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SHELTON BDC INCOME FUND

SHELTON BDC INCOME FUND SUMMARY

 

Investor Class Ticker Symbol: LOANX

 

Institutional Class Ticker Symbol LOAIX

Investment Objective

The Fund’s investment objective is to provide a high level of income with the potential for capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

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

Shareholder Fees - SHELTON BDC INCOME FUND
Investor Class
Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) none none

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

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - SHELTON BDC INCOME FUND
Investor Class
Institutional Class
Management Fees 0.90% 0.90%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees 0.25% none
Other Expenses 0.60% 0.60%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (fees and expenses incurred directly by the Fund as a result of investment in shares of one or more Acquired Funds) [1] 9.14% 9.14%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 10.89% 10.64%
Expense Reimbursement [2] (0.25%) (0.25%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement 10.64% 10.39%
[1] "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund's financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund.
[2] Shelton Capital Management, the Fund's investment advisor (the "Advisor'') has contractually agreed to waive a portion or all of its management fees and pay Fund expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, distribution and service 12b-1 fees, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of such Fund's business) in order to limit the "Other Expenses'' for the Investor Class and for the Institutional Class to 0.35% of average daily net assets of the Fund's shares (referred to in this Fund Summary as the "Expense Reimbursement''). The Expense Reimbursement will remain in effect for at least one year following the consummation of the Reorganization, and may be terminated before that date only by the Board of Trustees (also referred to herein as the "Board'') of the SCM Trust (the "Trust''). The Advisor may recover any previously waived fees and paid expenses from the Fund pursuant to this agreement for three years from the date they were waived or paid. The Advisor's ability to recover any previously waived fees and paid expenses is subject to the Expense Reimbursement as in effect at the time such fees were waived or expenses were paid.

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

Expense Example - SHELTON BDC INCOME FUND - USD ($)
1 Year
3 Years
Investor Class 1,034 2,970
Institutional Class 1,011 2,912

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or ‘‘turns over’’ its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. The Fund generally intends to purchase securities for long-term investment rather than short-term gains. However, a security may be held for a shorter than expected period of time if, among other things, the Fund needs to raise cash or feels that it is appropriate to do so to meet the Fund’s investment strategy. By selling a security increased brokerage costs may be incurred which may affect the Fund’s performance. Also, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or you purchase shares through a tax-deferred account, the distributions of capital gains may affect your after-tax return. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, may affect the Fund’s performance. It is anticipated that the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate will be 50% of the average value of its portfolio in the first year.

Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund. The Fund invests substantially all (and under normal market conditions, at least 80%) of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in common stocks and other equity securities of business development companies (‘‘BDCs’’) that are traded on one or more nationally recognized securities exchanges. The equity securities in which the Fund may invest consist of:

 

• common stocks;

 

• securities convertible into common stocks; and

 

• preferred stocks.

 

In addition, although the Fund typically invests in equity securities, the Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in debt securities of BDCs and other issuers of any maturity, duration or credit rating.

 

BDCs are publicly-held, closed-end investment funds that are regulated by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the ‘‘1940 Act’’). BDCs primarily lend to or invest in private or thinly-traded companies. They also offer managerial assistance to the companies in which they invest. BDCs must adhere to various substantive regulatory requirements under the 1940 Act. For example, the 1940 Act restricts the types of assets in which a BDC may invest (i.e., at least 70% of the BDC’s total assets must be ‘‘qualifying assets,’’ as defined in the 1940 Act). The 1940 Act also regulates how BDCs employ ‘‘leverage’’ (i.e., how BDCs use borrowed funds to make investments). Because the 1940 Act applies unique ‘‘coverage ratio’’ tests to BDCs, BDCs may incur more debt than other regulated closed-end investment companies. Specifically, on one hand, the total assets of a closed-end investment company (other than a BDC) must exceed the fund’s outstanding debt by at least 300%. On the other hand, the total assets of a BDC must exceed the BDC’s outstanding debt by only 200%, thereby allowing a BDC to employ more leverage than other regulated closed-end investment companies. Leverage magnifies the potential for gain and loss on amounts invested and, as a result, increases the risks associated with the securities of leveraged companies.

 

The Advisor evaluates equity securities primarily on the BDC’s or other issuer’s ability to sustain its current dividend and secondarily considers the potential for capital appreciation. The Advisor intends to allocate the Fund’s assets among BDCs that, in its view, are paying attractive rates of distribution and appear capable of sustaining that distribution level over time. The Advisor incorporates into its assessment, among other factors, dividend yield, price to book, financial operations, portfolio of investments and management quality. The Advisor will also consider the amount of leverage employed by a BDC or other issuer before deciding to invest in its securities. In selecting securities for investment, the Advisor generally seeks to invest in securities with relatively high distribution rates, and that it believes will continue to pay distributions at those rates for the foreseeable future. Distributions from such securities may consist of income, capital gains and/or return of capital and cannot be guaranteed to continue.

 

When selecting securities for the Fund, the Advisor may utilize fundamental, technical and other related methodologies to determine the intrinsic value of a security. Examples of fundamental methodologies include consideration of a stock’s financials, economic factors that might impact the stock, and the qualitative and quantitative factors. Technical methodologies generally refers to the consideration of past market data, primarily using price and volume data. The Advisor expects that it will sell a security if, in the judgment of the portfolio manager, the security’s income potential has been compromised, an issuer’s fundamentals have deteriorated or may deteriorate or a more attractive investment opportunity is identified.

 

The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund’s shares is subject to various risks, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment or you may lose all or part of it. By itself, the Fund does not constitute a balanced investment program. Before investing in the Fund, you should consider carefully the following risks.

 

Market Risk. An investment in the Fund is generally subject to market risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. An investment in the Fund represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund. Like all financial instruments, the value of these securities may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. The value of your investment in the Fund at any point in time may be worth less than the value of your original investment, even after taking into account any reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

 

BDC Risk. The Fund primarily invests in securities issued by publicly-traded BDCs. As a result, the Fund’s portfolio will be significantly affected by the performance of the BDCs in which the Fund invests and the performance of such BDCs’ portfolio companies, as well as the overall economic environment. The Fund may be exposed to greater risk and experience higher volatility than would a portfolio that was not focused on investing in BDCs.

 

BDCs primarily invest in privately-held and thinly-traded companies. These types of portfolio companies are generally considered to be below investment grade, and the debt securities of those companies, in turn, are often referred to as ‘‘high-yield’’ or ‘‘junk.’’ The revenues, income (or losses) and valuations of these companies can, and often do, fluctuate suddenly and dramatically, and they face considerable risk of loss. In addition, the fair value of a BDC’s investments in privately-held or thinly-traded companies often is not readily determinable. Although each BDC’s board of directors is responsible for determining the fair value of these securities, the uncertainty regarding fair value may adversely affect the determination of the BDC’s net asset value (‘‘NAV’’). This could cause the Fund’s investments in a BDC to be inaccurately valued.

 

BDCs often borrow funds to make investments and, as a result, are exposed to the risks of leverage. Leverage magnifies the potential loss on amounts invested and therefore increases the risks associated with an investment in a leveraged BDC’s securities. Leverage is generally considered a speculative investment technique. Moreover, BDCs’ management fees, which are generally higher than the management fees charged to other funds, are normally payable on gross assets, including those assets acquired through the use of leverage. This may give a BDC’s investment advisor a financial incentive to incur leverage.

 

Investment in Other Investment Companies Risk. The Fund’s investment in other investment companies, including BDCs, may subject the Fund indirectly to the underlying risks of those investment companies. The Fund also will bear its share of each underlying investment company’s fees and expenses, which are in addition to the Fund’s own fees and expenses. Shares of an investment company may trade at prices that reflect a premium above or a discount below NAV, and such premium or discount may be substantial. If an investment company’s shares are purchased at a premium to NAV, the premium may not exist when those shares are sold, and the Fund could incur a loss.

 

BDCs, like other investment companies, are often parties to contractual agreements under which a BDC’s investment advisor or another third-party agrees to waive fees or pay a portion of the BDC’s expenses. Once the contract terminates or ends, the BDC’s expenses may increase and, as a result, the acquired fund fees and expenses paid by the Fund’s shareholders may increase as well. Further, the acquired fund fees and expenses paid by the Fund’s shareholders may increase further if the BDC’s investment advisor or another third-party seeks to recoup any previously waived fees or paid expenses.

 

Medium- and Small-Capitalization Company Risk. BDCs primarily invest in U.S. middle-market companies, which may be considered medium- or small-capitalization companies. Medium- and small-capitalization companies may be newly formed or have limited product lines, distribution channels or financial or managerial resources. The risks associated with these investments are generally greater than those associated with investments in the securities of larger, more-established companies. Investments and medium- and small capitalization companies may cause a BDC’s NAV to be more volatile compared to investment companies that focus only on large-capitalization companies. Generally, compared to securities of larger companies, securities of medium- and small-capitalization companies may experience sharper swings in market values or less liquid markets, in which it may be more difficult to sell at favorable times and at favorable prices.

 

Common Stock Risk. While common stock has historically generated higher average returns than debt securities, common stock has also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of common stock held by the Fund. Also, the price of common stock is sensitive to general movements in the stock market. A drop in the stock market may depress the price of common stock held by the Fund.

 

Preferred Stock Risk. There are various risks associated with investing in preferred stock, including credit risk, liquidity risk, interest rate risk, deferral and omission of distributions, subordination to bonds and other debt securities in a company’s capital structure, limited liquidity, limited voting rights and special redemption rights.

 

Debt Securities Risk. When the Fund invests in debt securities, the value of the Fund’s investment will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of debt securities. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments). These risks could affect the value of a particular investment, possibly causing the Fund’s share price and total return to be reduced and fluctuate more than other types of investments.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. Investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in an issuer’s common stock because convertible securities rank senior to common stock in an issuer’s capital structure. The extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large part upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed-income security. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of an issuer, and, therefore, entail more risk than the issuer’s debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality due to the potential for capital appreciation and are often lower-rated securities.

 

High-Yield (‘‘Junk’’) Bond Risk. The portfolio companies in which BDCs invest are generally considered to be below investment grade, and the debt securities of those companies, in turn, are often referred to as ‘‘high-yield’’ or ‘‘junk.’’ These bonds involve a greater risk of default or price change due to changes in the issuer’s credit quality because they are generally unsecured and may be subordinated to other creditors’ claims. The values of junk bonds fluctuate more than those of high-quality bonds in response to company, political, regulatory or economic developments. Values of high-yield or junk bonds can decline significantly over short periods of time or during a period of economic difficulty when the bonds could be more difficult to value or sell at a fair value. Credit ratings on junk bonds are subjective and may not necessarily be reflected in their actual market value. In addition, debt securities issued by a BDC may also be considered to be non-investment grade or junk.

 

Credit Risk. There is a risk that debt issuers will not make payments on the debt securities in which the Fund has invested, resulting in losses to the Fund. In addition, the credit quality of securities may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes. Lower credit quality may lead to greater volatility in the price of a security and in shares of the Fund. Lower credit quality also may affect liquidity and make it difficult to sell the security. Default, or the market’s perception that an issuer is likely to default, could reduce the value and liquidity of securities, thereby reducing the value of your investment in Fund shares. In addition, default may cause the Fund to incur expenses in seeking recovery of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings.

 

Credit Risk of Underlying Investments. The Fund is indirectly exposed to the credit risk associated with the debt investments of the BDCs in which the Fund invests. BDCs invest in small companies in the initial stages of development. The types of portfolio companies in which BDCs invest are generally considered to be below investment grade, and the debt securities of those companies, in turn, are often referred to as ‘‘high-yield’’ or ‘‘junk.’’ There is an increased risk that such a portfolio company will fail to make payments on its debts as compared to more developed companies. If a portfolio company fails to make payments to a BDC, the BDC’s performance could be negatively affected and, to the extent that the Fund invests in the BDC, the value of the Fund’s investment in the BDC may be negatively affected as well.

 

Liquidity Risk. A security is considered to be illiquid if the Fund is unable to sell such security within seven days at the price at which the Fund values the security. A security may be deemed illiquid due to a lack of trading volume in the security or if the security is privately placed and not traded in any public market or is otherwise restricted from trading. The Fund may be unable to sell illiquid securities at the time or price it desires and could lose its entire investment in such securities. Further, certain restricted securities require special registration, liabilities and costs, and could be more difficult to value.

 

Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as a non-diversified management investment company under the 1940 Act. This means that the Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in a limited number of issuers than would be the case if the Fund were classified as a diversified management investment company. The value of a specific security can perform differently from the market as a whole for reasons related to the issuer, such as operational performance, financial leverage and investment-level performance. The value of the Fund may decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual security in the Fund’s portfolio. Additionally, the Fund may be subject to greater risk, because the Fund’s performance may be more sensitive to any single economic, business, political or regulatory occurrence than the value of shares of a diversified investment company.

 

Management Risk. The NAV of the Fund changes daily based on the performance of the securities in which it invests. The Advisor’s judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of securities issued by a BDC or other investment company may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results.

 

Large Shareholder Risk. To the extent that shares of the Fund are held by large shareholders, the Fund is subject to the risk that these shareholders will redeem Fund shares in large amounts. These transactions could adversely affect the Fund if it is forced to sell portfolio securities to raise the cash that is necessary to satisfy shareholder redemption requests. This risk is particularly pronounced when one shareholder owns a substantial portion of the Fund.

 

Limited Operating History. The Fund has a limited history of operations for investors to evaluate. The Fund’s performance during its initial period of operations may not be replicated over longer periods and is not indicative of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Fund Performance. No performance information is presented because the Fund has less than a full calendar year of investment operations. Performance information gives investors some indication of the risk of an investment in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance with a broad measure of market performance. Updated performance information will be available at the Fund’s website, www.sheltoncap.com. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

SHELTON REAL ESTATE INCOME FUND

SHELTON REAL ESTATE INCOME FUND SUMMARY

 

Investor Class Ticker Symbol: RENTX

 

Institutional Class Ticker Symbol: RENIX

Investment Objective

The Fund’s investment objective is to provide a current income with the potential for capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

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

Shareholder Fees - SHELTON REAL ESTATE INCOME FUND
Investor Class
Institutional Class
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) none none

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

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - SHELTON REAL ESTATE INCOME FUND
Investor Class
Institutional Class
Management Fees 0.80% 0.80%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees 0.25% none
Other Expenses 0.67% 0.67%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (fees and expenses incurred directly by the Fund as a result of investment in shares of one or more Acquired Funds) [1] 0.02% 0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 1.74% 1.49%
Expense Reimbursement [2] (0.32%) (0.32%)
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement 1.42% 1.17%
[1] "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The operating expenses in this fee table will not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund's financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund.
[2] Shelton Capital Management, the Fund's investment advisor (the "Advisor'') has contractually agreed to waive a portion or all of its management fees and pay Fund expenses (excluding acquired fund fees and expenses, distribution and service 12b-1 fees, interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and extraordinary expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of such Fund's business) in order to limit the "Other Expenses'' for the Investor Class and for the Institutional Class to 0.35% of average daily net assets of the Fund's shares (referred to in this Fund Summary as the "Expense Reimbursement''). The Expense Reimbursement will remain in effect for at least one year following the consummation of the Reorganization, and may be terminated before that date only by the Board of Trustees (also referred to herein as the "Board'') of the SCM Trust (the "Trust''). The Advisor may recover any previously waived fees and paid expenses from the Fund pursuant to this agreement for three years from the date they were waived or paid. The Advisor's ability to recover any previously waived fees and paid expenses is subject to the Expense Reimbursement as in effect at the time such fees were waived or expenses were paid.

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

Expense Example - SHELTON REAL ESTATE INCOME FUND - USD ($)
1 Year
3 Years
Investor Class 145 517
Institutional Class 119 440

Portfolio Turnover: The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or ‘‘turns over’’ its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. The Fund generally intends to purchase securities for long-term investment rather than short-term gains. However, a security may be held for a shorter than expected period of time if, among other things, the Fund needs to raise cash or feels that it is appropriate to do so to meet the Fund’s investment strategy. By selling a security increased brokerage costs may be incurred which may affect the Fund’s performance. Also, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or you purchase shares through a tax-deferred account, the distributions of capital gains may affect your after-tax return. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, may affect the Fund’s performance. It is anticipated that the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate will be 50% of the average value of its portfolio in the first year.

Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund. The Fund concentrates its investments in real estate securities (i.e., securities of issuers in the real estate industry), including securities issued by REITs. The Fund invests substantially all (and under normal market conditions, at least 80%) of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in income producing real estate securities. The Advisor evaluates securities based primarily on the relative attractiveness of income and secondarily considers their potential for capital appreciation. The Advisor considers real estate securities to be securities issued by a company that (a) derives at least 50% of its revenues from the ownership, construction, financing, management or sale of commercial, industrial or residential real estate, or (b) has at least 50% of its assets invested in such real estate. The Advisor plans to sell a security if, in the judgment of the portfolio managers, the security’s income potential has been compromised, an issuer’s fundamentals have deteriorated or may deteriorate or a more attractive investment opportunity is identified.

 

The Fund invests in both equity and debt securities, and invests to a substantial degree in securities issued by REITs. REITs are pooled investment vehicles that own interests in real estate, real-estate related loans or similar interests, and their revenue primarily consists of rent derived from owned, income-producing real estate properties and capital gains from the sale of such properties. A majority of the REITs in which the Fund invests are generally considered by the Advisor to be medium- or small-capitalization companies. The Fund will not invest in non-traded REITs that are sponsored, managed or distributed by affiliates of the Advisor.

 

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include common and preferred stocks, convertible securities, rights and warrants to purchase common stock and depositary receipts. Although the Advisor anticipates that the Fund will invest a substantial portion of its assets in equity securities, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its net assets in debt securities of any maturity, duration or credit rating. Debt securities in which the Fund may invest include corporate debt obligations and CMBS. Debt securities acquired by the Fund may also include high-yield debt securities (commonly referred to as ‘‘junk’’ bonds) issued or guaranteed by real estate companies or other companies. The Fund invests in securities across all market capitalization ranges.

 

The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund. An investment in the Fund is subject to various risks, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment, or you may lose all or part of it. By itself, the Fund does not constitute a balanced investment program. Before investing in the Fund you should consider carefully the following risks.

 

Real Estate Industry Concentration Risk. The Fund concentrates its investments in real estate securities. As a result, the Fund’s portfolio is significantly impacted by the performance of the real estate market generally, and the Fund may be exposed to greater risk and experience higher volatility than would a more diversified portfolio. The value of investments in the real estate industry may go through cycles of relative under-performance and over-performance in comparison to the broader securities markets. The value of the Fund’s shares will be affected by factors generally affecting the real estate industry, including, among others: changes in general economic and market conditions; falling property values; declining rents; risks related to local economic conditions, overbuilding, development and increased competition; increases in property taxes and operating expenses; changes in local laws or regulations; casualty and condemnation losses; variations in rental income, neighborhood values and the appeal of property to tenants; the availability of financing; and changes in interest rates. In particular, the value of the Fund’s shares will be impacted by factors generally affecting the value of real estate and the earnings of companies engaged in the real estate industry. Property values may fall due to increasing vacancies or declining rents resulting from economic, legal, cultural or technological developments. Real estate company prices also may drop because of the failure of borrowers to pay their loans or poor management, and residential developers, in particular, could be negatively impacted by falling home prices, slower mortgage origination and rising construction costs.

 

REIT Risk. In addition to the general risks associated with investments in the real estate industry, investing in REITs will subject the Fund to various risks. REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs are also subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers and self-liquidation. Changes in interest rates may make REIT shares less attractive than other income-producing investments. REITs could possibly fail to qualify for pass-through of income under applicable tax law. Various factors may adversely affect a borrower’s or a lessee’s ability to meet its obligations to a REIT. In the event of a default by a borrower or lessee, the REIT may experience delays in enforcing its rights as a mortgagee or lessor and may incur substantial costs associated with protecting its investments.

 

The market value of REIT shares, and the ability of REITs to distribute income, may be adversely affected by numerous factors, including, among others: rising interest rates, real estate taxes and costs; adverse changes in government regulation; changes in the national, state or local economic climates and real estate markets; and other factors beyond the control of REITs. Equity REITs will be affected by conditions in the real estate rental market and by changes in the value of the properties they own. Mortgage REITs will be affected by changes in creditworthiness of borrowers and changes in interest rates. Hybrid REITs will be subject to the risks of both equity and mortgage REITs.

 

Market Risk. An investment in the Fund is generally subject to market risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. An investment in the Fund represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund. Like all financial instruments, the value of these securities may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. The value of your investment in the Fund at any point in time may be worth less than the value of your original investment, even after taking into account any reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

 

Medium- and Small-Capitalization Company Risk. Many issuers of real estate securities are medium- or small-capitalization companies, many of which may be newly formed or have limited financial or managerial resources. The risks associated with these investments are generally greater than those associated with investments in the securities of larger, more-established companies. To the extent the Fund invests in medium- or small-capitalization companies, the Fund’s NAV may be more volatile when compared to investment companies that focus only on large-capitalization companies. Generally, compared to securities of larger companies, securities of medium- and small-capitalization companies may experience sharper swings in market values or less liquid markets, in which it may be more difficult to sell at favorable times and at favorable prices.

 

Common Stock Risk. While common stock has historically generated higher average returns than debt securities, common stock has also experienced significantly more volatility in those returns. An adverse event, such as an unfavorable earnings report, may depress the value of common stock held by the Fund. Also, the price of common stock is sensitive to general movements in the stock market. A drop in the stock market may depress the price of common stock held by the Fund.

 

Preferred Stock Risk. There are various risks associated with investing in preferred stock, including credit risk, liquidity risk, interest rate risk, deferral and omission of distributions, subordination to bonds and other debt securities in a company’s capital structure, limited liquidity, limited voting rights and special redemption rights.

 

Convertible Securities Risk. Investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in an issuer’s common stock because convertible securities rank senior to common stock in an issuer’s capital structure. The extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large part upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of an issuer and, therefore, entail more risk than the issuer’s debt obligations. Convertible securities generally offer lower interest than non-convertible debt securities of similar credit quality due to the potential for capital appreciation and are often lower-rated securities.

 

Rights and Warrants Risk. Investments in warrants involve certain risks, including the possible lack of a liquid market for the resale of the warrants and potential price fluctuations due to adverse market conditions or other factors. In addition, changes in a warrant’s value do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security, and the price of the warrant may be more volatile than the price of its underlying security. If a right or warrant is not exercised within a specified time period, it becomes worthless.

 

Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in foreign securities may be adversely affected by changes in currency exchange rates; decreased liquidity; increased volatility; economic, political and social developments; difficulty in enforcing obligations; and the imposition of foreign withholding taxes on income payable on the foreign securities. In addition, there may be less publicly-available information about foreign issuers than domestic issuers, and foreign issuers may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial recordkeeping standards and requirements as domestic issuers. The risks associated with foreign securities can be expected to be greater for investments in emerging markets.

 

Depositary Receipts Risk. Depositary receipts involve many of the same risks as those associated with direct investments in foreign securities. A depositary receipt may be less liquid than the underlying security in its primary trading market. Holders of depositary receipts may receive limited or no shareholder communications, and may have limited or no voting rights. Investment restrictions in certain countries may adversely impact the value of the depositary receipts and may cause securities of the underlying issuer to trade at a discount or premium to the market price of the depositary receipts. Depositary receipts may be purchased through ‘‘sponsored’’ or ‘‘unsponsored’’ facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the depositary and the underlying issuer. Conversely, a depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the underlying issuer. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all costs of such depositary receipts, and the depositary is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications provided by the underlying issuer or to pass through voting rights.

 

Debt Securities Risk. When the Fund invests in debt securities, the value of the Fund’s investment will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of debt securities. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments). These risks could affect the value of a particular investment, possibly causing the Fund’s share price and total return to be reduced and fluctuate more than other types of investments.

 

Credit Risk. There is a risk that debt issuers will not make payments on the debt securities in which the Fund has invested, resulting in losses to the Fund. In addition, the credit quality of securities may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes. Lower credit quality may lead to greater volatility in the price of a security and in shares of the Fund. Lower credit quality also may affect liquidity and make it difficult to sell the security. Default, or the market’s perception that an issuer is likely to default, could reduce the value and liquidity of securities thereby reducing the value of your investment in Fund shares. In addition, default may cause the Fund to incur expenses in seeking recovery of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings.

 

High-Yield (‘‘Junk’’) Bond Risk. Compared to higher quality debt securities, high-yield bonds (commonly referred to as ‘‘junk’’ bonds) involve a greater risk of default or price changes due to changes in the credit quality of the issuer because they are generally unsecured and may be subordinated to other creditors’ claims. The values of junk bonds often fluctuate more in response to company, political, regulatory or economic developments than higher quality bonds. Their values can decline significantly over short periods of time or during periods of economic difficulty when the bonds could be difficult to value or sell at a fair price. Credit ratings on junk bonds do not necessarily reflect their actual market value.

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities, which are subject to prepayment and call risk (i.e., the risks that the borrower’s payments may be received earlier or later than expected due to changes in prepayment rates on underlying loans). Faster prepayments often happen when interest rates are falling. As a result, the Fund may reinvest these early payments at lower interest rates, thereby reducing the Fund’s income. Conversely, when interest rates rise, prepayments may happen more slowly, causing the security to lengthen in duration. Longer duration securities tend to be more volatile.

 

Securities may be prepaid at a price less than the original purchase value. An unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the mortgages held by a mortgage pool may adversely affect the value of mortgage-backed securities and could result in losses to the Fund. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage pools that include subprime mortgages. Subprime mortgages refer to loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with lower capacity to make timely payments on their mortgages.

 

Some of the risks of investing in CMBS reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. CMBS may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

 

Liquidity Risk. A security is considered to be illiquid if the Fund is unable to sell such security within seven days at the price at which the Fund values the security. A security may be deemed illiquid due to a lack of trading volume in the security or if the security is privately placed and not traded in any public market or is otherwise restricted from trading. The Fund may be unable to sell illiquid securities at the time or price it desires and could lose its entire investment in such securities. Further, certain restricted securities require special registration, liabilities and costs, and could be more difficult to value.

 

Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as a non-diversified management investment company under the 1940 Act. This means that the Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in a limited number of issuers than would be the case if the Fund were classified as a diversified management investment company. The value of the Fund may decrease in response to the activities and financial prospects of an individual security in the Fund’s portfolio. Additionally, the Fund may be subject to greater risk, because the Fund’s performance may be more sensitive to any single economic, business, political, or regulatory occurrence than the value of shares of a diversified investment company.

 

Management Risk. The NAV of the Fund changes daily based on the value of the securities in which it invests. The Advisor’s judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular real estate segment and securities in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results.

 

Large Shareholder Risk. To the extent that shares of the Fund are held by large shareholders, the Fund is subject to the risk that these shareholders will redeem Fund shares in large amounts. These transactions could adversely affect the Fund if it is forced to sell portfolio securities to raise the cash that is necessary to satisfy shareholder redemption requests. This risk is particularly pronounced when one shareholder owns a substantial portion of the Fund.

Fund Performance No performance information is presented because the Fund has less than a full calendar year of investment operations. Performance information gives investors some indication of the risk of an investment in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance with a broad measure of market performance. Updated performance information will be available at the Fund’s website, www.sheltoncap.com. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.