of business on December 21, 2016. As of February 29, 2020, the Global Opportunities Fund and Mid-Cap Growth Fund each offer two classes of shares, Investor and Institutional.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

Prior to December 21, 2016, the Funds were diversified series (the “Predecessor Funds”) of The Motley Fool Funds Trust (the “Trust”), an open-end management investment company (or mutual fund) organized on November 7, 2008, as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware. Each of the Predecessor Funds was reorganized into a corresponding Fund on December 21, 2016 (the “Reorganization”). As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of each Predecessor Fund was assumed by its corresponding Fund. Performance and accounting information prior to December 21, 2016 included herein is that of the relevant Predecessor Fund.

 

The investment objective of each Fund is to achieve long-term capital appreciation. The Global Opportunities Fund pursues its objective by investing primarily in common stocks of United States companies and of companies that are organized under the laws of other countries around the world. The Mid-Cap Growth Fund pursues its objective by investing primarily in common stocks of companies that are organized in the United States and that are engaged in a broad range of industries.

 

Each Fund is an investment company and follows accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services - Investment Companies”.

 

The end of the reporting period for the Funds is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

PORTFOLIO VALUATION — Each Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by the Funds are valued using the closing price or the last sale price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Foreign securities are valued based on prices from the primary market in which they are traded, and are translated from the local currency into U.S. dollars using current exchange rates. If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments. Such procedures use fundamental valuation methods, which may include, but are not limited to, an analysis of the effect of any restrictions on the resale of the security, industry analysis and trends, significant changes in the issuer’s financial position, and any other event which could have a significant impact on the value of the security. Determination of fair value involves subjective judgment as the actual market value of a particular security can be established only by negotiations between the parties in a sales transaction, and the difference between the recorded fair value and the value that would be received in a sale could be significant. The Funds may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities traded primarily in non-U.S. markets because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Funds value their securities, generally as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. The earlier close of these foreign markets gives rise to the possibility

 

29

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

that significant events, including broad market moves, government actions or pronouncements, aftermarket trading, or news events may have occurred in the interim. To account for this, the Funds may value foreign securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools (international fair value pricing).

 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Funds’ investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

Level 1 – Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

Level 2 – Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

 

Level 3 – Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Funds’ own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

You’d think that it would be easy to determine what a share of the Fund is worth – just add up the value of everything it holds, and then divide by the number of shares. It’s not that simple, though. Some foreign markets have different operating hours (when it’s daytime in Chicago, for example, it is night in Shanghai). That means that when we calculate a Fund’s value at the end of the day, the market quotations for some of the securities held by the Fund could be several hours old, and intervening events may have affected what the stocks are worth. In addition, characteristics of the relevant markets and stocks might, in some cases, cast doubt on a particular valuation. For these reasons, we may rely on a pricing service to determine the value of particular securities. It is possible that when a Fund buys or sells the securities, the price on the real market will be different from the value used for the fair-value pricing.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing the Funds’ investments carried at fair value:

 

GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND

 

 

 

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

   

INVESTMENTS
MEASURED
AT NET ASSET
VALUE^

 

Common Stocks

  $ 544,025,002     $ 450,465,055     $ 93,462,601     $ 97,346     $  

Investments Purchased with Proceeds From Securities Lending Collateral

    56,190,859                         56,190,859  

Short-Term Investments

    6,495,797       6,495,797                    

Total Investments*

  $ 606,711,658     $ 456,960,852     $ 93,462,601     $ 97,346     $ 56,190,859  

 

30

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

MID-CAP GROWTH FUND

 

 

 

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

   

INVESTMENTS
MEASURED
AT NET ASSET
VALUE^

 

Common Stocks

  $ 286,253,067     $ 286,253,067     $     $     $  

Investments Purchased with Proceeds From Securities Lending Collateral

    43,597,005                         43,597,005  

Short-Term Investments

    4,880,903       4,880,903                    

Total Investments*

  $ 334,730,975     $ 291,133,970     $     $     $ 43,597,005  

 

*

Please refer to the Schedule of Investments for further details.

^

Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The fair value amounts presented in the table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Funds’ investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Fund may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires each Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only if a Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for Level 3 transfers in and out of each level is disclosed when a Fund had an amount of total Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

The Funds did not have any significant Level 3 transfers during the current fiscal period.

 

USE OF ESTIMATES — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS, INVESTMENT INCOME AND EXPENSES — The Funds record security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gains are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. The Funds’ investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family of the

 

31

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

Company are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all of the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Funds.

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS — Each Fund pays dividends from its net investment income and distributes any net capital gains that it realizes. Dividends and capital gains distributions are generally paid once a year and as required to comply with federal excise tax requirements. Distributions to shareholders are determined in accordance with tax regulations and recorded on ex dividend date. All dividends and other distributions will be reinvested in Fund shares unless a shareholder chooses either to (1) receive dividends in cash, while reinvesting capital gains distributions in additional Fund shares; or (2) receive all distributions in cash. Additionally, each Fund reports details of distribution-related transactions on quarterly account statements. You may not receive a separate confirmation statement for these transactions.

 

When a Fund pays a dividend or other distribution, its net asset value (NAV) per share will decline by the per-share amount of the distribution. Investors are no poorer for this “distribution drop,” however. As this section explains, investors may elect to reinvest their dividend and distribution payments. Doing so would allow them to acquire additional shares at the post-distribution NAV per share. They may also choose to receive a check in the amount of their portion of the dividend or distribution.

 

U.S. TAX STATUS — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is each Fund’s intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers are not known. The operational and financial performance of the issuers of securities in which the Funds invest depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Funds’ investments, impair the Funds’ ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Funds’ performance.

 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

OTHER — In the normal course of business, the Funds may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. Each Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Funds in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, based on experience, the risk of material loss from such claims is considered remote.

 

FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION — The books and records of the Funds are maintained in U.S. dollars as follows: (1) the values of investment securities and other assets and liabilities stated in foreign currencies are translated at the exchange rates prevailing at the end of the period; and (2) purchases, sales and income are translated at the rates of exchange prevailing on the respective dates of such transactions. Transaction gains or losses resulting from changes in exchange rates during the reporting period or upon settlement from foreign currency transactions are reported in the Statements of Operations for the current period. The Funds do not isolate the portion of gains and losses on investments.

 

32

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

2. INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES

 

The sections below describe some of the different types of investments that may be made by the Funds and the investment practices in which the Funds may engage.

 

When we say that the Funds may invest in other types of securities and in other asset classes, the “may” is well worth emphasizing, as the Funds’ primary focus is the common stocks of companies that the Adviser believes are both high-quality and available at a reasonable price.

 

FOREIGN SECURITIES — The Global Opportunities Fund and the Mid-Cap Growth Fund may invest, in equity and fixed-income securities of foreign companies, including companies located in both developed and emerging-market countries. Investment in foreign securities may include the purchase of American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and other depositary receipts (European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”)) that represent indirect interests in securities of foreign issuers. A significant portion of a Fund’s exposure to foreign investments may be composed of such investments. Investments in foreign securities are affected by risk factors generally not associated with investments in the securities of U.S. companies in the U.S. With respect to such securities, there may be more limited information publicly available concerning the issuer than would be the case with respect to domestic securities, foreign issuers may use different accounting standards, and foreign trading markets may not be as liquid as are U.S. markets. Foreign securities also involve such risks as currency risks, possible imposition of withholding or confiscatory taxes, possible currency transfer restrictions, expropriation or other adverse political or economic developments, and the difficulty of enforcing obligations in other countries. These risks may be greater in emerging-market countries and in less-developed countries.

 

If a Fund holds a foreign stock, and the stock is traded on a foreign exchange, with its price denominated in that foreign currency, the value of the stock will change, for the Fund, whenever the relative value of the U.S. dollar and that foreign currency change. To take an imaginary example, if the Fund holds shares in Ruritania Telecom, traded on the Ruritanian Stock Exchange, those shares will be worth more to the Fund if the value of the Ruritanian ploof increases against the U.S. dollar, and vice versa, all other things being equal.

 

The purchase of securities denominated in foreign currencies will subject the value of the Funds’ investments in those securities to fluctuations caused by changes in foreign exchange rates. To hedge against the effects of changes in foreign exchange rates, the Funds may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts (“forward contracts”). These contracts represent agreements to exchange an amount of currency at an agreed-upon future date and rate. The Funds will generally use forward contracts only to “lock in” the price in U.S. dollars of a foreign security that a Fund plans to purchase or to sell. In certain limited cases, it may use such contracts to hedge against an anticipated substantial decline in the price of a foreign currency against the U.S. dollar that would adversely affect the U.S. dollar value of foreign securities held by the Fund. Forward contracts will not be used in all cases and, in any event, cannot completely protect the Funds against all changes in the values of foreign securities resulting from fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. The Funds will not enter into a forward contract if, as a result, forward contracts would represent more than 20% of a Fund’s total assets. For hedging purposes, the Funds may also use options on foreign currencies, which expose the Funds to certain risks.

 

Some foreign securities are traded in the U.S. in the form of ADRs. ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or company evidencing ownership of the underlying securities of foreign issuers. EDRs and GDRs are receipts typically issued by foreign banks or trust companies, evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by either a foreign or U.S. issuer. Generally, depositary receipts in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. and depositary receipts in bearer form are designed for use in securities markets outside the U.S. Depositary receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. Depositary receipts generally involve the same risks as other investments in foreign securities. However, holders of ADRs and other depositary receipts may not have all the legal rights of shareholders and may experience difficulty in receiving shareholder communications.

 

33

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

TYPES OF FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES — A Fund may invest in bonds and other types of debt obligations of U.S. and foreign issuers. Fixed income securities purchased by a Fund may include, among others, bonds, notes, and debentures issued by corporations; debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities (“U.S. Government Securities”); municipal securities; mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities; and debt securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments, their agencies, instrumentalities, or political subdivisions, or by government-owned, -controlled, or -sponsored entities, including central banks. These investments also include money market instruments and other types of obligations. Investors should recognize that, although securities ratings issued by Standard & Poor’s® Ratings Services (“S&P”), a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and Moody’s Investors Services©, Inc. (“Moody’s”), provide a generally useful guide as to credit risks, they do not offer any criteria to evaluate interest rate risk. Changes in interest rate levels generally cause fluctuations in the prices of fixed-income securities and will, therefore, cause fluctuations in the NAV per share of a Fund. Subsequent to the purchase of a fixed-income security by a Fund, the ratings or credit quality of such security may deteriorate. Any such subsequent adverse changes in the rating or quality of a security held by a Fund would not require a Fund to sell the security.

 

PARTICIPATORY NOTES — A participatory note, as used by a Fund, is an instrument used by investors to obtain exposure to an equity investment, including common stocks and warrants, in a local market where direct ownership is not permitted (or is impractical.) In countries where direct ownership by a foreign investor, such as a Fund, is not allowed by local law, such as Saudi Arabia, an investor may gain exposure to the market through a participatory note, which derives its value from a group of underlying equity securities. A participatory note is intended (disregarding the effect of any fees and expenses) to reflect the performance of the underlying equity securities on a one-to-one basis so that investors will not normally gain more in absolute terms than they would have made had they invested in the underlying securities directly, and will not normally lose more than they would have lost had they invested in the underlying securities directly.

 

In addition to providing access to otherwise closed markets, participatory notes can also provide a less expensive option to direct investment (where ownership by foreign investors is permitted) by reducing registration and transaction costs in acquiring and selling local registered shares. The Funds’ investment manager also believes that participatory notes can offer greater liquidity in markets that restrict the ability of the Funds to dispose of an investment by either restricting transactions by size or requiring registration and/or regulatory approvals.

 

The purchase of participatory notes involves risks that are in addition to the risks normally associated with a direct investment in the underlying securities. The Fund is subject to the risk that the issuer of the participatory note (i.e., the issuing bank or broker-dealer), which is the only responsible party under the note, is unable or refuses to perform under the terms of the participatory note, also known as counterparty risk.

 

While the holder of a participatory note is entitled to receive from the bank or broker-dealer any dividends or other distributions paid on the underlying securities, the holder is not entitled to the same rights as an owner of the underlying securities, such as voting rights.

 

Participatory notes may not be traded on exchanges, are privately issued, and may be illiquid. To the extent a participatory note is determined to be illiquid, it would be subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities. There can be no assurance that the trading price or value of participatory notes will equal the value of the underlying value of the equity securities they seek to replicate.

 

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS — Real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) are pooled investment vehicles that manage a portfolio of real estate or real estate-related loans to earn profits for their shareholders. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs. Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of the borrower on any credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified geographically or by property type, and are subject to heavy cash-flow dependency, default by borrowers, and self-liquidation. REITs must also meet certain requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), to avoid entity level tax and be eligible to pass through certain tax attributes of their income to shareholders. REITs are consequently subject to the risk of failing to meet these requirements for favorable tax treatment and of failing to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. REITs are also subject to the risks of changes in the Code, affecting their tax status.

 

34

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risks. When interest rates decline, the value of a REIT’s investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a REIT’s investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to decline. In contrast, as interest rates on adjustable-rate mortgage loans are reset periodically, yields on a REIT’s investments in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates, causing the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed-rate obligations.

 

The management of a REIT may be subject to conflicts of interest with respect to the operation of the business of the REIT and may be involved in real estate activities competitive with the REIT. REITs may own properties through joint ventures or in other circumstances in which a REIT may not have control over its investments. REITs may use significant amounts of leverage.

 

REITs often do not provide complete tax information until after the end of the calendar year. Consequently, because of the delay, it may be necessary for a Fund, if invested in REITs, to request permission to extend the deadline for issuance of Forms 1099-DIV beyond January 31. Alternatively, amended Forms 1099-DIV may be sent. During the current fiscal period, the Global Opportunities Fund and Mid-Cap Growth Fund invested in REITs.

 

TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS — During periods of adverse market or economic conditions, a Fund may temporarily invest all or a substantial portion of its assets in high-quality, fixed-income securities, money market instruments, and shares of money market mutual funds, or it may hold cash. At such times, a Fund would not be pursuing its stated investment objective with its usual investment strategies. A Fund may also hold these investments for liquidity purposes. Fixed-income securities will be deemed to be of high quality if they are rated “A” or better by S&P or Moody’s or, if unrated, are determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. Money market instruments are high-quality, short-term fixed income obligations (which generally have remaining maturities of one year or less), and may include U.S. Government Securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and banker’s acceptances issued by domestic branches of United States banks that are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and repurchase agreements for US. Government Securities. In lieu of purchasing money market instruments, a Fund may purchase shares of money market mutual funds that invest primarily in U.S. Government Securities and repurchase agreements involving those securities, subject to certain limitations imposed by the 1940 Act. A Fund, as an investor in a money market fund, will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the money market fund. These indirect fees and expenses will be in addition to the fees and expenses of the Funds. Repurchase agreements involve certain risks not associated with direct investments in debt securities.

 

3. INVESTMENT ADVISER AND OTHER SERVICES

 

Each Fund pays all of its expenses other than those expressly assumed by Motley Fool Asset Management (“MFAM” or the “Adviser”). Expenses of each Fund are deducted from the Funds’ total income before dividends are paid. Subject to the supervision of the Board, the Adviser manages the overall investment operations of the Funds in accordance with the Funds’ investment objective and policies and formulates a continuing investment strategy for the Funds pursuant to the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Company on behalf of the Funds. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Motley Fool Investment Management, LLC, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Motley Fool Holdings Inc. (“TMF Holdings”), a multimedia financial-services holding company that also owns The Motley Fool, LLC, which publishes investment information and analysis across a wide range of media, including investment newsletter services, websites, and books. TMF Holdings is controlled by David Gardner and Tom Gardner, along with other private shareholders. Each Fund compensates the Adviser for its services at an annual rate based on each Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Advisory Fee”), payable on a monthly basis in arrears, as shown in the following table.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to pay, waive or absorb a portion of the operating expenses of each Fund’s share classes to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses of the Investor and Institutional Shares of each Fund (as applicable) (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed the rates (“Expense Caps”) shown in the following table of each Fund’s average daily net assets. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed the

 

35

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

Expense Caps as applicable: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until December 31, 2020 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after December 31, 2020.

 

   

EXPENSE CAPS

FUND

ADVISORY
FEE

INVESTOR
SHARES

INSTITUTIONAL
SHARES

Global Opportunities Fund

0.85%

1.15%

0.95%

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

0.85%

1.15%

0.95%

 

During the current fiscal period, investment advisory fees accrued and waived were as follows:

 

FUND

 

GROSS
ADVISORY FEES

   

RECOUPMENT/
WAIVERS

   

NET
ADVISORY FEES

 

Global Opportunities Fund

  $ 4,145,422     $ 4,260     $ 4,149,682  

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

    2,268,364       36,629       2,304,993  

 

The Adviser may recover from the Investor and Institutional Shares of each Fund fees and expenses previously paid, waived, or absorbed for a period of three years after such fees or expenses were incurred, provided that the repayments do not cause the Funds’ operating expenses (excluding brokerage commissions, taxes, interest expense, acquired fund fees and expenses, and any extraordinary expenses) to exceed the expense limits of the Investor and Institutional Class, respectively, of each Fund that were in effect at the time the fees and expenses were paid, waived, or absorbed by the Adviser, as well as the expense limits that are currently in effect, if different. The Global Opportunities Fund Investor Class had expense fees recouped in the amount of $53,407. The Global Opportunities Fund Institutional Class had expense fees waived in the amount of $49,147. The Mid-Cap Growth Fund Investor Class had expense fees recouped in the amount of $52,798. The Mid-Cap Growth Fund Institutional Class had expense fees waived in the amount of $16,169. Previously waived fees subject to future recovery by the Adviser are as follows:

 

   

EXPIRATION

         

FUND

 

AUGUST 31,
2021

   

AUGUST 31,
2022

   

AUGUST 31,
2023

   

TOTAL

 

Global Opportunities Fund - Investor Class

  $     $     $     $  

Global Opportunities Fund - Institutional Class

    80,089       32,294       49,147       161,530  

Mid-Cap Growth Fund - Investor Class

                       

Mid-Cap Growth Fund - Institutional Class

    56,058       8,934       16,169       81,161  

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Funds. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Funds’ transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Funds. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

36

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

Foreside Funds Distributors, LLC serves as the principal underwriter and distributor of the Funds’ shares pursuant to a Distribution Agreement with RBB.

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Statements of Operations.

 

DIRECTOR AND OFFICER COMPENSATION — The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Funds or the Company. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as the Chief Compliance Officer of the Adviser. Neither the Funds nor the Company compensate this individual or Vigilant Compliance, LLC for services provided to Motley Fool Asset Management. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Statements of Operations.

 

SHAREHOLDER SERVICING FEE — Effective February 1, 2019, the Funds have entered into a shareholder servicing agreement (the “Agreement”) with the Adviser, under which the Adviser provides, or arranges for others to provide, certain specified shareholder services. As compensation for the provision of shareholder services, the Funds may pay servicing fees up to an annual rate of 0.20% of the average daily net assets of the Investor Shares. Payments to the Adviser under the Agreement may reimburse the Adviser for payments it makes to selected brokers, dealers and administrators which have entered into service agreements with the Adviser for services provided to shareholders of the Funds. The services provided by such intermediaries are primarily designed to assist shareholders of the Funds and include the furnishing of office space and equipment, telephone facilities, personnel, and assistance to the Fund in servicing such shareholders. Services provided by such intermediaries also include the provision of support services to the Funds and include establishing and maintaining shareholders’ accounts and record processing, purchase and redemption transactions, answering routine client inquiries regarding the Funds, and providing such other personal services to shareholders as the Funds may reasonably request. During the current fiscal period, the Funds incurred shareholder servicing fees as follows:

 

FUND

 

SHAREHOLDER
SERVICING FEES

 

Global Opportunities Fund – Investor Shares

  $ 312,341  

Mid-Cap Growth Fund – Investor Shares

    187,244  

 

REDEMPTION FEE — Prior to January 1, 2018, the Funds imposed a redemption fee of 2.00% on redemptions/exchanges of Fund shares held less than 90 days. The redemption fee is calculated as a percentage of the net asset value of the total redemption proceeds and is retained by the Funds and accounted for as additional paid-in capital. Certain exceptions to the imposition of the redemption fee exist. Effective January 1, 2018, the Funds have eliminated their redemption fees. Please see the Funds’ prospectus for more information.

 

SMALL-BALANCE ACCOUNT FEE — The Funds charge a small-balance account fee of $24 annually if the value of an account is less than $10,000. The fee is assessed by redeeming shares from that account. Certain exceptions to the imposition of the small-balance account fee exist. Please see the Funds’ prospectus for more information.

 

TRANSACTIONS WITH AFFILIATES — Advisers to investment companies, including MFAM Funds, are permitted under 17a-7 of the 1940 Act to purchase or sell securities directly between affiliated clients. When affecting these “cross” transactions, Rule 17a-7 imposes restrictions on how the trades are processed and reported. The specified conditions within Rule 17a-7 are outlined in procedures established by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. The procedures have been designed to provide assurance that any purchase or sale of securities by the Fund from or to another Fund complies with Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Funds did not engage in any security transactions with affiliates.

 

37

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

4. PURCHASES AND SALES OF INVESTMENT SECURITIES

 

During the current fiscal period, aggregate purchases and sales and maturities of investment securities of the Funds were as follows:

 

FUND

 

PURCHASES

   

SALES

 

Global Opportunities Fund

  $ 46,204,230     $ 94,422,262  

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

    37,105,057       79,151,469  

 

There were no purchases or sales of long-term U.S. Government Securities during the current fiscal period.

 

5. FEDERAL INCOME TAX INFORMATION

 

The Funds have followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Funds to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Funds have determined that there was no effect on the financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Funds are subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost, aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of securities held by each Fund were as follows:

 

FUND

 

FEDERAL
TAX COST

   

UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION

   

UNREALIZED
(DEPRECIATION)

   

NET UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION/
(DEPRECIATION)

 

Global Opportunities Fund

  $ 339,932,322     $ 292,186,100     $ (25,400,128 )   $ 266,785,972  

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

    189,745,442       145,851,465       (865,932 )     144,985,533  

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

Permanent differences as of August 31, 2020 were reclassified among the following accounts:

 

FUND

 

DISTRIBUTABLE
EARNINGS/(LOSS)

   

PAID-IN
CAPITAL

 

Global Opportunities Fund

  $ (1 )   $ 1  

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

    599,515       (599,515 )

 

38

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

FUND

 

UNDISTRIBUTED
ORDINARY
INCOME

   

UNDISTRIBUTED
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS

   

CAPITAL
LOSS
CARRYOVER

   

QUALIFIED
LATE-YEAR LOSS
DEFERRAL

   

UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION/
(DEPRECIATION)

   

TOTAL

 

Global Opportunities Fund

  $ 254,531     $ 30,796,418     $     $     $ 266,785,972     $ 297,836,921  

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

          23,173,445             (407,256 )     144,985,533       167,751,722  

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate primarily to the timing of recognition of income and gains for federal income tax purposes.

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019 were as follows:

 

FUND

 

TAX
YEAR

   

ORDINARY
INCOME

   

LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAIN

   

TOTAL

 

Global Opportunities Fund

    2020     $ 290,198     $ 21,013,460     $ 21,303,658  

Global Opportunities Fund

    2019             30,986,233       30,986,233  

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

    2020             15,323,616       15,323,616  

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

    2019             13,643,048       13,643,048  

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

Pursuant to federal income tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies, the Funds may elect to treat certain capital losses between November 1 and August 31 and late year ordinary losses ((i) ordinary losses between January 1 and August 31, and (ii) specified ordinary and currency losses between November 1 and August 31) as occurring on the first day of the following tax year. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, any amount of losses elected within the tax return will not be recognized for federal income tax purposes until September 1, 2020. The Mid-Cap Growth Fund deferred qualified late-year losses of $407,256 which will be treated as arising on the first business day of the following fiscal year.

 

Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the Funds are permitted to carry forward capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 for an unlimited period. Additionally, capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under the previous law. As of August 31, 2020, the Funds had no unexpiring short-term or long-term losses.

 

6. SECURITIES LENDING

 

The Funds may make secured loans of its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions to earn additional income and receive cash collateral equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities, as marked to market each day that the NAV of the Funds are determined. When the collateral falls below specified amounts, the Funds’ lending agent will use its best effort to obtain additional collateral on the next business day to meet required amounts under the security lending agreement. The Funds will pay administrative and custodial fees in connection with the loan of securities. Collateral is invested in short-term investments and the Funds will bear the risk of loss of the invested collateral. Investments purchased with proceeds from securities lending are overnight and continuous. Securities lending will expose the Funds to the risk

 

39

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

of loss should a borrower default on its obligation to return the borrowed securities. The market value of the securities on loan and cash collateral as of the end of the reporting period and the income generated from the program during the current fiscal period with respect to such secured loans were as follows:

 

FUND

 

MARKET VALUE
OF SECURITIES
LOANED

   

MARKET VALUE
OF COLLATERAL

   

INCOME
RECEIVED FROM
SECURITIES
LENDING

 

Global Opportunities Fund

  $ 55,165,930     $ 56,190,859     $ 131,291  

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

    43,617,386       43,597,005       120,948  

 

Securities lending transactions are entered into by the Funds’ securities lending agent on behalf of the Funds under a Master Securities Lending Agreement (“MSLA”) which permits the Funds’ securities lending agent on behalf of the Funds under certain circumstances including an event of default (such as bankruptcy or insolvency), to offset amounts payable on behalf of the Funds to the same counterparty against amounts to be received and create one single net payment due to or from the Funds. The following table is a summary of the Funds open securities lending transactions which are subject to a MSLA as of the end of the reporting period:

 

           

GROSS
AMOUNTS
OFFSET IN THE

   

NET AMOUNT
OF ASSETS
PRESENTED IN
THE

   

GROSS AMOUNT NOT OFFSET IN THE
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

 

 

 

GROSS
AMOUNTS OF
RECOGNIZED
ASSETS

   

STATEMENTS
OF ASSETS
AND
LIABILITIES

   

STATEMENTS
OF ASSETS
AND
LIABILITIES

   

FINANCIAL
INSTRUMENTS1

   

CASH
COLLATERAL
RECEIVED

   

NET AMOUNT2

 

Global Opportunities Fund

  $ 55,165,930     $     $ 55,165,930     $ (55,165,930 )   $     $  

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

    43,617,386             43,617,386       (43,617,386 )            

 

1

Amount disclosed is limited to the amount of assets presented in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. Actual collateral received may be more than the amount shown.

2

Net amount represents the net amount receivable from the counterparty in the event of default.

 

7. NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS AND REGULATORY UPDATES

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Funds’ financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

40

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notes to Financial Statements (CONCLUDED)

AUGUST 31, 2020

 

8. FUND REORGANIZATION

 

After the close of business on July 12, 2019, the Global Opportunities Fund acquired the net assets of the Emerging Markets Fund pursuant to a Plan of Reorganization as approved by the Board on February 7, 2019. The reorganization was accomplished with tax-free exchanges resulting in the following issuances of shares by the Global Opportunities Fund in exchange for the outstanding shares of the Emerging Markets Fund:

 

PROCEEDS FROM
SHARES ISSUED

SHARES
ISSUED

EXCHANGE
RATIO

$34,248,443

1,324,511

0.55551989

 

The Emerging Markets Fund’s net assets at the reorganization date of $34,248,443, including $7,812,944 of unrealized appreciation, were combined with those of the Global Opportunities Fund. Assuming the acquisition had been completed on September 1, 2018, the beginning of the annual reporting period of the Global Opportunities Fund, pro forma results of operations for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2019 would include net investment income of $532,376, and net realized and unrealized gain on investments of $18,978,831 resulting in an increase in net assets from operations of $19,511,207. Because the combined investment portfolios have been managed as a single integrated portfolio since the reorganization date, it is not practicable to separate the amounts of revenue and earnings of the Emerging Markets Fund that have been included in the Global Opportunities Fund’s Statement of Operations since the reorganization date. Prior to the reorganization, the net assets of the Global Opportunities Fund totaled $479,450,455. Immediately after the reorganization, the net assets of the Global Opportunities Fund totaled $513,698,898.

 

9. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Funds through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no significant events requiring recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

41

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Report of Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of
The RBB Fund, Inc.
and the Shareholders of the MFAM Funds

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities of the MFAM Global Opportunities Fund and MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund (the “Funds”), each a series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Trust”), including the schedules of investments, as of August 31, 2020, the related statements of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, financial highlights for each of the three years in the period then ended, for the period ended August 31, 2017 and for each of the two years in the period ended October 31, 2016, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Funds as of August 31, 2020, the results of their operations for the year then ended, the changes in their net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and their financial highlights for each of the three years in the period then ended, for the period ended August 31, 2017 and for each of the two years in the period ended October 31, 2016, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Funds’ management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Funds’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. We have served as the auditor of one or more of the funds in the Trust since 2011.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Funds are not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of the Funds’ internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Funds’ internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020 by correspondence with the custodian. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

 

TAIT, WELLER & BAKER LLP

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October
29, 2020

 

42

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Shareholder Tax Information (Unaudited)

 

Certain tax information regarding the Funds is required to be provided to shareholders based upon the Funds’ income and distributions for the taxable period ended August 31, 2020. The information and distributions reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ending December 31, 2020. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the following dividends and distributions were paid by the Funds:

 

FUND

ORDINARY
INCOME

LONG-TERM
GAINS

Global Opportunities Fund

$ 290,198

$ 21,013,460

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

15,323,616

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

Under the Jobs and Growth Tax relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 the following percentages of ordinary dividends paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 are designated as “qualified dividend income,” as defined in the Act, and are subject to reduced tax rates:

 

Global Opportunities Fund

100.00%

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

0.00%

 

The percentage of total ordinary income dividends paid qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction for the Funds are as follows:

 

Global Opportunities Fund

100.00%

Mid-Cap Growth Fund

0.00%

 

Because the Funds’ fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Funds, if any.

 

In general, dividends received by tax-exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Funds.

 

43

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notice to Shareholders (UNAUDITED)

 

Information on Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 are available (i) without charge, upon request, by calling (888) 863-8803; and (ii) on the U.S. SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Schedule of Investments

 

The Company files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. Shareholders can obtain the Form N-PORT (i) without charge, upon request, by calling (888) 863-8803; (ii) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov; and (iii) on the Funds website at http://www.mfamfunds.com.

 

Approval of Investment Advisory Agreement

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered the renewal of the investment advisory agreement between MFAM and the Company (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the MFAM Global Opportunities Fund and the MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund (each a “Fund” and together the “Funds”), at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreement for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangements. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Board considered information provided by MFAM with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Company and MFAM with respect to the Funds, the Directors took into account all the materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of MFAM’s services provided to the Funds; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of MFAM’s personnel providing those services; (iii) MFAM’s investment philosophies and processes; (iv) MFAM’s assets under management and client descriptions; (v) MFAM’s soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) MFAM’s advisory fee arrangement with the Company and other similarly managed clients; (vii) MFAM’s compliance policies and procedures; (viii) MFAM’s financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Funds; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Funds; (x) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing each Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its Lipper peer group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of the Funds to the performance of their respective benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by MFAM. The Directors concluded that MFAM had substantial resources to provide services to the Funds and that MFAM’s services had been acceptable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Funds and MFAM. The Directors considered the Funds’ investment performance in light of their investment objectives and investment strategies. The Directors concluded that the investment performance of each of the Funds as compared to their respective benchmarks and Lipper Groups was acceptable.

 

In reaching this conclusion, the Directors observed that the MFAM Global Opportunities Fund had outperformed its benchmark for the year-to-date, one-year, three-year, five-year, ten-year and since-inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the MFAM Global Opportunities Fund ranked in the 2nd quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the three-year, four-year, and five-year periods ended December 31, 2019 .

 

The Directors noted the MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund had outperformed its benchmark for the year-to-date, one-year, and three-year periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund ranked in the 4th quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year, two-year, three-year, four-year and five-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

44

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Notice to Shareholders (Concluded) (Unaudited)

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rates payable by the Funds under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Funds and the Funds’ total operating expense ratios (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee of the MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund ranked in the 4th quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 3rd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee and total expenses of the MFAM Global Opportunities Fund ranked in the 3rd quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that MFAM had contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses through at least December 31, 2020 to agreed upon levels for the MFAM Global Opportunities Fund and the MFAM Mid-Cap Growth Fund.

 

After reviewing the information regarding the Funds’ costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering MFAM’s services, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees paid by the Funds were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreement should be approved and continued for an additional one year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

45

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

PRIVACY NOTICE (Unaudited)

 

What Does Motley Fool Funds Do With Your Personal Information?

 

Why?: Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information.

 

Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

 

What?: The type of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

Social Security number and transaction history

 

Account balances and checking account information

 

Account transactions and wire transfer instructions

 

When you are no longer a customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

 

How?: All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons Motley Fool Asset Management chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

 

Reasons we share your personal information

Does MFAM share?

Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purposes
such as to process your transaction, maintain your account(s), provide you with necessary information, respond to court orders and legal investigation, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes —
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

Yes

For joint marketing with other financial companies

No

We don’t share

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share

For our affiliates to market to you

Yes

Yes

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

 

Visit us online: http://www.mfamfunds.com/website-privacy-policy/

 

Please note:

 

 

If you are a new customer, we can begin sharing your information 30 days from the days from the date we sent this notice. When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

 

46

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

PRIVACY NOTICE (Continued) (Unaudited)

 

However, you can contact us at any time to limit our sharing.

 

Questions: Call 1-888-863-8803 or go to www.mfamfunds.com

 

What we do:

 

How does MFAM protect my personal information?

 

We collect your personal information, for example, when you:

 

Open an account or provide account information

 

Make deposits or withdrawals from your account

 

Make a wire transfer or tell us where to send the money

 

We also collect your personal information from other companies.

 

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

 

Federal law gives you the right to limit only:

 

Sharing for affiliates everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness

 

Make deposits or withdrawals from your account

 

Sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

 

What happens when I limit sharing for an account I hold jointly with someone else?

 

Your choices will apply to everyone on your account.

 

EUROPEAN UNION’S GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION

 

In addition to the above information, where applicable, you have the following rights under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and U.S. Privacy Laws, as applicable and to the extent permitted by law, to

 

Check whether we hold personal information about you and to access such data (in accordance with our policy)

 

Request the correction of personal information about you that is inaccurate

 

Have a copy of the personal information we hold about you provided to you or another “controller” where technically feasible

 

Request the erasure of your personal information

 

Request the restriction of processing concerning you

 

The legal grounds for processing of your personal information is for contractual necessity and compliance with law.

 

If you wish to exercise any of your rights above, please call: 1-888-863-8803.

 

You are required to ensure the personal information we hold about you is up-to-date and accurate and you must notify us of any changes to the personal data you provided to us.

 

The MFAM Funds shall retain your personal data for as long as you are an investor in the Funds and thereafter as long as necessary to comply with applicable laws that require the Funds to retain your personal data, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s data retention rules. Your personal data will be transferred to the United States so that the Funds may provide the agreed upon services for you. No adequacy decision has been rendered by the European Commission as to the data protection of your personal data when transferring it to the United States. However, the Funds do take the security of your personal data seriously.

 

Definitions:

 

Affiliates - Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

Our affiliates include companies with a Motley Fool name; financial companies such as Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC; and nonfinancial companies such as The Motley Fool, LLC and The Motley Fool Holdings, Inc.

 

47

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

PRIVACY NOTICE (concluded) (Unaudited)

 

Nonaffiliates - Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

Motley Fool Asset Management does not share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

 

Joint marketing - A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

Motley Fool Asset Management doesn’t jointly market.

 

Controller - “Controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by European Union or European Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by European Union or European Member State law.

 

48

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

Directors and Officers (Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling (888) 863-8803.

 

Name, Address,
AND AGE

Positions(s)
Held with
Company

Term of
Office
and
Length of
TIME
Served
(1)

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director
(*)

Other
Directorships
Held by
Director
in the Past
5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc.(until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

Nicholas A. Giordano

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

 

49

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS (CONTINUED) (Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
AND AGE

Positions(s)
Held with
Company

Term of
Office
and
Length of
TIME
Served
(1)

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director
(*)

Other
Directorships
Held by
Director
in the Past
5 Years

Arnold M. Reichman

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 72

Chairman Director

2005 to present 1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

Brian T. Shea

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

Robert Sablowsky

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 82

Vice Chairman Director

2016 to present 1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

OFFICERS

Salvatore Faia, JD,
CPA, CFE
Vigilant Compliance, LLC Gateway Corporate Center Suite 216

223 Wilmington West Chester Pike

Chadds Ford, PA 19317

Age: 57

President Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present 2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 59

Treasurer and Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

 

 

50

 

 

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS (CONTINUED) (Unaudited)

 

Name, Address,
AND AGE

Positions(s)
Held with
Company

Term of
Office
and
Length of
TIME
Served
(1)

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director
(*)

Other
Directorships
Held by
Director
in the Past
5 Years

Craig A. Urciuoli

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (investment company).

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 61

Assistant Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann

One Logan Square

Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1.

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2 .

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

 

51

 

 

MFAM FUNDS

DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS (CONCLUDED) (Unaudited)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive-level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

52

 

 

Investment Adviser

Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC
2000 Duke Street
Suite 275
Alexandria, VA 22314

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Custodian

U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Distributor

Foreside Funds Distributors LLC
899 Cassatt Road
400 Berwyn Park, Suite 110
Berwyn, PA 19312

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Tait, Weller & Baker LLP
Two Liberty Place
50 S 16th St. Suite 2900
Philadelphia, PA 19102-2529

 

Legal Counsel

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

53

 

 

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)

 

 

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)

 

 

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)

 

 

Questions for the MFAM
funds team?

Stay informed about your investment!

 

Shareholders like you are very important to us, and we’d love to hear your feedback and answer questions! If you have a question or comment please send it to fundservice@mfamfunds.com.

 

 

 

 

 

ANNUAL
report 2020

Motley Fool ETFs
Series of The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

8/31/20

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF

 

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Funds electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-888-863-8803.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Funds, you can call 1-888-863-8803 to inform the Funds that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Funds.

 

 

This report contains information for two ETFs that are very different. The Motley Fool 100 Index ETF — as you’d expect from its name — is designed to track the returns of the Motley Fool 100 Index. Our other ETF, the MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF, is an actively managed ETF that isn’t designed to track much of anything.

 

 

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF (TMFC)

MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF (MFMS)

 

Table of Contents

 

   

Letter to Shareholders

1

Portfolio Characteristics

5

Fund Expense Examples

9

Schedules of Investments

11

Financial Statements

19

Notes to Financial Statements

25

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

34

Shareholder Tax Information

35

Notice to Shareholders

36

Directors and Officers

41

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Letter to Shareholders

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

Bryan Hinmon
Chief Investment Officer,
MFAM Funds

 

“The real voyage of discovery consists not of seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

 

Marcel Proust

 

Dear Fellow Shareholder,

 

There is no more appropriate place to start than wishing you and your family safety and peace in these unprecedented times. A global pandemic, ongoing social injustice, widespread shutdowns, and natural disasters are interacting to make life really, really hard. At times over the past few months, it has felt as if every aspect of the human condition is under assault simultaneously.

 

If there is any silver lining, it may be that everyone shares in these challenges. Sure, misery loves company. But when put in challenging situations, we find a way to unite and carry on, mustering the strength and energy to lead the world toward progress. As we execute our investing strategy on your behalf, we hope to contribute, in some small way, toward making the small corner of your life we touch easier.

 

MARKET COMMENTARY AND RESULTS

 

The stock market appreciated at a strong clip through the first five and a half months of the fiscal year (ended Aug. 31, 2020). Recent relative performance trends in market capitalization and style factors held during the fiscal year. Entering late February, large-cap U.S. stocks were up more than 16%, ahead of mid-cap U.S. stocks and small-cap US stocks, up 12% and 11%, respectively. But as the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. worsened and government-imposed economic restrictions took hold, stocks went into freefall. By the third week of March, large-cap U.S. stocks were down 22%, mid-cap U.S. stocks 35%, and small-cap U.S. stocks 34%.1 The declines were dramatic and swift, with daily volatility reflecting the reality of economic stress and diminished business solvency around the world.

 

The staggering fall brought nearly every equity investing style to its knees. In what felt like the blink of an eye, growth stocks went from being up over 20% to down more than 17%. Value stocks went from up 12% to down more than 30%. The story was the same for minimum volatility, high dividend yield, and momentum factors.2

 

Investors seeking safety outside the U.S. found none. Foreign stocks went from up 11% to down 26%. Latin American stocks were hit particularly hard, as their 6% gain turned into a 48% loss. 3

 

In short, all stock categories were off to a great first half of the fiscal year, only to fall 40 to 50 percentage points in most cases. Volatility like this is a feature, not a bug, of markets. Prices reflect a discounting of the future, and the future was heading rapidly in a new and uncharted direction.

 

Then things began to turn. Unprecedented fiscal and monetary response showed an understanding of the gravity of the economic toll of the crisis. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies demonstrated incredible effort to research therapeutics and vaccines. Companies with white-collar workforces began to adapt and figure out how to work from home. Eventually, data on company-specific operations began to show the magnitude of weakness -- and even occasional pockets of strength. Still deep in COVID-19 case growth, a rising death toll, and massive unemployment, the faint outline of life beyond the pandemic began to take shape. Markets quickly moved past the challenged present and looked ahead, discounting for a more normal future.

  

 

1

Large-cap U.S. stocks are represented by the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF, mid-cap U.S. stocks by the iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF, and small-cap U.S. stocks by the iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF.

2

Growth stocks are represented by the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF, value stocks by the iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF, minimum-volatility by the iShares USA Min Vol Factor ETF, high-dividend-yield stocks by the iShares Core High Dividend ETF, and momentum stocks by the iShares MSCI USA Momentum Factor ETF. The Russell 1000 Growth Index is an unmanaged benchmark that measures the investment return of large- and mid-capitalization growth stocks. The Russell 1000 Value Index, a broadly diversified index predominantly made up of value stocks of large U.S. companies.

 

3

Foreign stocks are represented by the iShares Core MSCI Total International ETF, and Latin American stocks by the iShares Latin America 40 ETF.

 

 

1

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Letter to Shareholders (continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

By the end of August, most categories of stocks had returned to positive trailing-12-month returns, but the gains were not evenly spread out. Large-cap U.S. stocks gained nearly 22% for the fiscal year, while mid-cap U.S. stocks gained 4% and small-cap U.S. stocks lost less than 1%. Growth stocks outperformed value stocks during the fiscal year by a shocking margin: 44% to 1%. Momentum returned greater than 28%, while minimum-volatility stocks advanced 4% and high-dividend stocks were down 5%. Foreign stocks finished the fiscal year with an 8% gain, led by Chinese stocks, which advanced by nearly 36%.4 Latin American stocks had a weak recovery and finished the fiscal year still down over 25%.

 

Amidst the whipsaw, our investing results were admirable. For the fiscal year, the NAV performance of the MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF was 41.58%, versus 17.28% for its benchmark. The Motley Fool 100 Index ETF (the “Fool 100 ETF”) returned 50.67% based on net asset value for the fiscal year. During the same period, the performance of the Motley Fool 100 Index was 51.42% and the S&P 500 Index performance was 21.94%.5 The difference between the Fool 100 ETF’s net asset value return and the Motley Fool 100 Index is primarily a result of the Fool 100 ETF’s management fee and approximately 0.1023% tracking error.

 

The MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF’s returns were driven by strong individual stock selection and overweights in the information technology and healthcare sectors. With only 30 or so holdings in the ETF, stock selection is by design likely to be a main driver of its returns during most periods. Our approach to investing -- building focused portfolios of quality growth businesses -- casts aside most potential investments and saves capital commitments for businesses we believe have the financial strength and structural demand characteristics to sail through unexpected macro events and compound for high rates of return for years.

 

The Fool 100 ETF benefited from a significant weighting in megacap stocks and overweights in the information technology and communication services sectors. This positioning has been consistent since inception and is a result of the investment process that drives the Motley Fool 100 Index.

 

NEW EYES

 

The introductory quote from Marcel Proust has many interpretations. From an investing perspective, the purest landscape we know is that businesses are worth the present value of their future cash flows. An investor who understands that truth, purchases those cash flows reasonably, and sticks around to capture the spoils can earn a high rate of return. Investing may seem simple in that respect. However, the pursuit of great returns is popular and the investing landscape well understood. Investors must adapt -- a situation that often invokes Goodhart’s Law.

 

Charles Goodhart was a British economist and academic, and his law simplifies to this: Once a measure becomes a target, it ceases to become a good measure. For example, during the British rule of India, in an attempt to eliminate the population of venomous snakes, citizens were rewarded for handing in dead cobras. You may not be surprised to know that, soon, many in India were breeding cobras. Goodhart’s Law teaches us that good, sensible programs only last so long before they become adulterated and don’t work.

 

We see examples of Goodhart’s Law all the time in the investing world. For investors looking to earn strong returns for a long time, they need curious eyes to see the landscape just a bit differently -- in a way that isn’t perhaps widely appreciated. We must evolve before unintended consequences bite us.

 

In the days of Ben Graham, a famous professor widely regarded as the father of value investing, this pursuit of a new view of the investing landscape simply meant hunting for information about asset values in relation to price. Acquiring updated data often offered investors a fresh perspective and a view that others failed to appreciate. As information became more ubiquitous, that advantage fell away. New eyes, however, could see that informational advantages still existed in the small-cap landscape, where traditional stock coverage was sparse. Enterprising analysts could build relationships with small management teams, form unique insights, and invest accordingly. Regulations soon made uneven information flow illegal, and new eyes were again necessary to outperform.

 

 

4

Chinese stocks are represented by the iShares MSCI China ETF.

5

Returns are net of fees and expenses. The benchmark of the MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF is the Russell 2000 Growth Index. The benchmark of the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF is the S&P 500.

 

2

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Letter to Shareholders (continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Several years ago, our team realized that business models had changed, such that more and more companies were investing through their income statement to amass technical and creative talent, build platforms, and rapidly acquire massive customer bases. This approach had the effect of depressing profitability in exchange for sales growth and deeper relationships with customers in the future. Companies that adopted this model appeared to be statistically expensive and value destructive, while in reality they were often underappreciated, high-quality investments with fantastic supernormal growth potential.

 

This observation represented our new eyes several years ago, but today, it seems to be entirely appreciated. The current landscape seems to be favorable for any company that is growing. The return dispersion of the Russell 1000 growth and value indexes during the fiscal year tells the story clearly: Growth returned 44% and value returned 1%.

 

There seems to be little distinction between companies that are telling a story about growth and those that are truly creating value. It can be difficult to discern the companies that will have robust medium- and long-term cash flows and those that can outdo their lofty embedded expectations. We can’t help seeing cobra breeders starting to pop up in the initial-offering market and special-purpose acquisition companies. New eyes today require a parsing of the growing company landscape. In our view, the critical analysis resides in two areas: defensible barriers to entry and fanatical customers. These are the areas we will be focusing on with new eyes to avoid being caught on the wrong side of Goodhart’s Law.

 

Thank you for your continued trust.

 

Onward,

 

 

Bryan Hinmon
Chief Investment Officer, MFAM Funds

 

 

 

3

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Letter to Shareholders (concluded)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

 

This report is submitted for general information to the shareholders of the Funds. It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Funds. Opinions expressed are subject to change at any time, are not guaranteed, and should not be considered investment advice.

 

The value of the Funds’ investments may decrease, which will cause the value of the Funds’ shares to decrease. As a result, you may lose money on your investment in the Funds, and there can be no assurance that the Funds will achieve its investment objective. Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. The Funds are non-diversified, which means the NAV, market price and total returns may fluctuate or fall more than a diversified fund. Gains or losses on a single stock may have a greater impact on the Funds. The MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF is actively managed. The Motley Fool 100 Index ETF is not actively managed and the Adviser does not attempt to take defensive positions in any market conditions, including adverse markets. The MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF is recently organized, with no operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record on which to base their investment decision. In addition, there can be no assurance that the Fund will grow to, or maintain, an economically viable size. This Fund invests primarily in particular market capitalizations, including small-cap stocks, thus its performance will be especially sensitive to market conditions that particularly affect smaller capitalization companies. The stocks of quality growth companies can continue to be undervalued by the market for long periods of time. As a consequence of its investing style the Fund may underperform the market and its peers over short timeframes.

 

As with all ETFs, shares of the Funds may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of shares will approximate the Funds’ NAV, there may be times when the market price of shares is more than the NAV intra-day (premium) or less than the NAV intra-day (discount) due to supply and demand of shares or during periods of market volatility. Shares are not individually redeeming from the Funds and brokerage commissions will reduce returns.

 

Funds holdings and/or security allocations are subject to change at any time and are not recommendations to buy or sell any security. Please see the schedule of investments in this report for a full list of Funds holdings.

 

Diversification does not assure a profit nor protect against loss in a declining market.

 

The Russell 2000 Growth Total Return® Index measures the performance of those companies included in the Russell 2000 Index with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted earnings growth rates. The Russell 2000 Index measures the performance of approximately 2,000 companies with small-market capitalizations. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

Russell 1000 Growth Index is an unmanaged benchmark that measures the investment return of large- and mid-capitalization growth stocks.

 

Russell 1000 Value Index, a broadly diversified index predominantly made up of value stocks of large U.S. companies.

 

The Motley Fool 100 Index was established by The Motley Fool in 2017 and is a proprietary, rules-based index designed to track the performance of the 100 largest, most liquid U.S. companies that have been recommended by The Motley Fool’s analysts and newsletters.

 

The Motley Fool 100 Index ETF and MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC. No other products mentioned are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC.

 

4

 

 

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

Portfolio Characteristics

(Unaudited)

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS FOR THE PERIODS ENDED August 31, 2020

 

One
Year

Since
Inception

Inception
Date

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

50.67%

22.85%

1/29/2018

Motley Fool 100 Index*

51.42%

23.44%(1)

S&P 500® Total Return Index**

21.94%

10.40%(1)

Fund Expense Ratio(2)

0.50%

   

 

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed or sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

 

(1)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

(2)

The expense ratio of the Fund is set forth according to the December 31, 2019 Prospectus for the Fund and may differ from the expense ratio disclosed in the Financial Highlights table in this report. See the Financial Highlights for most current expense ratio.

 

*

The Motley Fool 100 Index (“Fool 100 Index”) was developed by The Motley Fool, LLC (“The Motley Fool”), an affiliate of Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC (“Adviser”), in 2017 and is a proprietary, rules-based index designed to track the performance of the 100 largest, most liquid U.S. companies that have been recommended by The Motley Fool’s analysts and newsletters or the highest-rated stocks in Fool IQ, the company’s analyst opinion database. Every company included in the Fool 100 Index is incorporated and listed in the U.S. The Fool 100 Index is calculated and administered by Solactive AG (the “Index Calculation Agent”), which is not affiliated with the Fund, the Adviser or The Motley Fool. Additional information regarding the Fool 100 Index, including its value, is available on the websites of the Fund at www.mfamfunds.com and the Index Calculation Agent, at www.solactive.com. You cannot invest directly in an index.

 

**

The S&P 500® Total Return Index is the total return version of the S&P 500® Index. Dividends are reinvested on a daily basis and all regular cash dividends are assumed reinvested in the index on the ex-dividend date. The S&P 500® Index is a market-capitalization-weighted index of 500 US stocks chosen for market size, liquidity and industry grouping, among other factors. The S&P 500® Index is designed to be a leading indicator of U.S. equities and is meant to reflect the risk/return characteristics of the large cap universe. The S&P 500® Index was first introduced on the 1st of January, 1923, though expanded to 500 stocks on March 4, 1957.

 

 

5

 

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

Portfolio Characteristics (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

The following tables show the top ten holdings and sector allocations, in which the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF was invested in as of August 31, 2020. Portfolio holdings are subject to change without notice.

 

Top TEN Holdings

% OF Net
Assets

Apple, Inc.

13.2%

Amazon.com, Inc.

10.1

Microsoft Corp.

10.1

Alphabet, Inc., Class C

6.9

Facebook, Inc., Class A

5.3

Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B

3.2

Visa, Inc., Class A

2.7

Tesla, Inc.

2.5

Johnson & Johnson

2.5

Mastercard, Inc., Class A

2.2

 

58.7%

 

The Motley Fool 100 Index ETF uses the Global Industry Classification StandardSM (“GICSSM”) as the basis for the classification of securities on the Schedule of Investments (“SOI”). We believe that this makes the SOI classifications more standard with the rest of the industry.

 

Sector Allocation

% OF Net
Assets

Information Technology

41.0%

Consumer Discretionary

18.0

Communication Services

17.1

Health Care

11.2

Financials

4.5

Industrials

3.4

Real Estate

1.6

Consumer Staples

1.3

Utilities

0.8

Materials

0.7

Energy

0.2

 

99.8%

 

6

 

 

 

MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF

Portfolio Characteristics

(Unaudited)

 

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS FOR THE PERIODS ENDED August 31, 2020

 

One
Year

Since
Inception

Inception
Date

MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF

41.58%

31.38%

10/29/2018

Russell 2000 Growth Total Return® Index*

17.28%

13.48%(1)

Fund Expense Ratio(2)

0.85%

   

 

 

The performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. Current performance may be lower or higher. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed or sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

 

(1)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

(2)

The expense ratio of the Fund is set forth according to the December 31, 2019 Prospectus for the Fund and may differ from the expense ratio disclosed in the Financial Highlights table in this report. See the Financial Highlights for most current expense ratio.

 

*

The Russell 2000 Growth Index Total Return® measures the performance of those companies included in the Russell 2000 Index with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted earnings growth rates. The Russell 2000 Index measures the performance of approximately 2,000 companies with small-market capitalizations.

 

 

7

 

 

MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF

Portfolio Characteristics (CONCLUDED)

(Unaudited)

 

The following tables show the top ten holdings and sector allocations, in which the MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF was invested in as of August 31, 2020. Portfolio holdings are subject to change without notice.

 

Top TEN Holdings

% OF Net
Assets

iRhythm Technologies, Inc.

7.2%

Paylocity Holding Corp.

5.2

Everbridge, Inc.

4.9

Cardlytics, Inc.

4.6

Watsco, Inc.

4.6

NLight, Inc.

4.4

PTC Therapeutics, Inc.

4.2

Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc.

4.1

Penumbra, Inc.

3.8

Goosehead Insurance, Inc., Class A

3.6

 

46.6%

 

The MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF uses GICSSM as the basis for the classification of securities on the Schedule of Investments. We believe that this makes the SOI classifications more standard with the rest of the industry.

 

Sector Allocation

% OF Net
Assets

Health Care

34.8%

Information Technology

23.7

Industrials

18.2

Real Estate

8.8

Communication Services

4.7

Financials

3.6

Consumer Discretionary

2.9

 

96.7%

 

8

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Fund Expense Examples

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund(s), you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including brokerage commissions on purchases and sales of Fund shares, and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees. These examples are intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund(s) and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other ETFs.

 

These examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020, and held for the entire period.

 

Actual Expenses

 

The first line of the accompanying table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical Examples for Comparison Purposes

 

The second line of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on each Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in a Fund and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs. Therefore, the second line of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

Do you know how many times a fund, or the market, has returned a smooth 5% over a long period of time? Never. But we have to pick some example. In reality, the market’s returns are always far bumpier, with the market returning 20% one year, followed by a loss of 10% the next year, followed by a 3% gain,etc. These variations affect actual expenses as well. Happily, over almost all time periods of 20 years or longer, according to the research of University of Pennsylvania’s Jeremy Siegel and others, the domestic market’s returns have been at least 5% per year on average.

 

 

 

9

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Fund Expense Examples (Concluded)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1,
2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses
Paid During
Period*

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual Six-Month Total Investment Returns
for the Funds

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

         

Actual

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,395.90

$ 3.01

0.50%

39.59%

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

1,000.00

1,022.62

2.54

0.50

N/A

MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF

         

Actual

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,271.30

$ 4.85

0.85%

27.13%

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

1,000.00

1,020.86

4.32

0.85

N/A

 

*

Expenses are equal to each Fund’s annualized expense ratio for the period March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one-half year period. Each Fund’s ending account value in the first section in the table is based on the actual six-month total investment return for the Fund.

 

10

 

 

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

Schedule of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Number of
Shares

   

Value
(Note 2)

 
                 

Common Stocks — 99.8%

               

Aerospace & Defense — 0.2%

               

TransDigm Group, Inc. (United States)

    1,126     $ 562,628  

Air Freight & Logistics — 0.3%

               

FedEx Corp. (United States)

    5,149       1,131,956  

Automobiles — 2.7%

               

Ford Motor Co. (United States)*

    83,171       567,226  

Tesla, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    17,195       8,568,613  
              9,135,839  

Beverages — 0.3%

               

Monster Beverage Corp. (United States)*

    10,834       908,539  

Biotechnology — 2.4%

               

Amgen, Inc. (United States)

    11,891       3,012,228  

Biogen, Inc. (United States)*

    3,258       937,131  

BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc. (United States)*

    3,629       283,171  

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (United States)

    24,965       1,666,414  

Seattle Genetics, Inc. (United States)*

    3,539       560,365  

Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (United States)*

    5,294       1,477,661  
              7,936,970  

Capital Markets — 1.1%

               

CME Group, Inc. (United States)

    7,732       1,359,827  

Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. (United States)

    11,389       1,209,853  

Moody’s Corp. (United States)

    3,798       1,119,043  
              3,688,723  

Chemicals — 0.7%

               

Ecolab, Inc. (United States)

    5,859       1,154,692  

Sherwin-Williams Co. (The) (United States)

    1,679       1,126,693  
              2,281,385  

Commercial Services & Supplies — 0.5%

               

Cintas Corp. (United States)(a)

    2,120       706,469  

Waste Management, Inc. (United States)

    8,359       952,926  
              1,659,395  

Diversified Financial Services — 3.2%

               

Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., Class B (United States)*

    49,678       10,831,791  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

 

11

 

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

Schedule of Investments (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Number of
Shares

   

Value
(Note 2)

 
                 

Common Stocks (continued)

               

Electric Utilities — 0.8%

               

NextEra Energy, Inc. (United States)

    10,179     $ 2,841,671  

Entertainment — 3.5%

               

Activision Blizzard, Inc. (United States)

    15,606       1,303,413  

Electronic Arts, Inc. (United States)*

    5,732       799,442  

Netflix, Inc. (United States)*

    9,146       4,843,356  

Walt Disney Co. (The) (United States)

    37,985       5,009,082  
              11,955,293  

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — 1.6%

               

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (United States)

    2,623       441,661  

American Tower Corp. (United States)

    9,154       2,280,719  

Crown Castle International Corp. (United States)

    8,361       1,364,933  

Equinix, Inc. (United States)

    1,761       1,390,803  
              5,478,116  

Food & Staples Retailing — 0.9%

               

Costco Wholesale Corp. (United States)

    8,887       3,089,654  

Food Products — 0.2%

               

McCormick & Co., Inc. (United States)

    2,587       533,439  

Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 1.7%

               

Align Technology, Inc. (United States)*

    1,476       438,343  

Becton Dickinson and Co. (United States)

    5,927       1,438,898  

DexCom, Inc. (United States)*

    1,876       798,069  

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (United States)*

    1,706       667,148  

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (United States)*

    2,429       1,775,210  

ResMed, Inc. (United States)

    2,707       489,372  
              5,607,040  

Health Care Providers & Services — 2.7%

               

CVS Health Corp. (United States)

    26,185       1,626,612  

HCA Healthcare, Inc. (United States)*

    6,925       939,861  

McKesson Corp. (United States)

    3,306       507,273  

UnitedHealth Group, Inc. (United States)

    19,033       5,948,764  
              9,022,510  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

12

 

 

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

Schedule of Investments (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Number of
Shares

   

Value
(Note 2)

 
                 

Common Stocks (continued)

               

Health Care Technology — 0.4%

               

Cerner Corp. (United States)

    6,579     $ 482,701  

Veeva Systems, Inc., Class A (United States)*

    3,039       857,819  
              1,340,520  

Hotels, Restaurants & Leisure — 1.0%

               

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (United States)*

    561       735,067  

Marriott International, Inc., Class A (United States)(a)*

    6,771       696,804  

Starbucks Corp. (United States)

    24,137       2,038,852  
              3,470,723  

Industrial Conglomerates — 0.8%

               

3M Co. (United States)

    11,678       1,903,748  

Roper Technologies, Inc. (United States)

    2,166       925,293  
              2,829,041  

Insurance — 0.2%

               

Aflac, Inc. (United States)

    14,585       529,727  

Interactive Media & Services — 12.5%

               

Alphabet, Inc., Class C (United States)*

    14,174       23,162,867  

Facebook, Inc., Class A (United States)*

    60,753       17,812,780  

Match Group, Inc. (United States)*

    5,237       584,868  

Twitter, Inc. (United States)*

    17,791       721,959  
              42,282,474  

Internet & Direct Marketing Retail — 10.8%

               

Amazon.com, Inc. (United States)*

    9,921       34,236,974  

Booking Holdings, Inc. (United States)*

    847       1,618,151  

eBay, Inc. (United States)

    13,277       727,314  
              36,582,439  

IT Services — 7.3%

               

Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., Class A (United States)

    10,346       691,734  

Mastercard, Inc., Class A (United States)

    20,886       7,481,156  

Okta, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    2,459       529,595  

PayPal Holdings, Inc. (United States)*

    23,197       4,735,436  

Square, Inc., Class A (United States)*

    8,706       1,389,129  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

 

13

 

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

Schedule of Investments (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Number of
Shares

   

Value
(Note 2)

 
                 

Common Stocks (continued)

               

IT Services (continued)

               

Twilio, Inc., Class A (United States)*

    2,715     $ 732,398  

Visa, Inc., Class A (United States)(a)

    43,477       9,216,689  
              24,776,137  

Life Sciences Tools & Services — 0.3%

               

Illumina, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    2,896       1,034,509  

Machinery — 0.2%

               

Cummins, Inc. (United States)

    2,951       611,595  

Media — 0.2%

               

Sirius XM Holdings, Inc. (United States)(a)

    90,442       530,895  

Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels — 0.2%

               

Kinder Morgan, Inc. (United States)

    47,080       650,646  

Pharmaceuticals — 3.8%

               

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (United States)

    45,161       2,809,014  

Johnson & Johnson (United States)

    54,694       8,390,607  

Zoetis, Inc. (United States)

    9,589       1,535,199  
              12,734,820  

Professional Services — 0.2%

               

CoStar Group, Inc. (United States)*

    796       675,486  

Road & Rail — 1.1%

               

Uber Technologies, Inc. (United States)*

    36,454       1,225,948  

Union Pacific Corp. (United States)

    13,693       2,635,081  
              3,861,029  

Semiconductors & Semiconductor Equipment — 3.1%

               

Broadcom, Inc. (United States)

    8,081       2,805,319  

NVIDIA Corp. (United States)

    12,484       6,678,690  

Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (United States)

    3,296       477,426  

Xilinx, Inc. (United States)

    4,858       506,009  
              10,467,444  

Software — 17.3%

               

Adobe Systems, Inc. (United States)*

    9,807       5,034,816  

ANSYS, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    1,711       580,046  

Autodesk, Inc. (United States)*

    4,464       1,096,805  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

14

 

 

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

Schedule of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Number of
Shares

   

Value
(Note 2)

 
                 

Common Stocks (continued)

               

Software (continued)

               

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (United States)*

    5,480     $ 607,787  

Crowdstrike Holdings, Inc., Class A (United States)*

    4,494       565,031  

Datadog, Inc., Class A (United States)*

    6,120       511,326  

DocuSign, Inc. (United States)*

    3,626       808,598  

Fortinet, Inc. (United States)*

    3,338       440,633  

Intuit, Inc. (United States)

    5,259       1,816,406  

Microsoft Corp. (United States)

    151,587       34,187,416  

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (United States)*

    1,948       501,435  

Salesforce.com, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    18,625       5,078,106  

ServiceNow, Inc. (United States)*

    3,807       1,835,050  

Splunk, Inc. (United States)*

    3,071       673,562  

Synopsys, Inc. (United States)*

    3,008       665,670  

VMware, Inc., Class A (United States)(a)*

    8,100       1,169,964  

Workday, Inc., Class A (United States)*

    4,639       1,112,015  

Zoom Video Communications, Inc., Class A (United States)*

    5,656       1,838,765  
              58,523,431  

Specialty Retail — 2.4%

               

AutoZone, Inc. (United States)*

    473       565,855  

Home Depot, Inc. (The) (United States)

    21,660       6,173,966  

TJX Cos, Inc. (The) (United States)*

    25,146       1,377,749  
              8,117,570  

Technology Hardware, Storage & Peripherals — 13.2%

               

Apple, Inc. (United States)

    345,712       44,610,677  

Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods — 1.1%

               

NIKE, Inc., Class B (United States)

    31,981       3,578,354  

Wireless Telecommunication Services — 0.9%

               

T-Mobile US, Inc. (United States)*

    25,574       2,983,974  

Total Common Stocks (Cost $219,666,275)

            336,856,440  
                 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

 

15

 

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

Schedule of Investments (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Number of
Shares

   

Value
(Note 2)

 
                 

Rights — 0.0%

               

Altaba, Inc. - Escrow Shares (United States)(b)*

    8,565     $ 192,284  

Total Rights (Cost $158,961)

            192,284  
                 

Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral — 6.0%

               

Mount Vernon Liquid Assets Portfolio, LLC, 0.19%

    20,138,445       20,138,445  

Total Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral (Cost $20,138,445)

            20,138,445  
                 

Short-Term Investments — 0.2%

               

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05% (United States)(c)

    543,251       543,251  

Total Short-Term Investments (Cost $543,251)

            543,251  
                 

Total Investments (Cost $240,506,932) — 106.0%

            357,730,420  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (6.0)%

            (20,183,684 )

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

               

(Applicable to 10,025,000 shares outstanding)

          $ 337,546,736  

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

All or a portion of the security is on loan. At August 31, 2020, the market value of securities on loan was $20,331,138.

 

(b)

Security has been valued at fair market value using significant unobservable inputs as determined in good faith by or under the direction of The RBB Fund, Inc.’s Board of Directors. As of August 31, 2020, these securities amounted to $192,284 or 0.0% of net assets.

 

(c)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

16

 

 

 

MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF

Schedule of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Number of
Shares

   

Value
(Note 2)

 
                 

Common Stocks — 96.7%

               

Aerospace & Defense — 2.9%

               

Axon Enterprise, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    35,998     $ 3,084,309  

Auto Components — 2.9%

               

Fox Factory Holding Corp. (United States)*

    30,263       3,050,813  

Biotechnology — 11.7%

               

ADMA Biologics, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    692,372       1,765,549  

Akcea Therapeutics, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    67,727       1,238,050  

Editas Medicine, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    37,993       1,338,493  

PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (United States)*

    90,403       4,468,168  

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Inc. (United States)*

    43,681       3,715,506  
              12,525,766  

Building Products — 2.3%

               

Trex Co, Inc. (United States)*

    16,128       2,410,975  

Electronic Equipment, Instruments & Components — 4.4%

               

NLight, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    203,184       4,746,378  

Equity Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) — 2.1%

               

STAG Industrial, Inc. (United States)

    69,604       2,248,209  

Health Care Equipment & Supplies — 19.6%

               

Antares Pharma, Inc. (United States)*

    845,402       2,392,488  

Globus Medical, Inc., Class A (United States)*

    57,869       3,270,756  

Heska Corp. (United States)*

    34,456       3,569,642  

iRhythm Technologies, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    34,885       7,680,979  

Penumbra, Inc. (United States)*

    19,257       4,027,601  
              20,941,466  

Health Care Providers & Services — 3.4%

               

HealthEquity, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    63,894       3,672,627  

Insurance — 3.6%

               

Goosehead Insurance, Inc., Class A (United States)

    37,574       3,861,104  

Machinery — 6.1%

               

John Bean Technologies Corp. (United States)

    28,612       2,933,016  

Proto Labs, Inc. (United States)*

    24,372       3,582,684  
              6,515,700  

Media — 4.7%

               

Cardlytics, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    65,420       4,962,107  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

 

17

 

 

MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF

Schedule of Investments (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Number of
Shares

   

Value
(Note 2)

 
                 

Common Stocks (continued)

               

Real Estate Management & Development — 6.7%

               

Howard Hughes Corp., (The) (United States)*

    24,827     $ 1,467,524  

Jones Lang LaSalle, Inc. (United States)

    42,229       4,351,276  

Newmark Group, Inc., Class A (United States)

    310,543       1,375,706  
              7,194,506  

Road & Rail — 2.4%

               

Landstar System, Inc. (United States)

    18,995       2,528,044  

Software — 19.3%

               

Alarm.com Holdings, Inc. (United States)*

    51,104       3,059,597  

Everbridge, Inc. (United States)(a)*

    35,456       5,269,116  

Paylocity Holding Corp. (United States)*

    37,877       5,577,388  

Q2 Holdings, Inc. (United States)*

    37,466       3,645,067  

Smartsheet, Inc., Class A (United States)*

    55,724       3,038,630  
              20,589,798  

Trading Companies & Distributors — 4.6%

               

Watsco, Inc. (United States)

    19,912       4,878,241  

Total Common Stocks (Cost $79,455,753)

            103,210,043  
                 

Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral — 16.8%

               

Mount Vernon Liquid Assets Portfolio, LLC, 0.19%

    17,906,714       17,906,714  

Total Investments Purchased with Proceeds from Securities Lending Collateral (Cost $17,906,714)

            17,906,714  
                 

Short-Term Investments — 3.4%

               

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05% (United States)(b)

    3,658,371       3,658,371  

Total Short-Term Investments (Cost $3,658,371)

            3,658,371  
                 

Total Investments (Cost $101,020,838) — 116.9%

            124,775,128  

Liabilities in Excess of Other Assets — (16.9)%

            (18,030,571 )

NET ASSETS — 100.0%

               

(Applicable to 3,275,000 shares outstanding)

          $ 106,744,557  

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

All or a portion of the security is on loan. At August 31, 2020, the market value of securities on loan was $17,765,311.

 

(b)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

18

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Motley
Fool 100
Index ETF

   

MFAM
Small-Cap
Growth ETF

 

ASSETS

               

Investments in securities at value (cost $219,825,236 and $79,455,753, respectively)^

  $ 337,048,724     $ 103,210,043  

Investments purchased with proceeds from securities lending collateral, at value (cost $20,138,445 and $17,906,714, respectively)

    20,138,445       17,906,714  

Short-term investments, at value (cost $543,251 and $3,658,371, respectively)

    543,251       3,658,371  

Receivables for:

               

Capital shares sold

    5,051,011        

Dividends

    236,172       17,061  

Total assets

    363,017,603       124,792,189  
                 

LIABILITIES

               

Payables for:

               

Securities lending collateral (see Note 7)

    20,138,445       17,906,714  

Investments purchased

    5,090,178        

Advisory fees

    242,244       140,918  

Total liabilities

    25,470,867       18,047,632  

Net assets

  $ 337,546,736     $ 106,744,557  
                 

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

               

Par value

  $ 10,025     $ 3,275  

Paid-in capital

    223,316,006       75,741,412  

Total distributable earnings/(losses)

    114,220,705       30,999,870  

Net assets

  $ 337,546,736     $ 106,744,557  
                 

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    10,025,000       3,275,000  

Net asset value, price per share

    33.67       32.59  

^ Includes market value of securities on loan

  $ 20,331,138     $ 17,765,311  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

 

19

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Statements of Operations

FOR THE YEAR ENDED AUGUST 31, 2020

 

 

 

Motley
Fool 100
Index ETF

   

MFAM
Small-Cap
Growth ETF

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

               

Dividends

  $ 1,993,961     $ 362,528  

Securities lending income

    96,074       76,751  

Total investment income

    2,090,035       439,279  
                 

EXPENSES

               

Advisory fees (Note 3)

    1,117,698       661,663  

Total expenses

    1,117,698       661,663  

Net investment income/(loss)

    972,337       (222,384 )
                 

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

               

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    (2,378,624 )     7,498,313  

Net realized gain/(loss) from redemption in-kind

    5,200,892       2,111,319  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    96,115,567       18,317,993  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    98,937,835       27,927,625  

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ 99,910,172     $ 27,705,241  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

20

 

 

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,
2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,
2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 972,337     $ 1,123,896  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    2,822,268       (367,935 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    96,115,567       5,164,818  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    99,910,172       5,920,779  
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (1,030,211 )     (793,681 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1,030,211 )     (793,681 )
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    75,805,220       45,942,865  

Shares redeemed

    (23,009,180 )     (6,078,625 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    52,796,040       39,864,240  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    151,676,001       44,991,338  
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    185,870,735       140,879,397  

End of period

  $ 337,546,736     $ 185,870,735  
                 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Shares sold

    2,750,000       2,200,000  

Shares redeemed

    (1,000,000 )     (300,000 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    1,750,000       1,900,000  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

 

21

 

 

MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,
2020

   

FOR THE
Period ENDED
AUGUST 31,
2019*

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (222,384 )   $ (5,296 )

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    9,609,632       1,419,174  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    18,317,993       5,436,297  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    27,705,241       6,850,175  
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (979,168 )      

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (979,168 )      
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    23,164,892       68,046,763  

Shares redeemed

    (14,299,738 )     (3,743,608 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    8,865,154       64,303,155  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    35,591,227       71,153,330  
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    71,153,330        

End of period

  $ 106,744,557     $ 71,153,330  
                 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Shares sold

    850,000       3,225,000  

Shares redeemed

    (625,000 )     (175,000 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    225,000       3,050,000  

 

*

Inception date of the Fund was October 29, 2018.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

22

 

 

 

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

 

YEARS ENDED AUGUST 31,

   

For the
Period
Ended
august
31,

 

 

 

2020

   

2019

   

2018(1)

 

PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE

                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 22.46     $ 22.10     $ 20.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    0.11       0.15       0.08  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    11.23       0.32       2.02  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    11.34       0.47       2.10  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                       

Net investment income

    (0.13 )     (0.11 )      

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.13 )     (0.11 )      

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 33.67     $ 22.46     $ 22.10  

Market value, end of period

  $ 33.66     $ 22.42     $ 22.13  

Total investment return/(loss) on net asset value(3)

    50.67 %     2.27 %     10.49 %(5)

Total investment return/(loss) on market price(4)

    50.89 %     1.93 %     10.65 %(5)

RATIO/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 337,547     $ 185,871     $ 140,879  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

    0.50 %     0.50 %     0.50 %(6)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    0.43 %     0.69 %     0.68 %(6)

Portfolio turnover rate

    26 %     26 %     10 %(5)

 

(1)

Inception date of the Fund was January 29, 2018.

 

(2)

Per share data calculated using average shares outstanding method.

 

(3)

Total investment return/(loss) on net asset value is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

 

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) on market price is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the market price on the first day of the period, reinvestment of dividends and distributions at market price during the period and redemption at market price on the last day of the period.

 

(5)

Not annualized.

 

(6)

Annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

 

23

 

 

MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF

Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss) return, ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

 

YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31,

   

FOR THE
PERIOD
ENDED
AUGUST 31,

 

 

 

2020

   

2019(1)

 

PER SHARE OPERATING PERFORMANCE

               

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 23.33     $ 20.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    (0.07 )     (3) 

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    9.67       3.33  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    9.60       3.33  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

               

Net realized capital gains

    (0.34 )      

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.34 )      

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 32.59     $ 23.33  

Market value, end of period

  $ 32.68     $ 23.34  

Total investment return/(loss) on net asset value(4)

    41.58 %     16.65 %(6)

Total investment return/(loss) on market price(5)

    41.88 %     16.69 %(6)

RATIO/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA

               

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 106,745     $ 71,153  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets

    0.85 %     0.85 %(7)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.29 )%     (0.01 )%(7)

Portfolio turnover rate

    27 %     21 %(6)

 

(1)

Inception date of the Fund was October 29, 2018.

 

(2)

Per share data calculated using average shares outstanding method.

 

(3)

Amount rounds to less than 0.01 per share.

 

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) on net asset value is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

 

(5)

Total investment return/(loss) on market price is calculated assuming an initial investment made at the market price on the first day of the period, reinvestment of dividends and distributions at market price during the period and redemption at market price on the last day of the period.

 

(6)

Not annualized.

 

(7)

Annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

24

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2020

 

1. ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF (the “Fool 100 Fund”) and the MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF (“Small-Cap Growth Fund”) (each a “Fund” and together the “Funds”). The Fool 100 Fund and Small-Cap Growth Fund commenced investment operations on January 29, 2018 and October 29, 2018, respectively.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

The investment objective of the Fool 100 Fund is to achieve investment results that correspond (before fees and expenses) generally to the total return performance of the Motley Fool 100 Index (the “Fool 100 Index”). The Fool 100 Index was developed by The Motley Fool, LLC (“The Motley Fool”), an affiliate of the Adviser, in 2017 and is a proprietary, rules-based index designed to track the performance of the 100 largest, most liquid U.S. companies that have been recommended by The Motley Fool’s analysts and newsletters or the highest-rated stocks in Fool IQ, the company’s analyst opinion database. Every company include in the Fool 100 Index is incorporated and listed in the U.S. The investment objective of the Small-Cap Growth Fund is to achieve long-term capital appreciation.

 

The Funds are investment companies and follow accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services - Investment Companies”.

 

The end of the reporting period for the Funds is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

PORTFOLIO VALUATION — Each Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by the Funds are valued using the closing price or the last sale price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Foreign securities are valued based on prices from the primary market in which they are traded, and are translated from the local currency into U.S. dollars using current exchange rates. If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments. Such procedures use fundamental valuation methods, which may include, but are not limited to, an analysis of the effect of any restrictions on the resale of the security, industry analysis and trends, significant changes in the issuer’s financial position, and any other event which could have a significant impact on the value of the security. Determination of fair value involves subjective judgment as the actual market value of a particular security can be established only by negotiations between the parties in a sales transaction, and the difference between the recorded fair value and the value that would be received in a sale could be significant.

 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Funds’ investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

Level 1 – Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

Level 2 – Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

 

25

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

 

Level 3 – Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Funds’ own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing the Funds’ investments carried at fair value:

 

FOOL 100 FUND

 

 

 

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

   

INVESTMENTS
MEASURED
AT NET ASSET
VALUE^

 

Common Stocks

  $ 336,856,440     $ 336,856,440     $     $     $  

Rights

    192,284                   192,284        

Investments Purchased with Proceeds From Securities Lending Collateral

    20,138,445                         20,138,445  

Short-Term Investments

    543,251       543,251                    

Total Investments*

  $ 357,730,420     $ 337,399,691     $     $ 192,284     $ 20,138,445  

 

SMALL-CAP GROWTH FUND

 

 

 

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

   

INVESTMENTS
MEASURED
AT NET ASSET
VALUE^

 

Common Stocks

  $ 103,210,043     $ 103,210,043     $     $     $  

Investments Purchased with Proceeds From Securities Lending Collateral

    17,906,714                         17,906,714  

Short-Term Investments

    3,658,371       3,658,371                    

Total Investments*

  $ 124,775,128     $ 106,868,414     $     $     $ 17,906,714  

 

*

Please refer to the Schedule of Investments for further details.

 

^

Certain investments that are measured at fair value using the net asset value per share (or its equivalent) practical expedient have not been categorized in the fair value hierarchy. The fair value amounts presented in the table are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the amounts presented in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities.

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Funds’ investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Funds may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

26

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires each Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when a Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for all Level 3 transfers are disclosed if a Fund had an amount of total Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Funds had no Level 3 transfers.

 

USE OF ESTIMATES — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS, INVESTMENT INCOME AND EXPENSES — The Funds record security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gains are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of each Fund.

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS — Each Fund pays dividends from its net investment income and distributes any net capital gains that it realizes. Dividends and capital gains distributions are generally paid once a year and as required to comply with federal excise tax requirements. Distributions to shareholders are determined in accordance with tax regulations and recorded on ex dividend date. Additionally, each Fund reports details of distribution-related transactions on quarterly account statements. You may not receive a separate confirmation statement for these transactions.

 

U.S. TAX STATUS — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is the Funds’ intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers are not known. The operational and financial performance of the issuers of securities in which the Funds invest depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Funds’ investments, impair the Funds’ ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Funds’ performance.

 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

OTHER — In the normal course of business, the Funds may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. Each Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Funds in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Funds expect the risk of material loss from such claims to be remote.

 

2. Investment Policies and Practices

 

The sections below describe some of the different types of investments that may be made by the Funds and the investment practices in which the Funds may engage.

 

TYPES OF FIXED-INCOME SECURITIES — Each Fund may invest in bonds and other types of debt obligations of U.S. and foreign issuers. Fixed income securities purchased by a Fund may include, among others, bonds, notes, and debentures issued by corporations; debt securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or one of its agencies or instrumentalities

 

 

27

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

(“U.S. Government Securities”); municipal securities; mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities; and debt securities issued or guaranteed by foreign governments, their agencies, instrumentalities, or political subdivisions, or by government-owned, -controlled, or -sponsored entities, including central banks. These investments also include money market instruments and other types of obligations. Investors should recognize that, although securities ratings issued by S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”), a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and Moody’s Investors Services©, Inc. (“Moody’s”), provide a generally useful guide as to credit risks, they do not offer any criteria to evaluate interest rate risk. Changes in interest rate levels generally cause fluctuations in the prices of fixed-income securities and will, therefore, cause fluctuations in the NAV per share of a Fund. Subsequent to the purchase of a fixed-income security by a Fund, the ratings or credit quality of such security may deteriorate. Any such subsequent adverse changes in the rating or quality of a security held by a Fund would not require a Fund to sell the security.

 

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS — Real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) are pooled investment vehicles that manage a portfolio of real estate or real estate-related loans to earn profits for their shareholders. REITs are generally classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs, or a combination of equity and mortgage REITs. Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. Equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the REITs, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of the borrower on any credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified geographically or by property type, and are subject to heavy cash-flow dependency, default by borrowers, and self-liquidation. REITs must also meet certain requirements under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), to avoid entity level tax and be eligible to pass through certain tax attributes of their income to shareholders. REITs are consequently subject to the risk of failing to meet these requirements for favorable tax treatment and of failing to maintain their exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act. REITs are also subject to the risks of changes in the Code, affecting their tax status.

 

REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risks. When interest rates decline, the value of a REIT’s investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to rise. Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of a REIT’s investment in fixed-rate obligations can be expected to decline. In contrast, as interest rates on adjustable-rate mortgage loans are reset periodically, yields on a REIT’s investments in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates, causing the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed-rate obligations.

 

The management of a REIT may be subject to conflicts of interest with respect to the operation of the business of the REIT and may be involved in real estate activities competitive with the REIT. REITs may own properties through joint ventures or in other circumstances in which a REIT may not have control over its investments. REITs may use significant amounts of leverage.

 

REITs often do not provide complete tax information until after the end of the calendar year. Consequently, because of the delay, it may be necessary for a Fund, if invested in REITs, to request permission to extend the deadline for issuance of Forms 1099-DIV beyond January 31. Alternatively, amended Forms 1099-DIV may be sent.

 

TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS — During periods of adverse market or economic conditions, a Fund may temporarily invest all or a substantial portion of its assets in high-quality, fixed-income securities, money market instruments, and shares of money market mutual funds, or it may hold cash. At such times, a Fund would not be pursuing its stated investment objective with its usual investment strategies. A Fund may also hold these investments for liquidity purposes. Fixed-income securities will be deemed to be of high quality if they are rated “A” or better by S&P or Moody’s or, if unrated, are determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. Money market instruments are high-quality, short-term fixed income obligations (which generally have remaining maturities of one year or less), and may include U.S. Government Securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and banker’s acceptances issued by domestic branches of United States banks that are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and repurchase agreements for US. Government Securities. In lieu of purchasing money market instruments, a Fund may purchase shares of money market mutual funds that invest primarily in U.S. Government Securities and repurchase agreements involving those securities, subject to certain limitations imposed by the 1940 Act. A Fund, as an investor in a money market fund, will indirectly bear the fees and expenses of the money market fund. These indirect fees and expenses will be in addition to the fees and expenses of the Funds. Repurchase agreements involve certain risks not associated with direct investments in debt securities.

 

28

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

3. INVESTMENT adviser and other services

 

Each Fund pays all of its expenses other than those expressly assumed by Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC (the “Adviser”). Expenses of each Fund are deducted from the Fund’s total income before dividends are paid. Subject to the supervision of the Board, the Adviser manages the overall investment operations of each Fund in accordance with the Fund’s respective investment objective and policies and formulates a continuing investment strategy for each Fund pursuant to the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Adviser and the Company on behalf of each Fund. The Adviser is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Motley Fool Investment Management, LLC, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Motley Fool Holdings Inc. (“TMF Holdings”), a multimedia financial-services holding company that also owns The Motley Fool, which publishes investment information and analysis across a wide range of media, including investment newsletter services, websites, and books. TMF Holdings is controlled by David Gardner and Tom Gardner, along with other private shareholders. The Funds compensate the Adviser with a unitary management fee for its services at an annual rate of 0.50% for the Fool 100 Fund and 0.85% for the Small-Cap Growth Fund; based on each Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Advisory Fee”), payable on a monthly basis in arrears. From the Advisory Fee, the Adviser pays most of the expenses of each Fund, including the cost of transfer agency, custody, fund administration, legal, audit and other services. However, the Adviser is not responsible for interest expenses, brokerage commissions and other trading expenses, fees and expenses of independent directors and their independent counsel, taxes and other extraordinary costs such as litigation and other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business.

 

During the current fiscal period, investment advisory fees accrued were as follows:

 

FUND

 

ADVISORY FEES

 

Fool 100 Fund

  $ 1,117,698  

Small-Cap Growth Fund

    661,663  

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Funds. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Funds’ transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Funds. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Funds’ distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Funds’ distributor.

 

Under the Fund’s unitary fee, the Adviser compensates Fund Services and the Custodian for its services provided.

 

DIRECTOR AND OFFICER COMPENSATION — The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Funds or the Company. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as Chief Compliance Officer of the Adviser. Neither the Funds nor the Company compensate this individual or Vigilant Compliance, LLC for the services provided to Motley Fool Asset Management. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Statements of Operations.

 

 

29

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

4. PURCHASES AND SALES OF INVESTMENT SECURITIES

 

During the current fiscal period, aggregate purchases and sales and maturities of investment securities (excluding in-kind transactions and short-term investments) of the Funds were as follows:

 

FUND

 

PURCHASES

   

SALES

 

Fool 100 Fund

  $ 60,999,740     $ 58,484,470  

Small-Cap Growth Fund

    20,314,805       23,673,233  

 

There were no purchases or sales of long-term U.S. Government Securities during the current fiscal period.

 

During the current fiscal period, aggregate purchases and sales and maturities of in-kind transactions of the Funds were as follows:

 

FUND

 

PURCHASES

   

SALES

 

Fool 100 Fund

  $ 73,649,986     $ 22,568,173  

Small-Cap Growth Fund

    22,233,054       10,024,488  

 

5. Federal Income tax information

 

The Funds have followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Funds to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Funds have determined that there was no effect on the financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Funds are subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost, aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of securities held by the Funds were as follows:

 

FUND

 

FEDERAL
TAX COST

   

UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION

   

UNREALIZED
(DEPRECIATION)

   

NET UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION/
(DEPRECIATION)

 

Fool 100 Fund

  $ 242,342,659     $ 119,341,734     $ (3,953,973 )   $ 115,387,761  

Small-Cap Growth Fund

    101,038,604       29,155,740       (5,419,216 )     23,736,524  

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

30

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

The following permanent differences as of August 31, 2020, primarily attributable to foreign currency transactions and in-kind redemptions gains, were reclassified among the following accounts:

 

FUND

 

DISTRIBUTABLE
EARNINGS/LOSS

   

PAID-IN
CAPITAL

 

Fool 100 Fund

  $ (5,020,345 )   $ 5,020,345  

Small-Cap Growth Fund

    (2,104,637 )     2,104,637  

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

FUND

 

UNDISTRIBUTED
ORDINARY
INCOME

   

UNDISTRIBUTED
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS

   

CAPITAL
LOSS
CARRYOVER

   

QUALIFIED
LATE-YEAR
LOSS DEFERRAL

   

OTHER

   

UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION/
(DEPRECIATION)

   

Total

 

Fool 100 Fund

  $ 769,933     $     $ (1,936,989 )   $     $     $ 115,387,761     $ 114,220,705  

Small-Cap Growth Fund

    445,717       6,817,629                         23,736,524       30,999,870  

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate primarily to the timing of recognition of income and gains for federal income tax purposes.

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal periods ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019 were as follows:

 

FUND

 

TAX
YEAR

   

ORDINARY
INCOME

   

LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAIN

   

TOTAL

 

Fool 100 Fund

    2020     $ 1,030,211     $     $ 1,030,211  

Fool 100 Fund

    2019       793,681             793,681  

Small-Cap Growth Fund

    2020       966,374       12,794       979,168  

Small-Cap Growth Fund

    2019                    

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the Funds are permitted to carry forward capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 for an unlimited period. Additionally, capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under the previous law. As of August 31, 2020, the Fool 100 Fund had unexpiring short-term and long-term losses of $1,324,951 and 612,038, respectively.

 

6. SHARE TRANSACTIONS

 

Shares of the Funds are listed and trade on the Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc. (the “Exchange”). Market prices for the shares may be different from their NAV. Each Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis at NAV only in blocks of 25,000 shares, called “Creation Units.” Creation Units are issued and redeemed principally in-kind for securities included in a specified universe. Once created, shares generally trade in the secondary market at market prices that change throughout the day. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares are not redeemable securities of each Fund. Creation Units may only be purchased or redeemed by certain financial institutions (“Authorized Participants”). An Authorized Participant is either (i) a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the National Securities Clearing Corporation or (ii) a Depository

 

 

31

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

Trust Company participant and, in each case, must have executed a Participant Agreement with the Distributor. Most retail investors do not qualify as Authorized Participants nor have the resources to buy and sell whole Creation Units. Therefore, they are unable to purchase or redeem shares directly from each Fund. Rather, most retail investors may purchase shares in the secondary market with the assistance of a broker and are subject to customary brokerage commissions or fees.

 

Each Fund currently offers one class of shares, which has no front-end sales load, no deferred sales charge, and no redemption fee. A fixed transaction fee is imposed for the transfer and other transaction costs associated with the purchase or sale of Creation Units. The standard fixed transaction fee for each Fund is $250, payable to the custodian. In addition, a variable fee may be charged on all cash transactions or substitutes for Creation Units of up to a maximum of 2% as a percentage of the value of the Creation Units subject to the transaction. Variable fees are imposed to compensate each Fund for the transaction costs associated with the cash transactions. Variable fees received by each Fund, if any, are displayed in the capital shares transactions section of the Statements of Changes in Net Assets. Each Fund may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest, with $0.001 par value per share. Shares of each Fund have equal rights and privileges.

 

7. SECURITIES LENDING

 

The Funds may make secured loans of its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions to earn additional income and receive cash collateral equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities, as marked to market each day that the NAV of the Funds is determined. When the collateral falls below specified amounts, the Funds’ lending agent will use its best effort to obtain additional collateral on the next business day to meet required amounts under the security lending agreement. The Funds will pay administrative and custodial fees in connection with the loan of securities. Collateral is invested in short-term investments and the Funds will bear the risk of loss of the invested collateral. Investments purchased with proceeds from securities lending are overnight and continuous. Securities lending will expose the Funds to the risk of loss should a borrower default on its obligation to return the borrowed securities. The market value of the securities on loan and cash collateral as of the end of the reporting period and the income generated from the program during the current fiscal period with respect to such secured loans were as follows:

 

FUND

 

MARKET VALUE
OF SECURITIES
LOANED

   

MARKET VALUE
OF COLLATERAL

   

INCOME
RECEIVED FROM
SECURITIES
LENDING

 

Fool 100 Fund

  $ 20,331,138     $ 20,138,445     $ 96,074  

Small-Cap Growth Fund

    17,765,311       17,906,714       76,751  

 

Securities lending transactions are entered into by the Funds’ securities lending agent on behalf of the Funds’ under a Master Securities Lending Agreement (“MSLA”) which permits the Funds’ securities lending agent on behalf of the Funds under certain circumstances including an event of default (such as bankruptcy or insolvency), to offset amounts payable on behalf of the

 

32

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Notes to Financial Statements (concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

Funds to the same counterparty against amounts to be received and create one single net payment due to or from the Funds. The following table is a summary of the Funds’ open securities lending transactions which are subject to a MSLA as of the end of the reporting period:

 

                           

GROSS AMOUNTS NOT OFFSET IN THE
STATEMENTS OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

 

FUND

 

GROSS
AMOUNTS OF
RECOGNIZED
ASSETS

   

GROSS
AMOUNTS
OFFSET IN THE
STATEMENTS
OF ASSETS
AND
LIABILITIES

   

NET AMOUNTS
OF ASSETS
PRESENTED
IN THE
STATEMENTS
OF ASSETS
AND
LIABILITIES

   

FINANCIAL
INSTRUMENTS
1

   

CASH
COLLATERAL
RECEIVED

   

NET
AMOUNT
2

 

Fool 100 Fund

  $ 20,331,138     $     $ 20,331,138     $ (20,138,445 )   $     $ 192,693  

Small-Cap Growth Fund

    17,765,311             17,765,311       (17,765,311 )            

 

1

Amount disclosed is limited to the amount of assets presented in the Statements of Assets and Liabilities. Actual collateral received may be more than the amount shown.

 

2

Net amount represents the net amount receivable from the counterparty in the event of default.

 

8. New accounting pronouncements and regulatory updates

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Funds’ financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

9. Subsequent Events

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Funds through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no significant events requiring recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

 

33

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Report of Independent Registered
Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of
The RBB Fund, Inc.
and the Shareholders of the Motley Fool ETFs

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities of the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF and MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF (the “Funds”), each a series of The RBB Fund, Inc., including the schedules of investments, as of August 31, 2020, the related statements of operations, the statements of changes in net assets and the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated in the table below, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Funds as of August 31, 2020, the results of their operations, the changes in their net assets, and their financial highlights for the periods indicated in the table below, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Individual Funds
constituting
Motley Fool
ETFs

Statement of
operations

Statements of
changes in net assets

Financial highlights

Motley Fool 100 Index ETF

For the year ended August 31, 2020

For each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020

For each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020 and for the period January 29, 2018 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2018

MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF

For the year ended August, 2020

For the year ended August 31, 2020 and for the period October 29, 2018 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2019

For the year ended August 31, 2020 and for the period October 29, 2018 (commencement of operations) through August 31, 2019

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Funds’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Funds in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. We have served as the auditor of one or more of the funds in the Trust since 2011.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of the Funds’ internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Funds’ internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020 by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

 

TAIT, WELLER & BAKER LLP

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 29, 2020

 

34

 

 

 

MOTLEY FOOL ETFS

Shareholder Tax Information (Unaudited)

 

Certain tax information regarding the Funds is required to be provided to shareholders based upon the Funds’ income and distributions for the taxable period ended August 31, 2020. The information and distributions reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ending December 31, 2020. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the following dividends and distributions were paid by the Funds:

 

FUND

ORDINARY
INCOME

LONG-TERM
GAINS

Fool 100 Fund

$ 1,030,211

$ —

Small-Cap Growth Fund

966,374

12,794

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

Under the Jobs and Growth Tax relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 the following percentages of ordinary dividends paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 are designated as “qualified dividend income,” as defined in the Act, and are subject to reduced tax rates:

 

Fool 100 Fund

100.00%

Small-Cap Growth Fund

11.16%

 

The percentage of total ordinary income dividends paid qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction for the Funds are as follows:

 

Fool 100 Fund

100.00%

Small-Cap Growth Fund

11.16%

 

Because the Funds’ fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Funds, if any.

 

In general, dividends received by tax-exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Funds.

 

 

35

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Notice to Shareholders

(Unaudited)

 

Information on Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 are available (i) without charge, upon request, by calling (888) 863-8803; and (ii) on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Schedule of Investments

 

The Company files a complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT are available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Frequency Distributions of Premiums and Discounts

 

Information regarding how often shares of the Funds trade on an exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Funds is available, without charge, on the Funds’ website at www.mfamfunds.com.

 

APPROVAL OF INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENTS

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board of the Company, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered the renewal of the investment advisory agreements between MFAM and the Company (the “Investment Advisory Agreements”) on behalf of the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF and the MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF (for this section only, each a “Fund” and collectively the “Funds”), at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreements for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreements reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangements. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreements, the Board considered information provided by MFAM with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Company and MFAM with respect to the Funds, the Directors took into account all the materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of MFAM’s services provided to the Funds; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of MFAM’s personnel providing those services; (iii) MFAM’s investment philosophies and processes; (iv) MFAM’s assets under management and client descriptions; (v) MFAM’s soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) MFAM’s advisory fee arrangement with the Company and other similarly managed clients; (vii) MFAM’s compliance policies and procedures; (viii) MFAM’s financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Funds; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Funds; (x) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing each Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its Lipper peer group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of the Funds to the performance of their respective benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by MFAM. The Directors concluded that MFAM had substantial resources to provide services to the Funds and that MFAM’s services had been acceptable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Funds and MFAM. The Directors considered the Funds’ investment performance in light of their investment objectives and investment strategies. The Directors concluded that the investment performance of each of the Funds as compared to their respective benchmarks and Lipper Groups was acceptable.

 

In reaching this conclusion, the Directors noted the performance of the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF. The Directors considered that because the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF was designed to track the performance of its index, the relevant consideration was the extent to which the Fund tracked its index before fees and expenses. The Board also noted that the performance of the index did not take into account the expenses incurred when purchasing or selling securities, which expenses would lower the performance of a fund seeking to replicate some or all of the holdings of the index. The Board noted that for the year-to-date, one-year and since

 

36

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Notice to Shareholders (ConCLUDED)

(Unaudited)

 

inception periods ended March 31, 2020, the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF’s performance was in line with its index before fees and expenses. The Directors also noted that the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF ranked in the 1st quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year and since-inception periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Directors noted the MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF had outperformed its benchmark for the year-to-date, one-year and since-inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF ranked in the 1st quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year and since-inception periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rates payable by the Funds under the Investment Advisory Agreements. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Funds and the Funds’ total operating expense ratios (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee and total expenses of the MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF ranked in the 5th quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee and total expenses of the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF ranked in the 5th quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Board also took into consideration that the advisory fee for the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF and the MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF was a “unitary fee,” meaning those Funds paid no expenses other than the advisory fee and certain other costs such as interest, brokerage and extraordinary expenses. The Board noted that MFAM continued to be responsible for compensating the Company’s other service providers and paying other expenses of the Motley Fool 100 Index ETF and the MFAM Small-Cap Growth ETF out of its own fees and resources.

 

After reviewing the information regarding the Funds’ costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering MFAM’s services, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees paid by the Funds were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreements should be approved and continued for an additional one year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

 

37

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

PRIVACY NOTICE

(Unaudited)

 

What Does Motley Fool Funds Do With Your Personal Information?

 

Why?: Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information.

 

Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

 

What?: The type of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

Social Security number and transaction history

 

Account balances and checking account information

 

Account transactions and wire transfer instructions

 

When you are no longer a customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

 

How?: All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons Motley Fool Asset Management chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

 

Reasons we share your personal information

Does Motley Fool Asset Management share?

Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purposes
such as to process your transaction, maintain your account(s), provide you with necessary information, respond to court orders and legal investigation, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes —
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

Yes

For joint marketing with other financial companies

No

We don’t share

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share

For our affiliates to market to you

Yes

Yes

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

 

Visit us online: https://www.mfamfunds.com/website-privacy-policy/

 

Please note:

 

 

If you are a new customer, we can begin sharing your information 30 days from the days from the date we sent this notice. When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

 

38

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

PRIVACY NOTICE (Continued)

(Unaudited)

 

However, you can contact us at any time to limit our sharing.

 

Questions: Call 1-888-863-8803 or go to www.mfamfunds.com

 

What we do:

 

How does Motley Fool Asset Management protect my personal information?

 

We collect your personal information, for example, when you:

 

Open an account or provide account information

 

Make deposits or withdrawals from your account

 

Make a wire transfer or tell us where to send the money

 

We also collect your personal information from other companies.

 

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

 

Federal law gives you the right to limit only:

 

Sharing for affiliates everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness

 

Make deposits or withdrawals from your account

 

Sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

 

What happens when I limit sharing for an account I hold jointly with someone else?

 

Your choices will apply to everyone on your account.

 

EUROPEAN UNION’S GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION

 

In addition to the above information, where applicable, you have the following rights under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and U.S. Privacy Laws, as applicable and to the extent permitted by law, to

 

Check whether we hold personal information about you and to access such data (in accordance with our policy)

 

Request the correction of personal information about you that is inaccurate

 

Have a copy of the personal information we hold about you provided to you or another “controller” where technically feasible

 

Request the erasure of your personal information

 

Request the restriction of processing concerning you

 

The legal grounds for processing of your personal information is for contractual necessity and compliance with law.

 

If you wish to exercise any of your rights above, please call: 1-888-863-8803.

 

You are required to ensure the personal information we hold about you is up-to-date and accurate and you must notify us of any changes to the personal data you provided to us.

 

The MFAM Funds shall retain your personal data for as long as you are an investor in the Funds and thereafter as long as necessary to comply with applicable laws that require the Funds to retain your personal data, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission’s data retention rules. Your personal data will be transferred to the United States so that the Funds may provide the agreed upon services for you. No adequacy decision has been rendered by the European Commission as to the data protection of your personal data when transferring it to the United States. However, the Funds do take the security of your personal data seriously.

 

Definitions:

 

Affiliates - Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

Our affiliates include companies with a Motley Fool name; financial companies such as Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC; and nonfinancial companies such as The Motley Fool, LLC and The Motley Fool Holdings, Inc.

 

 

39

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

PRIVACY NOTICE (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

Nonaffiliates - Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

Motley Fool Asset Management does not share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

 

Joint marketing - A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

Motley Fool Asset Management doesn’t jointly market.

 

Controller - “Controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data; where the purposes and means of such processing are determined by European Union or European Member State law, the controller or the specific criteria for its nomination may be provided for by European Union or European Member State law.

 

40

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Directors and Officers

(Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling (888) 863-8803.

 

Name, Address, AND AGE

Positions(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and
Length of
Time
Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past 5 Years

           

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

Nicholas A. Giordano
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

 

 

41

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Directors and Officers (CONTINUED)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address, AND AGE

Positions(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and
Length of
Time
Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past 5 Years

           

Arnold M. Reichman

615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 72

Chairman Director

2005 to present 1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

Brian T. Shea
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

Robert Sablowsky
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 82

Vice Chairman Director

2016 to present 1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

OFFICERS

Salvatore Faia, JD, CPA, CFE

Vigilant Compliance, LLC Gateway Corporate Center Suite 216
223 Wilmington West Chester Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Age: 57

President Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present 2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 59

Treasurer and Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

 

 

42

 

 

 

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Directors and Officers (CONTINUED)

(Unaudited)

 

Name, Address, AND AGE

Positions(s)
Held with
Company

Term of Office
and
Length of
Time
Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past 5 Years

           

Craig A. Urciuoli
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (investment company).

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy
One Logan Square Ste. 2000 Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 61

Assistant Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann
One Logan Square Ste. 2000 Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1.

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2.

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

 

43

 

 

Motley Fool ETFs

Directors and Officers (CONCLUDED)

(Unaudited)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive-level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

44

 

 

 

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)

 

 

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)

 

 

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)

 

 

Investment Adviser

Motley Fool Asset Management, LLC
2000 Duke Street
Suite 275
Alexandria, VA 22314

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Custodian

U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Principal Underwriter

Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Tait, Weller & Baker LLP
Two Liberty Place
50 S 16th St. Suite 2900
Philadelphia, PA 19102-2529

 

Legal Counsel

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

48

 

 

 

Stay informed about your investment!

Shareholders like you are very important to us, we’d love to hear your feedback and answer questions! If you have a question or comment please send it to fundservice@mfamfunds.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ORINDA FUNDS

 

 

Annual Report

 

August 31, 2020

 

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

 

of

 

the RBB Fund, Inc.

 

Class I Shares – OIOIX

 

Class A Shares – OIOAX

 

Class D Shares – OIODX

 

 

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Fund’s annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-855-467-4632.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Fund, you can call 1-855-467-4632 to inform the Fund that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Fund.

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

   

Commentary

1

Performance Data

4

Fund Expense Examples

7

Allocation of Portfolio Assets

8

Schedule of Investments

9

Schedule of Securities Sold Short

14

Financial Statements

15

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

15

Statement of Operations

17

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

18

Statement of Cash Flows

20

Financial Highlights

22

Notes to Financial Statements

25

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

37

Shareholder Tax Information

38

Notice to Shareholders

39

Management

41

Privacy Notice

45

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Commentary

 

 

Dear Shareholder,

 

Pricing for the Fund’s securities at the end of its last fiscal year and coming into the beginning of this calendar year seemed very reasonable given the spreads to the 10-year Treasury, the health of the economy, and a Federal Reserve that had just reversed course and begun lowering interest rates. With the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the historic price declines in March, we began lowering our net investment exposure as the government responded to the crisis. As the last couple of months of the fiscal year unfolded, we moved to be selectively opportunistic by adding to equity REIT positions, aiming to take advantage of above average yields and securities trading below the value of their underlying real estate. Through the use of the Fund’s line of credit, we ended the fiscal year 110% invested, with 85% invested primarily in REIT preferred stock and 25% invested almost exclusively in REIT common stocks.

 

We have long had a meaningful exposure to mortgage REIT securities in the Fund and had average net exposure of approximately 34% in mortgage companies during the fiscal year. At the end of August 2020, approximately 70% of our mortgage exposure was invested primarily in preferred shares of both U.S. government agency residential mortgage companies (government guaranteed) and non-agency residential mortgages. The balance was invested in both the common and preferred stock of commercial mortgage companies. These companies experienced significant declines in March as the government put in place programs to allow homeowners and some apartment tenants to postpone making their monthly payments, resulting in an enormous amount of uncertainty about the ultimate impact of these programs on mortgage securities of all types. Many of these companies have only partially recovered and still seem attractively priced, while some companies suffered significant permanent losses in their portfolios. Given these events, the Fund posted a one-year annualized return of -22.22% (I Share) for the fiscal year, underperforming the broader bond market during this period.

 

Fund net exposure varied significantly during the fiscal year based on the large sell-off of assets that occurred once the pandemic hit in March, followed by a strong rebound during the summer. The Fund started the fiscal year with net exposure of 103% and remained relatively stable until March, when we began decreasing net exposure, and reached a nadir of 72% in April. Following the strong market rebound in the second half of the fiscal year, we increased the Fund’s net exposure to 100% by the end of June. At fiscal year-end, the Fund’s net exposure was 110%. We currently anticipate that the Fund’s net exposure will generally be between 90%-110% over the coming fiscal year, but changing market conditions may warrant otherwise.

 

Shown below is the Fund’s performance for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, as well as the performance for the Bloomberg Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index.

 

ORINDA INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND

Annualized Returns
as of 8/31/20

1 year

3 years

5 years

Since
Inception
(6/28/13)1

Since
Inception
(9/27/13)2

PERFORMANCE AT NAV without sales charge

 

A share

-22.43%

-6.06%

-1.14%

-0.11%

N/A

I share

-22.22%

-5.78%

-0.85%

0.19%

N/A

D share (commenced 9/27/13)

-22.99%

-6.71%

-1.82%

N/A

-0.80%

           

Bloomberg Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index

6.47%

5.09%

4.33%

3.96%

4.02%

PERFORMANCE AT MOP includes maximum sales charge

 

A share

-26.32%

-7.65%

-2.15%

-0.83%

N/A

 

1.

The Orinda Income Opportunities Fund, a series of Advisor Series Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”) reorganized into the Fund following the close of business on April 28, 2017. The Predecessor Fund’s Class I and Class A shares commenced operations on June 28, 2013.

 

2.

The Predecessor Fund’s Class D shares commenced operations on September 27, 2013.

 

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses (what an investor would pay as of 12/31/19):
A share 2.16%; I share 1.91%; D share 2.92%.

 

1

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Commentary (Continued)

 

 

Performance data quoted represents past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month end may be obtained by calling 1-877-903-1313 or visiting www.orindafunds.com. Performance data shown at MOP (Maximum Offering Price) reflects the Class A maximum sales charge of 5.00%. Performance data shown at NAV (Net Asset Value) does not reflect the deduction of the sales load. If reflected, the load would reduce the performance quoted. Investment performance reflects fee waivers in effect. In the absence of such waivers total return would be reduced.

 

Until February 28, 2021, Orinda Asset Management, LLC (the “Adviser”) has agreed to waive its fees to the extent necessary to maintain annualized expense ratios for the Class I, Class A and Class D shareholders of average daily net assets of 1.40%, 1.70%, and 2.40%, respectively (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes). There can be no assurance that the Adviser will continue such waiver for the Fund after February 28, 2021. For more detailed review of fund expenses, please refer to the prospectus by visiting www.orindafunds.com.

 

Market Outlook

 

As we entered the second half of 2019, the markets as a whole were relatively benign compared to where we are today. Gross domestic product expanded at 2.6% and 2.4% for the third and fourth quarters of calendar year 2019, respectively. Entering calendar year 2020, consumer spending surged, with near-record low unemployment, solid wage growth, a strong stock market, and the Federal Reserve easing cycle still underway.

 

As COVID-19 began spreading globally, catching many countries by surprise and unsure of the best course of action to address the pandemic, the first quarter of 2020 was unlike anything we have ever seen. The stock market posted one of its worst quarters in history, GDP sank into significant negative territory, and unemployment surged to levels not seen since the Great Depression.

 

The Federal Reserve and Congress quickly responded by pouring unprecedented levels of liquidity into the financial system and providing direct support to displaced workers. Even with severe lockdown measures still in place entering April and May, the markets rebounded significantly in response to the stimulus packages, historically low interest rates and a gradual reopening of the economy. Despite the progress made since March, there remains a high level of uncertainty about the longer-term fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy. In addition, the impact on markets from the upcoming presidential election may further affect an already jittery consumer base.

 

As we move through the latest economic volatility, it is important to remember why we like the REIT preferred stock market. The long-term returns for the sector through the end of 2019 remind us that this area of the real estate credit markets has provided a reasonable risk return profile through time.

 

The following are five factors which we believe may contribute to price stability in the real estate securities sector over the coming months and quarters:

 

1. Macroeconomic news around the coronavirus pandemic improving – including positive medical news

 

2. Additional rent collection data across property sectors in the coming months

 

3. Additional clarity on mortgage companies’ ability to navigate the environment

 

4. Additional data on the level of mortgage payment deferrals

 

5. Investors seeking yield in an historically low rate environment

 

As an investment team, we have been through numerous market corrections and recessions, including the 2008/2009 financial crisis. Each of these market downturns has had its own unique challenges and circumstances to navigate. While we have long favored real estate preferred stocks given the priority nature of their return streams and cumulative nature of their dividends, there are certain sectors, in our opinion, that will take several years to fully recover to 2019 levels of profitability – particularly retail and hotels.

 

2

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Commentary (Concluded)

 

 

We ended August 110% invested, looking to take advantage of the attractive yields available. We will be focused on companies with strong balance sheets and limited debt maturities and apply our income-oriented, value approach to navigate the current environment.

 

 

Paul Gray
Portfolio Manager

 

The information provided herein represents the opinions of Orinda Asset Management, LLC and is not intended to be a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future results, investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

 

This report is intended for shareholders of the Fund and may not be used as sales literature unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus.

 

The Fund can make short sales of securities, which involves the risk that losses in securities may exceed the original amount invested. The Fund may use leverage which may exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of portfolio securities or the set asset value of the Fund, and money borrowed will be subject to interest costs. Investments in smaller and medium companies involve greater risks such as limited liquidity and greater volatility. Investments in foreign securities involve greater volatility and political, economic and currency risks and differences in accounting methods. These risks are greater for emerging markets. Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise. This risk is usually greater for longer-term debt securities. Investment by the Fund in lower-rated and non-rated securities presents a greater risk of loss to principal and interest than higher-rated securities. The Fund may use certain types of investment derivatives such as futures, forwards, and swaps. Derivatives involve risks different from, and in certain cases, greater than the risks presented by more traditional investments. Investments in asset backed and mortgage backed securities include additional risks that investors should be aware of such as credit risk, prepayment risk, possible illiquidity and default, as well as increased susceptibility to adverse economic developments. To the extent that a master limited partnership’s (“MLP’s”) interests are all in a particular industry, the MLP will be negatively impacted by economic events adversely impacting that industry. The risks of investing in an MLP are generally those involved in investing in a partnership as opposed to a corporation. Exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) are typically open-end investment companies that are bought and sold on a national securities exchange. When the Fund invests in an ETF, it will bear additional expenses based on its pro rata share of the ETF’s operating expenses, including the potential duplication of management fees. The risk of owning an ETF generally reflects the risks of owning the underlying securities it holds. Rule 144A securities carry the risk that the trading market may not continue and the Fund might be unable to dispose of these securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty satisfying redemption requirements. The risk exists that the market value of initial public offering (“IPO”) shares will fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, and the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. The Fund is non-diversified, which means that there is no restriction on how much the Fund may invest in the securities of an issuer under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Some of the risks involved in investing in REITs include a general decline in the value of real estate, fluctuations in rental income, changes in interest rates, increases in property taxes, increased operating costs, overbuilding, changes in zoning laws, and changes in consumer demand for real estate.

 

Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change at any time and should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Please refer to the Schedule of Investments for a complete listing of Fund holdings.

 

INDICES / DEFINITIONS

 

The Bloomberg Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index* is an unmanaged, market capitalization-weighted index, comprised predominately of U.S. traded investment grade bonds with maturities of one year or more. The index includes Treasury securities, Government agency bonds, mortgage-backed bonds, and corporate bonds. The index is representative of intermediate duration U.S. investment grade debt securities.

 

Orinda Asset Management, LLC is the investment adviser to the Orinda Income Opportunities Fund, which is distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC.

 

*

One cannot invest directly in an index.

 

3

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Performance Data

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of the change in value of a $100,000 investment in the
Orinda Income Opportunities Fund – Class I and
the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index

 

 

This chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $100,000 investment made in the Fund on June 28, 2013, the Fund’s inception date. Returns reflect the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions. Fee waivers are in effect. In the absence of fee waivers, returns would be reduced. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder may pay on dividends, capital gain distributions, or redemption of Fund shares. This chart does not imply any future performance.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Five
Years

Since
Inception(1)

 

Class I Shares

-22.22%

-5.78%

-0.85%

0.19%

 

Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index

6.47%

5.09%

4.33%

3.96%

 

 

(1)

Inception date of Class I Shares of the Fund was June 28, 2013.

 

Until February 28, 2021, the Adviser has agreed to waive its fees to the extent necessary to maintain annualized expense ratios for the Class I Shares of average daily net assets of 1.40% (excluding certain items discussed below). In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause the Fund’s net annualized expense ratio to exceed the applicable expense limitation: acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will continue such waiver for the Fund after February 28, 2021. The Fund’s expense ratio for the Class I Shares, as stated in the current prospectus, is 1.91%.

 

Performance data quoted represents past performance; past performance does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month end may be obtained by calling 1-855-467-4632.

 

The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged, market capitalization-weighted index, comprised predominately of U.S. traded investment grade bonds with maturities of one year or more. The index includes Treasury securities, Government agency bonds, mortgage-backed bonds, and corporate bonds. The index is representative of intermediate duration US investment grade debt securities. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

4

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of the change in value of a $10,000 investment in the
Orinda Income Opportunities Fund – Class A and
the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index

 

 

This chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment made in the Fund on June 28, 2013, the Fund’s inception date. Returns reflect the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions. Fee waivers are in effect. In the absence of fee waivers, returns would be reduced. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder may pay on dividends, capital gain distributions, or redemption of Fund shares. This chart does not imply any future performance.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Five
Years

Since
Inception(1)

 

Class A Shares (No Load)

-22.43%

-6.06%

-1.14%

-0.11%

 

Class A Shares (Load)

-26.32%

-7.65%

-2.15%

-0.83%

 

Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index

6.47%

5.09%

4.33%

3.96%

 

 

(1)

Inception date of Class A Shares of the Fund was June 28, 2013.

 

Until February 28, 2021, the Adviser has agreed to waive its fees to the extent necessary to maintain annualized expense ratios for the Class A Shares of average daily net assets of 1.70% (excluding certain items discussed below). In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause the Fund’s net annualized expense ratio to exceed the applicable expense limitation: acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will continue such waiver for the Fund after February 28, 2021. The Fund’s expense ratio for the Class A Shares, as stated in the current prospectus, is 2.16%.

 

Performance data quoted represents past performance; past performance does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. Performance data shown for Class A Shares (Load) reflects the Class A maximum sales charge of 5.00%. Performance data current to the most recent month end may be obtained by calling 1-855-467-4632.

 

The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged, market capitalization-weighted index, comprised predominately of U.S. traded investment grade bonds with maturities of one year or more. The index includes Treasury securities, Government agency bonds, mortgage-backed bonds, and corporate bonds. The index is representative of intermediate duration US investment grade debt securities. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

5

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Performance Data (CONCLUDED)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund – Class D and
the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index

 

 

This chart illustrates the performance of a hypothetical $10,000 investment made in the Fund on September 27, 2013, the Fund’s inception date. Returns reflect the reinvestment of dividends and capital gain distributions. Fee waivers are in effect. In the absence of fee waivers, returns would be reduced. The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder may pay on dividends, capital gain distributions, or redemption of Fund shares. This chart does not imply any future performance.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the Periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Five
Years

Since
Inception(1)

 

Class D Shares

-22.99%

-6.71%

-1.82%

-0.80%

 

Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index

6.47%

5.09%

4.33%

4.02%

 

 

(1)

Inception date of Class D Shares of the Fund was September 27, 2013.

 

Until February 28, 2021, the Adviser has agreed to waive its fees to the extent necessary to maintain annualized expense ratios for the Class D Shares of average daily net assets of 2.40% (excluding certain items discussed below). In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause the Fund’s net annualized expense ratio to exceed the applicable expense limitation: acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes. There can be no assurance that the Adviser will continue such waiver for the Fund after February 28, 2021. The Fund’s expense ratio for the Class D Shares, as stated in the current prospectus, is 2.92%.

 

Performance data quoted represents past performance; past performance does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance of the Fund may be lower or higher than the performance quoted. Performance data current to the most recent month end may be obtained by calling 1-855-467-4632.

 

The Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged, market capitalization-weighted index, comprised predominately of U.S. traded investment grade bonds with maturities of one year or more. The index includes Treasury securities, Government agency bonds, mortgage-backed bonds, and corporate bonds. The index is representative of intermediate duration US investment grade debt securities. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

6

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Fund Expense Examples

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund, you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on purchase payments, (if any); and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees and other Fund expenses. These examples are intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

These examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020.

 

ACTUAL EXPENSES

 

The first section in the accompanying table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this section together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the section under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES

 

The second section of the accompanying table provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the Fund’s actual expense ratio and assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of the other funds.

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the accompanying table are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads) or exchange fees. Therefore, the second section of the accompanying table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

 

Beginning
Account
Value
March 1,
2020

   

Ending
Account
VALUE
August 31,
2020

   

Expenses
Paid
During
Period
*

   

ANNUALIZED
EXPENSE
RATIO

   

ACTUAL
SIX-MONTH
TOTAL
INVESTMENT
RETURN FOR
THE FUND

 

Actual

                                       

Class I Shares

  $ 1,000.00     $ 785.50     $ 9.20       2.05 %     -21.45 %

Class A Shares

    1,000.00       784.00       9.73       2.17       -21.60  

Class D Shares

    1,000.00       766.22       11.30       3.04       -21.85  

 

                                       

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

                               

Class I Shares

  $ 1,000.00     $ 1,014.83     $ 10.38       2.05 %     N/A  

Class A Shares

    1,000.00       1,014.23       10.99       2.17       N/A  

Class D Shares

    1,000.00       1,009.85       15.36       3.04       N/A  

 

*

Expenses are equal to the Fund’s Class I Shares, Class A Shares and Class D Shares annualized six-month expense ratios for the period March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one half year period. The Fund’s ending account values in the first section in the table is based on the actual six-month total investment return for the Fund’s respective share classes.

 

7

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Allocation of Portfolio Assets

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

Percentages represent market value as a percentage of net assets. Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

8

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Schedule of Investments

August 31, 2020

 


COMMON STOCKS - 0.3%

 

number of
Shares

   


Value

 

Real Estate - 0.3%

               

NETSTREIT Corp.

    31,950     $ 585,963  
                 

TOTAL COMMON STOCKS

            585,963  

(Cost $575,100)

               
                 

REITS - 87.8%

 

 

   

 

 

Financials - 38.5%

               

American Homes 4 Rent - Series E, 6.35%

    11,174       292,200  

AGNC Investment Corp.

    200,000       2,822,000  

AGNC Investment Corp. - Series E, 6.50% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.99%) (a)

    46,015       1,072,149  

AGNC Investment Corp. - Series F, 6.13% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.70%) (a)

    31,100       700,683  

AGNC Investment Corp. - Series C, 7.00% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.11%) (a)(b)

    191,248       4,681,751  

AGNC Investment Corp. - Series D, 6.88% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.33%) (a)(b)

    60,000       1,423,800  

Annaly Capital Management, Inc.

    400,000       2,940,000  

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. - Series F, 6.95% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.99%) (a)(b)

    157,926       3,643,353  

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. - Series G, 6.50% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.17%) (a)

    79,250       1,716,555  

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. - Series I, 6.75% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.99%) (a)(b)

    140,200       3,291,896  

Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc.

    120,000       1,072,800  

Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (b)

    350,000       3,962,000  

Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc.

    148,600       3,532,222  

Chimera Investment Corp. - Series A, 8.00% (b)

    87,725       2,039,606  

Chimera Investment Corp. - Series B, 8.00% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.79%) (a)(b)

    41,312       894,818  

Chimera Investment Corp. - Series C, 7.75% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.74%) (a)

    127,340       2,623,204  

Chimera Investment Corp. - Series D, 8.00% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.38%) (a)(b)

    92,385       1,977,039  

Exantas Capital Corp., 8.63% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.92%) (a)(b)

    40,500       610,335  

Exantas Capital Corp.

    96,729       225,379  

Granite Point Mortgage Trust, Inc.

    25,000       166,000  

Invesco Mortgage Capital, Inc. - Series C, 7.50% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.29%) (a)

    111,885       2,346,228  

KKR Real Estate Finance Trust, Inc.

    28,614       520,775  

Ladder Capital Corp.

    167,398       1,247,115  

New Residential Investment Corp. - Series A, 7.50% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.80%) (a)(b)

    112,236       2,610,609  

New Residential Investment Corp. - Series B, 7.13% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.64%) (a)(b)

    116,593       2,546,391  

New Residential Investment Corp. - Series C, 6.38% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.97%) (a)(b)

    123,129       2,436,723  

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust - Series A, 8.13% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.83%) (a)(b)

    76,344       1,904,783  

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust - Series B, 8.00% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.99%) (a)(b)

    158,905       3,929,721  

Ready Capital Corp., 6.20% (b)

    68,200       1,533,136  

Starwood Property Trust, Inc.

    125,000       1,950,000  

TPG RE Finance Trust, Inc. (b)

    185,000       1,631,700  

Two Harbors Investment Corp. - Series A, 8.13% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.66%) (a)(b)

    55,866       1,280,449  

Two Harbors Investment Corp. - Series C, 7.25% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.01%) (a)(b)

    76,250       1,602,775  

Two Harbors Investment Corp. - Series E, 7.50% (b)

    82,866       1,835,482  
              67,063,677  

Real Estate - 49.3%

               

American Finance Trust, Inc. - Series A, 7.50%

    45,930       1,089,919  

American Homes 4 Rent - Series D, 6.50% (b)

    196,580       5,101,251  

American Homes 4 Rent - Series F, 5.88%

    6,029       161,276  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

9

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Schedule Of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 


REITS - 87.8% (CONTINUED)

 

number of
Shares

   


Value

 

Real Estate - 49.3% (Continued)

               

American Homes 4 Rent - Series G, 5.88% (b)

    40,222     $ 1,069,503  

American Homes 4 Rent - Series H, 6.25%

    19,659       547,896  

Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc. - Series A, 6.75%

    50,300       1,218,266  

Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. - Series F, 7.38% (b)

    29,325       132,842  

Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. - Series H, 7.50%

    70,416       307,014  

Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. - Series I, 7.50% (b)

    84,088       367,465  

Bluerock Residential Growth REIT, Inc.

    117,676       871,979  

Bluerock Residential Growth REIT, Inc. - Series C, 7.65%

    9,728       241,254  

Bluerock Residential Growth REIT, Inc. - Series D, 7.13% (b)

    52,200       1,216,782  

Boston Properties, Inc.

    6,000       521,220  

Braemar Hotels & Resorts, Inc. - Series D, 8.25%

    16,348       273,992  

City Office REIT, Inc. (b)

    35,000       281,400  

City Office REIT, Inc. - Series A, 6.63% (b)

    79,286       1,999,593  

Colony Capital, Inc. - Series H, 7.13% (b)

    126,911       2,728,587  

Colony Capital, Inc. - Series I, 7.15% (b)

    135,576       2,920,307  

Colony Capital, Inc. - Series J, 7.13%

    140,056       3,021,008  

DiamondRock Hospitality Co., 8.25%

    50,000       1,240,500  

Digital Realty Trust, Inc.

    10,000       1,556,500  

Digital Realty Trust, Inc. - Series C, 6.63%

    48,632       1,279,994  

Digital Realty Trust, Inc. - Series G, 5.88%

    21,348       549,711  

Digital Realty Trust, Inc. - Series K, 5.85% (b)

    50,000       1,380,500  

Digital Realty Trust, Inc. - Series L, 5.20% (b)

    45,000       1,237,500  

EPR Properties - Series G, 5.75%

    8,271       153,262  

Federal Realty Investment Trust - Series C, 5.00%

    2,790       73,572  

First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.

    10,000       426,500  

Global Net Lease, Inc.

    25,000       437,500  

Global Net Lease, Inc. - Series A, 7.25% (b)

    105,404       2,729,964  

Global Net Lease, Inc. - Series B, 6.88%

    74,300       1,862,805  

Hersha Hospitality Trust - Series C, 6.88%

    13,000       198,900  

Hersha Hospitality Trust - Series E, 6.50% (b)

    55,755       805,102  

Highwoods Properties, Inc.

    6,113       227,770  

Independence Realty Trust, Inc.

    20,602       241,249  

Investors Real Estate Trust - Series C, 6.63% (b)

    49,046       1,260,482  

Invitation Homes, Inc.

    70,000       2,004,100  

Iron Mountain, Inc.

    25,000       752,250  

iStar, Inc. - Series D, 8.00% (b)

    51,662       1,268,302  

iStar, Inc. - Series I, 7.50%

    35,793       859,032  

Lexington Realty Trust

    47,500       540,075  

Macerich Co. (The)

    1,420       11,261  

Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corp. - Series C, 6.13%

    93,378       2,332,582  

National Storage Affiliates Trust - Series A, 6.00%

    40,295       1,096,830  

Pebblebrook Hotel Trust - Series C, 6.50%

    10,282       222,400  

Pebblebrook Hotel Trust - Series D, 6.38%

    100       2,150  

Pebblebrook Hotel Trust - Series E, 6.38% (b)

    44,370       964,604  

Pebblebrook Hotel Trust - Series F, 6.30%

    3,184       68,010  

Plymouth Industrial REIT, Inc.

    25,000       333,750  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

10

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Schedule Of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 


REITS - 87.8% (CONTINUED)

 

number of
Shares

   


Value

 

Real Estate - 49.3% (Continued)

               

PS Business Parks, Inc. - Series Z, 4.88% (b)

    38,371     $ 1,026,808  

Public Storage, 5.20% - Series X

    10,000       253,300  

QTS Realty Trust, Inc.

    27,000       1,831,140  

QTS Realty Trust, Inc. - Series A, 7.13% (b)

    81,286       2,245,119  

QTS Realty Trust, Inc. - Series B, 6.50%

    5,000       761,250  

Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc. - Series A, 5.88%

    40,800       1,053,864  

Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc.

    7,500       359,850  

RLJ Lodging Trust - Series A, 1.95% (b)(c)

    229,792       5,558,668  

Sabra Health Care REIT, Inc.

    199,797       2,962,990  

Seritage Growth Properties - Series A, 7.00%

    32,452       529,941  

Simon Property Group, Inc.

    1,000       67,850  

SL Green Realty Corp.

    5,563       260,126  

SL Green Realty Corp. - Series I, 6.50% (b)

    62,000       1,624,400  

STAG Industrial, Inc.

    92,066       2,973,732  

Summit Hotel Properties, Inc. - Series E, 6.25%

    41,215       885,298  

Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. - Series E, 6.95%

    38,898       953,001  

Taubman Centers, Inc. - Series J, 6.50%

    6,000       128,340  

Taubman Centers, Inc. - Series K, 6.25%

    2,200       47,410  

Terreno Realty Corp.

    17,714       1,056,463  

UMH Properties, Inc. - Series C, 6.75% (b)

    99,900       2,515,482  

UMH Properties, Inc. - Series D, 6.38% (b)

    54,000       1,336,500  

VEREIT, Inc. (b)

    120,000       806,400  

Vornado Realty Trust

    15,000       537,450  

Vornado Realty Trust - Series K, 5.70% (b)

    64,424       1,631,216  

Vornado Realty Trust - Series L, 5.40% (b)

    17,974       453,844  

Vornado Realty Trust - Series M , 5.25% (b)

    27,515       698,331  

WP Carey, Inc.

    45,000       3,121,650  
              85,869,134  

TOTAL REITS

               

(Cost $156,015,072)

            152,932,811  
                 

PREFERRED STOCKS - 19.3%

 

 

   

 

 

Banks - 0.4%

               

GMAC Capital Trust I - Series 2, 6.07% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.79%) (a)

    31,890       782,262  
                 

Energy - 6.4%

               

Crestwood Equity Partners LP, 9.25%

    327,284       2,052,071  

DCP Midstream LP - Series B, 7.88% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.92%) (a)(b)

    31,913       591,986  

DCP Midstream LP - Series C, 7.95% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.88%) (a)

    1,777       33,585  

Energy Transfer Partners LP - Series C, 7.38% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.53%) (a)(b)

    136,678       2,767,730  

Energy Transfer Partners LP - Series D, 7.63% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.73%) (a)(b)

    141,000       2,851,020  

Energy Transfer Partners LP - Series E, 7.60% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.16%) (a)

    6,000       128,100  

NGL Energy Partners LP - Series B, 9.00% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 7.21%) (a)

    47,631       664,452  

NuStar Energy LP - Series A, 8.50% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 6.77%) (a)

    38,600       729,154  

NuStar Energy LP - Series C, 9.00% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 6.88%) (a)(b)

    31,631       637,048  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

11

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Schedule Of Investments (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 


PREFERRED STOCKS - 19.3% (CONTINUED)

 

number of
Shares

   


Value

 

Energy - 6.4% (Continued)

               

Teekay LNG Partners LP - Series B, 8.50% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 6.24%) (a)(b)

    27,184     $ 646,979  
              11,102,125  

Financials - 6.3%

               

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. - Series D, 7.50% (b)

    25,876       648,970  

B Riley Financial, Inc., 6.50%

    26,829       637,994  

Capstead Mortgage Corp. - Series E, 7.50%

    48,338       1,138,360  

Cowen, Inc., 7.35%

    29,528       745,582  

Dime Community Bancshares, Inc. - Series A, 5.50%

    42,815       969,760  

Invesco Mortgage Capital, Inc. - Series A, 7.75% (b)

    48,724       1,051,464  

Invesco Mortgage Capital, Inc. - Series B, 7.75% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 5.18%) (a)(b)

    58,008       1,197,865  

Merchants Bancorp/IN, - Series B, 6.00% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 4.57%) (a)

    18,838       470,008  

MFA Financial, Inc. - Series B, 7.50% (b)

    15,585       338,351  

Oaktree Capital Group LLC - Series A, 6.63%

    500       13,820  

Oaktree Capital Group LLC - Series B, 6.55% (b)

    54,000       1,480,140  

Ready Capital Corp., 7.00%

    49,941       1,183,102  

Voya Financial, Inc. - Series B, 5.35% (5 Year CMT Rate + 3.21%) (a)

    10,677       300,664  

Wells Fargo & Co. - Series Z, 4.75%

    31,599       783,339  
              10,959,419  

Industrials - 1.5%

               

Atlas Corp. - Series H, 7.88%

    16,046       384,944  

Triton International Ltd., 8.00% (c)

    3,500       91,700  

Triton International Ltd., 7.38% (c)

    57,857       1,463,782  

Triton International Ltd., 6.88% (c)

    28,050       682,176  
              2,622,602  

Real Estate - 4.7%

               

Ashford Hospitality Trust, Inc. - Series G, 7.38% (b)

    61,915       277,379  

Bluerock Residential Growth REIT, Inc. - Series A, 8.25% (b)

    56,405       1,402,228  

Hersha Hospitality Trust - Series D, 6.50%

    76,549       1,119,912  

iStar, Inc. - Series G, 7.65%

    22,245       543,445  

Landmark Infrastructure Partners LP - Series B, 7.90%

    48,699       1,193,125  

Summit Hotel Properties, Inc. - Series D, 6.45%

    19,791       424,826  

UMH Properties, Inc. - Series B, 8.00%

    31       781  

VEREIT, Inc. - Series F, 6.70% (b)

    124,604       3,133,791  
              8,095,487  

TOTAL PREFERRED STOCKS

               

(Cost $35,507,829)

            33,561,895  
                 

CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCKS - 0.9%

 

 

   

 

 

Real Estate - 0.9%

               

CorEnergy Infrastructure Trust, Inc. - Series A, 7.38%

    86,919       1,607,132  
                 

TOTAL CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCKS

               

(Cost $2,159,255)

            1,607,132  
                 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

12

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Schedule Of Investments (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 


CORPORATE BONDS - 0.7%

 

Principal
Amount

   


Value

 

Industrials - 0.7%

               

General Electric Co. - Series D 5.000% (3 Month LIBOR USD + 3.33%), 12/29/2049 (a)

  $ 1,500,000     $ 1,179,164  
                 

TOTAL CORPORATE BONDS

               

(Cost $1,498,125)

            1,179,164  
                 


EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS - 0.5%

 

Number of
Shares

   


 

Vanguard REIT ETF

    10,000       817,500  
                 

TOTAL EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS

               

(Cost $822,419)

            817,500  
                 

CLOSED-END MUTUAL FUNDS - 1.9%

 

 

   

 

 

Nuveen Preferred Income Opportunities Fund (b)

    290,000       2,549,100  

Oaktree Specialty Lending Corp.

    150,000       750,000  
                 

TOTAL CLOSED-END MUTUAL FUNDS

               

(Cost $3,132,523)

            3,299,100  
                 

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 0.5%

 

 

   

 

 

First American Treasury Obligations Fund, 0.07% (d)

    842,132       842,132  
                 

TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

               

(Cost $842,132)

            842,132  
                 

TOTAL INVESTMENTS

               

(Cost $200,552,455) - 111.9%

            194,825,697  

LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS - (11.9)%

            (20,693,036 )
                 

TOTAL NET ASSETS - 100.0%

          $ 174,132,661  

  

 

Percentages are stated as a percent of net assets.

 

(a)

Variable Rate Security. The rate shown represents the rate at August 31, 2020.

 

(b)

All or a portion of the security has been segregated for open short positions.

 

(c)

U.S. traded security of a foreign issuer or corporation.

 

(d)

Seven-day yield as of August 31, 2020.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

13

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Schedule of Securities Sold Short

August 31, 2020

 


REITS - (0.0%)

 

number of
Shares

   


Value

 

Real Estate - (0.0%)

               

Seritage Growth Properties

    (513 )   $ (7,197 )
                 

TOTAL REITS

               

(Proceeds $7,085)

            (7,197 )
                 

TOTAL SECURITIES SOLD SHORT

               

(Proceeds $7,085) - (0.0%)

          $ (7,197 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

14

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

ASSETS

       

Investments in securities, at value (cost $199,710,323)

  $ 193,983,565  

Short-term investments, at value (cost $842,132)

    842,132  

Receivables for:

       

Investments sold

    849,794  

Dividends and interest

    607,030  

Capital shares sold

    114,643  

Return of capital

    54,006  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    48,160  

Total assets

    196,499,330  
         

LIABILITIES

       

Securities sold short, at fair value (proceeds $7,085)

    7,197  

Due to Broker

    36,606  

Payables for:

       

Loans payable

    20,852,378  

Investments purchased

    649,960  

Capital shares redeemed

    419,935  

Advisory fees

    155,097  

Distribution and service fees

    49,596  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    195,900  

Total liabilities

    22,366,669  

Net assets

    174,132,661  
         

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

       

Par value

  $ 11,046  

Paid-in capital

    243,034,717  

Total distributable earnings/(loss)

    (68,913,102 )

Net assets

  $ 174,132,661  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

15

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Statement of Assets And Liabilities (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

CLASS I SHARES:

       

Net assets

  $ 150,062,248  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    9,506,875  

Net asset value and redemption price per share

  $ 15.78  
         

CLASS A SHARES:

       

Net assets

  $ 14,444,305  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    917,850  

Net asset value and redemption price per share

  $ 15.74  

Maximum offering price per share (net asset value divided by 95.00%)

  $ 16.57  
         

CLASS D SHARES:

       

Net assets

  $ 9,626,108  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    621,408  

Net asset value and redemption price per share

  $ 15.49  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

16

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Statement of Operations

FOR THE Year ENDED August 31, 2020

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

       

Dividends (net of foreign withholding taxes of $6,894)

  $ 12,293,275  

Interest income

    157,527  

Total investment income

    12,450,802  
         

EXPENSES

       

Advisory fees (Note 2)

  $ 2,339,921  

Dividend expense on securities sold-short

    513,140  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    352,171  

Interest expense

    260,134  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 2)

    132,758  

Distribution fees - Class D Shares

    122,374  

Distribution fees - Class A Shares

    99,712  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    104,037  

Registration and filing fees

    58,035  

Officer fees

    47,012  

Legal fees

    31,779  

Director fees

    30,300  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    26,048  

Audit and tax service fees

    25,320  

Other expenses

    19,696  

Total expenses before waivers and/or reimbursements

    4,162,437  

Less: waivers and/or reimbursements (Note 2)

    (53,072 )

Net expenses after waivers and/or reimbursements

    4,109,365  

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 8,341,437  
         

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

       

Net realized gain/(loss) from:

       

Investments

  $ (31,345,553 )

Purchased options

    (278,500 )

Foreign currency

    2,600  

Securities sold short

    (2,346,014 )

Written options

    94,320  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on:

       

Investments

  $ (20,059,518 )

Purchased options

    (68,979 )

Foreign currency

    47  

Securities sold short

    (48,787 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) from investments

    (54,050,384 )

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ (45,708,947 )

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

17

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

Year ended
August 31,
2020

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 8,341,437     $ 11,003,619  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    (33,873,147 )     (4,685,687 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    (20,177,237 )     4,711,368  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (45,708,947 )     11,029,300  
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS FROM:

               

Total distributable earnings

               

Class I Shares

    (9,433,203 )     (9,733,463 )

Class A Shares

    (1,835,060 )     (2,571,480 )

Class D Shares

    (568,713 )     (857,891 )

Return of Capital

               

Class I Shares

    (3,284,419 )     (3,102,273 )

Class A Shares

    (667,533 )     (859,712 )

Class D Shares

    (226,072 )     (325,181 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (16,015,000 )     (17,450,000 )
                 

CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

               

Class I Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    85,954,772       85,831,269  

Reinvestment of distributions

    10,799,683       11,254,854  

Shares redeemed

    (103,065,903 )     (78,486,579 )

Total from Class I Shares

    (6,311,448 )     18,599,544  
                 

Class A Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    10,878,704       46,532,905  

Reinvestment of distributions

    1,839,257       2,657,581  

Shares redeemed

    (52,988,539 )     (31,708,424 )

Total from Class A Shares

    (40,270,578 )     17,482,062  
                 

Class D Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    1,532,105       3,124,304  

Reinvestment of distributions

    510,064       792,806  

Shares redeemed

    (6,861,108 )     (5,784,042 )

Total from Class D Shares

    (4,818,939 )     (1,866,932 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    (51,400,965 )     34,214,674  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    (113,124,912 )     27,793,974  
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    287,257,573       259,463,599  

End of period

  $ 174,132,661     $ 287,257,573  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

18

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Statements Of Changes in Net Assets (Concluded)

 

   

Year ended
August 31,
2020

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2019

 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Class I Shares

               

Shares sold

    5,538,481       4,033,999  

Dividends and distributions reinvested

    622,873       537,883  

Shares redeemed

    (6,107,999 )     (3,703,738 )

Net increase/(decrease)

    53,355       868,144  
                 

Class A Shares

               

Shares sold

    550,503       2,227,152  

Dividends and distributions reinvested

    90,986       126,349  

Shares redeemed

    (2,615,795 )     (1,499,752 )

Net increase/(decrease)

    (1,974,306 )     853,749  
                 

Class D Shares

               

Shares sold

    106,132       147,051  

Dividends and distributions reinvested

    29,139       38,364  

Shares redeemed

    (347,578 )     (273,788 )

Net increase/(decrease)

    (212,307 )     (88,373 )
                 

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    (2,133,258 )     1,633,520  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

19

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Statement of Cash Flows

 

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2020

 

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

       

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

  $ (45,708,947 )

Adjustments to reconcile net increase/(decrease) in net assets from operations to net cash used in operating activities:

       

Purchases of investments

    (364,635,187 )

Purchases to cover securities sold short

    (159,487,351 )

Written options closed or exercised

    (5,639 )

Proceeds from sales of long-term investments

    416,348,486  

Proceeds from securities sold short

    148,292,381  

Premiums received on written options

    99,959  

Purchases of short-term investments, net

    (669,331 )

Return of capital and capital gain distributions received from underlying investments

    8,378,558  

Proceeds from litigation income

     

Amortization and accretion of premium and discount

    (17,734 )

Net realized gain/(loss) on investments

    31,355,403  

Net realized gain/(loss) on purchased options

    278,500  

Net realized gain/(loss) on short transactions

    2,346,014  

Net realized gain/(loss) on written options

    (94,320 )

Net realized gain/(loss) on foreign currency translation

    (2,600 )

Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    20,059,518  

Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on purchased options

    68,979  

Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on foreign currency

    (47 )

Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on short transactions

    48,787  

Change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on written options

     

Increases/(decreases) in operating assets:

       

Increase/(decrease) in due to broker

    36,606  

Increase/(decrease) in dividends and interest receivable

    1,029,905  

Increase/(decrease) in deposits at broker for short sales

    15,563,167  

Increase/(decrease) in receivable for investment securities sold

    (633,165 )

Increase/(decrease) in prepaid expenses and other assets

    13,789  

Increases/(decreases) in operating liabilities:

       

Increase/(decrease) in payable for investment securities purchased

    (837,333 )

Increase/(decrease) in payable to advisor

    (86,255 )

Increase/(decrease) in payable for distribution and service fees

    (40,515 )

Increase/(decrease) in other accrued expenses

    63,856  

Net cash used in operating activities

    71,765,484  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

20

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Statement Of Cash Flows (concluded)

 

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2020

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

       

Proceeds from shares sold

  $ 98,576,136  

Payment on shares redeemed

    (162,698,066 )

Cash distributions paid to shareholders

    (2,865,996 )

Increase/(decrease) in loan payable

    (4,777,558 )

Net cash provided by financing activities

    (71,765,484 )

Net change in cash

     
         

CASH:

       

Beginning balance

     

Ending balance

  $  
         

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES:

       

Cash paid for interest

  $ 260,134  

Non-cash financing activities - distributions reinvested

    13,149,004  

Non-cash financing activities - increase/(decrease) in receivable for Fund shares sold

    (210,555 )

Non-cash financing activities - increase/(decrease) in payable for Fund shares redeemed

    217,484  

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

21

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Financial Highlights

 

For a capital share outstanding throughout the period

   

CLASS I SHARES

 
   

Year Ended
August 31,
2020

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2019

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2018

   

Six Months
Ended
August 31,
2017
(2),(3)

   

Year Ended
February 28,
2017

   

Year Ended
February 29,
2016

 

Net asset value – Beginning of period

  $ 21.83     $ 22.50     $ 23.42     $ 23.66     $ 21.36     $ 25.29  

Income from Investment Operations:

                               

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.67       0.95       0.86       0.63       1.10       0.99  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    (5.44 )     (0.12 )     (0.17 )     (0.02 )     2.90       (3.36 )

Total from investment operations

    (4.77 )     0.83       0.69       0.61       4.00       (2.37 )

Less Distributions:

                                               

Dividends from net investment income

    (0.95 )     (1.14 )     (1.15 )     (0.63 )     (1.10 )     (1.02 )

Distributions from net realized gains

                                   

Return of capital

    (0.33 )     (0.36 )     (0.46 )     (0.22 )     (0.60 )     (0.54 )

Total distributions

    (1.28 )     (1.50 )     (1.61 )     (0.85 )     (1.70 )     (1.56 )

Net asset value – End of period

  $ 15.78     $ 21.83     $ 22.50     $ 23.42     $ 23.66     $ 21.36  

Total return/(loss)

    (22.22 )%     4.17 %     3.24 %     2.62 %(4)     19.29 %     (9.81 )%
                                                 

Ratios and Supplemental Data:

                               

Net assets, end of period (thousands)

  $ 150,062     $ 206,355     $ 193,184     $ 193,361     $ 180,360     $ 121,400  

Ratio of operating expenses to average net assets:

                       

Before Recoupments/Reimbursements

    1.71 %     1.79 %     1.92 %     1.82 %(5)     2.01 %     1.85 %

After Recoupments/Reimbursements

    1.69 %     1.79 %     1.92 %     1.82 %(5)     2.01 %     1.84 %

Ratio of interest expense and dividends on short positions to average net assets

    0.35 %     0.50 %     0.63 %     0.55 %(5)     0.68 %     0.49 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets:

               

Before Recoupments/Reimbursements

    3.65 %     4.43 %     3.83 %     5.33 %(5)     4.68 %     4.21 %

After Recoupments/Reimbursements

    3.67 %     4.43 %     3.83 %     5.33 %(5)     4.68 %     4.22 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    153 %     131 %     102 %     46 %(4)     121 %     127 %

 

(1)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.

(2)

Effective as of the close of business on April 28, 2017, the Fund acquired all the assets and liabilities of the Orinda Income Opportunities Fund, a series of Advisors Series Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”). The financial highlights for the periods prior to that date reflect the performance of the Predecessor Fund.

(3)

The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31.

(4)

Not annualized.

(5)

Annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

22

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Financial Highlights (Continued)

 

For a capital share outstanding throughout the period

   

CLASS A SHARES

 
   

Year Ended
August 31,
2020

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2019

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2018

   

Six Months
Ended
August 31,
2017
(2),(3)

   

Year Ended
February 28,
2017

   

Year Ended
February 29,
2016

 

Net asset value – Beginning of period

  $ 21.77     $ 22.46     $ 23.33     $ 23.58     $ 21.31     $ 25.25  

Income from Investment Operations:

                               

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.68       0.85       0.77       0.59       1.03       0.93  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    (5.48 )     (0.10 )     (0.14 )     (0.02 )     2.88       (3.37 )

Total from investment operations

    (4.80 )     0.75       0.63       0.57       3.91       (2.44 )

Less Distributions:

                                               

Dividends from net investment income

    (0.90 )     (1.08 )     (1.04 )     (0.60 )     (1.04 )     (0.96 )

Distributions from net realized gains

                                   

Return of capital

    (0.33 )     (0.36 )     (0.46 )     (0.22 )     (0.60 )     (0.54 )

Total distributions

    (1.23 )     (1.44 )     (1.50 )     (0.82 )     (1.64 )     (1.50 )

Net asset value – End of period

  $ 15.74     $ 21.77     $ 22.46     $ 23.33     $ 23.58     $ 21.31  

Total return/(loss)

    (22.43 )%     3.82 %     2.94 %     2.49 %(4)     18.90 %     (10.09 )%
                                                 

Ratios and Supplemental Data:

                               

Net assets, end of period (thousands)

  $ 14,444     $ 62,963     $ 45,783     $ 112,549     $ 101,270     $ 66,375  

Ratio of operating expenses to average net assets:

                       

Before Recoupments/Reimbursements

    1.82 %     2.04 %     2.07 %     2.12 %(5)     2.29 %     2.15 %

After Recoupments/Reimbursements

    1.80 %     2.04 %     2.07 %     2.12 %(5)     2.29 %     2.15 %

Ratio of interest expense and dividends on short positions to average net assets

    0.25 %     0.46 %     0.51 %     0.55 %(5)     0.66 %     0.48 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets:

               

Before Recoupments/Reimbursements

    3.34 %     3.96 %     3.37 %     5.03 %(5)     4.34 %     3.97 %

After Recoupments/Reimbursements

    3.36 %     3.96 %     3.37 %     5.03 %(5)     4.34 %     3.97 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    153 %     131 %     102 %     46 %(4)     121 %     127 %

 

(1)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.

(2)

Effective as of the close of business on April 28, 2017, the Fund acquired all the assets and liabilities of the Orinda Income Opportunities Fund, a series of Advisors Series Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”). The financial highlights for the periods prior to that date reflect the performance of the Predecessor Fund.

(3)

The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31.

(4)

Not annualized.

(5)

Annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

23

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Financial Highlights (CONCLUDED)

 

For a capital share outstanding throughout the period

   

CLASS D SHARES

 
   

Year Ended
August 31,
2020

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2019

   

Year Ended
August 31,
2018

   

Six Months
Ended
August 31,
2017
(2),(3)

   

Year Ended
February 28,
2017

   

Year Ended
February 29,
2016

 

Net asset value – Beginning of period

  $ 21.52     $ 22.23     $ 23.18     $ 23.49     $ 21.25     $ 25.17  

Income from Investment Operations:

                               

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.49       0.73       0.63       0.51       0.87       0.82  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    (5.36 )     (0.13 )     (0.16 )     (0.02 )     2.88       (3.37 )

Total from investment operations

    (4.87 )     0.60       0.47       0.49       3.75       (2.55 )

Less Distributions:

                                               

Dividends from net investment income

    (0.83 )     (0.95 )     (0.96 )     (0.58 )     (0.90 )     (0.83 )

Distributions from net realized gains

                                   

Return of capital

    (0.33 )     (0.36 )     (0.46 )     (0.22 )     (0.61 )     (0.54 )

Total distributions

    (1.16 )     (1.31 )     (1.42 )     (0.80 )     (1.51 )     (1.37 )

Net asset value – End of period

  $ 15.49     $ 21.52     $ 22.23     $ 23.18     $ 23.49     $ 21.25  

Total return/(loss)

    (22.99 )%     3.12 %     2.23 %     2.13 %(4)     18.10 %     (10.56 )%
                                                 

Ratios and Supplemental Data:

                               

Net assets, end of period (thousands)

  $ 9,626     $ 17,939     $ 20,497     $ 22,274     $ 23,963     $ 21,405  

Ratio of operating expenses to average net assets:

               

Before Recoupments/Reimbursements

    2.70 %     2.80 %     2.93 %     2.79 %(5)     2.98 %     2.81 %

After Recoupments/Reimbursements

    2.68 %     2.80 %     2.93 %     2.79 %(5)     2.98 %     2.67 %

Ratio of interest expense and dividends on short positions to average net assets

    0.34 %     0.52 %     0.64 %     0.55 %(5)     0.67 %     0.49 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets:

               

Before Recoupments/Reimbursements

    2.65 %     3.43 %     2.90 %     4.36 %(5)     3.76 %     3.32 %

After Recoupments/Reimbursements

    2.67 %     3.43 %     2.90 %     4.36 %(5)     3.76 %     3.46 %

Portfolio turnover rate

    153 %     131 %     102 %     46 %(4)     121 %     127 %

 

(1)

Calculated based on average shares outstanding during the period.

(2)

Effective as of the close of business on April 28, 2017, the Fund acquired all the assets and liabilities of the Orinda Income Opportunities Fund, a series of Advisors Series Trust (the “Predecessor Fund”). The financial highlights for the periods prior to that date reflect the performance of the Predecessor Fund.

(3)

The Fund changed its fiscal year end to August 31.

(4)

Not annualized.

(5)

Annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these financial statements.

 

24

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2020

 

1. ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the Orinda Income Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”), which became a series of RBB as of the close of business on April 28, 2017. The Fund is authorized to offer three classes of shares, Class I Shares, Class A Shares and Class D Shares. Class A Shares are sold subject to a front-end maximum sales charge of 5.00%. Front-end sales charges may be reduced or waived under certain circumstances. Class I Shares, Class A Shares and Class D Shares commenced investment operations on June 28, 2013, June 28, 2013 and September 27, 2013, respectively.

 

Prior to April 28, 2017, the Fund was a series (the “Predecessor Fund”) of Advisors Series Trust (the “Trust”), an open-end management investment company (or mutual fund) organized on October 3, 1996, as a statutory trust under the laws of the State of Delaware. The Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Fund on April 28, 2017 (the “Reorganization”). As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund was assumed by the Fund. Performance and accounting information prior to April 28, 2017 included herein is that of the Predecessor Fund.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

The Fund’s investment objective is to maximize current income with potential for modest growth of capital.

 

The Fund is an investment company and follows the accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services-Investment Companies.”

 

The end of the reporting period for the Fund is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

PORTFOLIO VALUATION — The Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by the Fund are valued using the closing price or the last sale price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Foreign securities are valued based on prices from the primary market in which they are traded, and are translated from the local currency into U.S. dollars using current exchange rates. Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued based on the NAV of the investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses). Options for which the primary market is a national securities exchange are valued at the last sale price on the exchange on which they are traded, or, in the absence of any sale, will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Options not traded on a national securities exchange are valued at the last quoted bid price for long option positions and the closing ask price for short option positions. If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments. Such procedures use fundamental valuation methods, which may include, but are not limited to, an analysis of the effect of any restrictions on the resale of the security, industry analysis and trends, significant changes in the issuer’s financial position, and any other event which could have a significant impact on the value of the security. Determination of fair value involves subjective judgment as the actual market value of a particular security can be established only by negotiations between the parties in a sales transaction, and the difference between the recorded fair value and the value that would be received in a sale could be significant. The Fund may use fair value pricing more frequently for securities traded primarily in non-U.S. markets because, among other things, most foreign markets close well before the Fund values its securities, generally as of 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. The earlier close of these foreign markets gives rise to

 

25

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

the possibility that significant events, including broad market moves, government actions or pronouncements, aftermarket trading, or news events may have occurred in the interim. To account for this, the Fund may value foreign securities using fair value prices based on third-party vendor modeling tools (international fair value pricing).

 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Fund’s investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

● Level 1 —

Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

● Level 2 —

Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

 

● Level 3 —

Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Fund’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing the Fund’s investments carried at fair value:

 

   

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

 

Assets

                               

Common Stocks

                               

Real Estate

  $ 585,963     $ 585,963     $     $  

Total Common Stocks

    585,963       585,963              

REITs

                               

Financials

    67,063,677       67,063,677              

Real Estate

    85,869,134       85,869,134              

Total REITs

    152,932,811       152,932,811              

Preferred Stocks

                               

Banks

    782,262       782,262              

Energy

    11,102,125       11,102,125              

Financials

    10,959,419       10,959,419              

Industrials

    2,622,602       2,622,602              

Real Estate

    8,095,487       8,095,487              

Total Preferred Stocks

    33,561,895       33,561,895              

Convertible Preferred Stocks

                               

Real Estate

    1,607,132       1,607,132              

Total Convertible Preferred Stocks

    1,607,132       1,607,132              

Corporate Bonds

                               

Industrials

    1,179,164             1,179,164        

Total Corporate Bonds

    1,179,164             1,179,164        

 

26

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (continued)

 

   

TOTAL

   

LEVEL 1

   

LEVEL 2

   

LEVEL 3

 

Exchange Traded Funds

  $ 817,500     $ 817,500     $     $  

Closed-End Mutual Funds

    3,299,100       3,299,100              

Short-Term Investments

    842,132       842,132              

Total Investments in Securities

  $ 194,825,697     $ 193,646,533     $ 1,179,164     $  

Total Assets

  $ 194,825,697     $ 193,646,533     $ 1,179,164     $  

Liabilities

                               

Securities Sold Short

  $ (7,197 )   $ (7,197 )   $     $  

Total Liabilities

  $ (7,197 )   $ (7,197 )   $     $  

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Fund may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires the Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only when the Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for all Level 3 transfers are disclosed if the Fund had an amount of Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

Foreign securities that utilize international fair pricing are categorized as Level 2 in the hierarchy.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund had no Level 3 transfers.

 

DISCLOSURES ABOUT DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS AND HEDGING ACTIVITIES — The Fund may use derivatives for different purposes, such as a substitute for taking a position in the underlying asset and/or as part of a strategy designed to reduce exposure to other risks, such as interest rate or currency risk. The various derivative instruments that the Fund may use are options, futures, swaps, and forward foreign currency contracts, among others. The Fund may also use derivatives for leverage, in which case their use would involve leveraging risk. The Fund’s use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. Derivatives are subject to a number of risks, such as liquidity risk, interest rate risk, market risk, credit risk, and management risk. A Fund investing in a derivative instrument could lose more than the principal amount invested.

 

The Fund has adopted the disclosure provisions of FASB Accounting Standard Codification 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”). ASC 815 requires enhanced disclosures about the Fund’s use of, and accounting for, derivative instruments and the effect of derivative instruments on the Fund’s results of operations and financial position. Tabular disclosure regarding derivative fair value and gain/loss by contract type (e.g., interest rate contracts, foreign exchange contracts, credit contracts, etc.) is required and derivatives accounted for as hedging instruments under ASC 815 must be disclosed separately from those that do not qualify for

 

27

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

hedge accounting. Even though the Fund may use derivatives in an attempt to achieve an economic hedge, the Fund’s derivatives are not accounted for as hedging instruments under ASC 815 because investment companies account for their derivatives at fair value and record any changes in fair value in current period earnings.

 

The following table lists the amounts of realized gains/(losses) included in net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations during the current fiscal period, grouped by contract type and risk exposure.

 

DERIVATIVE TYPE

 

STATEMENT
OF OPERATIONS
LOCATION

   

EQUITY
CONTRACTS

 

Realized Gain/(Loss)

Purchased Options

    Net realized gain/(loss) from investments     $ (278,500 )

Written Options

    Net realized gain/(loss) from investments     $ 94,320  

Total Realized Gain/(Loss)

          $ (184,180 )

 

The following table lists the amounts of change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) included in net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations during the current fiscal period, grouped by contract type and risk exposure.

 

DERIVATIVE TYPE

 

STATEMENT
OF OPERATIONS
LOCATION

   

EQUITY
CONTRACTS

 

Change in Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

Purchased Options

    Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments     $ (68,979 )

Total Change in Unrealized Appreciation/(Depreciation)

          $ (68,979 )

 

Average Balance Information

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund’s quarterly average volume of derivatives was as follows:

 

 

PURCHASED
OPTIONS
(COST)

   

WRITTEN
OPTIONS
(PROCEEDS)

 
  $ 34,204     $  

 

OPTIONS The Fund may utilize options for hedging purposes as well as direct investment. Some options strategies, including buying puts, tend to hedge the Fund’s investments against price fluctuations. Other strategies, such as writing puts and calls and buying calls, tend to increase market exposure. Options contracts may be combined with each other in order to adjust the risk and return characteristics of each Fund’s overall strategy in a manner deemed appropriate to the Adviser and consistent with each Fund’s investment objective and policies. When a call or put option is written, an amount equal to the premium received is recorded as a liability. The liability is marked-to-market daily to reflect the current fair value of the written option. When a written option expires, a gain is realized in the amount of the premium originally received. If a closing purchase contract is entered into, a gain or loss is realized in the amount of the original premium less the cost of the closing transaction. If a written call option is exercised, a gain or loss is realized from the sale of the underlying security, and the proceeds from such sale are increased by the premium originally received. If a written put option is exercised, the amount of the premium originally received reduces the cost of the security which is purchased upon the exercise of the option.

 

28

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

With options, there is minimal counterparty credit risk to the Fund since the options are covered or secured, which means that the Fund will own the underlying security or, to the extent it does not hold such a portfolio, will maintain a segregated account with the Fund’s custodian consisting of high quality liquid debt obligations equal to the market value of the option, marked to market daily.

 

Options purchased are recorded as investments and marked-to-market daily to reflect the current fair value of the option contract. If an option purchased expires, a loss is realized in the amount of the cost of the option contract. If a closing transaction is entered into, a gain or loss is realized to the extent that the proceeds from the sale are greater or less than the cost of the option. If a purchase put option is exercised, a gain or loss is realized from the sale of the underlying security by adjusting the proceeds from such sale by the amount of the premium originally paid. If a purchased call option is exercised, the cost of the security purchased upon exercise is increased by the premium originally paid.

 

FUTURES CONTRACTS AND OPTIONS ON FUTURES CONTRACTS — The Fund is subject to equity price risk, interest rate risk, and foreign currency exchange rate risk in the normal course of pursuing its investment objectives. The Fund uses futures contracts and options on such futures contracts to gain exposure to, or hedge against, changes in the value of equities, interest rates or foreign currencies. A futures contract represents a commitment for the future purchase or sale of an asset at a specified price on a specified date. Upon entering into such contracts, the Fund is required to deposit with the broker, either in cash or securities, an initial margin deposit in an amount equal to a certain percentage of the contract amount. Subsequent payments (variation margin) are made or received by the Fund each day, depending on the daily fluctuations in the value of the contract, and are recorded for financial statement purposes as unrealized gains or losses by the Fund. Upon entering into such contracts, the Fund bears the risk of interest or exchange rates or securities prices moving unexpectedly, in which case, the Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the futures contracts and may realize a loss. With futures, there is minimal counterparty credit risk to the Fund since futures are exchange traded and the exchange’s clearinghouse, as counterparty to all exchange-traded futures, guarantees the futures against default. The use of futures contracts, and options on futures contracts, involves the risk of imperfect correlation in movements in the price of futures contracts and options thereon, interest rates and the underlying hedged assets.

 

LEVERAGE AND SHORT SALES — The Fund may use leverage in connection with its investment activities and may effect short sales of securities. Leverage can increase the investment returns of the Fund if the securities purchased increase in value in an amount exceeding the cost of the borrowing. However, if the securities decrease in value, the Fund will suffer a greater loss than would have resulted without the use of leverage. A short sale is the sale by the Fund of a security which it does not own in anticipation of purchasing the same security in the future at a lower price to close the short position. A short sale will be successful if the price of the shorted security decreases. However, if the underlying security goes up in price during the period in which the short position is outstanding, the Fund will realize a loss. The risk on a short sale is unlimited because the Fund must buy the shorted security at the higher price to complete the transaction. Therefore, short sales may be subject to greater risks than investments in long positions. With a long position, the maximum sustainable loss is limited to the amount paid for the security plus the transaction costs, whereas there is no maximum attainable price of the shorted security. The Fund would also incur increased transaction costs associated with selling securities short. In addition, if the Fund sells securities short, it must maintain a segregated account with its custodian containing cash or high-grade securities equal to (i) the greater of the current market value of the securities sold short or the market value of such securities at the time they were sold short, less (ii) any collateral deposited with the Fund’s broker (not including the proceeds from the short sales). The Fund may be required to add to the segregated account as the market price of a shorted security increases. As a result of maintaining and adding to its segregated account, the Fund may maintain higher levels of cash or liquid assets (for example, U.S. Treasury bills, repurchase agreements, high quality commercial paper and long equity positions) for collateral needs thus reducing its overall managed assets available for trading purposes. The Fund is obligated to pay the counterparty any dividends or interest due on securities sold short. Such dividends and interest are recorded as an expense to the Fund.

 

MUTUAL FUND AND ETF TRADING RISK — The Fund may invest in other mutual funds that are either open-end or closed-end investment companies as well as ETFs. ETFs are investment companies that are bought and sold on a national securities exchange. Unlike mutual funds, ETFs do not necessarily trade at the net asset values of their underlying securities, which means an ETF could potentially trade above or below the value of the underlying portfolios. Additionally, because ETFs trade like stocks on exchanges, they are subject to trading and commission costs unlike mutual funds. Also, both mutual funds and ETFs have management fees that are part of their costs, and the Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of the costs.

 

29

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

REITS — The Fund has made certain investments in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) which pay dividends to their shareholders based upon available funds from operations. It is quite common for these dividends to exceed the REITs’ taxable earnings and profits resulting in the excess portion being designated as a return of capital. The Fund intends to include the gross dividends from such REITs in its annual distributions to shareholders and, accordingly, a portion of the Fund’s distributions may also be designated as a return of capital.

 

USE OF ESTIMATES — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

INVESTMENT TRANSACTIONS, INVESTMENT INCOME AND EXPENSES — The Fund records security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gains are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. The Fund’s investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family of the Company are charged directly to the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all of the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Fund.

 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS — The Fund distributes substantially all of its net investment income, if any, quarterly, and net realized capital gains, if any, annually. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

U.S. TAX STATUS — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is the Fund’s intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION — Assets and liabilities initially expressed in non-U.S. currencies are translated into U.S. dollars based on the applicable exchange rates at the date of the last business day of the financial statement period. Purchases and sales of securities, interest income, dividends, variation margin received and expenses denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect on the transaction date.

 

The Fund does not separately report the effect of changes in foreign exchange rates from changes in market prices of securities held. Such changes are included with the net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments in the Statement of Operations. Other foreign currency transactions resulting in realized and unrealized gain or loss are reported separately as net realized gain or loss and change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on foreign currencies in the Statement of Operations.

 

MARKET RISK The value of the Fund’s shares will fluctuate as a result of the movement of the overall stock market or the value of the individual securities held by the Fund, and you could lose money.

 

MASTER LIMITED PARTNERSHIP RISK Investments in securities (units) of MLPs involve risks that differ from an investment in common stock. To the extent that an MLP’s interests are all in a particular industry, the MLP will be negatively impacted by economic events adversely impacting that industry. Additionally, holders of the units of MLPs have more limited control and limited rights to vote on matters affecting the partnership. There are also certain tax risks associated with an investment in units of MLPs.

 

30

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

FOREIGN AND EMERGING MARKET SECURITIES RISK — Foreign investments may carry risks associated with investing outside the United States, such as currency fluctuation, economic or financial instability, lack of timely or reliable financial information or unfavorable political or legal developments. Those risks are increased for investments in emerging markets.

 

CURRENCY RISK Changes in foreign currency exchange rates will affect the value of what the Fund owns and the Fund’s share price. Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, an investment in that country loses value because that currency is worth fewer U.S. dollars. 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. Currency markets generally are not as regulated as securities markets.

 

SMALL AND MEDIUM COMPANIES RISK — Investing in securities of small and medium capitalization companies may involve greater volatility than investing in larger and more established companies because small and medium capitalization companies can be subject to more abrupt or erratic share price changes than larger, more established companies.

 

DERIVATIVES RISK — The Fund’s use of derivatives (which may include options, futures and swaps, among others) may reduce the Fund’s returns and/or increase volatility. Derivatives involve the risk of improper valuation, the risk of ambiguous documentation, and the risk that changes in the value of the derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying security. Derivatives are also subject to market risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, counterparty risk and liquidity risk. Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions than other types of investments and could result in losses that significantly exceed the Fund’s original investment.

 

OPTIONS RISK — Purchasing and writing put and call options are highly specialized activities and entail greater than ordinary investment risks. The Fund may not fully benefit from or may lose money on an option if changes in its value do not correspond as anticipated to changes in the value of the underlying securities.

 

INTEREST RATE RISK Interest rate risk is the risk that fixed income securities will decline in value because of changes in interest rates. It is likely there will be less governmental action in the near future to maintain low interest rates. The negative impact on fixed income securities from the resulting rate increases for that and other reasons could be swift and significant.

 

FIXED INCOME SECURITIES RISK — Fixed income securities are subject to interest rate risk and credit risk. There is also the risk that an issuer may “call,” or repay, its high yielding bonds before their maturity dates. Fixed income securities subject to prepayment can offer less potential for gains during a declining interest rate environment and similar or greater potential for loss in a rising interest rate environment. Limited trading opportunities for certain fixed income securities may make it more difficult to sell or buy a security at a favorable price or time.

 

REAL ESTATE AND REIT CONCENTRATION RISK — The Fund is vulnerable to the risks of the real estate industry, such as the risk that a decline in rental income may occur because of extended vacancies, the failure to collect rents, increased competition from other properties, or poor management. The value and performance of REITs depends on how well the underlying properties owned by the REIT are managed. In addition, the value of an individual REIT’s securities can decline if the REIT fails to continue qualifying for special tax treatment.

 

CONVERTIBLE BOND RISK — Convertible bonds are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are therefore subject to both debt security risks and equity risk. Convertible bonds are subject to equity risk especially when their conversion value is greater than the interest and principal value of the bond. The prices of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes and may decline over short or extended periods of time.

 

PREFERRED STOCK RISK Preferred stocks may be more volatile than fixed income securities and are more correlated with the issuer’s underlying common stock than fixed income securities. Additionally, the dividend on a preferred stock may be changed or omitted by the issuer.

 

INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING RISK — The Fund may purchase securities of companies that are offered pursuant to an IPO. The risk exists that the market value of IPO shares will fluctuate considerably due to factors such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, the small number of shares available for trading and limited information about the issuer. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. IPO shares are subject to market risk and liquidity risk. When the Fund’s asset

 

31

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As the Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance.

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER RISK A high portfolio turnover rate (100% or more) increases the Fund’s transaction costs (including brokerage commissions and dealer costs), which would adversely impact the Fund’s performance. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the realization of more short-term capital gains than if the Fund had lower portfolio turnover.

 

LIBOR DISCONTINUATION RISK The terms of many financial instruments in which the Fund may invest or other transactions to which the Fund may be a party may be tied to the London Interbank Offered Rate, or “LIBOR.” LIBOR is the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. LIBOR may be a significant factor in determining the Fund’s payment obligations under a derivative investment, the cost of financing to the Fund or an investment’s value or return to the Fund, and may be used in other ways that affect the Fund’s investment performance. In July 2017, the Financial Conduct Authority, the United Kingdom’s financial regulatory body, announced a desire to phase out the use of LIBOR by the end of 2021.

 

Although financial regulators and industry working groups have suggested alternative reference rates, such as European Interbank Offer Rate (“EURIBOR”), Sterling Overnight Interbank Average Rate (“SONIA”) and Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), global consensus on alternative rates is lacking and the process for amending existing contracts or instruments to transition away from LIBOR remains uncertain. There also remains uncertainty and risk regarding the willingness and ability of issuers to include fallback provisions and/or other measures that contemplate the discontinuation of LIBOR in new and existing contracts or instruments. In addition, there are obstacles to converting certain longer-term securities and transactions to a new reference rate or rates and the effectiveness of one alternative reference rate versus multiple alternative reference rates in new or existing financial instruments and products has not been determined.

 

The transition away from LIBOR might lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets for instruments whose terms currently reference LIBOR, reduced values of LIBOR-related investments, reduced effectiveness of hedging strategies, increased costs for certain LIBOR-related instruments, increased difficulty in borrowing or refinancing, and prolonged adverse market conditions for the Fund. Furthermore, the risks associated with the expected discontinuation of LIBOR and related transition may be exacerbated if the work necessary to effect an orderly transition to an alternative reference rate is not completed in a timely manner. Because the usefulness of LIBOR as a benchmark could deteriorate during the transition period, these effects could occur prior to the end of 2021.

 

Although the Fund is working to minimize its exposure to risks associated with the expected discontinuation of LIBOR, all of the aforementioned risks may adversely affect the Fund’s performance or NAV.

 

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC — The global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers are not known. The operational and financial performance of the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance.

 

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

REDEMPTION FEES — The Fund does not charge redemption fees to shareholders.

 

OTHER — In the normal course of business, the Fund may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Fund in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Fund expects the risk of material loss from such claims to be remote.

 

32

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

2. INVESTMENT ADVISER AND OTHER SERVICES

 

Orinda Asset Management, LLC (the “Adviser” or “Orinda”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Adviser furnishes all investment advice, office space, and facilities, and provides most of the personnel needed by the Fund. The Fund compensates the Adviser for its services at an annual rate based on the Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Advisory Fee”), payable on a monthly basis in arrears, as shown in the following table.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent that the total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed the rate (“Expense Cap”) shown in the following table of the average daily net assets for each class of shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed the Expense Cap as applicable: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, dividends on securities sold short, extraordinary expenses, interest and taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after February 28, 2021.

 

ADVISORY

 

EXPENSE CAPS

FEE

 

CLASS I

CLASS A

CLASS D

1.00%

 

1.40%

1.70%

2.40%

 

During the current fiscal period, investment advisory fees accrued, waived and/or reimbursed were as follows:

 

 

GROSS ADVISORY
FEES

   

WAIVERS AND/OR
REIMBURSEMENTS

   

NET ADVISORY
FEES

 
  $ 2,339,921     $ (53,072 )   $ 2,286,849  

 

If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses (not including acquired fund fees and expenses, short sale dividend expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest and taxes) for a year are less than the relevant share class’s Expense Cap, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed the relevant share class’s Expense Cap that was in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

As of the end of the reporting period, the Fund had amounts available for recoupment as follows:

 

 

EXPIRATION

 
 

AUGUST 31,
2021

   

AUGUST 31,
2022

   

AUGUST 31,
2023

 
  $     $     $ 53,072  

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Fund. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Fund’s transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Fund. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar”), the Fund’s distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Fund’s distributor.

 

33

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Statement of Operations.

 

The Board has adopted Plans of Distribution for Class A Shares and Class D Shares (the “Plans”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plans, the Fund’s distributor is entitled to receive from the Fund a distribution fee with respect to Class A Shares and Class D Shares of the Fund, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Class A Shares and up to 1.00% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Class D Shares. The actual amount of such compensation under the Plans is agreed upon by the Board and by the Distributor. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment in Class A Shares and Class D Shares and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. Amounts paid to the Distributor under the Plans may be used by the Distributor to cover expenses that are related to (i) the sale of Class A Shares and Class D Shares, (ii) ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of Class A and Class D shareholders, and (iii) sub-transfer agency services, sub-accounting services or administrative services related to the sale of Class A Shares and Class D Shares, all as set forth in the Plans.

 

3. DIRECTOR AND OFFICER COMPENSATION

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Fund or the Company. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC also serves as the Chief Compliance Officer of the Adviser. Neither the Fund nor the Company compensates this individual or Vigilant Compliance, LLC for services provided to Orinda. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Statement of Operations.

 

4. PURCHASES AND SALES OF INVESTMENT SECURITIES

 

During the current fiscal period, aggregate purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) of the Fund were as follows:

 

 

PURCHASES

   

SALES

 
  $ 363,766,082     $ 415,757,881  

 

There were no purchases or sales of long-term U.S. Government securities during the current fiscal period.

 

5. LEVERAGE & LINE OF CREDIT

 

The Fund may purchase securities with borrowed money, including bank overdrafts (a form of leverage). The Fund may borrow amounts up to one-third of the value of its assets after giving effect to such borrowing. Leverage exaggerates the effect on the net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. These borrowings will be subject to interest costs, which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased. In certain cases, interest costs may exceed the return received on the securities purchased.

 

The Fund may also utilize the line of credit for short term financing, if necessary, subject to certain restrictions, in connection with shareholder redemptions. The Fund maintains a separate line of credit with BNP Paribas (acting through its New York Branch). The Fund is charged interest of 1.20% above the one-month London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) for borrowings under this agreement. The Fund can borrow up to a maximum of 50% of the market value of assets pledged as collateral. However, depending on the liquidity of the collateral, issuer concentration, debt ratings of fixed income investments, and the share price of equity holdings, the amount eligible to be borrowed can also be less than 50% of the market value of the assets pledged as collateral.

 

The Fund has pledged a portion of its investment securities as the collateral for their line of credit. As of the end of the reporting period, the value of the investment securities pledged as collateral was $82,531,955. The Fund had an outstanding average daily balance and a weighted average interest rate of approximately $10.0 million and 2.52%, respectively. The maximum amount outstanding for the Fund during the reporting period was $35,020,034.

 

34

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes To Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

6. FEDERAL INCOME TAX INFORMATION

 

The Fund has followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Fund to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Fund has determined that there was no effect on the financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Fund is subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by the Fund were as follows:

 

 

FEDERAL
TAX COST

   

UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION

   

UNREALIZED
(DEPRECIATION)

   

NET
UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION/
(DEPRECIATION)

 
  $ 205,066,842     $ 10,994,467     $ (21,242,809 )   $ (10,248,342 )

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying financial statements. To the extent these differences are permanent, such amounts are reclassified within the capital accounts based on the tax treatment; temporary differences do not require such reclassification.

 

Permanent differences as of August 31, 2020 were reclassified among the following accounts:

 

 

Distributable
earnings/(Loss)

   

PAID-IN
CAPITAL

 
  $ 1,181,996     $ (1,181,996 )

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

 

UNDISTRIBUTED
ORDINARY
INCOME

   

UNDISTRIBUTED
LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS

   

NET
UNREALIZED
APPRECIATION/
(DEPRECIATION)

   

ACCUMULATED
LOSSES

   

TOTAL

 
  $     $     $ (10,248,342 )   $ (58,664,760 )   $ (68,913,102 )

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate principally to the timing of recognition of income and gains for federal income tax purposes. Short-term and foreign currency gains are reported as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal years ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019, were as follows:

 

   

ORDINARY
INCOME

   

LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAINS

   

RETURN
OF CAPITAL

 

2020

  $ 11,836,976     $     $ 4,178,024  

2019

  $ 13,162,834     $     $ 4,287,166  

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

35

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notes To Financial Statements (CONCLUDED)

August 31, 2020

 

The Fund is permitted to carryforward capital losses for an unlimited period. Capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses. As of August 31, 2020, the Fund had $43,683,879 of short-term capital loss carryforwards and $14,978,192 of long-term capital loss carryforwards.

 

7. NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS AND REGULATORY UPDATES

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurements (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Fund’s financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

8. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Fund through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no significant events requiring recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

36

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of
The RBB Fund, Inc.
and the Shareholders of the Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Orinda Income Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”), a series of The RBB Fund, Inc., including the schedule of investments, as of August 31, 2020, the related statement of operations and cash flows for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, financial highlights for each of the three years in the period then ended, for the six month period ended August 31, 2017, and for each of the two years in the period ended February 28, 2017, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of August 31, 2020, the results of its operations and cash flows for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the three years in the period then ended, for the six month period ended August 31, 2017, and for each of the two years in the period ended February 28, 2017, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB. We have served as the Fund’s auditor since 2011.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020 by correspondence with the custodian and brokers; when replies were not received from brokers, we performed other auditing procedures. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

 


 

TAIT, WELLER & BAKER LLP

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October
29, 2020

 

37

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Shareholder Tax Information

(Unaudited)

 

Certain tax information regarding the Fund is required to be provided to shareholders based upon the Fund’s income and distributions for the taxable year ended August 31, 2020. The information and distributions reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ended December 31, 2020. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the following dividends and distributions were paid by the Fund:

 

 

ORDINARY
INCOME
DIVIDENDS

   

LONG-TERM
CAPITAL GAIN
DIVIDENDS

   

Return
of Capital
DIVIDENDS

 
  $ 11,836,976     $     $ 4,178,024  

 

Distributions from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

Under the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, the percentage of ordinary income dividends qualifying for the 15% dividend tax rate is 24.34%.

 

The percentage of ordinary income dividends qualifying for the corporate dividends received deduction is 14.95%.

 

The Fund designates 0.00% of the ordinary income distributions as qualified short-term gain pursuant to the American Job Creation Act of 2004.

 

Because the Fund’s fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2020. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Fund, if any.

 

In general, dividends received by tax exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Fund.

 

38

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notice to Shareholders

AUGUST 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

How to Obtain a Copy of the Fund’s Proxy Voting Policies

 

A description of the policies and procedures that the Fund uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-855-467-4632 or on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

How to Obtain a Copy of the Fund’s Proxy Voting Records for the 12-Month Period Ended June 30, 2019

 

Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, upon request, by calling 1-855-467-4632. Furthermore, you can obtain the Fund’s proxy voting records on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedules

 

The Company files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Householding

 

In an effort to decrease costs, the Fund intends to reduce the number of duplicate prospectuses and annual and semi-annual reports you receive by sending only one copy of each to those addresses shared by two or more accounts and to shareholders the Transfer Agent reasonably believes are from the same family or household. Once implemented, if you would like to discontinue householding for your accounts, please call toll-free at 1-855-467-4632 to request individual copies of these documents. Once the Transfer Agent receives notice to stop householding, the Transfer Agent will begin sending individual copies thirty days after receiving your request. This policy does not apply to account statements.

 

Approval of Investment Advisory Agreement

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered the renewal of the investment advisory agreement between Orinda and the Company (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the Fund, at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreement for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Board considered information provided by Orinda with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Company and Orinda with respect to the Fund, the Directors took into account all the materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of Orinda’s services provided to the Fund; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of Orinda’s personnel providing those services; (iii) Orinda’s investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Orinda’s assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Orinda’s soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) Orinda’s current advisory fee arrangement with the Company; (vii) Orinda’s compliance procedures; (viii) Orinda’s financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Fund; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Orinda; (x) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing the Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its Lipper Group and comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its Lipper Group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of the Fund to the performance of its benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Orinda. The Directors concluded that Orinda had substantial resources to provide services to the Fund and that Orinda’s services had been acceptable.

 

39

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Notice to Shareholders (Concluded)

AUGUST 31, 2020 (UNAUDITED)

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Fund and Orinda. The Directors noted that the Fund had underperformed the Fund’s primary benchmark for the year-to-date and one-year, three-year, five-year and since-inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also considered the Fund’s 1st quintile ranking within its Lipper Performance Group for the one-year and two-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rate payable by the Fund under the Investment Advisory Agreement. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Fund and the Fund’s total operating expense ratio (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) was compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee of the Fund ranked in the 5th quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group, and that the total expenses of the Fund ranked in the 2nd quintile of its Lipper Expense Group. In addition, the Directors noted that Orinda has contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses through at least February 28, 2021 to agreed upon levels.

 

After reviewing the information regarding the Fund’s costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering Orinda’s services, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees paid by the Fund were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreement should be approved and continued for an additional one-year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

40

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Management (Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling (855) 467-4632.

 

Name, Address, and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of
Office and
Length
of Time
Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other Directorships Held by
Director in the Past 5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

 

41

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

MANAGEMENT (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

Name, Address, and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of
Office and
Length
of Time
Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other Directorships Held by
Director in the Past 5 Years

Nicholas A. Giordano
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

Arnold M. Reichman
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 72

Chairman

 


Director

2005 to present

 

1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

Brian T. Shea
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

Robert Sablowsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 82

Vice Chairman

 

Director

2016 to present

 

1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director – Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

 

42

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

MANAGEMENT (Unaudited) (Continued)

 

Name, Address, and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of
Office and
Length
of Time
Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other Directorships Held by
Director in the Past 5 Years

OFFICERS

Salvatore Faia, JD,
CPA, CFE
Vigilant Compliance, LLC
Gateway Corporate
Center Suite 216
223 Wilmington West
Chester Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Age: 57

President

 


Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present

 

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 59

Treasurer
and
Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

Craig A. Urciuoli
615 East Michigan Street Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (investment company).

N/A

N/A

 

43

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

MANAGEMENT (Unaudited) (Concluded)

 

Name, Address, and Age

Position(s)
Held with
Company

Term of
Office and
Length
of Time
Served
1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director*

Other Directorships Held by
Director in the Past 5 Years

Edward Paz
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 61

Assistant
Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1.

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2.

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

44

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

Privacy Notice

(Unaudited)

 

FACTS

WHAT DOES THE ORINDA INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

● Social Security number

● account balances

● account transactions

● transaction history

● wire transfer instructions

● checking account information

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How?

All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons the Orinda Income Opportunities Fund chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

       

Reasons we can share your personal information

Does the Orinda Income Opportunities Fund share?

Can you limit this
sharing?

For our everyday business purposes —
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes —
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

No

We don’t share.

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes —
information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share.

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share.

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share.

 

Questions?

Call (855) 467-4632 or go to www.orindafunds.com

 

45

 

 

Orinda Income Opportunities Fund

privacy notice (Concluded)

(Unaudited)

 

What we do

 

How does the Orinda Income Opportunities Fund protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.

How does the Orinda Income Opportunities Fund collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

● open an account

● provide account information

● give us your contact information

● make a wire transfer

● tell us where to send the money

We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness

● affiliates from using your information to market to you

● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

Definitions

 

Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

Our affiliates include Orinda Investment Partners, LLC (“OIP”) and Orinda Asset Management, LLC (“OAM”).

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

The Orinda Income Opportunities Fund doesn’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you. The Fund may share information with nonaffiliates that perform marketing services on our behalf.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

The Orinda Income Opportunities Fund does not jointly market.

 

 

46

 

 

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)

 

 

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)

 

 

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)

 

 

 

 

Investment Adviser

Orinda Asset Management LLC

3390 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Suite 250

Lafayette, CA 94549

 

Distributor

Quasar Distributors, LLC

111 E Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC

P.O. Box 701

Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Custodian

U.S. Bank National Association

Custody Operations

1555 North River Center Drive, Suite 302

Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Tait, Weller & Baker LLP

Two Liberty Place

50 S 16th St Suite 2900

Philadelphia, PA 19102-2529

 

Legal Counsel

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

One Logan Square, Suite 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OR-AR20

 

This report is intended for shareholders of the Fund and may not be used as sales literature unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus.

 

Past performance results shown in this report should not be considered a representation of future performance. Share price and returns will fluctuate so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Statements and other information herein are dated and are subject to change.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND

 

SGI GLOBAL EQUITY FUND

 

SGI CONSERVATIVE FUND

 

SGI PRUDENT GROWTH FUND

 

SGI PEAK GROWTH FUND

 

of

 

The RBB Fund, Inc.

 

ANNUAL REPORT

 

August 31, 2020

 

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), paper copies of the Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Funds electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or a bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-855-744-8500.

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact your financial intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports. If you invest directly with the Funds, you can call 1-855-744-8500 to inform the Funds that you wish to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account if you invest through your financial intermediary or all funds held with the fund complex if you invest directly with the Funds.

 

This report is submitted for the general information of the shareholders of the Funds. It is not authorized for distribution unless preceded or accompanied by a current prospectus for the Funds.

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund
I Share: SILVX
A Share: LVOLX
C Share: SGICX

 

Dear Shareholder:

 

Established in 2010, Summit Global Investments (SGI) is a specialized asset management firm. SGI’s strategies utilize a distinct quantitative process to analyze the market and select stocks SGI determines and believes provide the least amount of adverse surprises. SGI further incorporates fundamental analysis, examining each potential holding for idiosyncratic downside risks and environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) characteristics. The goal is to invest in outstanding companies with the least potential for downside surprises.

 

To continue to manage risk effectively, SGI analyzes companies both fundamentally and quantitatively. But risk appears from various points where fundamentally and quantitatively fall short. For example, analyzing the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) seems allusive. And although the terror and panic which gripped the market and mindset of the world in March has dissipated, COVID-19 is still a very large driving force in day-to-day of Americans. Another example is Presidential election (though more structure than COVID-19 still seems to be a guess at best). The stock market volatility seems to act in correlation with uncertainty. The more uncertainty the higher the volatility. With the Presidential election around the corner, I suspect this relationship will continue.

 

SGI cannot foresee every bump or every cliff, let alone every turn of the market, but we feel more confident than before that the market is not trading on fundamentals alone. The market doesn’t seem to really care who you are (as a company), how well managed you are, or how much money (earnings) you have as a company. The big winners have been very large companies and growth companies. Growth stocks and large cap stocks have outperformed Value and small cap stocks year to day through the end of July, and not be a small margin. We are talking record territory separation. For example, year-to-date through August 31, 2020, the Russell 1000 Growth Index’s total return was up +30.46% versus the Russell 2000 Value Index’s total return being down -17.73%. That is a difference of over 48%.

 

SGI aims to be defensive in nature; however, we are also quite cognizant of the fact that having a portfolio of utilities, real estate investment trusts (“REITS”), and consumer staples still wouldn’t mitigate these massive macro risk, such as COVID-19, style risk and political risks. Going to really high cash levels makes little sense too, since we never know what tomorrow will bring.

 

I know everyone, especially clients, care about downside protection. At SGI we seek to invest in outstanding companies with the least potential for downside surprises. But sometimes you lose. And Personally, I HATE losing. But I also realize that consistent long-term outperformance speaks volumes.

 

Market volatility comes down to massive uncertainty, fear of the unknown, anxiety, changes to our daily norms, etc. On top of all this, when markets have little information and less visibility into the future, volatility may intensify.

 

In addition to taking steps within portfolios to limit the impact of such major macro risks, we will continue to seek out stocks we see individually and collectively has having the best possible risk/return characteristics.

 

COVID-19

 

Our plan continues to be to protect employees and continue business operations in all aspects of SGI. It augments existing preparedness and recovery planning and outlines technologies and strategies by which the impact of a virus upon the company and its employees may be mitigated.

 

We are ready to respond as necessary should the virus become more prevalent in the areas where we operate. Currently every SGI employee, where possible, has configured work environments at home with the necessary technology and connectivity required to work remotely, and has been successfully doing so since our last shareholder letter. Additionally, we will continue to monitor relevant information and to make appropriate adjustments where necessary.

 

1

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The continual delivery of critical financial services is the focus and foundational basis of our strategic planning. We will continue to provide financial services to our customers at the highest service levels.

 

Everyone at SGI is 100% committed to doing everything we can to follow our quantitative and qualitative processes as designed. Again, if there is any doubt you have or any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly or to the team collectively.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

David Harden

 

Highlights

 

 

The SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund I Shares returned 10.10% in the twelve months ended August 31, 2020. The fund underperformed its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, which increased 21.94%.

 

 

The largest factor that hurt relative performance was the significant underweight to both Apple and Microsoft that rose +150% and +65%, respectively.

 

 

Stock selection in the Health Care sector was particularly strong, while stock selection in Information Technology hurt relative performance.

 

 

From a factor exposure standpoint, lack of exposure to some of the largest market cap companies in the benchmark was the single most important factor contributing to underperformance.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

The Fund seeks to outperform the S&P 500 Index over a market cycle while reducing overall volatility.

 

FUND COMMENTARY

 

How did the fund perform in the past twelve months?

 

The SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund I Shares returned 10.10% in the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020. The fund lagged its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, which gained 21.94%. Performance of other share classes will differ. Please see prospectus for details.

 

What factors influenced the fund’s performance?

 

The largest factor that hurt the fund relative performance was the significant underweight to Apple and Microsoft. These very large market capitalization companies returned +150% and +65% during the prior twelve-month period, respectively.

 

Although the Information Technology sector was the largest average sector exposure comprising 20% of the fund, it was still significantly underweight the benchmark. This underweight hurt performance because the sector was the top performing sector during the past twelve months. Stock selection in this sector underperformed which also hurt fund relative performance.

 

2

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The fund’s large overweight to the Consumer Staples sector also detracted from relative performance because the sector underperformed the overall benchmark.

 

The fund’s significant underweight in the poorly performing Energy sector benefitted relative performance. Oil prices fell as the global recession reduced demand. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) finally instituted some production cuts stabilizing prices.

 

An underweight of the Financials sector, particularly banks, helped the relative performance. The fund’s overweight of both traditionally defensive sectors of Utilities and Real Estate somewhat detracted from relative performance.

 

Strong stock selection in the Health Care sector was a positive contributor to relative performance with pharmaceutical companies Idexx Laboratories, Bristol Myers, and Eli Lilly each returning over 33% during the period. A large position in S&P Global Inc. benefitted the fund as the stock gained 42%. Several other top contributing companies to relative performance were Adobe, Cadence Design Systems, Charter Communications, Take-Two Interactive Software, and Intuit which all generated solid total returns. Stocks that detracted from relative performance included National Instruments, Essex Property Trust, OGE Energy, WP Carey, and Sysco all of which declined more than 30% during the period.

 

In fact, lack of exposure to some of the largest market cap companies in the benchmark was the single most important factor contributing to underperformance.

 

How is the fund positioned?

 

The Information Technology sector remains our largest allocation accounting for 30% of the fund which is a slight overweight to the benchmark weighting. The fund is also positioned significantly overweight traditionally defensive sectors Consumer Staples and Health Care. The fund is positioned underweight Financials, Utilities, Industrials and Real Estate along with no exposure to Energy and Materials sectors.

 

What is portfolio management’s outlook?

 

The risks in the market today are clearly more challenging than those that existed at the end of 2019. The coronavirus pandemic caused a global recession accompanied by a spike in unemployment. While the stock market began to correct in late February and early March central banks and governments stepped in with massive stimulus and liquidity injections for both individuals and companies. These actions resulted in the largest and quickest stock market rally in history.

 

Current valuations are expensive relative to history and fundamentals. Without a vaccine nor an effective treatment for the coronavirus it seems improbable economic activity reaches previous peak levels. Some industries such as airlines, hotels, restaurants, theaters, sporting events, concerts and entertainment may take many years to recover. Other industries, although affected, have recovered by adjusting to the situation with work-at-home and social distancing solutions.

 

Additionally, the approaching U.S. election promises to be contentious increasing uncertainty and likely increasing market volatility. We expect that overvalued speculative stocks will mean revert, but timing is difficult. Underperforming factors such as value and low volatility will likely also mean revert and begin to outperform.

 

Despite these uncertainties, we remain cautiously optimistic because historically people, companies, and governments have successfully adapted to difficult exogenous circumstances and the global economies have returned to growth.

 

Over longer time horizons, we believe that our managed risk approach towards investing can provide favorable relative returns. As always, we maintain a disciplined adherence to our rigorous quantitative and fundamental investment process.

 

3

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The views expressed reflect the opinions of Summit Global Investments as of the date of this report and are subject to change based on changes in market, economic, or other conditions. These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events and are no guarantee of future results.

 

Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security. Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments in this report for a complete list of fund holdings.

 

The S&P 500® Index is a broad based unmanaged index of 500 stocks, which is widely recognized as representative of the equity market in general. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. The Russell 1000 Index is a stock market index that tracks the highest-ranking 1,000 stocks in the Russell 3000 Index, which represent about 90% of the total market capitalisation of that index. The Russell 2000 Index is a small-cap stock market index of the smallest 2,000 stocks in the Russell 3000 Index.

 

Mutual Fund investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Equity securities (stocks) are subject to market, economic, and business risks that will cause their price to rise or fall over time. The net asset value per share of the Fund will fluctuate as the value of the securities in the portfolio change and an investor may lose money. Although the Fund seeks lower volatility, there is no guarantee the Fund will perform as expected. Investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund’s own expenses and will be subject to the risks of the underlying investments. The stocks of mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger companies.

 

Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.

 

The Funds are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC.

 

Growth and value investing each have unique risks and potential for rewards and may not be suitable for all investors. Growth stocks typically are more volatile than value stocks; however, value stocks have a lower expected growth rate in earnings and sales.

 

4

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund
I Share: SCLVX
A Share: LVSMX
C Share: SMLVX

 

Dear Shareholder:

 

Established in 2010, Summit Global Investments (SGI) is a specialized asset management firm. SGI’s strategies utilize a distinct quantitative process to analyze the market and select stocks SGI determines and believes provide the least amount of adverse surprises. SGI further incorporates fundamental analysis, examining each potential holding for idiosyncratic downside risks and environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) characteristics. The goal is to invest in outstanding companies with the least potential for downside surprises.

 

To continue to manage risk effectively, SGI analyzes companies both fundamentally and quantitatively. But risk appears from various points where fundamentally and quantitatively fall short. For example, analyzing the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) seems allusive. And although the terror and panic which gripped the market and mindset of the world in March has dissipated, COVID-19 is still a very large driving force in day-to-day of Americans. Another example is Presidential election (though more structure than COVID-19 still seems to be a guess at best). The stock market volatility seems to act in correlation with uncertainty. The more uncertainty the higher the volatility. With the Presidential election around the corner, I suspect this relationship will continue.

 

SGI cannot foresee every bump or every cliff, let alone every turn of the market, but we feel more confident than before that the market is not trading on fundamentals alone. The market doesn’t seem to really care who you are (as a company), how well managed you are, or how much money (earnings) you have as a company. The big winners have been very large companies and growth companies. Growth stocks and large cap stocks have outperformed Value and small cap stocks year to day through the end of July, and not be a small margin. We are talking record territory separation. For example, year-to-date through August 31, 2020, the Russell 1000 Growth Index’s total return was up +30.46% versus the Russell 2000 Value Index’s total return being down -17.73%. That is a difference of over 48%.

 

SGI aims to be defensive in nature; however, we are also quite cognizant of the fact that having a portfolio of utilities, real estate investment trusts (“REITS”), and consumer staples still wouldn’t mitigate these massive macro risk, such as COVID-19, style risk and political risks. Going to really high cash levels makes little sense too, since we never know what tomorrow will bring.

 

I know everyone, especially clients, care about downside protection. At SGI we seek to invest in outstanding companies with the least potential for downside surprises. But sometimes you lose. And Personally, I HATE losing. But I also realize that consistent long-term outperformance speaks volumes.

 

Market volatility comes down to massive uncertainty, fear of the unknown, anxiety, changes to our daily norms, etc. On top of all this, when markets have little information and less visibility into the future, volatility may intensify.

 

In addition to taking steps within portfolios to limit the impact of such major macro risks, we will continue to seek out stocks we see individually and collectively has having the best possible risk/return characteristics.

 

COVID-19

 

Our plan continues to be to protect employees and continue business operations in all aspects of SGI. It augments existing preparedness and recovery planning and outlines technologies and strategies by which the impact of a virus upon the company and its employees may be mitigated.

 

We are ready to respond as necessary should the virus become more prevalent in the areas where we operate. Currently every SGI employee, where possible, has configured work environments at home with the necessary technology and connectivity required to work remotely, and has been successfully doing so since our last shareholder letter. Additionally, we will continue to monitor relevant information and to make appropriate adjustments where necessary.

 

5

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The continual delivery of critical financial services is the focus and foundational basis of our strategic planning. We will continue to provide financial services to our customers at the highest service levels.

 

Everyone at SGI is 100% committed to doing everything we can to follow our quantitative and qualitative processes as designed. Again, if there is any doubt you have or any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly or to the team collectively.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

David Harden

 

Highlights

 

 

The SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund I Shares returned -11.75% in the twelve months ended August 31, 2020. The fund underperformed its benchmark, the Russell 2000 Index, which increased 6.02%.

 

 

The largest factor that hurt relative performance was weak stock selection in six of the eleven sectors.

 

 

The fund’s underweight position in the Energy sector and the higher than average cash position benefitted relative performance.

 

 

From a factor exposure standpoint, underweighting the volatility, trading activity, earnings variability, and leverage factors and slightly overweighting the value factor all hurt relative performance.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

The Fund seeks to outperform the Russell 2000 Index over a market cycle while reducing overall volatility.

 

FUND COMMENTARY

 

How did the fund perform in the past twelve months?

 

The SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund I Shares returned -11.75% in the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020. The fund lagged its benchmark, the Russell 2000 Index, which gained 6.02%. Performance of other share classes will differ. Please see prospectus for details.

 

What factors influenced the fund’s performance?

 

The largest factor that hurt the fund relative performance was weak stock selection in six of the eleven sectors. In the Consumer Discretionary sector positions in Grand Canyon Education, Select Interior Concepts, and Johnson Outdoors, each cost the fund more than 0.70% of relative performance. In the Industrials sector holdings in FTI Consulting, ICF International, and Quanex Building Products each cost the fund more than 0.35% of relative performance. In the Health Care sector positions in Healthstream, Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, and Eagle Pharmaceuticals each cost the fund more than 0.70% of relative performance. In the Financial sector holdings in Exantas Capital, Western Asset Mortgage Capital, and Chimera Investment Corporation each cost the fund more than 0.40% of relative performance. In the Real Estate sector positions in Equity Commonwealth, Healthcare Realty Trust, and Kite Realty Trust each cost the fund

 

6

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

more than 0.20% of relative performance. Finally, in the Information Technology sector holdings in OSI Systems, Digi International, and NIC Incorporated each cost the fund more than 0.25% of relative performance. Collectively those worst performing holdings accounted for the vast majority of the fund’s relative underperformance.

 

Strong stock selection due to the fund’s holdings in Emergent Biosolutions, Simulations Plus, National General Holdings, Rent-A-Center, Logitech International, and Freshpet was a positive contributor to relative performance. Each of those positions increased more than 50% during the holding period.

 

In terms of sector allocation, the fund’s significant overweight position in the Utilities sector and significant underweighting in the Health Care and Consumer Discretionary sectors hurt relative performance the most. The fund’s underweight position in the Energy sector and the higher than average cash position benefitted relative performance.

 

From a factor exposure standpoint, underweighting the volatility, trading activity, earnings variability, and leverage factors and slightly overweighting the value factor all hurt relative performance. The Federal Reserve bank’s extraordinary financial market support actions beginning in late March including the purchasing of corporate and high-yield bonds fueled a “risk-on” rally significantly benefitting low quality, highly volatile companies in the small cap universe.

 

How is the fund positioned?

 

Overweight the Health Care and Information Technology sectors remain our largest allocations together accounting for 40% of the fund. The fund is also positioned significantly overweight traditionally defensive sectors Consumer Staples and Utilities. The fund is positioned underweight Consumer Discretionary, Financials, Industrials, and Real Estate sectors along with no exposure to the Energy sector.

 

What is portfolio management’s outlook?

 

The risks in the market today are clearly more challenging than those that existed at the end of 2019. The coronavirus pandemic caused a global recession accompanied by a spike in unemployment. While the stock market began to correct in late February and early March central banks and governments stepped in with massive stimulus and liquidity injections for both individuals and companies. These actions resulted in the largest and quickest stock market rally in history.

 

Current valuations are expensive relative to history and fundamentals. Without a vaccine nor an effective treatment for the coronavirus it seems improbable economic activity reaches previous peak levels. Some industries such as airlines, hotels, restaurants, theaters, sporting events, concerts and entertainment may take many years to recover. Other industries, although affected, have recovered by adjusting to the situation with work-at-home and social distancing solutions.

 

Additionally, the approaching U.S. election promises to be contentious increasing uncertainty and likely increasing market volatility. We expect that overvalued speculative stocks will mean revert, but timing is difficult. Underperforming factors such as value and low volatility will likely also mean revert and begin to outperform.

 

Despite these uncertainties, we remain cautiously optimistic because historically people, companies, and governments have successfully adapted to difficult exogenous circumstances and the global economies have returned to growth.

 

Over longer time horizons, we believe that our managed risk approach towards investing can provide favorable relative returns. As always, we maintain a disciplined adherence to our rigorous quantitative and fundamental investment process.

 

The views expressed reflect the opinions of Summit Global Investments as of the date of this report and are subject to change based on changes in market, economic, or other conditions. These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events and are no guarantee of future results.

 

7

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security. Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments in this report for a complete list of fund holdings.

 

The Russell 2000® Index consists of the smallest 2,000 companies in a group of 3,000 U.S. companies in the Russell 3000® Index, as ranked by market capitalization. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

Mutual Fund investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Equity securities (stocks) are subject to market, economic, and business risks that will cause their price to rise or fall over time. The net asset value per share of the Fund will fluctuate as the value of the securities in the portfolio change and an investor may lose money. Although the Fund seeks lower volatility, there is no guarantee the Fund will perform as expected. Small-capitalization companies tend to have limited liquidity and greater price volatility than large-capitalization companies. Investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund’s own expenses and will be subject to the risks of the underlying investments.

 

Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.

 

The Funds are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC.

 

8

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

SGI Global Equity Fund
I Share: SGLIX

 

Dear Shareholder:

 

Established in 2010, Summit Global Investments (SGI) is a specialized asset management firm. SGI’s strategies utilize a distinct quantitative process to analyze the market and select stocks SGI determines and believes provide the least amount of adverse surprises. SGI further incorporates fundamental analysis, examining each potential holding for idiosyncratic downside risks and environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) characteristics. The goal is to invest in outstanding companies with the least potential for downside surprises.

 

To continue to manage risk effectively, SGI analyzes companies both fundamentally and quantitatively. But risk appears from various points where fundamentally and quantitatively fall short. For example, analyzing the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) seems allusive. And although the terror and panic which gripped the market and mindset of the world in March has dissipated, COVID-19 is still a very large driving force in day-to-day of Americans. Another example is Presidential election (though more structure than COVID-19 still seems to be a guess at best). The stock market volatility seems to act in correlation with uncertainty. The more uncertainty the higher the volatility. With the Presidential election around the corner, I suspect this relationship will continue.

 

SGI cannot foresee every bump or every cliff, let alone every turn of the market, but we feel more confident than before that the market is not trading on fundamentals alone. The market doesn’t seem to really care who you are (as a company), how well managed you are, or how much money (earnings) you have as a company. The big winners have been very large companies and growth companies. Growth stocks and large cap stocks have outperformed Value and small cap stocks year to day through the end of July, and not be a small margin. We are talking record territory separation. For example, year-to-date through August 31, 2020, the Russell 1000 Growth Index’s total return was up +30.46% versus the Russell 2000 Value Index’s total return being down -17.73%. That is a difference of over 48%.

 

SGI aims to be defensive in nature; however, we are also quite cognizant of the fact that having a portfolio of utilities, real estate investment trusts (“REITS”), and consumer staples still wouldn’t mitigate these massive macro risk, such as COVID-19, style risk and political risks. Going to really high cash levels makes little sense too, since we never know what tomorrow will bring.

 

I know everyone, especially clients, care about downside protection. At SGI we seek to invest in outstanding companies with the least potential for downside surprises. But sometimes you lose. And Personally, I HATE losing. But I also realize that consistent long-term outperformance speaks volumes.

 

Market volatility comes down to massive uncertainty, fear of the unknown, anxiety, changes to our daily norms, etc. On top of all this, when markets have little information and less visibility into the future, volatility may intensify.

 

In addition to taking steps within portfolios to limit the impact of such major macro risks, we will continue to seek out stocks we see individually and collectively has having the best possible risk/return characteristics.

 

COVID-19

 

Our plan continues to be to protect employees and continue business operations in all aspects of SGI. It augments existing preparedness and recovery planning and outlines technologies and strategies by which the impact of a virus upon the company and its employees may be mitigated.

 

We are ready to respond as necessary should the virus become more prevalent in the areas where we operate. Currently every SGI employee, where possible, has configured work environments at home with the necessary technology and connectivity required to work remotely, and has been successfully doing so since our last shareholder letter. Additionally, we will continue to monitor relevant information and to make appropriate adjustments where necessary.

 

9

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The continual delivery of critical financial services is the focus and foundational basis of our strategic planning. We will continue to provide financial services to our customers at the highest service levels.

 

Everyone at SGI is 100% committed to doing everything we can to follow our quantitative and qualitative processes as designed. Again, if there is any doubt you have or any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly or to the team collectively.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

David Harden

 

Highlights

 

 

The SGI Global Equity Fund I Shares returned 4.53% in the twelve months ended August 31, 2020. The fund underperformed its benchmark, the MSCI ACWI 2000 Index, which increased 16.52%.

 

 

The largest factor that hurt relative performance was weak stock selection in four of the eleven sectors.

 

 

The fund’s significant overweight position in the Consumer Staples sector and significant underweighting in the Consumer Discretionary sector hurt relative performance the most.

 

 

From a factor exposure standpoint, slightly underweighting the growth, momentum, and volatility factors all hurt relative performance.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

 

FUND COMMENTARY

 

How did the fund perform in the past twelve months?

 

The SGI Global Equity Fund I Shares returned 4.53% in the twelve-month period ended August 31, 2020. The fund lagged its benchmark, the MSCI ACWI Index, which gained 16.52%. Performance of other share classes will differ. Please see prospectus for details.

 

What factors influenced the fund’s performance?

 

The largest factor that hurt the fund relative performance was weak stock selection in four of the eleven sectors. In the Financial sector positions in Alleghany Corporation, ICICI Bank, and CBOE Global Markets each cost the fund more than 0.50% of relative performance. In the Information Technology sector holdings in Apple, Genpact, and Infosys each cost the fund more than 0.65% of relative performance. In the Communication Services sector positions in Telekomunik Indonesia, Orange, and Chunghwa Telecom each cost the fund more than 0.50% of relative performance. Finally, in the Health Care sector holdings in Medtronic, Quest Diagnostics, and Novartis each cost the fund more than 0.20% of relative performance. Collectively those worst performing holdings accounted for the vast majority of the fund’s relative underperformance.

 

10

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Strong stock selection due to the fund’s holdings in Nice Limited, Clorox, Salesforce.com, Adobe, SAP, Taiwan Semiconductor, and Barrick Gold was a positive contributor to relative performance. Each of those positions increased more than 40% during the holding period.

 

In terms of sector allocation, the fund’s significant overweight position in the Consumer Staples sector and significant underweighting in the Consumer Discretionary sector hurt relative performance the most. The fund’s underweight position in the Financials, Industrials, and Energy sectors benefitted relative performance.

 

From a factor exposure standpoint, The Federal Reserve bank’s extraordinary financial market support actions beginning in late March including the purchasing of corporate and high-yield bonds fueled a “risk-on” rally significantly benefitting low quality, highly volatile companies.

 

How is the fund positioned?

 

The fund is positioned significantly underweight the Financials, Consumer Discretionary, and Industrials sectors. Overweight the Information Technology and Health Care sectors remain our largest allocations together accounting for 41% of the fund. The fund is also positioned significantly overweight traditionally defensive sector Consumer Staples. The fund is also positioned slightly overweight Communications Services and Utilities along with no exposure to the Energy sector.

 

What is portfolio management’s outlook?

 

The risks in the market today are clearly more challenging than those that existed at the end of 2019. The coronavirus pandemic caused a global recession accompanied by a spike in unemployment. While the stock market began to correct in late February and early March central banks and governments stepped in with massive stimulus and liquidity injections for both individuals and companies. These actions resulted in the largest and quickest stock market rally in history.

 

Current valuations are expensive relative to history and fundamentals. Without a vaccine nor an effective treatment for the coronavirus it seems improbable economic activity reaches previous peak levels. Some industries such as airlines, hotels, restaurants, theaters, sporting events, concerts and entertainment may take many years to recover. Other industries, although affected, have recovered by adjusting to the situation with work-at-home and social distancing solutions.

 

Additionally, the approaching U.S. election promises to be contentious increasing uncertainty and likely increasing market volatility. We expect that overvalued speculative stocks will mean revert, meaning that speculative stocks will revert, becoming cheaper or fall in price, but timing is difficult. Underperforming factors such as value and low volatility will likely also mean revert and begin to outperform.

 

Despite these uncertainties, we remain cautiously optimistic because historically people, companies, and governments have successfully adapted to difficult exogenous circumstances and the global economies have returned to growth.

 

Over longer time horizons, we believe that our managed risk approach towards investing can provide favorable relative returns. As always, we maintain a disciplined adherence to our rigorous quantitative and fundamental investment process.

 

The views expressed reflect the opinions of Summit Global Investments as of the date of this report and are subject to change based on changes in market, economic, or other conditions. These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events and are no guarantee of future results.

 

Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security. Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments in this report for a complete list of fund holdings.

 

11

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The MSCI ACWI Index captures large and mid cap representation across 23 Developed Markets (DM) and 26 Emerging Markets countries. With more than 2, 800 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the global investable equity opportunity set. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

Mutual Fund investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Equity securities (stocks) are subject to market, economic, and business risks that will cause their price to rise or fall over time. The net asset value per share of the Fund will fluctuate as the value of the securities in the portfolio change and an investor may lose money. Although the Fund seeks lower volatility, there is no guarantee the Fund will perform as expected. Small-capitalization companies tend to have limited liquidity and greater price volatility than large-capitalization companies. Investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to the Fund’s own expenses and will be subject to the risks of the underlying investments.

 

Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.

 

The Funds are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC.

 

12

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

SGI Conservative Fund (SGCIX)
SGI Prudent Growth Fund (SGPGX)
SGI Peak Growth Fund (SGPKX)

 

Dear Shareholder:

 

Established in 2010, Summit Global Investments (SGI) is a specialized asset management firm. SGI’s strategies utilize a distinct “Managed Risk Approach” ™ (MRA), which incorporates quantitative processes to analyze the market and select stocks SGI determines and believes provide the least amount of adverse surprises. SGI further incorporates fundamental analysis, examining each potential holding for idiosyncratic downside risks and environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) characteristics. The goal is to invest in outstanding companies with the least potential for downside surprises.

 

Expanding SGI’s MRA to include asset allocation and strategy selection, SGI has unlocked a new market for advisors and individuals to access SGI’s Managed Risk Approach™. In June, 2020, SGI launched three new funds: the SGI Conservative Fund (Ticker: SGCIX), the SGI Prudent Growth Fund (Ticker: SGPGX) and the SGI Peak Growth Fund (Ticker: SGPKX) (each a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”).

 

We have been very pleased with the reception of our funds and investment philosophy. This is the next step in making our investment management more accessible to other channels, specifically the 401(k) market.

 

Each fund invests in securities of affiliated and unaffiliated open-end mutual funds and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) across six categories, with varying levels of risk. These three new funds are series of the The RBB Fund, Inc., whose lower cost and higher service levels allow SGI to focus on running portfolios and servicing clients.

 

To continue to manage risk effectively, SGI analyzes companies both fundamentally and quantitatively. But risk appears from various points that are difficult to account for with fundamental and quantitative analyses alone. For example, analyzing the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) seems allusive. And although some of the terror and panic which gripped the market and mindset of the world in March has dissipated, COVID-19 is still a very large driving force in the day-to-day lives of Americans. Another example is the forthcoming U.S. Presidential election (though it is a more structured occurrence than COVID-19, the outcome still seems to be a guess at best). Stock market volatility seems to act in correlation with uncertainty: the more uncertainty, the higher the stock market’s volatility. With the Presidential election around the corner, I suspect this relationship will continue.

 

SGI cannot foresee every bump or every cliff, let alone every turn, of the market, but we feel more confident than before that the market is not trading on fundamentals alone. The market doesn’t seem to really care who a company is, how well managed it is, or how much money (earnings) it has. The big market winners have been very large companies and growth companies. Growth stocks and large cap stocks have outperformed value and small cap stocks year-to-date through the end of July, and not by a small margin. We are talking about record separation. For example, year-to-date through August 31, 2020, the Russell 1000 Growth Index’s total return was up +30.46% versus the Russell 2000 Value Index’s total return being down -17.73%. That is a difference of over 48%.

 

SGI aims to be defensive in nature; however, we are also quite cognizant of the fact that having a portfolio of utilities, real estate investment trusts (“REITS”), and consumer staples still wouldn’t mitigate massive macro risks, such as COVID-19, investment style and political risks. Going to really high cash levels in our portfolios makes little sense too, since we never know what tomorrow will bring.

 

I know everyone, especially clients, cares about downside protection. At SGI we seek to invest in outstanding companies with the least potential for downside surprises. But sometimes you lose. And, personally, I HATE losing. But I also realize that consistent long-term outperformance speaks volumes.

 

Market volatility comes down to massive uncertainty, fear of the unknown, anxiety, changes to our daily norms, etc. On top of all this, when markets have little information and less visibility into the future, volatility may intensify.

 

13

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

In addition to taking steps within the portfolios to limit the impact of such major macro risks, we will continue to seek out stocks we believe, individually and collectively, have the best possible risk/return characteristics.

 

COVID-19

 

Our plan continues to be to protect employees and continue business operations in all aspects of SGI. It augments existing preparedness and recovery planning and outlines technologies and strategies by which the impact of a virus upon the company and its employees may be mitigated.

 

We are ready to respond as necessary should the virus become more prevalent in the areas where we operate. Currently, every SGI employee, where possible, has configured work environments at home with the necessary technology and connectivity required to work remotely, and has been successfully doing so since our last shareholder letter. Additionally, we will continue to monitor relevant information and to make appropriate adjustments where necessary.

 

The continual delivery of critical financial services is the focus and foundational basis of our strategic planning. We will continue to provide financial services to our customers at the highest service levels.

 

Everyone at SGI is 100% committed to doing everything we can to follow our quantitative and qualitative processes as designed. Again, if there is any doubt you have or any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly or to the team collectively.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

David Harden

 

Highlights

 

 

The SGI Conservative Fund returned 3.40% since its inception on June 8, 2020 through August 31, 2020. The fund outperformed its primary benchmark, the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index, which increased 1.61% during the same period. The fund outperformed a composite benchmark, which is 25% the S&P 500 Index and 75% the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index, which increased 3.39% during the same period.

 

 

The SGI Prudent Growth Fund returned 6.00% since its inception on June 8, 2020 through August 31, 2020. The fund underperformed its primary benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, which increased 8.72% during the same period. The fund outperformed a composite benchmark, which is 60% the S&P 500 Index and 40% the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index, which increased 5.88% during the same period.

 

 

The SGI Peak Growth Fund returned 9.40% since its inception on June 8, 2020 through August 31, 2020. The fund outperformed its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, which increased 8.72% during the same period.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE

 

The SGI Conservative Fund seeks conservative capital appreciation. The SGI Prudent Growth Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation. The SGI Peak Growth Fund seeks capital appreciation. There can be no guarantee that the Funds will achieve their respective investment objectives.

 

14

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Continued)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

FUND COMMENTARY

 

Stocks had favorable months in June, July and August. As such, the SGI Peak Growth Fund’s and SGI Prudent Growth Fund’s performance was helped due to their higher exposure to equities. Due to the SGI Conservative Fund having more exposure to bonds and cash than equities, the Fund’s price volatility was lower than the SGI Peak Growth Fund’s and SGI Prudent Growth Fund’s during the same period.

 

The largest factor that hurt each Fund’s relative performance during the period was the underweight to S&P 500® Index stocks, such as Apple and Microsoft. These very large market capitalization companies returned +55% and +20% from June 8, 2020 through August 31, 2020, respectively.

 

Although the Information Technology sector was the largest equity sector exposure across each Fund, it was still underweight as compared to the S&P 500® Index. This underweight position hurt performance.

 

Across each Fund, the large overweight position to the Consumer Staples sector also detracted from relative performance because the sector underperformed the S&P 500® Index. Each Fund’s significant underweight position in the poorly performing Energy sector benefitted relative performance. Oil prices fell as the global recession reduced demand. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) finally instituted some production cuts, stabilizing prices.

 

Lack of exposure to the largest market cap companies was the single most important factor to limiting each Fund’s performance.

 

MANAGEMENT’S OUTLOOK

 

The risks in the market today are clearly more challenging than those that existed at the end of 2019. The coronavirus pandemic caused a global recession accompanied by a spike in unemployment. While the stock market began to correct in late February and early March, central banks and governments stepped in with massive stimulus and liquidity injections for both individuals and companies. These actions resulted in the largest and quickest stock market rally in history.

 

Current valuations are expensive relative to history and fundamentals. Without a vaccine nor an effective treatment for COVID-19, it seems improbable that economic activity will reach previous peak levels. Some industries, such as airlines, hotels, restaurants, theaters, sporting events, concerts and entertainment may take many years to recover. Other industries, although affected, have recovered by adjusting to the situation with work-at-home and social distancing solutions.

 

Additionally, the approaching U.S. election promises to be contentious, increasing uncertainty and likely increasing market volatility. We expect that overvalued speculative stocks will mean revert, but timing is difficult to predict. We also expect that underperforming factors, such as value and low volatility, will likely also mean revert and begin to outperform.

 

Despite these uncertainties, we remain cautiously optimistic because, historically, people, companies, and governments have successfully adapted to difficult exogenous circumstances and the global economies have returned to growth.

 

Over longer time horizons, we believe that our managed risk approach towards investing can provide favorable relative returns. As always, we maintain a disciplined adherence to our rigorous quantitative and fundamental investment process.

 

The views expressed reflect the opinions of Summit Global Investments as of the date of this report and are subject to change based on changes in market, economic, or other conditions. These views are not intended to be a forecast of future events and are no guarantee of future results.

 

Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security. Please refer to the Portfolio of Investments in this report for a complete list of fund holdings.

 

15

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Annual Investment Adviser’s Report (Concluded)
August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The S&P 500® Index is a broad-based unmanaged index of 500 stocks, which is widely recognized as representative of the equity market in general.

 

The Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based, market capitalization-weighted bond market index representing intermediate term investment grade bonds traded in the United States.

 

It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

 

Mutual Fund investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. Equity securities (stocks) are subject to market, economic, and business risks that will cause their price to rise or fall over time. The net asset value per share of each Fund will fluctuate as the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio change and an investor may lose money. There is no guarantee a Fund will perform as expected. Investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to a Fund’s own expenses and will be subject to the risks of the underlying investments. The stocks of small- and mid-sized companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than stocks of larger companies. Investments in debt securities typically decrease in value when interest rates rise. The risk is usually greater for longer-term debt securities. Although the Funds seek lower volatility, there is no guarantee the Funds will perform as expected. The Funds may invest in foreign securities which involve political, economic and currency risks, greater volatility and differences in accounting methods. These risks are greater in emerging markets. To the extent the Funds invest in Underlying Funds that focus their investments in a particular industry or sector, the Fund’s shares may be more volatile and fluctuate more than shares of a fund investing in a broader range of securities. The Funds are new with no operating history and there can be no assurance that the Funds will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, in which case the Board may determine to liquidate the Funds.

 

Must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus.

 

The Funds are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC.

 

16

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS I SHARES

 

Performance Data

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $1,000,000 Investment in SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund - Class I Shares
vs. S&P 500® Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $1,000,000 initial investment in the Fund’s Class I Shares made on February 29, 2012 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the S&P 500® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Five
Years

Since
Inception
(1)

 

Class I Shares

10.10%

13.35%

12.33%

12.21%

 

S&P 500® Index(2)

21.94%

14.52%

14.46%

14.04%

 

 

 

(1)

Class I Shares of the Fund commenced operations on February 29, 2012.

 

(2)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Class I Shares only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling 1-855-744-8500.

 

The Fund’s total annual operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, is 0.93% of average daily net assets for Class I Shares. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. The Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse expenses through February 28, 2021 to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed 0.98% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 0.98%: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. The contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2021 without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 0.98% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

17

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS I SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The Fund’s investments will generally consist of securities, which may include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock and securities convertible into common stock. Portfolio composition is subject to change. The Fund evaluates performance as compared to that of the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index (“S&P 500®”). The S&P 500® is a widely recognized, unmanaged index of 500 common stocks which are generally representative of the U.S. stock market as a whole. It is impossible to invest directly in an index.

 

18

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS A SHARES

 

Performance Data (continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund - Class A Shares
vs. S&P 500® Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment, adjusted for the Class A Shares maximum sales charge of 5.25% to a net initial investment of $9,475, in the Fund’s Class A Shares made on October 29, 2015 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the S&P 500® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Since
Inception
(1)

 

Class A Shares (without sales charge)

9.78%

13.07%

11.01%

 

Class A Shares (with sales charge)

4.04%

11.06%

9.79%

 

S&P 500® Index(2)

21.94%

14.52%

13.54%

 

 

 

(1)

Class A Shares of the Fund commenced operations on October 29, 2015.

 

(2)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Class A Shares only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

Class A Shares of the Fund have a 5.25% maximum sales charge.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling 1-855-744-8500.

 

The Fund’s total annual operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, is 1.18% of average daily net assets for Class A Shares. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. The Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse expenses through February 28, 2021 to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed 1.23% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A Shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse certain expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 1.23%: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. The contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2021 without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 1.23% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A Shares, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the

 

19

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS A SHARES

 

Performance Data (continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

The Fund’s investments will generally consist of securities, which may include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock and securities convertible into common stock. Portfolio composition is subject to change. The Fund evaluates performance as compared to that of the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index (“S&P 500®”). The S&P 500® is a widely recognized, unmanaged index of 500 common stocks which are generally representative of the U.S. stock market as a whole. It is impossible to invest directly in an index.

 

20

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS C SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund - Class C Shares
vs. S&P 500® Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund’s Class C Shares made on December 31, 2015 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the S&P 500® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Since
Inception
(1)

 

Class C Shares

9.47%

12.40%

10.90%

 

S&P 500® Index(2)

21.94%

14.52%

14.50%

 

 

 

(1)

Class C Shares of the Fund commenced operations on December 31, 2015.

 

(2)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Class C Shares only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling 1-855-744-8500.

 

The Fund’s total annual operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, is 1.93% of average daily net assets for Class C Shares. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. The Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse expenses through February 28, 2021 to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed 1.98% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 1.98%: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. The contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2021 without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 1.98% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

21

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS C SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The Fund’s investments will generally consist of securities, which may include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock and securities convertible into common stock. Portfolio composition is subject to change. The Fund evaluates performance as compared to that of the Standard & Poor’s 500® Index (“S&P 500®”). The S&P 500® is a widely recognized, unmanaged index of 500 common stocks which are generally representative of the U.S. stock market as a whole. It is impossible to invest directly in an index.

 

 

22

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS I SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $1,000,000 Investment in SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund - Class I Shares
vs. Russell 2000® Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $1,000,000 initial investment in the Fund’s Class I Shares made on March 31, 2016 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the Russell 2000® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Since
Inception
(1)

 

Class I Shares

-11.75%

-1.88%

3.72%

 

Russell 2000® Index(2)

6.02%

5.03%

9.45%

 

 

 

(1)

Class I Shares of the Fund commenced operations on March 31, 2016.

 

(2)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Class I Shares only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling 1-855-744-8500.

 

The Fund’s total annual gross and net operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, are 1.92% and 1.75%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class I Shares. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. The Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse expenses through February 28, 2021 to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed 1.23% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 1.23%: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2021 without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 1.23% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

23

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS I SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The Fund’s investments will generally consist of securities, which may include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock and securities convertible into common stock. Portfolio composition is subject to change. The Fund evaluates performance as compared to that of the Russell 2000® Index (“Russell 2000®”). The Russell 2000® is a widely recognized, unmanaged index of 2,000 common stocks which are generally representative of the U.S. Small Companies. It is impossible to invest directly in an index.

 

The Fund invests in equity securities and in stocks of small companies which are subject to market, economic and business risks that may cause their price to rise or fall over time. Stocks of small companies may be more volatile, less liquid or not as readily marketable as those of larger companies. Small companies may also have limited product lines, markets or financial resources and may be dependent on relatively small or inexperienced management groups. Although the Fund seeks lower volatility, there is no guarantee the Fund will perform as expected.

 

24

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS A SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund - Class A Shares
vs. Russell 2000® Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund’s Class A Shares made on March 31, 2016 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the Russell 2000® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Since
Inception
(1)

 

Class A Shares (without sales charge)

-11.95%

-2.11%

3.50%

 

Class A Shares (with sales charge)

-16.54%

-3.87%

2.26%

 

Russell 2000® Index(2)

6.02%

5.03%

9.45%

 

 

 

(1)

Class A Shares of the Fund commenced operations on March 31, 2016.

 

(2)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Class A Shares only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

Class A Shares of the Fund have a 5.25% maximum sales charge.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling 1-855-744-8500.

 

The Fund’s total annual gross and net operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, are 2.17% and 2.00%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class A Shares. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. The Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse expenses through February 28, 2021 to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed 1.48% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A Shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 1.48%: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2021 without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 1.48% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class A Shares, the Adviser is entitled to

 

25

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS A SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

The Fund’s investments will generally consist of securities, which may include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock and securities convertible into common stock. Portfolio composition is subject to change. The Fund evaluates performance as compared to that of the Russell 2000® Index (“Russell 2000®”). The Russell 2000® is a widely recognized, unmanaged index of 2,000 common stocks which are generally representative of the U.S. Small Companies. It is impossible to invest directly in an index.

 

The Fund invests in equity securities and in stocks of small companies which are subject to market, economic and business risks that may cause their price to rise or fall over time. Stocks of small companies may be more volatile, less liquid or not as readily marketable as those of larger companies. Small companies may also have limited product lines, markets or financial resources and may be dependent on relatively small or inexperienced management groups. Although the Fund seeks lower volatility, there is no guarantee the Fund will perform as expected.

 

26

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS C SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund - Class C Shares
vs. Russell 2000® Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 initial investment in the Fund’s Class C Shares made on March 31, 2016 (commencement of operations) and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the Russell 2000® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

One
Year

Three
Years

Since
Inception
(1)

 

Class C Shares

-12.57%

-2.83%

2.72%

 

Russell 2000® Index(2)

6.02%

5.03%

9.45%

 

 

 

(1)

Class C Shares of the Fund commenced operations on March 31, 2016.

 

(2)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Class C Shares only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling 1-855-744-8500.

 

The Fund’s total annual gross and net operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, are 2.92% and 2.75%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class C Shares. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. The Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse expenses through February 28, 2021 to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed 2.23% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause net total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed 2.23%: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes. This contractual limitation may not be terminated before February 28, 2021 without the approval of the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 2.23% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class C Shares, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

27

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND - CLASS C SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The Fund’s investments will generally consist of securities, which may include common stocks, preferred stocks, warrants to acquire common stock and securities convertible into common stock. Portfolio composition is subject to change. The Fund evaluates performance as compared to that of the Russell 2000® Index (“Russell 2000®”). The Russell 2000® is a widely recognized, unmanaged index of 2,000 common stocks which are generally representative of the U.S. Small Companies. It is impossible to invest directly in an index.

 

The Fund invests in equity securities and in stocks of small companies which are subject to market, economic and business risks that may cause their price to rise or fall over time. Stocks of small companies may be more volatile, less liquid or not as readily marketable as those of larger companies. Small companies may also have limited product lines, markets or financial resources and may be dependent on relatively small or inexperienced management groups. Although the Fund seeks lower volatility, there is no guarantee the Fund will perform as expected.

 

28

 

 

SGI GLOBAL EQUITY FUND - CLASS I SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $1,000,000 Investment in SGI Global Equity Fund - Class I Shares
vs. MSCI ACWI Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $1,000,000 minimum initial investment, in the Fund’s Class I Shares made on August 31, 2010 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the MSCI ACWI Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended August 31, 2020(1)

 
 

One
Year

Five
Years

Ten
Years

Since
Inception

 

Class I Shares(2)

4.53%

5.58%

12.53%

15.54%

 

MSCI ACWI Index(3)

16.52%

10.21%

9.90%

12.05%

 

 

 

(1)

Returns for periods prior to January 3, 2017 were generated under the management of the Fund’s former investment adviser and reflect a previous investment strategy.

 

(2)

The Fund operated as a series of Scotia Institutional Funds prior to the close of business on March 21, 2014 (the “Predecessor Fund”), at which time the Predecessor Fund was reorganized into the Scotia Dynamic U.S. Growth Fund, a newly created series of The RBB Fund, Inc. The fiscal year end of the Predecessor Fund was September 30. The performance shown for periods prior to March 21, 2014 represents the performance for the Predecessor Fund. While the Predecessor Fund commenced operations on March 31, 2009, the Predecessor Fund began investing consistent with its investment objective on April 1, 2009. Effective January 3, 2017, the Scotia Dynamic U.S. Growth Fund changed its name to the Summit Global Investments Global Low Volatility Fund (the “Fund”).

 

(3)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Predecessor Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling 1-855-744-8500.

 

The Fund’s total annual gross and net operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated February 28, 2020, are 1.11% and 0.84%, respectively, of average daily net assets for Class I Shares. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. The Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund through February 28, 2021 to the extent necessary to ensure that

 

29

 

 

SGI GLOBAL EQUITY FUND - CLASS I SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

the Fund’s total annual operating expenses (excluding taxes, extraordinary expenses, brokerage commissions and interest) do not exceed 0.84% (on an annual basis) of Class I’s average daily net assets (the “Expense Limitation”). The Expense Limitation shall remain in effect until February 28, 2021, unless the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. approves its earlier termination. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 0.84% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

International investing is subject to special risks including, but not limited to, currency risk associated with securities denominated in other than the U.S. dollar, which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing, and other financial practices.

 

The MSCI ACWI Index (the “Index”) captures large and mid cap representation across 23 Developed Markets (DM) and 24 Emerging Markets (EM) countries. With more than 2,700 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the global investable equity opportunity set. It is not possible to invest directly with an index.

 

30

 

 

SGI CONSERVATIVE FUND - CLASS I SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in SGI Conservative Fund - Class I Shares
vs. Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate and Composite Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 minimum initial investment, in the Fund’s Class I Shares made on June 8, 2020 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Index and Composite Index are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

Since
Inception

 

Class I Shares

3.40%(1)(2)

 

Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Index(3)

1.61%

 

Composite Index(4)

3.39%

 

 

 

(1)

Inception date of the Fund is June 8, 2020.

 

(2)

Not annualized.

 

(3)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

(4)

The Composite Index is comprised of the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index and S&P 500® Index, weighted 75% and 25%, respectively.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling 1-855-744-8500.

 

The Fund’s total annual operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated June 8, 2020, is 1.50% of average daily net assets for Class I Shares. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. The Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund through December 31, 2021 to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund’s total annual operating expenses (excluding taxes, extraordinary expenses, brokerage commissions and interest) do not exceed 1.70% (on an annual basis) of Class I’s average daily net assets (the “Expense Limitation”). The Expense Limitation shall remain in effect until December 31, 2021, unless the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. approves its earlier termination. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 1.70% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

31

 

 

SGI PRUDENT GROWTH FUND - CLASS I SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in SGI Prudent Growth Fund - Class I Shares
vs. S&P 500® Index and Composite Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 minimum initial investment, in the Fund’s Class I Shares made on June 8, 2020 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the S&P 500® Index and Composite Index are unmanaged, do not incur expenses and are not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

Since
Inception

 

Class I Shares

6.00%(1)(2)

 

S&P 500® Index(3)

8.72%

 

Composite Index(4)

5.88%

 

 

 

(1)

Inception date of the Fund is June 8, 2020.

 

(2)

Not annualized.

 

(3)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

(4)

The Composite Index is comprised of the S&P 500® Index and Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index, weighted 60% and 40%, respectively.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling 1-855-744-8500.

 

The Fund’s total annual operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated June 8, 2020, is 1.75% of average daily net assets for Class I Shares. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. The Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund through December 31, 2021 to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund’s total annual operating expenses (excluding taxes, extraordinary expenses, brokerage commissions and interest) do not exceed 1.70% (on an annual basis) of Class I’s average daily net assets (the “Expense Limitation”). The Expense Limitation shall remain in effect until December 31, 2021, unless the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. approves its earlier termination. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 1.70% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

32

 

 

SGI PEAK GROWTH FUND - CLASS I SHARES

 

Performance Data (Continued)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

Comparison of Change in Value of $10,000 Investment in SGI Peak Growth Fund - Class I Shares
vs. S&P 500® Index

 

 

This chart assumes a hypothetical $10,000 minimum initial investment, in the Fund’s Class I Shares made on June 8, 2020 and reflects Fund expenses. Investors should note that the Fund is an actively managed mutual fund while the S&P 500® Index is unmanaged, does not incur expenses and is not available for investment.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ended August 31, 2020

 
 

Since
Inception

 

Class I Shares

9.40%(1)(2)

 

S&P 500® Index(3)

8.72%

 

 

 

(1)

Inception date of the Fund is June 8, 2020.

 

(2)

Not annualized.

 

(3)

Benchmark performance is from inception date of the Fund only and is not the inception date of the benchmark itself.

 

Performance quoted is past performance and does not guarantee future results. The investment return and principal value of an investment in the Fund will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher. Returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or on the redemption of Fund shares. Performance data current to the most recent month-end may be obtained by calling 1-855-744-8500.

 

The Fund’s total annual operating expenses, as stated in the current prospectus dated June 8, 2020, is 2.00% of average daily net assets for Class I Shares. These ratios may differ from the actual expenses incurred by the Fund for the period covered by this report. The Fund’s investment adviser (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive management fees and/or reimburse certain expenses of the Fund through December 31, 2021 to the extent necessary to ensure that the Fund’s total annual operating expenses (excluding taxes, extraordinary expenses, brokerage commissions and interest) do not exceed 1.70% (on an annual basis) of Class I’s average daily net assets (the “Expense Limitation”). The Expense Limitation shall remain in effect until December 31, 2021, unless the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. approves its earlier termination. If at any time the Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than 1.70% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to Class I Shares, the Adviser is entitled to reimbursement by the Fund of the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such reimbursement does not cause the Fund to exceed expense limitations that were in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

33

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Fund Expense Examples

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

As a shareholder of the Fund(s), you incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including sales charges (loads) on purchase payments (if applicable); and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees; and other Fund expenses. These examples are intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund(s) and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.

 

These examples are based on an investment of $1,000 invested at the beginning of the six-month period from March 1, 2020 through August 31, 2020 and held for the entire period. For SGI Conservative Fund, SGI Prudent Growth, SGI Peak Growth Fund, the actual values and expenses are based on the 85-day period from the Funds’ inception on June 8, 2020 through August 31, 2020.

 

Actual Expenses

 

The first line of the accompanying tables provide information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information in this line, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. Simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number in the first line under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During Period” to estimate the expenses you paid on your account during this period.

 

Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes

 

The second section of the accompanying tables provide information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on each Fund’s actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use this information to compare the ongoing costs of investing in each Fund and other funds. To do so, compare these 5% hypothetical examples with the 5% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other funds.

 

The expenses shown in the accompanying tables are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs, such as sales charges (loads), redemption fees or exchange fees. Therefore, the second section of the accompanying tables is useful in comparing ongoing costs only and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different funds. In addition, if these transactional costs were included, your costs would have been higher.

 

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses
Paid During
Period
(1)

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual
Six-Month
Total
Investment
Return for
the Fund

Actual

         

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,122.30

$ 4.64

0.87%

12.23%

Class A Shares

1,000.00

1,120.70

5.97

1.12

12.07

Class C Shares

1,000.00

1,121.50

9.97

1.87

12.15

         

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

       

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,020.76

$ 4.42

0.87%

N/A

Class A Shares

1,000.00

1,019.51

5.69

1.12

N/A

Class C Shares

1,000.00

1,015.74

9.48

1.87

N/A

 

34

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Fund Expense Examples (CONTINUED)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses
Paid During
Period
(1)

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual
Six-Month
Total
Investment
Return for
the Fund

Actual

         

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 930.40

$ 5.97

1.23%

-6.96%

Class A Shares

1,000.00

929.40

7.18

1.48

-7.06

Class C Shares

1,000.00

925.90

10.80

2.23

-7.41

         

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

       

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,018.95

$ 6.24

1.23%

N/A

Class A Shares

1,000.00

1,017.70

7.51

1.48

N/A

Class C Shares

1,000.00

1,013.93

11.29

2.23

N/A

 

 

SGI Global Equity Fund

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses
Paid During
Period
(1)

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual
Six-Month
Total
Investment
Return for
the Fund

Actual

         

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,063.60

$ 4.36

0.84%

6.36%

         

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

       

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,020.91

$ 4.27

0.84

N/A

 

 

SGI Conservative Fund

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses
Paid During
Period
(2)

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual
Six-Month
Total
Investment
Return for
the Fund

Actual

         

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,034.00

$ 2.50

1.07%

3.40%

         

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

       

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,019.76

$ 5.43

1.07%

N/A

 

 

35

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Fund Expense Examples (Concluded)

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

 

SGI Prudent Fund

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses
Paid During
Period
(2)

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual
Six-Month
Total
Investment
Return for
the Fund

Actual

         

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,060.00

$ 2.95

1.25%

6.00%

         

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

       

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,018.85

$ 6.34

1.25%

N/A

 

 

SGI Peak Growth Fund

 

Beginning
Account Value
March 1, 2020

Ending
Account Value
August 31, 2020

Expenses
Paid During
Period
(2)

Annualized
Expense
Ratio

Actual
Six-Month
Total
Investment
Return for
the Fund

Actual

         

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,094.00

$ 3.56

1.48%

9.40%

         

Hypothetical (5% return before expenses)

       

Class I Shares

$ 1,000.00

$ 1,017.70

$ 7.51

1.48%

N/A

 

 

(1)

Expenses are equal to each Fund’s annualized six-month expense ratio for the period March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020,multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one half year period. Each Fund’s ending account values on the first line in the tables is based on the actual six-month total investment return for each Fund.

 

(2)

Hypothetical expenses are equal to each Fund’s annualized six-month expense ratio for the period March 1, 2020 to August 31, 2020,multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days (184) in the most recent fiscal half-year, then divided by 366 to reflect the one half year period. The actual dollar amounts shown are expenses paid during the period for the Fund and multiplied by 84-days, which is based on the date of inception (June 8, 2020). Each Fund’s ending account values on the first line in the tables is based on the actual total investment return for each Fund since inception.

 

36

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The following table presents a summary by sector of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% OF Net
Assets

   

Value

 

COMMON STOCKS:

               

Software

    22.4 %   $ 130,472,211  

Internet

    11.6       67,839,698  

Retail

    8.5       49,814,898  

Pharmaceuticals

    5.3       31,066,371  

Healthcare-Products

    4.8       27,863,102  

Computers

    4.3       25,305,924  

Healthcare-Services

    4.3       24,879,105  

Telecommunications

    4.1       23,686,979  

Household Products & Wares

    3.7       21,332,808  

Commercial Services

    3.4       19,834,351  

Food

    3.2       18,660,940  

Environmental Control

    3.0       17,510,400  

Media

    2.9       16,683,031  

Home Builders

    2.4       13,755,522  

Diversified Financial Services

    2.1       12,061,206  

Transportation

    1.8       10,726,353  

Biotechnology

    1.7       9,811,396  

Home Furnishings

    1.6       9,436,735  

REITs

    1.3       7,351,552  

Cosmetics & Personal Care

    1.1       6,602,358  

Semiconductors

    1.0       5,722,990  

Aerospace/Defense

    0.5       2,747,248  

Insurance

    0.4       2,454,948  

Electronics

    0.4       2,381,764  

Water

    0.4       2,346,244  

Electric

    0.4       2,278,890  

Distribution & Wholesale

    0.2       1,275,246  

Office & Business Equipment

    0.2       1,260,732  

Beverages

    0.2       1,114,425  

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

    2.9       16,954,809  

LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS

    -0.1       (382,177 )

NET ASSETS

    100 %   $ 582,850,059  

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
37

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   Number
of Shares
   Value 
COMMON STOCKS - 97.2%
Aerospace/Defense — 0.5%
L3Harris Technologies, Inc.   15,200   $2,747,248 
Beverages — 0.2%
Coca-Cola Co., (The)   22,500    1,114,425 
Biotechnology — 1.7%
Biogen, Inc.*   4,200    1,208,088 
Exelixis, Inc.*   128,600    2,857,492 
Illumina, Inc.*   3,300    1,178,826 
Incyte Corp.*   47,400    4,566,990 
         9,811,396 
Commercial Services — 3.4%
MarketAxess Holdings, Inc.   3,100    1,506,414 
S&P Global, Inc.   46,300    16,965,246 
Verisk Analytics, Inc.   7,300    1,362,691 
         19,834,351 
Computers — 4.3%
Accenture PLC, Class A, (Ireland)   27,400    6,574,082 
Amdocs Ltd.   17,800    1,089,894 
Apple, Inc.   104,800    13,523,392 
Fortinet, Inc.*   31,200    4,118,556 
         25,305,924 
Cosmetics & Personal Care — 1.1%
Colgate-Palmolive Co.   83,300    6,602,358 
Distribution & Wholesale — 0.2%
Fastenal Co.   26,100    1,275,246 
Diversified Financial Services — 2.1%
Cboe Global Markets, Inc.   131,400    12,061,206 
Electric — 0.4%
Alliant Energy Corp.   21,300    1,153,395 
Xcel Energy, Inc.   16,200    1,125,495 
         2,278,890 
Electronics — 0.4%
Keysight Technologies, Inc.*   10,300    1,014,756 
Roper Technologies, Inc.   3,200    1,367,008 
         2,381,764 
Environmental Control — 3.0%
Republic Services, Inc.   90,000    8,344,800 
Waste Management, Inc.   80,400    9,165,600 
         17,510,400 
Food — 3.2%
Flowers Foods, Inc.   429,800    10,512,908 
Hershey Co., (The)   25,700    3,820,048 
Kroger Co., (The)   121,300    4,327,984 
         18,660,940 
Healthcare-Products — 4.8%
Cooper Cos Inc., (The)   3,900   $1,226,082 
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc.*   49,800    19,474,788 
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.*   9,800    7,162,232 
         27,863,102 
Healthcare-Services — 4.3%
Anthem, Inc.   9,100    2,561,832 
Chemed Corp.   28,200    14,582,502 
Teladoc Health, Inc.*   13,400    2,890,246 
UnitedHealth Group, Inc.   15,500    4,844,525 
         24,879,105 
Home Builders — 2.4%
NVR, Inc.*   3,300    13,755,522 
Home Furnishings — 1.6%
Dolby Laboratories Inc., Class A   135,100    9,436,735 
Household Products & Wares — 3.7%
Church & Dwight Co., Inc.   14,000    1,341,620 
Clorox Co., (The)   55,000    12,292,500 
Kimberly-Clark Corp.   48,800    7,698,688 
         21,332,808 
Insurance — 0.4%
Arthur J Gallagher & Co.   11,400    1,200,420 
Progressive Corp., (The)   13,200    1,254,528 
         2,454,948 
Internet — 11.6%
Alphabet, Inc., Class A*   6,400    10,428,992 
Amazon.com, Inc.*   7,400    25,537,104 
CDW Corp.   9,600    1,091,040 
F5 Networks, Inc.*   121,000    16,011,930 
Facebook, Inc., Class A*   4,700    1,378,040 
GoDaddy, Inc., Class A*   39,400    3,296,992 
VeriSign, Inc.*   47,000    10,095,600 
         67,839,698 
Media — 2.9%
Charter Communications, Inc., Class A*   27,100    16,683,031 
Office & Business Equipment — 0.2%
Zebra Technologies Corp., Class A*   4,400    1,260,732 
Pharmaceuticals — 5.3%
AbbVie, Inc.   12,900    1,235,433 
Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.   17,900    1,113,380 
Eli Lilly & Co.   32,900    4,882,031 
Merck & Co., Inc.   133,100    11,349,437 
Pfizer, Inc.   33,000    1,247,070 
Zoetis, Inc.   70,200    11,239,020 
         31,066,371 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
38

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments (CONCLUDED)

August 31, 2020

 

   Number
of Shares
   Value 
REITs — 1.3%
Public Storage   29,100   $6,180,840 
Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc.   24,400    1,170,712 
         7,351,552 
Retail — 8.5%
Costco Wholesale Corp.   18,700    6,501,242 
Dollar General Corp.   88,400    17,846,192 
Target Corp.   29,400    4,445,574 
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.   151,400    21,021,890 
         49,814,898 
Semiconductors — 1.0%
Texas Instruments, Inc.   32,200    4,577,230 
Xilinx, Inc.   11,000    1,145,760 
         5,722,990 
Software — 22.4%
Adobe Systems, Inc.*   37,700    19,354,803 
Akamai Technologies, Inc.*   36,700    4,272,981 
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.*   55,400    6,144,414 
Cerner Corp.   104,400    7,659,828 
Dropbox, Inc., Class A*   50,300    1,064,851 
Electronic Arts, Inc.*   17,900    2,496,513 
Fiserv, Inc.*   65,200    6,492,616 
Five9, Inc.*   8,800    1,121,472 
Intuit, Inc.   63,300    21,863,187 
Jack Henry & Associates, Inc.   77,100    12,753,882 
Microsoft Corp.   82,900    18,696,437 
Paycom Software, Inc.*   9,600    2,874,816 
Salesforce.com, Inc.*   6,800    1,854,020 
ServiceNow, Inc.*   3,500    1,687,070 
Synopsys, Inc.*   6,500    1,438,450 
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.*   120,900    20,696,871 
         130,472,211 
Telecommunications — 4.1%
Cisco Systems, Inc.   136,900   $5,779,918 
Motorola Solutions, Inc.   6,500    1,005,875 
T-Mobile US, Inc.*   26,900    3,138,692 
Verizon Communications, Inc.   232,200    13,762,494 
         23,686,979 
Transportation — 1.8%
Expeditors International of Washington, Inc.   107,500    9,501,925 
Landstar System, Inc.   9,200    1,224,428 
         10,726,353 
Water — 0.4%
American Water Works Co., Inc.   16,600    2,346,244 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS          
(Cost $436,708,890)        566,277,427 
           
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 2.9%

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(a)

   16,954,809    16,954,809 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS          
(Cost $16,954,809)        16,954,809 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS - 100.1%          
(Cost $453,663,699)        583,232,236 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS - (0.1)%        (382,177)
NET ASSETS - 100.0%       $582,850,059 

 

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

PLC Public Limited Company

 

REIT Real Estate Investment Trust

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
39

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The following table presents a summary by sector of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

COMMON STOCKS:

               

Software

    9.7 %   $ 4,848,071  

Healthcare-Services

    7.6       3,813,970  

Pharmaceuticals

    7.0       3,493,970  

Food

    6.3       3,128,512  

Retail

    6.0       3,022,270  

Commercial Services

    5.6       2,797,913  

Computers

    4.8       2,367,515  

Insurance

    4.7       2,345,409  

REITs

    4.4       2,190,880  

Electric

    4.1       2,055,269  

Water

    3.9       1,946,625  

Internet

    3.7       1,856,165  

Road & Rail

    2.1       1,053,629  

Building Materials

    2.0       983,365  

Chemicals

    1.8       912,082  

Healthcare-Products

    1.8       888,865  

Packaging & Containers

    1.8       883,492  

Household Products/Wares

    1.8       882,434  

Diversified Financial Services

    1.6       796,838  

Gas

    1.4       681,842  

Textiles

    1.4       674,170  

Banks

    1.2       596,370  

Oil & Gas

    1.1       539,440  

Telecommunications

    1.0       480,460  

Leisure Time

    1.0       479,976  

Biotechnology

    1.0       479,010  

Electronics

    0.9       472,500  

Savings & Loans

    0.5       246,291  

Metal Fabricate/Hardware

    0.4       221,909  

Engineering & Construction

    0.4       210,825  

EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS

    2.0       998,976  

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

    7.1       3,555,573  

LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS

    -0.1       (68,147 )

NET ASSETS

    100 %   $ 49,836,469  

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
40

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   Number
of Shares
   Value 
COMMON STOCKS - 91.0%
Banks — 1.2%
First Financial Corp.   7,190   $247,264 
Great Southern Bancorp, Inc.   5,900    227,386 
Westamerica BanCorp   2,000    121,720 
         596,370 
Biotechnology — 1.0%
Emergent BioSolutions, Inc.*   4,200    479,010 
Building Materials — 2.0%
AAON, Inc.   9,500    540,835 
Simpson Manufacturing Co., Inc.   4,500    442,530 
         983,365 
Chemicals — 1.8%
Balchem Corp.   6,200    605,740 
Hawkins, Inc.   6,100    306,342 
         912,082 
Commercial Services — 5.6%
AMN Healthcare Services, Inc.*   4,700    253,048 
FTI Consulting, Inc.*   9,000    1,032,840 
Grand Canyon Education, Inc.*   6,200    583,048 
HMS Holdings Corp.*   12,000    334,680 
ICF International, Inc.   8,700    594,297 
         2,797,913 
Computers — 4.8%
Logitech International SA, (Switzerland)   16,900    1,263,782 
MAXIMUS, Inc.   8,000    620,400 
Sykes Enterprises, Inc.*   14,600    483,333 
         2,367,515 
Diversified Financial Services — 1.6%
Houlihan Lokey, Inc.   5,900    345,740 
International Money Express, Inc.*   11,700    197,964 
Virtu Financial, Inc., Class A   9,800    253,134 
         796,838 
Electric — 4.1%
Avangrid, Inc.   10,600    509,224 
Avista Corp.   4,800    176,928 
Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc.   6,700    231,887 
Otter Tail Corp.   4,200    163,170 
PNM Resources, Inc.   13,800    602,784 
Unitil Corp.   8,798    371,276 
         2,055,269 
Electronics — 0.9%
OSI Systems, Inc.*   6,000    472,500 
Engineering & Construction — 0.4%
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corp.*   22,500   $210,825 
Food — 6.3%
Flowers Foods, Inc.   53,000    1,296,380 
Grocery Outlet Holding Corp.*   22,700    933,651 
Ingles Markets, Inc., Class A   9,569    386,588 
Lancaster Colony Corp.   1,800    319,896 
Weis Markets, Inc.   3,900    191,997 
         3,128,512 
Gas — 1.4%
Chesapeake Utilities Corp.   4,800    392,640 
Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc.   4,600    289,202 
         681,842 
Healthcare-Products — 1.8%
Globus Medical, Inc., Class A*   9,700    548,244 
iRadimed Corp.*   8,300    175,960 
USANA Health Sciences, Inc.*   2,100    164,661 
         888,865 
Healthcare-Services — 7.6%
Amedisys, Inc.*   4,200    1,015,980 
PPD, Inc.*   5,900    202,606 
Repligen Corp.*   8,400    1,301,244 
Teladoc Health, Inc.*   6,000    1,294,140 
         3,813,970 
Household Products/Wares — 1.8%
Helen of Troy Ltd.*   2,500    517,050 
Reynolds Consumer Products, Inc.   3,000    99,690 
WD-40 Co.   1,300    265,694 
         882,434 
Insurance — 4.7%
Employers Holdings, Inc.   11,700    381,186 
Erie Indemnity Co., Class A   4,200    896,448 
Hanover Insurance Group Inc., (The)   6,000    614,940 
Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc.   34,700    452,835 
         2,345,409 
Internet — 3.7%
Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc.   5,800    390,108 
HealthStream, Inc.*   39,500    818,243 
NIC, Inc.   30,300    647,814 
         1,856,165 
Leisure Time — 1.0%
Johnson Outdoors, Inc., Class A   5,600    479,976 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
41

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

   Number
of Shares
   Value 
Metal Fabricate/Hardware — 0.4%
Northwest Pipe Co.*   7,833   $221,909 
Oil & Gas — 1.1%
Murphy USA, Inc.*   4,000    539,440 
Packaging & Containers — 1.8%
Silgan Holdings, Inc.   16,500    627,990 
UFP Technologies, Inc.*   6,200    255,502 
         883,492 
Pharmaceuticals — 7.0%
Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*   36,600    745,908 
BioSpecifics Technologies Corp.*   12,200    786,900 
Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*   17,600    698,368 
Neogen Corp.*   5,300    403,860 
Premier, Inc., Class A   22,000    720,500 
Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc.*   3,800    138,434 
         3,493,970 
REITs — 4.4%
Equity Commonwealth   19,200    602,688 
First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc.   9,100    388,115 
Healthcare Realty Trust, Inc.   10,900    314,465 
Life Storage, Inc.   8,400    885,612 
         2,190,880 
Retail — 6.0%
BJ’s Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc.*   16,500    732,765 
Casey’s General Stores, Inc.   3,200    569,120 
Freshpet, Inc.*   5,100    579,360 
MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc., Class A   2,600    171,340 
PC Connection, Inc.   21,894    969,685 
         3,022,270 
Road & Rail — 2.1%
Werner Enterprises, Inc.   22,900    1,053,629 
Savings & Loans — 0.5%
Waterstone Financial, Inc.   15,900    246,291 
Software — 9.7%
American Software, Inc., Class A   32,300    457,368 
CSG Systems International, Inc.   9,300    395,901 
Everbridge, Inc.*   5,100    757,911 
Five9, Inc.*   8,600    1,095,984 
ManTech International Corp., Class A   8,600    643,710 
Omnicell, Inc.*   3,400    226,712 
Progress Software Corp.   7,900    299,331 
Simulations Plus, Inc.   16,300    971,154 
         4,848,071 
Telecommunications — 1.0%
Ooma, Inc.*   18,800   $256,432 
Viavi Solutions, Inc.*   16,800    224,028 
         480,460 
Textiles — 1.4%
UniFirst Corp.   3,500    674,170 
Water — 3.9%
American States Water Co.   6,000    456,480 
Artesian Resources Corp., Class A   3,500    123,165 
California Water Service Group   8,889    403,027 
Middlesex Water Co.   9,700    622,061 
York Water Co., (The)   7,496    341,892 
         1,946,625 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS          
(Cost $40,266,889)        45,350,067 
           
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS - 2.0%
iShares Russell 2000 ETF   3,200    497,376 
Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF   4,000    501,600 
         998,976 
TOTAL EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS          
(Cost $1,001,138)        998,976 
           
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 7.1%

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(a)

   3,555,573    3,555,573 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS          
(Cost $3,555,573)        3,555,573 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS - 100.1%          
(Cost $44,823,600)        49,904,616 
LIABILITIES IN EXCESS OF OTHER ASSETS - (0.1)%        (68,147)
NET ASSETS - 100.0%       $49,836,469 

 

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

PLC Public Limited Company

 

REIT Real Estate Investment Trust

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
42

 

 

SGI GLOBAL EQUITY FUND

 

Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The following table presents a summary by sector of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

COMMON STOCKS:

               

Software

    17.4 %   $ 10,137,549  

Pharmaceuticals

    13.4       7,798,187  

Telecommunications

    8.2       4,787,813  

Food

    7.3       4,267,586  

Retail

    4.9       2,819,240  

Internet

    4.7       2,705,988  

Electric

    4.3       2,510,767  

Computers

    4.0       2,326,101  

Diversified Financial Services

    3.5       2,066,909  

Beverages

    2.5       1,464,245  

Healthcare-Products

    2.3       1,305,500  

Media

    2.1       1,214,283  

Household Products & Wares

    1.8       1,050,450  

Home Furnishings

    1.8       1,040,765  

Mining

    1.6       900,582  

Semiconductors

    1.4       816,275  

Insurance

    1.3       753,192  

Banks

    1.2       692,960  

Aerospace/Defense

    0.9       546,364  

Auto Manufacturers

    0.9       544,854  

Biotechnology

    0.8       474,504  

Building Materials

    0.8       464,322  

REITs

    0.5       297,360  

Apparel

    0.4       257,347  

Electronics

    0.4       235,335  

EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS

    2.9       1,699,803  

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

    8.6       5,010,311  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES

    0.1       73,430  

NET ASSETS

    100 %   $ 58,262,022  

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
43

 

 

SGI GLOBAL EQUITY FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   Number
of Shares
   Value 
COMMON STOCKS - 88.4%
Aerospace/Defense — 0.9%
Lockheed Martin Corp.   1,400   $546,364 
Apparel — 0.4%
NIKE, Inc., Class B   2,300    257,347 
Auto Manufacturers — 0.9%
Honda Motor Co., (Japan), SP ADR   21,300    544,854 
Banks — 1.2%
Royal Bank of Canada, (Canada)   3,800    289,256 
Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd., (South Korea), ADR   16,200    403,704 
         692,960 
Beverages — 2.5%
Coca-Cola Co., (The)   19,100    946,023 
PepsiCo, Inc.   3,700    518,222 
         1,464,245 
Biotechnology — 0.8%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.*   1,700    474,504 
Building Materials — 0.8%
Johnson Controls International PLC, (Ireland)   11,400    464,322 
Computers — 4.0%
Amdocs Ltd.   12,700    777,621 
Apple, Inc.   12,000    1,548,480 
         2,326,101 
Diversified Financial Services — 3.5%
Cboe Global Markets, Inc.   6,200    569,098 
Mastercard, Inc., Class A   1,700    608,923 
ORIX Corp., (Japan), SP ADR   14,300    888,888 
         2,066,909 
Electric — 4.3%
Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp., (Canada)   43,400    600,222 
Duke Energy Corp.   12,100    972,114 
Fortis Inc., (Canada)   13,200    528,528 
Xcel Energy, Inc.   5,900    409,903 
         2,510,767 
Electronics — 0.4%
Gentex Corp.   8,700    235,335 
Food — 7.3%
General Mills, Inc.   12,900    824,955 
Hershey Co., (The)   5,000    743,200 
Kellogg Co.   10,500    744,555 
Kroger Co., (The)   29,900    1,066,832 
Lancaster Colony Corp.   2,700    479,844 
Tyson Foods, Inc., Class A   6,500    408,200 
         4,267,586 
Healthcare-Products — 2.3%
Medtronic PLC, (Ireland)   6,800   $730,796 
STERIS PLC, (Ireland)   3,600    574,704 
         1,305,500 
Home Furnishings — 1.8%
Dolby Laboratories Inc., Class A   14,900    1,040,765 
Household Products & Wares — 1.8%
Clorox Co., (The)   4,700    1,050,450 
Insurance — 1.3%
Alleghany Corp.   700    388,192 
Chubb Ltd., (Switzerland)   2,920    365,000 
         753,192 
Internet — 4.7%
Alphabet, Inc., Class C*   600    980,508 
Amazon.com, Inc.*   500    1,725,480 
         2,705,988 
Media — 2.1%
Thomson Reuters Corp., (Canada)   15,900    1,214,283 
Mining — 1.6%
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. (Canada)   3,800    313,500 
Barrick Gold Corp. (Canada)   9,800    290,570 
Pan American Silver Corp. (Canada)   8,200    296,512 
         900,582 
Pharmaceuticals — 13.4%
CVS Health Corp.   8,300    515,596 
Eli Lilly & Co.   6,070    900,727 
GlaxoSmithKline PLC, (United Kingdom), SP ADR   16,500    653,400 
Merck & Co., Inc.   14,300    1,219,361 
Novartis AG, (Switzerland), SP ADR   7,300    628,238 
Novo Nordisk, (Denmark), SP ADR   12,100    799,084 
Pfizer, Inc.   20,300    767,137 
Sanofi, (France), ADR   19,970    1,010,083 
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Japan), SP ADR   70,100    1,304,561 
         7,798,187 
REITs — 0.5%
Public Storage   1,400    297,360 
Retail — 4.9%
Costco Wholesale Corp.   2,600    903,916 
Dollar General Corp.   3,600    726,768 
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.   8,560    1,188,556 
         2,819,240 

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
44

 

 

SGI GLOBAL EQUITY FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

   Number
of Shares
   Value 
Semiconductors — 1.4%
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., (China) SP ADR   10,300   $816,275 
Software — 17.4%
Activision Blizzard, Inc.   10,300    860,256 
Adobe Systems, Inc.*   2,800    1,437,492 
Intuit, Inc.   2,900    1,001,631 
Microsoft Corp.   7,600    1,714,028 
Nice Ltd., (Israel), SP ADR   5,300    1,218,205 
Salesforce.com, Inc.*   5,100    1,390,515 
SAP SE, (Germany), SP ADR   7,000    1,157,870 
ServiceNow, Inc.*   2,100    1,012,242 
Tyler Technologies, Inc.*   1,000    345,310 
         10,137,549 
Telecommunications — 8.2%
Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd., (China), SP ADR   29,000    1,070,679 
Orange SA, (France), SP ADR   90,200    1,003,926 
SK Telecom Co., Ltd., (South Korea), SP ADR   53,100    1,219,707 
Telekomunikasi Indonesia Persero Tbk PT, (Indonesia), SP ADR   33,600    669,648 
Verizon Communications, Inc.   13,900    823,853 
         4,787,813 
TOTAL COMMON STOCKS          
(Cost $44,036,400)        51,478,478 
           
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS - 2.9%
iShares MSCI ACWI ETF   10,300   $848,205 
Vanguard Total World Stock ETF   10,200    851,598 
         1,699,803 
TOTAL EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS          
(Cost $1,682,868)        1,699,803 
           
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 8.6%

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(a)

   5,010,311    5,010,311 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS          
(Cost $5,010,311)        5,010,311 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS - 99.9%          
(Cost $50,729,579)        58,188,592 
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES - 0.1%        73,430 
NET ASSETS - 100.0%       $58,262,022 

 

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

ADR American Depositary Receipt

 

ETF Exchange-Traded Funds

 

PLC Public Limited Company

 

REIT Real Estate Investment Trust

 

SP ADR Sponsored ADR

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
45

 

 

SGI CONSERVATIVE FUND

 

Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The following table presents a summary by sector of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS

    84.1 %   $ 551,325  

MUTUAL FUNDS

    9.0       59,029  

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

    4.7       30,608  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES

    2.2       14,232  

NET ASSETS

    100 %   $ 655,194  

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
46

 

 

SGI CONSERVATIVE FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   Number
of Shares
   Value 
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS - 84.1%
Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1   65   $19,167 
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF   25    4,055 
iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF   1,970    101,829 
iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF   3,160    374,049 
iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol EAFE ETF   70    4,821 
iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol USA ETF   340    22,144 
iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF   355    10,895 
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF   110    14,365 
         551,325 
TOTAL EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS          
(Cost $540,873)        551,325 
           
MUTUAL FUNDS - 9.0%
SGI US Large Cap Equity Fund, Class I   2,178    42,589 
SGI US Small Cap Equity Fund, Class I   1,639    16,440 
         59,029 
TOTAL MUTUAL FUNDS          
(Cost $52,877)        59,029 
           
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 4.7%

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(a)

   30,608    30,608 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS          
(Cost $30,608)        30,608 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS - 97.8%          
(Cost $624,358)        640,962 
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES - 2.2%        14,232 
NET ASSETS - 100.0%       $655,194 

 

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

ETF Exchange-Traded Funds

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
47

 

 

SGI PRUDENT GROWTH FUND

 

Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The following table presents a summary by sector of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS

    45.7 %   $ 2,927,327  

MUTUAL FUNDS

    52.0       3,334,408  

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

    2.2       139,360  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES

    0.1       6,748  

NET ASSETS

    100 %   $ 6,407,843  

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
48

 

 

SGI PRUDENT GROWTH FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   Number
of Shares
   Value 
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS - 45.7%
Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1   650   $191,672 
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF   260    42,169 
iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF   3,190    127,600 
iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF   960    49,622 
iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF   16,980    2,009,924 
iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol EAFE ETF   640    44,077 
iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol USA ETF   3,350    218,186 
iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF   3,400    104,346 
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF   1,070    139,731 
         2,927,327 
TOTAL EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS          
(Cost $2,861,631)        2,927,327 
           
MUTUAL FUNDS - 52.0%
SGI Global Equity Fund, Class I   39,664    1,306,141 
SGI US Large Cap Equity Fund, Class I   59,422    1,161,698 
SGI US Small Cap Equity Fund, Class I   86,398    866,569 
         3,334,408 
TOTAL MUTUAL FUNDS          
(Cost $3,094,516)        3,334,408 
           
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 2.2%

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(a)

   139,360    139,360 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS          
(Cost $139,360)        139,360 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS - 99.9%          
(Cost $6,095,507)        6,401,095 
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES - 0.1%        6,748 
NET ASSETS - 100.0%       $6,407,843 

 

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

ETF Exchange-Traded Funds

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
49

 

 

SGI PEAK GROWTH FUND

 

Portfolio Holdings Summary Table

August 31, 2020 (Unaudited)

 

The following table presents a summary by sector of the portfolio holdings of the Fund:

 

   

% of Net
Assets

   

Value

 

EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS

    15.8 %   $ 1,159,285  

MUTUAL FUNDS

    81.2       5,945,867  

SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS

    2.1       155,767  

OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES

    0.9       65,826  

NET ASSETS

    100 %   $ 7,326,745  

 

 

Portfolio holdings are subject to change at any time.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
50

 

 

SGI PEAK GROWTH FUND

 

Portfolio of Investments

August 31, 2020

 

   Number
of Shares
   Value 
EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS - 15.8%
Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1   720   $212,313 
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF   300    48,657 
iShares Core 1-5 Year USD Bond ETF   1,090    56,342 
iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF   1,210    143,228 
iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol EAFE ETF   730    50,275 
iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol USA ETF   3,830    249,448 
iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF   2,710    120,703 
iShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Min Vol Factor ETF   3,920    120,305 
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF   1,210    158,014 
         1,159,285 
TOTAL EXCHANGE-TRADED FUNDS          
(Cost $1,075,652)        1,159,285 
           
MUTUAL FUNDS - 81.2%
SGI Global Equity Fund, Class I   62,065    2,043,807 
SGI US Large Cap Equity Fund, Class I   97,881    1,913,579 
SGI US Small Cap Equity Fund, Class I   198,253    1,988,481 
         5,945,867 
TOTAL MUTUAL FUNDS          
(Cost $5,432,540)        5,945,867 
           
SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS - 2.1%

U.S. Bank Money Market Deposit Account, 0.05%(a)

   155,767    155,767 
TOTAL SHORT-TERM INVESTMENTS          
(Cost $155,767)        155,767 
TOTAL INVESTMENTS - 99.1%          
(Cost $6,663,959)        7,260,919 
OTHER ASSETS IN EXCESS OF LIABILITIES - 0.9%        65,826 
NET ASSETS - 100.0%       $7,326,745 

 

 

*

Non-income producing security.

 

(a)

The rate shown is as of August 31, 2020.

 

ETF Exchange-Traded Funds

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
51

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Statements of Assets and Liabilities

August 31, 2020

 

   

SGI U.S.
Large Cap
Equity Fund

   

SGI U.S.
Small Cap
Equity Fund

   

SGI Global
Equity Fund

 

ASSETS

                       

Investments, at value (cost $436,708,890, $41,268,027 and $45,719,268, respectively)

  $ 566,277,427     $ 46,349,043     $ 53,178,281  

Short-term investments, at value (cost $16,954,809, $3,555,573 and $5,010,311, respectively)

    16,954,809       3,555,573       5,010,311  

Receivables for:

                       

Capital shares sold

    1,144,218       35,136       116,187  

Dividends

    440,484       42,141       91,492  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    48,837       22,580       16,137  

Total assets

  $ 584,865,775     $ 50,004,473     $ 58,412,408  
                         

LIABILITIES

                       

Payables for:

                       

Capital shares redeemed

  $ 1,539,140     $ 94,041     $ 95,811  

Advisory fees

    341,237       34,213       27,794  

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    135,339       39,750       26,781  

Total liabilities

    2,015,716       168,004       150,386  

Net assets

  $ 582,850,059     $ 49,836,469     $ 58,262,022  
                         

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

                       

Par value

  $ 29,815     $ 4,971     $ 1,770  

Paid-in capital

    467,342,418       56,615,072       52,679,903  

Total distributable earnings/(loss)

    115,477,826       (6,783,574 )     5,580,349  

Net assets

  $ 582,850,059     $ 49,836,469     $ 58,262,022  

CLASS I SHARES:

                       

Net assets applicable to Class I Shares

  $ 556,511,067     $ 42,829,633     $ 58,262,022  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    28,466,595       4,269,773       1,769,517  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 19.55     $ 10.03     $ 32.93  
                         

CLASS A SHARES:

                       

Net assets applicable to Class A Shares

  $ 23,424,329     $ 6,904,748     $  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    1,195,529       690,321        

Net asset value and redemption price per share

  $ 19.59     $ 10.00     $  

Maximum offering price per share (100/94.75 of $19.59 and $10.00, respectively)

  $ 20.68     $ 10.56     $  
                         

CLASS C SHARES:

                       

Net assets applicable to Class C Shares

  $ 2,914,663     $ 102,088     $  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    152,539       10,475        

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 19.11     $ 9.75     $  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
52

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Statements of Assets and Liabilities (Concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

   

SGI
CONSERVATIVE
Fund

   

SGI prudent
growth
Fund

   

SGI peak
growth
Fund

 

ASSETS

                       

Investments, at value (cost $593,750, $5,956,147,and $6,508,192, respectively)

  $ 610,354     $ 6,261,735     $ 7,105,152  

Short-term investments, at value (cost $30,608, $139,360 and $155,767, respectively)

    30,608       139,360       155,767  

Receivables for:

                       

Capital shares sold

                57,877  

Due from advisor

    11,192       2,753       3,604  

Offering costs

    20,808       20,808       20,808  

Prepaid expenses and other assets

    338       918       98  

Total assets

  $ 673,300     $ 6,425,574     $ 7,343,306  
                         

LIABILITIES

                       

Other accrued expenses and liabilities

    18,106       17,731       16,561  

Total liabilities

    18,106       17,731       16,561  

Net assets

  $ 655,194     $ 6,407,843     $ 7,326,745  
                         

NET ASSETS CONSIST OF:

                       

Par value

  $ 63     $ 604     $ 669  

Paid-in capital

    623,434       6,112,178       6,744,683  

Total distributable earnings/(loss)

    31,697       295,061       581,393  

Net assets

  $ 655,194     $ 6,407,843     $ 7,326,745  

CLASS I SHARES:

                       

Net assets applicable to Class I Shares

  $ 655,194     $ 6,407,843     $ 7,326,745  

Shares outstanding ($0.001 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized)

    63,386       604,430       669,429  

Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share

  $ 10.34     $ 10.60     $ 10.94  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
53

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Statements of Operations

FOR THE Year ENDED August 31, 2020

 

   

SGI U.S.
Large Cap
Equity Fund

   

SGI U.S.
Small Cap
Equity Fund

   

SGI Global
Equity Fund

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

                       

Dividends (net of foreign withholdings taxes of $0, $2,167 and $54,425, respectively)

  $ 8,789,971     $ 838,108     $ 765,397  

Total investment income

    8,789,971       838,108       765,397  
                         

EXPENSES

                       

Advisory fees (Note 2)

    3,816,945       420,162       248,259  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    235,495       36,807       10,577  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 2)

    215,073       27,277       19,365  

Legal fees

    91,318       5,247       1,028  

Director fees

    68,177       4,589       1,248  

Officer fees

    67,328       3,526       1,908  

Registration and filing fees

    56,757       52,556       23,104  

Distribution fees - Class A Shares

    45,623       13,306        

Distribution fees - Class C Shares

    26,701       1,492        

Audit and tax service fees

    31,753       30,038       31,029  

Printing and shareholder reporting fees

    25,855       4,244       2,590  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    12,829       11,233       5,040  

Other expenses

    39,268       6,507       4,657  

Total expenses before waivers and/or reimbursements

    4,733,122       616,984       348,805  

(Waivers and/or reimbursements) net of amounts recouped (Note 2)

          (58,188 )     (50,894 )

Net expenses after waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped

    4,733,122       558,796       297,911  

Net investment income/(loss)

    4,056,849       279,312       467,486  
                         

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

                       

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    (11,612,784 )     (10,620,497 )     (1,838,679 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    54,613,524       4,605,882       5,566,336  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    43,000,740       (6,014,615 )     3,727,657  

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ 47,057,589     $ (5,735,303 )   $ 4,195,143  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
54

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

Statements of Operations (Concluded)

FOR THE PERIOD ENDED August 31, 2020

 

   

SGI
CONSERVATIVE
FUND(1)

   

SGI PRUDENT
GROWTH
FUND
(1)

   

SGI PEAK
GROWTH
FUND
(1)

 

INVESTMENT INCOME

                       

Dividends (net of foreign withholdings taxes of $0, $0 and $0, respectively)

  $ 3,472     $ 6,421     $ 1,413  

Total investment income

    3,472       6,421       1,413  
                         

EXPENSES

                       

Audit and tax service fees

    22,509       22,509       22,509  

Advisory fees (Note 2)

    1,619       7,723       9,066  

Administration and accounting fees (Note 2)

    2,338       2,361       2,375  

Offering costs

    5,805       5,805       5,805  

Transfer agent fees (Note 2)

    1,764       1,798       1,794  

Custodian fees (Note 2)

    600       601       850  

Other expenses

    78       98       93  

Total expenses before waivers and/or reimbursements

    34,713       40,895       42,492  

(Waivers and/or reimbursements) net of amounts recouped (Note 2)

    (31,044 )     (23,389 )     (21,942 )

Net expenses after waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped

    3,669       17,506       20,550  

Net investment income/(loss)

    (197 )     (11,085 )     (19,137 )
                         

NET REALIZED AND UNREALIZED GAIN/(LOSS) FROM INVESTMENTS

                       

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    15,290       558       1,287  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    16,604       305,588       596,960  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    31,894       306,146       598,247  

NET INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS RESULTING FROM OPERATIONS

  $ 31,697     $ 295,061     $ 579,110  

 

 

(1)

Fund commenced operations on June 8, 2020.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
55

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 4,056,849     $ 4,824,569  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    (11,612,784 )     10,735,023  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    54,613,524       11,308,915  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    47,057,589       26,868,507  
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (14,903,187 )     (17,517,675 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (14,903,187 )     (17,517,675 )
                 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

       

Class I Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    227,813,044       172,452,578  

Reinvestment of distributions

    4,370,538       5,036,367  

Shares redeemed

    (202,815,918 )     (126,569,669 )

Total from Class I Shares

    29,367,664       50,919,276  

Class A Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    11,780,291       7,959,689  

Reinvestment of distributions

    410,286       403,709  

Shares redeemed

    (5,403,116 )     (3,680,077 )

Total from Class A Shares

    6,787,461       4,683,321  

Class C Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    1,268,707       613,171  

Reinvestment of distributions

    48,859       62,829  

Shares redeemed

    (975,466 )     (300,742 )

Total from Class C Shares

    342,100       375,258  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    36,497,225       55,977,855  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    68,651,627       65,328,687  
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    514,198,432       448,869,745  

End of period

  $ 582,850,059     $ 514,198,432  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
56

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets (Concluded)

 

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2020

   

FOR THE
YEAR ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2019

 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Class I Shares

               

Shares sold

    12,796,027       10,188,257  

Shares reinvested

    238,109       323,051  

Shares redeemed

    (11,814,581 )     (7,611,254 )

Total Class I Shares

    1,219,555       2,900,054  

Class A Shares

               

Shares sold

    678,397       465,645  

Shares reinvested

    22,298       25,780  

Shares redeemed

    (311,716 )     (214,621 )

Total Class A Shares

    388,979       276,804  

Class C Shares

               

Shares sold

    73,186       37,288  

Shares reinvested

    2,734       4,104  

Shares redeemed

    (55,487 )     (18,244 )

Total Class C Shares

    20,433       23,148  

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    1,628,967       3,200,006  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
57

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 279,312     $ 414,594  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    (10,620,497 )     (817,062 )

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    4,605,882       (4,332,683 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (5,735,303 )     (4,735,151 )
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (502,870 )     (1,658,610 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (502,870 )     (1,658,610 )
                 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

Class I Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    28,871,289       20,004,763  

Reinvestment of distributions

    300,161       838,394  

Shares redeemed

    (14,342,228 )     (12,930,454 )

Total from Class I Shares.

    14,829,222       7,912,703  

Class A Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    5,325,935       2,224,523  

Reinvestment of distributions

    46,215       151,457  

Shares redeemed

    (1,871,475 )     (1,449,518 )

Total from Class A Shares

    3,500,675       926,462  

Class C Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    197,322       14,600  

Reinvestment of distributions

    755       7,326  

Shares redeemed

    (165,953 )     (72,888 )

Total from Class C Shares

    32,124       (50,962 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    18,362,021       8,788,203  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    12,123,848       2,394,442  
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    37,712,621       35,318,179  

End of period

  $ 49,836,469     $ 37,712,621  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
58

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets (Concluded)

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Class I Shares

               

Shares sold

    2,724,552       1,698,457  

Shares reinvested

    24,285       76,496  

Shares redeemed

    (1,412,848 )     (1,124,567 )

Total Class I Shares

    1,335,989       650,386  

Class A Shares

               

Shares sold

    529,555       191,173  

Shares reinvested

    3,745       13,832  

Shares redeemed

    (182,617 )     (123,219 )

Total Class A Shares

    350,683       81,786  

Class C Shares

               

Shares sold

    18,619       1,304  

Shares reinvested

    62       680  

Shares redeemed

    (18,392 )     (6,497 )

Total Class C Shares

    289       (4,513 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    1,686,961       727,659  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
59

 

 

SGI GLOBAL EQUITY FUND

 

Statements of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2020

   

For the
Year Ended
August 31, 2019

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

               

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ 467,486     $ 344,925  

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    (1,838,679 )     2,120,140  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    5,566,336       (688,644 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    4,195,143       1,776,421  
                 

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS:

               

Total distributable earnings

    (985,930 )     (258,783 )

Net decrease in net assets from dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (985,930 )     (258,783 )
                 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

Class I Shares

               

Proceeds from shares sold

    45,798,226       2,899,780  

Reinvestment of distributions

    698,565       254,839  

Shares redeemed

    (12,964,281 )     (2,681,816 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    33,532,510       472,803  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    36,741,723       1,990,441  
                 

NET ASSETS:

               

Beginning of period

    21,520,299       19,529,858  

End of period

  $ 58,262,022     $ 21,520,299  
 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

               

Class I Shares

               

Shares sold

    1,517,536       93,423  

Shares reinvested

    21,205       8,846  

Shares redeemed

    (429,011 )     (87,129 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    1,109,730       15,140  

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
60

 

 

SGI CONSERVATIVE FUND

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

FOR THE
PERIOD ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2020
(1)

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

       

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (197 )

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    15,290  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    16,604  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    31,697  
         

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

Class I Shares

       

Proceeds from shares sold

    1,246,923  

Shares redeemed

    (623,426 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    623,497  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    655,194  
         

NET ASSETS:

       

Beginning of period

     

End of period

  $ 655,194  
 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

       

Class I Shares

       

Shares sold

    123,505  

Shares redeemed

    (60,119 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    63,386  

 

 

(1)

Fund commenced operations on June 8, 2020.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
61

 

 

SGI PRUDENT GROWTH FUND

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

FOR THE
PERIOD ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2020
(1)

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

       

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (11,085 )

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    558  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    305,588  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    295,061  
         

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

Class I Shares

       

Proceeds from shares sold

    6,362,213  

Shares redeemed

    (249,431 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    6,112,782  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    6,407,843  
         

NET ASSETS:

       

Beginning of period

     

End of period

  $ 6,407,843  
 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

       

Class I Shares

       

Shares sold

    629,135  

Shares redeemed

    (24,705 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    604,430  

 

 

(1)

Fund commenced operations on June 8, 2020.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
62

 

 

SGI PEAK GROWTH FUND

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

   

FOR THE
PERIOD ENDED
AUGUST 31, 2020
(1)

 

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM OPERATIONS:

       

Net investment income/(loss)

  $ (19,137 )

Net realized gain/(loss) from investments

    1,287  

Net change in unrealized appreciation/(depreciation) on investments

    596,960  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    579,110  
         

INCREASE/(DECREASE) IN NET ASSETS FROM CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS:

Class I Shares

       

Proceeds from shares sold

    6,840,227  

Shares redeemed

    (92,592 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets from capital share transactions

    6,747,635  

Total increase/(decrease) in net assets

    7,326,745  
         

NET ASSETS:

       

Beginning of period

     

End of period

  $ 7,326,745  
 

SHARES TRANSACTIONS:

       

Class I Shares

       

Shares sold

    678,507  

Shares redeemed

    (9,078 )

Net increase/(decrease) in shares outstanding

    669,429  

 

 

(1)

Fund commenced operations on June 8, 2020.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
63

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Financial Highlights

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class I Shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

Class I Shares

 
   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 18.24     $ 17.97     $ 15.43     $ 14.69     $ 13.78  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.14       0.18       0.16       0.22       0.21  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments(2)

    1.66       0.75       3.52       0.90       1.66  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    1.80       0.93       3.68       1.12       1.87  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.18 )     (0.11 )     (0.18 )     (0.16 )     (0.21 )

Net realized capital gains

    (0.31 )     (0.55 )     (0.96 )     (0.22 )     (0.75 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.49 )     (0.66 )     (1.14 )     (0.38 )     (0.96 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 19.55     $ 18.24     $ 17.97     $ 15.43     $ 14.69  

Total investment return/(loss)(3)

    10.10 %     5.83 %     24.98 %     7.73 %     13.99 %
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 556,511     $ 497,097     $ 437,424     $ 91,977     $ 106,110  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped

    0.85 %     0.93 %     0.98 %     0.98 %     0.98 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped

    0.85 %     0.86 %     0.94 %     1.14 %     1.14 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    0.76 %     1.07 %     0.87 %     1.32 %     1.49 %

Portfolio turnover rate(4)

    129 %     104 %     85 %     31 %     41 %

 

 

(1)

The selected per share data is calculated based on average shares outstanding method for the period.

(2)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(3)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(4)

Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the Fund, as a whole, for the entire period.

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
64

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class A Shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

Class A Shares

 
   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Period
October 29,
2015
(1) to
August 31,
2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 18.29     $ 17.99     $ 15.40     $ 14.67     $ 14.69  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    0.08       0.14       0.10       0.16       0.14  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments(3)

    1.67       0.76       3.55       0.92       0.79  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    1.75       0.90       3.65       1.08       0.93  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.14 )     (0.05 )     (0.10 )     (0.13 )     (0.20 )

Net realized capital gains

    (0.31 )     (0.55 )     (0.96 )     (0.22 )     (0.75 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.45 )     (0.60 )     (1.06 )     (0.35 )     (0.95 )

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 19.59     $ 18.29     $ 17.99     $ 15.40     $ 14.67  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    9.78 %     5.61 %     24.68 %     7.48 %     6.74 %(5)
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 23,424     $ 14,751     $ 9,530     $ 22,195     $ 19,288  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped

    1.10 %     1.18 %     1.23 %     1.23 %     1.23 %(6)

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped

    1.10 %     1.11 %     1.27 %     1.39 %     1.38 %(6)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    0.47 %     0.84 %     0.62 %     1.07 %     1.15 %(6)

Portfolio turnover rate(7)

    129 %     104 %     85 %     31 %     41 %(5)

 

 

(1)

Commencement of operations.

(2)

The selected per share data is calculated based on the average shares outstanding method for the period.

(3)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total investment return does not reflect any applicable sales charge.

(5)

Not annualized.

(6)

Annualized.

(7)

Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the Fund, as a whole, for the entire period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
65

 

 

SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class C Shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

Class C Shares

 
   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Period
December 31,
2015
(1) to
August 31,
2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 17.79     $ 17.59     $ 15.15     $ 14.51     $ 13.57  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    (0.05 )     0.01       (0.02 )     0.04       0.03  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments(3)

    1.71       0.74       3.48       0.93       0.91  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    1.66       0.75       3.46       0.97       0.94  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.03 )           (0.06 )     (0.11 )      

Net realized capital gains

    (0.31 )     (0.55 )     (0.96 )     (0.22 )      

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.34 )     (0.55 )     (1.02 )     (0.33 )      

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 19.11     $ 17.79     $ 17.59     $ 15.15     $ 14.51  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    9.47 %     4.78 %     23.80 %     6.74 %     6.93 %(5)
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 2,915     $ 2,350     $ 1,916     $ 1,226     $ 373  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped

    1.85 %     1.93 %     1.98 %     1.98 %     1.99 %(6)

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and/or reimbursements net of amounts recouped

    1.85 %     1.86 %     2.00 %     2.15 %     2.16 %(6)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.26 )%     0.07 %     (0.11 )%     0.30 %     0.32 %(6)

Portfolio turnover rate(7)

    129 %     104 %     85 %     31 %     41 %(5)

 

 

(1)

Commencement of operations.

(2)

The selected per share data is calculated based on the average shares outstanding method for the period.

(3)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(5)

Not annualized.

(6)

Annualized.

(7)

Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the Fund, as a whole, for the entire period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
66

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class I Shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

Class I Shares

 
   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Period
March 31,
2016
(1) to
August 31,
2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 11.49     $ 13.82     $ 12.39     $ 10.83     $ 10.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    0.07       0.14       (0.01 )     0.04       0.02  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments(3)

    (1.40 )     (1.89 )     2.61       1.57       0.81  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (1.33 )     (1.75 )     2.60       1.61       0.83  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.13 )     (0.04 )     (0.05 )     (0.05 )      

Net realized capital gains

          (0.54 )     (1.12 )     (7)       

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.13 )     (0.58 )     (1.17 )     (0.05 )      

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 10.03     $ 11.49     $ 13.82     $ 12.39     $ 10.83  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    (11.75 )%     (12.43 )%     22.26 %     14.86 %     8.30 %(5)
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 42,830     $ 33,707     $ 31,559     $ 12,919     $ 10,095  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements

    1.23 %     1.23 %     1.23 %     1.23 %     1.23 %(6)

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements

    1.36 %     1.40 %     1.60 %     2.21 %     4.43 %(6)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    0.68 %     1.19 %     (0.05 )%     0.31 %     0.53 %(6)

Portfolio turnover rate(8)

    151 %     145 %     122 %     95 %     0.01 %(5)

 

 

(1)

Commencement of operations.

(2)

The selected per share data is calculated based on the average shares outstanding method for the period.

(3)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(5)

Not annualized.

(6)

Annualized.

(7)

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

(8)

Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the Fund, as a whole, for the entire period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
67

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class A Shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

Class A Shares

 
   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Period
March 31,
2016
(1) to
August 31,
2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 11.46     $ 13.80     $ 12.38     $ 10.83     $ 10.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    0.03       0.11       (0.03 )     0.01       0.01  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments(3)

    (1.38 )     (1.88 )     2.59       1.57       0.82  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (1.35 )     (1.77 )     2.56       1.58       0.83  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.11 )     (0.03 )     (0.02 )     (0.03 )      

Net realized capital gains

          (0.54 )     (1.12 )     (7)       

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.11 )     (0.57 )     (1.14 )     (0.03 )      

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 10.00     $ 11.46     $ 13.80     $ 12.38     $ 10.83  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    (11.95 )%     (12.61 )%     21.90 %     14.63 %     8.30 %(5)
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 6,905     $ 3,892     $ 3,560     $ 3,132     $ 2,010  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements

    1.48 %     1.48 %     1.48 %     1.48 %     1.48 %(6)

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements

    1.61 %     1.65 %     1.86 %     2.44 %     4.68 %(6)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    0.32 %     0.94 %     (0.23 )%     0.06 %     0.28 %(6)

Portfolio turnover rate(8)

    151 %     145 %     122 %     95 %     0.01 %(5)

 

 

(1)

Commencement of operations.

(2)

The selected per share data is calculated based on the average shares outstanding method for the period.

(3)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any. Total investment return does not reflect any applicable sales charge.

(5)

Not annualized.

(6)

Annualized.

(7)

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

(8)

Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the Fund, as a whole, for the entire period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
68

 

 

SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND

 

Financial Highlights (continued)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class C Shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

Class C Shares

 
   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Period
March 31,
2016
(1) to
August 31,
2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 11.22     $ 13.59     $ 12.27     $ 10.80     $ 10.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    (0.03 )     0.01       (0.12 )     (0.08 )     (0.02 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments(3)

    (1.37 )     (1.84 )     2.56       1.55       0.82  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    (1.40 )     (1.83 )     2.44       1.47       0.80  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net realized capital gains

    (0.07 )     (0.54 )     (1.12 )     (7)       

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (0.07 )     (0.54 )     (1.12 )     (7)       

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 9.75     $ 11.22     $ 13.59     $ 12.27     $ 10.80  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    (12.57 )%     (13.30 )%     21.05 %     13.63 %     8.00 %(5)
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 102     $ 114     $ 200     $ 168     $ 26  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements

    2.23 %     2.23 %     2.23 %     2.23 %     2.23 %(6)

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements

    2.36 %     2.40 %     2.61 %     2.89 %     5.43 %(6)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.29 )%     0.09 %     (0.95 )%     (0.67 )%     (0.47 )%(6)

Portfolio turnover rate(8)

    151 %     145 %     122 %     95 %     0.01 %(5)

 

 

(1)

Commencement of operations.

(2)

The selected per share data is calculated based on the average shares outstanding method for the period.

(3)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(5)

Not annualized.

(6)

Annualized.

(7)

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

(8)

Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the Fund, as a whole, for the entire period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
69

 

 

SGI GLOBAL EQUITY FUND

 

Financial Highlights (CONTINUED)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class I shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the respective periods. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

Class I Shares

 
   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2020

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2019

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2018

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2017

   

For the
Year
Ended
August 31,
2016

 

Per Share Operating Performance

                                       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 32.62     $ 30.30     $ 27.20     $ 24.93     $ 28.29  

Net investment income/(loss)(1)

    0.41       0.53       0.35       0.06       (0.19 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments

    1.06       2.20       2.75       2.21       (1.25 )

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    1.47       2.73       3.10       2.27       (1.44 )

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

                                       

Net investment income

    (0.85 )     (0.41 )                  

Net realized capital gains

    (0.31 )                       (1.93 )

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

    (1.16 )     (0.41 )                 (1.93 )

Redemption fees added to paid-in capital(1)

    (2)      (2)      (2)      (2)      0.01  

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 32.93     $ 32.62     $ 30.30     $ 27.20     $ 24.93  

Total investment return/(loss)(3)

    4.53 %     9.18 %     11.36 %     9.15 %     (5.44 )%
                                         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

                                       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 58,262     $ 21,520     $ 19,530     $ 22,765     $ 64,378  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements

    0.84 %     0.84 %     0.84 %     0.84 %     0.84 %

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements

    0.98 %     1.11 %     1.25 %     1.32 %     1.13 %

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    1.32 %     1.75 %     1.19 %     0.26 %     (0.76 )%

Portfolio turnover rate (4)

    122 %     74 %     44 %     247 %     375 %

 

 

(1)

The selected per share data was calculated based on average shares outstanding method for the period.

(2)

Amount represents less than $0.005 per share.

(3)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(4)

Portfolio turnover rate is calculated for the Fund, as a whole, for the entire period.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
70

 

 

SGI CONSERVATIVE FUND

 

Financial Highlights (CONTINUED)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class I shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the period. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

Class I
Shares

 
   

FOR THE
PERIOD
JUNE 8, 2020
TO
AUGUST 31,
2020

 

Per Share Operating Performance

       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 10.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    0.00  

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments(3)

    0.34  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    0.34  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

       

Net investment income

     

Net realized capital gains

     

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

     

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 10.34  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    3.40 %(6)
         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 655  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements

    1.70 %(5)

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements

    16.08 %(5)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (0.09 )%(5)

Portfolio turnover rate

    65 %(6)

 

 

(1)

The Fund commenced investment operations on June 8, 2020.

(2)

The selected per share data was calculated based on average shares outstanding method for the period.

(3)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(5)

Annualized.

(6)

Not annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
71

 

 

SGI PRUDENT GROWTH FUND

 

Financial Highlights (CONTINUED)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class I shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the period. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

Class I
Shares

 
   

FOR THE
PERIOD
JUNE 8, 2020
TO
AUGUST 31,
2020

 

Per Share Operating Performance

       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 10.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    (0.03 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments(3)

    0.63  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    0.60  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

       

Net investment income

     

Net realized capital gains

     

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

     

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 10.60  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    6.00 %(6)
         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 6,408  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements

    1.70 %(5)

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements

    3.97 %(5)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (1.08 )%(5)

Portfolio turnover rate

    6 %(6)

 

 

(1)

The Fund commenced investment operations on June 8, 2020.

(2)

The selected per share data was calculated based on average shares outstanding method for the period.

(3)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(5)

Annualized.

(6)

Not annualized.

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
72

 

 

SGI PEAK GROWTH FUND

 

Financial Highlights (concluded)

 

Contained below is per share operating performance data for Class I shares outstanding, total investment return/(loss), ratios to average net assets and other supplemental data for the period. This information has been derived from information provided in the financial statements.

 

 

   

Class I
Shares

 
   

FOR THE
PERIOD
JUNE 8, 2020
TO
AUGUST 31,
2020

 

Per Share Operating Performance

       

Net asset value, beginning of period

  $ 10.00  

Net investment income/(loss)(2)

    (0.04 )

Net realized and unrealized gain/(loss) on investments(3)

    0.98  

Net increase/(decrease) in net assets resulting from operations

    0.94  

Dividends and distributions to shareholders from:

       

Net investment income

     

Net realized capital gains

     

Total dividends and distributions to shareholders

     

Net asset value, end of period

  $ 10.94  

Total investment return/(loss)(4)

    9.40 %(6)
         

Ratios/Supplemental Data

       

Net assets, end of period (000’s omitted)

  $ 7,327  

Ratio of expenses to average net assets with waivers and reimbursements

    1.70 %(5)

Ratio of expenses to average net assets without waivers and reimbursements

    3.52 %(5)

Ratio of net investment income/(loss) to average net assets

    (1.58 )%(5)

Portfolio turnover rate

    5 %(6)

 

 

(1)

The Fund commenced investment operations on June 8, 2020.

(2)

The selected per share data was calculated based on average shares outstanding method for the period.

(3)

The amount shown may not correlate with the change in the aggregate gains and losses due to the timing of sales and purchases of the Fund’s shares in relation to fluctuating market values for the Fund’s portfolio.

(4)

Total investment return/(loss) is calculated assuming a purchase of shares on the first day and a sale of shares on the last day of each period reported and includes reinvestments of dividends and distributions, if any.

(5)

Annualized.

(6)

Not annualized.

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
73

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

 

Notes to Financial Statements

August 31, 2020

 

1. Organization and Significant Accounting Policies

 

The RBB Fund, Inc. (“RBB” or the “Company”) was incorporated under the laws of the State of Maryland on February 29, 1988 and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the “1940 Act”) as an open-end management investment company. RBB is a “series fund,” which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios. Each portfolio is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act, and for other purposes, and a shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio. Currently, RBB has thirty-five separate investment portfolios, including the SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, the SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, the SGI Global Equity Fund, the SGI Conservative Fund, the SGI Prudent Growth Fund and the SGI Peak Growth Fund (each a “Fund” and, collectively, the “Funds”). The SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund and the SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund commenced investment operations on February 29, 2012 and March 31, 2016, respectively. The SGI Conservative Fund, the SGI Prudent Growth Fund and the SGI Peak Growth Fund commenced investment operations on June 8, 2020.

 

The Dynamic U.S. Growth Fund (the “Predecessor Fund”), a series of Scotia Institutional Funds, transferred all of its assets and liabilities to the SGI Global Equity Fund in a tax-free reorganization (the “Reorganization”). The Reorganization occurred at the close of business on March 21, 2014. The Predecessor Fund commenced operations on March 31, 2009. As a result of the Reorganization, the performance and accounting history of the Predecessor Fund was assumed by the Fund. Effective January 3, 2017, Summit Global Investments, LLC (“Summit” or the “Adviser”) took over management of the Fund from its predecessor investment manager.

 

As of the end of the reporting period, the SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, the SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund and the SGI Global Equity Fund all offer three classes of shares: Class I Shares, Class A Shares and Class C Shares; the SGI Conservative Fund, the SGI Prudent Growth Fund and the SGI Peak Growth Fund all offer one class of shares; Class I Shares. As of the end of the reporting period, Class A Shares and Class C Shares of the SGI Global Equity Fund were not yet operational.

 

RBB has authorized capital of one hundred billion shares of common stock of which 87.823 billion shares are currently classified into one hundred and eighty-nine classes of common stock. Each class represents an interest in an active or inactive RBB investment portfolio.

 

The investment objective of the SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund is to outperform the S&P 500® Index over a market cycle while reducing overall volatility. The investment objective of the SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund is to outperform the Russell 2000® Index over a market cycle while reducing overall volatility. The investment objective of each of the SGI Global Equity Fund, the SGI Conservative Fund, the SGI Prudent Growth Fund and the SGI Peak Growth Fund is to seek long-term capital appreciation.

 

The Funds are investment companies and follow accounting and reporting guidance in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 946 “Financial Services - Investment Companies.”

 

The end of the reporting period for the Funds is August 31, 2020, and the period covered by these Notes to Financial Statements is the fiscal period ended August 31, 2020 (the “current fiscal period”).

 

Portfolio Valuation — Each Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. Securities held by the Funds are valued using the closing price or the last sale price on a national securities exchange or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”) market system where they are primarily traded. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities are valued using an independent pricing service, which considers such factors as security prices, yields, maturities and ratings, and are deemed representative of market values at the close of the market. Investments in Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”) are valued at their last reported sale price. Investments in other open-end investment companies, if any, are valued

 

74

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

 

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as disclosed in their prospectuses). If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by The RBB Fund, Inc.’s Board of Directors (the “Board”). Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation may result in values that are higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

 

Fair Value Measurements — The inputs and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of the Funds’ investments are summarized into three levels as described in the hierarchy below:

 

 

● Level 1 —

Prices are determined using quoted prices in active markets for identical securities.

 

 

● Level 2 —

Prices are determined using other significant observable inputs (including quoted prices for similar securities, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, etc.).

 

 

● Level 3 —

Prices are determined using significant unobservable inputs (including the Funds’ own assumptions in determining the fair value of investments).

 

The inputs or methodologies used for valuing securities are not necessarily an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.

 

The following is a summary of the inputs used, as of the end of the reporting period, in valuing each Funds’ investments carried at fair value:

 

   

Total

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

                               

Common Stocks

  $ 566,277,427     $ 566,277,427     $     $  

Short-Term Investments

    16,954,809       16,954,809              

Total Investments*

  $ 583,232,236     $ 583,232,236     $     $  
                                 

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

                               

Common Stocks

  $ 45,350,067     $ 45,350,067     $     $  

Exchange-Traded Funds

    998,976       998,976              

Short-Term Investments

    3,555,573       3,555,573              

Total Investments*

  $ 49,904,616     $ 49,904,616     $     $  
                                 

SGI Global Equity Fund

                               

Common Stocks

  $ 51,478,478     $ 51,478,478     $     $  

Exchange-Traded Funds

    1,699,803       1,699,803              

Short-Term Investments

    5,010,311       5,010,311              

Total Investments*

  $ 58,188,592     $ 58,188,592     $     $  
                                 

SGI CONSERVATIVE Fund

                               

Exchange-Traded Funds

  $ 551,325     $ 551,325     $     $  

Mutual Funds

    59,029       59,029              

Short-Term Investments

    30,608       30,608              

Total Investments*

  $ 640,962     $ 640,962     $     $  
                                 

 

75

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

 

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

   

Total

   

Level 1

   

Level 2

   

Level 3

 

SGI PRUDENT GROWTH Fund

                               

Exchange-Traded Funds

  $ 2,927,327     $ 2,927,327     $     $  

Mutual Funds

    3,334,408       3,334,408              

Short-Term Investments

    139,360       139,360              

Total Investments*

  $ 6,401,095     $ 6,401,095     $     $  
                                 

SGI PEAK GROWTH FUND

                               

Exchange-Traded Funds

  $ 1,159,285     $ 1,159,285     $     $  

Mutual Funds

    5,945,867       5,945 ,867                  

Short-Term Investments

    155,767       155,767              

Total Investments*

  $ 7,260,919     $ 7,260,919     $     $  

 

 

*

Please refer to Portfolio of Investments for further details.

 

At the end of each quarter, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities. Various factors are considered, such as changes in liquidity from the prior reporting period; whether or not a broker is willing to execute at the quoted price; the depth and consistency of prices from third party pricing services; and the existence of contemporaneous, observable trades in the market. Additionally, management evaluates the classification of Levels 1, 2 and 3 assets and liabilities on a quarterly basis for changes in listings or delistings on national exchanges.

 

Due to the inherent uncertainty of determining the fair value of investments that do not have a readily available market value, the fair value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate from period to period. Additionally, the fair value of investments may differ significantly from the values that would have been used had a ready market existed for such investments and may differ materially from the values the Fund may ultimately realize. Further, such investments may be subject to legal and other restrictions on resale or otherwise less liquid than publicly traded securities.

 

For fair valuations using significant unobservable inputs, U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires the Fund to present a reconciliation of the beginning to ending balances for reported market values that presents changes attributable to total realized and unrealized gains or losses, purchase and sales, and transfers in and out of Level 3 during the period. Transfers in and out between levels are based on values at the end of the period. A reconciliation of Level 3 investments is presented only if a Fund had an amount of Level 3 investments at the end of the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets. The amounts and reasons for all Level 3 transfers are disclosed if the Fund had an amount of total Level 3 transfers during the reporting period that was meaningful in relation to its net assets as of the end of the reporting period.

 

During the current fiscal period, the Fund had no Level 3 transfers.

 

Use of Estimates — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and those differences could be significant.

 

Investment Transactions, Investment Income and Expenses — The Funds record security transactions based on trade date for financial reporting purposes. The cost of investments sold is determined by use of the specific identification method for both financial reporting and income tax purposes in determining realized gains and losses on investments. Interest income (including amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts) is accrued when earned. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Distributions received on securities that represent a return of capital or capital gain are recorded as a reduction of cost of investments and/or as a realized gain. The Funds’ investment income, expenses (other than class specific expenses) and unrealized and realized gains and losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based upon the relative proportion of net assets of each class at the beginning of the day. Expenses incurred on behalf of a specific class, fund or fund family of the Company are charged directly to

 

76

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

 

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

the class, fund or fund family (in proportion to net assets). Expenses incurred for all of the RBB funds (such as director or professional fees) are charged to all funds in proportion to their average net assets of RBB, or in such other manner as the Board deems fair or equitable. Expenses and fees, including investment advisory and administration fees, are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Funds.

 

Dividends and Distributions to Shareholders — Dividends from net investment income and distributions from net realized capital gains, if any, are declared and paid at least annually to shareholders and recorded on the ex-dividend date. Income dividends and capital gain distributions are determined in accordance with U.S. federal income tax regulations, which may differ from U.S. GAAP.

 

U.S. tax status — No provision is made for U.S. income taxes as it is each Fund’s intention to continue to qualify for and elect the tax treatment applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and make the requisite distributions to its shareholders which will be sufficient to relieve it from U.S. income and excise taxes.

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemicThe global outbreak of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as “coronavirus”) has disrupted economic markets and the prolonged economic impact is uncertain. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers are not known. The operational and financial performance of the issuers of securities in which the Funds invest depends on future developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, and such uncertainty may in turn adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Funds’ investments, impair the Funds’ ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Funds’ performance.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates market value.

 

OtherIn the normal course of business, the Funds may enter into contracts that provide general indemnifications. Each Fund’s maximum exposure under these arrangements is dependent on claims that may be made against the Funds in the future, and, therefore, cannot be estimated; however, the Funds expect the risk of material loss from such claims to be remote.

 

2. Investment Adviser and Other Services

 

Summit serves as the investment adviser to each Fund. Each Fund compensates the Adviser for its services at an annual rate based on each Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Advisory Fee”), payable on a monthly basis in arrears, as shown in the following table.

 

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent that total annual Fund operating expenses (excluding certain items discussed below) exceed the rates (“Expense Caps”) shown in the following table of each Fund’s average daily net assets. In determining the Adviser’s obligation to waive advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses, the following expenses are not taken into account and could cause total annual Fund operating expenses to exceed the Expense Caps as applicable: acquired fund fees and expenses, brokerage commissions, extraordinary expenses, interest and taxes. This contractual limitation is in effect until February 28, 2021 for the SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, the SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund and the SGI Global Equity Fund and until December 31, 2021 for the SGI Conservative Fund, the SGI Prudent Growth Fund and the SGI Peak Growth Fund and may not be terminated without the approval of the Board. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after the Funds’ respective contractual limitation expiration dates.

 

FUND

 

ADVISORY FEE

   

EXPENSE CAPS

 
           

CLASS I

   

CLASS A

   

CLASS C

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

    0.70 %     0.98 %     1.23 %     1.98 %

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

    0.95       1.23       1.48       2.23  

SGI Global Equity Fund

    0.70       0.84       1.09       1.84  

 

77

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

 

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

FUND

 

ADVISORY FEE

   

EXPENSE CAPS

 
           

CLASS I

   

CLASS A

   

CLASS C

 

SGI Conservative Fund

    0.75 %     1.70 %     %     %

SGI Prudent Growth Fund

    0.75       1.70              

SGI Peak Growth Fund

    0.75       1.70              

 

If at any time a Fund’s total annual Fund operating expenses for a year are less than the relevant share class’ Expense Cap, the Adviser is entitled to recoup from the Fund the advisory fees forgone and other payments remitted by the Adviser to the Fund within three years from the date on which such waiver or reimbursement was made, provided such recoupment does not cause the Fund to exceed the relevant share class’ Expense Cap that was in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement.

 

During the current fiscal period, investment advisory fees accrued, waived and/or reimbursed and recoupments were as follows:

 

FUND

 

Gross
Advisory Fees

   

Waivers AND/OR
Reimbursements

   

RECOUPMENTS

   

Net
Advisory Fees

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

  $ 3,816,945     $     $     $ 3,816,945  

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

    420,162       (58,188 )           361,974  

SGI Global Equity Fund

    248,259       (50,894 )           197,365  

SGI Conservative Fund

    1,619       (32,032 )           (30,413 )

SGI Prudent Growth Fund

    7,723       (25,050 )           (17,327 )

SGI Peak Growth Fund

    9,066       (20,342 )           (11,276 )

 

As of the end of the reporting period, the Funds had amounts available for recoupment by the Adviser as follows:

 

   

EXPIRATION

 

FUND

 

August 31,
2021

   

August 31,
2022

   

August 31,
2023

 

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

  $ 87,054     $ 61,230     $ 58,188  

SGI Global Equity Fund

    87,592       54,073       50,894  

SGI Conservative Fund

                32,032  

SGI Prudent Growth Fund

                25,050  

SGI Peak Growth Fund

                20,342  

 

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (“Fund Services”), doing business as U.S. Bank Global Fund Services, serves as administrator for the Funds. For providing administrative and accounting services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Fund Services serves as the Funds’ transfer and dividend disbursing agent. For providing transfer agent services, Fund Services is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

U.S. Bank, N.A. (the “Custodian”) provides certain custodial services to the Funds. The Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee, subject to certain minimum and out of pocket expenses.

 

Effective March 31, 2020, Foreside Financial Group, LLC (“Foreside”) acquired Quasar Distributors, LLC (“Quasar” or “Distributor”), the Funds’ distributor, from U.S. Bancorp. As a result of the acquisition, Quasar became a wholly-owned broker-dealer subsidiary of Foreside and is no longer affiliated with U.S. Bancorp. The Board has approved a new distribution agreement to enable Quasar to continue serving as the Funds’ distributor.

 

78

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

 

Notes to Financial Statements (Continued)

August 31, 2020

 

For compensation amounts paid to Fund Services and the Custodian, please refer to the Statements of Operations.

 

The Board has adopted a Plan of Distribution (the “Plan”) for the Class A Shares and Class C Shares of the Funds pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Distributor is entitled to receive from each Fund a distribution fee with respect to the Shares, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Class A Shares and and up to 1.00% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Class C Shares. The actual amount of such compensation under the Plan is agreed upon by the Board and by the Distributor. Because these fees are paid out of each Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. Amounts paid to the Distributor under the Plan may be used by the Distributor to cover expenses that are related to (i) the sale of the Shares, (ii) ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders, and (iii) sub-transfer agency services, subaccounting services or administrative services related to the sale of the Shares, all as set forth in each Fund’s 12b-1 Plan.

 

3. DIRECTOR AND OFFICER Compensation

 

The Directors of the Company receive an annual retainer and meeting fees for meetings attended. An employee of Vigilant Compliance, LLC serves as President and Chief Compliance Officer of the Company. Vigilant Compliance, LLC is compensated for the services provided to the Company. Employees of RBB serve as Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Marketing & Business Development of the Company. They are compensated for services provided. Certain employees of Fund Services serve as officers of the Company. They are not compensated by the Funds or the Company. For Director and Officer compensation amounts, please refer to the Statements of Operations.

 

4. Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities

 

During the current fiscal period, aggregate purchases and sales of investment securities (excluding short-term investments) of the Funds were as follows:

 

FUND

 

Purchases

   

Sales

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

  $ 692,019,207     $ 670,991,758  

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

    78,624,310       63,088,753  

SGI Global Equity Fund

    68,692,994       40,530,356  

SGI Conservative Fund

    1,215,195       636,734  

SGI Prudent Growth Fund

    6,258,484       302,896  

SGI Peak Growth Fund

    6,837,416       330,511  

 

There were no purchases or sales of long-term U.S. Government securities during the current fiscal period.

 

5. Federal Income Tax Information

 

The Funds have followed the authoritative guidance on accounting for and disclosure of uncertainty in tax positions, which requires the Funds to determine whether a tax position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The Funds have determined that there was no effect on the financial statements from following this authoritative guidance. In the normal course of business, the Funds are subject to examination by federal, state and local jurisdictions, where applicable, for tax years for which applicable statutes of limitations have not expired.

 

79

 

 

SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

 

Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

August 31, 2020

 

As of August 31, 2020, the federal tax cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments held by each Fund were as follows:

 

FUND

 

Federal Tax
Cost

   

Unrealized
Appreciation

   

Unrealized
(Depreciation)

   

Net Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

  $ 455,593,150     $ 133,883,925     $ (6,244,839 )   $ 127,639,086  

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

    45,065,419       6,564,834       (1,725,637 )     4,839,197  

SGI Global Equity Fund

    51,030,049       8,342,635       (1,184,092 )     7,158,543  

SGI Conservative Fund

    624,373       16,606       (17 )     16,589  

SGI Prudent Growth Fund

    6,095,774       311,961       (6,640 )     305,321  

SGI Peak Growth Fund

    6,664,167       599,212       (2,460 )     596,752  

 

The difference between the book basis and tax basis cost and aggregate gross unrealized appreciation and depreciation of investments is attributable primarily to timing differences related to wash sales and investments in PFICs.

 

Distributions to shareholders, if any, from net investment income and realized gains are determined in accordance with federal income tax regulations, which may differ from net investment income and realized gains recognized for financial reporting purposes. Accordingly, the character of distributions and composition of net assets for tax purposes may differ from those reflected in the accompanying financial statements. Any permanent differences resulting from different book and tax treatment are reclassified at year-end and have no impact on net income, NAV or NAV per share of the Funds.

 

Permanent differences as of August 31, 2020, primarily attributable to Partnerships and Distribution in Excess for the SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund and net operating losses for the SGI Peak Growth Fund, respectively, were reclassified among the following accounts:

 

   

Distributable
Earnings/(loss)

   

Paid-in
Capital

 

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

  $ 89,829     $ (89,829 )

SGI Peak Growth Fund

    2,283       (2,283 )

 

As of August 31, 2020, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:

 

FUND

 

Undistributed
Ordinary Income

   

Capital Loss
Carry Forward

   

Qualified
late-year loss
deferral

   

OTHER
TEMPORARY
DIFFERENCES

   

Unrealized
Appreciation/
(Depreciation)

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

  $ 1,669,664     $     $ (13,830,924 )   $     $ 127,639,086  

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

          (11,622,771 )                 4,839,197  

SGI Global Equity Fund

    139,771             (1,717,965 )           7,158,543  

SGI Conservative Fund

    15,108                         16,589  

SGI Prudent Growth Fund

    2,093                   (12,353 )     305,321  

SGI Peak Growth Fund

                      (15,359 )     596,752  

 

The differences between the book and tax basis components of distributable earnings relate primarily to wash sales and investments in publicly traded partnerships.

 

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Notes to Financial Statements (concluded)

August 31, 2020

 

The tax character of dividends and distributions paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 and August 31, 2019 were as follows:

 

FUND

 

Ordinary
Income

   

Long-Term
Gains

   

Total

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

2020

  $ 7,409,283     $ 7,493,904     $ 14,903,187  
 

2019

    9,549,200       7,968,475       17,517,675  

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

2020

    502,870             502,870  
 

2019

    348,578       1,310,032       1,658,610  

SGI Global Equity Fund

2020

    723,090       262,840       985,930  
 

2019

    258,783             258,783  

 

Dividends from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income dividends for federal income tax purposes.

 

Under the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010, the Funds are permitted to carry forward capital losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 22, 2010 for an unlimited period. Additionally, capital losses that are carried forward will retain their character as either short-term or long-term capital losses rather than being considered all short-term as under the previous law. As of August 31, 2020, the SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund had $8,157,115 of short-term and $3,465,656 of long-term capital loss carryovers, respectively.

 

Pursuant to federal income tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies, the Fund may elect to treat certain capital losses between November 1 and August 31 and late year ordinary losses ((i) ordinary losses between January 1 and August 31, and (ii) specified ordinary and currency losses between November 1 and August 31) as occurring on the first day of the following tax year. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, any amount of losses elected within the tax return will not be recognized for federal income tax purposes until September 1, 2020. SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund and SGI Global Equity Fund deferred qualified late-year losses of $13,830,924 and $1,717,965, respectively, which will be treated as arising on the first business day of the following fiscal year.

 

6. NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS and regulatory updates

 

In August 2018, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2018-13”). The primary focus of ASU 2018-13 is to improve the effectiveness of the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements. The changes affect all companies that are required to include fair value measurement disclosures. In general, the amendments in ASU 2018-13 are effective for all affected entities for fiscal years and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. An affected entity is permitted to adopt the removed or modified disclosures upon the issuance of ASU 2018-13 and may delay adoption of additional disclosures, which are required for public companies only, until their effective date. Management evaluated the impact of these changes on the Funds’ financial statements and has elected to early adopt the removed and modified disclosures effective February 28, 2019 for the SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, the SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund and the SGI Global Equity Fund and effective June 8, 2020 for the SGI Conservative Fund, the SGI Prudent Growth Fund and the SGI Peak Growth Fund and delay the adoption of additional disclosures until the effective date. The impact of adoption was limited to changes in the financial statement disclosures regarding fair value, primarily those disclosures related to transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy.

 

7. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

Management has evaluated the impact of all subsequent events on the Funds through the date the financial statements were issued and has determined that there were no significant events requiring recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Board of Directors of The RBB Fund, Inc. and
Shareholders of SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, SGI Global Equity Fund,
SGI Conservative Fund, SGI Prudent Growth Fund and SGI Peak Growth Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities of SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, SGI Global Equity Fund, SGI Conservative Fund, SGI Prudent Growth Fund and SGI Peak Growth Fund (collectively referred to as the “Funds”) (six of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”)), including the portfolios of investments, as of August 31, 2020, and the related statements of operations, the statements of changes in net assets, and the financial highlights for each of the periods indicated in the table below and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of each of the Funds (six of the portfolios constituting The RBB Fund, Inc.) at August 31, 2020, and the results of their operations, changes in net assets and financial highlights for each of the periods indicated in the table below, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.

 

Individual portfolio constituting
The RBB Fund, Inc.

Statement of
operations

Statements of changes
in net assets

Financial highlights

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

For the year ended August 31, 2020

For each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020

For each of the five years in the period ended August 31, 2020

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

For the year ended August 31, 2020

For each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020

For each of the four years in the period ended August 31, 2020 and the period March 31, 2016 (commencement of operations) to August 31, 2016

SGI Global Equity Fund

For the year ended August 31, 2020

For each of the two years in the period ended August 31, 2020

For each of the three years in the period ended August 31, 2020

SGI Conservative Fund, SGI Prudent Growth Fund and SGI Peak Growth Fund

For the period June 8, 2020 (commencement of operations) to August 31, 2020

 

The financial highlights of SGI Global Equity Fund, for each of the periods presented through August 31, 2017, were audited by other auditors whose report dated October 27, 2017, expressed an unqualified opinion on those financial highlights.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on each of the Funds’ financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (concluded)

 

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of August 31, 2020, by correspondence with the custodian and brokers or by other appropriate auditing procedures where replies from brokers were not received. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

 

We have served as the auditor of one or more Summit Global Investments investment companies since 2012.

 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 30, 2020

 

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Shareholder Tax Information (Unaudited)

 

Certain tax information is required to be provided to shareholders based upon the Funds’ income and distributions for the taxable year ended August 31, 2020. The information and distributions reported herein may differ from information and distributions taxable to the shareholders for the calendar year ending December 31, 2020. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020, the tax character of distributions paid by the Fund’s were as follows:

 

           

Ordinary Income
Dividend

   

Long-Term
Capital Gain
Dividends

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

    2020     $ 7,409,283     $ 7,493,904  

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

    2020       502,870        

SGI Global Equity Fund

    2020       723,090       262,840  

 

Distributions from net investment income and short-term capital gains are treated as ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

 

Under the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003, the following percentages of ordinary dividends paid during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 are designated as “qualified dividend income,” as defined in the Act, and are subject to reduced tax rates:

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

    86.36 %

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

    99.63 %

SGI Global Equity Fund

    100.00 %

SGI Conservative Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Prudent Growth Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Peak Growth Fund

    0.00 %

 

The percentage of total ordinary income dividends paid qualifying for corporate dividends received deduction for each Fund is as follows:

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

    85.31 %

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

    97.50 %

SGI Global Equity Fund

    57.43 %

SGI Conservative Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Prudent Growth Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Peak Growth Fund

    0.00 %

 

The percentage of qualified interest income related dividends not subject to withholding tax for non-resident aliens and foreign corporations is as follows:

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

    0.00 %

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Global Equity Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Conservative Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Prudent Growth Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Peak Growth Fund

    0.00 %

 

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Shareholder Tax Information (Unaudited) (concluded)

 

The percentage of ordinary income distributions designated as qualified short-term gains pursuant to the American Job Creation Act of 2004 is as follows:

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund

    21.28 %

SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Global Equity Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Conservative Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Prudent Growth Fund

    0.00 %

SGI Peak Growth Fund

    0.00 %

 

Because the Funds’ fiscal year is not the calendar year, another notification will be sent with respect to calendar year 2019. The second notification, which will reflect the amount, if any, to be used by calendar year taxpayers on their U.S. federal income tax returns, will be made in conjunction with Form 1099-DIV and will be mailed in January 2021.

 

Foreign shareholders will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax on the amount of their ordinary income dividends. They will generally not be entitled to a foreign tax credit or deduction for the withholding taxes paid by the Funds, if any.

 

In general, dividends received by tax-exempt recipients (e.g., IRAs and Keoghs) need not be reported as taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, some retirement trusts (e.g., corporate, Keogh and 403(b)(7) plans) may need this information for their annual information reporting.

 

Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Funds.

 

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Other Information (Unaudited)

 

Proxy Voting

 

Policies and procedures that the Funds use to determine how to vote proxies relating to portfolio securities as well as information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent twelve-month period ended June 30 are available without charge, upon request, by calling (855) 744-8500 and on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Quarterly Portfolio Schedules

 

The Company files its complete schedule of portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters of each fiscal year (quarters ended November 30 and May 31) as an exhibit to its report on Form N-PORT. The Company’s Form N-PORT is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

 

Investment Advisory Agreement renewal – SGI U.S. LARGE CAP EQUITY FUND, SGI U.S. SMALL CAP EQUITY FUND, and SGI GLOBAL EQUITY FUND

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act (the “Independent Directors”), considered the renewal of the investment advisory agreement between Summit and the Company (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund and the SGI Global Equity Fund (for this section only, the “Funds”), at a meeting of the Board held on May 13-14, 2020 (for this section only, the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreement for an additional one-year term. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement reflects the exercise of its business judgment to continue the existing arrangement. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Board considered information provided by Summit with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the renewal and approval of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Company and Summit with respect to the Funds, the Directors took into account all the materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions held during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of Summit’s services provided to the Funds; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of Summit’s personnel providing those services; (iii) Summit’s investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Summit’s assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Summit’s soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) Summit’s current advisory fee arrangement with the Company and other similarly managed clients; (vii) Summit’s compliance procedures; (viii) Summit’s financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Funds; (ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Funds; (x) a report prepared by Broadridge/Lipper comparing the Funds’ management fees and total expense ratio to those of its respective Lipper Group and comparing the performance of each Fund to the performance of its Lipper Group; and (xi) a report comparing the performance of each Fund to the performance of its benchmark.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services provided by Summit. The Directors concluded that Summit had substantial resources to provide services to the Funds and that Summit’s services had been acceptable.

 

The Directors also considered the investment performance of the Funds and Summit. The Directors considered each Fund’s investment performance in light of its investment objective and investment strategies. The Directors noted that the SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund outperformed its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, for the year-to-date and three-year periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund ranked in the 1st quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the two-year and three-year periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

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SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

 

Other Information (Unaudited) (CONTINUED)

 

Next, the Directors noted that the SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund’s investment performance underperformed its benchmark, the Russell 2000 Index, for the year-to-date, one-year, three-year, and since-inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund ranked in the 3rd quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the two-year, three-year and since-inception periods ended December 31, 2019.

 

Finally, the Directors noted that the SGI Global Equity Fund’s investment performance outperformed its benchmark, the MSCI ACWI Index, for the year-to-date, one-year, three-year, ten-year and since inception periods ended March 31, 2020. The Directors also noted that the SGI Global Equity Fund ranked in the 1st quintile in its Lipper Performance Group for the two-year period ended December 31, 2019.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rate payable by the Funds under the Investment Advisory Agreements. In this regard, information on the fees paid by the Funds and each Fund’s total operating expense ratio (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee and total expenses of the SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund ranked in the 5th quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee and total expenses of the SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund ranked in the 5th quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group.

 

The Directors noted that the actual advisor fee and total expenses of the SGI Global Equity Fund ranked in the 1st quintile of the Fund’s Lipper Expense Group. The Directors also noted that Summit had contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses through at least February 28, 2021 to limit total annual operating expenses to agreed upon levels for each Fund.

 

After reviewing the information regarding each Fund’s costs, profitability and economies of scale, and after considering SGI’s services, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees paid by the Funds were fair and reasonable and that the Investment Advisory Agreements should be approved and continued for an additional one-year period ending August 16, 2021.

 

Investment Advisory Agreement approval – SGI CONSERVATIVE FUND, SGI PRUDENT GROWTH FUND, and SGI PEAK GROWTH FUND

 

As required by the 1940 Act, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, considered the approval of the investment advisory agreement between Summit and the Company (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”) on behalf of the SGI Conservative Fund, SGI Prudent Growth Fund and the SGI Peak Growth Fund (for this section only, the “Funds”), at a meeting of the Board held on November 18-19, 2019 (for this section only, the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Board, including all of the Independent Directors, approved the Investment Advisory Agreement for an initial period ending August 16, 2021. The Board’s decision to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement reflects the exercise of its business judgment. In approving the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Board considered information provided by Summit with the assistance and advice of counsel to the Independent Directors and the Company.

 

In considering the approval of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Company and Summit with respect to the Funds, the Directors took into account all materials provided prior to and during the Meeting and at other meetings throughout the past year, the presentations made during the Meeting, and the discussions during the Meeting. Among other things, the Directors considered (i) the nature, extent, and quality of Summit’s proposed services to be provided to the Funds; (ii) descriptions of the experience and qualifications of Summit’s personnel providing those services; (iii) Summit’s investment philosophies and processes; (iv) Summit’s assets under management and client descriptions; (v) Summits’s soft dollar commission and trade allocation policies, including information on the types of research and services obtained in connection with soft dollar commissions; (vi) Summit’s advisory fee arrangement with the Company and other similarly managed clients; (vii) Summit’s compliance policies and procedures; (viii) Summit’s financial information, insurance coverage and profitability analysis related to providing advisory services to the Funds;

 

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Other Information (Unaudited) (Concluded)

 

(ix) the extent to which economies of scale are relevant to the Funds; (x) a report prepared by Morningstar comparing each of the Fund’s management fees and total expense ratio to those of its Lipper peer group. The Directors noted that the Funds had not yet commenced operations, and consequently there was no performance information to review with respect to the Funds.

 

As part of their review, the Directors considered the nature, extent and quality of the services proposed to be provided by Summit. The Directors concluded that Summit had substantial resources to provide services to the Funds.

 

The Board also considered the advisory fee rates payable by each of the Funds under the proposed Investment Advisory Agreement. In this regard, information on the fees to be paid by a Fund and the Fund’s expected total operating expense ratios (before and after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) were compared to similar information for mutual funds advised by other, unaffiliated investment advisory firms. The Directors noted that Summit had contractually agreed to waive management fees and reimburse expenses for at least one year to limit total annual operating expenses to agreed upon levels for the Funds.

 

After reviewing the information regarding the Funds’ costs, Summit’s estimated profitability and economies of scale, and after considering Summit’s services, the Directors concluded that the investment advisory fees proposed to be paid by the Funds were fair and reasonable and that the proposed Investment Advisory Agreement for the Funds should be approved for an initial term ending August 16, 2021.

 

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Company Management (Unaudited)

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their ages, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below. The statement of additional information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Directors and is available without charge, upon request, by calling (855) 744-8500.

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 87

Director

1988 to present

From 1969 to 2011, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications).

35

AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies).

J. Richard Carnall
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 81

Director

2002 to present

Since 1984, Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.); since 2004, Director of Cornerstone Bank.

35

None

Gregory P. Chandler
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 53

Director

2012 to present

Since 2020, Chief Financial Officer, Avocado Systems Inc. (cyber security software provider); from 2009-2020, Chief Financial Officer, Emtec, Inc. (information technology consulting/services).

35

Emtec, Inc. (until December 2019); FS Investment Corporation (business development company) (until December 2018); FS Energy and Power Fund (business development company); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios)(registered investment company).

Nicholas A. Giordano
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 77

Director

2006 to present

Since 1997, Consultant, financial services organizations.

35

IntriCon Corporation (biomedical device manufacturer); Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust (registered investment company) (until September 2017); Wilmington Funds (12 portfolios) (registered investment company); Independence Blue Cross (healthcare insurance).

 

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Company Management (Unaudited) (continued)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Arnold M. Reichman
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 72

Chairman

 

Director

2005 to present

1991 to present

From 2006-2016, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lifebooker, LLC (online beauty and health appointment booking service).

35

Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

Brian T. Shea
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 60

Director

2018 to present

From 2014-2017, Chief Executive Officer, BNY Mellon Investment Services (fund services, global custodian and securities clearing firm).

35

WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (asset management company) (until March 2019); Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (financial services technology company); Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (financial services company).

Robert A. Straniere
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 79

Director

2006 to present

Since 2009, Administrative Law Judge, New York City; since 1980, Founding Partner, Straniere Law Group (law firm).

35

Reich and Tang Group (asset management) (until 2015).

INTERESTED DIRECTOR2

Robert Sablowsky
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 82

Vice Chairman

 

Director

2016 to present

 

1991 to present

Since 2002, Senior Director - Investments and, prior thereto, Executive Vice President, of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer).

35

None

OFFICERS

Salvatore Faia, JD,
CPA, CFE
Vigilant Compliance, LLC
Gateway Corporate Center Suite 216
223 Wilmington West
Chester Pike
Chadds Ford, PA 19317
Age: 57

President

 

 

Chief Compliance Officer

2009 to present

 

2004 to present

Since 2004, President, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (investment management services company); since 2005, Independent Trustee of EIP Investment Trust (registered investment company).

N/A

N/A

James G. Shaw
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 59

Treasurer and Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2016, Treasurer and Secretary of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2005 to 2016, Assistant Treasurer of The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 1995 to 2016, Senior Director and Vice President of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (financial services company).

N/A

N/A

 

 

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Company Management (Unaudited) (continued)

 

Name, Address,
and Age

Position(s) Held with Company

Term of Office and Length of Time Served1

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past 5 Years

Number of Portfolios in Fund Complex Overseen by Director*

Other
Directorships
Held by Director
in the Past
5 Years

Craig A. Urciuoli

615 East Michigan Street

Milwaukee, WI 53202

Age: 45

Director of Marketing & Business Development

2019 to present

Since 2019, Director of Marketing & Business Development, The RBB Fund, Inc.; from 2000-2019, Managing Director, Third Avenue Management, LLC.

N/A

N/A

Jennifer Witt
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 37

Assistant Treasurer

2018 to present

Since 2016, Assistant Vice President, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm); from 2007 to 2016, Supervisor, Nuveen Investments (investment company).

N/A

N/A

Edward Paz
615 East Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Age: 49

Assistant Secretary

2016 to present

Since 2007, Vice President and Counsel, U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC (fund administrative services firm).

N/A

N/A

Michael P. Malloy
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Age: 61

Assistant Secretary

1999 to present

Since 1993, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm).

N/A

N/A

Jillian L. Bosmann
One Logan Square
Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Age: 41

Assistant Secretary

2017 to present

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (law firm) (2017-Present); Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (2006-Present).

N/A

N/A

 

*

Each Director oversees 35 portfolios of the Company.

 

1.

Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his or her successor is elected and qualified or his or her death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. The Board has approved waivers of the policy with respect to Messrs. Brodsky, Carnall, Giordano, Sablowsky and Straniere. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed.

 

2.

Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested person” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act and is referred to as an “Interested Director.” Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “Interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an employee of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., a registered broker-dealer.

 

 

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Company Management (Unaudited) (Concluded)

 

Director Experience, Qualifications, Attributes and/or Skills

 

The information above includes each Director’s principal occupations during the last five years. Each Director possesses extensive additional experience, skills and attributes relevant to his qualifications to serve as a Director. The cumulative background of each Director led to the conclusion that each Director should serve as a Director of the Company. Mr. Giordano has years of experience as a consultant to financial services organizations and also serves on the boards of other registered investment companies. Mr. Reichman brings decades of investment management experience to the Board, in addition to senior executive-level management experience. Mr. Straniere has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and also serves on the boards of an asset management company and another registered investment company. Mr. Brodsky has over 40 years of senior executive-level management experience in the cable television and communications industry. Mr. Sablowsky has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the financial services industry. Mr. Carnall has decades of senior executive-level management experience in the banking and financial services industry and also serves on the boards of various corporations and a bank. Mr. Chandler has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive level positions in the investment technology consulting/services and investment banking/brokerage industries, and also serves on various boards. Mr. Shea has demonstrated leadership and management abilities as evidenced by his senior executive-level positions in the brokerage, clearing and investment services industry, including service on the boards of industry regulatory organizations and a university.

 

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SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

 

PRIVACY NOTICE (Unaudited)

 

FACTS

WHAT DOES THE SGI FUNDS DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Why?

Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.

What?

The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include:

 

● Social Security number

● account balances

● account transactions

● transaction history

● wire transfer instructions

● checking account information

 

When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.

How?

All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons SGI Funds chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.

       

Reasons we can share your information

Do the SGI Funds share?

Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purpose
such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal
investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes

No

For our marketing purposes
to offer our products and services to you

Yes

No

For joint marketing with other financial companies

Yes

No

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes
information about your transactions and experiences

Yes

No

For affiliates’ everyday business purposes
information about your creditworthiness

No

We don’t share

For our affiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

For nonaffiliates to market to you

No

We don’t share

 

 

 

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SUMMIT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS

 

 

PRIVACY NOTICE (Unaudited) (concluded)

 

Questions?

Call 1-855-744-8500 or go to www.summitglobalinvestments.com

 

What we do

 

How do the SGI Funds protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.

How do the SGI Funds collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

 

● open an account

● provide account information

● give us your contact information

● make a wire transfer

● tell us where to send the money

 

We also collect your information from others, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

 

● sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes — information about your creditworthiness

● affiliates from using your information to market to you

● sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

 

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

Definitions

 

Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

Our affiliates include Summit Global Investments, LLC, the investment adviser to the SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, SGI Global Equity Fund, SGI Conservative Fund, SGI Prudent Growth Fund and SGI Peak Growth Fund.

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, SGI Global Equity Fund, SGI Conservative Fund, SGI Prudent Growth Fund and SGI Peak Growth Fund doesn’t share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

 

SGI U.S. Large Cap Equity Fund, SGI U.S. Small Cap Equity Fund, SGI Global Equity Fund, SGI Conservative Fund, SGI Prudent Growth Fund and SGI Peak Growth Fund may share your information with other financial institutions with whom they have joint marketing arrangements who may suggest additional fund services or other investments products which may be of interest to you. We do not currently have any joint marketing arrangements with other financial institutions.

 

 

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Investment Adviser

Summit Global Investments, LLC
620 South Main Street
Bountiful, UT 84010

 

Administrator and Transfer Agent

U.S. Bancorp Fund Services, LLC
P.O. Box 701
Milwaukee, WI 53201

 

Principal Underwriter

Quasar Distributors, LLC
111 E Kilbourn Ave, Suite 2200
Milwaukee, WI 53202

 

Custodian

U.S. Bank, N.A.
1555 North Rivercenter Drive, Suite 302
Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Ernst & Young LLP
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, Suite 700
Philadelphia, PA 19103

 

Legal Counsel

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

SGI-AR20

 

 

 

Item 2. Code of Ethics.

 

The registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the registrant’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer. The registrant has not made any substantive amendments to its code of ethics during the period covered by this report. The registrant has not granted any waivers from any provisions of the code of ethics during the period covered by this report. A copy of the registrant’s Code of Ethics is filed herewith.

 

Item 3. Audit Committee Financial Expert.

 

The registrant’s board of directors has determined that the registrant has at least one audit committee financial expert serving on its audit committee. Julian A. Brodsky, Gregory P. Chandler and Nicholas A. Giordano are the registrant’s audit committee financial experts and each of them is “independent.”

 

Item 4. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.

 

Audit Fees

 

(a)The aggregate fees billed for each of the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for the audit of the registrant's annual financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years were:

 

  Fiscal Year 2020 Fiscal Year 2019
Ernst & Young LLP $596,611 $555,375
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP $234,803 $262,187
Tait, Weller & Baker $88,900 $88,900
Aggregate Fees $920,314 $906,462

 

Audit-Related Fees

 

(b)The aggregate fees billed in each of the last two fiscal years for assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit of the registrant's financial statements and are not reported under paragraph (a) of this Item were related to review of the semi-annual reports and N-1A filings for Ernst & Young LLP and review of semi-annual reports for Tait, Weller & Baker and were as follows:

 

 

 

  Fiscal Year 2020 Fiscal Year 2019
Ernst & Young LLP $17,400 $9,300
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP $0 $5,000
Tait, Weller & Baker $2,300 $2,300
Aggregate Fees $19,700 $16,600

 

Tax Fees

 

(c)The aggregate fees billed in each of the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax advice, and tax planning were related to federal and state tax return review and excise distribution review and were as follows:

 

  Fiscal Year 2020 Fiscal Year 2019
Ernst & Young LLP $162,228 $150,700
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP $42,140 $49,100
Tait, Weller & Baker $17,300 $17,300
Aggregate Fees $221,668 $217,100

 

All Other Fees

 

(d)The aggregate fees billed in each of the last two fiscal years for products and services provided by the principal accountant, other than the services reported in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this Item were:

 

  Fiscal Year 2020 Fiscal Year 2019
Ernst & Young LLP $0 $0
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP $0 $0
Tait, Weller & Baker $0 $0
Aggregate Fees $0 $0

 

(e)(1)Disclose the audit committee’s pre-approval policies and procedures described in paragraph (c)(7) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X.

 

Pre-Approval of Audit and Permitted Non-Audit Services

 

1.Pre-Approval Requirements of the Company. The Committee shall pre-approve all auditing services and permissible non-audit services (e.g., tax services) to be provided to the Company by the Auditor, including the fees associated with those services.

 

2.Pre-Approval Requirements of Affiliates. Additionally, the Committee shall pre-approve any engagement of the Auditor to provide non-audit services to an investment adviser of a Portfolio or to any affiliate of such investment adviser that provides ongoing services to the Company, if the engagement relates directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Company.

 

 

 

3.Delegation. The Committee may delegate to the Chairman of the Committee, or if the Chairman is not available, one or more of its members, the authority to grant pre-approvals. The decisions of any member to whom authority is delegated shall be presented to the full Committee at its next scheduled meeting.

 

4.Prohibited Services. The Committee shall confirm with the Auditor that the Auditor is not performing contemporaneously with the Company’s audit any prohibited non-audit services for the Company, any investment adviser of a Portfolio, or any affiliates of the Company or such investment advisers. The Auditor is responsible for informing the Committee of whether it believes that a particular service is permissible or prohibited pursuant to applicable regulations and standards.

 

(e)(2)The percentage of services described in each of paragraphs (b) through (d) of this Item that were approved by the audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X are as follows:

 

(b) Not applicable.

 

(c) Not applicable.

 

(d) Not applicable.

 

(f)The percentage of hours expended on the principal accountant’s engagement to audit the registrant’s financial statements for the most recent fiscal year that were attributed to work performed by persons other than the principal accountant’s full-time, permanent employees was not applicable.

 

(g)The aggregate non-audit fees billed by the registrant’s accountant for services rendered to the registrant, and rendered to the registrant’s investment adviser (not including any sub-adviser whose role is primarily portfolio management and is subcontracted with or overseen by another investment adviser), and any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the adviser that provides ongoing services to the registrant for each of the last two fiscal years of the registrant were:

 

  Fiscal Year 2020 Fiscal Year 2019
Ernst & Young LLP $179,628 $160,000
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP $352,558 $362,923
Tait, Weller & Baker $19,600 $19,600
Aggregate Fees $551,786 $542,523

 

(h)Not applicable.

 

 

 

Item 5. Audit Committee of Listed Registrants.

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 6. Investments.

 

(a)Schedule of Investments is included as part of the report to shareholders filed under Item 1 of this Form.

 

(b)Not applicable.

 

Item 7. Disclosure of Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures for Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 8. Portfolio Managers of Closed-End Management Investment Companies.

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 9. Purchases of Equity Securities by Closed-End Management Investment Company and Affiliated Purchasers.

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 10. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

 

There have been no material changes to the procedures by which the shareholders may recommend nominees to the registrant’s board of directors, where those changes were implemented after the registrant last provided disclosure in response to the requirements of Item 407(c)(2)(iv) of Regulation S-K (17 CFR 229.407) (as required by Item 22(b)(15) of Schedule 14A (17 CFR 240.14a-101)), or this Item.

 

Item 11. Controls and Procedures.

 

(a)The Registrant’s Principal Executive and Principal Financial Officers have reviewed the Registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Act”)) as of a date within 90 days of the filing of this report, as required by Rule 30a-3(b) under the Act and Rules 13a-15(b) or 15d-15(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Based on their review, such officers have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed in this report is appropriately recorded, processed, summarized and reported and made known to them by others within the Registrant and by the Registrant’s service provider.

 

(b)There were no changes in the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 30a-3(d) under the Act) that occurred during the period covered by this report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant's internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

 

Item 12. Disclosure of Securities Lending Activities for Closed-End Management Investment Companies

 

Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

Item 13. Exhibits.

 

(a)(1) Senior Officer Code of Ethics, or any amendment thereto, that is the subject of disclosure required by Item 2 is attached hereto.

 

(a)(2) A separate certification for each principal executive officer and principal financial officer pursuant to Rule 30a-2(a) under the 1940 Act is attached hereto.

 

(a)(3) Not applicable to open-end investment companies.

 

(a)(4) There was no change in the registrant’s independent public accountant for the period covered by this report.

 

(b) Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Furnished herewith.

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

  (Registrant) The RBB Fund, Inc.  
       
  By (Signature and Title)* /s/ Salvatore Faia  
    Salvatore Faia, President  
    (principal executive officer)  
       
  Date 11/05/2020  

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

  By (Signature and Title)* /s/ Salvatore Faia   
    Salvatore Faia, President  
    (principal executive officer)  
       
  Date 11/05/2020  
       
  By (Signature and Title)* /s/ James Shaw  
    James Shaw, Treasurer  
    (principal financial officer)  
       
  Date 11/05/2020  

 

*Print the name and title of each signing officer under his or her signature.