v3.26.1
Mar. 31, 2026
Franklin BSP CLO ETF
Risk Table - Franklin BSP CLO ETF
Risk [Text Block]
Principal Risks

Principal Risks

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. ETF shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government. The Fund is subject to the principal risks noted below, any of which may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value (NAV), trading price, yield, total return and ability to meet its investment goal. Unlike many ETFs, the Fund is not an index-based ETF.

Risk Lose Money [Member] You could lose money by investing in the Fund.
Market

Market: The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. The market value of a security or other investment may be reduced by market activity or other results of

supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all investments. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise. In addition, the value of the Fund’s investments may go up or down due to general market or other conditions that are not specifically related to a particular issuer, such as: real or perceived adverse economic changes, including widespread liquidity issues and defaults in one or more industries; changes in interest, inflation or exchange rates; unexpected natural and man-made world events, such as diseases or disasters; financial, political or social disruptions, including terrorism and war; and U.S. trade disputes or other disputes with specific countries that could result in additional tariffs, trade barriers and/or investment restrictions in certain securities in those countries. Any of these conditions can adversely affect the economic prospects of many companies, sectors, nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen.

Ongoing or threatened armed conflicts throughout the world have caused and could continue to cause significant market disruptions and volatility. The hostilities and sanctions resulting from those hostilities have and could continue to have a significant impact on certain investments of the Fund as well as the Fund’s performance and liquidity.

Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs)

Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLOs): The risks of an investment in a CLO depend largely on the type of collateral held by the special purpose entity (SPE) and the tranche of the CLO in which the Fund invests. In addition to the normal risks associated with debt securities and loans (e.g., interest rate risk, credit risk, default risk and others), CLOs carry additional risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or quality or go into default or be downgraded; (iii) the Fund may invest in tranches of a CLO that are subordinate to other classes; and (iv) the complex structure of the security may not be fully understood at the time of investment.

The degree of risk associated with CLO securities will generally correspond to the specific tranche in which the Fund is invested. Though the Fund will invest primarily in investment grade-rated tranches of CLO securities, such securities may be downgraded, and in stressed market environments it is possible that even highly rated tranches of CLO securities could experience defaults or other losses due to defaults in the underlying loan collateral, the disappearance of the subordinated/equity tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as negative market sentiment with respect to CLO securities as an asset class. Such risks may be heightened where the CLO securities are comprised of underlying loan collateral that are loans to smaller issuers for which less information is available.

CLOs are managed by entities independent of the investment manager, which are responsible for selecting, managing and replacing the loan collateral within a CLO.

CLO managers may have limited operating histories, may be subject to conflicts of interests, including managing the assets of other clients or other investment vehicles, or receiving fees that incentivize maximizing the yield, and indirectly the risk, of a CLO. Adverse developments with respect to a CLO manager, such as personnel and resource constraints, regulatory issues or other developments that may impact the ability and/or performance of the CLO manager, may adversely impact the performance of the CLO securities in which the Fund invests.

Floating Rate Corporate Investments

Floating Rate Corporate Investments: Floating rate corporate loans and corporate debt securities generally have credit ratings below investment grade and may be subject to resale restrictions. They are often issued in connection with highly leveraged transactions, and may be subject to greater credit risks than other investments including the possibility of default or bankruptcy. In addition, a secondary market in corporate loans may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads and extended trade settlement periods, which may impair the ability to accurately value existing and prospective investments and to realize in a timely fashion the full value upon the sale of a corporate loan. A significant portion of floating rate investments may be “covenant lite” loans that may contain fewer or less restrictive constraints on the borrower or other borrower-friendly characteristics.

Variable Rate Securities

Variable Rate Securities: Because changes in interest rates on variable rate securities (including floating rate securities) may lag behind changes in market rates, the value of such securities may decline during periods of rising interest rates until their interest rates reset to market rates. During periods of declining interest rates, because the interest rates on variable rate securities generally reset downward, their market value is unlikely to rise to the same extent as the value of comparable fixed rate securities.

Credit

Credit: An issuer of debt securities may fail to make interest payments or repay principal when due, in whole or in part. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's or government's credit rating may affect a security's value.

High-Yield Debt Instruments

High-Yield Debt Instruments: Issuers of lower-rated or “high-yield” debt instruments (also known as “junk bonds”) are not as strong financially as those issuing higher credit quality debt instruments. High-yield debt instruments are generally considered predominantly speculative by the applicable rating agencies as their issuers are more likely to encounter financial difficulties because they may be more highly leveraged, or because of other considerations. In addition, high yield debt instruments generally are more vulnerable to changes in the relevant economy, such as a recession or a sustained period of rising interest rates, that could affect their ability to make interest and principal payments when due. The prices of high-yield debt instruments generally fluctuate more than those of higher credit quality. High-yield debt instruments are generally more illiquid (harder to sell) and harder to value.

Impairment of Collateral

Impairment of Collateral: The value of collateral securing a loan or other corporate debt security may decline after the Fund invests and there is a risk that the value of the collateral may not be sufficient to cover the amount owed to the Fund, or the collateral securing a loan may be found invalid, may be used to pay other outstanding obligations of the borrower under applicable law or may be difficult to sell.

Liquidity

Liquidity:  The trading market for a particular security or type of security or other investments in which the Fund invests may become less liquid or even illiquid. Reduced liquidity will have an adverse impact on the Fund’s ability to sell such securities or other investments when necessary to meet the Fund’s liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event and will also generally lower the value of a security or other investments. Market prices for such securities or other investments may be volatile.

Foreign Securities (non-U.S.)

Foreign Securities (non-U.S.): Investing in foreign securities typically involves different risks than investing in U.S. securities, and includes risks associated with: (i) internal and external political and economic developments – e.g., the political, economic and social policies and structures of some foreign countries may be less stable and more volatile than those in the U.S. or some foreign countries may be subject to trading restrictions or economic sanctions; diplomatic and political developments could affect the economies, industries, and securities and currency markets of the countries in which the Fund is invested, which can include rapid and adverse political changes; social instability; regional conflicts; sanctions imposed by the United States, other nations or other governmental entities, including supranational entities; terrorism; and war; (ii) trading practices – e.g., government supervision and regulation of foreign securities and currency markets, trading systems and brokers may be less than in the U.S.; (iii) availability of information – e.g., foreign issuers may not be subject to the same disclosure, accounting and financial reporting standards and practices as U.S. issuers; (iv) limited markets – e.g., the securities of certain foreign issuers may be less liquid (harder to sell) and more volatile; and (v) currency exchange rate fluctuations and policies – e.g., fluctuations may negatively affect investments denominated in foreign currencies and any income received or expenses paid by the Fund in that foreign currency.

Regional

Regional: To the extent that the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a specific geographic region or a particular country, the Fund will generally have more exposure to the specific regional or country risks. In the event of economic or political turmoil or a deterioration of diplomatic relations in a region or country where a substantial portion of the Fund’s assets are invested, the Fund may experience substantial illiquidity or reduction in the value of the Fund’s investments. Adverse conditions in a certain region or country can adversely affect securities of issuers in other countries whose economies appear to be unrelated.

European securities

European securities: Investments in securities of European issuers involve risks that are specific to Europe, including certain legal, regulatory, political and economic risks. Political uncertainty surrounding the European Union (EU) and its membership may increase market volatility. The financial instability of some countries in the EU, together with the risk of such instability impacting other more stable countries may increase the economic risk of investing in companies in Europe. One or more EU member states might exit the EU, placing the European currency and banking system in jeopardy. Efforts of the EU to further unify the economic and monetary policies of its members may increase the potential interdependence of the economies of the EU members and thereby increase the risk that adverse developments in one country will adversely affect the securities of issuers located in other countries.

Derivative Instruments

Derivative Instruments: The performance of derivative instruments depends largely on the performance of an underlying instrument, such as a currency, security, interest rate or index, and such instruments often have risks similar to their underlying instrument, in addition to other risks. Derivative instruments involve costs and can create economic leverage in the Fund's portfolio which may result in significant volatility and cause the Fund to participate in losses (as well as gains) in an amount that exceeds the Fund's initial investment. Other risks include illiquidity, mispricing or improper valuation of the derivative instrument, and imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying instrument so that the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When a derivative is used for hedging, the change in value of the derivative may also not correlate specifically with the currency, security, interest rate, index or other risk being hedged. With over-the-counter derivatives, there is the risk that the other party to the transaction will fail to perform.

Currency Management Strategies

Currency Management Strategies: Currency management strategies may substantially change the Fund’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as the investment manager expects. In addition, currency management strategies, to the extent that they reduce the Fund’s exposure to currency risks, also reduce the Fund’s ability to benefit from favorable changes in currency exchange rates. Using currency management strategies for purposes other than hedging further increases the Fund’s exposure to foreign investment losses. Currency markets generally are not as regulated as securities markets. In addition, currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time, and can reduce returns.

While the Fund’s currency hedging may minimize the impact of currency fluctuations on Fund returns, it does not necessarily eliminate the Fund’s exposure to the currencies. The return of the currency related derivatives will not perfectly offset the actual fluctuations between the currencies and the U.S. dollar. In addition, the Fund will incur transaction costs in hedging its foreign currency

exposure. The Fund’s exposure to the currencies may not be hedged at all times. While the Fund may seek to hedge against currency fluctuations, it is possible that a degree of currency exposure may remain even at the time a hedging transaction is implemented. Increased volatility of the U.S. dollar relative to the currencies being hedged will generally reduce the effectiveness of the Fund’s currency hedging strategy, measured on an aggregate basis. Significant differences between U.S. dollar interest rates and foreign currency interest rates may impact the effectiveness of the Fund’s currency hedging strategy.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

Reverse Repurchase Agreements: Entering into reverse repurchase agreements creates leverage and may be viewed as the borrowing of money by the Fund. If the Fund reinvests the proceeds of a reverse repurchase agreement in securities that are at a rate lower than the cost of the reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund will experience a loss. Reverse repurchase agreements also involve the risk that the market value of the debt obligation that is the subject of the reverse repurchase agreement could decline significantly below the price at which the Fund is obligated to repurchase the security, resulting in collateral to be posted to the counterparty as margin. In addition, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that a buyer of securities will become subject to bankruptcy or other insolvency proceedings.

Interest Rate

Interest Rate: As interest rates decrease, issuers of the underlying loan obligations may refinance any floating rate loans, which will result in a reduction in the principal value of the CLO’s portfolio and require the CLO to reinvest cash at an inopportune time. Conversely, as interest rates rise, borrowers with floating rate loans may experience difficulty in making payments, resulting in delinquencies and defaults, which will result in a reduction in cash flow to the CLO and the CLO investors, including the Fund.

When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. Interest rate changes are influenced by a number of factors, including government policy, monetary policy, inflation expectations, perceptions of risk, and supply of and demand for bonds. In general, securities with longer maturities or durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes.

Income

Income: The Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall, when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds or when the Fund realizes a loss upon the sale of a debt security.

Prepayment

Prepayment: Prepayment risk occurs when a debt security can be repaid in whole or in part prior to the security's maturity and the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives, during periods of declining interest rates, in securities that pay a lower rate of interest. Also, if a security has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Prepayments generally increase when interest rates fall.

Extension

Extension: Some debt securities are subject to the risk that the debt security’s effective maturity is extended because calls or prepayments are less or slower than anticipated, particularly when interest rates rise. The market value of such security may then decline and become more interest rate sensitive.

Focus

Focus: To the extent that the Fund focuses on particular countries, regions, industries, sectors or types of investments from time to time, the Fund may be subject to greater risks of adverse developments in such areas of focus than a fund that invests in a wider variety of countries, regions, industries, sectors or investments.

Rule 144A Securities and Other Exempt Securities

Rule 144A Securities and Other Exempt Securities:  The market for Rule 144A and other securities exempt from certain registration requirements typically is less active than the market for publicly-traded securities. Rule 144A and other exempt securities, which are also known as privately issued securities, carry the risk that their liquidity may become impaired and the Fund may be unable to dispose of the securities at a desirable time or price.

Non-Diversification

Non-Diversification: Because the Fund is non-diversified, it may be more sensitive to economic, business, political or other changes affecting individual issuers or investments than a diversified fund, which may negatively impact the Fund's performance and result in greater fluctuation in the value of the Fund’s shares.

Cash/Cash Equivalents

Cash/Cash Equivalents: To the extent the Fund holds cash or cash equivalents rather than securities in which it primarily invests or uses to manage risk, the Fund may not achieve its investment objectives and may underperform.

Management

Management: The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed ETF. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity incidents, both intentional and unintentional, may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, Fund or customer data (including private shareholder information), or proprietary information, cause the Fund, the investment manager, authorized participants, or index providers (as applicable) and listing exchanges, and/or their service providers (including, but not limited to, Fund accountants, custodians, sub-custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) to suffer data breaches, data corruption or loss of operational functionality or prevent Fund investors from purchasing, redeeming shares or receiving distributions. The investment manager has limited ability to prevent or mitigate cybersecurity incidents affecting third party service providers, and such third party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Fund or the investment manager. Cybersecurity incidents may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, and substantial costs may be

incurred in an effort to prevent or mitigate future cybersecurity incidents. Issuers of securities in which the Fund invests are also subject to cybersecurity risks, and the value of these securities could decline if the issuers experience cybersecurity incidents.

Because technology is frequently changing, new ways to carry out cyber attacks are always developing. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack. Like other funds and business enterprises, the Fund, the investment manager, and their service providers are subject to the risk of cyber incidents occurring from time to time.

Market Trading

Market Trading: The Fund faces numerous market trading risks, including the potential lack of an active market for Fund shares, losses from trading in secondary markets, periods of high volatility and disruption in the creation/redemption process of the Fund. Any of these factors, among others, may lead to the Fund’s shares trading at a premium or discount to NAV. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive less (or more) than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market. The investment manager cannot predict whether shares will trade above (premium), below (discount) or at NAV.

Authorized Participant Concentration

Authorized Participant Concentration: Only an Authorized Participant may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. "Authorized Participants" are broker-dealers that are permitted to create and redeem shares directly with the Fund and who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor. The Fund has a limited number of institutions that act as Authorized Participants. To the extent that these institutions exit the business or are unable to proceed with creation and/or redemption orders with respect to the Fund and no other Authorized Participant is able to step forward to create or redeem Creation Units (as defined below), Fund shares may trade at a discount to NAV and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting. This risk may be more pronounced in volatile markets, potentially where there are significant redemptions in ETFs generally.

Cash Transactions

Cash Transactions: Unlike certain ETFs, the Fund expects to generally effect its creations and redemptions entirely for cash, rather than for in-kind securities. Therefore, it may be required to sell portfolio securities and subsequently recognize gains on such sales that the Fund might not have recognized if it were to distribute portfolio securities in-kind. As such, investments in Fund shares may be less tax-efficient than an investment in an ETF that distributes portfolio securities entirely in-kind.

New Fund

New Fund: The Fund is newly or recently established and has no performance history as of the date of this Prospectus. There can be no assurance that the Fund

will grow to or maintain an economically viable size, which could result in the Fund being liquidated at any time without shareholder approval and at a time that may not be favorable for all shareholders.

Large Shareholder

Large Shareholder: Certain large shareholders, including other funds or accounts advised by the investment manager or an affiliate of the investment manager, may from time to time own a substantial amount of the Fund’s shares. In addition, a third-party investor, the investment manager or an affiliate of the investment manager, an authorized participant, a lead market maker, or another entity may invest in the Fund and hold its investment for a limited period of time solely to facilitate commencement of the Fund or to facilitate the Fund’s achieving a specified size or scale. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder would not redeem its investment, that the size of the Fund would be maintained at such levels or that the Fund would continue to meet applicable listing requirements. Redemptions by large shareholders could have a significant negative impact on the Fund. In addition, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume on the listing exchange and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the shares.